Olympic gold for Sally Pearson and Anna Meares overnight, bronze for Annette Edmondson, and the Kookaburras crushed Pakistan 7-0 to move into the semi-finals of the men’s hockey against Germany.
Now that’s more like it.
Courage, conviction, and competiveness, the very core of Australian sport, surfaced in London for the green and gold.
It’s taken 11 days, but better late than never.
Sally Pearson was in control from the gun. On her inside were the two Americans Kellie Wells, the only person to beat her in 36 starts, and the defending champion from Beijing, Dawn Harper.
Just 12.35 seconds later, Sally Pearson had set a new Olympic record in heavy rain, both Harper and Wells had posted PBs, and both were the first to congratulate the Australian: Wells with a huge hug, Harper with sustained applause and a beaming smile.
Sally said afterwards: “I was so pumped up that I said this has to be mine. I was so nervous beforehand, but so ready. I wasn’t going to let anybody stop me”.
And they didn’t, no way. Pearson 12.35, Harper 12.37, Wells 12.48.
In a perfectly judged performance of sheer precision hurdling, Pearson held her nerve to become the seventh Australian woman to win Olympic gold on the track after Shirley Strickland, Maureen Caird, Marjorie Jackson, Betty Cuthbert, Debbie Flintoff-King, and Cathy Freeman – the fourth hurdler after Strickland, Caird, and Flintoff-King.
Olympic champion, world champion, and the current IAAF woman athlete of the year: Sally Pearson.
It doesn’t get any better than that, and deservedly so.
Anna Meares’ sprint final clash with Great Britain’s darling of the velodrome, Victoria Pendleton, also lived up to its titan image.
The first of the best of three went to the Australian despite the Brit winning. She was relegated for illegally riding inside the red line to the finish.
But there was no doubt about the second, comprehensively won by Anne Meares for the gold and warmly congratulated by her arch rival.
Earlier at the ‘drome, 20-year-old Annette Edmondson won her bronze in the gruelling six-event Omnium over two nights.
Right throughout she was a contender and a very worthy medallist with a big future. Brit Laura Trott won gold with 18 points from American Sarah Hammer (19), and Edmondson’s 24.
Shane Perkins was in the form to be a genuine contender for gold in the men’s Keirin final, but was boxed in a lap from home and couldn’t get out to finish fifth of six.
A special mention of Team GB’s king of the velodrome, Sir Chris Hoy.
In his last Olympic appearance, he sensationally won the Keirin to bring his career gold medal tally to six, one more than champion rower Sir Steve Redgrave, to become Britain’s most successful Olympian to go with his nine world championship golds and two Comm Games.
A magnificent athlete.
Sir Chris’ golden swansong saw the end of cycling competition at the 30th Olympiad.
Great Britain dominated with seven gold, one silver, and a bronze, for nine medals. And despite below par performances, Australia was second with a gold, a silver, and three bronze for five medals.
Germany, France, and China each won three medals.
Other Australian performances overnight:
The women’s water polo team was beaten 11-9 in overtime by the USA in their semi final. The Aussies will play-off for bronze.
Kathryn Mitchell qualified for the javelin final with 60.11, but Kim Mickle’s 59.23 wasn’t enough.
Henry Frayne’s 16.94 was 17th among the triple jump qualifiers, but only the top 12 made the final.
In the men’s triathlon final, Courtney Atkinson finished 18th with 1.49.49, Brad Kahlefeldt 32nd with 1.50.23, and Brendan Sexton 35th with 1.50.36.
In a rare podium look, Brit Alastair Brownlee won gold, and younger brother Jonathan the bronze, bookending Javier Gomez’s silver from Spain.
A huge crowd, estimated at 250,000, lined both sides of the last section running course creating a great atmosphere.
Get ready tonight for what looms as a cracker of women’s 200 final: USA – Sanya Richards-Ross 22.30, Allyson Felix 22.31, and Carmelita Jeter 22.39 head-to-head with Jamaica – defending champion Veronica Campbell-Brown 22.32 and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 22.34.
Observation:
The tragedy of the Games so far has been Liu Xiang, China’s favourite athlete, who won gold in Athens in an Olympic record time that still stands, crashing into the first of the 110 hurdles and tearing his Achilles tendon.
He hopped on one leg to the exit.
A boofhead official turned him away without offering to help, pointing to the far end.
So Liu hopped the full length of the hurdles course to thunderous applause before the semi winning Brit Andrew Turner and Spain’s Jackson Quinonez came to Liu’s assistance.
It was a disgraceful sight seeing the respected champion being treated with such disdain by an official who should have known better.
London 2012 Olympics – Day 12 Gallery
[roargal]
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Should be no problem in this wet weather over SE Asia?!!!
