Associated Press
The Olympic roundup …
Dang, those Jamaicans are fast.
Shelly-Ann Fraser broke away from the pack early and cruised to victory in the women’s 100 meters, a day after Usain Bolt set a world-record in the men’s race. About the biggest difference was that Fraser waited until crossing the finish line ó well, almost ó before celebrating. Two other Jamaicans, Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart, tied for second, denying the American trio of Lauryn Williams, Torri Edwards and Muna Lee from making the medals stand.
In the women’s 400, three-time U.S. national champion Sanya Richards won her semifinal in 49.90 seconds to move into Tuesday’s finals where she’ll go for an individual gold to go with the relay gold she won at the Athens Olympics. Americans Mary Wineberg and Dee Dee Trotter each failed to advance.
“Oh, man, I feel I can just taste it now,” said Richards, who has dominated the event but never won a world championship or Olympic gold medal, in part because she has suffered from a rare disease that caused painful sores on her body and in her mouth.
SWIMMINGThe U.S. women also had a nice morning at the pool.
Dara Torres came oh-so-close to capturing a gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle, finishing second by 0.01 seconds. Still, silver was terrific for the 41-year-old mom who thought she’d retired a few years ago, only to dive back in and become America’s first five-time swimming Olympian.
Then Torres was part of the 400 medley relay squad that finished behind Australia. That silver upped her total to three medals here and 12 for her career.
“I go home extremely thrilled,” Torres said.
TENNISRafael Nadal becomes No. 1 in the world on Monday. He’ll also wake up an Olympic champion.
Nadal overcame two set points in the second set and held every service game to beat Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3.
The Williams sisters won the women’s doubles title by romping past a Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2, 6-0. They also won in Sydney.
FENCINGAfter missing out on a medal four years ago because of consecutive 45-44 losses, Keeth Smart and the U.S. men’s saber team got to the gold-medal bout with a pair of 45-44 victories. But they couldn’t get past the French in the finals.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Tina Thompson scored 10 points during a 21-0 run, sending the U.S. women past New Zealand 96-60. The Americans went 5-0 in pool play, winning by an average of 43 points.
SOFTBALLThe U.S. women won their 20th straight Olympic game with as little drama as they usually provide. Monica Abbott pitched five perfect innings and Crystl Bustos, Jessica Mendoza and Tairia Flowers homered in an 8-0 victory over the Netherlands.
The Americans have outscored opponents 44-1, posted five shutouts and hit 12 homers. The latter stat breaking one of the few Olympic records they didn’t set in Greece.
Next up: China, which lost 2-1 to Taiwan to get eliminated from the medal round.
BOXINGThe Americans won’t be going home empty-handed, thanks to heavyweight Deontay Wilder getting to the semifinals, assuring him of at least bronze.
BEACH VOLLEYBALLlThere won’t be an all-American women’s finals.
Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh were ousted with a loss to a Chinese team.
ROWINGThe U.S. women’s eight took gold and the U.S. men’s eight took bronze.
CYCLINGAmerican Jennie Reed advanced to a sprint quarterfinal, continuing her bid for the first medal by a U.S. woman in 20 years.
WRESTLINGAmerican Randi Miller, wrestling in her first world-level senior international tournament, took bronze; it was the only medal for America in the four women’s weight classes.
WOMEN’S WATER POLO
There’s going to be a new champion. The reigning winners from Italy were knocked off by the Netherlands, sending the Dutch into the semifinals against Hungary. Australia and the United States, the top two teams in the world rankings, will meet in the other semifinal.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALLThe U.S. closed preliminary play by beating Poland in five sets. The Americans already secured a spot in the quarterfinals.
WEIGHTLIFTINGIlya Ilin of Kazaksthan won the men’s 94-kilogram title.
EQUESTRIAN
U.S. and Swiss riders took the early lead in team show jumping.