Posted on 08/12/2012 6:23:58 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The 2012 London Olympic Games have officially come to a close and, once again, the U.S. sits atop the medal count.
In Beijing they did the same thing, but the host nation China made it interesting. America topped the Chinese by 10 in the overall medal count, but China earned 15 more gold medals than America—China had 51 and the U.S. had 36.
However, in London, the U.S. reemerged as the dominant athletic country.
The United States earned 104 medals, 15 more than any other country—China was second with 87. Plus, the Americans took back their lead in golds, winning 46 of those, eight more than the second ranked Chinese.
Team USA did this by winning medals in a mix of its traditional strengths and by winning surprising medals in lesser-known events.
The U.S. got its medal total kick started with a predictably strong performance in the pool.
Swimmers like Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Missy Franklin all earned multiple medals. Plus, fresh faces emerged from the water such as 100-meter freestyle winner Nathan Adrian and 15-year-old Katie Ledecky, who earned gold in the 800-meter free.
America also continued its superiority on the track.
Allyson Felix won three gold medals, Sanya Richards-Ross finally captured her gold in the 400-meters and Ashton Eaton won the decathlon.
In total the Americans won 29 medals on the track, only one short of their lofty pre-London goal of 30. But as Scott Blackmon of the U.S. Olympic Committee told the AP, nobody’s going home disappointed.
America also took home gold in men’s and women’s basketball, took gold and silver in women’s beach volleyball and the U.S. women's soccer team grabbed the nation’s attention with its thrilling gold medal run.
However, it wasn't just about the big sports, plenty of Americans were successful in the smaller sports.
David Boudia upset the favored Chinese divers to take gold in the men's 10-meter platform. Kayla Harrison took home America's first ever gold in Judo. Jake Varner and Jordan Burroughs both took home the gold in wrestling for the U.S. over the last few days of competition.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds of athletes contributed to America's outstanding medal haul, whether they competed as a team or individually.
One thing is for sure, though. There is no question about America's standing as the foremost country at the Olympics.
China put that status into question in 2008, but this time around, the U.S. showed that it was up to the challenge.
Now, it's on to Rio. And once again, the U.S. will do its best to hold off a number of hard-charging nations that could outshine America's medal glory.
Only four more years, till we get to see.
James Naismith was a Canadian.
Olympic paintball. I like the sound of that.
The game was still invented here.
Actually your military always looks a bit heavy. Too bulked up as opposed to lean and muscular.
Exactly how are The Beatles, David Bowie, Elgar, Pink Floyd, The Who, Ray Davies, Muse, Liam Gallagher, Elbow, Madness, the Pet Shop Boys, Take That, the Spice Girls, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, the Kaiser Chiefs and Ed Sheeran ‘detestable’?.
You're an idiot.
By a Canadian who had lived less than six months in the US.
Perhaps true, but so long as their weapons are lean and muscular...
Considering that our men's beach volleyball teams both went out in the quarterfinals, and our gold medal women's team was down a set at one point in the semis (I think it was the semis), it's a little more competitive than you might think...
Whats your problem?. I am not attacking the US military, merely talking about their training and physical fitness.
In my experience, US soldiers and marines tend to be more bulked up and fond of weights as opposed to say British or Aussie or Russian soldiers and marines who tend to be leaner and less weight-driven in their fitness regime.
BTW, I am ex-military myself and have worked with the US army and marines.
wow, the formerr soviet union would have had 43 gold, 42 silver and 66 bronze. I miss the us-ussr competition.
Since the US failed to medal in men’s beach volleyball this year, and in 1996 and 2000, no US woman’s team competed for the gold medal in beach volleyball, I think the answer to your question is self evident.
“How many of those medals won by non American athletes live and/or were trained in the USA?”
That is exactly the point I made to someone earlier today. Many, many athletes, both foreign and Americans competing for other countries, live, train and go to school in the US. Then they turn around and compete against us! What’s up with that! Yeah Obama, the world thinks we are such a horrible country, that’s why they’re all clamoring to come here!!
Get lost, you jealous hack.
Final: as of Aug. 12 Contact: Pete LaFleur (editor@collegesports360.com)
The University of Southern California – led by its traditional strength in swimming (10 medals) and track-and-field (6) – finished atop CollegeSports360’s exclusive “college medal board” for the 2012 Olympics with 24 total medals (12 gold, 9 silver & 3 bronze). USC’s other medals included four in women’s water polo, three women’s volleyball (two of those on the beach) and a women’s soccer medal. The University of Florida (21; 9G-6S-6B) finished second on this medal board (11-swim, 6-T&F, 3-wsoc, 1-w. tennis) while bay-area rivals California (16; 11G-1S-4B) and Stanford (16; 12G-2S-2B) tied for third. USC and Stanford ended up even for the most golds (12), followed by Cal’s 11 and Florida’s 9.
RE: Many, many athletes, both foreign and Americans competing for other countries, live, train and go to school in the US.
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For the information of those who don’t know, the Chinese double Gold Medalist in the 400 and 1500 swimming competition in London named Sun Yang, TRAINED IN AUSTRALIA ( by an Australian coach ).
But it seems that the Chinese don't want to train their people to run fast or run far.
-PJ
It is a good thing it wasn't the Math Olympics.
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