BREAKING: U.S. swimmers win historic 1,000th Olympic gold medal for Team USA

RIO DE JANEIRO – The U.S. women’s 400-meter medley relay team of Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Simone Manuel and Dana Vollmer today made history by securing the 1,000^th gold medal for Team USA at the Olympic Games in summer competition. The milestone highlights Team USA’s sustained competitive excellence, dating back to the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

On the final night of pool swimming in Rio, the U.S. won the race in a time of 3:53.13, ahead of Australia (3:55.00) and Denmark (3:55.01).

The first U.S. gold medal was won by triple jumper James Connolly on April 6, 1896.

“One thousand gold medals is a remarkable achievement made possible by the culture of sport that is the fabric and foundation of Team USA,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “It is a testament first and foremost to our athletes, but it also reveals the impact of the support provided by our National Governing Bodies, our sponsors and donors, and American fans. This is an accomplishment we celebrate together.”

Several USOC sponsors will generously donate gifts to the swimmers in recognition of the milestone. The gifts will have a theme of 1,000 to highlight the longevity of Team USA's success.

Team USA entered the Rio Olympics with 977 gold medals in summer competition, and the relay team’s podium-topping performance marked the 23rd of the Games for the Americans.

Of the 1,000 gold medals, more than half (569) have come from track and field (323), and swimming (246). The 23 U.S. gold medals thus far in Rio were won in swimming (15), gymnastics (2), track and field (2), cycling (1), judo (1), rowing (1), and shooting (1).

The former Soviet Union is second on the all-time list with 395 gold medals, while Great Britain is second among active countries with 245.

A comprehensive Team USA History Book can be found here. 
United States Olympic Committee
1 Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909

U.S. Women Remain Undefeated in Win over Italy

By Bill Kauffman (bill.kauffman@usav.org)

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 the world, was energized by its bench play Friday after as it defeated Italy 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20 during the Olympic Games Pool B being staged at Maracanazinho Arena in Rio de Janeiero, Brazil.

The Americans, now 4-0 in Pool B with 11 points and in first place, conclude pool play against the world’s No. 3 China on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET. Team USA, though already qualified for the Aug. 16 quarterfinals following its victory over Serbia on Wednesday, is aiming to grab the top seed from Pool B.

Earlier today China lost to Serbia 25-19, 25-19, 25-22 to fall to 2-2 with seven points. Serbia is now in second place with a 3-1 record and nine points. Serbia challenges fourth-place Netherlands on the final day of pool play prior to the USA’s match against China. A Team USA win will secure the top spot in the Pool B heading into the quarterfinals. However, an American loss to China means Serbia can slip into the top seed with a win over Netherlands despite having lost to the U.S. earlier this week.

The top four teams from the two six-team pools advance to the quarterfinals with the top seeds

U.S. Olympic Women’s Field Hockey Team Captures Fourth Straight Victory Earning a Total of 12 Event Points

Photo Credit: TeamUSA Field Hockey

DEODORO, Brazil - They shook hands after a draw in Lancaster, Pa. knowing all too well it wasn’t over; there was more to the story. Only a few weeks before the Olympic Games during the Citi Rio Send-Off Series, India and the U.S. Olympic Women’s Field Hockey Team’s walked away with one win apiece. The moment to prove who has enough gusto to edge out the other was revealed on the ultimate stage at the Deodoro Olympic Park under the spotlight of watchful eyes of those in the stadium stands and those glued to their television sets at home. Keeping match tempo in fifth gear, Team USA drove hard, engines at full tilt for 60 minutes to leave the pitch as victors with a goal line 3-0. The missing element between the Citi Rio Send-Off Series and the Olympic Games? USWNT dynamite defender and captain Lauren Crandall (Doylestown, Pa.). A key contributor in the backfield and leadership, Crandall was out recovering and prepping in the weeks leading up to Rio. Now, rejoining the team, the United States is the strongest it has ever been.

"It was an advantage to be up in the stands watching those 120 minutes of hockey," said

USA wins team, sweeps all-around at 2016 Gymnnix International

Photo is courtesy of USA Gymnastics

© John Cheng

• Team Final Results
• All-Around Final Results
• Event Finals Results

Montreal, Que., Canada – The USA easily won the team title in the Junior Cup at the Gymnix International at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex in Montreal, Que., Canada, as well swept the all-around: Gabby Perea of Geneva, Ill./Legacy Elite, gold medal; Deanne Soza of Orem, Utah/Arete Gymnastics, silver; and Emma Malabuyo of Flower Mound, Texas/Texas Dreams, bronze. Team USA also brought home six individual event medals, including three gold.

The U.S. women posted a team total of 170.350, easily outdistancing Russia’s 163.800 and Canada’s 162.125. The USA had the top team event scores for vault (44.575), uneven bars (43.200) and balance beam (42.025), as well as tied for second on floor (40.550). Four women competed on each event, with the top three scores counting. Jordan Chiles of Vancouver, Wash./Naydenov Gymnastics, joined Malabuyo, Perea and Soza on the medals podium.

The USA’s individual event scores in the all-around and team finals were: Soza – 15.025/vault,

SCIMECA AND KNIERIM TO REPRESENT TEAM USA AT 2013 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Denney and Coughlin to Sit Out Remainder of Season

U.S. Figure Skating announced today that Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim will represent Team USA at the 2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships March 10-17, 2013, in London, Ontario, Canada.

Scimeca and Knierim, the 2013 U.S. silver medalists, were the first alternates for a spot on the World Team. They withdrew from the 2013 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships because Scimeca was experiencing right foot pain. Upon her return to Colorado Springs, where the team is based, Scimeca was evaluated and cleared to continue training.

Caydee Denney and John Coughlin, the 2012 U.S. pairs champions, were named to the World Team at the 2013 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships in late January. Coughlin underwent successful surgery in December to repair a torn labrum in his left hip. They have not competed since winning the bronze medal at 2012 Rostelecom Cup in November. The team submitted a petition to U.S. Figure Skating to be considered for the World Team despite not competing at the U.S. Championships, the final qualifier for the event.

"In staying true to our goals of representing the United States at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, Caydee and I have decided to take this opportunity to get a jump start on our 2013-14 campaign," Coughlin said. "Recovery has gone better than we could have imagined and we are grateful to our families and coaches, Dr. Philippon and the medical team at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. Their tireless work alongside U.S. Figure Skating has made it possible for us to approach the upcoming season with a clean slate."

