Herbals: Gold rush: U.S. quickly grabs 9 medals

Allyson Felix of the United States crosses the finish line ahead of Murielle Ahoure of Cote d'Ivoire and Carmelita Jeter of the United States to win the women's 200-meter final on Wednesday, August 8. Check out Day 11 of competition from Tuesday, August 7. The Games run through Sunday, August 12. See all the action as it unfolds here.

Tiago Splitter of Brazil goes up for a shot against Carlos Delfino of Argentina in the first half of the men's basketball quaterfinal game.

Carla Rebecchi of Argentina stretches out to score during the women's hockey semifinal match against Great Britain.

Aries Merritt of the United States celebrates after winning gold in the men's 110-meter hurdles final.

Kim Ekdahl du Rietz of Sweden goes up to shoot against Denmark during the men's quarterfinal match.

Anna Nazarova of Russia competes in the women's long jump final.

Erika Kasahara of Japan, right, competes against Elizabeth Zamora Gordillo of Guatemala during the women's -49kg taekwondo repechage match.

Yohan Blake of Jamaica leads Bruno De Barros of Brazil and Jared Connaughton of Canada in the men's 200-meter semifinals.

Roman Avramenko of Ukraine competes in the men's javelin throw qualifications.

Dayron Robles of Cuba waits on the track after pulling up injured in the men's 110-meter hurdles final.

Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates after the men's 200-meter semifinals.

Poland's Bartosz Kurek, left, spikes as Russia's Sergey Grankin, center, and Alexander Volkov attempt to block during the men's quarterfinal volleyball match.

Juliana Silva of Brazil climbs into the crowd as she celebrates winning the women's beach volleyball bronze medal match against China.

Ivan Zaytsev of Uzbekistan competes in the men's javelin throw qualifications.

Argentinian forward Luis Scola, left, tries to score past Brazilian center Nene Hilario during the quarterfinal basketball match.

Senegal's Isabelle Sambou, in red, and Canadian Carol Huynh compete in women's freestyle 48-kilogram wrestling on Day 12 of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The boats take off for the start of the men's 49er sailing in Weymouth Harbour.

Sweden's Jonas Larholm fights through Danish handball players during the men's quarterfinal match. Sweden beat Denmark 24-22.

Italian water polo player Valentino Gallo faces off with Hungarian Tamas Kasas, left, during the men's quarterfinal match.

A martial arts specialist performs stunts before the night session of taekwondo.

Exhibition riders perform on the BMX track.

French diver Audrey Labeau competes in the women's 10-meter platform preliminary.

Brent Newdick of New Zealand competes in the men's decathlon high jump.

Brazilian beach volleyball player Juliana Silva celebrates during the match against China. Brazil won the bronze medal.

Sweden's right back Kim Andersson, center, vies with Denmark's pivot Michael Knudsen during the men's quarterfinal handball match.

British hurdler Andrew Turner and Nigeria's Selim Nurudeen compete in the men's 110-meter hurdles semifinal.

U.S. hurdler Jason Richardson leads Cuba's Orlando Ortega and Great Britain's Lawrence Clarke in the men's 110-meter hurdles semifinal.

Denmark right back Kasper Sondergaard Sarup, center, shoots during the men's quarterfinal handball match against Sweden at the London Olympics on Wednesday, August 8.

Clarissa Kyoko Mei Ling Chun of the United States, top, faced Iwona Nina Matkowska of Poland in a women's freestyle 48-kilogram match.

Lee Dae-Hoon of South Korea competes against Alexey Denisenko of Russia during the men's 58-kilogram semifinal taekwondo match.

U.S. rider David Herman takes part in the BMX cycling seeding phase runs in Olympic Park.

Fans cheer the individual jumping equestrian event on Wednesday.

Prince Abdullah Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, on Davos, competes in the individual show jumping final.

Maik Baier of Germany powers down the track during the seeding run in the BMX competition.

South Korea's Joo Se-Hyuk returns a ball to China's Zhang Jike during the table tennis men's team final.

Jike Zhang of China, right, competes against Joo Se-Hyuk of South Korea.

Florent Piétrus of France goes up for a shot against Marc Gasol of Spain in the first half of their men's basketball quarterfinal game.

A freestyle BMX rider entertains the crowds during a break in the seeding phase runs.

James Clark of Australia looks on from the bench during the men's water polo quarterfinal match against Serbia.

Spain's Blai Mallarach Guell, center, makes a save in the men's water polo quarterfinal match against Montenegro.

Mariana Pajon of Colombia competes in the seeding run at the BMX track.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, takes a photo with Olympic volunteer Anita Akuwudike as he meets some of the volunteer work force at the ExCeL center in London.

