TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Romanian Grabs Gold Away From Johnson

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: August 18, 2008

BEIJING - Once more, the gold medal was within Shawn Johnson's reach. Again, it was snatched away.

Two days after Nastia Liukin edged Johnson for the all-around title, Romania's Sandra Izbasa - the very last competitor - grabbed the floor-exercise gold that was almost in the American's hands.

After Johnson went in the unenviable first spot Sunday night and saw her 15.50 stand up through six other finalists, including Liukin, only Izbasa remained. But the Romanian wowed the judges with her soaring somersaults and solid landings, earning a 15.65.

That left Johnson, the 2007 world champion, with three silver medals in Beijing, and gave Liukin, who took bronze, one of each. Not a bad haul, with more event finals to come.

Johnson, gracious as always, wore a bright smile all night, and gave several competitors big hugs when they finished their routines. She barely flinched when Izbasa's mark came up, and the 16-year-old American also had a hug for the winner.

"I had a little bit of hope inside of me," Johnson said, "but seeing how beautifully she executed her routine, I knew."

The biggest upset of the night came in women's vault, with China's Cheng Fei losing for the first time in three years. The gold medalist at the last three world championships landed on her knees on her second attempt, leaving the competition wide open. North Korea's Hong Un Jong stepped in with two solid vaults and clean landings to win the title - the first gymnastics medal for her nation.

BASKETBALL: Tina Thompson scored 10 of her 15 points during a 21-0 run in the second quarter and the U.S. women's team beat New Zealand 96-60. The U.S. closed out pool play in the same fashion as all its other games in the Olympics - with a blowout. The Americans won the five games by an average of 43 points. With the exception of a rough first half against Spain and the first 3 minutes against the Czech Republic, the U.S. looked unbeatable.

The U.S. will play South Korea in the quarterfinals Tuesday night.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: There won't be an all-American women's final. Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh were ousted with a loss to a Chinese team. Earlier Sunday, Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor advanced to the final four with a straight-sets victory against a Brazilian squad.

BOXING: The Americans won't be going home empty-handed, thanks to heavyweight Deontay Wilder getting to the semifinals, assuring him of at least bronze. The only other U.S. boxer left, Demetrius Andrade, was ousted by South Korea's Kim Jung-joo, a bronze medalist in Athens.

FENCING: After missing out on a medal four years ago because of consecutive 45-44 losses, Keeth Smart and the U.S. men's saber team got the silver. France won the gold.

ROWING: The U.S. won the bronze medal in men's eight rowing as Beau Hoopman, Matt Schnobrich, Micah Boyd, Wyatt Allen, Daniel Walsh, Steven Coppola, Josh Inman, Bryan Volpenhein and coxswain Marcus McElhenney finished in 5:25.34.

Canada won the gold in 5:23.89. The British crew took the silver medal in 5:25.11.

SOFTBALL: Monica Abbott pitched five perfect innings, Crystl Bustos, Jessica Mendoza and Tairia Flowers homered and the U.S. softball team extended its winning streak to 20 with an 8-0 win against the Netherlands.

The U.S. (6-0) needed just 70 minutes to finish off the Dutch (0-6), first-time Olympians who couldn't handle Abbott's fastball and were saved from an uglier drubbing by the international run-rule. The left-hander retired all 15 batters, striking out eight.

VOLLEYBALL: Logan Tom had 25 points as the U.S. women's team defeated Poland in five sets, the final day of preliminary pool play.

The United States already had clinched a spot in the quarterfinals before the 18-25, 25-21 19-25, 25-19, 15-13 victory. The women finished 4-1 in their pool, with the lone loss coming to undefeated Cuba.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT