WATERCOOLER CHAT: RAISMAN RAISES GOLD, US VS US IN VOLLEYBALL FINALS, WELLS NO FILLER

OLYMPICS

In women’s gymnastics, Aly Raisman was hoping that she could redeem herself from the women’s all around individual competition and medal in the balance beam final.  On Sunday night, Makayla Maroney fell on her vault and netted a silver — could Aly Raisman get a gold for the U.S?  She was up against some very tough competition from the Chinese.  They were nearly flawless on the beam and nabbed the gold and silver.  But the bronze was up for grabs.  Raisman gave a spectacular performance, which concluded with a very difficult dismount, but after the judges scores, Aly found herself in 4th place.  It was all over.  However, world renowned gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi shouted at the U.S. coach from the stands, telling him to challenge the score.  He did, and the judges recalculated the results.  The result:  Aly Raisman pulled into 3rd place, and brought a bronze medal home for the U.S.   Needless to say… her parents were ecstatic in the crowd.

And in women’s beach volleyball, it was the semifinal match-up between the United States and China.  The U.S. boasted their strong duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, but the Chinese were not to be taken lightly.  The Chinese got out to a huge lead in the first set, but May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings came storming back to win the set.  Then, in the second set, it was tight for awhile, but the U.S. pulled away to win the set and find themselves in the gold medal final.  And, guess which team they are playing?  None other than the OTHER U.S. duo of April Ross and Jennifer Kessy, who beat Brazil to earn a trip to the gold medal match.  Clearly, the U.S. has one heck of a proclivity in beach volleyball.

And in track and field, an Olympic first.  It was the women’s 100m Hurdles, which boasted some fantastic stars.  The U.S. were represented by three amazing runners:  Lolo Jones, Dawn Harper, and Kellie Wells.  Harper was the favorite, but the race also included Sally Pearson from Australia, who won the World Championship in this event.  Plus, Australia has never won an Olympic gold medal in a track racing event.  And for Wells, people didn’t expect her to medal, but her coach asked her earlier in the year if she was tired of being a “land filler” (i.e. someone who races, but finishes 6th thru 9th. Wells was, and was determined to prove people wrong last night.  The race was quick, and came down to a photo finish between USA’s Dawn Harper and Australia’s Sally Pearson. But, by a nose, it was Pearson, giving Australia their first racing gold medal.  And who got the bronze?  Yep, Kellie Wells.  She proved everybody wrong.

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