Olympics Day 8: Highlights & Results
Scores and highlights from Day 8 of the Summer Olympics in London.
SWIMMING
Phelps goes out in style
LONDON (AP) — Michael Phelps ends his swimming career with another gold medal, helping the U.S. win the medley relay at the London Olympics.
It’s his fourth of the Games, to go along with two silver.
Phelps leaves the sport with a record 18 golds and 22 medals overall.
Earlier in the pool, the U.S. set a world record while winning the women’s medley relay.
Seventeen-year-old Missy Franklin swam the leadoff backstroke leg, Rebecca Soni (SOH’-nee) the breaststroke, Dana Vollmer competed in butterfly and Allison Schmitt had the anchor leg in freestyle.
TRACK AND FIELD
Fraser-Pryce repeats
LONDON (AP) — Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made it back-to-back Olympic titles in the women’s 100 meters, outleaning world champion Carmelita Jeter (JEH’-tur) of the U.S. by 0.03 seconds. The Jamaican is the first woman to repeat in the 100 since Gail Devers (DEE’-vurz) of the U.S. did it in 1992 and 1996.
Jessica Ennis (EH’-nihs) won the Olympic heptathlon gold medal. It’s a first for Britain on the track.
American runner Sanya Richards-Ross won her semifinal heat in the women’s 400 meters Saturday night, setting a blistering pace before coasting to a spot in the final.
All five of the top contenders won their opening heats in the men’s 100. Defending champion Usain Bolt (yoo-SAYN’), Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell, Tyson Gay and 2004 Olympic champion Justin Gatlin moved on.
Also on the track Saturday, defending champion LaShawn Merritt of the U.S., who has been bothered by an injured left hamstring, pulled up in the backstretch of his 400-meter preliminary heat and limped slowly off the track.
And Oscar Pistorius (pihs-TOHR’-ee-uhs) of South Africa became the first amputee to compete on the track at an Olympics, finishing second in his 400-meter heat to advance. Pistorius is a double-amputee who runs on carbon-fiber blades.
BASKETBALL
U.S. men play a squeaker
LONDON (AP) — The U.S. men’s basketball team survived its first true test of the 2012 Olympics, coming from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat Lithuania 99-94 in preliminary round play.
LeBron James took over late, scoring nine of his 20 points in the final four minutes to help the Americans remain unbeaten and avoid their first loss in Olympic competition since the 2004 semifinals in Athens. Carmelo Anthony tied for team scoring honors and Kevin Durant chipped in with 16 points.
TENNIS
Serena completes ‘Golden Slam’
WIMBLEDON (AP) — Serena Williams destroyed Russia’s Maria Sharapova 6-love-6-1 at Wimbledon to win her first Olympic singles gold medal. She joins Steffi Graf as the only women with career Grand Slams and Olympic gold — the so-called ‘Golden Slam’.
Top-seed Victoria Azarenka (ah-zah-REN’-kuh) won bronze with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Russia’s Maria Kirilenko. It’s the first tennis medal ever for Belarus.
American twins Bob and Mike Bryan claimed gold in men’s doubles with a 6-4, 7-6 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (SAHNG’-guh) and Michael Llodra (loh-DRAH’) of France.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
American success in the sand
LONDON (AP) — Two-time gold medalists Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor (TRAY’-nur) beat the Netherlands in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament. The U.S. pair won gold medals in Athens and Beijing without losing a set. That streak was snapped on Wednesday in the final of the round-robin.
Also Saturday, Americans Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal beat Russia in straight sets to keep alive the U.S. hopes of a second consecutive men’s gold. Defending champions Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser were eliminated in the round of 16 by Italy.
VOLLEYBALL
U.S. fails to seal the deal
LONDON (AP) — The defending champion U.S. men’s volleyball team failed to clinch the top seed in their pool, losing 3-2 to Russia after winning the first two sets. It snaps an 11-game Olympic winning streak. They have another chance Monday against winless Tunisia.
CYCLING
US cyclists settle for silver
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s women’s pursuit team delivered the home nation its fourth Olympic gold medal in five events at the London Velodrome.
The three scorched across the finish line a quarter of a lap ahead of the silver medal-winning U.S. team.
RIFLE
Gray shoots her way to gold
LONDON (AP) — Jamie Lynn Gray won the gold medal in women’s 50-meter three-position rifle shooting, setting two Olympic records along the way. This is the second Olympics for Gray, who was fourth in air rifle and fifth in three-position rifle in 2008.
ROWING
Bronze for U.S.
WINDSOR, England (AP) — Britain successfully defended its Olympic rowing title in the men’s four by beating rival Australia to get the gold. The U.S. team finished third to secure the bronze medal.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)