Boston University at the 2012 London Olympic Summer Games Blog
July 27, 2012 | General
July 27, 2012
During the 2012 London Olympic Summer Games, fans can come to this page to stay updated on the six Terriers who will be participating this year. GoTerriers.com will be providing schedules, updated results, links to articles and more.
Also, rising BU senior swimmer Megan Happ will be providing a blog of her adventures in London. She is part of a study abroad program in which she and 13 other BU students will be covering the Olympics for local and regional media outlets, including the Boston Globe. For more information on her program, click here.
NOW LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
Boston University Student-Athletes at the 2012 Olympics
| Name | Sport | Country | Medals | NBC Olympics | |
| Brett Brown '83 | Men's Basketball (head coach) | Australia | Link | @AussieBoomers | |
| Ella Gunson '14 | Field Hockey | New Zealand | Link | @BlackSticks | |
| Jozef Klaassen '07 | Men's Rowing | Netherlands | Link | @JozefKlaassen | |
| Meindert Klem '10 | Men's Rowing | Netherlands | Link | @Hollandtwee | |
| Florian Mennigen '06 | Men's Rowing | Germany | Gold (Men's 8) | Link | |
| Rachael Vanderwal '06 | Women's Basketball | Great Britain | Link | @RachVanderwal |
OLYMPIC GAMES SCHEDULES/RESULTS & ONLINE VIEWING LINKS (All times Eastern)
| Name | Sat. (July 28) | Sun. (July 29) | Mon. (July 30) | Tues. (July 31) | Wed. (Aug. 1) |
| Brett Brown (MBB) | Brazil: L, 75-71 | Spain: L, 82-70 | |||
| Ella Gunson (FH) | AUS: W, 1-0 | S. Africa: W, 4-1 | |||
| Jozef Klaassen (MROW) | M8 Heat 2: 3rd of 4 | M8 Rep: 3rd of 6 | M8 Final: 5th of 6 | ||
| Meindert Klem (MROW) | M2- Heat 2: 3rd of 4 | M2- Semi: 6th of 6 | |||
| Florian Mennigen (MROW) | M8 Heat 2: 1st of 4 | M8 Final: 1st of 6 (GOLD) | |||
| Rachael Vanderwal (WBB) | AUS: L, 74-58 | CAN: L, 73-65 | RUS: L, 67-61 |
OLYMPIC GAMES SCHEDULES/RESULTS & ONLINE VIEWING LINKS (All times Eastern)
| Name | Thu. (Aug. 2) | Fri. (Aug. 3) | Sat. (Aug. 4) |
Sun. (Aug. 5) |
Mon. (Aug. 6) | Wed. (Aug. 8) | Fri. (Aug. 10) |
| Brown (MBB) | CHN: W, 81-61 | GBR: W, 106-75 | RUS: W, 82-80 | USA: L, 119-86 | |||
| Gunson (FH) | ARG: L, 2-1 | USA: W, 3-2 | GER: T, 0-0 | NED: T, 2-2 (L, 3-1 SO) | GBR: L, 3-1 | ||
| Klem (MROW) | M2- B: 5th of 6 | ||||||
| Vanderwal (WBB) | FRA: L, 80-77 OT | Brazil: L, 78-66 |
ESSENTIALS TO FOLLOWING THE OLYMPICS
Here are the links you will need to fully immerse yourself into the Olympic experience.
1) This is the first time in history that fans will be able to watch ALL of the competitions live. For TV listings, click here. For online viewing links, click here. For more information, check out Sports Illustrated's Guide to Viewing the Olympics.
2) Check out our Olympic Game Previews: Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Field Hockey and Men's Rowing.
3) Get Twitter updates from @BUAthletics. Check out our list of Twitter accounts to follow during the Olympics at https://twitter.com/#!/BUAthletics/bu-at-the-olympics.
4) If you would like to follow the 14 BU students who are covering the Olympics in London, follow them on Twitter at @BULondon2012 and @BUJOlympics. Read BU Today's story on the group by clicking here.
DAY 17: SUNDAY, AUG. 12
10:15 p.m. ET UPDATE
Hard to imagine that it's all come to an end. We hope you've enjoyed following our blog these last two weeks. This entry will conclude with Megan Happ's fourth and final post, but first, a handful of items to pass along.
To recap, three people with a degree from Boston University earned a medal. A member of the men's rowing team, Florian Mennigen ('06) led the way by claiming gold in the men's eight with Germany. A member of the club equestrian team, Kamal Bahamdan graduated in 1994 with a degree in engineering. Competing in his fifth Olympic Games, he helped Saudi Arabia claim its first-ever medal in show jumping with a bronze in the team event before placing fourth in individual jumping. Finally, Natalie Dell, who rowed at Penn State but earned her master's in public health here, claimed the bronze for the United States in the quadruple sculls.
