EYES ON LONDON:
Gabby's back; US-less 400m final

[August 06, 2012]  LONDON (AP) -- Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:

MORE GOLD FOR GABBY?

With two gold medals in her pocket already, Gabby Douglas is back for more.

The dynamic gymnast who helped the Americans to their first team gold since 1996 and then won the all-around competition returns to action on the uneven bars on Monday.

Douglas also competes on the balance beam on Tuesday, giving her a chance for four golds in these London Games. She's also hoping to avoid disappointment after McKayla Maroney, the overwhelming favorite in the vault, wound up with a silver on Sunday.

--Jon Krawczynski
http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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STREAK IS OVER

For the first time since 1980, the Olympics will feature a men's 400-meter gold medalist who is not from the United States.

The gold medal has stayed in the United States for seven straight Olympics, dating back to Alonzo C. Babers' win in 1984. The U.S. boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games, meaning they haven't lost an Olympic 400 in which they participated since 1972.

But defending champion LaShawn Merritt has a hamstring injury that knocked him out, and the Americans did not get a qualifier out of the semifinals on Sunday.

That opens the door for Kirani James of Trinidad and Tobago to break the streak.

--Jon Krawczynski
http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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TO END A JINX

It's been 11 years since Canada beat the United States in women's soccer, and the Canadians know it. They're 0-22-4 in the last 26 matches, and will get another crack at the mighty Americans on Monday in Manchester.

The Canadians have only three victories in their history against the United States, and coach John Herdman thinks the one-sided rivalry is in his players' heads.

"They know there's something there. There's a little fear there that we've not done it for a while," Herdman says.

A win over the U.S. would guarantee Canada its first top-three finish at an Olympics or World Cup. It would also be the country's first Summer Games medal in a sport other than rowing or equestrian since 1936.

--Joseph White
http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

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BOLT TO GATLIN: ENOUGH TALK

Whatever Justin Gatlin said to get under Usain Bolt's skin probably wasn't a good idea.

After Bolt dusted Gatlin in the 100 final, he said the American was talking a little too loosely leading into the race.

"For me Justin has been saying a lot," Bolt says. "I wanted to run against him in the semifinals. I was praying to get him in my semifinals, but I didn't. People can talk a lot and say what they want, but showing up and doing what you got to do is a different thing. For me, it's all business."

Gatlin took the bronze, and was just fine with that.

"I went out there to challenge a mountain," he says.

--Jon Krawczynski
http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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AMERICANS REGROUP

Lithuania gave the Americans a scare in their last game. Now LeBron James and Co. face a team even more talented.

Team USA plays Argentina on Monday, looking to reassert themselves after nipping Lithuania 99-94 on Saturday. Carmelo Anthony says the game woke them up and they're ready to get back to dominating.

"It was a little bit tighter than what we expected," Anthony says. "Lithuania was focused, and it kind of caught us on our heels. We won't get caught on our heels again."

Argentina features NBA stars Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola, who lost one game to France in pool play.

-Jon Krawczynski
http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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BOLT TWEETS

Hours after winning a second consecutive Olympic gold in the 100 meters, Usain Bolt took a moment to tweet a message of support for injured Jamaican teammate Asafa Powell.

Bolt -- whose handle is (at)usainbolt -- wrote: "Respect bossy..hope u get well soon.. You started this Jamaican take over (at)officialasafa"

Powell, who held the 100 world record from 2005 until Bolt claimed it in 2008, pulled up with a groin injury Sunday and finished last in the dash. Bolt won in an Olympic-record 9.63 seconds.

What's not clear is whether Powell will be able to help Bolt and Jamaica try to defend their title in the 4x100 relay. That event's heats are Friday night.

"I got out of the starting blocks and stumbled," Powell said Sunday at the stadium. "I reinjured my groin and I couldn't push."

--Howard Fendrich
http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

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FIGHTIN' IRISH

More than half of Ireland's 23 Olympic medals have been won in the boxing ring. Better make that 24.

We don't know yet whether bantamweight John Joe Nevin will get gold, silver or bronze. But courtesy of his 19-13 quarterfinal win Sunday night versus Oscar Valdez of Mexico, he's certain to win Ireland's first medal of the London games -- a fact that sent London's sweat-infused, pint-to-chest Irish House into a beer-spilling frenzy of hopping humanity.

"You'll never beat the Irish!" many in the crowd inside Ireland's official London Olympic venue chanted in the main bar and on the rooftop terrace after Nevin's victory was announced. Things were less insane in the basement, which has been decorated with 1950s wallpaper and comfy chairs to look like the living room set of cult 1990s Irish priest sitcom "Father Ted."

Irish fans screamed at the three big-screen TVs in the main bar as Nevin, ahead in the points, was floored by a solid Valdez blow to the ribs in the third, final round. Much of what was said at that moment cannot be reprinted in a family publication. Nevin scrambled to his feet to rural Irish-accented encouragements of "C'mon, ye boy ye!"

