Looks like London Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte has something to “jeah!” about. Lochte along with other Olympians are being celebrated at the ALMA awards, a ceremony that honors entertainers and important figures in the Latino community. Usually the achievements are in music, television, and film but this year the ALMA’s have made room for Lochte, whose mother is Cuban-born.

Ryan isn’t the only Olympian to make the cut at the ceremony, he will be honored along with water polo champs Brenda Villa and Jessica Steffens, gymnast, Danell Leyva, boxer Marlen Esparza and runner Leonel Manzano.

Every year the ALMA’s give out a special achievement award, and although Lochte is not receiving it this year, it was announced that singer and “The Voice” judge Christina Aguilera will be picking up the achievement for her career in philanthropy. In addition the life and late actress Lupe Ontiveros will be remembered during the awards ceremony.

In addition to the honorees, the presenters were also announced on Tuesday, and those are Latin’s finest Rosario Dawson, Zoe Saldana, and Natalie Morales. Other presenters are “Ugly Betty’s” America Ferrara, Crash’s Michael Pena, Nicole Richie, and “That 70′s Show’s” Wilmer Valderrama. As for performances Flo Rida is said to take center stage with Roselyn Sanchez and rapper Pitbull.

In a statement released to the Associated Press, Eva Longoria said about the ceremony, “ The awards allow us to redefine to the rest of the world who we are and to showcase our contributions.”

The ceremony is said to be taped on September 16 and will air on September 21 on NBC.

Ryan Lochte And Other Olympians To Be Honored At ALMA Awards is a post from: The Inquisitr

Newsflash: Do not ask Serena Williams about the “Crip Walk.” During an interview before the start of the US Open tennis tournament, someone thought it would be a good idea to ask Serena about her infamous Olympic dance. Of course, Williams is a little tired of discussing such matters at this point, and wasn’t afraid to let her irritation show when she addressed the inquiry. According to Yard Barker, things quickly got awkward.

“First of all, it was just a dance,” she explained. “I didn’t know that’s what it was called. Second, why are you asking me that? Like that’s so … I mean, if anything you should be trying to ask me questions to lift me up, not bring up such things. I’m done with that question.”

Regarding the controversy which instantly took shape following her celebratory routine, Serena seems to be oblivious to what people think.

“I read zero press,” Williams said. “That has been my policy since I was 17. I don’t know what was made too much of or whether it was too little. I think winning the Olympics was awesome for me and for the USA.”

WTHITV 10 reports that, when asked if she would dance at the US Open, Serena seemed to relax a bit. “I have to win seven matches, so we’ll see.”

If you didn’t follow any media coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, then you probably missed Serena Williams’ now-infamous “Crip Walk” dance. After beating Maria Sharapova, the tennis star decided to celebrate with a quick impromptu dance, one that was reportedly made famous by the Crips during the 70s. Some people had a problem with the display, and, before long, the controversy seemed to overshadow her Olympic victory.

Not surprisingly, Serena Williams isn’t interested in discussing the “Crip Walk” dance anymore. The interview has been embedded below.

Do you think that Serena’s dance was blown out of proportion?

Serena Williams Irritated By ‘Crip Walk’ Question is a post from: The Inquisitr

Olympic competitor Jeff Demps, a silver medalist in the 400-meter men’s relay event at the 2012 London Olympics, is preparing to sign a contract with the New England Patriots.

According to ESPN, the Olympian is flying to Orlando, Florida where he will meet with Patriots representatives to iron out the details of his agreement. Demps is expected to make an official announcement at 5 pm EST, and, according to sources close to the deal, the Patriots were the only team he was willing to play for.

When asked about the agreement, agent Daniel Rose said any announcements about his players future would be given at 5 pm.

As a running back at Florida State, the 5-foot-7, 191-pound player racked up 569 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games last season. Over his entire college football career, Demps rushed for 2,470 yards and 23 touchdowns

Demps went undrafted in April as he prepared to compete in the 2012 London Games, but he had received interest from several teams including the New York Jets.

The Patriots will likely utilize Jeff Demps as part of their return game. Coach Bill Belichick said this week that the team needs to get better production out of their special teams and a speedy returner could be what the team has been looking for.

Speaking of his silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, Demps told USA Track and Field:

“I just wanted to come out and have fun and enjoy the moment. There was no pressure. I was just excited.”

Details regarding Demps contract have not yet been revealed.

Olympic Silver Medalist Jeff Demps To Join New England Patriots is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ryan Lochte, fresh from his performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics, is taking his talents into another arena: television. Lochte has landed a gig on the CW’s teen-oriented drama 90210, according to the folks at The Hollywood Reporter. Not surprisingly, Lochte is rumored to play himself in the upcoming episode, which is currently slated to air on October 29.

“When we found out Ryan Lochte was going to be in town and might appear on 90210, we felt like we’d won a gold medal! Team USA are all-stars in our book, and we’re so excited he’s making an appearance on the show. We only wish the episode was a surf event so we could have gotten him in the water, but he deserves a little rest on dry land,” executive producers Patti Carr and Lara Olsen explained in a joint statement. Honestly, I’m a little surprised execs didn’t tailor the episode around the swimmer’s strengths.

THR states that Lochte will show up during an episode which finds Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) and Max (Josh Zuckerman) staying at a resort to improve their relationship. Given Lochte’s reputation with the ladies, I’m assuming he’s not there to strength the young couple’s bond.

The rest of 2012 seems to be shaping up just fine for Lochte, who scored five medals during his time in London. In addition to appearing on the CW’s 90210, the Olympic swimmer is also hoping to particpate in both The Bachelor and Dancing with the Stars. Ryan, apparently, fully understands that one must always strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.

“I’m definitely looking towards Dancing With the Stars and The Bachelor, so we’ll see what happens,” he reportedly told E! Online. His agent is already fielding a number of offers, so it will be interesting to see what else Lochte manages to book between now and the end of the year.

Ryan Lochte Lands Gig on ’90210′ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gabby Douglas is fresh off a blistering performance at the 2012 London Olympics, but that doesn’t put the 16-year-old superstar above some friendly nutrition advice from an expert on the subject.

During an appearance on NBC’s Tonight Show, Douglas admitted that she indulged in some McDonald’s food after the Olympics, the Associated Press reported. Unfortunately for Douglas, one of the nation’s most vocal advocates of a healthy diet and lifestyle was within earshot. First lady Michelle Obama, also appearing on the show, teased Gabby Douglas about the food choice.

“You’re setting me back, Gabby,” Obama told Douglas during a taping Monday for the Tonight Show, according to a network transcript.

Douglas, who confessed to eating a McDonalds’ breakfast sandwich after winning two gold medals, was apologetic in her response.

“Sorry!” Douglas told the first lady.

Gabby Douglas left the 2012 London Olympics as one of the games’  breakout stars. With her near-constant grin, the bubbly teenager won over television audiences as her performances in the gym helped America to gold. Aside from leading the team to the title, Douglas became the third straight American athlete and first ever African-American to win the all-around title.

Tonight Show host Jay Leno took the opportunity to ask if the Olympics’ experience matched Douglas’ expectations.

“I think it’s very different, and when I mean `different’ it’s in a better way,” Douglas replied. “I mean, I never thought I would be doing the show with the first lady, or even you, Jay.”

Michelle Obama took note of Douglas’ wording, teasing the Tonight Show host.

“Even you too, Jay!” she replied before Leno could answer.

Gabby Douglas wasn’t the only one put in the hot seat during the appearance. Leno took the opportunity to ask Michelle Obama why it appeared she snubbed her husband in July when the couple was featured on a “kiss cam” at a basketball game.

Obama replied that she didn’t realize it was a kiss cam, thinking only that she was being featured on the Jumbotron. After the couple was booed for not kissing, Michelle and Barack Obama’s daughter Malia clued them in.

“She was just disgusted with us,” Obama recounted. “She said, `Why didn’t you kiss?’”

Gabby Douglas, who the Huffington Post noted will be featured in a mural in her hometown, took the Tonight Show appearance as a chance to announce her future plans. When asked by Leno if she planned on competing in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Douglas answered: “Oh, definitely.”

Gabby Douglas Gets Nutrition Advice From Michelle Obama On ‘Tonight Show’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

The BBC entertained a massive audience of 51.9 million TV viewers during the 2012 London Olympics but what might be more impressive is the 12.5 million smartphone and tablet users who used the networks mobile apps to stay connected to the summer games.

The large number of mobile users were announced on the BBC’s blog in which the company’s head of Sports product Cait O’Riordan called London 2012 “the multi-platform Games” and the “first truly digital Olympics.”

The BBC welcomed 9.2 million browser visits from mobile devices while adding 2.3 million browser views from tablet based devices.

The network found that of the 12.5 million video requests it received mobile content was accessed at all hours of the day with peak data being consumed at 9 p.m. The company also announced that those 12.5 million users accounted for more than 106 million content requests across all platforms.

The BBC covered all 26 sporting events at the 2012 London Olympics and the network received praise for its well throughout commentary and excellent coverage. Many critics lauded the network as the “top of class” when it came to coverage versus other networks around the world such as NBC which time-delayed its Olympic coverage to place top events directly in primetime.

Among the BBC’s crowning achievements during the London games were Interactive schedules, detailed athlete bios, real-time updates and live video feeds which all combined in a seamless interactive platform that provided all of the events most valuable and entertaining information.

Do you think the BBC’s coverage of the 2012 games was top-notch for mobile users?