Felicia Zhang and Nate Bartholomay, the 2013 U.S. bronze medalists, are the first alternates to the World Team. Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier, who placed fifth at the U.S. Championships and will compete at the 2013 World Junior Championships, are second alternates to the World Team.

Team USA will also be represented by 2013 U.S. pairs champions Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir in London. They won bronze at Four Continents and are set to make their World Championships debut. All four U.S. champions, including Ashley Wagner (ladies), Max Aaron (men's) and Meryl Davis and Charlie White (ice dance) will also compete.

TEAM USA EARNS FIVE MEDALS IN SOCHI

2012 JGP and Grand Prix Final competition notes
2012 JGP and Grand Prix Final icenetwork.com event page

Meryl Davis & Charlie White (Getty Images/Otto Greule Jr.)

(12/8/12) - Team USA added three medals today as events concluded from the 2012 Grand Prix Final and 2012 Junior Grand Prix Final. Ashley Wagner earned silver today for her first Grand Prix Final medal, while Meryl Davis and Charlie White made history as they became the first ice dance team in history to win four Grand Prix Final titles.

Davis and White skated their best performances of the season in Sochi to total a season-high 183.39 points. Their "Notre-Dame" free dance, that White called "fantastic," was highlighted by an array of level 4 elements including one spin, four lifts and the twizzle sequence. They earned 110.19 points for the segment.

White continued, "Emotionally, technically, we really put it all out there. I'm proud of the way we fought through it. It’s a great step to help us build toward winning Worlds."

Russian President Vladmir Putin was on hand to watch the free dance, a fact that Davis and White were aware of but tried to push to the back of their minds before the skate.

"The ice, the atmosphere and the crowd were fantastic," Davis said. "We heard (Russian President) Putin was in the audience which is really exciting. When you hear about important people in the audience, it's not something you try to focus on

2012 JUNIOR GRAND PRIX FINAL UNDER WAY FROM SOCHI, RUSSIA

Hannah Miller performs her
short program at the 2012
U.S. Championships(U.S. Figure Skating photo)

2012 JGP and Grand Prix Final competition notes
2012 JGP and Grand Prix Final icenetwork.com event page

Team USA took the ice today as competition began at the 2012 Junior Grand Prix Final from Sochi, Russia, home of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

Joshua Farris, the reigning World Junior silver medalist, is in first place following the junior men's short program. Farris posted a season-high score of 74.53 points, including 40.32 on his technical elements. After a bobble on his program-opening triple Axel, Farris executed what coach Damon Allen called "his best triple Lutz-triple toe of the season," which, the athlete added, "didn't end up with me crashing into the boards." He netted 10.10 points for the jump combination and also saw positive GOEs on the remaining five elements of the "Unaccompanied Cello Suite in G Major, BWV 1007: Prelude" program.

Farris, who was in first place after the short program the 2011 JGP Final (he went on to finish third) and World Juniors, says he has worked on his mindset entering the free skate this season.

"At junior worlds, I had gotten my mental state a lot calmer," he explained. "I used to get really nervous for

TV appearances by U.S. gymnasts - Aug. 13-16

A listing of this week's TV appearances by 2012 Olympic gymnasts appears below. This list is subject to change.

Monday, Aug. 13

• Gabby Douglas on Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Tuesday, Aug. 14

• Women's team on Today Show
• Women's team on Late Show with David Letterman

Wednesday, Aug. 15

• Women's team on Good Morning America
• Women's team on The Colbert Report
• Women's team on Anderson Cooper 360

Thursday, Aug. 16

• Women's team on Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien
• John Orozco on Rock Center with Brian Williams

RECORD-BREAKING OLYMPIC GAMES

RECORD-BREAKING GAMES
The London 2012 Olympic Games marked a record-breaking campaign for the United
States, which collected more gold medals than ever before on foreign soil. With 104 total
medals won – including 46 golds, 29 silvers and 29 bronzes – the U.S. led the medal count
for the fifth straight Games, dating back to 1996. The 46 golds were the most for the U.S. in
a non-boycotted Games since 1904 and put the Americans atop the gold-medal chart for
the first time since Athens.
“We are  immensely proud of the  success that our athletes had in London,” said USOC CEO
Scott Blackmun. “The medals are a part of that, but we are also proud of the athletes who
didn’t reach the podium, athletes like Sarah Groff and Margaux Isaksen, who fell just short
but inspired us with their determination. Just as importantly, all of our athletes were good
ambassadors, and we have no doubt that they left a positive impression  both in London and
with the hundreds of millions of Americans who were watching back home.”
China closed the games with 87 medals (38 golds), while Great Britain closed in on the
top-three spots in the final days of competition, concluding the Games with 64 medals (29
golds). It was a fitting end to a remarkable showing by the host nation.
“It really couldn’t have been a more positive experience for us,” said USOC Chairman Larry
Probst of the London Organizing Committee’s efforts. “The volunteers were friendly, cheerful and did a fantastic job. The venues were obviously spectacular. The athletes have had a
great time, and the performances have been absolutely stunning.”
Overall, 255 U.S. athletes contributed to the medal count at the 2012 Games, including 27
who won more than one medal and 13 who won multiple gold medals. Of the 28 sports in
which U.S. athletes competed, the U.S. brought home hardware in 18, arguably shinning the
brightest in swimming and track & field.
Led by strong performances from veterans and newcomers alike, the U.S. swimming team
medaled in 27 of a possible 34 events. In his farewell Games, Michael Phelps cemented his
name in Olympic lore by becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals, including 18 golds. The winningest athlete across all sports at the 2012 Games, Phelps
capped his illustrious career with four golds and two silvers. Fellow U.S. swimmers Missy
Franklin, Ryan Lochte and Allison Schmitt all tied for second in the overall medal haul with
five, helping the U.S. swimmers bring in 31 medals.
Team USA carried its momentum from the Aquatics Centre to the Olympic Stadium as the
U.S. track & field athletes captured 29 medals, marking its biggest Olympic medal collection
since the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. The London Games was of historic significance
for the U.S. team, which topped all nations in medals (9 golds, 13 silvers, 7 bronzes) and
points scoring (304) ahead of Russia and Jamaica, which filled out the top-three spots in both measures. Americans set one world record (women’s 4x100-meter) and two American records (men’s 4x100, women’s 4x100), while the 2012 squad turned in the best performance ever at the Games in no fewer than 18 events.
Overall, U.S. women stole the spotlight, winning 58 medals while gracing the top of the podium 29 times. U.S. gymnast Gabby Douglas became the first American to claim gold in the women’s team and
individual all-around competitions. Also making Olympic history in the debut of women’s boxing, Claressa Shields became the first middleweight to win gold, while judoka Kayla Harrison captured the first-ever
Olympic gold medal for the U.S. in judo.
“I’ve had an amazing experience,” said Harrison. “USA Judo had its best showing yet at the Olympic Games. We’ve had so much fun, the ExCeL venue was beautiful and this entire journey has been something I will never forget. London will always have a place close to my heart.”
Four team sports also won gold medals at the Games, including men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer and women’s water polo.
“One of our primary objectives is to get as many American athletes on the podium as we can,” Blackmun said. “When you include team sports, we put over 250 athletes on the podium, which makes us
extremely proud.”

