Thursday Olympic Photo Gallery: Volleyball, basketball, boxing, taekwondo, wrestling, running and more
Here are five things to look out for at the London Olympics on Thursday according to the Associated Press:
1. USAIN BOLT: The Jamaican sprinter runs in the men’s 200-meter final. If he wins, he’ll be the first Olympian to repeat the so-called sprint double of 100-meter and 200-meter golds.
2. WOMEN’S SOCCER: The United States plays Japan at Wembley in a repeat of last year’s World Cup final.
3. ONE MORE CHANCE: South Africa has won an appeal to advance to the 4×400-meter relay final despite a crash in the heat. That means Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee runner, can compete for a medal on Friday.
4. DOPING: The IOC is set to formally strip U.S. cyclist Tyler Hamilton of his gold from the 2004 Athens Games and reassign the medals after his admission of doping.
5. WOMEN’S BOXING: The first Olympic gold will be awarded, with American Claressa Shields slugging it out with Russia’s Nadezda Torlopov.
South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius reacts after fellow team members crashed out of a men’s 4×400-meter relay heat during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
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Michael Phelps isn’t the only G.O.A.T at the Olympics.
Taffy the goat wandered the open water venue at the Serpentine in Hyde Park on Thursday. He was led by his red-clad handler from the Royal Welsh, Wales’ infantry regiment.
Like Phelps — nicknamed G.O.A.T., or greatest Olympian of all time, after winning his 18th gold in the pool in London — Taffy boasted his own medals. Three shiny ones were pinned to the green cloth covering him. Silver sheaths adorned the tips of Taffy’s horns and his white beard was neatly groomed.
Curious volunteers posed for photos with Taffy and one asked his handler if the goat ever got cross. The reply: “Yes.”
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United States’ Aries Merritt wins the men’s 110-meter hurdles final ahead Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment, left, during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
The American men are way out front in the hurdles — and the hairstyles.
Gold medal winner Aries Merritt has his hair twisted into intricate braids while silver medalist Jason Richardson has sported his trademark dreadlocks for years.
“We both have a little hair thing going on,” Merritt says with a smile.
NBC’s “Today” show weatherman Al Roker seemed a little envious.
“It’s not for everyone,” Richardson said with a chuckle.
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Ryan Bailey of the United States looks to shoot against Croatia during a men’s quarterfinal water polo match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. Croatia won 8-2 and will play Montenegro in the semifinal round. The U.S. will play Spain in the fifth to eight place semifinal. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
One thing is for sure about this year’s final four in the men’s water polo bracket: the teams are likely to watch what they say in the water.
That’s because three of the four teams are from the former Yugoslavia: Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro — and will know each other’s native tongue. The fourth team in the final four is Italy.
The last grouping also represents a victory for the little guys. Montenegro, with a population of 625,000, beat Spain, population 47.2 million, in the quarterfinals. Croatia, population of 4.7 million, beat the United States, at 312 million. Serbia, population 7.3 million, beat Australia, 22.6 million.
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United States’ Kerri Walsh Jennings, right, and Misty May-Treanor, left, react during a podium ceremony after winning the women’s gold medal beach volleyball match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross were opponents in the gold medal game in London. There’s a good chance they could be teammates in Rio.
Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor capped a brilliant career with their third straight Olympic gold, beating Ross and Jennifer Kessy in straight sets. Both May-Treanor and Kessy plan to be out of the international game by the time the Rio Games come around in 2016.
May-Treanor is done competitively, looking to turn her attention to starting a family with Dodgers catcher Matt Treanor. Kessy says she’s going to play for one more year until Ross finds another partner.
“She’s a winner,” Walsh Jennings says. “She’s a champion. She’s a fighter. She’s someone I’d be honored to play with.”
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See more of the Junior Dispatch’s Olympic photo galleries:
- 7/30 –Archery, Fencing, Table tennis, Field hockey, Air rifle, Rowing, Swimming and more
- 7/31 — Swimming, Equestrian, Judo, Weightlifting, Canoe, Archery and more
- 8/1 — Michael Phelps, Swimming, Diving, Volleyball, Fencing, Shooting Handball andmore
- 8/2 — Field hockey, Badminton, Gymnastics, Rowing, Swimming and more
- 8/3 — Judo, Gymnastics, Weightlifting, Shot put, Running and more
- 8/6 — Usain Bolt, Blade Runner, Hammer throw, Water polo, Canoe, Diving and more
- 8/7 — Ping pong, Handball, Basketball, Hurdles, Javelin and more
- 8/8 — Volleyball, Discus, Track-and-field, Soccer, BMX and more
And now on to today’s Olympic photo gallery, as shot by the Associated Press’s photographers.
United States’ forward LeBron James jumps for the ball during his team’s men’s quarterfinal basketball game against Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Mark Ralston, Pool)
France’s Kevin Mayer takes a throw in the discus throw for the decathlon during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Iran’s Ehsan Rouzbahani reacts as he leaves the ring following a fight against Kazakhstan’s Adilbek Niyazymbetov in a light heavyweight 81-kg quarterfinal boxing match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
United States’ Brittany Viola competes in the women’s 10-meter platform diving preliminaries at the Aquatics Centre in Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Christin Steuer from Germany competes during the women’s 10-meter platform diving preliminaries at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
Canada’s Meaghan Benfeito competes in the women’s 10-meter platform diving preliminaries at the Aquatics Centre in Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
China’s Wu Jingyu reacts after defeating Spain’s Brigette Yague Enrique (in red) in their gold medal match in women’s 49-kg taekwondo competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Britain’s Martin Stampler, right, reacts after his match against Mexico’s Erick Osornio Nunez in men’s 68-kg taekwondo competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Czech Republic’s Petr Frydrych takes a throw in a men’s javelin throw qualification round during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen takes a throw in a men’s javelin throw qualification round during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Sweden’s Ebba Jungmark competes in a women’s high jump qualification round during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Croatia’s Ivan Cupic, right, scores past Tunisia’s Wassim Helal, right, during their men’s handball quarterfinal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
United States’ Trey Hardee reacts after competing in a 110-meter hurdles heat in the decathlon during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Germany’s Peter Kretschmer, right, and Kurt Kuschela react after winning the gold medal in the men’s canoe double 1000m in Eton Dorney, near Windsor, England, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
United States’ Allyson Felix crosses the finish line to win the women’s 200-meters final ahead of Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahoure during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
United States’ Aries Merritt, center, crosses the finish line ahead of United States’ Jason Richardson, right, to win gold in the men’s 110-meter hurdles final during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
United States Misty May-Treanor, right, dives for the ball as Kerri Walsh Jennings watches during a women’s gold medal beach volleyball match against United States April Ross and Jennifer Kessy at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Players of the Netherlands celebrate their victory over New Zealand in a women’s hockey semifinal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Clarissa Kyoko Mei Ling Chun of the United States, rear, lifts Irini Merleni of Ukraine during their 48-kg women’s freestyle wrestling bronze medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Clarissa Kyoko Mei Ling Chun of the United States celebrates after her win against Irini Merleni of Ukraine in their 48-kg women’s freestyle wrestling bronze medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