12.5 Million BBC Viewers Accessed London Olympics Data On Mobile Devices is a post from: The Inquisitr

Last week, Nadzeya Ostapchuk was the pride of Belarus when she claimed a gold medal in the shot put event. On Monday morning, however, her Olympic glory disappeared as she became the first athlete from the 2012 London Olympics to be stripped of a gold medal for doping.

The Huffington Post reports that Valerie Adams of New Zealand will now be credited with the gold medal. Evgeniia Kolodko of Russia will take silver and Gong Lijiao of China will take Bronze.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in a statement:

“The (Olympic committee) of Belarus is ordered to return to the IOC, as soon as possible, the medal, diploma and medallist pin awarded to the athlete in relation to the above-noted event.”

The IOC said that Ostapchuk was tested the before the competition and the day after. Both drug tests turned up positive for the steroid mentenolone.

Ostapchuck was the second athlete to test positive for drugs during the 2012 London Olympics but the first to lose a medal. US Judo fighter Nick Delpopolo was disqualified after his 7th place finish after he tested positive for marijuana.

But Ostapchuck and Delpopolo aren’t the only two athletes to end their Olympic journey on a bad note. A Swiss soccer player and a Greek triple-jumper were sent home for making racist remarks, an Australian rower was sent home after a drunken rampage through Olympic Village, 8 badminton players were expelled from the games for purposely losing matches, and a German rower was expelled for having ties to a Neo-Nazi group.

Nadzeya Ostapchuk Stripped Of Gold Medal For Doping is a post from: The Inquisitr

London, England – The 2012 London Olympics were a smash hit for social network Twitter. According to a recent report, the games generated thousands of tweets per minute for a total of more than 150 million postings.

The games, which lasted 16 days, saw the most Twitter activity when Usain Bolt was competing. The world’s fastest man competed in the 200m and 100m races, and, during the former, Twitter experienced 80,000 tweets per minutes, while the 200m race was still impressive at 74,000 tweets per minute.

Usain Bolt wasn’t the only athlete to bring in big tweet numbers. Men’s gold medal tennis champ Andy Murray pushed the network to 57,000+ TPM while the Jamaican 4×100 relay team hit 52,000 tweets per minute on the heels of their world record setting race.

As expected, basketball played well in the United States with 41,000+ TPM sent after Team USA defeated Spain for a gold medal win in men’s basketball.

Unfortunately for athletes, they were overshadowed by the Spice Girls performance during closing ceremonies, a performance that netted them 116,000 tweets per minute. Apparently when it comes to being the fastest trending party on Twitter, the Spice Girls outrun Usain Bolt.

When all was said and done 10 athletes each generated 1+ million tweets each:

1. Usain Bolt
2. Michael Phelps
3. Tom Daley
4. Ryan Lochte
5. Gabby Douglas
6. Andy Murray
7. Kobe Bryant
8. Yohan Blake
9. Lee Chong Wei
10. LeBron James

When it came to dominating the field, however, it was soccer with its 5+ million tweets that showed the world why it’s the most popular sport.

Are you surprised by Twitter’s massive Olympics reach?

2012 London Olympics Generated 150 Million Tweets is a post from: The Inquisitr

In director David Fincher’s award-winning 2010 movie The Social Network, Zombieland co-star Jesse Eisenberg famously portrayed Facebook founder Mark Zuckberg. Although the two men do share a few physical similarities, telling them apart isn’t really all that difficult. However, during the Olympic basketball game between the United States and Spain, one announcer had a tough time telling one from the other.

So, if you thought Facebook CEO Mark Zuckberg had taken some time out of his busy scheduled to enjoy an Olympic event, I’m sorry to report that you, too, are mistaken. According to Yahoo! Sports, Bob Fitzgerald was giving the play-by-play when the camera happened upon Jesse Eisenberg sitting in the stands.

“I know I’m gonna put that picture on Facebook. We’ve got every executive of note worldwide, it seems, attending these games,” Fitzgerald said. Whoops. Apparently the announcer doesn’t watch a lot of movies.

According to Business Insider, this Eisenberg/Zuckerberg debacle was one of many issues viewers had with NBC’s handling of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. In addition to complaining about Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira’s running commentary during the opening ceremony, audiences were also annoyed by the network’s use of tape delays, the commentators seemingly obsessive focus on American athletes, and some technical problems with the official NBC Olympics website.

NBC also ran into trouble when they ruined the outcome of Missy Franklin’s 100-meter backstroke victory by airing a promotional spot for the TODAY Show which featured the swimmer holding a gold medal. After angry viewers complained about the unintentional spoiler, NBC quickly addressed the mistake.

“Clearly that promo should not have aired at that time,” NBC Sports explained in a statement. “We have a process in place and this will not happen again. We apologize to viewers who were watching and didn’t know the result of the race.”

What do you think? Is it easy to mistake Jesse Eisenberg for Mark Zuckerberg?

NBC Announcer Mistakes Jesse Eisenberg For Mark Zuckerberg is a post from: The Inquisitr

Heathrow Airport is London, England’s largest airport. Despite all of the traffic they experience on a daily basis, employees are bracing themselves for the thousands of athletes who will be heading for home following the closing of the Olympic Games. According to Bloomberg, the airport has opened a special terminal for the estimated 8,000 participants who are expected to catch flights on Monday.

On average, Heathrow handles around 95,000 people per day. However, as athletes, trainers, and tourists begin their exodus from London, the airport is anticipating nearly 116,000 individuals to walk through their doors. The influx of travelers will cause a 22 percent increase in the amount of traffic they contend with on a regular basis.

The Independent reports that Colin Matthews, chief executive officer of BAA, claims Heathrow spent $31 million over seven years to prepare for this Olympic-sized increase in business.

“Olympic departures present a fresh challenge with new facilities like the Games Terminal being used for the first time,” he said. “We have been preparing for seven years to deliver a farewell of which the whole country can be proud.”

In order to make the athletes feel comforted during their departure, airport officials spared no expense in dressing up the terminal for the Olympians. The building was lined with plants, benches, and a mock double-decker bus. Included in the design was a special tree for participants in the summer games to leave a message about their fondest memories.

“We wanted to give the athletes a great farewell,” Matthews said. “The enthusiasm of our staff and our volunteers has been infectious. We want to build on that.”

Although Heathrow will consume the majority of these flights, other airports are expected to see a bump in business as well. Sarah Baranowski, a spokesperson for Gatwick airport, explained they were expecting nearly 70,000 departures following the closing of the Olympic games.

Heathrow Airport Prepares For A Plethora Of Departing Olympic Athletes is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fatboy Slim took center stage to the Closing Ceremonies to the 2012 London Olympics, rocking the crowd as he performed atop a giant glowing octopus. Playing before millions of viewers worldwide was a high point for the British DJ, but the moment was made even sweeter by the demons that Fatboy Slim put behind him in the last three years.

Just before the Closing Ceremonies, Fatboy Slim spoke about beating alcoholism and his experience checking into rehab in 2009, NZCity.com reported.

“I gave up drinking three years and I’ve run Brighton Marathon,” said Fatboy Slim, whose real name is Norman Cook. “Everything you do is a lot easier to deal with when you go to bed after a show rather than party for two days.”

For his Closing Ceremony performance, Fatboy Slim came out following comedian Russell Brand’s entrance on a psychedelic tour bus. The bus transformed into an octopus, with Fatboy Slim rising from it to perform hits “Right Here, Right Now” and “The Rockafeller Skank.”

Fatboy Slim had to keep the performance a secret for eight months, The Argus reported.

“It was an honour to represent my country, it was a fantastic atmosphere in the stadium and backstage and I thought the show went really well,” he told The Argus.

Fatboy Slim said that, despite his desire to keep making music, he doesn’t have any plans to make a return as a recording artist.

“I listen to current dance music and I think, do I even fit in here?” Fatboy Slim said. “I really don’t feel drawn to the studio. I much prefer to focus on DJing. Skrillex told me he gave up playing in bands and took up DJing because of me.”

He added that he enjoys not being beholden to a recording label but instead controlling his own creative direction.

“As you get older you realize you don’t have to do any of that stuff.” Fatboy Slim said. “My career now is buoyant, but manageable. Basically, I do what I want.”

Fatboy Slim: Fresh Off Beating Alcoholism, British DJ Wows Olympics Closing Ceremonies is a post from: The Inquisitr

McKayla Maroney is not impressed with the Curiosity Rover landing on Mars, the double rainbow, or her silver medal. And she’s definitely not impressed with her new internet meme.

The multi-medal winning Olympian, who recently taught Jenna Bush how to do the Dougie, became an internet sensation after winning silver in the women’s vault.

Maroney said:

“It’s more of shock … I’m not disappointed about the silver. I’m disappointed about my performance.”

After a visibly disappointed Maroney was spotted looking at her silver medal with disgust an internet meme was born. The Tumblr page, McKayla Is Not Impressed, has created several photos of the Olympic gymnast giving her disappointing glare at several impressive events throughout history.

The meme spread like wildfire and was eventually spotted by Maroney and her fierce five teammates. And, well, they weren’t impressed.

Maroney and her teammates got in on the fun and posted a new photo to Instagram. This time, however, Maroney wasn’t the only athlete to scowl at the camera.

Kyla Ross and Aly Raisman are also not impressed.

McKayla Maroney Is Not Impressed With Her Not Impressed Meme is a post from: The Inquisitr

Team USA edged out Spain with a final score of 107-100 to claim yet another gold medal in men’s basketball. Team USA was pushed along by the superior play of Kevin Durant who laid down 30 points. The final was a rematch of the 2008 Olympic games final in Beijing.

Backing up Durant was LeBron James who dropped 19 points while Lakers star Kobe Bryant added 17 points for the US.