Congrats to them along with Rachael Vanderwal ('06), Brett Brown ('83), Jozef Klaassen ('07) and Meindert Klem ('10) for fulfilling their Olympic dreams! Of course, there is also Ella Gunson ('14), who will be joining the field hockey team this upcoming season.
If you want to see a list of all the 2012 medal recipients, click here.
Boston University has a rich history at the Summer Games, especially in track and rowing.
Check out BU Hall of Famer David Hemery's victory in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1968 Mexico City Games. The Guardian named his win the No. 25 Most Stunning Moment in Olympic history.
BU Athletic Hall of Famer Janet Moreau Stone ('52) claimed gold running a leg on the 4x100-meter relay team at the 1952 Helsinski Games. She even served as a team chaplain for the 2008 U.S. team. Earlier this week, she reflected on her Olympic experience. Read her story here.
Three years ago, we honored fellow Hall of Famer John Thomas ('63) for the 50th anniversary of him becoming the first-ever athlete in the world to break the seven-foot barrier indoors in the high jump. Watch him setting a world record here and here. He won the bronze in 1960 and the silver in 1964.
Men's crew members Ted Nash ('55) and Ted Moellenkamp ('86) won gold in the coxless fours and men's eight, respectively.
Lynne Jewell ('81) won gold in sailing in 1988. Read her story here.
There are so many other Olympians that we are proud to call our own.
Now, on to Happ's blog! On Saturday, she caught up with Mennigen for a video interview. Enjoy!
Megan Happ's Blog #4
At the beginning of this trip, I asked myself what the Olympics meant to me, or to anyone for that matter. Over the course of the London 2012 Games, the answer to that question for me has changed drastically. My eyes have been opened to many new ideas about the Games and their meanings. The Olympic Games is obviously the biggest sporting event in the world. Yet, it is so much more than just an athletic competition.
During the final days of my journey here, I spent a lot of time talking to people from not just Great Britain, but all over the world. Each and every one of these people could tell me what their favorite Olympic moment from these games was. Many people referred to athlete icons like Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt; those weren't too surprising. However, far more people chose different moments, moments that many people may over look, achievements that have more value attached to them than what they show on the TV.
One British woman told me her favorite moment from these Games was when Grenada won its first-ever Olympic medal. This woman had no connection to Grenada, yet seeing another country succeed meant much more to her than her own country's success. It was a compilation of moments like this that got me thinking a little bit deeper about the Olympics and their meaning to people across the world.
I was privileged to meet up with BU's very own gold medalist, Florian Mennigen (CAS '06) this week. We talked about his experiences here in London, his gold medal performance in the men's eight boat, and his dreams coming true at these Games.
However, what was truly eye opening about my conversation with Florian was his perspective on being in the Olympic Village with the world's elite. Simply put, all of those athletes are just normal people with extraordinary talent. These athletes have jobs, families, and lives outside of their sports. Being in the Olympics is a stepping-stone in their life; it is not, by any means, all they have to live for.
This trip has shown me why the Olympics are so important to the world and why every four years we tune into our TVs to watch these athletes compete. The Olympic Games give people something to hope for, something to be a part of. We root for these athletes because they are one of us, representing not just a city or a state but an entire nation. So much emotion is invested in the Olympic Games, whether you are an athlete or a fan.
We are elated when we see our athletes succeed, and we feel the disappointment when they fall short of their goals. Visa hit the nail on the head when it comes to the Olympics; there may be thousands of athletes and hundreds of countries at the Olympics, but in the end, the Olympics is a celebration of the world coming together.
It has been amazing to be a part of such a thrilling and fulfilling experience. These Games will always hold a special place in my heart and I could not have asked for a better six weeks in London. Until Rio 2016, I leave you with Visa's all too perfect tagline - Go World!
DAY 15: FRIDAY, AUG. 10
3:00 p.m. UPDATE
Joining BU's field hockey team this fall as a junior, Ella Gunson concluded her first appearance at the Olympic Games with a loss today in the bronze medal contest. After a scoreless first half, the world's No. 4 Great Britain got on the board early and added two more goals before finishing with a 3-1 victory for the country's first medal in the event since 1992 against No. 6 New Zealand.
To watch the replay, click here.
