Salon.com > Tim Reynolds

US wins medal count, but British celebrate as well

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 18:36:31 +0000

LONDON (AP) — Red, white and blue was everywhere in London.

For the Americans — and for the British, too.

The most medals, and the most gold medals. That's what the U.S. Olympic Team wanted, and it's what they delivered. As for the home team? Riding the wave of home-field advantage, the British put together their best Olympic showing in over a century.

The competition is over. The U.S. was best, but the success stories from London truly spanned the globe.

"I think these games were absolutely fabulous," International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said.

The final numbers: 104 medals for the United States, 46 of them gold, their highest total at a "road" Olympics. China won 87 medals, 38 of them gold, down from what they did as the home team in 2008. Britain won 29 golds, third-most of any nation, and 65 overall — fourth in that category behind Russia, a winner of 82 medals, 24 gold.

Grenada had its first gold medalist, and six other nations sent athletes to the Olympic podium for the first time. Meanwhile, Australia took another step back in its Olympic freefall after a scintillating show in Sydney 12 years ago.

In all, 85 nations won something in London, from the U.S. to Tajikistan and dozens of points in between.

USOC savoring lead in Olympic medals race

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 17:08:40 +0000

LONDON (AP) — Another Olympics, another likely overall medals title for the United States.

And for the U.S. Olympic Committee, this one might have been particularly sweet.

Noting that China was widely picked to win the medals race at this year's Olympics — even by London organizing committee head Sebastian Coe — USOC chairman Larry Probst says that the group is "extremely proud of what our team has accomplished."

Through Saturday afternoon, the U.S. had opened a significant lead in overall medals over the Chinese, and were in position for the most golds in London as well.

Competition at the London Games ends Sunday.

The new curling? Archery was hot at London Games

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 15:05:47 +0000

LONDON (AP) — Maybe it's the effect of "The Hunger Games" and bow-and-arrow-toting heroine Katniss Everdeen, or the lure of competing at a 200-year-old venue. Or maybe it's the Robin Hood factor.

Whatever the reason, archery is hot at the London Olympics — sometimes hotter than anything else NBC showed on its cable channels during the opening week of the games.

Much the same way curling became the can't-miss niche sport of the Vancouver Games two winters ago, archery shined in London.

"The profile of our sport," said Brady Ellison, the world's top-ranked archer who helped the U.S. win a team silver medal, "has never been higher."

About time, archers say.

The sport is getting a boost from the popular "The Hunger Games," plus more archery in films like "Brave" and "The Avengers." The sport was also showcased at a venue steeped in history — Lord's Cricket Ground has been the home of the sport featuring bats, not bows, since the early 1800s — there were many ingredients for intrigue at these Olympics.

And it delivered. NBC said archery even topped basketball when shown on its cable channels, averaging 1.5 million viewers.