US claim basketball gold, Ugandan marathon (Overall World Roundup)

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 12: Gold medallists Kevin Durant #5 of the United States, Carmelo Anthony #15 of the United States, LeBron James #6 of the United States and Kobe Bryant #10 of the United States celebrate following the medal ceremony for the Men

London, Aug 13 – Kevin Durant scored a game-high 30 points as the US edged Spain 107-100 to retain the Olympic men’s basketball title while marathon runner Stephen Kiprotich claimed Uganda’s first Olympic gold medal in 40 years.

The US topped the medal standings with 46 gold and 104 overall. China was second with 38 gold, 27 silver and 22 bronze and Britain finished third with 29 gold medals and 65 in all, the best ever results for the hosts, reports Xinhua.

The Americans have won 14 gold medals in the 17 Olympic men’s basketball tournaments they’ve entered and were unbeaten in London. Russia beat Argentina 81-77 for the bronze medal.

However, the Spanish pushed the star-studded defending champions to the limit, leading late in the third quarter as Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro combined for 45 points before they were forced to settle for silver.

LeBron James had 19 points and Kobe Bryant added 17 for the US against Spain. Pau Gasol led Spain with 24 points on the final day of the London Games.”We have an incredible team, we love when it gets tight,” James said.

“That’s when our will and determination shows. It was the same in 2008 when we played against those guys, who are a great team and much respect to them.”

Kiprotich’s victory in the marathon was Uganda’s first Olympic gold since John Akii-Bua’s triumph in the men’s 400-meter hurdles at the 1972 Games in Munich, and just its second in history.

Kiprotich, 23, finished the 42.195 km race in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 1 second. Kenyans Abel Kirui, the world champion, and Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich were second and third respectively.

“All I can say is that I am happy to win a medal for my country. I love my people and in Uganda we are very happy because we had not won the gold medal in a marathon race before,” said Kiprotich.

Britain’s Anthony Joshua won the gold medal in the men’s super-heavyweight boxing class, beating defending champion Roberto Cammarelle of Italy.

Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez Carrzana won the flyweight gold, beating Tugstsogt Nyambayar of Mongolia on points. Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine took the lightweight gold after defeating Soonchul Han of South Korea.

Russia’s Egor Mekhontcez beat Kazakhstan’s Adilbek Niyazymbetov in the light-heavyweight category, and Kazakhstan’s Serik Sapiyev defeated Britain’s Freddie Evans in the welterweight event.

In rhythmic gymnastics, Russia beat Belarus and Italy to win the gold medal.

Japan’s Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu won the wrestling gold medal in the men’s 66 kg freestyle category, overcoming a dehydrated yet spirited Sushil Kumar of India, while American Jake Varner won the 96 kg division.

Russia beat Brazil 3-2 for the men’s volleyball title, France beat Sweden 22-21 in the men’s handball final and Croatia beat Italy 8-6 in water polo final.

The last gold of the 302 medal events went to Lithuania’s Laura Asadauskaite in the women’s modern pentathlon, bringing the curtain down on the 16 days of competition.