American Paige McPherson,21,won the bronze medal in the women's 67kg,or welterweight,taekwondo class Friday.McPherson took the United States' eighth Olympic medal in the fighting sport,defeating Slovenia's Franka Anic 8-3.McPherson,the pride of Sturgis,South Dakota,was raised by her adoptive parents in a family of adopted children.
Kicking seems to be the heart of taekwondo,although punching may also yield points.It's not a sport the masses are too familiar with yet,but it's definitely exciting to watch-and listen to,as the competitors are quite vocal with their battle cries,if you will.
There is a definite culture of respect underpinning the fierce contests,with competitors and officials bowing to each other at various points.
The Bahamas won their first gold medal in history Friday,upsetting the US men in the 4x400 meter relay.The US had won gold in the relay at every Olympics since 1984.
In the overall London Olympics medal count Friday,the US was first,with 94 total and 41 gold;China was second,with 81 total and 37 gold;and Russia held third place,with 63 total and 15 gold medals.
Update:In Olympics action Saturday,Mexico took the gold in men's soccer,beating Brazil 2-1.It was Mexico's first medal of any kind in soccer.
Russia took both gold and silver in the women's 20 km race walk,as Elena Lashmanova,20,bested the defending gold medalist Olga Kinistina,27.It was a thrilling finish on the Mall in London,with Lashmanova slowly yet steadily reeling Kinistina in,finally eclipsing her in the final moments of the race.Lashmanova blazed a new world record of 1:25:02 in the process,extinguishing the old record of 1:25:08.
Showing posts with label London Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label London Olympics. Show all posts
Friday, August 10, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
London Olympics Notebook:Richards-Ross Cruises Through Quarter Final
Sanya Richards-Ross,the Jamaican American who has won Olympic gold twice on the US 4x400 meter relay team,is seeking to make her own mark at that distance in London.Richards-Ross made the quarter finals seem like a jog in the park Friday as she totally dominated the field to qualify for Saturday's semifinals.The Christian athlete gave all the glory to God.She is so thankful to be chasing her dream,she tweeted Friday night.1 race at a time!
Richards-Ross,who is married to NFL player Aaron Ross of the Jacksonville Jaguars,who has two Super Bowl rings from his time with the New York Giants,is considered one of the world's fastest women.She graduated from the University of Texas in 2006,having attended St.Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft.Lauderdale,Florida.
Jamaican-born athletes have been global leaders in track and field for a long time,and that tradition seems certain to continue at the London games as Richards-Ross and others pursue their dreams of talent realised.
In other Olympics action,the Canadian women defeated Great Britain in soccer quarterfinals 2-0 Friday,advancing to the Monday semifinals,where they will face off with Team USA,their longtime rivals.
The match will be broadcast at 2:45 pm Eastern.
French swimmer Florent Manaudou,21,came out of nowhere to clinch victory in the 50 meter freestyle.His older sister Laure,25,who won swimming gold at the Athens games in 2004, gave him a long congratulatory hug poolside,and he threw her his bouquet at the medals ceremony.France has won four swimming golds so far in London,which is more than the three they had won in their entire history.
The total medals leaders Friday were the US,43 and 21 gold;China,42 and 20 gold;and Russia,23 and 3 gold.
Update:While American Serena Williams took the gold medal in women's tennis on Saturday,defeating Russian Maria Sharapova,the Russian men overcame the US in volleyball,winning 3 sets to 2.Both teams are now 3-1 in Group B pool play.
Sanya Richards-Ross qualified for Sunday's 400 meter final.
Update 2:Sanya Richards-Ross won the gold medal in the 400 meter final on Sunday,joining her hands in prayer when she had crossed the finish line.
I've dreamt about this moment over and over the past four years.I'm just so blessed to have this experience,the Christian athlete said.Her parents,husband and cousin had witnessed her race in the stands.
Richards-Ross,who is married to NFL player Aaron Ross of the Jacksonville Jaguars,who has two Super Bowl rings from his time with the New York Giants,is considered one of the world's fastest women.She graduated from the University of Texas in 2006,having attended St.Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft.Lauderdale,Florida.
Jamaican-born athletes have been global leaders in track and field for a long time,and that tradition seems certain to continue at the London games as Richards-Ross and others pursue their dreams of talent realised.
In other Olympics action,the Canadian women defeated Great Britain in soccer quarterfinals 2-0 Friday,advancing to the Monday semifinals,where they will face off with Team USA,their longtime rivals.