Seeing 30 minutes of action, Gunson helped the Black Sticks record their highest finish ever (fourth) at the Olympics. There won't be much time spent looking at the good right now because of the last two heartbreaking defeats. The Black Sticks earned a 2-2 draw in the semifinals against the world's best in the Netherlands but fell in the shoot out, 3-1.
New Zealand Herald: Black Sticks miss out on bronze
New Zealand Stuff: Women's Black Sticks feel the pain of defeat
Though there are no more events to follow for Terrier Nation, do check back at the end of the weekend. We still have Megan Happ's final blog entry and a couple of more interesting nuggets of information to pass along.
For example, did you know that BU Hall of Famer Jose "Cheche" Vidal ('84) competed for Venezuela at the 1980 Olympics? The team finished with a 1-2 record in group play, losing to Cuba (2-1) and the Soviet Union (4-0) before earning a 2-1 win against Zambia.
Vidal earned All-America Third Team honors in 1981 and concluded his collegiate career with First Team accolades in 1983. He would later enter the technology field and serve as World Cup USA's vice president in charge of technology at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Read an article on his experiences by clicking here.
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DAY 14: THURSDAY, AUG. 9
2:00 p.m. UPDATE
BU senior swimmer Megan Happ is in the final week of her study abroad experience at the London Olympics. Fans can expect her fourth and final blog entry this weekend.
Megan Happ's Blog #3
It's been a week since my last blog post and quite a lot has been going on in London with the BU interns. From covering events and athletes to going behind the scenes of the Games, I've seen a whole new side to the Games.
We were able to get a field trip to Getty Images at the Olympic Media Center here in London, home to all the media outlets (except for NBC who has its own building). Getty Images was absolutely amazing; we were able to see where all the thousands of photographs are edited and processed. Some photographers showed us their huge lenses used to capture every single moment of an event. We were also able to experience the latest photographic technology: 3D photos. These were stunning, the extra dimension that Getty added so much to the image.
I was also privileged to meet with three different athletes this week and interview them. The best part about this was that they were all very different interviews providing me with new perspectives on these Games. First was Ruben Sanca, a UMass-Lowell graduate and runner for Cape Verde. He is one of just three athletes representing Cape Verde.
Next was Will Miller, a Northeastern graduate and member of the USA Men's 8 Boat that placed 4th in the Games. The cool part about Will's interview was I also got to meet with his parents. His father was the head coach at BU in the 1980s and a rower in the 1972 Munich Games, making Will the second in his family to be an Olympian.
Finally, I met with Sarah Scherer, a USA rifle shooter who placed 7th in the Games. Sarah's story is unique because she has overcome a serious family tragedy over the past two years, but through dedication, has gotten herself to the 2012 Olympic Games. All three of these athletes taught me a lot about what the Olympic Games mean to them and what they have done to achieve greatness. It's amazing to think that every single athlete at these Games has a different background and story, and I only heard three of these stories.
To wrap up these past couple of days, I attended the women's and men's triathlon events and the women's marathon. These events, once again, filled the streets of London with fans from all over the world eager to see an Olympic event and support their country's athletes. I can't stress enough how excited and enthusiastic all of the spectators have been throughout these games. Rain or shine, hundreds and hundreds of people wait for almost two hours to see these athletes run or bike by them for all of 10 seconds. It is an amazing sight.
I still have a lot to do and see with these last couple of days coming up fast. Keep checking back as I will be meeting up with our very own BU alum Florian Mennigen to talk about his gold medal experience this weekend. Don't forget to look at boston.com and follow my internship group @BUJOlympics!
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9:00 a.m. UPDATE
BU's very own women's lacrosse head coach Liz Robertshaw is in London soaking up the sights and sounds of the Olympic Games. Check out what she has to say about her time across the pond:
Hello Terrier Nation!
Thanks for letting me be a guest blogger for the day! I know I am no Olympic athlete, but being surrounded by so many of them on the street, watching them compete live and listening to the Star Spangled Banner during the medal ceremonies can certainly play tricks on the mind!
I've been lucky enough to be over here in London for six days now, or since "Day 8" in Olympic speak, and while the weather hasn't been much to write home about, the sights, sports and experiences sure have been. Obviously there are so many things for a first time traveller to London to see, from Big Ben & Parliament to Borough Market and the "Eye," but lucky for me my sister lives here and I've seen those plenty of times so it's all Olympics (and Olympic Houses) all the time!
If you've never been to an Olympics, let me pass along this little tid bit - a majority of the larger nations sponsor hospitality houses to boost viewership, tourism and simply to make things pretty fun for fans. Each day we've hit up a couple of the houses and while no athletes (that I recognize at least) have been spotted, the food, gear and sense of each nation has me feeling like I have done a world tour! I have to tip my hat to Brazil whose exhibitions, shop and nightly plaza concerts has certainly made people excited for the Rio 2016 games! But enough about the sights, here's a little run down of some sport...
