2008 Beijing Olymic games

Taimuraz Tigiyev of Kazakhstan says a prayer after defeating George Gogshelidze in a men’s wrestling quarterfinal match.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Sand flies as two players battle during the gold medal match between U.S. and China in the men’s beach volleyball finals in Beijing.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

From left, Russia’s Evgeniya Polyakova, Yulia Gushchina, Yuliya Chermoshanskaya and Aleksandra Fedoriva after winning the gold medal in the 4 X 100 relay.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Team USA gathers at center court moments after defeating Argentina, 101-81, in the Olympic men’s basketball semifinal in Beijing. The team faces Spain in the gold medal game Sunday.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Usain Bolt hangs onto his pair of golden sneakers, a big contributor to his golden runs.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

In preparation for the uneven bars, chalk coats the hand of U.S. gymnast Raj Bhavsar.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Mariel Zagunis holds her head in disbelief after winning the gold medal for the U.S. in the women’s individual sabre competition.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Kerri Walsh, left, and Misty May-Treanor of the U.S. women’s beach volleyball team hug after defeating Japan in their opening game. The defending gold medalists played in a steady drizzle but kept up their winning streak, now at 63 games.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Andrade arrives at the ring to box Kakhaber Jvania in the men’s welterweight division. The American held on to defeat Jvania, of Georgia, 11-9.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Garrett Weber-Gale, left, and Michael Phelps celebrate with Jason Lezak, in the water, after Lezak finished the team’s gold-medal effort.   (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Japan’s Satoko Suetsuna celebrates after winning a point during a badminton doubles match against China.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Yujun Sun, of China’s women’s water polo team, scrambles for the ball during the first quarter against the U.S. team during a preliminary match.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Russia’s Islam-Beka Albiev flips in the air after defeating Vitaliy Rahimov and winning the gold medal in the 60kg men’s Greco-Roman wrestling competition.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Australia’s Melissa Wu, foreground, and Briony Cole spin into a dive during the women’s synchronized 10-meter platform final. They won silver with 335.16 points.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Natsia Luikin, left, hugs teamate Alicia Sacramone at the women’s team finals.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

A camera exposure of one-eighth of a second blurs the action between light welterweight boxers Non Boonjumnong of Thailand, left, and Masatsugu Kawachi at Beijing’s Workers’ Gymnasium. Boonjumnong, the defending Olympic gold medalist, defeated Kawachi and moved on to the next round.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

American Mariel Zagunis, left, battles France’s Leonore Perrus during the women’s team saber bronze-medal match.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

China’s Yimei Wang towers over USA defenders as she spikes the ball during a preliminary women’s volleyball match.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Ukraine’s Lyudmila Blonska reacts after taking the silver medal in the women’s heptathlon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finishing behind her countrywoman Natalia Dobrynska.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

American middleweight Shawn Estrada enters the ring to fight James Degale of England. Estrada, of East Los Angeles, would go on to drop the 11-5 decision in four rounds in Beijing’s Workers’ Gymnasium.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Shelly-Ann Fraser waves the Jamaican flag after her gold-medal win in the 100-meter dash.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)