Medley of sports at the Olympics

Great Saturday programming from the Olympics--basketball, cycling, badminton, and now rowing. American wins a silver! First since 1988 in this event for an American, won by a Bulgarian. Michelle Guerette; a great race, she was hanging back, towards the end just made a run for the front.

In badminton it was China vs. China for the women's gold, the Athens winner won again. Cycling the American got waxed, one of the strong British team won. As for basketball--USA beat down Spain by nearly 40, totally sending a message as the prelim round winds down.

Now the men's single sculls; Tufte of Norway, who won in Athens, is a farmer, who stages his own wacky Olympics on his farm. It's funny, the assistant coaches cycle alongside to yell stuff out, like a sport within a sport. Kiwi in their all black is in the lead as we near the last part. I'm rooting for the farmer. Tufte kicking it into gear, it's getting exciting; camera angles sometimes make it hard to see who's in front; Tufte in front now, and he wins, with Czechs in second and New Zealand in third.

Now it's the evening session; 10 pm EST, end of the women's marathon, a Romanian wins, followed by a Kenyan who was able to outkick a Chinese runner. Wall of sound greets them coming into the stadium.

Now, back to the pool--Michael Phelps going for #8, Kobe, LeBron, and Tony Blair. Women's 50M freestyle first, Dara Torres in this, that Libby Trickett woman too; and another Aussie, Cate Campbell, who's 25 years than Torres at 16. Also Kara Lynn Joyce of the U.S. Go Dara!

Torres coach is watching from his hospital bed in Bethesda, Maryland. Man.... It's all about the pressure, says Rowdy, she can handle it, can the others. Good start for her; and she's in front already! I think she can do it--oh, and the German just beats her out by 1/100th! Wow! Torres was leading until the very end, she sets a new American record though. Wow, silver medal at the age of 41. Rowdy says Steffen gets a better start, thought she had it.

Next, Men's 1500M freestyle. Grant Hackett trying to become the first male swimmer to win 3 golds in the same event over 3 games. Larsen Jensen the only American, won silver in Athens. 30 lengths of the pool. This is the super bowl of sports in Australia, Dan says; everyone's up watching this. Hackett is out front, the American's in lane 1, just staying with the pack.

About 6 minutes, in, the pace is a bit slow says Rowdy. Hackett still in the lead. He's apparently paranoid about his health, avoids touching hand rails, travels with a humidifier, avoids crowds. Funny, he's apparently been sick before his races in all three olympics. But he hasn't lost this race in 11 years!

Nearing the end, this Hackett guy is quite a warrior. Hmm, lane 6 person far bheind; but Hackett behind Oussama Mellouli, who's a body length in front. 5 lengths to go. The American is out of it. Rowdy says Hackett's got to make his move now, Mellouli's got good closing speed too. Hmm.... 3 lenghts left, that lead is building; Hackett looks a bit like he's fading; two lengths of the pool left--now Hackett has closed the gap a bit. Wow, he's turned it on, has closed the gap to half a body length back. Man, he's catching up; may run out of pool to catch the Tunisian--and he wins! Cochrane from Canada in third. Wow, where did this guy come from?! Tunisian.... Jensen in 5th. Wikipedia tells us he trains out of USC. His coach looks like she's got some Asian in her; what an interesting story here.

Hmm, they show the medal ceremony for the women's 50M, they have some time to kill--nice seeing Dara Torres up there. She's gotta go swim the women's relay right after this, like in 7 minutes! Wow. Starts crying; stay focused on the race ahead, says Rowdy. Brita Steffen seems nice, humble; one of those high-achieving German women. She puts her flowers down, hands behind her back for the German anthem. Then off Torres goes to swim the relay; very poised, walks like an athlete. "I have to go" she says to one of the attendees, takes off her medal, off she goes.

11 career medals for Torres in five games, hopefully she gets a gold here. Aussies are heavily favored, says Dan. Aussies set the WR last year. Whoah, hug warmup suit for one of the Americans, it's actually pretty funny--and Torres comes out last, still putting on her gear. She's always talking, announcers says. Aussies pumping each other up, singing some song together, doing some dancing. Sweden, Russia, U.S., Aussies, Great Britain, China, Japan, and Canada.

Backstroke first, Rowdy says Aussies need to stay close to U.S. here. Hmmm, Coughlin out front for U.S.; full body-length, good lead says Rowdy; but now Aussie coming back, and on breastroke it's basically neck and neck, a lot of countries bunched up now; U.S. gaining but Russians in front as they come back; Soni a bit behind Aussie, they're 1-2 now; Jones increasing the lead a bit. Butterfly, U.S. vs. Aussie, they're increasing the lead though. It'll come down to Torres vs. Trickett again. U.S. like a body length behind; U.S. coming back a bit near the end, half body length only.

Now Torres in the pool, she's about half off Trickett, she's making up some ground; Here they come down the stretch, I think Aussies are going to win; here comes Torres, she's making up time, but no room.... Silver for U.S., new WR time; China gets the bronze. Ah, Torres made it close, but it wasn't to be, she gets three silver medals here. Six medals for Coughlin in the games.

Jones' leg was the key, 1:04 flat says Rowdy. No official results yet, a false start or something? This is a long time says Rowdy; and Swedes get DQed. U.S. team says they did well, Aussies just had us today.

Well... now it's the men's 4x100M medley relay.