You've seen it on NBC coverage, the beach volleyball court they put in the middle of the Horse Guard Parades by Buckingham Palace. Yea, well it's even cooler and more unbelievable in person. You walk in through St. James Park which has stunning floral displays and waterways, which on the typical day you might stroll around for a few hours and have lunch like a day spent on the Boston Common. However this is no typical day. Roughly 15,000 people are making their way next to you towards the booming music all in anticipation of watching tonight's games, highlighted by the now three-time gold medalists Misty May-Treanoer and Kerri Walsh. When I learned that we were going to see them compete live, I knew I could check off something from my sporting bucket list. And let me tell they did not disappoint!
From my second to last seat in the house, think last row of Agganis and it's pretty on point, I see every serve, spike, block and ounce of emotion that those two champions put out there on their road to gold. I hope you took the time to watch them at home because it's something pretty special to know you're watching greatness in action. When the night came to an end and my new 15,000 Olympic friends piled out of the venue and headed home, there was one last "wow" moment in store and that was having the chance to meet Misty May-Treanor and spend a few moments talking about the competition, the Olympics, and even lacrosse (yup she's a fan). What a class act.
While it's hard to think of topping Team USA Beach Volleyball, yesterday actually going into the Olympic Park and seeing track and field from row 11 in Olympic Stadium was pretty close. Thanks to the ChaseVisa hospitality lounge, where many Americans fans have set up shop prior to attending events that day, we won a pair of VERY GOOD seats to the evening session of Athletics, and by very we're talking sitting on the BU Ice Hockey bench next to Buddy Powers good!
With tickets in hand we headed off to the East End of London which thanks to the Olympics has helped to rejuvinate this area and brought in both gaming structures but also a sense of life for the years to come. Upon arrival it's hard to describe the scope and scale of the Oympic Park which houses eight major sporting venues, a huge park with big screen tvs for viewing, the athletes' village, multiple shops and food vendors, that funny red structure they call "The Orbit," and of course two McDonalds (an official sponsor fof the Olympics). With the hour we had pre-race time the task of seeing it all certainly fell short, and I could understand why Londoners have sold out the park of it's day passes.
For any of you who watched last night's track and field events, you saw what a great day it was for USA Track & Field. For me the highlights were not only watching Allyson Felix and Aries Merrit blow by the competition a few yards away from me, but seeing them carry the American flag around the track in celebration and pure joy. And it wasn't just the gold medal winners making their celebratory lap, though that's the only person traditionally televised, but all of the medal winners taking their lap with their flags draped around them noticeably humbled by the entire Olympic experience and their years of hard work paying off.
Being there, watching these athletes compete and seeing the sense of national pride they wear so proudly on their chests makes me hope for the day lacrosse will become an Olympic sport. And while I know that won't happen in Rio (golf and rugby are the new Olympic sports) there is still hope for the future games, maybe even 2020. Until then, it looks like I'll have to find another team to support to gold, and tonight's tickets say women's soccer!
GO USA, GO WORLD!
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DAY 13: WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8
11:45 p.m. UPDATE
Today was one of heartbreak for two Terriers.
BU field hockey junior Ella Gunson and New Zealand battled back and forth with the world's No. 1 Netherlands to a 2-2 draw and unfortunately eventually fell in a shootout, 3-1. Making their first-ever appearance in the semifinals, the Black Sticks will next face Great Britain on Friday at 10:30 a.m. ET with a bronze medal on the line.
Having lost all 17 meetings between the two teams in major competitions, New Zealand grabbed an early lead in the first half and in the second but the Netherlands would keep the pressure on, finding the equalizer both times.
To watch a full replay, click here.
New Zealand Stuff: Black Sticks lose semifinal thriller to Netherlands
New Zealand Newswire: Black Sticks lament lost opportunity
Judging by Twitter and comments in articles from other coaches and analysts, Brett Brown improved his stock over the last two weeks in the NBA as the head coach of Australia's men's basketball team. The Boomers fought valiantly against the United States' 2012 edition of the Dream Team but were undone by Lebron James' triple-double (first ever in Olympic history!!!) and Kobe Bryant's hot shooting in the second half.
Brown was trailing 56-42 at the half but didn't let his team keep its head down. The Boomers stormed out of the locker room with an 11-0 run to pull within three, but the NBA's biggest stars took over to prevent any chance of a 'Miracle on Hardwood' from taking place.
