Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the men's 100-meter final race during the athletics competition in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the men's 100-meter final race during the athletics competition in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
An image of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is projected on the Parliament building at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, in London. Bolt overwhelmed a star-studded field Sunday to win the 100-meters in 9.63 seconds, an Olympic record that let him join Carl Lewis as the only men with consecutive gold medals in the marquee track and field event at the Summer Games. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
In this photo taken with a fisheye lens, Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi clears the obstacle in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt, foreground left, goes to cross the finish line ahead of Jamaica's Yohan Blake, third from right, United States' Tyson Gay, second from right, and Trinidad's Richard Thompson in the men's 100-meters final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win gold in the men's 100-meter final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip )
LONDON (AP) ? Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:
___
EMOTIONS OVERFLOW
Tyson Gay openly wept. Justin Gatlin nearly broke down twice.
The emotions and tears are flowing for the Americans after Jamaica's Usain Bolt ran away with the 100 meter gold in 9.63 seconds.
Gay was overcome with disappointment after just failing to make the podium, crying his way through an interview in the mixed zone after his 9.80 time.
Gatlin was proud of himself for taking home bronze with a 9.79 in such a blazing race.
"Just to be part of an epic race," Gatlin said, his voice trailing off. "I just wanted to get on that podium and just be there for my country."
? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski
___
BOLT, COUCH POTATO?
What does Usain Bolt do when he isn't winning gold medals?
"I put my feet up and watch TV," Bolt says.
Even in that pose though, the fastest man on earth has a need for speed.
At the Olympics he has watched all the Jamaican races, but also tennis, rowing, cycling.
"It's kind of interesting. I watch the speed ones," Bolt explained.
Swimming, he remembers. "I also watched swimming.
"Michael Phelps, his gold medals. That's a lot of gold medals."
? Barbara Surk ? Twitter http://twitter.com/BarbaraSurkAP
___
ROSS GETS IN
After pleading, begging and trying to reason with Olympic officials, Aaron Ross of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars finally broke through the line.
The line keeping him out of his wife's gold-medal press conference.
American Sanya Richards-Ross, who won the 400 meters in 49.55 seconds Sunday night, was clearly delighted to have him there.
"My hubby is my best friend, my greatest supporter," she told reporters. "The fact that he's here tonight away from Jacksonville, where he should be ... meant so much to me."
? Tim Reynolds ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ByTimReynolds
___
QUICKQUOTE: 'FAST GUY'
American sprinter Justin Gatlin after his 3rd-place finish in the 100 meters behind Jamaica's Usain Bolt:
"Bolt is a very fast guy, he's a true competitor and he's a showman. Bolt is Bolt. He's a great runner. Being 6-5 adds to his success, you've just got to try to neutralize that."
? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer
___
QUICKQUOTE: 'LEGEND'
"I'm one step closer to being a legend." ? Usain Bolt on winning the 100 meters in 9.63 seconds, a new Olympic record.
? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski
___
STRIKE A POSE
Winning an Olympic gold medal takes 9.63 seconds.
Telling the world's media how you did it and explaining how you feel takes a whole lot longer.
Usain Bolt still had a line of trackside television cameras and radio microphones to please one hour after his 100-meter winning run.
Most want the now two-time 100-meter champion to strike his signature lightning bolt pose one more time.
Bolt obliges, smiling, like it's the first time he ever was asked.
The rest of the massive Olympic Stadium is practically empty.
? Graham Dunbar ? Twitter: www.twitter.com/gdunbarap
___
QUICKQUOTE: 'UNBEATABLE'
Seventh-place finisher Richard Thompson on Usain Bolt's Olympic-record breaking 9.63 seconds in the 100 meters:
"9.8 did not get a medal, so that shows you how great this final was. The entire world says he's unbeatable and right now he is."
? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer
___
QUICKQUOTE: 'I TRIED'
U.S. sprinter Tyson Gay was inconsolable after the 100-meter final in which Usain Bolt won in 9.63 seconds and Gay came in fourth at 9.80:
"I tried. I tried, man. I tried my best. I gave it my all."
? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer
___
QUICKQUOTE: WAR PAINT
"They call me the glitter-faced warrior." ? DeeDee Trotter, American bronze medalist in the 400, who wore red, blue and silver glitter next to each eye.
? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski
___
POWER IN THE STRETCH
It's been called the longest sprint ? a lot can happen in the 400 between the starting gun and the finish line.
Sanya Richards-Ross was behind Amantle Montsho of Botswana as they made the turn, but the tiny American runner accelerated through the stretch to win the Olympic 400-meter race Sunday.
Richards-Ross's time of 49.55 edged out the defending champion, Christine Ohuruogu of Britain, who also deployed a strong kick to finish in 49.70. American DeeDee Trotter won the bronze.