Team USA Final Medal Count

FINAL MEDAL TABLE (TOP 10)

                                                         G      S      B       Total

1. United States                                46     29     29      104

2. China                                            38     27     22      87

3. Russia                                           24     25     33      82

4. Great Britain                                  29     17     19      65

5. Germany                                        11     19     14      44

6. Japan                                               7     14     17      38

7. Australia                                           7     16     12      35

8. France                                            11     11     12      34

9. Korea                                             13      8        7      28

10. Italy                                                 8     9      11      28

BY THE NUMBERS

MEDALS |     104

GOLD |     46

SILVER |     29

BRONZE |     29

MEN |     45

WOMEN |     58

MEDALISTS |     255

GOLD |     147

SILVER |     62

BRONZE |     46

MULTI-MEDALISTS |     27

MEN |     12

WOMEN |     15

MEDAL SPORTS |     18

ARCHERY |     1

BASKETBALL |     2

BOXING |     2

CYCLING |     4

DIVING |     4

FENCING |     1

GYMNASTICS |     6

JUDO |     2

ROWING |     3

SHOOTING |     4

SOCCER |     1

SWIMMING |     31

TAEKWONDO |     2

TENNIS |     4

TRACK & FIELD |     29

VOLLEYBALL |     3

WATER POLO |     1

WRESTLING |     4

2012 LONDON OLYMPICS: THURSDAY COMPETITION SCHEDULE

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

ARCHERY W Individual (1/8 Eliminations) Lord’s Cricket Ground 9a

Khatuna Lorig vs. Ming Cheng (CHN)

SHOOTING M Double Trap (Qualification) Royal Artillery Barracks 9a

Glenn Eller, Josh Richmond

ROWING M Lightweight Fours (Final) Eton Dorney 10a

Anthony Fahden, William Newell, Nicholas la Cava, Robin Prendes

SWIMMING M 50m Freestyle (Heats) Aquatics Centre 10a

Anthony Ervin, Cullen Jones

JUDO M -100kg (Round of 32) ExCeL N2 10:12a

Kyle Vashkulat vs. Ramziddin Sayidov (UZB)

SWIMMING W 800m Freestyle (Heats) Aquatics Centre 10:19a

Katie Ledecky, Kate Ziegler

ROWING M Fours (Semifinals) Eton Dorney 10:20a

Charles Cole, Scott Gault, Glenn Ochal, Henrik Rummel

FENCING W Team Foil (Quarterfinals) ExCel S1 10:30a

Lee Kiefer, Nzingha Prescod, Nicole Ross

ROWING W Lightweight Double Sculls (Semifinals) Eton Dorney 10:30a

Kristin Hedstrom, Julie Nichols

SHOOTING M 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (Qualification Stage 1) Royal Artillery Barracks 10:30a

Emil Milev, Keith Sanderson

JUDO M -100kg (Round of 16) ExCeL N2 10:33a

FIELD HOCKEY W USA vs. AUS (Preliminary Round, Group B) Riverbank Arena 10:45a

EQUESTRIAN - DRESSAGE Mixed Individual Grand Prix Greenwich Park 11a

Jan Ebeling, Tina Konyot, Adrienne Lyle, Steffen Peters

Team Grand Prix Greenwich Park 11a

Jan Ebeling, Tina Konyot, Steffen Peters

SWIMMING M 100m Butterfly (Heats) Aquatics Centre 11:14a

Tyler McGill, Michael Phelps

JUDO W -78kg (Round of 16) ExCel N2 11:15a

Kayla Harrison vs. Vera Moskalyuk (RUS)

ROWING W Single Sculls (Semifinals) Eton Dorney 11:20a

Gevvie Stone

JUDO M -100kg (Quarterfinals) ExCeL N2 11:29a

TENNIS M Doubles (Quarterfinals) Wimbledon 11:30a

Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan vs. ISR Court 2

Mixed Doubles (First Round) Wimbledon 11:30a

Bob Bryan/Liezel Huber vs. GER Court 2 (3rd match)

W Doubles (Quarterfinals) Wimbledon 11:30a

Serena Williams/Venus Williams vs. ITA Court 2 (4th match)

SWIMMING W 200m Backstroke (Heats) Aquatics Centre 11:31a

Elizabeth Beisel, Missy Franklin

JUDO W -78kg (Quarterfinals) ExCel N2 11:43a

SAILING M 470 (Race 1) Weymouth - Nothe 12p

Graham Biehl, Stuart McNay

49er (Race 7) Weymouth - Harbour 12p

Erik Storck, Trevor Moore

Finn (Race 7) Weymouth – Bay South 12p

Zach Railey

TENNIS W Singles (Quarterfinals) Wimbledon 12p

Serena Williams vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) Court 1 (2nd match)

M Singles (Quarterfinals) Wimbledon 12p

John Isner vs. Roger Federer (SUI) Centre Court (2nd match)

