Sandy Morris of the United States, silver medalist at the world indoors, took silver on a countback at the same mark and Eliza McCartney won the bronze in a New Zealand national record 4.80.
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In the other semifinal, Spain eased past Serbia 68-54, and, while delighted to be assured of their first women’s Olympic basketball medal, they were sanguine about their chances to defeat what they consider a “dream team”.
“Before you go to an Olympics you don’t know what it’s going to be like”, said Mariya Koroleva, two-time Team USA Olympic synchronized swimmer.
The U.S. led only 40-36 at halftime but outscored France 25-8 in the decisive third quarter to finally get some separation from the team that they beat in the 2012 gold medal game.
There are very few things in sports that are a sure thing, but the United States women’s basketball team winning their sixth straight gold medal is as close as you can get.
It is not clear if the veteran guard will be ready to for Saturday’s final. Spain is already guaranteed its first Olympic medal in women’s basketball. Auriemma started the fourth quarter with Bird, Taurasi and Catchings on the court and the game in hand. She missed the semifinal win over France as she was recovering from a sprained right knee capsule. “We have so many scorers, and she finds a way to get everyone in their spots, to get everyone touches, and she sacrifices her own offense for that.I think we figured it out in the second half”.
“I think they made a decision to play basketball, and when they decide it’s hard to stop them, at least in one-on-one”, French center Isabelle Yacoubou said. “You don’t want to put yourself in danger”, Bird said. “Long term is great, short term is getting better”.
She’s one of three captains – with Taurasi and Bird.
Catchings, a forward, said she had imagined herself being an Olympian when she was younger, but she never imagined doing it four times and winning.
“I’m not going to be dumb about it”.
Dressed in a blue sweatsuit, Bird was anxious on the bench. “They’re one of the top teams every year, and we know that”. Im not going to do anything stupid..
“[The older guys] are not shy to share wisdom, and we aren’t shy to ask”, said Josh Samuels, a rookie on the Team USA men’s water polo team. Taurasi then hit consecutive three-pointers – her first points of the game – as the Americans scored 10 straight.
The U.S. will now face Spain in the gold medal game. The U.S. also picked Spain’s pocket 13 times and forced 23 total turnovers.
US boxer Shakur Stevenson has reached the bantamweight final after Russian semifinal opponent Vladimir Nikitin was ruled out because of an injury.
The United States averaged 30 assists per game prior to the semifinal, but without Bird, they only notched two dimes in the first half. “I think our post players did a really great job, especially Syl (Sylvia Fowles) down low”.
The test for Spain will be to do what no team has been able to do in Rio: put together a full game against the U.S. France trailed by four, 40-36. This version of the USA womens Olympic team has been simply incredible.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Team USA took on France in a heated match to qualify for the Final round of Olympic play.
Saturday’s contest will be the last Olympic game for Tamika Catchings, who is retiring at the end of the WNBA season next month. Bird and Diana Taurasi have also hinted this will probably be their Olympic finale as well.
“That’s the elephant in the room that no one is talking about”, Taurasi said.
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“We’re going to have to win the game”.