Team USA led by just one point through three quarters and led 97-91 after LeBron James drove the lane for a dunk and Spain missed on a 3-point attempt.

During the final minute of the game U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski pulled his star players from the court and as the game ended the NBA stars, typically adamant competitors embraced as “Born In The USA” blared throughout the arena.

The gold medal was especially meaningful for head coach Mike Kryzynewski who turned around the men’s Olympic team and then announced this year his plans to retire from coaching the national team program.

Spain was lifted by Pau Gasol who landed 24 points while Juan-Carlos Navarro hit 21 points for Spain.

Pau Gasol scored 24 and Juan-Carlos Navarro had 21 for Spain, which had to settle for silver in the second straight Olympics.

LeBron James now joins Michael Jordan as the only players to win the NBA title, regular-season MVP, NBA Finals MVP and Olympic gold.

Before the 2012 London Olympics Kobe Bryant said this years team could defeat the original Dream Team which included the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley and Larry Bird. The original Dream Team in the meantime were far more dominate in their victories.

Team USA Wins Gold As Kevin Durant Scores 30 Points is a post from: The Inquisitr

It wasn’t easy, but the Men’s USA Basketball Team beat Spain today to claim gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

The Americans were the favorites heading into the Gold Medal Game but Pau Gasol and the Spanish Team made Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul fight for their 107-100 victory.

The Americans led by just one at the end of the first half and they couldn’t build their lead at all during the third quarter. The Americans found their stride in the fourth however and were able to build a small lead thanks to the 3-point shooting of Durant, Paul, and James.

Durant added 30, James scored 19, and Bryant added 17 for the Americans. Pau Gasol kept the Spanish team in the game with 24 points. Juan Carlos Navarro added another 21.

It is the second straight Gold medal for the American team and for Lebron James, it caps one of the greatest individual years in basketball history. USA Today reports that James became just the second person to win an NBA Championship, a regular season MVP award, a finals MVP award, and a Gold Medal in the same year. (Michael Jordan is the only other player to accomplish the same feat.)

But the individual accomplishments were lost, at least for the moment, on James.

The reigning MVP said: “It’s all about the three letters on the front.”

Men’s Olympic Basketball: USA Beats Spain, Claims Gold Medal is a post from: The Inquisitr

There are two rules every athlete at the 2012 London Olympics had to follow — don’t do drugs — don’t be late for your start time. Apparently two wrestlers from Egypt did not get the memo about that second rule. The two men showed up late for their matches on Sunday afternoon, forcing an automatic disqualification.

Abdou Omar Abdou Ahmed missed his start time in the 66kg first-round match and Saleh Emera missed the start time for his 96kg match. The men were unaware that the Sunday matches started at 8:30am instead of the 1PM start times they dealt with all week long during previous wrestling matches.

The early morning time was chosen to correspond with the Olympics’ closing ceremony which pushed afternoon events into the early morning hours.

One of the Egyptian wrestlers dropped to his knees and cried as he learned about the disqualification, proclaiming after his mistakes “every day one-o’clock.”

Neither one of the men were expected to medal but the shock of the forfeiture still left them with questions and heartbreak.

While competitors should be well aware of their event starting times those schedules are usually monitored by coaching staff, the respective Olympic committees for each event and other members of the Olympic team. It is unclear at this time where the confusion over the day’s start times originated.

The Egyptian men were the only members of the wrestling community to show up late to the Sunday morning matches. Other early arrivals included coaches, media members, volunteers and Wrestling fans.

Olympic Error: Egyptian Wrestlers Disqualified For Accidentally Missing Start Times is a post from: The Inquisitr

NBC has received a lot of criticism over the last few weeks for how they’ve handled the 2012 London Olympics. The network did not stream the opening ceremony live but announced this morning that they would be streaming the closing ceremony live online.

According to the Washington Post, NBC has streamed several sporting events live online but decided to use tape delays during it’s prime time broadcast. The network was surprised to see that livestreaming did not take away from its prime time audience, which according to NBC Sports Chairman Mark Lazarus, influenced the network’s decision to put the closing ceremony online.

Lazarus said:

“Going into the opening ceremony, we didn’t have a sense for what our ratings would be and what streaming would or wouldn’t do to our broadcasts… But we think we’ve learned enough and have promised to innovate and continually evolve our broadcast coverage.”

According to the LA Times, NBC’s primetime audience was bigger this year during the 2012 London Olympics than it was during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The closing ceremony, which will include a Spice Girls reunion, are scheduled to start at 1 p.m. PDT.

NBC To Stream Closing Ceremony Live is a post from: The Inquisitr

For the first few days of the boxing tournament at the 2012 London Olympics, NBC reporters Bob Papa and Teddy Atlas have been sitting ringside. But boxing officials complained that the two commentators were distracting and asked them to leave their seats for the remainder of the Olympics.

Yahoo reports that the International Boxing Association asked Papa and Atlas to leave their seats because they were “very disturbing” during bouts.

An AIBA spokesman told Reuters:

“NBC commentators were offered a booth in the media tribune like other broadcasters because they were very disturbing for AIBA officials – even during bouts they were not broadcasting – being located at the edge of the Field of Play… They claimed that since no boxers from the USA were still in the running, they didn’t want to stay anyway.”

NBC spokesman Greg Hughes said that it was true that Atlas and Papa were asked to leave but said that both commentators were eager to watch and report on the remaining matches despite the absence of the US Team.

Hughes said:

“That is inaccurate and we will be calling the remaining bouts for the U.S. television audience, as planned… There are two sides to every story. We’ll address the matter with the IOC after the Games conclude.”

Papa and Atlas, who have been critical of the international boxing rules during the 2012 London Olympics, will continue their coverage from New York.

NBC Boxing Announcers Told To Leave Ringside Seats is a post from: The Inquisitr

Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice is the victim of yet another scandal as she attempted to quell the Olympic-sized rumors that she and Kobe Bryant of the USA Men’s Basketball team are having an affair.

The New York Daily News reports that the Australian swimmer that took to Twitter earlier this summer to show off her body in a sexy swimsuit, took to the same microblogging site to write:

“FYI yes Kobe and I are friends, but no we are not together and never have been. Can’t guys and girls be just friends..? He’s an amazing athlete and I’ve enjoyed getting to know him and many other great athletes in my Olympic journey.”

The gold medalist’s announcement came after rumors from Rice’s fellow countrymen began circulating that she and the NBA star may have a romantic relationship. Former Olympian Craig Stevens was one who believed the rumors after the two were spotted watching cycling at the velodrome. Stevens stated:

“I think there’s definitely something going on. I remember her telling a story how he kind of put it to her. He had the family coming in the next day but he had that night free.”

While Stevens has apologized for his comments since then, his apology has done nothing to stop the firestorm of rumors surrounding Stephanie Rice and Kobe Bryant. The Daily Mail notes that Rice, whose former jobs included being an avid pole dancer, has already flaunted her relationship with Bryant when she posted pictures with her arm around the NBA star, writing, “First piccy with a “star” going to be hard to beat… Kobe.”

Despite allegations from his wife that he has cheated on her no less than 105 times during their 10 year marriage, Vanessa and Kobe Bryant seem to have patched their relationship up, despite being on the verge of divorce just two months ago. Last week the pair appeared to be enjoying themselves as they watched the final Olympic swimming match with their daughter, six-year-old Gianna Maria-Onore.

What do you think of the rumors that Kobe Bryant is having an affair with Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice?

Stephanie Rice Speaks Out About Kobe Bryant Affair Rumors is a post from: The Inquisitr

The U.S. Women’s Relay Team of Allyson Felix, Camelita Jeter, Tianna Madison, and Bianca Knight shattered the world record for the 4X100 meter sprint today to take Gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

Knight, Jeter, Madison, and  Felix, completed the 4X100 relay in just 40.82 seconds. The women’s relay team beat the previous record, set by East Germany in 1985, by more than a half second.

Felix, who also took gold in the 200 meter race, said:

“Who would have thought that we would have had a world record tonight?… It’s amazing. Our names are going down in history.”

Jeter added:

“I was already pointing at the clock, saying ‘there it is!’ There was a cloud hanging over us with people saying ‘they cannot do this, they are going to drop the stick,’ but we did it.”

The Associated Press reports that the world record finish at the 2012 London Olympics was quite a step up from the 2008 games. The 2008 relay team failed to make the final when a baton pass was botched during the semi-final round.

There were no errors this time around, however, as the women’s relay team took home Gold.

Felix said:

“We knew we could do it… I was thinking Olympic record and when I saw the time, I said, ‘Oh my gosh, world record.’”

The Men’s relay team didn’t fare as well at London today. The U.S. Men’s Relay Team has won the 4X100 at every Olympics since the Moscow Games in 1980. This year, however, they finished off the podium.

U.S. Women’s Relay Smashes World Record is a post from: The Inquisitr

NBC Sports is taking “some heat” for its “Bodies in Motion” video of female Olympic team members competing in various events at the 2012 London Olympics — a montage that has raised allegations of sexism.

According to the New York Daily News…

American female athletes have won the majority of U.S. medals during the London Olympic Games, but NBC is apparently most impressed with their bodies – especially when scantily clad…

All the athletes in the video compete in sports that require little clothing, and the camera angles chosen for the video seem especially fond of the ladies’ midriffs, décolletage and, of course, posteriors.

Along these same lines, the Jezebel website really, really takes a dim view of the montage set to “soft porn music” especially since in the all-important international competition in London itself, US  female Olympians have so far won 23 of the America’s 33 gold medals:  “NBC is too busy focusing on jiggling ladies’ asses to notice ladies kicking ass.”