SAILING M Star (Race 7) Weymouth – Bay South 12:05p

Brian Fatih, Mark Mendelblatt

ROWING W Eights (Finals) Eton Dorney 12:30p

Erin Cafaro, Caryn Davies, Zsuzsanna Francia, Esther Lofgren, Eleanor

Logan, Caroline Lind, Meghan Musnicki, Taylor Ritzel, Mary Whipple

FENCING W Team Foil (Semifinals) ExCel S1 1:30p

ARCHERY W Individual (Quarterfinals) Lord’s Cricket Ground 2p

SAILING W RS:X (Race 5) Weymouth – Harbour 2p

Farrah Hall

JUDO W -78kg (Repechages) ExCel N2 2p

-78kg (Bronze-Medal Match) ExCel N2 2p

-78kg (Semifinals) ExCel N2 2:14p

M -100kg (Repechages) ExCeL N2 2:28p

-100kg (Bronze-Medal Match) ExCeL N2 2:28p

SAILING W Elliott 6m - USA vs. NED Weymouth – Nothe 2:40p

Debbie Capozzi, Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly Vandemoer

JUDO M -100kg (Semifinals) ExCeL N2 2:42p

SHOOTING M Double Trap (Final) Royal Artillery Barracks 3p

FENCING W Team (Final) ExCeL S1 3p

ARCHERY W Individual (Bronze-Medal Match) Lord’s Cricket Ground 3:21p

Individual (Gold-Medal Match) Lord’s Cricket Ground 3:37p

JUDO W -78kg (Final) ExCel N2 4p

SAILING M RS:X (Race 5) Weymouth – Harbour 4p

Bob Willis

JUDO M -100kg (Final) ExCeL N2 4:10p

GYMNASTICS - ARTISTIC W All-Around (Final) North Greenwich Arena 4:30p

Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman

VOLLEYBALL - BEACH W USA vs. ESP (Preliminary Round, Pool D) Horse Guards Parade 4:30p

Jen Kessy, April Ross

FENCING W Team Foil (Bronze-Medal Match) ExCel S1 6p

WATER POLO W USA vs. ESP (Preliminary Play, Group A) Water Polo Arena 6:20p

FENCING W Team Foil (Gold-Medal Match) ExCel S1 7:15p

SWIMMING M 50m Freestyle (Semifinals) Aquatics Centre 7:32p

W 200m Breaststroke (Final) Aquatics Centre 7:40p

Micah Lawrence, Rebecca Soni

M 200m Backstroke (Final) Aquatics Centre 7:48p

Tyler Clary, Ryan Lochte

W 200m Backstroke (Semifinals) Aquatics Centre 7:58p

VOLLEYBALL M USA vs. BRA (Preliminary Play, Pool B) Earls Court 8p

SWIMMING M 200m Individual Medley (Final) Aquatics Centre 8:19p

Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps

W 100m Freestyle (Final) Aquatics Centre 8:37p

Missy Franklin, Jessica Hardy

M 100m Butterfly (Semifinals) Aquatics Centre 8:56p

VOLLEYBALL - BEACH M USA vs. CZE (Preliminary Round, Pool B) Horse Guards Parade 9p

Phil Dalhausser, Todd Rogers

BOXING M Lightweight (Round of 16) ExCeL South Arena 2 9p

Jose Ramirez vs. Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (UZB)

Middleweight (Round of 16) ExCeL South Arena 2 9:45p

Terrell Gausha vs. Viejender Singh (IND)

BASKETBALL M USA vs. NGR (Preliminary Round, Group A) Basketball Arena 10:15p

2012 LONDON OLYMPICS: WEDNESDAY RESULTS

WEDNESDAY RESULTS

ARCHERY

Khatuna Lorig claimed a pair of victories in her first- and secondround

matches in the individual archery competition on Wednesday

(Aug. 1) at Lord’s Cricket Ground. With the wins, Lorig advanced

to the Round of 8, and will face China’s Cheng Ming today. Meanwhile,

Brady Ellison, Jake Kaminski and Jacob Wukie – who recently

captured silver in the team event – did not advance in the tournament.

Ellison and Wukie won their opening matches before losing in

the Round of 16, while Jake Kaminski lost in the opening round of

competition. Miranda Leek and Jennifer Nichols both won their first

matches, but did not advance past the second round.

BASKETBALL (WOMEN)

Angel McCoughtry scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds to

lead a balanced attack as the U.S. rolled to an 89-58 win over Turkey

at the Basketball Arena Wednesday night (Aug. 1). Tina Charles contributed

16 points and seven boards as the U.S. remained undefeated

in pool play at 3-0. Up next, the U.S. will meet the Czech Republic on

Friday.

BOXING

Despite hard-fought bouts, the U.S. men saw three fighters drop

out of medal contention in the round of 16 on Wednesday (Aug. 1).

Bantamweight Joseph Diaz Jr. lost to top-seeded Lazaro Alvarez Estrada

of Cuba, 21-15. In the heavyweight class, Michael Hunter was

even with Russia’s Artur Beterbiev after three rounds (10-10), but the

judges chose Beterbeiv to advance. Meanwhile, super heavyweight

Dominic Breazeale dropped a 19-8 decision to Magomed Omarov of

Russia.

FENCING

After easing through her first three rounds of the women’s individual

saber, three-time Olympian Mariel Zagunis advanced to the semifinals,

where she lost to eventual champion Kim Jiyeon of South Korea,

25-13, on Wednesday (Aug. 1) at ExCel Arena. She then dropped the

bronze-medal bout to Olga Kharlan of the Ukraine, 15-10. Meanwhile,

Dagmara Wozniak won her first two matches to advance to

the quarterfinals, but was halted by Russia’s Sofya Velikaya, 15-13. In

men’s individual epee, Seth Kelsey also won three straight matches

to advance to the semifinals, where he lost to eventual gold medalist

Ruben Limardo Gascon of Venezuela. Competing in his third Olympic

Games, Kelsey then lost in the bronze-medal match to South Korea’s

Jung Jinsun, 12-11. The fourth-place finish marks the best for a U.S.

men’s individual epee fencer at the Games since 1956.

SAILING

Day four of racing in Weymouth & Portland brought a mix of strong

and gusting wind that tested everyone on courses spread from the

harbor to the bay. Erik Storck and Trevor Moore currently sit seventh

in the 49er, Paige Railey is seventh in Laser Radial, Rob Crane is

32nd in Laser, Bob Willis is 13th in men’s windsurfing, Farrah Hall is

18th in women’s windsurfing, and Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly O’Bryan

Vandemoer and Debbie Capozzi stretched their record to 5-3. Competition

continues today (Aug. 2).

SHOOTING

First-time Olympian Sandra Uptagrafft finished competition by shooting

the sport pistol event at Royal Artillery Barracks on Wednesday

(Aug. 1). Uptagrafft fired a 286 of a possible 300 in the precision pistol

followed by a 290 in the rapid-fire portion, compiling a total score of

576, good for 28th place.

TENNIS

The top-seeded pair of Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond advanced to

the semifinals in women’s doubles with a 6-3, 6-3 win over sixthseeded

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia on Wednesday

(Aug. 1) at Wimbledon. Later in the day, Raymond teamed with

Mike Bryan in mixed doubles action to defeat Italy’s Andreas Seppi

and Sara Errani, 7-5, 6-3. In men’s singles play, John Isner advanced

with a 7-5, 7-6 (16-14) win over Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia. Up next,

he will face the tournament’s No. 1 seed, Roger Federer, in the quarterfinals.