Russia's Andrei Kirilenko, left, and Paulius Jankunas of Lithuania go up for a rebound during the men's basketball quarterfinal game.

Spain's Albert Rocas Comas shoots during the men's quarterfinal handball match against France.

Blair Tuke, left, and Peter Burling of New Zealand celebrate winning silver in the men's 49er sailing event in Weymouth, England.

New Zealand's Ella Gunson, left, and Kayla Sharland celebrate after Sharland scores their team's first goal during the women's field hockey semifinal match against the Netherlands.

Montenegro's water polo team celebrates its victory over Spain during the men's water polo quarterfinal match.

Brazil's Dante Amaral waits to serve the ball against Argentina during the men's volleyball quarterfinals.

Nikola Janovic, top, of Montenegro and Ivan Perez Vargas of Spain compete in the men's water polo quarterfinal match.

Ireland's Cian O'Connor riding Blue Loyd 12 celebrates winning the bronze in the individual jumping equestrian event.

Jinzi Li, left, of China battles Nadezda Torlopova of Russia during the women's middle 75-kilogram boxing semifinals.

Hungary's Gabor Csaszar scores on a fast break during the men's handball quarterfinal match against Iceland.

Morocco's Halima Hachlaf, left, and Caster Semenya of South Africa compete in round one of the women's 800-meter heats.

Portugal's Fernando Pimenta, left, and Emanuel Silva celebrate winning the silver medal during the men's kayak double 1,000-meter canoe sprint finals in Windsor, England.

Ashton Eaton of the United States competes in the men's decathlon shot put.

The crowd soaks up the atmosphere on Day 12 of the Olympics at Greenwich Park in London.

Nicola Adams of Great Britain gets refreshed during the women's fly (51-kilogram) boxing semifinal fight.

Ukraine's Irini Merleni, left, wrestles with Venezuela's Mayelis Yesenia Caripa Castillo during the women's 48-kilogram freestyle wrestling quarterfinal match.

American Ashton Eaton competes in the men's decathlon long jump qualifications.

Germany's Jan Felix Knobel competes in the men's decathlon's shot put qualifications.

Ireland's Cian O'Connor on Blue Loyd 12 competes during the equestrian individual jumping event.

Japan's Keisuke Ushiro competes in the men's decathlon long jump qualifications.

Marlen Esparza of the United States leaves the ring following her loss to Cancan Ren of China in the women's flyweight boxing semifinals.

Saudi Arabia's Sarah Attar, right, competes in round one of the women's 800-meter heats.

Chanatip Sonkham of Thailand competes against Kristina Kim of Russia during the women's taekwondo under 49-kilogram preliminary match.

Germany's Alexandra Engelhardt, right, competes against Mayelis Yesenia Caripa Castillo of Venezuela in women's freestyle 63-kilogram wrestling.

Eirik Veras Larsen of Norway celebrates the gold during the men's kayak single 1,000-meter canoe sprint finals in Windsor.

New Zealand's Peter Burling, left, and Blair Tuke celebrate winning silver in the men's 49er sailing final in Weymouth, England.

Russian center Timofey Mozgov, left, is challenged by Lithuanian guard Renaldas Seibutis during the men's quarterfinal basketball match.

Daniel Awde of Great Britain competes in the men's decathlon long jump.

Iceland's Sverre Jakobsson, top, vies with Hungary's Szabolcs Zubai during the men's quarterfinal handball match.

Japan's Murakami Ai, left, and Sulette Damons of South Africa vie for the ball during the women's field hockey classification match.

Australia's Craig Mottram leads in round one of the men's 5,000-meter heats at Olympic Stadium.

Palestinian runner Woroud Sawalha gets ready for round one of the women's 800-meter heats.

Peng Tang of Hong Kong competes in the men's team table-tennis bronze medal match.

Germany's Arne Gabius rests after round one of the men's 5,000-meter heats.

Pascal Behrenbruch of Germany competes in the men's decathlon long jump.

Mexico's Jannet Alegria Pena, left, competes against Raya Hatahet of Jordan during the women's taekwondo under 49-kilogram preliminary round.

Lukasz Michalski of Poland competes in the men's pole vault qualifications.

Hungary's Roland Kokeny and Rudolf Dombi celebrate winning gold in the men's kayak double 1,000-meter canoe sprint final in Windsor, England.

Sarah Attar of Saudi Arabia competes in round one of the women's 800-meter heats at Olympic Stadium.

From left, Trey Hardee of the United States, Luiz Alberto de Araujo of Brazil and Ashton Eaton of the United States compete in the men's decathlon 100-meter heats.

