Olympics day 4: Redemption

31 July 2012 Tuesday

What an fantastic day four of the London Olympics! So many great stories of human triumph and tragedy; of loss and redemption.

Let's start with Men's C-1 Slalom Canoe, where France's Tony Estanguet wins gold! He won gold in the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and was awarded another second gold in a controversial judging decision against his long time rival, Slovakia's Michal Martikán, in the 2004 Athens Olympics. But he failed to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, leaving the field wide open for Michal Martikán to claim gold! And with his 2012 London Olympic win, Tony Estanguet can hold his head high, knowing he won this time, fairly, and proudly and with a healthy respect for his rivals and competitors.

And it is with a great honor that Slovakia's Michal Martikán, holds on to win the bronze in the event. The veteran champion is a natural water course master, and he's won gold in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He's won silver in 2000 and 2004. This bronze win gives Michal Martikán the honor of having the most Olympic medals won in the sport! And he's not ready to retire anytime soon, stating his desire to aim for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.


But it's the silver medalist, Germany's Sideris
Tasiadis, who shines the brightest with pure joy!

I see London, I see France; I see Germany's underpants!

He expressed his surprise at winning the silver medal, never thinking that he would come to the Olympics and win a medal. And what a great moment for him to rise to the challenge and secure his place among the champions of the sport.

Meanwhile, in Men's Skeet, World and Olympic record holder, American Sgt Vincent Hancock becomes the first person to win back to back Olympic gold in the sport.

Denmark's Anders Golding claims silver

And Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiya takes the bronze

But it ain't just the fellas who brought out the big guns! Check out these ladies!

Beaver Power!!!

Canada's Christine Girard powers her way to claim the bronze in the Women's 63kg weightlifting event.
















Russia's Svetlana Tsarukaeva takes the silver.

Ya, I play Bond girl in next 007 movie. My character name: Testa Kulkrusher

And it's Kazakhstan's Maiya Maneza who wins the gold!

That gold medal will go great with my gold earrings!

But they weren't the only strong women in these games. In women's 63kg Judo, China's Lili Xu gets the silver, Slovenia's Urska Zolnirk wins gold, and France's Gevrise Emane and Japan's Yoshie Ueno both get the bronze.

Yes, that's right. There are two bronze winners. And I don't know why. I'd ask, but I'm afraid I might get my ass kicked!

Bitch! I'm the greatest Justin Bieber fan, not you!

And more strong women exhibited their power and grace on day 4 of the London Olympics. Check out the beautiful and graceful women of Women's Synchronized 10m Platform Diving:

Canada's Meaghan Benfeito (L) & Roseline Filion (R) win bronze

Mexico's Alejandro Orozco & Paola Espinosa (bottom) win silver

China's Wang Hao (left) & Chen Roulin take gold

Meanwhile, over at the Equestrian event, the crowd gather excitedly to watch the competitors put on a show.

I'm telling you, this morning my spotted dick was this big!

New Zealand takes bronze in the Team Equestrian Event

Great Britain seizes the silver in the Team Equestrian Event

You know what's better than winning an Olympic medal?

How about having your Mom (Princess Anne) handing you your medal!









And it's the Germans who ride like the mighty, destroying Goths of old who conquer the competition and win the gold!



And in the Individual Equestrian event:

Germany's Sandra Auffarth takes bronze

Sweden's Sara Algotsson Ostholt gets silver

Germany's Michael Jung jumps to gold

Finally, two more stories of redemption:

The first, of course, is the return of USA Women's Gymnastic Team to the top. Not since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics had the USA Women's team won the gold. And what an amazing team made up of the fiercest, most spectacular, talented, and powerful gymnasts ever to come together and work as an fearless, unconquerable team.

In the Artistic Women's Gymnastics Team Event, Jordyn Wieber, the current World Gymnastics Champion who failed to make the All Around Event due to a technical rule allowing only two gymnasts from each country, returned to golden form today and helped lead the US team to victory. All the girls on the team performed spectacularly and left their competition far, far behind as they powered on to win the gold.

Russia's team fell apart due to so missed landings and falls.


They take silver in a distant second.

Romania claims the bronze.



And finally, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte redeem themselves after some disappointing performances in the previous events. Michael Phelps makes it to the podium to take silver in the Men's 200m butterfly--no doubt his turns weren't as sharp as the winner South Africa's Chad le Clos, who idolized Phelps and couldn't believe he actually beat him by the narrowest of margins. Japan's Takeshi Matsuda takes the bronze.

The American Men's 4x200m Freestyle relay team wins gold. It was an amazing effort, put in the by team of Conor Dwyer, Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens to give Michael Phelps a huge lead in the end to clinch the gold and leave to France the silver, and to China, the bronze. And Michael Phelps, with his silver and gold medal wins on this day, becomes the most decorated Olympian ever!

The first four days of the London 2012 Olympics have been amazing. I can't wait to see what comes next!