London Olympics

Olympic champ Usain Bolt

by: Staff writer From: Daily Mail July 10, 201210:19AM

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is considering using an ice chamber during the Olympic Games. Picture: AFP DEFENDING Olympic champion Usain Bolt is considering using an ice chamber in London to guarantee his fitness for this month's Olympics amid fears a back injury has derailed his preparations. The world's fastest man has flown to Germany to seek treatment from renowned sports doctor Dr HansWilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt - a name AFL fans would know for having treated the likes of former Geelong premiership star Max Rooke, while young Richmond defender Dylan Grimes is currently in Germany receiving treatment. Bolt has pulled out of his final warm-up race before the Games as he strives to get his body right for the huge challenge of defending his 100 and 200 metre titles from training partner Yohan Blake. England's Daily Mail has learned that Bolt's camp are in discussions with a British company over the cryotherapy treatment, which aids athletes' recovery by encasing them in liquid nitrogen at temperatures of minus 140C. The 25-year-old is said to be keen on stepping into Britain's only mobile ice chamber, which the Welsh rugby team used this year as they won the Six Nations.

The chamber, supplied by CryolabSports, is secured in a former police van and can be driven to wherever it is needed. Those using it strip to their underwear and let the cold air chill their body for up to three minutes, during which time the skin temperature drops significantly but the core stays the same. This boosts muscle recovery after exhausting training sessions and triggers the release of endorphins which help pain relief. Bolt, whose aura of invincibility was punctured by two defeats to 100m world champion Blake at the Jamaican trials last week, could use it right away to help him recover from the injury which forced him out of the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on July 20. Rooke famously received treatment from Dr Muller-Wohlfahrt in mid-2007, where he received an injection involving a mixture of calf blood and rooster comb extract into a torn hamstring, expediting his recovery and allowing him to return in time for the Cats' premiership win that season. Grimes has this week arrived in Germany where he is set to spend a week receiving treatment from the world-renowned doctor.

Top 20 Moments

Grant Davies' heart-breaking loss

by: Adrian Ballantyne From: News Limited Network July 10, 20129:38AM

Grant Davies finishes the 1000m K1 at the Seoul Olympics and was told he had won gold before being demoted to silver. Source: News Limited THERE can be only one thing worse than missing out on an Olympic gold medal by just 0.005 seconds: being told you've won the gold, only to then be told you've won silver. In this current age of electronic timing, Olympic competition has become a game of microseconds and millimetres, with results decided by margins narrower than human eyes could ever split. Such was life for Aussie sprint kayaker Grant Davies, who thought he'd won the K-1 1000m race at the Seoul Games in 1988. Davies could be considered lucky to have been in the final at all, having progressed through both his heat and semi-final by finishing in third place and taking the last qualifying spot in each.

But what mattered was his performance in the big show, and there he was more than a match for almost every rival, including multiple world champion and Olympic gold medallist Greg Barton. And after 1000 torturous metres, Davies triumphed. The scoreboard said so, the crowd thought so and officials had almost confirmed so by having him sign the gold medal register and prepare for the medal ceremony. But the result that would have given Australia its first gold medal in the sport wasn't to be, as officials rushed forward to inform Davies that, on closer inspection of the finish photo, they had determined American Barton had actually won by five one-thousandths of a second -- the narrowest margin in Olympic history. And that's where Davies truly won his fans. Despite having been dealt that shattering blow, he calmly said words to the effect: ``If that's the worst thing that ever happens to me, I'll have a pretty good life.'' The Australian Olympic Federation later struck a special sportsmanship medal and awarded it to Davies to commend him on his gracious and belated defeat. He remains the only person to have received this medal.

London Olympics

'Women didn't try out for Olympics'

From: AP July 10, 20126:21AM

Sarah Kureshi, an American Muslim athlete, has pushed for Saudi Arabia to send women to the Olympics. The country agreed to the move but has now said no women tried out. Picture: AP Source: AP NO WOMEN from Saudi Arabia have qualified for the London Olympics, a newspaper from the Muslim kingdom reported. The story in the pan-Arab daily newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat - an important media tool for Saudi rulers said Saudi male athletes have qualified to compete in track, equestrian and weightlifting at the games that start in less than three weeks. There is no "female team taking part in the three fields," the report said, quoting an unidentified Saudi official. He said no female athlete had taken part in qualifying events in Saudi Arabia, which severely restricts women in public life. Saudi leaders have been under pressure to end the practice of sending all-male teams to international competitions. They could face IOC sanctions after the London Games if women are excluded from the country's Olympic team. The Saudi Embassy in London said two weeks ago that women who qualify will be allowed to compete. Last week, IOC President Jacques Rogge said he remains optimistic the Gulf kingdom will send women to the games for the first time.

