2008 Beijing Games Day 7

U.S. silver medal winner Christian Cantwell screams after tossing a shot during the finals of the men’s shot put.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Shalane Flanagan of the U.S. raises the American flag after winning the bronze medal in the women’s 10,000-meter race.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Shalane Flanagan of the U.S. is in disbelief after winning the bronze medal in the women’s 10,000-meter at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Kerron Clement of the U.S. easily wins the men’s 44-meter hurdles in Round 1 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

USA’s Lopez Lomong passes runners to win the men’s 1,500 meter in Round 1.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Runners pace themselves in the women’s 10,000 meter.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba, left, passes Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey on the final lap to win the gold medal in the women’s 10,000 meter.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Runners cross water during the qualifying round in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

USA Volleyball’s Danielle Scott-Arruda, left, and Kimberly Glass try to block the shot of China’s Hao Yang in the first set of a Pool A preliminary at Beijing’s Capital Gymnasium.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The women’s volleyball team of the U.S. celebrate after scoring a point against China midway through the second of five sets. The U.S. beat China three sets to two.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

China’s Yimei Wang towers over USA defenders as she spikes the ball during a preliminary women’s volleyball match.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Volleyball player Kimberly Glass of the U.S. dives to save the ball with the encouragement of teammate Nicole Davis during a match against China.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Volleyball teammates Robin Ah Mow-Santos, left, Tayyiba Haneef-Park and Danielle Scott-Arruda are ecstactic after beating China 3-2.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. kayaker Heather Corrie struggles to stay up as she falters in the kayak K1 final. She finishes eighth.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Slovakia kayaker Elena Kaliska speeds down Beijing’s slalom course on her way to an Olympic gold medal.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Elena Kaliska is overcome with happiness as she clinches the gold medal in the women’s kayak K1 final at Beijing’s Rowing-Canoeing Park.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Natsia Liukin* of the U.S. soars on the uneven bars during the women’s all-around individual at the Beijing Olympics.

*An earlier version mispelled Natsia Liukin’s name as Luikin.
  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Nastia Liukin* gives a winning performance on the balance beam at the women’s gymnastics all-around.

*An earlier version mispelled Natsia Liukin’s name as Luikin.
  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Liukin moves onto the floor exercise in the women’s all-around.

*An earlier version mispelled Natsia Liukin’s name as Luikin.
  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Liukin* is on her way to gold during her the floor exercise in the women’s all-around in Beijing.

*An earlier version mispelled Natsia Liukin’s name as Luikin.
  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Nastia Liukin of the U.S., shown in her floor exercise routine, earns an overall score of 63.325 and clinches the gold medal in the women’s all-around.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Shawn Johnson, also from the U.S., competes on the uneven bars during the women’s all-around.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Shawn Johnson does a filp on the balance beam in the women’s all-around.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Johnson dazzles on the balance beam in the women’s all-around... but her overall score was not enough to beat teammate Nastia Liukin. Johnson scores 62.725 for the silver.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Women’s all-around gold medalist Nastia Liukin hugs Liang Chow, the coach of silver medalist Shawn Johnson, background. The bronze goes to China’s Yang Yilin.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Ryan Lochte, center, and Aaron Piersol, top, compete in the 200-meter backstroke at the National Aquatics Center. Lochte edges out Piersol for the gold.  (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)

Aaron Piersol, right, the defending Olympic champion of the 200 backstroke and Ryan Lochte, both of the U.S., are head to head in the final lap. Lochte beats Piersol by 0.39 seconds.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Ryan Lochte celebrates his win after setting a world record of 1:53.94 in the 200-meter backstroke.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte is congratulated by friends and family after receiving the gold medal for his world record win in the men’s 200-meter backstroke at Beijing’s National Aquatics Center.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Michael Phelps of the U.S. holds a lead over teammate Ryan Lochte early in the third leg of the men’s 200-meter individual medley.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Michael Phelps sets a world record of 1:54.23 in the men’s 200-meter individual medly, taking home his sixth gold of the Beijing Olympics.

>.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Natalie Coughlin is the first to hit the water for the women’s 100-meter freestyle final. She finishes third.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Rebecca Soni of the U.S. heads into the final few meters in the women’s 200-meter breastroke. Soni logged a time of 2:20.22 for the gold, finishing nearly two seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Rebecca Soni celebrates a win over Leisel Jones of Australia, right, in the women’s 200-meter breastroke.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)