So why the heartbreak then for Australia when everyone in the world picked the Boomers to lose? The reason is the team, featuring only one current NBA player in Patrick Mills, showed today it can compete with anyone. The tournament-opening 75-71 loss to Brazil sealed Australia's fate though and put the Boomers on the path to facing the U.S. in the quarterfinals. The team was hoping to earn its first-ever medal but could not overcome the absence of NBA star Andrew Bogut.
Australia can take pride in its win over Russia but will now be left wondering 'what if'. Brown will return to the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant coach. Will he ever get the chance to be a NBA head coach? Not sure, but fingers crossed!
To watch the full replay, click here.
The Australian - Boomers come agonisingly close to Dream Team
The Age - Valiant Boomers beaten by U.S.
11:00 p.m. UPDATE
Lots to report on today but first wanted to pass along a note about another BU connection to the Olympics. We learned earlier today that Kamal Bahamdan, who competes in equestrian for Saudi Arabia, graduated from BU in 1994 from the college of engineering.
He was part of the club equestrian team while on campus.
Well on Monday, he helped Saudi Arabia claim its first-ever medal (bronze) in the team show jumping event. Today, he took fourth in the individual jumping event, just missing out on a second medal.
The London Games marked his fifth appearance at the Olympics dating back to 1996. Quite impressive!
Here are some interesting links.
Official Saudi Arabia equestrian bio
Associated Press: Saudi success in show jumping underscores shift
Video interview on Monday following bronze medal performance
DAY 12: TUESDAY, AUG. 7
3:20 p.m. UPDATE
"World No. 1" is the phrase of the day because that's who both Brett Brown ('83) and Ella Gunson ('14) will face in their attempts to remain alive for a gold medal on Wednesday.
Brown will coach Australia's men's basketball team in the quarterfinals against the United States latest version of the Dream Team, while Gunson will be on the field for New Zealand against an unbeaten Netherlands squad.
Originally, the Olympic organizers had the men's basketball game set for 11:15 a.m. ET but last night pushed the game back to 5:15 p.m. ET, most certainly due to the American TV audience. Brown knows all 12 NBA superstars very well as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs.
He has one current NBA player on his squad in Patrick Mills, who mostly rides the bench. He's had a great Olympics so far though, scoring a tournament-high 39 points against Great Britain and nailing a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to stun previously unbeaten Russia, 82-80. Speaking of which, check out the play that Brown called with 4.1 seconds left on the clock by clicking here.
No one is giving Australia (3-2) a chance to pull off the Miracle on Hardwood against the United States (5-0), but Brown is confident his team will be ready to play. The NBA's Dream Team has only lost three games (all in 2004) since 1992.
Here are two articles featuring Brown's thoughts on the game, which will be shown live on the NBC Sports Network.
FIBA.com - Olympics: Australia Dares to Dream
Sydney Morning Herald - Boomers a Slam Dunk for U.S.? You're Dreamin', Says Coach
Gunson will face a similar challenging opponent in the Netherlands, the lone unbeaten squad out of 12 teams. The Dutch slipped by Great Britain, 2-1, on Monday, so there is certainly hope. The issue will be the lack of experience because New Zealand is making its first-ever appearance in the semifinals.
Of course, it's worth nothing the Black Sticks have never defeated the Dutch in a major tournament. Fortunately, the team will still be able to compete for a bronze against either Great Britain or Argentina if it fails to stop the Netherlands.
Here are two articles looking at the contest, which will take place at 10:30 a.m. ET.
New Zealand Stuff - Black Sticks' Women's Coach Full of Pride
New Zealand Herald - Black Sticks Packing Attitude to Push Dutch for Finals Spot
New Zealand Voxy - 'Special Pride' in Black Sticks' Olympic Performance
Go to the schedule listings above for the online viewing links.
Good luck to both Coach Brown and Ella!
DAY 11: MONDAY, AUG. 6
5:30 p.m. UPDATE
The big story of the day is the U.S. women's soccer time scoring in the 123rd minute to knock off Canada, 4-3, and reach Thursday's gold medal game against Japan. The contest is mentioned because BU's own Hollie Walusz is serving as the athletic trainer for the team during the Olympics. Can only imagine what it was like being on the sideline. Of course, she'll now get to work at the famed Wembley Stadium in a rematch of the 2011 World Cup Final.
12:45 p.m. UPDATE
First, congrats to Ella Gunson and Brett Brown on advancing to the knockout rounds from group play!