It was the first U.S. gold in track and field at the London Games ? and it was a long time coming for Richards-Ross, who sobbed at the Beijing Bird's Nest Stadium when she finished third in 2008.
? Sheila Norman-Culp ? Twitter http://twitter.com/snormanculp
__
EXPLAINER: HEAD START?
When Sanya Richards-Ross lined up in the middle of the pack of her 400 field, the runner in lane 8 was way out in front.
She wasn't getting a head start. The curves in the track mean the outside runners would have to run a longer race if they all started in the same position.
So the starts are staggered along the track with lane 1, the closest to the infield, being the furthest back.
They don't need to do that in the 100 because the runners don't have any curves to negotiate.
? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski
___
PISTORIUS INSPIRES, DOESN'T ADVANCE
The Blade Runner didn't advance to the 400-meter finals on Sunday night. That isn't stopping him from inspiring the rest of the field.
South African Oscar Pistorius finished last in his semifinal heat of the 400 meters on Sunday night. Unless South Africa chooses him for the 4x400 relay, his run at the London Games is over.
That he's even running at all is amazing enough. Pistorius runs on carbon fiber blades after being born without fibulas.
Grenada's Kirani James won the heat, then took his name plate off and exchanged it with Pistorius.
"He's an inspiration for all of us," James says. "He's very special to our sport."
? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski
___
DOC ON OLYMPICS
Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers has been to many events during these Olympics ? including the men's 100-meter showdown on Sunday night.
Rivers wasn't the only NBA name in the stadium: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and others were a section away from where he sat to watch Usain Bolt race.
"Usain Bolt's the biggest act in town," Rivers says. "There's no doubt. Basketball, especially here, it's not as big. But track, it's amazing how big it is in other countries. I wish it was like that in the States. I really do. It's amazing to watch. It's 10 seconds. It's less than 10 seconds. It's amazing."
Rivers and the Celtics will open the new season in Miami on Oct. 30, when the Heat raise their championship banner in a pregame ceremony.
He watched Michael Phelps swim, saw some boxing and cycling as well. But his favorite event? Beach volleyball.
"It's hilarious," Rivers says. "It's a bar and an event at the same time. It's the most fun thing, by far."
? Tim Reynolds ? Twitter http://twitter.com/ByTimReynolds
___
LEBRON'S PICK: BOLT
LeBron James got briefly stuck trying to get into the jam-packed Olympic Stadium for the 100-meter final on Sunday night.
He wasn't bothered.
"I wasn't going to miss this," said James, the NBA's reigning MVP and NBA Finals MVP from the Miami Heat, as he and Carmelo Anthony headed to join teammates in prime seats near the finish line to watch reigning Olympic winner Usain Bolt, world champion Yohan Blake and 2004 Olympic champion Justin Gatlin.
James and his USA Basketball teammates made it a point to be there for the marquee event of the Olympics, and James didn't hesitate when asked pick who would win:
"Oh ? Usain."
? Tim Reynolds ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ByTimReynolds
___
ONE MO TIME
Mo Farah's victory in the 10,000 meters on Saturday night practically shook the earth under Olympic Stadium from the roar of the crowd.
On Sunday, it shook one Mo time.
Farah returned to the stadium for his medal ceremony and most of the 80,000 in attendance thundered through "God Save the Queen" as he stood on the podium.
With a bright smile on his face, Farah waved to the crowd and walked off the track like the champion he is.
The night belongs to the sprinters. This moment was all his.
? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski
___
HEAD OVER HEELS
Hungarian wrestler Peter Modos certainly isn't sneezing at a bronze medal.
After beating Denmark's Erik Nybloom to win a bronze out of the 55-kilogram consolation bracket, Modos ran over and jumped so high into his coach's arms that his torso nearly smacked his coach's shoulder.
Modos then ran across the mat and did a cartwheel, which he followed with a succession of backflips.
He also hugged Nybloom, who understandably wasn't all that into it.
? Luke Meredith ? Twitter http://twitter.com/LukeMeredithAP
___
HOT SEAT
They bake in the sun all day and roast by fire all night.
Having a seat by the Olympic cauldron may seem like the perfect place to watch Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake burn up the track.
But their blazing times aren't the only things heating this place up. The enormous fire in the cauldron makes a seat in the section beside it almost uncomfortably hot.
As you approach the area, the temperature cranks up, and just being in the vicinity starts the beads of sweat gathering.
It could be a prime location when the sun sets and a chill hits the air. Anyone got marshmallows?
? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski
___
EDITOR'S NOTE ? "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the Games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Associated Presschicago weather forecast narcolepsy narcolepsy weather st louis faceoff kings island red hot chili peppers tour
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.