Also advancing to the quarterfinals, Serena Williams posted

a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Russia’s Vera Zvonareva, winning six break

points in the victory. Meanwhile, Venus Williams was unable to fend

off Germany’s Angelique Kerber in a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) elimination

loss in the third round. The match lasted nearly two hours and saw

a combined 54 unforced errors. Both Huber and Bob Bryan’s mixed

doubles and the Williams’ sisters women’s doubles matches were

postiponed due to weather.

VOLLEYBALL - BEACH

Finding themselves down at the end of the first set, third-seeded

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh rallied for a 2-1 win (17-21,

21-8, 15-10) over the No. 15 Austrian team of Stefanie and Doris

Schwaiger Wednesday night (Aug. 1) at the Horse Guards Parade.

The U.S. duo won pool C with a 3-0 record and now looks ahead to

the round of 16, which begins on Friday. Earlier in the day, Jake Gibb

and Sean Rosenthal picked up a key win in pool play with a two-set

victory (21-10, 21-16) over Latvia’s Aleksandrs Samoilovs and Ruslans

Sorokins. The win pulls the Americans into a tie with the Latvians

in pool play.

VOLLEYBALL - INDOOR (WOMEN)

In a battle of unbeaten teams, Destinee Hooker scored 22 points to

lead No. 1 U.S. to a 26-24, 25-16, 31-29 victory over No. 3 China on

Wednesday (Aug. 1) at Earls court. Hooker received scoring support

from five-time Olympian Danielle Scott-Arruda and Olympic newcomer

Megan Hodge, who combined for 25 points off the bench. The

U.S. improved to 3-0 with nine points in pool play and secured a spot

in the quarterfinal round, slated for Aug. 7.

WATER POLO (WOMEN)

The U.S. scored four unanswered goals during the third and fourth

quarters to build a 9-6 lead, but surrendered three goals in the final

three minutes to tie Spain, 9-9, on Wednesday (Aug. 1) at the Water

Polo Arena. Kami Craig led Team USA with four goals. The U.S.

moved into a second-place tie with Spain in group play and will face

China on Friday.

ROWING: A Moment to Celebrate in the Face of a Life Struggle

Ed Moran

LONDON – Margot Shumway had a lot to celebrate today.

Not the least of which was advancing to the final in the women’s double sculls at the 2012 Olympic Games with her teammate Sarah Trowbridge (Guilford, Conn.), or the birthday she has coming up in two days.

One of the biggest reasons Shumway, 32, of Westlake, Ohio, had to be thankful for, was that her mother, Julia, was here to see her achieve a dream. Julia Shumway, 63, was diagnosed with lung cancer two years ago, and is in the middle of a second-round of chemotherapy.

And so, only minutes after climbing out of their boat, both Shumway and Trowbridge walked immediately to the friends and family section and gave Margot’s mother a long three-way hug.

“It is hard and it isn’t,” Shumway said later, while glancing back at her mother who was wearing a pink scarf and sitting in a wheel chair surrounded by family.

“It was definitely harder when she was first diagnosed, because it was just such an unknown,” she said. “But it’s been two years now, she was off chemo for a full year, but she’s back on it now to she if she can keep everything at bay for a little longer.

“Just look at her. She’s in London in the middle of chemo and just fighting through it, so I’m proud of her, and it’s tough, but my whole family is here and nothing could be better than that,” she said.

“Instead of focusing on worrying, I focus on celebrating the moment and what we have and that’s something I definitely take from my mom, because she is just so thankful that she is here and healthy and with all of her children and her husband and celebrating this awesome experience.”

TUESDAY LONDON OLYMPIC COMPETITION SCHEDULE

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

SHOOTING M Skeet (Qualification) Royal Artillery Barracks 9a

Frank Thompson, Vincent Hancock

ARCHERY M Individual (1/32 Eliminations) Lord’s Cricket Ground 9:13a

Jacob Wukie vs. Jayanta Talukdar (IND)

ROWING W Double Sculls (Repechages) Eton Dorney 9:50a

Margot Shumway, Sarah Trowbridge

ARCHERY M Individual (1/16 Eliminations) Lord’s Cricket Ground 9:52a

SWIMMING M 100m Freestyle (Heats) Aquatics Centre 10a

Nathan Adrian, Cullen Jones

ROWING W Lightweight Double Sculls (Repechages) Eton Dorney 10:10a

Kristin Hedstrom, Julie Nichols

JUDO M -81kg (Round of 32) ExCel N2 10:19a

Travis Stevens vs. Aljaz Sedej (SLO)

SWIMMING W 200m Butterfly (Heats) Aquatics Centre 10:23a

Cammile Adams, Kathleen Hersey

EQUESTRIAN - EVENTING Mixed Individual Jumping (Qualifier), Team Jumping (Finals) Greenwich Park 10:30a

Tiana Coudray, Karen O’Connor, Will Coleman, Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin

SWIMMING M 200m Breaststroke (Heats) Aquatics Centre 10:40a

Scott Weltz, Clark Burckle

ARCHERY W Individual (1/32 Eliminations) Lord’s Cricket Ground 10:44a

Jennifer Nichols vs. Chekrovolu Swuro (IND)

SWIMMING M 4x200m Freestyle (Heats) Aquatics Centre 11:02a

ROWING M Single Sculls (Quarterfinals) Eton Dorney 11:20a

Ken Jurkowski

JUDO M -81kg (Round of 16) ExCel N2 11:29a

TENNIS M Doubles (2nd Round) Wimbledon 11:30a

Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan vs. RUS Court 18 (4th Match)

W Doubles (2nd Round) Wimbledon 11:30a

Lizel Huber/Lisa Raymond vs. POL Court 14 (3rd Match)

Singles (2nd Round) Wimbledon 11:30a

Varvara Lepchenko vs. Julia Goerges (GER) Court 12 (2nd Match)

FENCING M Individual Foil (Round of 32) ExCeL S1 11:50a

Miles Chamley-Watson vs. Alaaeldin Abouelkassem (EGY)

ROWING W Single Sculls (Quarterfinals) Eton Dorney 11:50a

Gevvie Stone

SAILING W Radial (Race 3) Weymouth – Nothe 12p

Paige Railey

M 49er (Race 3) Weymouth – Harbour 12p

Trevor Moore, Erik Storck

R:SX (Race 1) Weymouth – Bay West 12p

Bob Willis

Finn (Race 5) Weymouth – Bay South 12p

Zach Railey

TENNIS W Singles (2nd Round) Wimbledon 12p

Venus Williams vs. Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) Centre Court

