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Posts Tagged ‘team usa’

Olympic August: USA’s Gold Stars

Tuesday, August 16th, 2016

August 16, 2016

On Saturday, August 13, the United States became the first nation to win 1,000 gold medals since the modern Summer Olympic Games began in 1896. Hundreds of athletes have contributed to that gold medal count over the years, but during this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attention has focused on three stars of Team USA’s roster of 555 extraordinary athletes. Over the first week and a half of competition, gymnast Simone Biles and swimmers Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky have left the competition largely behind, winning a total of 13 gold medals between them. To this point, the rest of Team USA has 15 golds in Rio.

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles performs the floor exercise during the women's all-around final at the world gymnastics championships in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 29, 2015. Credit: © Kyodo/AP Photo

U.S. gymnast Simone Biles performs the floor exercise during the women’s all-around final at the world gymnastics championships in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 29, 2015. Credit: © Kyodo/AP Photo

Biles, competing in her first Olympics, led her talented teammates to gold in the Women’s team all-around—a tough combined test of the balance beam, floor exercise, uneven bars, and vault. Biles scored highest on the vault with an “Amanar,” a demanding vault consisting of a roundoff onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the vaulting table, 2½ twists in the air, and a blind landing. Team USA’s Aly Raisman—who scored second highest in the vault—also executed a difficult Amanar. Biles scored highest on the balance beam and floor exercise, as well. Together with Team USA’s Madison Kocian (who won the uneven bars) and Laurie Hernandez (who had consistently high scores and dazzled on the beam), the women crushed the competition, winning gold by more than 8 points (teams are often separated by tenths of a point) over silver medal-winning Russia. Simone Biles followed the team performance by dominating the individual all-around competition, winning gold over silver medalist Raisman. Biles went on to take individual gold in both the vault and floor exercise as well.

Michael Phelps of the Unites States competes in the butterfly leg of the Men's 4x100 Medley Relay held at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 9 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. The United States team won the gold medal with a world record time of 3:29:34 Credit: © Cameron Spencer, Getty Images

U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps competes in the butterfly leg of the 4×100-meter medley relay at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Credit: © Cameron Spencer, Getty Images

Michael Phelps, already the greatest swimmer in Olympic history, came out of retirement to compete in his fifth Olympic Games in 2016. Unwilling to loosen his grip on that “greatest” title, he added 5 gold medals to his already massive haul (23 now in his career—the most for any athlete ever). Phelps helped his teammates win gold in the 4×100-meter and 4×200-meter freestyle relays, as well as in the 4×100-meter medley relay. He also took individual gold in the 200-meter medley and the 200-meter butterfly—a grudge match against rival Chad le Clos of South Africa. Le Clos narrowly beat Phelps in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2012 Olympics, and the two had since developed a somewhat contentious rivalry.

U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky competes in the women's 800-meter freestyle race during the 2012 Summer Olympics. Credit: © Jae C. Hong, AP Photo

U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky competes in the women’s 800-meter freestyle race during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England. Credit: © Jae C. Hong, AP Photo

Katie Ledecky, competing in her second Olympics, dominated her opponents in Rio, taking individual gold in the 200-meter, 400-meter, and 800-meter freestyle races. She also earned team gold in the 4×100-meter relay. Ledecky burst onto the international swimming stage at the 2012 games, winning a surprise gold in the 800-meter freestyle at just 15 years of age. Look for Ledecky to add to her medal count at the 2020 games in Tokyo, Japan.

If you’re wondering what national team has the second-most gold medals in Summer Olympic Games history, it’s the Russians. Including games when they competed as part of the Soviet Union, the Russians have won 582 golds (as of today). The next three in order (all with fewer than 300) are Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

Tags: gymnastics, katie ledecky, michael phelps, olympic games, rio de janeiro, simone biles, swimming, team usa
Posted in Current Events, People, Recreation & Sports | Comments Off

Megastar Monday: Team USA

Monday, March 14th, 2016

March 14, 2016

The world’s great mania for soccer—which is called football in most countries—has taken root and thrived in the United States. Professional leagues for both men and women are more popular than ever, and Americans watched in record numbers as the U.S. Men’s National Team battled to a tough knockout round loss to Belgium in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. FIFA is soccer’s world governing body. But it is the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT)—Team USA—which has earned the title megastar.