--Shawn Pogatchnik
http://twitter.com/ShawnPogatchnik

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FEELING FOR FENCING

Fencing has captured fresh imaginations in London.

Whether it is the heavier thrusting epee sword, the light, whippy foil or the slashing saber, it appears to have intrigued the locals here in the same way it might have attracted attention in Athens at the first Olympiad.

Fencing has been at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern games in 1896.

In London, spectators -- some just knee-high -- spent the intervals between bouts on the final day of competition thrusting, slashing and stabbing at similarly amateurish opponents with bendy blue plastic swords just outside the arena.

"Allez!" came the calls from instructors or parents to start them off.

There were then lines of beginners -- old and young -- learning the basic forward lunge attack in formation ahead of the men's team foil finals. Back foot stable, forward with the front foot and thrust out the sword. That's fencing 101.

Once you got inside, the top-level bouts on the pistes -- long, thin mats 14 meters (yards) long and 1.5 to 2 meters wide -- were a mind-boggling flurry of lightning-fast strokes and swipes. At times, it was exquisite skill.

Attack, block and counter: lunge, parry and riposte.

--Gerald Imray
http://twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP

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GOLDEN CAMP MOMENT

The Jacksonville Jaguars ended practice in a most unusual manner on Sunday -- they watched the wife of one of their players win Olympic gold.

Not only did the Jaguars allow cornerback Aaron Ross to leave the team and be in London to watch his wife in person at Olympic Stadium, but the entire team huddled back home to watch the race as well.

Sanya Richards-Ross didn't let them down, either -- winning gold in the 400 meters.

"Well, that was a good way to finish practice," Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey said. "That was a neat experience for the players. I don't think any of them knew the outcome."

Mularkey invited the 1,200 fans at practice to watch the tape of the race with the team. He had the Jaguars video department tape the race off of a live Internet showing, as NBC wasn't going to broadcast the race until later in the evening.

Aaron Ross is expected back with the team in a couple days.

"This brought us a little closer as a team," Mularkey said.

--Tim Reynolds
http://twitter.com/ByTimReynolds

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NEXT CAREER

American swimmer Tyler Clary says he's considering a career as a race car driver when he hangs up his Speedo.

The gold medalist in the 200-meter backstroke said he's attended races at the track in Fontana, Calif., and, last year, participated with an off-road racing team.

"I want to take a serious shot at being a professional race car driver after swimming's over," Clary said on Sunday night's "Wind Tunnel" program on Speed Channel.

"It's funny because when you initially tell people that, you get laughs, complete surprise, but I know that this is something I could be really good at and, like I said, I want to take a serious shot at it."

He attended the IndyCar race at Long Beach this year. He also spent time with the CEO of the Skip Barber Racing School and is trying to find a way to participate in some of their programs.

"There's also the possibility of a shootout in January where I could compete against some other regional hotshots," Clary said. "If I had a way of saying, as far as racing goes, this is what I'll be doing after swimming is over, I'd be in a Formula One car. But I'm the type of guy that's ... just get me in a car and I'll be happy. If it's an Indy car, a rally car, a stock car, off-road racing would be amazing, too. Any of that stuff. I just really have a passion for auto racing and I really want to drive."

--Jenna Fryer
http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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ENGLAND SUPPORTERS BAND

They're loud, they're proud and they certainly know how to move a crowd.

The England Supporters Band has been following Britain's athletes around the Olympic Park for the past few weeks banging drums and blasting their trumpets, lifting crowd spirits wherever they go.

The band was founded when leader John Hemmingham took a bugle into a soccer game in 1993 to support his favorite team, Sheffield Wednesday.

The band is made up of more than 20 musicians, but there are rarely more than four playing at any time.

At the London Olympics a drummer, a trumpeter, a trombone player and a euphonium player perform a selection of the more than 100 songs in their repertoire to maintain the crowd's support level.

"We never practice the songs," drummer Steve Holmes said.

But they do give some forethought to what they play. In the men's hockey game between Britain and Argentina, the band played "Rule Britannia," cheered on by the crowd.

"We've had many duels with Argentina," Holmes said. "We're a bit cheeky with them."

--William Haydon
http://twitter.com/wwhaydon

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BOTTLE TOSS

A plastic bottle was thrown on the track of the men's 100-meter final about a second before the start, landing about 10 meters behind the runners.

Scotland Yard said a suspect is being held on suspicion of causing a public nuisance. Police said the 40-year-old man was heard shouting abusive language before he threw the bottle. His name was not immediately released.

Several runners said they didn't know about the bottle until reporters told them about it afterward.

The bottle bounced a few times and came to rest in the lane occupied by Jamaica's Yohan Blake, who finished second in the race.

"I was so focused, I didn't see anything," Blake said.

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NOTE: "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the Games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports.

[Associated Press]

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