Given the success of America’s female athletes, the website also notes that “NBC’s quest to win the gold medal in the sexist pig decathlon is especially disappointing when you consider the dozens of more worthwhile stories they could be showcasing with video. ”

Do you think that the criticism of the Bodies in Motion video is justified? Do you think it “reveals” NBC’s true sexist agenda?

This particular video seems to have been removed from the NBC Olympics website, but check it out here and decide for yourself if it’s too over the top.

Video: Is Olympic “Bodies In Motion” Montage Sexist? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Seven missing Olympic athletes have, as we reported earlier this week, created a bit of mystery in Olympic Village, as many wonder why the Cameroon sport stars have taken off and when or if they plan to return.

The missing Olympic athletes were confirmed to be MIA on Monday by the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, and the seven include five boxers, one swimmer, and a backup goalie for the Cameroon soccer team. Five days ago, David Ojong confirmed that the missing Olympic athletes had disappeared, saying:

“What began as rumor has finally turned out to be true. Seven Cameroonian athletes who participated at the 2012 London Olympic Games have disappeared from the Olympic Village.”

The seven missing Olympic athletes are identified as Drusille Ngako, Paul Ekane Edingue, Thomas Essomba, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, Abdon Mewoli, Blaise Yepmou Mendouo, and Serge Ambomo. And while their reasons for ostensibly absconding from Olympic Village — some having taken all personal belongings along with them — are not explicitly known, it is theorized that economic conditions in Cameroon have inspired the missing Olympic athletes to seek greener pastures elsewhere in Europe before they would be expected to return to their home country.

Aka Amuam Joseph of the Cameroon Olympic delegation says he believes the seven missing Olympic athletes became disillusioned with the limited opportunities for people of their caliber of talent back in their country of origin, inspiring them to take off:

“Back home, they aren’t giving the proper training. They know if they are well trained, they could beat the person from another country… It pains them to be here and see people beat them, who they can beat if they are well taken care of.”

As of now, the whereabouts of the missing Olympic athletes are not known.

Missing Olympic Athletes Still MIA: 7 Cameroon Olympians Still At Large is a post from: The Inquisitr

Belgian cyclist Gijs van Hoecke became an international Olympic sensation for all the wrong reasons this week when drunken pictures of the athlete showed up on various Belgian newspapers and eventually landed on a celebrity and tabloid newspaper.

In the photos, Hoecke is obliterated and being carried out of a club by two of his teammates. Eyes barely open and covered in a yet to be revealed substance, the Olympian was helped along as he struggled to keep his balance behind closed eyes.

The 20-year-old athlete had just competed and finished 15th in the omnium competition, and he also rode in Belgium’s ninth-place team finish.

Following the incident, Gijs van Goecke said he was just “letting off some steam.”

Speaking to a newspaper in his home country, Gijs said he was just happy his home life wasn’t made miserable by his decision.

“I made a big mistake,” he told a Belgian newspaper. “I’m happy my parents didn’t tell me off. They understand that I needed this.”

In the meantime, Gijs was sent home after the Belgian Olympic Committee examined the photograph and determined that Hoecke was not properly representing the country on the international stage. According to the agency:

‘The Belgian Olympic Committee and the Royal Cycling Federation deplore this incident, which fortunately did not affect life in the Olympic Village and athletes trying to rest ahead of their competition.”

The key words there should have been “did not affect life in the Olympic Village,” after all, he’s a 20-year-old kid who just competed on the world stage.

Olympic Cyclist Gets Drunk, Sent Home To Belgium is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kerri Walsh Jennings is the most decorated beach volleyball player in Olympic history, and, with her gold medal run in the 2012 London Olympics, she solidified her place among the greatest volleyball athletes the game has ever seen. And she’s not done yet.

The day after winning gold, Kerri Walsh Jennings said she plans to return for another Olympics, though it appears she’ll have to do so without her longtime partner, the Associated Press reported.

Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor took home the gold medal by beating fellow Americans April Ross and Jennifer Kessy Wednesday night. The win ran their Olympic winning streak to 21 games, and the duo finished their career together having never lost a match and only dropping one set.

Before their run no team — men’s or women’s — had ever won so much as two medals. Now that she has three, Kerri Walsh Jennings is looking for more.

She said she plans to return for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.

Her quest for a fourth gold medal will have to take place without the 35-year-old May-Treanor, who said she plans to retire. May-Treanor said her body is ready for retirement and that she plans on having more children. Kerri Walsh Jennings agreed that her partner has earned the right to retire.

“I think she’s done. She deserves to be done,” Kerri told Access Hollywood.

Walsh should have plenty of players to choose from. She is teaming up with Nicole Branagh next week for an event in Poland and could also partner with Ross, the Associated Press noted.

Kerri Walsh Jennings has some other pressing matters before she can head to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She wants to have another child, which appears to be a post-Olympic tradition. After the 2008 games in Beijing she gave birth to two boys within a year, the first being conceived while she was still at the Olympics.

Kerri Walsh Jennings Has Plans For 2016 Olympics, More Children In Her Future is a post from: The Inquisitr

Claressa Shields is the only US boxer to win gold at this year’s Olympic Games, a historic feat for a 17-year-old girl from Flint, Michigan. Women’s boxing, which was banned in Britain until 1996, had its first competition at the Olympics this year, and the 17-year-old middleweight beat Russian opponent Nadezda Torlopova 19-12 on Thursday to win gold.

The Denver Post reports that Shields found solace in a boxing gym during a difficult childhood. She stated of the accomplishment that:

“This was something I wanted for a long time, even when boxing wasn’t going all right, even when my life wasn’t going all right. All I wanted was a gold medal, and I kept working towards it, even when people were saying I couldn’t do it. I’m too young. I couldn’t do it. There were girls who were going to beat me because of better experience, more experience. I proved them all wrong.”

And Claressa Shields won in style, while also winning over a crowd that was mostly there to see Irish lightweight Katie Taylor and British flyweight Nicola Adams, who also won gold in their weight categories. The 33-year-old Torlopova had nothing but good things to say of her opponent after the young American defeated her, saying:

“She’s young, after all, and she’s quicker. It happens that speed overcame experience. Something was lacking, most probably speed. After the second round, when they announced I was two points down, I knew that was it. … You have to know how to lose. She’s a worthy opponent. Good job.”

Young Claressa Shields laughed throughout the medals ceremony, grabbing at the shiny gold medal around her neck to make sure it was really still there, reports The Washington Post. The 17-year-old has said that her new prize is something she will wear every day, because of how much it means to her. She stated:

“I earned this. This is my medal. I worked too hard. I worked really hard for this medal. I can’t even explain all the pain that I had went through, all the people I had to do deal with. And just life, period.”

Did you get to see Claressa Shields win gold in the debut of women’s boxing at the London Olympics?

USA’s Claressa Shields Wins Gold In Debut Of Women’s Boxing At Olympics is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hope Solo and the US women’s soccer team won gold in their match against rival Japan. Despite being out-played by Japan, the Americans capitalized on their chances and were incredibly lucky when it counted.

The US women finished second to Japan in last year’s World Cup Final, making the Olympic team determined to beat them and regain their title, reports The New York Daily News.

The match took place on Thursday before an Olympic crowd of 80,203 in the same stadium that England’s national team played in when they won the 1966 World Cup.

Carli Lloyd scored both goals for the US women’s team, starting with her first in the 8th minute of the game. Lloyd then doubled the team’s lead in the 54th minute, scoring another.

Japan, the reigning World Cup champions, did not cave to the pressure from Hope Solo’s fantastic saves, scoring one goal against her using Yuki Ogimi in the 63rd minute.

They were held back by Solo, the US goalkeeper, before each intermission. She frequently defended the goal during the match, making at least one incredible save that will be remembered by the US team for a long time, according to The Huffington Post.

In the 85th minute, Japan was seemingly set to score the game-tying goal that would force extra time. Japan’s Mana Iwabuchi attempted the goal, but Hope Solo made a massive save to preserve the Americans’ slim lead.  The historic win by the US Women’s soccer team makes it their third straight gold in the Olympics and their fourth overall.

Were you excited to see the US women’s soccer team win gold against Japan on Thursday?

Hope Solo Helps US Women’s Soccer Team Win Gold Against Japan is a post from: The Inquisitr

Runner Manteo Mitchell both felt and heard his fibula breaking halfway through his leg of the men’s 4×400-meter relay at the Olympics on Thursday morning but kept running, going 200 meters more before he handed the baton off to Joshua Mancs, successfully completing his portion of the relay race with a broken leg.

After the race and the confirmation by the team’s doctor, Bob Adams, Yahoo! Sports reports that Mitchell stated:

“I knew if I finished strong we could still get it [the baton] around. I saw Josh Mance motioning me in for me to hand it off to him, which lifted me. I didn’t want to let those three guys down, or the team down, so I just ran on it. It hurt so bad. I’m pretty amazed that I still split 45 seconds on a broken leg.”

The 25-year-old runner from Cullowhee, North Carolina, believes that he initially injured his leg when he slipped on a stairway in the Olympic Village a few days ago. Although he received treatment and was fine, participating in workouts and warmups, Mitchell knew something was wrong as soon as the race started. Manteo Mitchell recalled the race, saying:

“I got out pretty slow, but I picked it up, and when I got to the 100-meter mark it felt weird. I was thinking I just didn’t feel right. As soon as I took the first step past the 200-meter mark, I felt it break. I heard it. I even put out a little war cry, but the crowd was so loud you couldn’t hear it. I wanted to just lie down. It felt like somebody literally just snapped my leg in half.”