DC of nz
Guest
Congrats to the Aussies ..!!! From a bloody kiwi ....
Mac
Guest
Amazing stuff from both girls and you gotta love the matter of fact and honest manner in which sally conducts herself during interviews. A true champion!
Worlds biggest
Guest
Also good luck to the kayak boys racing the final tonight, K 1000.
Worlds biggest
Guest
Congratulations to Sally & Anna on magnificent performances, champions always step up when it matters. Great stuff girls. Anna Meares up against the hometown favourite and bitter rival must have been very sweet. It was great sportsmanship by Pendleton offering warm congrats and a hug. Likewise the American girl who took silver behind Pearson, very gracious and stoked to win a silver, it was great to see. Also congrats to Annette for winning bronze in the cycling. The Brits are undisputed kings of cycling at the Velodrome and on road. Good luck to Steve Hooker and Edwina Tops-Alexander tonight.
Axelv
Guest
Additionally, Targett should have won gold and deservedly, the only reason why he didn't was because the Canadian did illegal dolphin kicks to go that little bit faster, and should have been disqualified. The judges didn't see it live and they can't disqualify in hindsight.
Axelv
Guest
It wasn't luck. While sprinting for the finish you must stay behind the line, the rules are very clear, Anna was clearly the faster of the two over taking Vicki on the outside lane and she got slowed down because Vicki crossed lanes, loosing by .001 of a second or whatever it was. The better rider won, it wasn't luck.
Axelv
Guest
Fantastic mental strength shown by the men's basketball team against Russia. Our women are more likely to win medals because there is less competition and eveness compared to the men. The amount of depth in men's events is incredible. This isn't to take anything away from our women, it is insanely hard to win gold in any event. I don't think it's fair however to label and disgrace the men, if you were to do that to the women it would be sexist. Just remember the majority of the world does not believe in equal opportunity, and this translates well into their female athletes. Still I'm so happy for our recent golds, in Sailing and now Anna and Sally, very well done and they've done our nation proud, we're almost in the top 10 all of a sudden!
Albo
Guest
A damn Goldrush ! Thank God yachties are now sportsmen !
hardsy
Roar Pro
Think Meares was very lucky during the first heat of the gold medal match, but the head judge has been very strict during the cycling meet. Meares proved to the world how good she was in the second heat when she outsmarted Pendleton tactically.
heart of sydney
Guest
The Guardian UK has alternative medal tables http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/series/london-2012-olympics-data and more stats than you can hope to absorb in a lifetime
sheek
Roar Guru
James, The important thing (for us) is that Sally finished in front. Harper ran her best PB & Sally her second best PB & still won. You see it all the time at the Olympics, often the difference between winning & losing can be as small as a fingernail width!!! (Adrian over Magnussen).
tonysalerno
Roar Guru
A turning point in Australia's Olympic campaign; congratulations to the girls outstanding efforts in their sports.
jameswm
Guest
Yeah Sally was clearly in front early, Harper was coming back in the middle, and just the lisghtest loss of balance I reckon at the end. whether or not she would have won, I don't know. An incredible run though. Sally set the bar very high last year, and gave the Yanks and others a year to chase her. they did very, very well, getting as close as they did. I think I heard that's the fastest non-winning time ever, including the drug-eras, and done in wet, coll conditions with a marginal headwind.
jameswm
Guest
Still can't help it, can you Brendon? This was Sally's 2nd fastest ever. Her fastest ever was in last year's world champs final, in much better conditions. There have been a helluva lot of Americans running well below their best too, you realise. You can't look at one or two, you have to look at the whole lot. Tyson Gay was comfortably below his best.
JVGO
Guest
Hopefully James can have a chat with Sally about how to stay focused for four years and turn silver into gold.
jameswm
Guest
That's a pretty clear win in sprinting terms (if not Bolt-esque). It surprised me how well Harper ran. Sally's time in those conditions was exceptional, and she only just won it.
sheek
Roar Guru
James, As someone involved in athletics & sport in general, you would be aware of the compromise between finding extra speed but retaining technique. Harper was looking for more speed, & in doing so, might have pushed the envelope a tad too much, sacrificing her technique on the last hurdle. In Harper's mind, she had to go for it. But she was also over the moon getting silver anyway. You can't beat doing a PB in the final. Good of you to pick it up, I was only ever watching Sally!
sheek
Roar Guru
Richo, I think the judges took their time purely to be safe. To the naked eye it's a bit of a blur. But when you view the stills of the finish, Sally won clearly, or clear enough to be sure of it. There's a still from the finish with straight vertical lines drawn from the front of each torso. Look for example, how close together 4th & 5th are as a comparison.
The High Shot
Roar Pro
Wonderful to have them representing us.