London Olympics

Aussie gold losing lustre as our athletes hit the wall

by: Ben English From:The Daily Telegraph July 10, 201212:00AM

Seeing less of this at 2012 Olympics: Stephanie Rice's victory at Beijing in 2008. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith, File) Source: AP AUSSIE, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi ... what on earth is going on? Less than three weeks before the flame is lit in London, Australia faces the grim prospect of its worst Olympics result in two decades. A global analysis of performances across Olympic sports shows Australia has slipped to ninth in the international pecking order. That ranks us below nations we had comfortably swatted aside in recent Games - countries such as Italy, France, Japan and, perhaps most gallingly, Great Britain. According to data compiled by Dutch-based Infostrada Sports, our green and gold heroes will have a lot less gold and perhaps more shades of green - in envy at the former mother country.

The Brits are poised to parlay their home ground advantage into in estimated 19 gold compared with 10 for Australia, statistics show. The parlous situation is not lost on Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates, who traditionally has a wager with his British opposite number using champagne as currency. Based on the past 12 months' results, Coates recently remarked: "On those figures, I'd be down 23 bottles and a magnum. But there are signs we're closing the gap." Indeed despite the projections, it's not all doom and gloom in team Australia. Encouraging performances by our sailing crews, cyclists and rowers have given Coates cause for cautious optimism. "I wasn't that confident last year when I saw ... that we had dropped back from the 40 to 46 medals that we needed to be in the mix for the top five to 35 (projected medals)," he said last week. "(But) I have been pleased with what I have seen so far this year particularly in sailing and in cycling and in rowing and I'm aware that we'll get better results than we did last year in equestrian and shooting." Coates is hoping for 15 gold medals - up from the 10 that Infostrada is projecting - that would all but protect Australia's coveted top six ranking. If Infostrada is right, we will win the fewest gold medals since the 1996 Atlanta Games (nine) and have our lowest international ranking since Barcelona (10th). We are still forecast to win 39 medals overall, a fall of seven from Beijing. It's a far cry from our humiliation in Montreal, when our failure to win one gold medal sent us plunging to our worst performance in more than four decades, sparking such national uproar that then-prime minister Malcolm Fraser was moved to set up the Australian Institute of Sport. But it's also a long way from the heights of the Sydney Olympics when, swept up in the patriotism and euphoria of a home games, our athletes won 17 gold medals and an overall fourth ranking. Let the nail biting begin.

London Olympics

A venue guide for the London Olympics

by: Robin Millard From: AFP July 09, 20126:13PM

Olympic Stadium in full use during day two of the BUCS VISA Athletics Championships - a test Event for the Olympic Games. Source: Getty Images WE take you through the venues and stadiums that will host 36 events in and around London at this year's Olympics.

OLYMPIC STADIUM Capacity: 80,000 Sport: Athletics Venue: New, permanent Location: Olympic Park Unlike Beijing, the showpiece stadium, costing $735 million, has a simpler design, drawn up with a view to scale it down after the Games. The steel and concrete upper tier can be dismantled, leaving a 25,000-seater sunken bowl. Construction was completed under budget in March 2011. East London football club West Ham is the preferred bidder to take over the venue.

AQUATICS CENTRE Capacity: 17,500 Sports: Diving, Swimming, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo, Modern Pentathlon Venue: New, permanent Location: Olympic Park Designed by the architect Zaha Hadid, the $269 million centre has a 160-metre-long wave-like roof. It contains a 50-metre competition pool, a diving pool, and a warm-up pool. One of the few Olympic-sized pools in Britain, it will be scaled back to 2500 seats after the Games. It has a temporary, 5000-capacity water polo venue built on. All three pools completed and filled.