M Singles (2nd Round) Wimbledon 12p

Andy Roddick vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB) Centre Court (3rd Match)

W Doubles (2nd Round) Wimbledon 12p

Serena Williams/Venus Williams vs. GER Court 2 (3rd Match)

SAILING M Star (Race 5) Weymouth – Bay South 12:05p

Brian Fatih, Mark Mendelblatt

JUDO M -81kg (Quarterfinals) ExCel N2 12:11p

FENCING M Individual Foil (Round of 32) ExCeL S1 12:20p

Alexander Massialas vs. Etienne Lalonde Turbide (CAN)

ROWING M Lightweight Fours (Semifinals) Eton Dorney 12:40p

Anthony Fahden, William Newell, Nicholas la Cava, Robin Prendes

FENCING M Individual Foil (Round of 32) ExCeL S1 1:20p

Race Imboden vs. TBD

BOXING M Light Welterweight (Round of 32) ExCeL South Arena 2 1:30p

Jamel Herring vs. Daniyar Yeleussinov (KAZ)

SAILING W Elliott 6m – USA vs. FIN Weymouth – Nothe 1:35p

Debbie Capozzi, Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly Vandemoer

SHOOTING M Skeet (Finals) Royal Artillery Barracks 2p

SAILING M Laser (Race 3) Weymouth – Harbour 2p

Rob Crane

W RS:X (Race 1) Weymouth – Bay West 2p

Farrah Hall

Radial (Race 4) Weymouth – Harbour 2:05p

Paige Railey

FENCING M Individual Foil (Round of 16) ExCeL S1 2:10p

EQUESTRIAN - EVENTING Mixed Individual Jumping (Finals) Greenwich Park 2:30p

JUDO M -81kg (Semifinals) ExCel N2 2:42p

FENCING M Individual Foil (Quarterfinals) ExCeL S1 3:30p

SAILING W Elliott 6m – USA vs. FRA Weymouth – Nothe 3:30p

Debbie Capozzi, Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly Vandemoer

JUDO M -81kg (Gold-Medal Match) ExCel N2 4:10p

GYMNASTICS - ARTISTIC W Team (Finals) North Greenwich Arena 4:30p

Gabrielle Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Alexandra Raisman, Kyla Ross, Jordyn Wieber

VOLLEYBALL M USA vs. GER (Preliminary Play, Pool B) Earls Court 4:45p

SOCCER W USA vs. PRK (First Round, Group G) Old Trafford 5:15p

FENCING M Individual Foil (Semifinals) ExCeL S1 6 p

FIELD HOCKEY W USA vs. ARG (Preliminary Round, Group B) Riverbank Arena 7p

FENCING M Individual Foil (Finals) ExCeL S1 7:10p

SWIMMING M 100m Freestyle (Semifinals) Aquatics Centre 7:30p

WATER POLO M USA vs. ROU (Preliminary Round, Group B) Water Polo Arena 7:40p

SWIMMING W 200m Freestyle (Finals) Aquatics Centre 7:41p

Missy Franklin, Allison Schmitt

M 200m Butterfly (Finals) Aquatics Centre 7:49p

Tyler Clary, Michael Phelps

W 100m Butterfly (Semifinals) Aquatics Centre 7:57p

M 200m Breaststroke (Semifinals) Aquatics Centre 8:20p

W 200m Individual Medley (Finals) Aquatics Centre 8:43p

Caitlin Leverenz, Ariana Kukors

M 4x200m Freestyle (Finals) Aquatics Centre 8:51p

VOLLEYBALL - BEACH M USA vs. ESP (Preliminary Play, Pool B) Horse Guards Parade 9p

Todd Rogers, Phil Dalhausser

BASKETBALL M USA vs. TUN (Preliminary Round, Group A) Basketball Arena 10:15p

VOLLEYBALL - BEACH W USA vs. NED (Preliminary Play, Pool D) Horse Guards Parade 11p

Jen Kessy, April Ross

LONDON 2012 RESULTS: MONDAY

LONDON 2012 RESULTS: MONDAY

BADMINTON

Howard Bach and Tony Gunawan lost their third and final match of

pool play to Japan’s Naoki Kawamae and Shoji Sato, 0-2 (15-21 and

15-21), on Monday (July 30) at Wembley Arena. With an 0-3 record,

the pair did not advance past pool play.

BASKETBALL (WOMEN)

Candace Parker scored 14 points to lead a balanced attack as the

U.S. women’s basketball team recorded a 90-38 win over Angola

Monday night in Group A play at the Basketball Arena. The U.S.

improved to 2-0 in preliminary round action and will face Turkey (2-0)

on Wednesday (Aug. 1). Angola led at the outset, but the Americans

rode a 16-3 run to close out the first quarter, giving them a 22-12 lead

that they built in the second stanza, going into the locker room with

a 41-18 halftime margin. Seimone Augustus added 13 and led the

Americans with three rebounds.

BOXING

Team USA suffered its first loss of the Games on Monday (July 30) as

light heavyweight Marcus Browne fell to Damien Hooper of Australia

in the opening round. The bout was closely contested throughout, but

Hooper pulled out the win with a third-round surge, claiming a 13-11

victory. The U.S. takes the ring again this afternoon at ExCeL Arena,

as Jamel Herring opens the light welterweight division against Daniyar

Yeleussinov of Kazakhstan.

CANOE/KAYAK - SLALOM

Team USA’s two remaining boats in the slalom competition did not

advance to the semifinal round on Monday (July 30) at the Lee Valley

White Water Center. The men’s doubles canoe of Eric Hurd and Jeff

Larimer improved on their second run of the day to post a 109.78,

but fell shy of the top-10 semifinal cut by 2.31 seconds. In women’s

kayak, Caroline Queen’s opened with her best run of the day at

117.05 seconds, but it wasn’t enough to place in the top 15, which

was required to advance.

EQUESTRIAN - EVENTING

After Monday’s (July 30) cross-country competition at Greenwich

Park, the equestrian eventing team moved up to fifth place in the

standings with a total of 155.20 penalties. Leading the U.S. individually

is two-time Olympic gold medalist Phillip Dutton in 12th place with

47.1 penalties. Karen O’Connor and Boyd Martin sit at 24th (53.80)

and 26th (54.30). First-time Olympians Tiana Coudray and Will Coleman

each took jumping penalties on the day, which placed Coudray

42nd and Coleman 46th. The eventing competition concludes today

(July 31) with jumping.

