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OLYMPIC FESTIVAL ROUNDUP : Iowan Rolls to Record of 15 Total Gold Medals

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From Associated Press

Dante Muse, a roller speed skater from West Des Moines, Iowa, set an Olympic Festival record by winning his 14th and 15th gold medals Monday.

Muse’s first gold medal came in the 400-meter relay, tying him with table tennis player Sean O’Neill for most golds in festival history. A short time later, Muse led from the start in winning the 500-meter sprint.

“Getting that medal on the stand was really great,” said Muse, 23. “I felt like it was my first world gold medal. Every time is a little different, but this was really nice. I felt kind of teary-eyed up there.”

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The record for most medals won in festival competition belongs to Jim Terrell of El Toro. Terrell won four medals in canoe-kayak competition Sunday, giving him 23 in his festival career and breaking the mark of 22 set by gymnast Scott Johnson.

In basketball, Jimmy Jackson of Ohio State scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in helping the North to a 95-90 victory over the West. That sent the North (3-0) into today’s gold medal game.

“We’re excited,” said North Coach Lon Kruger of Florida. “That’s the goal of every team when they come, to get to the gold medal game. What we’ve got to realize now is that even though we’re 3-0, it starts 0-0 tomorrow and winner take all. We don’t get any points for being undefeated.”

Byron Russell of Cal State Long Beach had 20 rebounds for the West (1-2), breaking the festival record of 15 shared by Sam Perkins, Ed Pinckney and Terry Mills.

In swimming, three more meet records fell.

Daniel Kanner of San Gabriel picked up his second gold when he won the 200 freestyle in 1:52.20, breaking the mark of 1:53.10 set in 1989 by John Kennedy. On Sunday, Kanner knocked two seconds off the festival’s 400 freestyle record, winning in 3:43.34.

Emily Short of Phoenix won the 100-meter breaststroke, winning in 1:10.01, the second-fastest time in the world this year and the fourth-fastest time ever by an American woman.

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Mike Merrell of Charlotte, N.C., won the 100 butterfly with a time of 54.97, breaking the mark of 55.23 set by Robert Placak in 1982.

In wrestling, Troy Sunderland of Penn State (149.5 pounds) won the gold medal with two victories over Corey Carter of the State University of New York.

Sunderland is the first competitor to win national championships at all four of USA Wrestling’s age group levels--cadet (16-under), junior (high school age), espoir (20-under) and university.

In archery, Rick McKinney of Gilbert, Ariz., won the eighth final in Grand FITA competition.

McKinney shot a 328, breaking the festival record of 327 set by Chad Conner last year.

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