The Huffington Post notes that, despite the break, Mitchell still finished the race in a respectable 46.1 seconds, allowing the US to tie with the Bahamas in the second heat. Their time of 2 minutes 58.87 seconds is the fastest time ever run in the first round of the relay at an Olympic Games.

Mitchell stated that, “I heard it and felt it …. But I figured it’s what almost any person would’ve done in that situation.” Thankfully, the break was not a compound fracture, so the bone is expected to heal in four to six weeks on its own.

While Manteo Mitchell will not complete in any other races at the 2012 London Olympics, he earned a special place in the hearts of his teammates for helping them get to the next heat while running on a broken leg.

US Runner Manteo Mitchell Breaks Leg, Still Finishes His Portion Of Men’s 4×400 Relay is a post from: The Inquisitr

Leryn Franco, a javelin thrower from Peru, was dubbed the hottest Olympian before the start of the 2012 London Olympics. Sadly, that’s the only title she won this year. The beautiful Peruvian ended her Olympic bid today in 34th place.

For some athletes, not reaching the podium can be a devastating event. But not for Franco.

The hottest Olympian came into the 2012 London Olympics with moderate expectations, saying that her career is more in the media than on the field.

Franco said:

“My situation is different from most of the other javelin throwers. I am not just an athlete. I have to be honest, my career is really in the media. If people open a magazine, they can see me there. Modeling and fashion is my job, too. It takes up much of my time and enables me to make money. It is flattering to me that people find me good-looking and enjoy seeing me wearing good fashion items…. I am not expecting a medal. The competition is very strong and there are athletes who are stronger than me. But I treat it seriously and I want to do my personal best. For me the best reward is just to be here. Getting to the Olympics is like a medal for me.”

All Media NY reports that Franco, 30, was also considered the most beautiful woman at the 2008 Olympics. During the Beijing Games Franco was the most Googled female athlete and the second most Googled over-all athlete behind Michael Phelps.

But Franco is more than just a pretty face. The beautiful Olympian, who competed in the Miss Bikini Universe Pageant in 2006 and posed for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in 2011, has competed in three Olympics. She placed 42nd at Athens, 51st at Beijing, and this year she finished 18th in her group and 34th overall.

Are you a fan of Leryn Franco? Do you think she was the 2012 London Olympic’s hottest athlete?

Hottest Olympian Leryn Franco Leaves London With Admirers, But No Medals is a post from: The Inquisitr

As the 2012 London Olympics reach their conclusion, many people are wondering who will perform during the closing ceremonies. Although nothing has been set in stone as of this writing, that hasn’t stopped the British press from speculating wildly about the musicians who might lend their talents to what is being described as “the greatest after-party.”

One of the more prominent names to be mentioned in the flurry of rumors being tossed around at the moment is Kate Bush. Although it’s unclear at the moment if she will be performing this Sunday night, the singer would certainly be in good company if any of these speculations become a reality. In addition to Kate Bush, George Michael, Muse, and The Who are also rumored to be joining in the festivities.

One of the more interesting pieces of gossip being kicked around over the past few days is the supposed reunion of The Spice Girls during the closing ceremony. Although the group went on hiatus in 2000, they came back together for a reunion tour in 2007.

The Hollywood Reporter also lists Adele, Pet Shop Boys, One Direction, and Ed Sheeran as possible candidates to perform on Sunday. The article goes on to hint at other potential appearances, though, honestly, any British musician with a hit single seems to be in consideration.

“To me, this should be the greatest after-party in the world,” David Arnold, music director of the Olympic Closing Ceremony, told The Telegraph. “If the Opening Ceremony was the wedding, then we’re the wedding reception. We’re the one where everyone gets out of their cars at the village hall, goes ‘Wasn’t that lovely, everyone looked great, let’s put on Blame It On the Boogie and have a laugh.’ ”

Be sure to clear your schedule Sunday night, as the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony will begin at 9pm British Time.

Olympic Closing Ceremony: Kate Bush, George Michael, The Spice Girls Rumored To Perform is a post from: The Inquisitr

McKayla Maroney is not impressed with the meme generated by her seemingly sour face at only winning a silver medal in the vault competition at the 2012 London Olympics. At least, not too impressed.

Maroney, who also won a gold medal for the US team’s performance, was caught with a very unimpressed look as she stood on the podium to accept her silver medal. The picture quickly spread across the internet with user-generated captions following, making McKayla Maroney the most meme’d athlete at the Olympics.

Her pout on the podium inspired the viral Tumblr McKayla Is Not Impressed. Created by 28-year-old New Yorker Gavin Alaoen, the page was registered Tuesday night with three Photoshopped images of McKayla Maroney looking unimpressed. The pouting 16-year-old Maroney has since been Photoshopped everywhere from double rainbows to the surface of Mars.

The Tumblr itself has blown up, receiving 1,200 followers just a few hours after being formed.

“It’s just a two-or-three-week kind of thing,” Alaoen told The Wall Street Journal. “It’s a hot topic right now. And then it’s onto the next one.”

Some people online have claimed there is truth behind the meme, saying that McKayla Maroney is a “mean girl,” Salon reported. Her chilly demeanor and refusal to even pretend to be happy have struck many people the wrong way, as did what seemed like a snub of bronze medal winner Maria Paseka while they were on the podium.

McKayla Maroney even commented on the meme, responding either in good humor or in the true spirit of her “not impressed” persona, depending on how you interpret her tweet: “this tumblr is kinda funny, made me laugh.”

Though the insults of her personality grew online as more pictures poured in of McKayla Maroney looking angry, Salon writer Mary Elizabeth Williams points out that these are many of the same petty internet commenters who ragged on Gabby Douglas’ hair.

McKayla Maroney Is Not Impressed With Meme Inspired By Her is a post from: The Inquisitr

Team USA powered past Australia for a 119 to 86 victory on Wednesday night on the power of strong performances from Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. The Americans now move into the semifinal round.

Bryant hit six 3-pointers on 10 attempts in the second half which led Kevin Durant to proclaim after the match:

“Somebody got him mad. I could see it in his eyes. I wanted him to kind of turn it on and that’s what he did.”

Bryant scored all 20 of his points after halftime.

On the same night LeBron James pulled off a triple-double just ahead of the “Dream Team’s” 20th anniversary gold medal win. Before the Olympics began Kobe Bryant declared that his 2012 London Olympics team

LeBron James finished the Australia match with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

Adding to Team USA’s win was Deron Williams with 18 points, Carmelo Anthony with 17 points and Kevin Durant with 14 points.

Team USA and Argentina will now meet for their third straight Olympic semifinal match.

Australia had several strong performance from Patty Mills with 26 points and Joe Ingles with 19.

After the game Australia’s Mills said:

“The difference in the game was their transition buckets and 3-pointers, and Kobe got a little bit sniff. And for great teams, that’s all they need and they stretch it out.”

The winner of the USA-Argentina semifinal will go on to play either Russia or Spain for the gold medal.

Do you think Team USA has what it takes to win the gold medal at the 2010 London Olympics?

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James Push Team USA Past Australia is a post from: The Inquisitr

Think Wheaties is the breakfast of champions? If you happen to be competing in the 2012 London Olympics you’re probably more likely to chug down some beetroot juice or perhaps some tart cherry juice.

Scientific claims have not been able to back up the sports enhancing qualities of those two drinks but athletes competing at the top level of their sporting events can’t seem to get enough of either juice and it’s “natural boost” is showing up all over the 2012 summer games.

So what exactly do the juices accomplish? Beetroot juice is believed to increase the flow of blood an oxygen which can really help athletes competing in short and strenuous sports.

Gretchen Reynolds of the New York Times Well blog writers:

“In other words, the juice might help an 800-meter runner but perhaps not a marathoner.”

To boost the body’s reserve of beetroot juice athletes have been known to drink half-liter bottles of the stuff every day for a week, leading up to their sporting event.

The other option on the table is tart cherry juice which is believed to speed up recovery after an event because it stops muscles from aching so much. While this particular juice won’t help you run faster it can help athletes get more full training sessions in because they are not sore and therefore performing practices at less than full strength.

With cherry juice some athletes claim that 8 to 12 ounces per day is enough to rejuvenate their bodies and allow them to compete at the highest level possible.

Olympic Athletes Turning To Beetroot Juice And Tart Cherry Juice is a post from: The Inquisitr

In a little over two decades the Olympic Games could be hosted for the first time in Africa. Nairobi’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga said today that the city plans to make a bid for the 2024 Olympics.

Reuters reports that if Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, is awarded the 2024 Olympics it will be the first African city to host the Olympic Games.

A statement from the Kenya National House, reads:

“Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, speaking at the Kenya National House today, announced that the Republic of Kenya will be starting the process of pitching to host the Games of the 33rd Olympiad in 2024…  If successful, these Games will be the first ever held in Africa.”

Nairobi may become the first African country to host the Olympics but it is not the first to place a bid. Egypt was in the running for the 2008 Olympics and South Africa’s Cape Town placed a bid for the 2004 Games. Africa hasn’t hosted an Olympic Games yet but the country did prove in 2010 that it was capable of hosting a major sporting event when the World Cup traveled to South Africa.

The 2016 Olympic Games will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro and the 2020 games will likely be held in Tokyo, Madrid or Istanbul. The International Olympic Committee will decide the location for the 2020 Olympics next year. The IOC will announce the location of the 2024 Olympics in 2017.

Would you like to see Nairobi’s 2024 Olympic bid succeed?

2024 Olympic Bid Planned By Nairobi is a post from: The Inquisitr

The US men’s volleyball team won’t be defending their Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Games after losing in a straight-set quarterfinal to Italy on Wednesday.