HOCKEY CENTRE Capacity: 15,000 Sport: Hockey Venue: New, temporary Location: Olympic Park The main pitch will hold 15,000 fans, with the second pitch having 5000 seats. The structures were finished in March. After the Games, the hockey centre will move to a 3000-seater facility north of the park that can be extended to 15,000 for major events. BASKETBALL ARENA Capacity: 12,000 Sports: Basketball, Handball Venue: New, temporary Location: Olympic Park The fourth-largest venue on the park and one of the largest-ever temporary venues built for any Games. Construction completed within the $43 million budget in June 2011. The frame of 20 steel arches has been wrapped in fabric to form the canvas for an innovative lighting display. After the Olympics, parts of it are expected to be reused or relocated elsewhere in Britain. HANDBALL ARENA Capacity: 6500 Sports: Handball, Modern Pentathlon (fencing) Venue: New, permanent Location: Olympic Park he distinctive, $66 million copper-clad arena will host the early handball rounds. The copper will develop a rich colour as it ages. After the Games, it will be converted into a multi-purpose indoor sports centre for community use. It has retractable seating. VELODROME Capacity: 6000 Sports: Track Cycling Venue: New, permanent Location: Olympic Park Designed by Hopkins Architects, the lower tier has 3500 seats, with the rest suspended in two upper tiers under the curved roof. In between, a glass wall will allow people to watch the action from outside. Costing

$141 million, it was completed in February 2011. Shortlisted for the Stirling Prize, Britain's most prestigious architecture award. OTHER KEY VENUES ALL ENGLAND LAWN TENNIS AND CROQUET CLUB Capacity: 30,000 Sport: Tennis Venue: Existing, permanent Location: Southwest London The home of the Wimbledon championships will host the entire tennis tournament. Centre court, dating back to 1922, has a 15,000-seater capacity and a retractable roof, enabling play during rain or bad light. Court one can host 11,500 spectators. The club hosted the 1908 Olympics at its pre-1922 venue. NORTH GREENWICH ARENA Capacity: 20,000 Sports: Gymnastics (Artistic, Trampoline), Basketball Venue: Existing, permanent Location: Southeast London Once known as the Millennium Dome, this arena cost a lot of money, but lay idle for years after the Year 2000 exhibition. Eventually taken into private hands, it was transformed into a highly successful sports and entertainment arena with shops, restaurants, a nightclub and a cinema. The main arena will seat 16,500 for the gymnastics, with the full capacity for the basketball finals. It has hosted sell-out NBA exhibition games and the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. ExCeL Capacity: Depends on configuration Sports: Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, Wrestling Venue: Existing, permanent Location: East London's Docklands Five arenas will be created in the Exhibition Centre London, an enormous grey rectangular box on the edge of the semi-derelict Royal Victoria Dock. The venue has two long exhibition halls of 32,250 square metres each. ExCeL is used to rejigging its space to host major events, including a G20 summit in 2009 and the British Motor Show. LEE VALLEY WHITE WATER CENTRE Capacity: 12,000 Sport: Canoe slalom

Venue: New, permanent Location: 30 kilometres north of Olympic Park The centre is built upstream on the River Lee, which runs through the Olympic Park. Opened earlier this year. A new, 10,000 square metre lake provides the 300-metre course with 15 cubic metres of water per second. It also has a 160-metre intermediate/training course. WEMBLEY ARENA Capacity: 6000 Sports: Badminton, Rhythmic Gymnastics Venue: Existing, permanent Location: Northwest London The concert venue, next to Wembley Stadium, was built for the 1934 Empire Games swimming events. It has hosted sports such as boxing, ice hockey, snooker and the Horse of the Year Show. The August 2011 Badminton World Championships will act as a test event.

MORE Outside London, football events will be held around Britain at Cardiff, Coventry, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle. Slalom canoeing will take place north of the capital, with rowing and sprint canoeing to the west and mountain biking to the east. The sailing events take place at Weymouth on the southern English coast

London Olympics

Lauren Jackson rates Opals teammate Liz Cambage as potential Olympic Games star

From: AAP July 09, 20126:31PM

Opals players Belinda Snell, Kathleen McLeod, Liz Cambage, Rachel Jarry, Kristi Harrower, Samantha Richards and Jenna O'Hea fly out for London from Tullamarine in Melbourne. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: Herald Sun OPALS skipper Lauren Jackson believes rising women's basketball talent Liz Cambage is ready to become a bona fide superstar at the Olympic Games. Cambage, 20, is already considered one of the sport's brightest talents. Jackson, who knows better than anyone the pressure of potential greatness at a young age, has taken Cambage under her wing in a partnership capable of finally driving the Opals to that elusive gold medal in London. Now 31, Jackson goes to her fourth Olympics having been the teenage wunderkind on the Opals team at the Sydney Games. She eventually grew into the world's best female basketballer, and believes 203cm giant Cambage can reach similar heights if she can channel her on-court aggression for good.

