Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

August 5, 2012

Olympics Roundup: Jamaican repeats in 100

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wins a close race, Serena Williams gets gold, and U.S. basketball is tested.

The Associated Press

LONDON - Of course the gold medal stays in Jamaica. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wouldn't have it any other way.

A golden ribbon in her hair, Fraser-Pryce made it back-to-back Olympic titles in the women's 100 meters Saturday night, closing ground over the last 20 meters and leaning at the line to win in 10.75 seconds and edge American Carmelita Jeter by .03 seconds.

Fraser-Pryce became the first woman to repeat in the 100 since Gail Devers of the U.S. in 1992 and 1996.

Another Jamaican, Veronica Campbell-Brown, finished third for her second career 100-meter bronze.

When the scoreboard finally flashed her in the No. 1 position, Fraser-Pryce dropped to the ground and cried. She ran to the stands, grabbed a Jamaican flag and paraded around with her teammate, Campbell-Brown, known as "VCB" on the island.

Jeter offered a big smile after watching her visions of gold vanish by a sliver.

"Everyone wants to win but I'm on the podium," Jeter said. "I'm the only American on the podium."

Also, the British had their big moment, in rapid succession winning three straight gold medals.

Jessica Ennis finished her stirring heptathlon victory by winning the 800-meter finale in 2 minutes, 8.65 seconds. About 20 minutes later, Greg Rutherford came out of nowhere and won the long jump, his first medal in a major international meet, with a leap of 27 feet, 3¼ inches (8.31 meters). Then, about another 20 minutes later, Mo Farah -- born in Somalia, training in Portland, Ore., but competing for Britain -- sprinted to the finish in the 10,000 meters for a win over his American training partner, Galen Rupp, in 27 minutes, 30.42 seconds.

Oscar Pistorius, the "Blade Runner" from South Africa, made history simply by lining up in the men's 400 -- the first amputee to compete in Olympic track. He reached the semifinals Sunday after finishing second in his heat in 45.44.

"I've worked for six years to get my chance," Pistorius said. "I found myself smiling in the starting block. Which is very rare in the 400 meters." 

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Two days after running and gunning to a record-shattering 83-point win, the United States needed a strong finish from LeBron James to eke out a 99-94 victory over Lithuania.

The Americans trailed 84-82 with 5:50 to play, but James scored nine of his 20 points in the final four minutes to help the U.S. remain unbeaten.

"You want to get tested. The best teams want to be tested. We love the competition," James said. "I think we've got some of the greatest competitors in our league, in this world, so you want to have a game where you feel like you were tested, and we had that today." 

TENNIS: Serena Williams routed Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1 in the most lopsided women's final in Olympic history.

"I was so focused here," she said. "I remember I was serving and I was thinking: 'Serena, this is your best chance to win a gold medal. You're at Wimbledon, you're on grass, you play great on grass, pull it together, just win this.' And that's what I thought about."

Top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan also won Olympic gold for the U.S., beating Michael Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 6-4, 7-6 (2) in the men's doubles final. 

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Two-time gold medalists Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor beat the Netherlands 21-13, 21-12 to advance to the quarterfinals. 

TRIATHLON: Nicola Spirig of Switzerland won the gold medal in a photo finish with a Swedish challenger. The end was so close that both women celebrated after crossing the line. 

(Continued on page 2)

Tweet