The match will be broadcast at 2:45 pm Eastern.
French swimmer Florent Manaudou,21,came out of nowhere to clinch victory in the 50 meter freestyle.His older sister Laure,25,who won swimming gold at the Athens games in 2004, gave him a long congratulatory hug poolside,and he threw her his bouquet at the medals ceremony.France has won four swimming golds so far in London,which is more than the three they had won in their entire history.
The total medals leaders Friday were the US,43 and 21 gold;China,42 and 20 gold;and Russia,23 and 3 gold.
Update:While American Serena Williams took the gold medal in women's tennis on Saturday,defeating Russian Maria Sharapova,the Russian men overcame the US in volleyball,winning 3 sets to 2.Both teams are now 3-1 in Group B pool play.
Sanya Richards-Ross qualified for Sunday's 400 meter final.
Update 2:Sanya Richards-Ross won the gold medal in the 400 meter final on Sunday,joining her hands in prayer when she had crossed the finish line.
I've dreamt about this moment over and over the past four years.I'm just so blessed to have this experience,the Christian athlete said.Her parents,husband and cousin had witnessed her race in the stands.
Friday, July 27, 2012
London Olympics Notebook
The opening ceremony at the London Olympics went off smoothly Friday evening.Yahoo labeled the Queen's reaction to British athletes walking by "embarrassing,"however.They thought she had a bored expression. Sir Paul McCartney performed at the end of the program,singing Beatles songs "The End" and "Hey Jude."His voice was flexible at 70 years of age.
An impressive simulation of the Industrial Revolution featured smoke stacks belching acrid smoke.
There wasn't a famous torchbearer to light the cauldron at Olympic Stadium.Instead,a group of 16 young athletes,future Olympians,carried torches to a ring of copper leaves.They lit the leaves,which were then mechanically raised to form the Olympic cauldron.
Former Olympian Muhammad Ali,the boxer,was there to touch the Olympic flag,still able to stand despite his Parkinson's disease.He had lit the cauldron at the 1996 games in Atlanta,shaking from the illness even then.
The games begin in earnest today,Saturday.The soccer tournament actually began on Thursday,before the opening ceremony.The U.S. women's team beat France 4-2.The U.S. men's soccer team failed to qualify for the London games.
Update:Saturday saw continued good weather for the London Olympics.In the cycling road race,Kazakhstan's Alexander Vinokourov won the gold as he wrested the lead from Colombia's Rigoberto Uran near the end of the race,which passed Buckingham Palace.Vinokourov,38,became quite emotional,with many tears for his victory as he embraced his friends.He wasn't the favorite,having retired from the sport at one point.
The Russian women defeated China in beach volleyball.
The U.S. women's soccer team silenced Colombia 3-0 in Glasgow,Scotland.They qualified for the quarter finals,but have a match with North Korea first to finish up group play.
In tennis,American Serena Williams bested Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 6-3,6-1 to advance to the second round.The match was held at Wimbledon,with U.S. first lady Michelle Obama attending and applauding Williams.
An impressive simulation of the Industrial Revolution featured smoke stacks belching acrid smoke.
There wasn't a famous torchbearer to light the cauldron at Olympic Stadium.Instead,a group of 16 young athletes,future Olympians,carried torches to a ring of copper leaves.They lit the leaves,which were then mechanically raised to form the Olympic cauldron.
Former Olympian Muhammad Ali,the boxer,was there to touch the Olympic flag,still able to stand despite his Parkinson's disease.He had lit the cauldron at the 1996 games in Atlanta,shaking from the illness even then.
The games begin in earnest today,Saturday.The soccer tournament actually began on Thursday,before the opening ceremony.The U.S. women's team beat France 4-2.The U.S. men's soccer team failed to qualify for the London games.
Update:Saturday saw continued good weather for the London Olympics.In the cycling road race,Kazakhstan's Alexander Vinokourov won the gold as he wrested the lead from Colombia's Rigoberto Uran near the end of the race,which passed Buckingham Palace.Vinokourov,38,became quite emotional,with many tears for his victory as he embraced his friends.He wasn't the favorite,having retired from the sport at one point.
The Russian women defeated China in beach volleyball.
The U.S. women's soccer team silenced Colombia 3-0 in Glasgow,Scotland.They qualified for the quarter finals,but have a match with North Korea first to finish up group play.
In tennis,American Serena Williams bested Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 6-3,6-1 to advance to the second round.The match was held at Wimbledon,with U.S. first lady Michelle Obama attending and applauding Williams.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)