Seulki Kang, left, of the Central African Republic competes against Lucija Zaninovic of Croatia during the women's taekwondo under 49-kilogram preliminary round.

Liberia's Jangy Addy competes in the men's decathlon 100-meter heats.

Maksym Mazuryk of Ukraine competes in the men's pole vault qualifications.

Sebastian Brendel of Germany celebrates winning gold during the men's canoe single 1,000-meter sprint finals in Windsor.

Spectators cheer Daniel Awde of Great Britain after the men's decathlon 100-meter heats.

In Boat 5, from left, Hungary's Krisztina Fazekas, Katalin Kovacs and Danuta Kozak celebrate winning the gold medal in the women's kayak four 500-meter sprint final in Windsor.

Athletes compete in round one of the men's 5,000-meter heats at Olympic Stadium.

HIDE CAPTION

Day 12: The best photos of the Olympics

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Beach volleyball duo wins third consecutive gold
Allyson Felix of the United States blazes to gold in the women's 200 meters
Team USA win's in men's basketball behind LeBron's Olympic first
"It is a historic moment," says Sarah Attar, the first Saudi woman to compete in athletics

London (CNN) -- Allyson Felix, Aries Merritt and Brittany Reese led the U.S. medal haul at Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night, winning their events in scintillating style.

And the day wrapped up with the U.S. men's basketball team taking another step toward another gold.

Felix won the women's 200 meters with a dominant stretch effort, holding off Shelly-Ann Fraser Price of Jamaica and clocking a rousing 21.88. Carmelita Jeter of the United States was third.

"I thought back to the disappointment in Beijing," Felix, the silver medalist in Beijing and Athens, said. "It's been a long road, I never wanted to give up. It's been a journey -- never easy, but you can't lose sight of your dream. ... I've wanted it for so long."

U.S. athletes tweet God, Bible at Olympics

In all, the U.S. won seven athletics medals, including Merritt's gold and Jason Richardson's silver in the men's 110-meter hurdles.

Merritt's time of 12.92 was just .01 off the Olympic record.

"I trained for this intensity. I thought if I treat it like a practice then I could do ridiculous things," Merritt said. "I execute so well and when I practice there's no pressure, so if I (could) treat it like a practice, then there's no pressure."

Team GB's Lawrence Clarke -- heir to an English baronetcy and also a distant relative of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt -- acquitted himself well, finishing just behind bronze medalist Hansle Parchment of Jamaica.

"I can't believe I came fourth in the Olympic Games," Clarke said. "I didn't even expect to make the final. I ran the semifinal treating it as a final, and I ran a personal best there, so that was a dream come true."

The race was without China's Liu Xiang, who failed to make it past the first-round heat for a second consecutive Olympics. Liu, who took gold in 2004, faced an outpouring of criticism when he was forced to withdraw in Beijing with an Achilles tendon injury, but he received a more sympathetic response this time around.

Reese and Janay Deloach went 1-3 in the long jump, with Reese leaping 7.12 meters (23-feet-4) to beat Elena Sokolova of Russia.

"This is exactly what I had in my mind. I've trained four years for this," Reese said.

American Lashinda Demus nearly caught Natalya Antyukh at the line in the 400-meter hurdles, but settled for second.

Jamaica's Yohan Blake strolled through the line in his 200-meter semifinal, with Team USA's Wallace Spearmon also through to Thursday's final.

Blake's compatriot Usain Bolt also cruised through his semifinal, as he targets a repeat of his double triumph in the 100-meter and 200-meter races in Beijing.

Bolt told the BBC, the official broadcaster for the London Games, he is confident of beating Blake in the 200-meters final.

"No doubt whatsoever. I'm ready, this is my favorite event, so I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I know what I can do -- I never doubt myself."

The medals kept coming for the United States, which now tops the table with 81 medals overall to China's 77.

Americans Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings made it three Olympic golds in a row, beating countrywomen April Ross and Jennifer Kessy two sets to none.

"This means a lot. It is my last match, but I'm OK with slipping away because this has been a special finale," May-Treanor said. "Whether we had finished on top or not, the thing that I'm proud of is us sticking together."

LeBron James became the first men's basketball player to have a triple double in an Olympics game. He scored 11 points, had 14 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the U.S. into the semfinals against Argentina.

Kobe Bryant got hot in the second half, scoring all of his team-high 20 points in the final 20 minutes as the Americans beat the Aussies 119-86. Twelve of those came on four 3-pointers in the middle of the fourth quarter that helped expand the U.S. lead from 15 to 25.

In Friday's other semifinal, Russia will play Spain.