"I feel for Liz. When I was young, I know what it's like to have people 'body' you and pressure you on court," Jackson said. SHE is Australia's very own Big Bird, tall enough to eyeball West Indian skyscraper Joel Garner. "I definitely feel like I've taken her under my wing a little bit. "She's such a lovely person and I just think if you can get that toughness out of her on the court and keep her positive, she's going to be one of the best players in the world - she's unstoppable. "We've just got to keep her positive and keep her doing what she does. She just needs to feel no pressure and just go out and play." Jackson and Opals coach Carrie Graf believe the key to Cambage is keeping her "basketball thermostat" even. That involves making sure Cambage doesn't react recklessly to niggling tactics from opponents, and rack up needless and costly fouls. Both Graf and Jackson believe her stunning second half performance against world No.6 Brazil last month in a huge Opals win in Melbourne may have been a turning point. There she was needled by opponents early and was struggling, before exploding with eight-of-eight field goal shooting for 23 points and seven rebounds in limited minutes. "She's a work-in-progress ... but she had the mental skills to turn it around and come out and have that second half - that's huge," Graf said. "That's her biggest learning area." The Opals, who have won silver at the past three Olympics, departed Australia for England on Monday. The squad of 12 will have another training camp and several lead-up matches there ahead of their Games campaign. The Opals' Olympic opener is against Great Britain on July 29 (AEST).

London Olympics

Roger Federer ponders whether to carry Olympic flag for Switzerland

by: Darren Walton From: AAP July 10, 201212:00AM

Roger Federer holds up the winner's trophy after his Wimbledon triumph. Source: Getty Images TENNIS superstar Roger Federer has not decided whether to accept an offer to carry Switzerland's flag during the opening ceremony for the London Olympics. As he basks in the glory of a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon championship and return to world No.1, Federer revealed he may offer the honour to somebody else. The 30-year-old carried Switzerland's flag at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games and the smart money would be on the 17-times champion offering the honour to Davis Cup teammate Stanislas Wawrinka. Federer teamed with Wawrinka to win the doubles gold in China four years ago. "It's been offered to me, so I might give it to someone else,'' Federer said. "I haven't decided yet, but it should be announced in the next 10 days or so.'' The Olympic tennis competition, which is being held at the All England Club, starts on July 28 and Federer will be a favourite to back up his Wimbledon triumph with the singles gold medal.

The father of two also revealed he won't be staying at the Olympic village. "No village for me. I've done it twice,'' Federer said. "Athens, I believe when I was world No.1, it was distracting, I guess - in a good way. "Look, I've had the Olympic experience now in the past. I just thought it's impossible for London. "I've almost got to do now what I do best, do my routine really, not change because it is the Olympics. "Sometimes you have to do it that way. I stayed at the hotel in Beijing, felt a bit odd, making it seem like it's just another tournament - but that's how I got an Olympic gold and I look at that as one of my great, great accomplishments in my life. "So I will do the same here for this one and rent the same house and do the same routine again in, whatever, 20 days and hopefully be successful.''

London Olympics

Giggs to captain Team GB at Games

From: AFP July 09, 20126:29AM

Manchester United's Ryan Giggs will lead the British team on the pitch at the Olympics. Picture: AP Source: AP MANCHESTER United veteran Ryan Giggs has been named as captain of the British soccer team at the London Olympics. Giggs is one of three over-age players in Stuart Pearce's side at the 2012 Games. "Obviously I have experience and there are a lot of younger players in this squad, as captain hopefully I can pass that on to the younger players," the winger told www.thefa.com. Giggs has never played in a major international tournament with Wales but at the club level he has won 12 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League crowns. He also won 64 caps for Wales before retiring from international soccer in 2007. Giggs' compatriot Craig Bellamy and Manchester City defender Micah Richards are the other two over-age players in the squad. They were picked ahead of David Beckham whose non-selection provoked debate. Giggs will lead out Team GB for the first time when they face Brazil at the Riverside Stadium on Friday, July 20. "Ryan Giggs is going to be captaining the squad for the duration of the tournament," Pearce told the Press Association.