FENCING

Team USA’s Maya Lawrence placed 16th in the women’s individual

epee competition after dropping a 15-7 decision to Italy’s Rossella

Fiamingo in the round of 16 at the ExCel Arena on Monday (July 30).

She advanced to the round of 16 with a 15-12 victory over Mara

Navarria of Italy earlier in the day. The other two remaining U.S. epee

fencers fell in the round of 64, as Susie Scanlan lost to the Ukraine’s

Olena Krybytska (15-13) and Courtney Hurley was eliminated by

France’s Laura Flessel-Colovic (15-12). The three fencers will now

turn their attention to the team event, where they will face Italy in the

opening round on Aug. 4.

GYMNASTICS - ARTISTIC

The U.S. men’s team finished fifth with an overall score of 269.952

on Monday evening (July 30) at North Greenwich Arena. The U.S.

was just over six points behind the gold-medal winners from China

(275.997), while Japan (271.952) and Great Britain (271.711) rounded

out the top three. The fortune of the U.S. team – comprised of Jacob

Dalton, Jonathan Horton, Danell Leyva, Sam Mikulak and John Orozco

– was affected by the pommel horse, where Team USA finished seventh 

among the eight teams, and the vault, where the Americans

posted the sixth-highest score. It marks the first time since the 2000

Olympic Games that the U.S. men did not medal in the team event.

ROWING

Despite rough waters and strong winds, three U.S. boats advanced

Monday (July 30) to the next round at Eton Dorney. The men’s four of

Charles Cole, Scott Gault,Glenn Ochal and Henrick Rummel won its

opening heat with a time of 5:54.88 to move on to the semifinals. The

men’s pair of Thomas Peszek and Silas Stafford placed third in the

repechage with a time of 6:27.41, to advance. The men’s quadruple

sculls - featuring Peter Graves, Elliot Hovey, Alex Osborne and Wes

Piermarini - just missed the semifinals cut with a fourth-place finish in

the repechage. In women’s double sculls, Team USA’s Margot Shumway

and Sarah Trowbridge finished third in their heat and progressed

to the repechage, scheduled for today. The U.S. finished second in

the repechage in the women’s quadruple sculls and advanced to the

final. Natalie Dell, Kara Kohler, Megan Kalmoe and Adrienne Martelli

will continue racing on Wednesday.

SAILING

Racing continued in the Starr, Finn and women’s match racing on

Monday (July 30), while opening in the Laser and Radial classes. After

four races, Zach Railey rates 13th against the field in Finn, while the

Star team of Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Fatih sit comfortably in sixth

place. The 49er duo of Erik Storck and Trevor Moore are seventh

after two races. Laser Radial sailor Paige Railey completed day one

in fifth place and Rob Crane currently sits in the 39th position in Laser

competition. Anna Tunnicliffe, Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer and Debbie

Capozzi improved their match racing record to 2-2. Racing continues

in all events today, along with the start of the men’s and women’s

windsurfing series.

SHOOTING

Vincent Hancock led the U.S. men’s skeet field with 74 targets Monday

(July 30) at Royal Artillary Barracks. He is poised to make history

as the first-ever skeet athlete to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals.

Meanwhile, Frank Thompson hit 71 targets to land in a six-way

tie for third. Jonathan Hall finished 27th in men’s 10-meter air rifle with

592 targets to complete his Olympic showing. Matt Emmons was

35th with 590 points and will shoot men’s 50-meter rifle 3-position on

Aug. 6.

TENNIS

Andy Roddick beat Slovakia’s Martin Klizan (7-5, 6-4) in the first round

of men’s singles, while John Isner topped Malek Jaziri of Tunisia (7-6,

6-2) in second-round action on Monday (July 30) at Wimbledon. In

women’s singles, Varvara Lepchenko needed three sets to put away

Paraguay’s Veronica Cepede Royg (7-5, 6-7, 6-2), while Venus Williams

defeated Italy’s Sara Errani (3-6, 1-6). In the second round of

women’s singles competition, Serena Williams secured a 6-2, 6-3

victory against Poland’s Urszula Radwanska. In doubles play, Venus

and Serena Williams combined for a 3-6, 2-6 victory over Romania’s

Sorana Cirstea and Simona Halep. The men’s and women’s singles

tournaments, as well as women’s doubles play continues today.

VOLLEYBALL - BEACH

Two-time defending gold medalists and third-seeded Misty May-

Treanor and Kerri Walsh defeated No. 10 Marketa Slukova and

Kristyna Kolocova of Czech Republic, 21-14, 21-19, on Monday night

(July 30) at Horse Guards Parage. The pair improved to 2-0 and will

complete Pool B play on Wednesday against Austria’s No. 15 Doris

and Stefanie Schwaiger. On the men’s side, Jake Gibb and Sean

Rosenthal lost to the Polish tandem of Mariusz Prudel and Grzegorz

Fijalek (21-17, 21-18). The loss dropped Gibb and Rosenthal to 1-1

in preliminary-round play. The duo will return to action on Wednesday

against Aleksandrs Samiolovs and Ruslans Sorokins of Latvia.

VOLLEYBALL - INDOOR (WOMEN)

IIn a rematch of the 2008 Olympic Games gold-medal match, the

U.S. knocked off Brazil, 3-1, on Monday (July 30). Destinee Hooker

led the team with 23 points with 22 spikes and one block. The U.S.

women only dropped the third set (22-25), while winning the first,

second and fourth to clinch the victory (25-18, 25-17, 25-21). The

team improved to 2-0 with six points in Pool B play, and takes on

third-seeded China (2-0) at Earls Court on Wednesday.

WATER POLO (WOMEN)

Maggie Steffens tied an Olympic record with seven goals as the U.S.

defeated Hungary, 14-13, to open play at the Games on Monday

(July 30). Courtney Mathewson contributed four goals, while Brenda

Villa, Kelly Rulon and Kami Craig supported the scoring effort with

one goal apiece. Betsey Armstrong stopped six shots in the victory.

Team USA never trailed in the high-scoring contest, but the match

was tied on three occasions. Up next, the U.S. will meet Spain in

Group A play today at 6:20 p.m. BST.

