Beijing Games: Day 8

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Aug 18, 2008

Beijing Games: Day 8

Michael Phelps (far left) edged Milorad Cavic, of Serbia, by 0.01 seconds to win the 100-meter butterfly. With the victory, the 23-year-old American pulled even with Mark Spitz's seven gold medals from the 1972 Munich Games.

After trailing Cavic for the majority of the race, Phelps (far left) won the 100-meter butterfly by a fingernail. Literally.

Phelps will return to the Watercube on Sunday to swim in his final event at the Beijing Games, taking the butterfly leg of the 4 x 100-meter medley relay. If the Americans are able to capture gold, Phelps will become the world record-holder for most gold medals in a single Olympics with eight.

After taking three silver medals, Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry (left) won her first gold in Beijing, defending her title in the women's 200-meter backstroke. Her time of 2.05.24 set a world record in the race.

Cesar Cielo Filho won Brazil's first swimming gold with an upset in the 50m freestyle and set a new Olympic record of 21.30. He broke down crying on the medal stand and was mobbed by his teammates on deck.

Rebecca Adlington of Britain won gold in the 800m freestyle, breaking Janet Evans' 19-year-old world record -- the oldest record in swimming. Adlington's time of 8:14.10 crushed the mark of 8:16.22 set by the American in Tokyo on Aug. 20, 1989. Alessia Filippi of Italy took the silver, and Lotte Friis of Denmark the bronze.

Usain Bolt of Jamaica easily broke his own world record in the 100 meters to win the Olympic gold in 9.69 seconds.

Mahiedine Mekhissi of France placed second in his 3000m steeplechase preliminary heat with a time of 8:16.95.

Mae Koime (2566) of Papua New Guinea placed sixth in the 100m preliminary heat, while the Bahamas' Debbie Ferguson McKenzie (1094) finished second to advance.

The women's 100m heats began early Saturday at Beijing's Bird Nest. Jamaica's Kerron Stewart (2178) finishes third in her preliminary race.

American 48 kg wrestler Clarissa Chung was pinned in her bronze-medal match against Japan's Chiharu Icho.

Yemen's Waseelah Saad failed to qualify in the 100m after finishing seventh in her preliminary heat.

Russia's Valeriy Borchin edged out former champion Jefferson Perez of Ecuador in the 20km walk. Borchin finished with a time of 1 hour 19:01 minutes.

000.14985-mid.jpg — John W. McDonough/SI

Yao Ming of China huddles up with his team during the preliminary game against Germany. He led all scorers with 25 points in his team's 59-55 victory.