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Big Ten Daily Olympic Recap - August 11
Aug. 11, 2008
Over the course of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, BigTen.org will provide daily updates of current and former student-athletes as they compete. August 11 In what was truly an unbelievable relay rally, the Americans took gold over the favored French in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay by shattering the world record time by four seconds. Phelps, a volunteer assistant swimming coach at Michigan, swam the first leg of the relay and set an American record in doing so. But it was probably the efforts of anchor Jason Lezak who should be credited for winning Phelps his second gold medal of the Beijing Games and keeping him on track to break the Olympics' ultimate record. Lezak finished off the relay in 3:04.24 to top the French by eight-hundredths of a second. The previous world record was 3:12.23. Phelps earned his first gold medal of the 2008 Games by breaking his own world record in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:03.84 on Saturday. In women’s beach volleyball, Nicole Branagh, formerly of Minnesota and teammate Elaine Youngs, notched another win in preliminary play for the USA. The duo defeated their Germany opponents by scores of 21-17 and 21-16. David Boudia of Purdue paired with Thomas Finchum for the USA in the men’s synchronized diving competition. The duo placed fifth in the event. Former Northwestern men’s and USA swimmer Matt Grevers broke the 53-second mark for the first time in his career in the semifinals of the 100-meter backstroke with a second-place time of 52.99. He will compete in the finals on Tuesday. Peter Vanderkaay, formerly of Michigan, finished with a time of 1:45.76 for the United States to finish first in the semifinal of the 200-meter freestyle. Phelps took fourth in the semifinal clocking in at 1:46.28. Minnesota’s Jillian Tyler of Canada placed sixth in the first semifinal heat of the women’s 100-meter breaststroke. Michigan’s Alon Mandell of Israel placed fourth in the third heat of the men’s 200-meter butterfly. Kevin Anderson from Illinois and representing South Africa won his first-round match to move on in the men’s tennis singles tournament. Ohio State’s Devin Mullings of the Bahamas fell short in his first-round match of the men’s tennis singles tournament. Former Minnesota standout Lindsey Berg and the United States women’s volleyball team fell to Cuba in its second preliminary game. Betsey Armstrong, formerly of Michigan, saved seven shots as the United States women’s water polo team defeated China, 12-11, to open preliminary play.
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