The United States Women's National Team celebrates with the trophy after they beat Japan 5-2 in the FIFA Women's World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Credit: © AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

The United States Women’s National Team celebrates with the trophy after they beat Japan 5-2 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 5, 2015. Credit: © AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

The USWNT began humbly in 1985, losing badly to more traditional soccer powers from Europe and South America. But U.S. women’s soccer gained momentum in spectacular fashion as the team won the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup held in China in 1991. That first World Cup began humbly, too. In fact, the sport’s governing body refused to call it a World Cup. Few remember that early tournament’s official title: 1st FIFA World Championship for Women’s Football for the M&M’s Cup. That title doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, say, like an M&M.

Women’s soccer gained great popularity following the M&M’s Cup, and the next global tournament, held in Sweden in 1995, was graced with the World Cup title. The USWNT finished third that year, but won the World Cup again in 1999 as the tournament was played on American soil. The USWNT crept into mainstream U.S. sports talk, and soon people began to recognize such stars as Michelle Akers, Brandi Chastain, and Mia Hamm.

The USWNT blossomed in the 2000’s, cultivating such stars as Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Christie Rampone, Megan Rapinoe, Hope Solo, and Abby Wambach. Team USA fell short, however, in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 Women’s World Cups, finishing second or third in all three tournaments. The team returned to greatness in 2015, however, dominating the Women’s World Cup in Canada for their third world championship. That year, U.S. head coach Jill Ellis was named FIFA’s World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football. Lloyd, who famously scored three goals in the World Cup Final, won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award. Two other Team USA players had previously won that award: Hamm (2001 and 2002) and Wambach (2012).

The USWNT has dominated the Olympic Games since women’s soccer became an official sport in 1996. In five Olympics, Team USA has won four gold medals and one silver. With the Summer Olympics just a few months away in Brazil, expect another dazzling medal run for the American megastars.

Other World Book articles

  • Soccer (1998) – A Back in Time article
  • Soccer (1999) – A Back in Time article
  • Soccer (2002) – A Back in Time article
  • Soccer (2004) – A Back in Time article
  • Soccer (2006) – A Back in Time article
  • Soccer (2008) – A Back in Time article
  • Soccer (2012) – A Back in Time article
  • Soccer (2013) – A Back in Time article
  • Soccer (2014) – A Back in Time article

Tags: megastar monday, olympic games, team usa, u.s. women's national team, women's soccer, world cup
Posted in Current Events, Recreation & Sports | Comments Off

Oracle Team USA Takes America’s Cup in Dramatic Comeback

Thursday, September 26th, 2013

September 26, 2013

Oracle Team USA, under the leadership of skipper Jimmy Spithill, captured the America’s Cup yesterday in what is described as one of the most dramatic comebacks in yachting and sports history. Trailing by 8-1 to challenger Emirates Team New Zealand, Oracle turned itself around on September 14 to win the first of seven consecutive races, tying the score 8-8. The tie set up the first winner-take-all America’s Cup race since 1983. Flying across San Francisco Bay, the 72-foot (21.9-meter) Oracle catamaran zigzagged toward the Golden Gate Bridge at more than 30 knots (35 miles per hour) to beat New Zealand by 44 seconds. “These are the fastest boats ever built,” San Francisco sailor Kimball Livingston told CBS News. “We’ve never seen anything like this in any kind of sailing boat, much less the America’s Cup.”

The 2013 America's Cup regatta took place in San Francisco Bay, between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island (below). (c) Uniphoto).

(© Alamy)

The owner of Oracle Team USA is the American software billionaire Larry Ellison. In the 1970′s, Ellison built his Oracle Corporation around the then-revolutionary concept of relational databases. Forbes magazine recently estimated that Ellison is worth $41 billion. He spent some $300 million on this year’s America’s Cup regatta. The $300 million paid for the construction of two 72-foot catamarans, one of which capsized and was badly damaged during training. Ellison’s Oracle Team also won the America’s Cup in 2010.

Additional World Book articles:

  • Boating
  • Boating 2010 (a Back in Time article)

Tags: america's cup, jimmy spithill, larry ellison, new zealand, oracle corp, team usa
Posted in Business & Industry, Current Events, People, Recreation & Sports | Comments Off

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