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Michael Phelps Splashes to Gold Again
Updating Time：2008-8-27 21:29:27
By Jim Stevenson
Beijing
12 August 2008
Gold medals went to 19 winners Tuesday at the Olympics in China. VOA's Jim Stevenson is in Beijing, where American swimmers used different forms of inspiration to quickly add three gold medals to the U.S. total.
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| Michael Phelps poses with his gold medal after the men's 200m freestyle swimming final in Beijing, 12 Aug 2008 |
"It is taking faster times to get into the semifinals and finals than it was four years ago," said Michael Phelps. "As long as I am swimming the way I am, hopefully I can keep everything rolling. I am very satisfied with how I have been going so far. I am almost halfway."
Partly inspired by Phelps, fellow American Aaron Piersol also broke his own world record in the men's 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:52.54.
"We all have been training together for the past four weeks," said Aaron Piersol. "We know how good this team is. And just like he has pushed us, I think we all push each other. From what Michael is doing, it certainly is elevating everybody else's performance here."
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| Natalie Coughlin, 12 Aug 2008 |
"Today, the U.S. team gained a lot of momentum," said Natalie Coughlin. "And I think a part of that came from the men's 4x100 freestyle relay yesterday. It was probably the most amazing swim I have ever seen. And it got a lot of us really, really pumped up for the rest of the meet."
Australian Leisel Jones had her Olympic dreams crushed four years ago in Athens, failing to live up to her billing as an unbeatable swimmer. She found redemption by winning the 100-meter breaststroke final.
"Anyone to go through disappointments and to criticism is something very difficult," said Leisel Jones. "But to come out the end as an Olympic gold medalist is something that makes it way more important than just coming to my first Olympics winning a gold medal straight away, and then what? I mean, you have got to improve after that."
Among the other 15 medal events of the day, American Glenn Eller won the men's double trap shooting event. Jin Jong Oh fired a golden round in the men's 50-meter pistol final. Host China turned in a commanding performance in men's team artistic gymnastics, placing first in five of the six apparatuses (to score 286.125 points). Japan was a distant second followed by the U.S. men.
China's dominance in diving continued with gold in women's synchronized 10-meter platform diving. China has won all three diving finals held so far. Zhong Man claimed China's first fencing gold in 24 years, by winning the men's individual saber competition.
Russians dominated Greco Roman wrestling. Nazyr Mankiev was the winner in the 55 kilo weight class while the 60 kilo gold went to Islam-Beka Albiev.
South Korean Pak Hyon Suk topped the podium in 63 kilo women's weightlifting while the men's 69 kilo title went to Liao Hui of China.
Judo gold went to Ayumi Tanamoto of Japan in the women's 63 kilo category. Ole Bischof of Germany took top honors in the men's 81 kilo division.
Slovak Michal Martikan paddled his way to victory in single canoe. The single men's kayak gold went to German Alexander Grimm.
Germany placed first in equestrian team jumping while the individual title went to British rider William Fox-Pitt.
Other Olympic highlights included Howard Bach and Bob Malaythong, who became the first American team to advance to an Olympic quarterfinals in badminton.
The U.S. women's softball team opened the defense of its gold medal with an 11-0 win over Venezuela in five innings. The 11 runs was an Olympic record for an individual team.
The day's results keep China at the top of the medals table with 13 gold, three silver and four bronze. Ranked by gold medals, the United States is second with seven, followed by South Korea with five.
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