"I looked at the squad and I thought there are some good candidates there. "Aaron Ramsey captains Wales, Micah Richards has captained Manchester City at times, Craig Bellamy for the experience he's had and one or two others within the camp as well. "But I think Ryan is the standout captain amongst the group. He has got the respect of all the members of the group and I am quite looking forward to working with him and alongside him."

London Olympics

Stars turn out for the US Dream Team

From: AFP July 08, 201212:19PM

LeBron James laughs with teammate Chris Paul during a Team USA practice session in Las Vegas Source: AP KOBE Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant will head the famous US Dream Team at the London Games. The injury-hit US named its 12-man basketball Olympic squad today with Blake Griffin, Andre Iguodala and James Harden nabbing the final three roster spots. "We projected we would have difficulty getting down to a roster of 12, regardless of the number of injuries that have taken place, because they are such an outstanding group of people and athletes," USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. "The final selections keep us in concert with our game plan to have athleticism, versatility and strong depth on our roster. I think our final roster epitomizes all of that." James, coming off his first NBA title with Miami, will be joined by 2008 Olympic gold medal-winning teammates Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Once again the team will be guided by Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Durant and Oklahoma City teammate Russell Westbrook, who lost to Miami in the NBA Finals, will be joined by 2010 world championship teammates Tyson Chandler and Kevin Love, two vital big men for the Americans. Missing out as the final selection was made were Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay and top draft selection Anthony Davis of New Orleans, who could not scrimmage this week because of a sprained ankle. Chris Paul retained his place despite suffering a sprained thumb on the first day of training camp on Friday. Twenty years after the original US Olympic Dream Team played in Barcelona, the latest incarnation of US NBA Olympic talent will return for exhibition games against Argentina on July 22 and Spain on July 24. USA squad: Carmelo Anthony ( New York Knicks), Kobe Bryant ( Los Angeles Lakers), Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Blake Griffin ( Los Angeles Clippers), James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers), LeBron James ( Miami Heat), Kevin Love ( Minnesota Timberwolves), Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder), and Deron Williams ( Brooklyn Nets).

London Olympics

Rolling on to London for our Paralympic stars

by: Amanda Lulham From:The Daily Telegraph July 05, 2012 2:14PM

We want this again- the Rollers after winning the gold medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games Source: AFP ROLLERS coach Ben Ettridge has declared his team "ready for battle'' ahead of the London Paralympic Games. Only two new players have forced their way into the Gliders line-up for the Paralympics where the Australian men's wheelchair basketball team is favourite for gold. "We're ready. The last four years we've been preparing ourselves for this moment," said Ettridge who has Brad Ness captaining the side in his fourth consecutive Paralympics and Bill Latham and Jannik Blair heading to their first. But the Rollers coach is aware Australia will have to overcome some tough opposition to repeat their gold medal winning feat of four years ago. "We've drawn the USA and they'll be a tough one, as will Italy and Turkey who have proven their performance on the world stage recently,'' he said. "They could give us a good shake while we believe Spain could cause a few upsets and could be quite dangerous."

While the Rollers are chasing a repeat of history the Gliders are hoping to create some as the first women's team to secure a Paralympics gold medal. Queenslander Bridie Kean will lead the team which has been drawn against Brazil, Great Britain, Canada and the Netherlands in London. "Canada beat us at the World Championships in the bronze medal game and although we've since gotten back on top of them, they will be a tough side to beat, as will the Netherlands, who historically have beaten us by just a few points on a few occasions,'' said Gliders coach John Triscari said. "We've worked really hard to improve the team's shooting percentage, we've had strength and conditioning coaches working with the girls to up their fitness and we've increased the volume of shooting during training. "Hopefully all the hard work the girls are putting in now will pay off in London.''

