Gators in the Olympics - August 23 (corrected)
Saturday, August 23, 2008 | General
Gators collected FOUR more medals at the 2008 Olympic Games on Saturday, competing in the sports of baseball, basketball and track. Former UF stars Matt LaPorta, DeLisha Milton-Jones, Kerron Clement and Novlene Williams-Mills increased the Gators' 2008 Olympic medal haul to 14.
Saturday was the final day current and former Gators were competing in the 2008 Olympic Games. A total of 33 athletes and four coaches participating had ties to the University of Florida, combining to win five gold, four silver and five bronze medals in China.
In the last 11 Olympiads (since 1968), 142 different student-athletes have represented 34 different countries and have claimed 90 medals, including 43 gold, with a total of 85 of those overall medals coming since 1984 in Los Angeles.
Basketball
DeLisha Milton-Jones scored three points, hitting her only field-goal attempt and her lone free-throw try as the U.S. Women's Olympic Team (8-0) crushed all comers on its way to undefeated Olympic gold, including previously unbeaten Australia (7-1) with a 92-65 blowout in the gold medal game on Saturday night at Wukesong Arena in Beijing, China.
First-time Olympian Kara Lawson led the way with 15 points off the bench, followed by 14 points from the USA's only consecutive four-time gold medalist, Lisa Leslie. Candace Parker also tallied 14 points, while Sylvia Fowles added 13 points.
The win marked the USA Women's fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal finish, as well as its third consecutive win over Australia in the Olympic gold medal game.
The Olympic medal was the second for Milton-Jones, who also draped gold around her neck in 2000. She was selected as a member of the 2004 team, but a knee injury shortly before the games began prevented her from competing.
In all, the Gator women's basketball program has three Olympic medals to its credit, with Tammy Jackson also bringing home a bronze with the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team.
DeLisha Milton-Jones (Univ. of Florida/Los Angeles Sparks) told USA Basketball: What does this gold medal means to you?
“It means everything to me. Being in this situation is great sometimes and sometimes it's very humbling. I've learned a lot about myself and a lot about these young women I've played with over the past couple of weeks now. We've been fierce competitors for a long time now in the WNBA and in Europe as well. But to be on a team united for one thing, I've seen the trueness of each person. I've seen them be as loving and kind and considerate and team players that I've ever seen in my life. I was probably my lowest in my career coming off of the bench and sometimes not even seeing the floor. But they were such an inspiration to me and I'm just grateful to have them and to be able to share this moment with one of the best teams USA Basketball has ever put together.”
Baseball
Matt LaPorta collected two hits, including a solo homer, to lift the U.S. Olympic baseball team to the bronze medal with an 8-4 victory over Japan on Saturday at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
A four-run fifth inning, highlighted by Taylor Teagarden's two-run double and a two-run homer from Jason Donald, helped lift the U.S. Olympic baseball team to an 8-4 win over Japan, clinching the bronze medal for Team USA.
LaPorta (2-for-4) and Matt Brown added home runs as well, as the U.S. rallied from an early three-run deficit to earn the victory. Team USA finished Olympic competition with a 6-3 record.
Down 4-1 entering the bottom of the third inning, the U.S. mounted its rally on the back of a three-run homer by Brown. Brian Barden would reach base to lead off the inning on a dropped fly by left fielder Takahiko Sato. After a walk to Jayson Nix, Team USA tied the game when Brown launched a homer to left-center, after fouling off several full-count pitches from Japan starter Tsuyoshi Wada. The home run tied the game at 4-4.
With the score still tied in the bottom of the fifth, the U.S. went ahead by four runs on the back of two key two-out RBI hits from Teagarden and Donald. With runners on the corners, Teagarden laced a double off the wall in right center scoring Brown and Nate Schierholtz giving the U.S. a two-run cushion. That lead would then extend to 8-4 as Donald ripped a two-run homer off the left field foul pole.
Track and Field
Novlene Williams-Mills ran the anchor leg of Jamaica's bronze-medal-winning 4x400-meter relay team, which crossed the tape at a season-best 3:20.40. Williams-Mills,
Williams-Mills paired with Shericka Williams (50.88), Shereefa Lloyd (49.32) and Rosemarie Whyte (50.34), taking the baton to finish her part in 49:86.
The U.S. team captured the gold, while the Russian Federation took silver.
Kerron Clement was part of the United States men's 4x400-meter relay team that finished first in its heat and third overall in the event's first round in a time of 2:59.98.
Clement, participating in the first Olympic Games of his career, ran the second leg of the relay that also included David Neville, Regi Witherspoon and 400-meter hurdle Gold Medalist Angelo Taylor.
He did not run in the final, but receives a medal as a member of one of the heats that resulted in a medal. The U.S. quartet of LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville and Jeremy Wariner carried the baton in Olympic-record time to capture the gold.
It was the second medal of the 2008 Olympic Games for Clement, who claimed the sliver medal in the 400-meter hurdles.
2008 Gator Medal Count: 14 (5 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze)
| Gator | Country | Sport | Event | Time/ | Medal |
| Caroline Burckle | U.S. | Swimming | 800-meter free relay | 7:46.33 | Bronze |
| Kerron Clement | U.S. | Track & Field | 400-meter hurdles | 47.98 | Silver |
| Kerron Clement | U.S. | Track & Field | 4x400-meter relay | 2:55.39 | Gold |
| Matt LaPorta | U.S. | Baseball | Team vs. Japan | W, 8-4 | 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 |
| DeLisha Milton-Jones | U.S. | Basketball | Team vs. Australia | W, 92-65 | Gold |
| Heather Mitts | U.S. | Soccer | Team vs. Brazil | W, 1-0 | Gold |
| 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 |
| Novlene Williams-Mills | Jamaica | Track | 4x400-meter relay | 3:20.40 | Bronze |
-UF-
