Gators in the Olympics - August 17
Sunday, August 17, 2008 | General
Former University of Florida sprinter Aaron Armstrong advanced in the men's 200-meter run and several former Gator athletes competed in the sports of basketball and track & field on Sunday at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Basketball
In its final preliminary round game, the 2008 U.S. Women's Olympic Team (5-0) needed 10 minutes to warm up to another blowout, compiling a 21-0 second quarter run before cruising to a 96-60 win over New Zealand (1-4) Sunday night at Wukesong Arena in Beijing, China.
Former Gator DeLisha Milton-Jones played 13 minutes, connecting on both of her field goal attempts for four point, in addition to collecting three defensive rebounds and dishing a pair of assists.
Team USA ended the first half on a 21-2 run, during which Milton-Jones tallied the final two points during the USA's game-breaking run that helped the red, white and blue assume a commanding 50-24 halftime lead.
Tina Thompson (Houston Comets) topped four U.S. scorers in double digits with 15 points, followed by 13 points from Katie Smith (Detroit Shock), 12 points from Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx) and 11 points from Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever).
Track & Field
Armstrong (Trinidad and Tobago), competing for Trinidad/Tobago, won his heat in the first round of the men's 200-meter run in a time of 20.57 to advance to the event's semifinals.
Former Florida sprinter Novlene Williams-Mills (St. Ann, Jamaica) came up just short in the semifinals of the women's 400-meter run, finishing third in her heat in a time of 51.06.
Williams-Mills, competing for Jamaica, was participating in the second Olympics of her career, after also competing in the 2004 Athens Games.
2008 Gator Medal Count: 8 (2 Gold, 3 Silver, 3 Bronze)
| Gator | Country | Sport | Event | Time | Medal |
| Caroline Burckle | U.S. | Swimming | 800-meter free relay | 7:46.33 | Bronze |
| Ryan Lochte | U.S. | Swimming | 200-meter back | 1:53.94 | Gold |
| Ryan Lochte | U.S. | Swimming | 800-meter free relay | 6:58.56 | Gold |
| Ryan Lochte | U.S. | Swimming | 200-meter IM | 1:56.53 | Bronze |
| Ryan Lochte | U.S. | Swimming | 400-meter IM | 4:08.09 | Bronze |
| Dara Torres | U.S. | Swimming | 400-meter medley relay | 3:53.30 | Silver |
| Dara Torres | U.S. | Swimming | 50-meter free | 24.07 | Silver |
| Dara Torres | U.S. | Swimming | 400-meter free relay | 3:34.33 | Silver |
-Go Gators-
