Wednesday, August 13, 2008

2008 Beijing: Results Day 5

In Beach Volleyball, it's number 104 and the streak continues for Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh who beat Norway in straight sets.

There were some surprising developments in the water cube.....

The semifinals took place in the women's 100m free, and it appeared that world record holder and favorite to win the gold, Libby Trickett was not going to be a part of the finals. She was in ninth position and only the top eight make it to the finals, but China's Pang Jiaying who won the second semi was disqualified for a false start. Libby Trickett won the eighth and final spot for tomorrow's final.

In the 200m breast, Kosuke Kitajima looked to go two for two, and he did that and more. Kitajima is the first swimmer in Olympic history to sweep and 100m and 200m breast at consecutive games. Brenton Rickard of Australia is the first Aussie to medal in a breast stroke at any distance in 24 years.

Men's 200m Breast-stroke
1. Kosuke Kitajima Japan 2.07.64 Olympic Record
2. Brenton Rickard Australia 2.08.88
3. Hugues Duboscq France 2.08.94

Jessicah Schipper of Australia was the world record holder going into the women's 200m fly; she was easily the favorite to win the gold at this games. Why then was Schipper fighting for a bronze? Because Liu and Jiao of China were battling for gold, and China went one and two.

Women's 200m Butterfly
1. Liu Zige China 2.04.18 World Record
2. Jiao Liuyang China 2.04.72
3. Jessicah Schipper Australia 2.06.26

4x100m relay savior, Jason Lezak owned six Olympic medals, but none of them were for Individual events, all of them were earned in relays. All of that changed tonight, the 33 year old in his third Olympics won his first individual medal; it was a bronze(he tied with Filho from Brazil), but it was obtained through hard work and perseverance, and so some may say it felt like a gold. Alain Bernard (the Frenchman with a lot to say) and Eamon Sullivan (Stephanie Rice's ex beau) engaged in what looked like a swim off and Bernard (sorry to say) won this one.

Men's 100m Freestyle
1. Alain Bernard France 47.21
2. Eamon Sullivan Australia 47.32
3. Jason Lezak U.S.A. 47.67
3. Cesar Cielo Filho Brazil 47.67

So they were favored to win, and the lead slowly but surely slipped away; team U.S.A. did not defend their gold in the 4x200m free relay, ouch!

Women's 4x200m Freestyle Relay
1. Australia- Stephanie Rice, Bronte Barratt, Kylie Palmer, Linda Mackenzie 7.44.31 World Record
2. China- Yang Yu, Zhu Qianwei, Tan Miao, Pang Jiaying 7.45.93
3. U.S.A.- Allison Schmitt, Natalie Coughlin, Caroloine Burckle, Katie Hoff 7.46.33

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