FIELD HOCKEY: REINPRECHTS, SHARING THE JOURNEY

REINPRECHTS: SHARING THE JOURNEY
BY VIRGINIA HARRISON
For sisters Katie and Julia Reinprecht, their first Olympic experience
has been a little extra sweet. From grabbing pictures of the sights of
London to facing the world’s best on the field, the quest for a medal is
simply more enjoyable when shared with a best friend.
“This whole journey to the Olympic Games has been really incredible,
and to be able to do it with my sister just makes it even more memorable,”
said Katie Reinprecht, the elder of the two by 21 months. “It’s
really been an indescribable experience.”
The first pair of sisters in U.S. field hockey history has already helped

Team USA claim gold at the 2011 Pan American Games. The Rein-prechts  will also play key roles in the team’s bid for an Olympic medal, which would  be the first since 1984.

But the international stage was not the first platform where the siblings competed together as the two have spent most of their careers following in the footsteps of eldest sister, Sarah Reinprecht. In 2009, Sarah Reinprecht graduated from Princeton University, capping her illustrious career as a four-time All-Ivy League selection. The younger siblings were sold.

“We knew we wanted to go to school together, and after seeing how much Sarah enjoyed Princeton and the great school it was, we couldn’t pass that up,” said Julia Reinprecht. “Sarah was always the

most level-headed of the three of us, and choosing Princeton was a good balance of academics and the athletics.”

While at Princeton, Katie Reinprecht was a two-time Ivy League Player of the Year and First Team All-American, while her sister earned the 2009 Ivy League Rookie of the Year and was twice named a Second

Team All-America selection.

It’s no coincidence that the sisters all chose field hockey as their specialty. Their mother, Tina Reinprecht, was their high school coach and founded a club field hockey program, Mystyx, for which they all played. After trying many different sports, the club helped them discover their mother’s passion for the game.

“I didn’t love field hockey when I first played,” Katie Reinprecht said. “I was more into soccer, so I pursued that path. But then when I started playing with Mystyx I started to realize how much I enjoyed the sport.

My mom never pushed it on us, but she definitely influenced it.”

When it was time to commit fully to playing at the national level, it was also a group decision. In preparation for the 2012 Games, they took a year off from college to train with Team USA in Chula Vista, Calif.

They worked out five days per week and took up sports psychology training. In the meantime, they traveled all over the world for competition, side by side.

Even though Katie Reinprecht was named to the team before her

sister, she felt they were together all along.  “I first was named on the team in 2009, but I didn’t feel that way until I moved out to train full-time,” Katie Reinprecht said. “That was actually

when Julia and a bunch of the other girls moved out, too. Technically I’ve been on the team longer, but it really feels like we both came into our own around the same time.”

Now in London, the entire family can celebrate the field hockey legacy they’ve built when the team takes the pitch for the second game of pool play tonight (July 31). For the sisters, the game will mark another

experience to their list of shared memories.

“Luckily, we both made the team, so we’ve been able to celebrate together and share the joy,” Julia Reinprecht said. “We’re kind of attached at the hip. It’s just been awesome to share this experience

with someone so close to you. It’s a rare, rare opportunity, so we’re totally grateful for each other.”

SYNCHRONIZED DIVING: BOUDIA, MCCRORY END MEDAL DROUGHT

BOUDIA, MCCRORY END MEDAL DROUGHT
BY KAREN ROSEN
David Boudia and Nick McCrory smiled and chatted during their Olympic diving competition
Monday (July 30), their lack of nerves perfectly in sync.
“We just joked back and forth,” said McCrory, 20, of Chapel Hill, N.C. “That’s always when
we dive our best.
“We do a fist bump before every dive, like ‘Let’s do it.’ That puts us both at ease and prepares
us mentally for doing a dive just like we would in practice without the added pressure
of, you know, 17,000 people watching.”
And that’s not to mention the millions of people around the world who saw the diving duo win
the bronze medal in men’s synchronized 10-meter platform, ending a 16-year-medal drought
for the U.S. men in the sport.
Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston, who took silver in women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard
on Sunday, had already won the first U.S. diving medal since 2000.
Now it was the men’s turn for a breakthrough at the Aquatics Centre. In 10-meter synchronized
diving, they had to climb a tower as high as two London double-decker buses stacked end to end, dive off so their flips and twists mirrored each other, and try not to make too big of a splash.
“We’re so excited to be able to dive two days and get two medals out of it,” said Boudia, 23, of Noblesville, Ind., the reigning world silver medalist on platform. “There’s so much more in the tank. Nick and I
are now excited to be going individual (Aug. 9-10). We got everything out of the way, now we can go in there with the exact same mind frame – relaxed – and stay in control one dive at the time.”
In the 2008 Games, Boudia placed fifth in the same event with partner Thomas Finchum. This time, he and McCrory had a new perspective that involved “not being so wrapped up in getting this thing right
here,” Boudia said, holding up the medal around his neck, but simply in striving for their best performance.
The two divers, who became partners in early 2010, finished with 463.47 points. They trailed Mexican pair Ivan Garcia and German Sanchez, who had the highest difficulty in the six-dive competition,
by fewer than six points (468.90). China won its second gold of the Games in diving, with Cao Yuan and Zhang Yanquan scoring 486.78. Surprisingly, the Chinese did not lead with three dives down and three
to go. That honor belonged to crowd favorites Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield of Great Britain. But the Brits botched their fourth dive, a reverse 3½ somersault, and eventually wound up fourth (454.65).
But Boudia and McCrory also had a dive that could have been better,
their third, an inward 3½ somersault. They more than made up for it on their next dive, a forward 4½ somersault (92.13 points), surpassed only by their final dive, a back 2½ somersault with 2½ twists (95.04).
McCrory was determined not to repeat the 2011 world championships, when he and Boudia dropped out of medal contention because of a bad fifth dive.“It’s almost harder to continue hitting dives when another team opens the door, because then you see, ‘Wow, I can medal, I can do this,’” he said. “We had a silver medal in the palm of our hands and I lost sight of the dive that we were on. I was thinking about getting on the
podium. “I made my mistake and I wasn’t going to make it twice.”
Boudia said that when he and McCrory got out of the pool for the last time, they had no idea where they were placed. “We were back in the locker room, and if the Brits (who dove after the
Americans) hit it then they got third,” he said. “If they didn’t, we get third. I actually put on the blue shirt hoping to get the medal instead of the white shirt going home.”
He didn’t have to change, although he said he felt for the Brits and “their dreams getting crushed.”
“But it was a little triumph for Nick and I and a cool win for USA Diving,” Boudia added “The moment was incredible.”