The men’s team entered the Olympic tournament ranked fifth in the world and struggled out of the gate against Italy’s captain Cristian Savani who racked up 19 points. The Italians would eventually end the match with final scores of 28-26, 25-20, 25-20.

In 2008 the US men’s volleyball team defeated top seeded favorite Brazil 3-1 in Beijing. The men’s team have won the gold three times since the sport was entered into Olympic competition in 1964.

Italy in the meantime has won silver two times but has failed to win a gold medal in the sport at the Olympic level.

Italy will now take on Brazil in the semifinals and if they pass that test on Friday they will move on to compete in the gold medal match.

The US team wasn’t helpless, they were led by captain Clay Stanley who gave the team 16 points on the way to defeat. Team USA even managed a 13-9 lead in the first set before Italy stormed back and eventually tied the match at 18-all before claiming the victory. In the second set Italy was also down 20-16 before surging from behind for the win.

After a 4-1 preliminary round Team USA had entered the quarterfinals at the top seed. The US men had already beating Brazil 3-1 but lost to Russia in five sets.

Do you think Italy has what it takes to capture its first gold medal in men’s Olympic volleyball?

US Men’s Volleyball Won’t Defend Title, Loses To Italy In Straight-Set is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lolo Jones finished a disappointing fourth during Tuesday’s 110m hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics, and, following that race, she has begun to open up about the days leading up to the race and the disrespect she believes was thrust upon her by American media.

Speaking on the Today Show, Lolo Jones told Savannah Guthrie of the attacks:

“I think it was crazy just because it was two days before I competed, and then the fact that it was from a U.S. media.”

As she fought back tears Jones added:

 ”They should be supporting our U.S. Olympic athletes and instead they just ripped me to shreds. I just thought that that was crazy because I worked six days a week, every day, for four years for a 12-second race and the fact that they just tore me apart, which is heartbreaking.

Jones was specifically referring to a New York Times article in which she was compared to tennis’ sexy girl Anna Kournikova.

Lashing out at The Times she rightfully added:

“They didn’t even do their research, calling me the Anna Kournikova of track. I have the American record. I am the American record holder indoors, I have two world indoor titles. Just because I don’t boast about these things, I don’t think I should be ripped apart by media. I laid it out there, fought hard for my country and it’s just a shame that I have to deal with so much backlash when I’m already so brokenhearted as it is.”

On the one hand, the NYT article did downplay Lolo Jones’ accomplishments; on the other hand, regardless of Olympic competition, it was not the newspapers job to hold up an American flag and shout at the hilltops for Lolo as she competed for Olympic gold in London.

Here’s the full Lolo Jones interview with Savannah Guthrie:

Lolo Jones Breaks Down During Savannah Guthrie Interview, Says US Media ‘Ripped’ Her To Shreds is a post from: The Inquisitr

Aly Raisman single-handedly did what the International Olympic Committee refused to do: invoked the memory of the 11 Israeli athletes murdered at the 1972 Summer Games.

Olympic officials have refused to even to consider a simple moment of silence  at the opening ceremony or at another point in the 2012 London Olympics for the Israelis killed by terrorists 40 years ago in Munich, Germany.

Aly Raisman, who won the gold medal yesterday in the women’s individual floor exercise at the London Olympics to the tune of the Hebrew folk song “Hava Nagila,” paid tribute to their memory, however.

Here’s what Aly Raisman had to say about the Israeli athletes murdered 40 years ago according to the New York Post:

“Having that floor music wasn’t intentional,” an emotional but poised Raisman told reporters after her performance.

“But the fact it was on the 40th anniversary is special, and winning the gold today means a lot to me.”

If there had been a moment’s silence,” the 18-year-old woman told the world, “I would have supported it and respected it.”

The Post adds that Raisman deserves a lot of credit for addressing a subject that Olympic officials tired to squash:

“Raisman finished first in the women’s floor exercise, but she deserves to have another medal draped around her neck for having the chutzpah to face the world and do what needed to be done and say what needed to be said …”

“Were it not for young Aly and her wedding dance/bat mitzvah accompaniment, the Munich dead may have never gotten their due.”

As The Inquisitr has previously reported, the history-making performance by Aly Raisman, of Needham, Mass., gives the U.S.  a first-ever gold medal in the woman’s individual floor exercise. Raisman also won gold in London as a member of the women’s gymnastic team–the first top Olympic finish in that event for the U.S. since 1996.

Gold Medalist Aly Raisman Honors Memory Of Slain Israeli Athletes is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Ministry of Sports and Physical Education announced on Monday evening that five boxers, one swimmer and a backup goalie for the Cameroon soccer team have went missing.

Mission head David Ojong confirmed the rumor:

“What began as rumor has finally turned out to be true. Seven Cameroonian athletes who participated at the 2012 London Olympic Games have disappeared from the Olympic Village.”

The players likely absconded to stay elsewhere in Europe for economic reasons.

The missing soccer player has been identified as Drusille Ngako, a backup goal keeper who was ultimately not selected for the Olympic team in a field of 18 players. Also missing is swimmer Paul Ekane Edingue who disappeared with all of his personal belongings.

Cameroon’s five absconded boxers include  Thomas Essomba, Christian Donfack Adjoufack, Abdon Mewoli, Blaise Yepmou Mendouo and Serge Ambomo.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said nothing has been communicated to them regarding the disappearing athletes.

Cameroon is no stranger to disappearing athletes, because of tough economic conditions in the country other professional athletes have traveled to international sports competitions only to flee for a potentially better life.

In some cases younger athletes have even been known to disappear during junior soccer competitions without official government consent.

In the spirit of international competition Cameroon continues to send new athletes in place of their former citizens who have fled.

Are you surprised by the number of athletes who are suddenly absconding from Cameroon during London Olympic competition?

7 Cameroon Olympians Go Missing, Believed To Have Absconded is a post from: The Inquisitr

The epitome of sportsmanship was on display today at the 2012 London Olympics.

Olympic Champion Liu Xiang injured his Achilles today in the first heat of the 110-meter hurdles but courageously finished the race on one leg. The inspirational, never-say-die moment was captured on video (below).

The Washington Post reports that Xiang was undaunted:

He had picked himself up off the track after falling and tried to head to the nearest exit. But he was directed back to the race area, so he struggled to cover the length of backstretch the only way he could, using his left leg.

When Liu got to where the 10th and final hurdle stood, he went over to it, leaned forward and kissed the piece of equipment. After finally making it across the finish line on that left leg, long after the race was over, he was greeted by another hurdler, Balazs Baji of Hungary, who went over and raised Liu’s hand in the air, as if to signify he was the winner.

Liu Xiang won the gold in the event in the 2004 Athens Olympics, but an Achilles injury forced him to withdraw from the 2008 Beijing Games. Xiang was the first Chinese man to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field competition and is bona fide superstar in that country.

According to the New York Times, the preliminary diagnosis is an Achilles tendon tear, the same injury that befell him in the 2008 Olympics:

Feng Shuyong, head of the Chinese track and field team, later explained that the initial diagnosis was that Liu had ruptured his right Achilles tendon again, perhaps on the takeoff for that first hurdle. But Feng indicated that further medical confirmation was required.

Watch Liu Xiang finish the 110-meter heat despite his injury to a thunderous stadium ovation:

Here is the Chinese broadcast of Liu Xiang’s injury in the 110-meter hurdles:

[Image credit: Erik van Leeuwen]

Olympic Hurdler Liu Xiang Blows Out Achilles, But Finishes Race [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Who knows how fast Usain Bolt would have gone if he was allowed to do his normal warm-up with his jump rope. Olympic officials have prevented the world’s fastest man from bringing his jump rope into the Olympic Stadium on several occasions, but Bolt said that he won’t be stopped again.

Bolt said:

“I’m going to get it in tomorrow. I am going to put them at the bottom of my bag or something.”

Yahoo reports that there are strict policies about what can come into the Olympic Stadium. And apparently, Usain Bolt’s jump rope is on the banned list.

Bolt said:

“There are a lot of rules, oh my God…. You can’t do anything. I was coming and wanted to bring my tablets in and they said I couldn’t. I asked why. It is just a rule. I had my skipping rope in my bag and they said I can’t bring it in. Why? It is just a rule.”

But Bolt has managed without his jump rope so far. The world’s fastest man set a new world record in the 100 meter sprint and could to do the same in the 200. Bolt easily won his first heat on Tuesday and he is hoping to bring home another gold medal to Jamaica.

Olympics spokeswoman Jackie Brock-Doyle said that officials were looking into the situation. Brock-Doyle said:

“If it was taken away before the stadium, then that is not correct. If it was taken before he entered the field of play (track), then that is probably correct. We are still looking into it.”

Do you think Usain Bolt will be able to successfully smuggle his jump rope into the stadium?

Usain Bolt To Smuggle Jump Rope Into Olympic Games is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cameron van der Burgh won a gold medal in the men’s 100 breaststroke at the 2012 London Olympics but he didn’t exactly earn it legally. The South African swimmer admitted that he cheated during the 100 breaststroke final, saying that he took an extra dolphin kick or two during his turns.

Van Der Burgh admits that he cheated, but at the same time, says that he did nothing wrong. According to the swimmer, everyone gives an extra kick and if he didn’t do it too he probably wouldn’t have a gold medal.

USA Today reports that the swimming rules allow the athletes to take one dolphin kick at the start or the race and after each turn. Most swimmers, according to Van Der Burgh, take two or three.