Joining the Terriers for the upcoming field hockey season as a junior from Massey University in New Zealand, Gunson was part of history today. The Black Sticks (3-1-1) earned a critical 0-0 draw against Germany to finish with 10 points and advance to the medal stage for the first time in team history.
Previously beating New Zealand, 5-1, during an exhibition game back in July, Germany had its chances to break the scoreless deadlock, but the Black Sticks' backline held strong to preserve the shutout.
Read a recap on the game by clicking here and watch the full replay by clicking here.
New Zealand will find out its opponent later today for Wednesday's semifinals. The Black Sticks will either face Great Britain or the Netherlands, so stay tuned!
Serving as head coach for Australia, Brown watched the Boomers (3-2) stun previously undefeated Russia (4-1), 82-80, for their third straight win. Patrick Mills nailed a three-pointer with two seconds left for the thrilling victory. Click here for the full recap and watch the replay by clicking here.
Australia had already advanced to the quarterfinals but will head in now with more confidence. The hope though was that with this win, the Boomers would avoid facing the United States in the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, Spain didn't do its job and lost to Russia on Saturday, keeping Australia in fourth place in group play no matter today's outcome.
The 75-71 loss to Brazil to open Olympic play is becoming even more heartbreaking because Australia has proven it can compete with the other countries for a medal. The Boomers though will have to SHOCK the Americans to reach the medal rounds.
Brown was a student at BU when four Terriers were part of the Miracle on Ice. The one thing going for him is he is an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs and will know the tendencies of all the American players. That said, having to stop Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul etc... without the services of fellow NBA star Andrew Bogut will prove quite the herculean task.
DAY 10: SUNDAY, AUG. 5
7:45 p.m. UPDATE
Rachael Vanderwal's Olympic experience has officially come to a close, as Great Britain lost to Brazil, 78-66, in the final game of group play in women's basketball. Team GB, making its first Olympic appearance in women's basketball, has been eliminated from the field after going winless in group B.
Team GB and Brazil were tied at 19-19 after the first 10 minutes of action and played close throughout the second quarter, as Brazil took a 39-36 lead into the half. Brazil opened the second half with a 3-pointer and never relinquished the lead, as they went on to eliminate Team GB.
Vanderwal logged 9:35 in her final game of the 2012 Olympics. The former Terrier recorded a steal and assist while on the court.
Although Team GB failed to make history and win the country's first Olympic game in women's basketball, Vanderwal did make BU history, as she became the first women's basketball player in program history to play in the Olympic Games.
Watch a full replay of the game here.
DAY NINE: SATURDAY, AUG. 4
5:15 p.m. UPDATE
A successful day for Terrier Nation! Following Ella Gunson's victory, BU men's basketball alum Brett Brown coached Australia to a dominating 106-75 victory to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals. Don't be fooled by the score though. Led by Chicago Bull Luol Deng, the Brits were up 51-35 in the middle of the third quarter before the Boomers pulled away for the victory. Click here for a full recap and click here for the replay.
In the second half, Australia outscored Great Britain, 70-29, after scoring just 36 points in the first half. That's some halftime speech coach!
One interesting note about this game is that the Brits are coached by the Houston Rockets' assistant Chris Finch. Why is this brought up? Brett Brown is an assistant for the San Antonio Spurs!
Unfortunately, it's not official yet, but it looks like Australia is on track to face the NBA superstars in the quarterfinals. The Boomers (2-2) have one game left in Group B play on Monday against Russia (4-0).
Just one game for fans to follow on Sunday. Rachael Vanderwal ('06) will make her final appearance in the 2012 Olympics against Brazil. Click here to watch the game.
4:00 p.m. UPDATE
Huge 3-2 win today for incoming BU field hockey junior Ella Gunson and New Zealand against the United States. The Black Sticks (3-1-0 = 9 pts.) could have survived a tie but a loss would have been very damaging with Australia, Argentina and Germany all having six or more points.
After shooting 0-of-6 in penalty corners against Argentina, New Zealand scored three goals off penalty corners against the United States, which included the deciding blow with six minutes left in regulation.
Gunson played 30 minutes in the contest. Click here for a full recap of the game and click here to watch the replay.
New Zealand will next face Germany on Monday (Aug. 6).
11:30 a.m. UPDATE
Scary to think a week has already passed since the three BU rowers started off the Olympics in their first heats of the competition. Speaking of the sport, today marked its last day of competition.
We've been tracking Gevvie Stone's progress in the women's single sculls because of her training with BU strength coach Glenn Harris. After missing out on the medal round on Thursday, she went out in style, winning the B Final to finish seventh overall out of 28 rowers. For the full results, click here.
