Olympics 2012

I didn't watch the Opening Ceremony. I didn't watch the Closing Ceremony(though I might still, haven't decided). Didn't watch most of the track and field events. But of the events I DID watch, I was quite entertained, and am proud of my country's athletes and all of their hard work, as well as the athletes/teams who gave them a run for their money. So first, a congratulations to the Team USA medalists (of the events I watched):

Volleyball:

Women's Volleyball Team
Silver Medal
Undefeated until the final match, and then they lost to Brazil..whom they beat earlier on in the games. >:(


Women's Beach Volleyball Team
Gold Medal

Silver Medal


Basketball:

Women's Basketball Team
Gold Medal
Okay, I didn't actually watch them, but I saw something about it, and good for them. :)


Men's Basketball Team
Gold Medal



Diving:
Men's Synchronized 10m Platform
Bronze


Men's Synchronized 3m Springboard
Bronze


Women's Synchronized 3m Springboard
Silver Medal


Swimming:

Men's Swim Team
4x100m Medley Final
Gold Medal

4x200m Freestyle Final
Gold Medal

4x100m Freestyle Final
Silver Medal
How dare they let France win! Shame on them >:(


Michael Phelps
100m Butterfly Final
Gold Medal
200m Individual Medley Final
Gold Medal

200m Butterfly Final
Silver Medal


Ryan Lochte
400 Individual Medley Final
Gold Medal

200m Backstroke Final
Silver Medal

200m Individual Medley Final
Bronze Medal


Matt Grevers
100M Backstroke
Gold Medal


Nick Thoman
100m Backstroke
Silver Medal


Tyler Clary
200m Backstroke
Gold Medal


Brendan Hansen
100m Breaststroke
Bronze Medal


Peter Vanderkaay
400m Freestyle
Bronze Medal


Cullen Jones
50m Freestyle
Silver Medal


Nathan Adrian
100m Freestyle
Gold Medal


Women's Swim Team
4x200m Freestyle
Gold Medal

4x100m Medley
Gold Medal

4x100m Freestyle
Bronze Medal


Missy Franklin
100m Backstroke
Gold Medal
200m Backstroke
Gold Medal


Rebecca Soni
200m Breaststroke
Gold Medal

100m Breaststroke
Silver Medal


Allison Schmitt
200m Freestyle
Gold Medal

400m Freestyle
Silver Medal


Elizabeth Beisel
200m Backstroke
Bronze Medal

400m Individual Medley
Silver Medal


Katie Ledecky
800m Freestyle
Gold Medal


Dana Vollmer
100m Butterfly
Gold Medal


Caitlin Leverenz
200m Individual Medley
Bronze Medal


Haley Anderson
Women's 10km Marathon
Silver Medal


Artistic Gymnastics:

Women's Gymnastics - Team Final
Gold Medal
Good job, ladies. And China didn't even medal on this one. hahahahaha!


Gabrielle Douglas
Individual All-Around Final
Gold Medal


Alexandra Raisman
Apparatus Final - Balance Beam
Bronze Medal

Apparatus Final - Floor Exercise
Gold Medal


McKayla Maroney - Apparatus Final - Vault
Silver Medal
Why the face? Being defending World Champion at vault..preparing specifically for that event..and then to fall on your behind at crunch time..sigh, I get it. Not exactly how she thought that night would go.



Danell Leyva
Men's Individual All-Around Final
Bronze Medal

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
This section is for those athletes/teams that may or may not have earned a medal but I thought stood out for one reason or another and wanted to share them with the world...or at least my 20+ blog followers. :)

Iordan Iovtchev of Bulgaria
Gymnast - Rings
Oldest gymnast at 39 years old! And look at those muscles! Mad respect for this guy. Placed 7th in the apparatus final for Rings.


Intanon Ratchanok - Thailand
Badminton
She didn't win any medals, but she's the first Thai to qualify for the Olympics in Badminton. Bravo to her! :D




Australian Men's Swim Team
This needs no explanation. ;D


Russian Federation's Syncronized Swimming Duet Team
Michael Jackson, anyone?
They won the gold medal.


This vid isn't from the Olympics, but it's the same girls, same routine. Enjoy :)




Russian Federation's Syncronized Swim Team
Gold Medal


Sarah Attar - Saudi Arabia
800 meter race
The first Saudi Arabian Woman to compete in the races - ever. She finished last, but she finished. She's an Olympian. Good for her.


Woroud Sawalha - Palistine
800 meter race
In the same 800m race as Attar, Sawalha from Palistine also ran, headscarf and all, and made her country proud.



NAILED IT!
This section is dedicated to the gymnasts who delivered flawless nailed routines; unfortunately, 3 of them were robbed of their deserved medals.

#4 - Samuel Mikulak - Team USA
Men's Apparatus Final - Vault
One large step on his first vault, but the second is beautiful. As you'll see in the clip, he NAILS his landing, kisses the vault....and then still lands in 4th place. Poor guy. :(

Check it out. He's SO happy. Adorable. :D


#3 - Catalina Ponor - Romania
Women's Apparatus Final - Floor
After being pushed out of 3rd place by Team USA's Aly Raisman by a controversial tie-breaker in the Beam Final, Catalina went into this routine, well, angry isn't quite the right word, but if you saw her face...it's like she was MAD at the floor. Whatever it was, she worked it and came down harder on those landings and stuck them better than I've ever seen. Yet, as if the judges wanted to add insult to injury, she received silver..to Aly Raisman. Seriously, if it were me, I'd have been pissed on that podium too.

Click ahead to minutes 11:00-18:00, Aly's followed by Catalina's. You be the judge.


#2 - Viktoria Komova - Russian Federation
Women's All-Around Final - Floor Exercise(in particular)
This sweet young girl was the last one up, as in, the last routine of the evening for the Women's All-Around. All eyes were on her, and having to follow Team USA's Aly Raisman and Gabbie Douglas (among others, and with whom she was battling it out for the gold), I couldn't even imagine the pressure she was under. Nevertheless, she put her game face on and delivered a high-flying, well-stuck, gorgeously amazing and flawless routine. I was beyond impressed. She had given it her very all, and in my opinion, did a much better routine than Gabbie. She and her teammate waited anxiously for the score, and poor Viktoria just collapsed in disappointment and sobs as she fell into silver medal place behind Gabbie. As happy as I was for Team USA, my heart just went out to her; Gabbie may have done a better job overall that day, but Viktoria's floor routine should've scored higher than Gabbie's, earning her first. Sigh...ROBBED.



Click the "watch on Youtube" and then go ahead to 1:37:30. Flawless.


#1 - Epke Zonderland - The Netherlands
Men's Apparatus Final - High Bar
A few other athletes went up and swung around on the bar...and then Zonderland stepped up on the mats and showed them how it's done.
The crowd erupted. Standing ovation. And don't you worry, he wasn't robbed. He snatched up that gold medal like a boss. Incredible. A must watch.

Click the "watch on youtube", and then go ahead to 1:45:00 - 1:48:30. Holy smokes.


At the end of the day though, that Medal Count says it all. Better luck next time, China.



GO TEAM USA!

*Drawings curtesy of my P6/6 students.