Van Der Burgh said:

“If you’re not doing it, you’re falling behind, It’s not obviously — shall we say — the moral thing to do, but I’m not willing to sacrifice my personal performance and four years of hard work for someone that is willing to do it and get away with it…. If you actually look at Brenton Rickard in the lane next to me, he’s doing the exact same thing… It’s got to the sort of point where if you’re not doing it you’re falling behind or your giving yourself a disadvantage so everyone’s pushing the rules and pushing the boundaries, so if you’re not doing it, you’re not trying hard enough.”

Cameron van der Burgh’s admission comes a few days after the race and it isn’t likely that the IOC will try to strip him of his medal. If they did, they would have to look at all of the underwater cameras and would, according to Van Der Burgh, have to disqualify just about all of the swimmers.

Here’s a video of Cameron van der Burgh’s start.

The single kick rule in swimming is similar to the traveling rules in the NBA. The league has the rule in place but athletes get away with traveling all the time.

Here’s a video of the 10 most egregious no-travel calls in the NBA.

Do you think Cameron van der Burgh was justified to use a double dolphin kick to win a gold medal? Should swimming officials watch for double kicks more carefully?

Gold Medal Swimmer Admits To Cheating At 2012 London Olympics is a post from: The Inquisitr

For the the third straight time, the American team of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will be playing for Olympic Gold.

May-Treanor and Walsh beat the Chinese Olympic team of Xue Chen and Zhang Xi on Tuesday night to advance to the gold medal game. Walsh and May-Treanor won the Gold medal at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and will defend their title at the 2012 London Olympics against the winner of Brazil and the other American team of Jennifer Kessy and April Ross.

Walsh said:

“We just defeated the best team in the world for the past year. These Chinese women are great athletes… We know we have this in us, we’ve just got to go execute.”

At their last two Olympic appearances, execution wasn’t a problem. May-Treanor and Walsh swept through the 2000 and 2004 Olympics to win gold. This year, however, they lost their first Olympic set, proving that they are, in fact, beatable.

After the loss, Walsh said:

“I was furious… It’s still with me. I want to go to the practice court and fix it.”

The final semi-final game of the women’s beach volleyabll tournament at the 2012 London Olympics will happen tonight at 9 p.m. London time. The American team of Jennifer Kessy and April Ross will face Brazil’s Larissa Franca and Juliana Silva.

Do you think two American teams will face off for gold? Will Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh win their third gold medal?

Misty May-Treanor And Kerri Walsh Will Play For Olympic Gold is a post from: The Inquisitr

Rafalca, the 15-year-old horse partly owned by Ann and Mitt Romney gave a solid performance on Tuesday but failed to qualify for the individual medal competition after a score of 69.302.

After watching her horse compete in the competition Ann Romney told CBS Sports:

“It was wonderful. She was elegant and consistent again. We just love her.”

Ann Romney is a big fan of horses and uses her own mare as part of her multiple sclerosis therapy.

Mrs. Romney sat in the stands at the event with a blue jacket emblazoned with the letters “U.S.A” on the back.

While Rafalca competed in the true spirit of the games many critics have called Romney’s part ownership in the multi-million horse more proof that her husband can’t possibly understand the plight of the middle-class who continue to suffer through bad economic conditions in the United States.

Rafalca was competing in the dressage competition often referred to as “horse dancing” in which the animal performs to a carefully choreographed routine of movements that showcase its training. Dressage includes twirling pirouettes, prancing trots and a skipping movement known as the flying change.

At the start of Tuesday’s competition Rafalca and Team USA were in fifth place.

The dressage competition is a favorite of Germany, the country has won every year since 1976 except 1980 when they boycotted the Olympics.

After Rafalca finishes competing in one to two years her owners may choose to breed her, a process that could be very lucrative given her storied history and exemplary competitive past.

On a side note, many political analysts are using Rafalca’s performance to determine when Mitt Romney will announce his choice for Republican Vice Presidential running mate. Many believe once Ann Romney returns from the event Mitt Romney will make his choice.

Mitt And Ann Romney’s Horse Fails To Medal At 2012 London Olympics is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ryan Lochte walked away from the 2012 London Olympics with more than just a couple of Olympic Medals. The American swimmer also took home a set of razors from his sponsor Gilette.

Of course, these aren’t your average razors. Ryan Lochte’s razors are gold plated and diamond encrusted.

Lochte posted a picture of the gift on Twitter, writing:

“U gotta hand it to @Gillette for getting me my own personally gold plated and diamond encrusted razor. #jeah.”

Some people might think that a diamond encrusted, gold plated razor is a little over the top, but Lochte showed during the 2012 London Olympics that he’s a big fan of the bling. The American swimmer caused a little bit of controversy last week when he stepped out onto the deck of the pool with an American flag grill covering his teeth.

What do you think of Ryan Lochte’s new razors?

The American swimmer is rightfully excited about his new gold razors but he’s probably a little more proud of the five medals he won at the 2012 London Olympics. Lochte won two golds, two silvers, and 1 bronze during the London Games.

U gotta hand it to @gillette for getting me my own personally gold plated and diamond encrusted razor. #jeah twitter.com/ryanlochte/sta…

— Ryan Lochte (@ryanlochte) August 7, 2012

Are you a fan of Ryan Lochte? If you are, you should be excited to know that he’s about to make his acting debut on FunnyOrDie.com.

On the set of @funnyordie w/ @simonpegg @maisiewilliams & Patrick Stewart about to do my first acting debut #Jeah twitter.com/ryanlochte/sta…

— Ryan Lochte (@ryanlochte) August 7, 2012

Ryan Lochte Gets Gold Razors From Gillette is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gymnast Gabby Douglas has captured the heart of America and the world this Olympics with her incredible performances and winning personality, but she’s also revealed that life hasn’t always been all smiles.

Douglas, 16, and her three siblings have been raised by her mother, Natalie Hawkins, who has often been seen rooting her daughter on from the stands. Less has been said though about her father, and the gold medalist Douglas has now spoken out a little bit about her relationship with her so-called deadbeat dad,  Timothy Douglas, a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.

“It was really hard for us growing up — my dad had left us, so he wasn’t really in the picture anymore,” Douglas said according to the New York Post. “So my mom had to front all these bills. My dad didn’t really pay the child support. He was short (on money). It was definitely hard on her part, and she had to take care of me and the rest of my siblings.’’

Gabby Douglas revealed that even after winning two gold medals, she had not been in touch with her father, though the Daily Mail reports Timothy Douglas is in London for the games. The Daily Mail, which in its headline deemed Timothy Douglas a deadbeat dad, also reports he has not seen Gabby perform there as she did not provide him with tickets.

Timothy Douglas did however appear at the U.S. Olympic trials in June, waving an American flag and cheering his daughter on.

“I’m like, “Who’s calling my name?” And then I look up, it was my dad and his friend, and I haven’t seen him in awhile,’ ” Gabby told the Des Moines Register. ‘They were holding up the flag. And I almost fell like bawling. I was like, “Oh, my gosh, Dad!’ “

For his part, Timothy Douglas feels pride when watching Gabby Douglas compete, telling the Register, “There’s an exuberance. There’s a feeling that you can’t describe.”

Though he left Gabby’s mother, it doesn’t appear the gymnast harbors terrible feelings for her old man. When she saw him at the Olympic trials she told the Register, “Seeing him made my night, actually.”

Gabby Douglas’ Olympic run was a memorable one this year. While stories have surfaced about some negative reaction to her appearance, a poorly timed NBC commercial and her so-called deadbeat dad, it is fair to say Gabby Douglas will be remembered for capturing the public’s attention and for a striking performance as a gymnast at the London Olympics in 2012.

Olympian Gabby Douglas Talks About Deadbeat Dad is a post from: The Inquisitr

When it comes to playing the game of basketball Carmelo Anthony expects some hard fouls but he draws the line at cheap shots, especially to the groin area.

Anthony, a member of the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team was taking a three point shot in the closing seconds of the third quarter against Argentina on Monday night when he was hit in the groin by Argentina guard Facundo Campazzo.

Team USA went on to claim a 126-97 victory and while he was happy for the win Anthony told reports before Tuesday’s practice:

“It was definitely a cheap shot. Something like that, I don’t play like that, I don’t agree with that.”

Anthony then added:

“If you’re going to foul somebody … foul them hard, but you don’t take a shot like that. So I don’t agree with that, but at this point there’s really nothing that nobody can do about it.”

He concluded his statement by once again calling it a “cheap shot” while noting “there’s nothing we can do about it.”

The foul occurred right in front of the U.S. bench where Anthony’s teammates appeared irate after realizing that the hit was intentional and there was nothing they could do about it.

After the game Campazzo said he apolozied to Kobe Bryan but not directly to Carmelo Anthony. Campazzo says he was still mad after Chris Paul punched him earlier in the game.

Carmelo Anthony says he doesn’t plan to watch a replay of the hit and is busily focusing on Wednesday’s upcoming Olympic match.

Carmelo Anthony Not Happy With Argentina Cheap Shot is a post from: The Inquisitr

Germany’s Stephan Feck is probably hiding out in his room at Olympic Village in an attempt to avoid reporters after an incredibly embarrassing dive at the London Olympics where he lost grip on his left leg during a diving rotation, landing flat on his back in the water.

After his disastrous dive, Feck finished dead last (29th place) in the preliminary round of the Men’s 3m Springboard Diving and was eliminated from the competition on Monday, reports Yahoo! Sports.

Feck’s dive was by no means the most difficult, as three others had a higher degree of difficulty. It was also a dive that the German swimmer had gone through countless times, and probably nailed countless times. But as the German diver now knows, all it takes is one time, one small mistake for it to all fall apart, and for the 22-year-old, it was losing grip on his left leg in the middle of his rotation.

