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Posts tagged as “Gold Medal”

Allyson Felix and Usain Bolt Win IAAF Athlete of the Year Awards

By goodblacknews on November 25, 2012
Allyson Felix and Usain Bolt

Olympic gold medallists Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix have won the male and female athlete of the year awards.  Both athletes were honored by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) at a ceremony in Barcelona on Saturday.  Jamaican Bolt, who retained his 100m and 200m titles in the London Olympics, is the first man to win the award four times  Felix won three gold medals and claimed the award ahead of Britain’s Jessica Ennis, who was on the shortlist.

Serena Williams Beats Sharapova to Win WTA Championship

By goodblacknews on October 29, 2012

ISTANBUL — After smacking her 40th and final winner of the match on a forehand service return on championship point, Serena Williams clenched her left fist, then punched the air with her right. She then skipped to the net as winner of the WTA Championships for the third time, having defeated Maria Sharapova, 6-4, 6-3, in the final Sunday. After the two shook hands, Williams turned and waved to the crowd on all sides of the sold-out Sinan Erdem Arena, a crowd that brought a level of noise and enthusiasm to the championships far exceeding previous events.

“Now that I can be honest, I really wanted to win and win this title and put a little pressure on myself,” Williams said in her postmatch news conference. “Yeah, I wanted it so bad, but I didn’t want to say it. I’m really excited that I was able to win it.”

Williams added: “I was like a heavy favorite going in to win this title, so for me it was really important. I mean, for my own sanity, so to say. I really wanted it, even though I didn’t need it. Like I don’t think I needed to do anything else this year — or any other year — but I really wanted to end on a good note.”

Ugandans Celebrate First Olympic Gold Medal In 40 Years

By goodblacknews on August 15, 2012

Ugandan Olympic Gold medallist marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich, holding the Ugandan flag centre accompanied by Education and Sports Minister Jessica Alupo, centre left, inspect a guard of honor, at Entebbe International Airport 42 kms from the capital Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday Aug. 15, 2012. Kiprotich’s win has been deeply felt in Uganda, which had not won gold since the Munich Games in 1972. Lawmakers are considering a motion that declares Kiprotich a national hero, his employer has promised to promote him at work. (AP Photo/ Stephen Wandera)
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s only medal winner at the London Olympics cried tears of joy as hundreds of people welcomed him home on Wednesday with celebrations of music and dance in honor of the African nation’s first gold since the 1972 games in Munich.

Claressa Shields Wins First-Ever Gold Medal For U.S. Women’s Olympic Boxing

By goodblacknews on August 10, 2012

LONDON  — U.S. middleweight Claressa Shields won the Olympic gold medal Thursday, capping her swift rise to the top of women’s boxing with a 19-12 victory over Russia’s Nadezda Torlopova.
The 17-year-old Shields shuffled, danced and slugged her way past her 33-year-old opponent, showing off the free-spirited style and brute strength that made her unbeatable at the London Games.
Shields even stuck her tongue out at Torlopova after ducking a few punches in the final round.
The teenager won the 12-member American team’s only gold medal in London. The winningest nation in Olympic boxing history got no medals from its men’s team for the first time, and flyweight Marlen Esparza won a bronze.
Shields has been on the international boxing scene for less than two years, but the Flint, Mich., native is among its fastest-rising stars. She lost early in the world championships, yet still qualified for the Olympics.
via Claressa Shields Boxing | Breaking News for Black America.

Brittney Reese Wins Gold In Long Jump For Hometown Gulfport

By goodblacknews on August 10, 2012

Three years after Hurricane Katrina devastated her hometown, Brittney Reese hoped to give Gulfport, Miss., a medal in the Beijing Games.
She came up short, and was crushed.
“When I placed fifth, I was devastated and cried the whole way back to the (athletes) village,” she said. “I had the whole Gulf Coast behind me … I wanted to come out there and do that for them.”
She delivered four years later with a long-awaited gold medal in the long jump. She repeatedly recalled the struggles her family had been through after Katrina, which produced rains that collapsed the roof on her home and displaced the family for several months.
“We had mold and we were living out of mobile homes and trailers,” she said. “It was a tough time and unless you realize how blessed you are to have neccessities — we didn’t have hot water, and it was hot and we didn’t have air conditioning. It was a real true eye-opener and my city is now rebuilt and we have most of the stuff back.
“But we don’t have a lot of the homes back. This was a great way for me to bring something home to them to show that we can all do this together.”
via Brittney Reese wins gold for hometown Gulfport | theGrio.

Allyson Felix Takes Olympic Gold in 200 Meter Sprint

By goodblacknews on August 9, 2012

LONDON (AP) — Allyson Felix finally won an individual Olympic gold medal, gliding home with her effortless stride to take the 200 meters and end the stranglehold of Veronica Campbell-Brown on the event.

Serena Williams Wins Olympic Tennis Singles, Gets Golden Slam

By goodblacknews on August 4, 2012

Serena Williams demolished Russia’s Maria Sharapova 6-0 6-1 to grab Olympic tennis singles gold on Saturday, becoming the first player in the sport to win all four grand slams and an Olympic title in both singles and doubles.  Having completed the career “golden slam”, the unstoppable American, who dropped just 17 games in her six Olympics singles matches, is now making plans away from tennis.  “I’ve won everything. Now I can go to Disneyworld,” said the 30-year old, laughing.

Gabrielle Douglas Takes Gold In Women's All-Around!

By goodblacknews on August 2, 2012

 

Congratulations to Gabrielle Douglas for becoming the first African-American woman to win the coveted All-Around Olympic Gold Medal in gymnastics!  To read the rest of the story and see video, click below:
Gabby Douglas takes gold in women’s all-around – USATODAY.com.

Gabrielle Douglas Takes Gold In Women’s All-Around!

By goodblacknews on August 2, 2012

 

Congratulations to Gabrielle Douglas for becoming the first African-American woman to win the coveted All-Around Olympic Gold Medal in gymnastics!  To read the rest of the story and see video, click below:

Gabby Douglas takes gold in women’s all-around – USATODAY.com.

Gabrielle Douglas Helps Women’s U.S. Gymnastics Team Win Gold

By goodblacknews on July 31, 2012

The Americans grabbed hands and backed up, eager to get a better view of the scoreboard.
There really was no need. That Olympic gold medal was in the bag the minute they took the floor.

The U.S. women’s gymnastics team celebrates its first Olympic title since 1996.

The Americans lived up to their considerable hype and then some Tuesday night, routing silver medalist Russia and everybody else on their way to their first Olympic title in women’s gymnastics since 1996. Their score of 183.596 was a whopping five points ahead of Russia and made their final event, floor exercise, more like a coronation. Romania won the bronze.