Home » News Stream » Local »

Eight For Eight

By Associated Press

U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps rewrites Olympic record book. Eight For Eight

Published: Sun, August 17, 2008 - 4:31 am Last Updated: Sun, August 17, 2008 - 4:33 am

BEIJING (AP) - The Olympic record book has been rewritten.
Michael Phelps of Baltimore has achieved what many thought to be
unachievable, a record eight gold medals in one Olympics. Phelps
earned his final gold on the final day of competition at the Water
Cube. It came in the men's 400 medley relay and once again he was
involved in the setting of a world record.
Phelps swam the third leg of the race with teammate Jason Lezak
(LEE'-zak) closing things out with the freestyle. The winning time
was 3:29.34, with Australia finishing second and Japan third.
In seven of Phelps' eight gold medals a world record was broken.
He leaves Beijing as the most celebrated gold medal winning athlete
in history. To go along with the eight he won in China, Phelps has
the six he won four years ago in Athens, Greece. His overall
Olympic tally is 14 gold along with two bronze from the '04 games.
During his post competition news conference, the 23-year old was
asked how many times he's been tested. His answer, probably 40
times since the U.S. Olympic Trials. Up next for the man dubbed
"Super Fish" by the local media, a return to Baltimore to be with
his friends.

Dara Torres had a good day as well. The Olympic veteran won two
silver medals, in the women's 50 meter freestyle and the 4X100
medley relay. In the 50 free, she was beaten by Germany's Britta
Steffen by just one-hundreths of a second. Afterwards Torres
quipped that she picked the wrong time to file her nails.
Torres ends the Olympics with 12 career medals.

TENNIS
Gold for the Williams sisters

BEIJING (AP) - For the second time sisters Venus and Serena
Williams have won the gold medal in Olympic doubles tennis. The
Americans defeated Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia
Ruano Pascual 6-2, 6-0 to win the gold in Beijing. The duo first
tasted Olympic success in the 2000 games in Sydney, Australia.

WOMEN'S WRESTLING
Texan wins bronze

BEIJING (AP) - Randi Miller of Arlington, Texas, has won the
bronze medal in the women's 63 kilogram wrestling tournament. She
defeated Martine Dugrenier of Canada 1-0, 1-2, 1-1.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
American team advances to semifinals

BEIJING (AP) - The U.S. team of Kerri Walsh and Misty
May-Treanor has advanced to the semifinals in women's beach
volleyball. They beat a team from Brazil today by the scores of
21-18, 21-15. The semifinals will take place Tuesday.

WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
U.S. advances to quarterfinals

BEIJING (AP) - The U.S. women's volleyball team has completed
play in Pool A with a 4-and-1 record. The U.S. defeated Poland
today 3-2 by the scores of 18-25, 25-12, 19-25, 25-19, 15-13. Up
next for the Americans is play in the quarterfinals.

TRACK AND FIELD
Who will be the world's fastest woman?

BEIJING (AP) - The women's marathon took place in the streets of
Beijing today and the winner was Constantina Tomescu of Romania.
She finished one-second in front of a runner from China.
Despite all of the dire predictions of bad air, the race took
place in sterling conditions. The best American finish was 27th, by
Blake Russell. The winning time was 2:26.44 and Blake finished the
race in 2:33.13.

Coming up tonight the semifinals and the final in the women's
100 meter sprint will take place. U.S. favorites Lauryn Williams,
Muna Lee and Torri Edwards are among the competitors that are still
alive in the competition.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
American team looks for win number five

BEIJING (AP) - The unbeaten U.S. women's basketball team has a
date tonight with the team from New Zealand. The Americans are
unbeaten in four games while the Kiwi's are 1-and-3.

MEDALS
U.S. stays on top

BEIJING (AP) - A check of the leaderboard shows the U.S. on top
with 60 medals. China is next with 52 while Australia has 29.
Broken down, the U.S. has 19 gold, 18 silver and 23 bronze while
the Chinese have a game's high 29 gold with 13 silver and 10
bronze.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)