Day 13 (August 21)
Softball
The US losing in softball at these Olympic Games was almost as shocking as the US losing in basketball at the Athens Games in 2004. After all, since winning gold at the Sydney Games in 2000, the US (women’s) softball team had won 22 straight international tournaments – “most of them by outrageously lopsided scores.”
And as it dominated other teams with that familiar ease in Beijing, the US team seemed poised to win its fourth straight gold medal in Olympic competition. Except that, in the final match, Japan fielded a team with a David versus Goliath zeal. And, in keeping with that proverbial match up, Japan slayed the US 3 to 1.
Alas, this loss will linger in perpetuity. Because, ironically, reports are that the Americans’ utter domination in Athens – outscoring all teams 51 to 1 – led the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to drop the sport as not conducive to the Olympic spirit of robust competition. This means that there’ll be no chance for the US to send a “redeem team” in softball to the London Olympics in 2012.
Track and Field
Americans began making up for stunning loses to Jamaicans when they swept the Men’s 400m. Truth be told, however, this race was billed as a showdown between two Americans, namely, first-time Olympian LaShawn Merrit and defending Olympic Champion Jeremy Wariner. But the upstart Merrit not only won, he actually handed Wariner the biggest and most humiliating loss of his career.
Apropos showdowns, the Men’s 100m Hurdles was billed as a showdown between defending Olympic Champion Liu Xiang of China and Dayron Robles of Cuba.
Unfortunately, as I noted in an earlier post, Xiang withdrew from the Games with an injury before running his first preliminary race. Therefore, it was hardly surprising when Robles hurdled to victory with Bolt-like ease.
Day 14 (August 22)
Track and Field
It seemed a cruel irony that the Jamaicans – who had been flawless in all sprint events to date – aped the bungling Americans by botching the baton handoff in the Women’s 4x100m Relay and losing what was certain gold in this event. On the other hand, the Russians could not believe their dumb luck when the gold medal was practically handed to them.
However, in the Men’s 4x100m Relay, the Jamaicans continued their winning ways, not only by capturing gold, but also by shattering the 16-year-old world record.
This win gave Usain Bolt (far right), his third gold medal of these games and made him the undisputed star of track and field at these games.
Day 15 (August 23)
Baseball
Unfortunately, the timing of the summer Olympics always conflicts with Major League Baseball, which means that the best American players can never participate. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the Cubans have been quadrennial champs in baseball.
But that all changed this summer when South Korea defeated defending Olympic champion Cuba 3-2 to capture gold in baseball. The wannabe major leaguers from the US defeated Japan 8-4 to win bronze.
Basketball
The US women did in basketball what the US women were supposed to do in softball; i.e., they ran through the competition with enviable ease to win the gold medal that was effectively ceded to them before the Games began. They defeated Australia 92-65.
Diving
So much for the Chinese accomplishing the Phelpsian feat of going eight for eight in diving competition at these Olympic Games. But their quest could not have ended in more dramatic fashion.
Because, after the Chinese went 7 for 7 in previous events, their diver in the eighth event, the Men’s 10m Platform, was leading going into the final round of dives and seemed poised to seal national glory for China. Unfortunately, where he may have had Phelps-like abilities, he evidently did not have Phelps-like nerves: because – with over one billion people watching and waiting with baited breath – he flopped his final dive.
This gave the thoroughly unexpected opportunity for a relatively unknown diver to slay the dragon for the glory of his country, Australia: and he nailed it!
Track and Field
Then the US made up for the surreal performance of the men’s and women’s 4x100m relays (in which they were both disqualified for dropping the baton) by winning the men’s and women’s 4x400m relays in convincing fashion.
Of special note was the personal redemption of Sanya Richards. Because, after losing the Women’s 400m that she was so hyped to win, she not only anchored the women’s relay team to an impressive win over their upstart Jamaican bettors at these Games, but did so in a come-from-behind fashion (by chasing down a Russian runner) that showed why she was so hyped as the world’s premier women’s 400m runner.
Day 16 (August 24)
Basketball
Perhaps the most anti-climactic triumphs of these games were the gold-medal performances of the US women’s and men’s basketball teams. In particular, watching other countries play the US men’s team was rather like watching the bit players who are drafted to help the Harlem Globetrotters, not only put on a good show, but also seem invincible.
That said, it was a little shocking, even thrilling, to watch Spain almost upstage the US’s redeem team. Because instead of accepting the fated blowout like all other teams, the Spaniards answered every American basket with one of their own until the very last minutes of the game – when the Americans managed to eek out a win – with the wholly misleading score of 118 to 108.
Track and Field
Kamau Samuel Wansiru of Kenya won the titular closing event of the Beijing Games, the Men’s Marathon, in a new Olympic-record time of 2:06:32. But what makes Wansiru’s victory especially noteworthy is that his medal ceremony was featured during the Closing Ceremony in the Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium.
Ironically, this meant that his medal ceremony was seen by hundreds of millions more people worldwide than those who saw Michael Phelps receive his historic eight gold medal at these Games.
Closing Ceremony and closing comments
It was hard to imagine the Chinese doing anything to top the Opening Ceremony. And they didn’t.
After all, the novelty of the 2,008 robotic drummer boys and the (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) high-wire acts was gone. Frankly, the whole thing smacked of an unwieldy cross between a Barnum and Bailey circus and a Chinese Opera….
Unfortunately, the Games ended with host China receiving condemnation for allegedly cheating to win gold medals in women’s gymnastics. Moreover, this condemnation was almost in direct proportion to the praise it received for an Opening Ceremony that was nothing short of awe-inspiring (despite the fake fireworks and lip-synching little girl).
Specifically, the IOC announced that it would be launching an investigation to determine whether China fielded underage girls to compete in gymnastics.
Be mindful, however, that the IOC is still investigating allegations of cheating from the 2000 Sydney Olympics. So don’t hold your breath for a resolution of this one anytime soon, if ever.
Never mind that the rule the Chinese are alleged to have broken is a stupid one. Because I don’t see why it’s okay for the British to have a 14-year-old boy competing in diving, but not okay for the Chinese to have a 14-year-old girl competing in gymnastics.
Then, of course, there’s the undeniable fact that the IOC will be loath to render any ruling that would cause China, now a bona fide world superpower, to “lose face.” After all, the Chinese defend their national pride with as much zeal as the Americans defend their religious faith. And rendering an adverse verdict would be tantamount to inciting the wrath of a dragon.
Therefore, when all is said and done, I fully expect the Chinese to hold on to every one of the 51 gold medals they hauled at these Games, dominating the quadrennial champion Americans who were a distant second with only 36. And this is especially impressive given that, until the Los Angeles Games in 1984, China had never won a single gold medal in Olympic competition.
Meanwhile, I derived some consolation from the fact that The Bahamas won a silver medal in the Men’s 4x400m Relay. And, with the bronze medal Bahamian Leevan Sands won in the Men’s Triple Jump, that brought my native country’s haul to a grand total of 2 medals won at these Olympic Games.
Not bad for a tiny Caribbean country; especially considering that Serbia, a much larger European country, won only 3 medals (1 silver and 2 bronze). Although, admittedly, it’s a rather humbling result when compared to the 11 medals (6 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze) our Caribbean nemesis, Jamaica, won….
Congratulations China…well done all-around!
See you at the 2012 London Olympic Games….
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