There are two events to follow today. Brett Brown will coach Australia's men's basketball team against Great Britain, while Ella Gunsonand New Zealand will face the U.S. field hockey team. Wins are essential here to remain in good position for a spot in the knockout rounds.
DAY EIGHT: FRIDAY, AUG. 3
5:25 p.m. UPDATE
Rachael Vanderwal ('06) and Team Great Britain nearly pulled off their second upset of the summer over No. 8 France in women's basketball group play on Friday night. The Brits took the lead with under four minutes to play in the fourth quarter but the French kept it close and ultimately tied the game at 67-67 with a 3-pointer with six seconds remaining in regulation.
Halfway through the five minute overtime period, it looked like Team GB was going to secure its first-ever victory in women's Olympic basketball, as the Brits held a 76-72 lead with 2:11 left to play. The teams exchanged baskets and knotted the game at 77-77 with 10 seconds to play but the French managed to drain a 3-pointer with a mere 0.2 seconds remaining on the clock to claim the 80-77 victory.
Vanderwal logged 7:28 minutes in the game and added a pair of free throws and an assist.
This was the second meeting of the summer between Team GB and France, as they met in June when the British prevailed, 74-67.
Team GB will get one last shot to make history and secure the country's first women's basketball victory in the Olympics on Sunday, Aug. 5, when the Brits take on Brazil at 5:15 p.m. ET in their last game of group play. Watch the game here.
11:00 a.m. UPDATE
Earlier today, the Netherlands' Meindert Klem ('10) became the third BU rower to conclude his second Olympic games. Competing in the B Final (places 7-12) for the men's pair, he took fifth place (11th overall) with a time of 7:05.12.
In 2008, both he and Jozef Klaassen ('07) missed out on a medal in the men's eight by three seconds.
So now, Terrier Nation just has Rachael Vanderwal (WBB), Ella Gunson (FH) and Brett Brown (MBB) remaining to support at the Olympics.
DAY SEVEN: THURSDAY, AUG. 2
6:15 p.m. UPDATE
Tough loss for Ella Gunson and New Zealand's field hockey team. The world's No. 2 Argentina (2-1) rebounded from a stunning 1-0 loss to the United States with a 2-1 victory. The Black Sticks (2-1) cut a two-goal deficit in half late in the second half but could not find the equalizer. They will certainly look back at shooting 0-of-6 in penalty shots. Click here to watch the replay.
Unlike the other team sports, only two of the six teams in group play will advance to the knockout round. Four teams now have six points after playing three games, meaning New Zealand cannot afford another loss. The Black Sticks will face the United States (1-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET and then Germany (2-1) on Monday.
Click here for the standings and for the rest of the draw. Good luck Ella!
3:45 p.m. UPDATE
We've been tracking Boston native Gevvie Stone, a U.S. rower who trained this past year under BU strength & conditioning coach Glenn Harris. This morning in the women's single sculls semifinals, she placed fourth, missing out on an A Final berth by 6.27 seconds. She will next compete in the B Final (places 7-12) on Saturday.
11:00 a.m. UPDATE
Brett Brown picked up his first Olympic victory as the head coach of the Australia men's basketball team with the Boomers earning a much-needed 81-61 victory over China. Patrick Mills of the San Antonio Spurs led Australia with 20.
The Boomers trailed by one at the end of the first quarter but outscored China, 28-11, in the second to pull away for the win. Fans can get a more in-depth report on the game by clicking here and can watch a replay of the game by clicking here.
Australia will now need to beat Great Britain on Saturday to put itself in position for a spot in the quarterfinals. A win over Russia on Monday would be huge because that would keep the Boomers away from the United States in the first knockout round.
10:00 a.m. UPDATE
If you prefer hearing commentary while watching rowing, NBC posted its own replay of Florian Mennigen's victory. Warning, the race has been edited by a couple of minutes though. Click here to watch.
DAY SIX: WEDNESDAY, AUG. 1
8:30 p.m. UPDATE
Watch Florian Mennigen and Jozef Klaassen race by clicking here. The event starts at 2:59:00 with the medal ceremony starting around 3:30:00.
3:45 p.m. UPDATE
So the big story this morning happened over at the rowing venue where Florian Mennigen ('06) claimed the gold medal for Germany! For the full story and photos of the big celebration, click here. The medal marks the first in rowing for a former Terrier since 1988 when Thomas Mollenkamp won the gold for West Germany.