London Olympics

Swimming Australia announces funding deal to reward swimmers for Olympic medals and improved world rankings

From: AAP July 02, 201210:11PM

Breaststroker Leisel Jones off to her 4th Olympic games , the first swimmer in the history of Australian swimming to do so. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph AUSTRALIA'S swimmers will be rewarded for winning Olympic medals and improved world rankings under a new funding deal announced by Swimming Australia on Monday. All members of Australia's swimming team bound for the London Olympics starting this month will receive an initial share of more than $750,000 to assist in their final preparations for the Games. Swimming Australia said the new arrangements will also lead to financial and training support for a greater number of athletes. In addition to the initial payment, athletes will be eligible to earn financial performance bonuses based on their medal and finals achievements in London. SA said an individual gold medal will be worth $35,000, and a relay gold medal valued at $60,000, to be shared across both heats and finals swimmers.

IAN Thorpe is the richest Australian swimmer in the history of the sport but he has had no hesitation putting his hand out for funding. SA President David Urquhart said the funding and support model was crucial to maintaining and improving on Australia's success in the pool and rewarding those athletes who perform on the world stage. "Our previous model was based around national rankings, as opposed to world rankings and international performance, and we need to put our limited resources towards aiming for international success," Urquhart said in a statement. "It's a clear vision of the organisation to be the world's leading swimming nation by 2016 and to achieve that goal we need to make decisions in the best interest of performance, by rewarding those who are successful on the world stage." World 100m freestyle champion James Magnussen said the incentives were personally irrelevant when it came to chasing Olympic medals, but more support for world rankings made sense. "Olympic medals are something you grow up dreaming about, long before you think you might be able to make a living out of sport," he said. "In all honesty my incentives for success in London are personal and in no way financial, but I see merit in rewarding success at international meets, especially if as a team we aim to return to the top of world swimming."

London Olympics

Michael Phelps qualifies for fifth individual event at US Olympic trials

From: Reuters July 02, 2012 3:05PM

Michael Phelps qualified for a fifth individual event with victory in the 100m butterfly. Picture: Getty Images MICHAEL Phelps finished off his London preparations in emphatic style today when he qualified for a fifth individual event on the penultimate night of competition at the US Olympic trials. The 14-times Olympic gold medalist, still showing no signs of weariness after a draining week of highpressure racing, powered home over the last lap to win the 100 metres butterfly final in 51.14 seconds. It was the 27-year-old's fourth consecutive win of the trials after he finished second to Ryan Lochte in the 400m medley final on Monday and ensured he would contest his usual heavy eight-event schedule in London, with the addition of the three relays. "It was a fun week but there are still a lot of things that need to be perfected," Phelps said. "It shows that I can do it in a program at a high level again. I was struggling over the last few years." Lochte sliced half a second off his personal best time to finish third in the 100m butterfly, an event he normally does not swim, but missed out on another berth for London when Tyler McGill grabbed the second

qualifying spot. Lochte, whose rivalry with Phelps promises to be one of the highlights of London, had already qualified in four individual events plus at least one relay. Missy Franklin, the new spearhead of the American women's team, qualified for a record seventh event in London after winning the women's 200m backstroke.

The 17-year-old from Colorado never gave her rivals a chance as she stormed to victory in 2:06.12 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year and more than a second ahead of runner-up Elizabeth Beisel, who also qualified in the 400m medley. If Franklin stands on the podium in every race, she will become the first female swimmer from any country to win seven medals at a single games. "When I think of my biggest dream it would be competing in the Olympics in as many events as I possibly can," she said. "I think I achieved that this week, so accomplishing that biggest dream at this age is so exciting." Another bright teenage star surfaced from the temporary pool in America's Midwest when 15-year-old Kathleen Ledecky won the 800m freestyle, the longest event on the women's program, ahead of Kate Ziegler. Ledecky slashed more than five seconds off her best time in leading from start to finish to stop the clock at 8:19.78, the second fastest time in the world this year. She heads to London as the youngest member of a deeply talented American swim team overflowing with medal contenders. "Four years ago I never knew how to qualify for an Olympics Trials," Ledecky said. Anthony Ervin, who won gold at the Sydney Olympics 12 years ago, rolled back the years to qualify second in the 50m freestyle, behind Cullen Jones. The 31-year-old retired from swimming in 2003 but made a comeback in the hope of making the team for London and he succeeded when got his hand on the wall in the nick of a time. "I just want to keep this fun train chugging," he said. The trials wrap up on Monday with just two events, the men's 1,500m freestyle and the women's 50m freestyle where 45-year-old Dara Torres will be bidding to qualify for her sixth Olympics.