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Olympics Commentary: Keep an Eye on Team USA

Jul 20, 2008  •  Post A Comment

The U.S. Olympic team bound for the Beijing Olympics boasts a strong supply of veterans complemented by a sprinkling of rookies, all of whom should help the Americans formulate a formidable attack on the medal count.
Track and field events are typically the most compelling at a Summer Olympic Games, and 2008 should be no exception. Athens gold medalist Jeremy Wariner will defend his title in the 400 meters, but countryman and Olympic rookie LaShawn Merritt could repeat his triumph over Wariner at the recent U.S. trials. Allyson Felix won a silver medal in the 200 meters in Athens and is a strong favorite for gold in Beijing. Sanya Richards won a gold medal with the 4 x 400 meter relay in Athens and is the favorite to win individual gold in the 400 in China.
Terrence Trammell, who has won the last two Olympic silver medals in the 110-meter hurdles, will be pushed by defending champion Liu Xiang of China and first-time Olympians David Oliver of the U.S. and Dayron Robles of Cuba, the world record holder. And 2004 Olympian and outdoor world champion Reese Hoffa could lead an American sweep in the shotput.
Bernard Lagat has won bronze and silver medals in the 1,500 meters at the last two Games when he ran for his native Kenya. Now an American, he’s a gold-medal favorite in the 1,500 and the 5,000 meters. He won both races at the 2007 world championships.
A swarm of U.S. swimmers should make waves in the pool. Megastar Michael Phelps stands a strong chance of winning a record eight gold medals, five in individual events. Double world-record-holder Aaron Peirsol will shine in the backstroke. And Ryan Lochte, who would be Michael Phelps if there were no Michael Phelps, will push his two teammates for gold medals.
Versatile Katie Hoff could win as many individual medals as Phelps, but look for five-time Olympian Dara Torres, 41, to claim equal fame if she simply wins a medal in the 50-meter freestyle. Athens Olympian Natalie Coughlin, holder of the 100-meter backstroke world record, also could win a few medals. And watch out for 15-year-old Olympic rookie Elizabeth Beisel, a medal contender in the 200-meter backstroke.
U.S. gymnasts will provide compelling indoor drama. For the women, first-time Olympian and all-around world champion Shawn Johnson is the favorite in the event in Beijing and is expected to lead the Americans to a team title. Uneven bars world champion and Olympic first-timer Nastia Liukin should also contend for gold.
Paul Hamm won the all-around gold for the men at the Athens Games and hopes to recover from a hand injury to contend for another medal in Beijing. The U.S. will seek improvement of its fourth-place team finish at the 2007 world championships.
USA Basketball hopes history can repeat for the women’s team and motivate the men’s team. The women’s team, led by three-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie, will attempt to win its fourth consecutive gold medal. The men’s team won the bronze medal at the Athens Olympics and hopes a mixture of young (Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James) and veteran (Jason Kidd and Kobe Bryant) players can return the team to its once-familiar perch atop the medal stand.
On the sand, U.S. beach volleyball teams are gold medal favorites. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won Olympic gold in Athens and are the world champions, while first-time Olympians Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers are world champions.
Other U.S. Olympians reached milestones before competing in Beijing. Modern pentathlete Sheila Taormina is the first female Olympian to compete in three different sports. The Lopez family—two-time Olympic gold medalist Steven and first-timers Mark and Diana—make up three-fourths of the taekwondo team. The women’s field hockey team qualified for the Olympics for the first time since 1988. And 33-year-old weightlifter Melanie Roach, a mother of three, made her first Olympic team.
No other sporting event captures the high level of genuine emotion and rich, varied drama of the Olympic Games. It all begins Aug. 8. When the 2008 Beijing Games end Aug. 24, you’ll be happy you tuned in.
Claude Ruibal is chairman and CEO of Universal Sports, formerly World Championship Sports Network (WCSN), a joint venture between NBC Sports and InterMedia Partners.

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