The men's decathlon got going Wednesday, with athletes taking part in the 100 meters, long jump, shot put and high jump. Team USA's Ashton Eaton and Trey Hardee were in first and second place after the first five events.

Team GB's Mo Farah, who took gold in the 10,000 meters Saturday to the delight of the home crowd, reached the 5,000-meter final after finishing third in his heat.

The women's 800-meter heats got under way, with defending champion Pamela Jelimo of Kenya the fastest winner of her heat. Team GB's Lynsey Sharp qualified close behind her.

Caster Semenya, the South African athlete who was the subject of a gender test by the International Association of Athletics Federations after her victory in Berlin at the world championships three years ago, also qualified as the second-fastest finisher in her heat.

Two runners competed wearing the hijab: 20-year-old Palestinian Woroud Sawalha and Sarah Attar from Saudi Arabia, reflecting the diversity of this Games, the first to see women athletes included in every one of the 204 delegations.

"I'm proud to represent Palestine," Sawalha said. "My parents called me before the race and said, 'All Palestinians are watching and hoping you get a good result.' I hope I will do well in the future. This Olympic Games is a first step for me."

Neither qualified for the next round, but Attar made history alongside teammate Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani, in judo, as the first two women to compete for Saudi Arabia. Brunei and Qatar also sent women competitors for the first time.

"It is a historic moment," Attar said, according to the official Games website. "I hope it will make a difference. It is a huge step forward."

These Games also mark the first time women's boxing is part of the Olympic program, with three semifinal bouts taking place Wednesday. Team GB's Nicola Adams made it through to the women's 51-kilogram flyweight gold medal bout after defeating India's Chungeijang Mery Kom Hmangte.

Adams will take on China's Ren Cancan for gold, after Ren beat Marlen Esparza of Team USA in their semifinal.

Both Esparza and Hmangte are awarded bronze, as there are no bronze-medal matches.

Blood was spilled in the first women's field hockey semifinal, as New Zealand player Katie Glynn took a nasty blow to the head from a Dutch opponent's stick. She returned to the field to play on, her head swathed in bandages.

The game was finally decided in a tense penalty shootout after neither side scored in extra time, with victory -- and a place in the gold-medal final -- going to the Netherlands.

There was also drama on the BMX track, where Team USA's Brooke Crain needed medical attention after coming off her BMX and smashing into a bump on the track during the seeding run.

It's not the end of the 19-year-old's Olympic dream though. A tweet from the BMX Program Director at USA Cycling said Crain "is sore but will be ready for Friday," when the semi-finals take place.

Elsewhere, the American men's volleyball team was knocked out by Italy in the quarterfinal. Italy will face Brazil in the semifinal Friday.

China beat South Korea to take the gold medal in the men's team table tennis final, and the bronze went to Germany.

The victory means China has won gold in every table tennis event played at the London Games and in Beijing in 2008, according to the official Games website.

Earlier, Katrin Wagner-Augustin of Germany lost out on her second attempt at becoming the second woman in Olympic history to win a gold medal at four consecutive Games after helping take silver in the women's kayak four (K4). She still has one more shot at gold in the women's kayak single final on Thursday. Lisa Leslie, who won gold with the U.S. basketball teams in 1996-2008, is the only other woman to do so.

Gold in the women's K4 went to Hungary and bronze to Belarus.

On a good morning for Hungary on the water, it also took the gold in the men's double kayak final. Silver went to Portugal, giving the country its first medal of the Games.

Norway and Germany took gold in the men's single kayak and single canoe sprint events, respectively.

Australia, whose athletes got off to a slow start in the medal stakes but are now gathering steam, took gold in the men's 49er sailing, while New Zealand claimed silver.

Over at Greenwich Park, the individual show jumping final put horses and riders through their paces.

Switzerland's Steve Guerdat came out with the gold after posting the only two clear rounds of the event.

Silver went to the Netherlands' Gerco Schroder, with Ireland's Cian O'Connor pushed into bronze position after a jump-off. That bronze is Ireland's first medal of the Games.

Great Britain, which took gold in the team show jumping event this week and its first ever dressage team gold Tuesday, could only manage equal fifth for rider Nick Skelton, disappointing the home crowds.

Team GB, for which Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Phillips helped win silver in the event, is not the only delegation to count royalty among its athletes: Prince Abdullah Al Saud of Saudi Arabia took part in the individual show jumping, coming joint 26th on his horse, Davos.

Via - http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_topstories/~3/FUKumozQb9k/index.html

Herbals

Wednesday, 8 August 2012

Gold rush: U.S. quickly grabs 9 medals

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