Robert Dillon of the Sydney Morning Herald reviewed Stephan Feck’s disastrous dive by writing:

“He had no doubt successfully completed the same dive thousands of times over the years. He probably practises it a few dozen times every day….But this time something went wrong. Instead of completing the maneouvre and disappearing into the water with barely a ripple, he landed flat on the middle of his back. The resounding splat prompted a loud groan from the crowd, while each judge scored him zero.”

The 22-year-old German diver emerged from the pool in obvious discomfort, completing one more dive before withdrawing because of too much pain.

If it’s a surprise to you that a diver could suffer injuries (aside from the obvious ones that could come from hitting the board), do you remember the pain you had when you did a belly flop in the pool? Australian veteran Loudy Wiggins stated of the sport of diving that:

“I’m pretty sure it is a young person’s sport for a reason. You travel at 60km/h and the water feels like concrete when you hit it.”

Australia’s two 10m platform daredevil divers, Matthew Mitcham and James Connor, have both been sidelined during their careers because of stress fractures in their backs, which came as a result of repeatedly slamming into the unforgiving water.

Ethan Warren, a rookie diver from Australia who will perform in the 18-man quarter-finals after finishing 15th stated that he didn’t see Feck’s huge faux pas. He added that injuries are a normal part of every sport and that the German diver’s mistake gave insight into the punishment that divers suffer when things go wrong. Warren explained:

“It depends how you hit the water, really. You get this big sort of burning, stinging sensation. A bit of bruising, some blood vessels can pop, but overall that’s sport.”

Check out the photo and video below to see Stephan Feck’s worst dive of the Olympics. 

Stephan Feck’s Incredibly Embarrassing Olympic Dive is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kevin Durant was on fire from the 3-point line as Team USA rolled over Argentina with a final score of 126-97 on Monday night.

Durant scored 17 of his 28 points in the third quarter, helping send Team USA into the quarterfinals.

Two nights earlier, Team USA etched out a 99-94 victory over Lithuania and Argentina seemed ready for the same type of battle, shooting 56 percent in the first half of Monday nights game, leading Team USA 60-59 heading into the half.

After the match Durant said:

“I think we did a great job of responding from last game. It was a tough game and so was the first half tonight. Guys played together. That second half is how we want to play.”

During the third quarter, Durant’s personal 17 point score matched the entire Argentine team thanks to his 5-of-6 effort from 3-point range, the final hitting from beyond 25 feet. Durant finished the game with 8-for-10 shooting from behind the 3-point line.

Kevin Durant wasn’t the only big scorer as LeBron James added 18 points to the teams total and Chris Paul  finished with 17 points.

Team USA (5-0) will now take on Australia (3-2) in Wednesday’s quarterfinal game.

James said after the game:

“We’re great shooting team, but in close games sometimes you’ve got to go down and get some easy ones, and I wanted the ball, whether it was layups or in the post. Once you get a couple easy ones at the rim, then the 3-pointers open up and you saw what KD was able to do.”

Team USA will take on the Australians in two days. During the Australia match LeBron James needs to score just six points (he currently has 225) to tie Charles Barkley for third place on the all-time Olympic career list.

Team USA Dominates Argentina, Heads To Quarterfinal Match is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lolo Jones set out to the 2012 London Olympics looking for redemption after her disappointing finish in Beijing back in 2008, and it looks like her chances of getting that redemption are pretty good if her performance on Monday is any indication.

Jones, a Des Moines native, managed to score a 2012 season best of 12.68 seconds in her 100-meter hurdles heat on Monday, qualifying her for the semifinals and putting her in second place behind reigning Australian champion Sally Pearson, who had a time of 12.57 in the fifth qualifying heat, and well ahead of Canadian Phylicia George.

“It was a comfortable race. I felt really good,” Jones told media after her run. “I just felt really good today. I’m ready to go on to the next round. I’m ready to make everyone proud. It’s exciting. I’m going to do my best and fight for gold, but I don’t ever bet on the hurdles.”

As Jones prepares to take on the competition and bring home an Olympic gold medal, the 2008 Beijing Olympics will undoubtedly be in the back of her mind. At the 2008 finals, Jones was leading the competition and was seemingly on her way to take home the gold, but she clipped the ninth of ten hurdles, which put her back in seventh place.

To get a gold medal — and redemption — Jones will have to take down Pearson, who has had a series of dominating performances at the 2012 Olympics. But Dennis Shaver, Jones’ personal coach, told USA Today that he thinks that Jones has what it takes to beat Pearson.

“I think [Pearson is] having a great, great year. But in 2008, no one was beating Lolo Jones, either,” he said. “So anything can happen. They haven’t handed the gold medal to anyone yet. When the final’s over, we’ll know who the Olympic champion is.”

Lolo Jones Qualifies For Semifinals, Gets Shot At Redemption is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jenn Suhr has been trying to beat her Russian rival for the past five years, but the pole vaulter picked the right time to finally get the better of Elena Isinbaeva: in the gold medal run of Olympic finals.

Isinbaeva had been one of the most dominant athletes in any Olympic sport, winning Olympic gold twice and the world championships twice as well as breaking the world record a total of 28 times, the Denver Post reported. Jenn Suhr had finished behind Isinbaeva at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and, heading into the 2012 Olympics, was expected to again finish behind the Russian.

But, on Monday night, Suhr mastered the meet’s wet and windy weather conditions, earning the first gold medal in the event for the U.S. since Stacy Dragila in 2000.

Jenn Suhr did it looking good. She won with a height of 4.8 meters, matching Cuba’s Yarisley Silva but winning by virtue of having less misses. Isinbaeva, who gained a reputation as a diva for her camera-hogging actions, took bronze at 4.7 meters.

“When Elena’s in the field, you know the bar is risen, literally and figuratively,” Suhr said. “She’s that great of a competitor, and you know you have to be on your game. You have to compete, and you have to execute. I knew that anything’s possible when she’s in there.”

Surh took a strange path to Olympic gold. The 30-year-old didn’t even pick up pole vault until she attended small NAIA Roberts Wesleyan College near Rochester, N.Y. There the pole vault coach, Rick Suhr, who would later become her husband, saw Jenn Suhr playing basketball and noticed that she could grab the rim with both hands.

Rick convinced her to give pole vault a try. He helped her get the fundamentals down, even connecting a pair of huts to form a jumping pit, the Associated Press reported.

Within three years of picking up the sport, Jenn Suhr would be ranked No. 2 in the world, firmly behind Isinbaeva where should would remain for the next six years. Until Monday night, that is.

Jenn Suhr Pulls Off One Of The Biggest Olympic Upsets In Pole Vaulting Final is a post from: The Inquisitr

The women of the U.S. Soccer team advanced to the gold medal match on Monday after Alex Morgan scored a game winning goal in the 123rd minute to claim victory over team Canada with a final score of 4-3.

Victory for Team USA means the women will now face Japan for the gold medal and will finish no worse than silver.

The win comes despite a thrilling hat trick for Canada’s Christine Sinclair. Team USA was forced to rally after each of the Canadian’s goals and didn’t tie the match until the 80th minute when Abby Wambach scored on a penalty kick.

Also scoring for the Women’s U.S. soccer team was Megan Rapinoe who knocked in two shots to help her team advanced to the final match of Olympic tournament play.

The final match in women’s soccer will take place at Wembley Stadium, the same spot where last year’s World Cup final took place. Japan won the match during the World Cup thanks to penalty kicks.

After the match and her game winning header in the final seconds Alex Morgan said of her teams performance:

“It was a crazy battle.”

For the last several months all the U.S. women’s team has talked about has been their loss to the Japanese in 2011 and now they will have a chance to claim a victory over Japan in one of the largest and most watched soccer matches in the world.

Will you be rooting for Team USA in the gold medal round against Japan?

US Women’s Soccer Advances To Gold Medal Round, Will Face Japan In Epic Rematch is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ashley Gill-Webb, an Olympic spectator from Leeds who decided to throw a plastic bottle onto the stadium track moments before men’s 100-meter final was about to begin, has pled not guilty to the charge of creating a public nuisance. The man appeared in Stratford Magistrates Court to address the charges, and was released on bail. According to the Associated Press, Gill-Webb’s trial has been set for September 3.

In addition to facing charges for throwing the bottle, the 34-year-old was banned from the rest of the Olympics by District Judge Angus Hamilton. On his way out of the courthouse, Ashley shouted all sorts of rude and obscene comments at the various reporters hanging around outside.

If tossing a plastic container on the track wasn’t peculiar enough, Gill-Webb was reportedly ranting, raving, and acting in a threatening manner before the incident. ABC News reports that Usain Bolt, Justin Gatlin, and Yohan Blake had just taken their marks when said bottle sailed through the air, landing on the track behind the athletes moments before the race began.

American competitor Justin Gatlinsaid said he was aware that something was amiss in the stands. “I didn’t know what it was, but when you’re in those blocks, and the whole stadium’s quiet, you can hear a pin drop,” he explained to the BBC. “You just have to block it out and go out there and do what you got to do. You can’t complain about that, the race went on and it was a great race.”

Unfortunately for this bottle-throwing individual, Dutch judo bronze-medal winner Edith Bosch happened to be sitting nearby, and she wasn’t too pleased with the fact that Gill-Webb effectively caused her to miss the race. After throwing the object, Bosch reportedly gave the guy an unfriendly shove.

“I’m not suggesting vigilantism but it was actually poetic justice that they happened to be sitting next to a judo player,” joked Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London organizing committee.

Spectator Arrested For Throwing Bottle During Olympics is a post from: The Inquisitr