Summer Olympics 2012, Day 4: Event Results And More

American gymnast Jordyn Wieber was crushed when she didn’t qualify for the Women’s All-Around competition for the 2012 Summer Olympics, due to the rule allowing only two competitors from each country to move on. Weiber wound up finishing fourth in the individual all-around with a score of 60.032, behind two of her American counterparts.

Wieber missed on one of her goals in the individual all-around, but that disappointment was quickly washed away with the sound of “The Star Spangled Banner” and the feeling of a gold medal being placed around her neck.

Michael Phelps entered the day sitting on 17 total medals, just one shy of tying the record of 18 set by Larisa Latynina of the then Soviet Union. Phelps was able to tie the record with a silver medal in the Men’s 200m fly, just narrowly missing out on gold, before breaking the record by anchoring Team USA’s gold-medal performance in the Men’s 4x200m relay.

Phelps didn’t sound disappointed with his performance in the 2012 Games, which included a disappointing fourth-place finish in the 400m individual medley earlier in the week, despite failing to meet lofty expectations.

A stacked field in the women’s 200m freestyle final wasn’t nearly enough to stop Allison Schmitt. Schmitt dominated the pool on Tuesday, setting a new Olympic record and giving the United States the overall medal lead.

After Missy Franklin bolted to the lead in the first 50 meters, Schmitt overtook her countrywoman, and led from 100 meters on, finishing in a lightning-fast 1:53.61. France’s Camille Muffat, the silver medalist, was nearly two seconds behind at 1:55.58.

Maiya Maneza of Kazakhstan set an Olympic record lifting a total of 245 kg between the snatch and the clean and jerk Tuesday during the women’s 63 kg weightlifting final at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Maneza beat out Russia’s Svetlana Tsarukaeva, who took silver lifting a total of 237 kg. Canada’s Christine Girard took bronze at 236 kg.

Maneza took second in the snatch to Tsarukaeva, lifting 110 kg to 112 for the Russian. She dominated the clean and jerk, however, putting up 135 kg to equal the Olympic record. Maneza attempted two lifts at 144 kg for the world record, but it wasn’t to be. It didn’t matter, however, as her combined weight was more than enough to give Kazakhstan its third gold medal in London thus far.

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Canadian Milos Raonic in the longest tennis match in Olympic history on Tuesday, 6-3, 3-6, 25-23 in a nearly four hour second-round match.

The previous longest set played in the Olympics was 38 games, set in women’s doubles during the 1988 Games when Carling Bassett-Seguso and Jill Hetherington of Canada topped Mercedes Paz and Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina 7-6, 5-7, 20-18.

South Korea’s Kim Jae-Bum won the gold medal in men’s half-middleweight judo (81kg) defeating Ole Bischof of Germany in the finals, scoring twice by yuko (a throw which places an opponent on their side).

Kim got revenge for the Beijing gold medal match in 2008, which he lost to Bischof. Since that time he has established himself as the top judoka at this weight class, winning gold at both the 2010 and 2011 World Judo Championships. Bischof has fallen off somewhat since his 2008 gold, but had a strong performance to earn a somewhat unexpected silver.

Slovenia has something to be proud of Tuesday morning as Urska Zolnir was able to earn the country their first gold medal in women’s judo. The 63-kilogram judoka defeated China’s Lili Xu in the final on Tuesday morning, earning the victory for her throw in the first minute of action despite both combatants remaining on the offensive throughout the match.

Zolnir, who works in the Armed Forces according to her bio on the 2012 London Olympics website, was one of the more experienced judokas in this year’s games. The 30-year-old had took home the gold medal in the same division at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, but was unable to medal in Beijing -- despite being her country’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony that summer.

Frenchman Tony Estanguet captured the gold medal in men’s whitewater canoe slalom for the third time on Tuesday. Germany’s Sideris Tasiadis took silver and 2008 gold medalist Michal Martikan of Slovakia claimed the bronze.

Estanguet won with a time of 97.06 seconds on a perfect run, winning by more than a second. Tasiadis clocked a time of 98.09 and Martikan came in at 98.31 seconds. The three men were clearly the class of the field as fourth place (Spain’s Ander Elosegi) came in at a time of 102.61.

China struck gold again on the diving platform on Monday. In women’s synchronized diving 10m platform, Chen Ruolin and Wang Hao blew away the competition for the nation’s third gold medal in diving of the 2012 Olympics.

Ruolin and Wang ended up with a massive 368.40 for their five dives, which outpaced Mexico’s silver medal team of Paola Espinosa and Alejandra Orozco Loza by 25.08 points. The gap between the Mexican team and the fifth-place Australia team, by contrast, was just 21.60 points.

The Germans continue to display their superiority in equestrian, taking home the gold and bronze medals in the individual eventing after winning the gold in the team event.

Michael Jung, riding Sam, took home gold. Sweden’s Sara Algotsson Ostholt won silver on Wega, and Sandra Auffarth took bronze on Opgun Louvo. Zara Phillips, the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth and 13th in line for the crown, finished in 8th.

The roof is closed and tennis is being played at Wimbledon as part of the Olympics tennis tourney. Well, some tennis, as most of it is being rained out, delayed and otherwise hurt by the fact that it rains in England.

Andy Murray didn’t bring home a British victory at Wimbledon, but he’s through to the third round after beating Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen, 6-2, 6-4, not losing on his own serve. He’ll play against Cyprus’ Marcos Baghdatis, who upset the ranked Frenchman Richard Gasquet, 6-4, 6-4, earlier in the day. Later in the day, Andy Roddick will play against Novak Djokovic.

Tuesday’s schedule at the 2012 Summer Olympics brings with it the possibility of record-breaking history. Michael Phelps, a swimming enthusiast, is set to compete in the men’s 200m fly, his signature event. If he wins, he’d become the first male swimmer to win gold in the same individual event at three straight Olympics (he won in both Athens and Beijing).

But any medal would give Phelps a career total of 18, equaling the record currently held by former-Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. Phelps could then have a chance to break that mark less than an hour later, assuming he’s included on the U.S. team in the 4x200m free relay. (He was part of the world record foursome in Beijing).

The fourth day of the 2012 Olympic Games happens Tuesday in London. The United States will open the day tied with China for the overall medal count lead and looking to close the gap in total gold medals.

Tuesday’s marquee event will be the gold medal finals in women’s team gymnastics, although there will of course be a full day of action, including plenty of gold medal swimming events. Swimming, gymnastics and diving will take up the lion’s share of NBC’s prime time coverage.