In today’s Times: Gold fashioned
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Articles from the Aug. 15, 2008, edition of the Los Angeles Times
Nastia Liukin wins all-around gold in women’s gymnastics
Diane Pucin, Los Angeles Times: Nastia Liukin danced as if she were in the ballet, lightly and elegantly across the floor mat, using her classical music as inspiration to float through her floor exercise. Full article >>
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The skills and grace that come with age
Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times: The difference in their scores was as narrow as the balance beam that Nastia Liukin so elegantly traversed, as slight as the breeze China’s Yang Yilin created while performing a breathtakingly intricate uneven bars routine Friday. Full article >>
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Serving up a tennis surprise in Beijing
Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times: Roger Federer and the Williams sisters fall short in the Olympics only days before they take the next big stage: the U.S. Open in New York. Full article >>
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U.S. team was ready for Greece this time
Mark Heisler, Los Angeles Times: Times change. Greece will always have its stunning victory over the U.S. in the 2006 world championships, but that was then and this is now. Full article >>
More after the jump...
U.S. finishes what it starts -- and what it stopped
Melissa Isaacson, Chicago Tribune: So daunting is the U.S. softball team’s assault in its fourth straight Olympic Games, that a 1-0 lead by Canada in a game postponed by rain in the fourth inning Thursday, constituted as big a story as any of its previous victories. Full article >>
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Please, let Michael Phelps be for real
Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times: The oddly shaped athlete. The incredibly shaped performances. Full article >>
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Michael Phelps wins sixth gold medal
Lisa Dillman, Los Angeles Times: Michael Phelps is a minute away -- actually less than that, less than 51 seconds, in fact -- from joining Mark Spitz on the Olympic podium of history, a tantalizing gold medal from tying Spitz’s record seven in one Olympics. Full article >>
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Michael’s got the golden Phelps gene
Rick Maese, Baltimore Sun: On Friday, Michael Phelps goes for his sixth gold medal of these Olympics. He’s the undeniable star of the Games -- a goofy-grinning Poseidon with boy-band popularity -- but the television cameras will give plenty of time to the other instrumental characters. Full article >>
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It’s not over yet for Beijing Games’ oldest U.S. Olympian, John Dane
K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune: The yacht-company owner and sailor was tested when Hurricane Katrina hit, and he’s being tested again. Full article >>
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Taylor Phinney wants to carry on a cycling legacy
Diane Pucin, Los Angeles Times: As the son of two medalists, he has big dreams for his first Games. His father, Davis Phinney, suffers from Parkinson’s but is cheering from the sidelines in Beijing. Full article >>
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Eight things you didn’t know about Michael Phelps
Kevin Van Valkenburg, Baltimore Sun: When the whole world is writing about someone like Michael Phelps, you tend to get a lot of overlap. If you’ve been following the Olympics, by now you probably know the basics: Phelps grew up just outside of Baltimore and battled ADHD as a kid. He was raised mostly by his mother, Debbie, a middle school principal. You might feel as if you’ve heard those details hundreds of times by now. But that isn’t everything you need to know about Phelps. In fact, here are some things you never knew. Full article >>
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IOC criticizes China for arresting British reporter
Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times: John Ray of London’s ITV News is dragged away and held for 20 minutes. The International Olympic Committee says, ‘We don’t want to see this happening again.’ Full article >>
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For Iraqi sprinter, running is just part of her daily survival strategy
Mike Downey, Chicago Tribune: Dana Abdulrazak proves to be a figure of mystery, not to mention several identities, as a columnist waits -- and waits -- to get an interview. Full article >>
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Boxer Shawn Estrada carries his ill father’s hopes for a medal into Saturday’s round
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times: Boxer Shawn Estrada came here with a rather simple goal: get into the ring as fast as possible so his ill father could see him fight in the Olympics before he died. Full article >>
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Victory over U.S. helps Cuba on its quest to restore past glory
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times: The country’s national baseball team has fallen on hard times, but with a new manager in charge, things are looking up. It defeats the U.S., 5-4, in an 11th inning featuring the Olympics’ unique tie-breaking procedures. Full article >>
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Kimberly Rhode takes silver in skeet shooting
Melissa Isaacson, Chicago Tribune: After enduring a driving rainstorm to win the silver medal in skeet shooting Thursday at the Beijing Shooting Range, American Kimberly Rhode joked that maybe she would try trap shooting in the next Olympics. Full article >>
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Americans Walter Dix, Tyson Gay and Darvis Patton advance in 100 meters
Philip Hersh, Special to The Times: Jamaicans Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Michael Frater also advance. Three U.S. shot putters will be in the final. Full article >>
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Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh dig deep to avoid a sand trap
K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune: The blue skies had appeared, the humidity had lifted and in the first few hours of an otherwise idyllic 30th birthday, Kerri Walsh faced something she didn’t necessarily ask for or expect: five set points. Full article >>
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For NBC, it’s swimming, gymnastics and beach volleyball
Steve Springer, Los Angeles Times: But what about sailing? Archery? Table tennis? C’mon, at least give us a peek. Full article >>
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Storm rains on Olympic sports parade
K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune: U.S. softball is suspended; baseball is delayed. Even the water sports are all wet. Full article >>
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China Olympic dancer’s accident is now official
Barbara Demick, Los Angeles Times: Beijing Olympic organizers are slow to acknowledge the tragic mishap that occurred during opening ceremony rehearsals last month. Full article >>
Nastia Liukin of the United States competes on the balance beam during the women’s gymnastics individual all-around competition Friday at the Beijing Olympics. Liukin took the gold medal, with the silver going to teammate Shawn Johnson. photo by Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times
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John Cherwa, Orlando Sentinel: A look at the some of the most recent results. Full article >>