Posted on 07/30/2012 3:47:09 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
LONDON (AP) Michael Phelps has yet to win a gold medal, and Ryan Lochte's star is fading. So along comes Melissa "Missy" Franklin, yet to start her senior year in high school, to restore American swim hopes at the Olympics.
Coming back less than 14 minutes after swimming a semifinal heat, the Colorado teenager won the first gold medal of what figures to be a dazzling career, rallying to win the 100-meter backstroke Monday.
"Indescribable," the 17-year-old Franklin said. "I still can't believe that happened. I don't even know what to think. I saw my parents' reaction on the screen and I just started bawling. I can't even think right now."
Matt Grevers kept the gold medals coming in rat-a-tat fashion, following up Franklin's win with one of his own in the men's 100 back. For good measure, Nick Thoman made it a 1-2 finish for the red, white and blue by taking the silver.
Rebecca Soni nearly pulled out a third U.S. gold, rallying furiously on the return leg of the 100 breaststroke. But she couldn't quite catch blazing Lithuanian Ruta Meilutyte, a gold medalist at the tender age of 15.
Good thing for the U.S. that Franklin and the other Americans are coming through.
Phelps missed the podium in his 2012 Olympic debut, and Lochte has turned two straight disappointing performances after opening the games with a dominant win in the 400 individual medley. He finished fourth and off the podium Monday night in the 200 freestyle, which France's Yannick Agnel won by a full body length against a field with gold medalists galore.
On Sunday, Lochte anchored the U.S. in the 4x100 free relay, taking over with a seemingly comfortable lead. But Agnel chased him down on the final leg, giving France the gold.
Now, another defeat.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com ...
Phelps needs to knock off the Subway food.
The good news is we are now tied with China in the medal count. However, the Chinese still have more gold than us.
And for those asking what happened to erstwhile sports power, Germany... they finally won one silver medal (fencing).
among other stuff
Is Missy that annoying girl in the NBC promos they showed all spring?
Phelps is in the Choom Gang!
Track and field hasn’t started yet. We’ll win way more there than the Chinese.
Hey, this spoils things for those of us who want to watch it on TV!
Phelps got arrogant and didn’t train for months missing several practices in a row....Lochte who might not have Phelps natural talent made up for it in hard work.
My feeling exactly. Could have made the title something like "Today's Olympic Results."
Please don’t put the winner’s names in the title. It ruins it for people who plan on watching the tape-delayed telecast later in the day. Instead, the title should read something like: SPOILER - Olympic Results for Women’s 100m backstroke, Men’s 200m freestyle
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