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US beats Japan 4-1 to make Olympic softball final
BEIJING - Crystl Bustos hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning as the U.S. Olympic
softball team beat Japan 4-1 in extra innings and will play for its fourth straight gold
medal. The Americans (8-0) pushed across four in the ninth Wednesday to extend
their Olympic winning streak to 22 games.
Tied after seven, the teams went to the international tiebreaker in the eighth as both
began their at-bats with a runner at second base. Bustos, softball's greatest power
hitter, hit her fifth homer of the games and 13th of her Olympic career. Monica Abbott
pitched eight shutout innings for the U.S., which could face Japan again for gold
Thursday.
softball team beat Japan 4-1 in extra innings and will play for its fourth straight gold
medal. The Americans (8-0) pushed across four in the ninth Wednesday to extend
their Olympic winning streak to 22 games.
Tied after seven, the teams went to the international tiebreaker in the eighth as both
began their at-bats with a runner at second base. Bustos, softball's greatest power
hitter, hit her fifth homer of the games and 13th of her Olympic career. Monica Abbott
pitched eight shutout innings for the U.S., which could face Japan again for gold
Thursday.
US men clinch medal, go for gold, in beach v'ball
BEIJING - Americans Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser will play for the gold
medal in beach volleyball.
The reigning world champions beat Georgia 21-11, 21-13 in the semifinal
Wednesday in one of the quickest matches of the Olympics. The U.S. pair will
play on Friday against the winner of the other final-four game, an all-Brazil
matchup.
Renato Gomes and Jorge Terceiro are native Brazilians who obtained
Georgian passports to avoid a quota that limits each country to two entries in
the 24-team field. Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor will play in
the women's final Thursday against China.
medal in beach volleyball.
The reigning world champions beat Georgia 21-11, 21-13 in the semifinal
Wednesday in one of the quickest matches of the Olympics. The U.S. pair will
play on Friday against the winner of the other final-four game, an all-Brazil
matchup.
Renato Gomes and Jorge Terceiro are native Brazilians who obtained
Georgian passports to avoid a quota that limits each country to two entries in
the 24-team field. Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor will play in
the women's final Thursday against China.
Richards, Jones squander chances at Olympic gold
BEIJING - Lolo Jones was supposed to take the Olympic 100-meter hurdles
title. Other entrants knew it. Jones knew it.
Even told herself so right before the start, mouthing, "I can win this race," when
she was introduced to the crowd.
And Jones was right: She could have won, and she was about to — not just
holding a lead but adding to it when she came to the ninth of 10 hurdles
Tuesday night.
Alas, the American's foot slammed into that barrier instead of clearing it, and
the next thing Jones knew, she was struggling to keep her balance rather than
title. Other entrants knew it. Jones knew it.
Even told herself so right before the start, mouthing, "I can win this race," when
she was introduced to the crowd.
And Jones was right: She could have won, and she was about to — not just
holding a lead but adding to it when she came to the ninth of 10 hurdles
Tuesday night.
Alas, the American's foot slammed into that barrier instead of clearing it, and
the next thing Jones knew, she was struggling to keep her balance rather than
smoothly sailing across the finish line. Jones dropped from first to seventh behind unlikely champion
Dawn Harper of the United States, then dropped to her knees in despair, folding her body to the track and
resting her head on her hands. There she stayed, all alone, for a few minutes.
"You hit a hurdle about twice a year where it affects your race," said Jones, who came in with the year's
best time and an indoor world championship. "It's just a shame that it happened on the biggest race of my
life."
Sanya Richards also was supposed to wear a gold medal for the U.S. Everyone in the Bird's Nest knew
that when she was touted over the PA system before the 400-meter final as "No. 1 in the world the last
three years."
Richards was also about to win — taking a lead into the final 80 meters. That's when she began slowing
and was passed, not once, but twice. Richards blamed her fade on a tightening right hamstring, and
although she still wound up with a bronze behind Britain's Christine Ohuruogu and Jamaica's Shericka
Williams, she hardly looked thrilled up on that podium, sighing after receiving her flowers. Minutes later,
she was sobbing into a cell phone, sitting on the floor in a hallway beneath the stands.
Earlier this month, at U.S. training camp in Dalian, China, Richards and her personal coach, Clyde Hart,
were talking about how the splotches on her legs — a final remnant of a rare disease that has hobbled
her — were finally fading. Richards figured there'd be no better sign she was all the way back than an
Olympic title.
"I knew that gold was mine," she said. "I was already getting up and elated coming off the turn, because I
know how my races usually go. I just had a really tough break on that one."
Tough breaks came twice Tuesday, for Richards and for Jones, in an Olympic track and field meet in
which little has gone according to plan for the United States. Instead, victories on this night seemed to be
reserved for athletes who barely made it to the Summer Games. Harper, for example, grabbed the last
spot at the U.S. Olympic trials by 0.007 second. On the biggest stage of all for her sport, she was good
enough for gold, windmilling both arms as she finished in 12.54 seconds.
That wasn't anywhere near as fast as Jones' best time this year, and Harper arrived here not nearly as
touted as Jones, who drew attention before the Beijing Games for her talent and her life story — living in a
church basement at one point as a kid, working at a hardware store and as a waitress to pay bills as an
adult. "This is a kid nobody knew," said Harper's coach, Bob Kersee. "Now she's an Olympic gold
medalist."
Dawn Harper of the United States, then dropped to her knees in despair, folding her body to the track and
resting her head on her hands. There she stayed, all alone, for a few minutes.
"You hit a hurdle about twice a year where it affects your race," said Jones, who came in with the year's
best time and an indoor world championship. "It's just a shame that it happened on the biggest race of my
life."
Sanya Richards also was supposed to wear a gold medal for the U.S. Everyone in the Bird's Nest knew
that when she was touted over the PA system before the 400-meter final as "No. 1 in the world the last
three years."
Richards was also about to win — taking a lead into the final 80 meters. That's when she began slowing
and was passed, not once, but twice. Richards blamed her fade on a tightening right hamstring, and
although she still wound up with a bronze behind Britain's Christine Ohuruogu and Jamaica's Shericka
Williams, she hardly looked thrilled up on that podium, sighing after receiving her flowers. Minutes later,
she was sobbing into a cell phone, sitting on the floor in a hallway beneath the stands.
Earlier this month, at U.S. training camp in Dalian, China, Richards and her personal coach, Clyde Hart,
were talking about how the splotches on her legs — a final remnant of a rare disease that has hobbled
her — were finally fading. Richards figured there'd be no better sign she was all the way back than an
Olympic title.
"I knew that gold was mine," she said. "I was already getting up and elated coming off the turn, because I
know how my races usually go. I just had a really tough break on that one."
Tough breaks came twice Tuesday, for Richards and for Jones, in an Olympic track and field meet in
which little has gone according to plan for the United States. Instead, victories on this night seemed to be
reserved for athletes who barely made it to the Summer Games. Harper, for example, grabbed the last
spot at the U.S. Olympic trials by 0.007 second. On the biggest stage of all for her sport, she was good
enough for gold, windmilling both arms as she finished in 12.54 seconds.
That wasn't anywhere near as fast as Jones' best time this year, and Harper arrived here not nearly as
touted as Jones, who drew attention before the Beijing Games for her talent and her life story — living in a
church basement at one point as a kid, working at a hardware store and as a waitress to pay bills as an
adult. "This is a kid nobody knew," said Harper's coach, Bob Kersee. "Now she's an Olympic gold
medalist."