Unfortunately, the party is dampered by the fact Jozef Klaassen ('07) missed out on a medal by 0.54 seconds with a fifth-place finish. The Netherlands crew rowed valiantly but came up just short in a thrilling down-to-the-wire finish. On the online stream, you could hear all 25,000+ fans screaming toward the end. The atmosphere looked incredible.
Meindert Klem's ('10) dream of earning a medal also came to a halt today. He finished sixth in the men's pair semifinals and will now row in the B Final (Places 7-12) on Friday.
Congrats to Natalie Dell, who rowed elsewhere but earned her master's degree in the School of Public Health. She earned the bronze in the women's quadruple sculls. Former BU men's crew head coach Bill Miller ('78-'86) was in attendance as well to watch his son, Will, help the United States take fourth in the men's eight.
Apologies to those who were awake at 5:20 a.m. like us waiting for the first race. The sport has its own unique language and that apparently duped both NBC and the London 2012 organizers when they created the online event/viewing schedule.
Both of them listed the Finals taking place at the previously listed times. Unfortunately, as it turns out, those were for the B Final, also known as the Petite Final in the U.S. The A Final, known here as the Grand Final, actually took place two hours later.
The NBC Network will be showing the races again at approximately 4:45 p.m., and we'll be sure to post the replay link.
2:15 p.m. UPDATE
Team GB was hoping to make history in day three of pool play, as the British women were in search of the country's first Olympic victory in women's basketball. The Brits opened the game with a 12-2 run to build an advantage over Russia, but with the last shot of the opening quarter, the Russians took the lead and never lost it en route to a 67-61 victory.
Rachael Vanderwal checked in to the game with 3:41 remaining in the first quarter and recorded an assist and an offensive rebound before the quarter ended. Vanderwal also saw action in the second and third quarters and ended the game with 9:50 minutes played. The former Terrier collected five rebounds while dishing out an assist and grabbing a steal.
Watch a full replay of today's game here.
Team GB has two remaining games left in pool play, with the next one taking place against France Friday, Aug. 3 at 3 p.m. ET. The Brits earned a 74-67 victory over No. 8 France earlier this summer and will hope to duplicate that effort on Friday to earn their first victory over the Olympic Games. Catch all the action here.
DAY FIVE: TUESDAY, JULY 31
6:30 p.m. UPDATE
SET THOSE ALARM CLOCKS! We are now 11 hours away from the BIG race! Winner of the last three World Championships, Florian Mennigen ('06) and the German eight boat will row against Jozef Klaassen ('07) and the Netherlands, Great Britain, the United States, Canada and Australia. If you've seen any parts of the rowing competition this week, you know that the atmosphere will be AMAZING.
Fans can watch the race live online at 5:30 a.m. ET by clicking here. According to the NBCOlympics website's TV listings, the NBC Network will show the race taped as well between 4:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET.
Germany has not lost a race since 2009, but as Mennigen notes in World Rowing's preview, "The men's eight implies a huge range of very good teams. Therefore there is no reason for any team to become too confident."
On paper, the biggest threat to Germany's gold medal ambitions would be the Brits. They only lost by a couple of seconds back on Saturday and led late at the Belgrade World Cup before the Germans pulled away. There is something to say about competing at home in the Olympics, as evidenced by Great Britain earning its first gymnastics medal on the men's side in 100 years.
The other countries though have a shot as well, which will make this race exciting to watch.
Klaassen and the Netherlands missed out on a medal by just three seconds in 2008, so they will certainly be motivated to avoid a similar fate.
Both Klaassen and Mennigen will be seeking BU's first medal in rowing since Thomas Mollenkamp ('86) claimed gold in 1988 for West Germany. The Seoul Olympics coincidentally marks the last time BU earned two Summer Olympic medals with Lynne Jewell ('81) earning a gold in sailing for the U.S.
Ted Nash ('55) won BU's other gold medal in rowing back in 1960 in the coxless fours. He's appeared in 11 total Olympic Games as a coach or athlete for the U.S.
The last note involves the number of BU Olympians competing in the men's eight. Erich Mauff ('92) helped South Africa place eighth at the 1992 Barcelona Games before Jonathan Brown ('91) took fifth for the United States in 1996. John Ross ('67) and Canada took ninth in 1968.
Don't forget there are other races to follow as well. Meindert Klem ('10) will race in the men's pair semifinals at 6 a.m. for the Netherlands. Natalie Dell, who earned her master's degree in public health at BU in 2009, will row for gold at 5:20 a.m. ET in the women's quadruple sculls.
5:50 p.m. UPDATE
Couple of quick items on Rachael Vanderwal. Be sure to follow her twitter account @RachVanderwal! Her latest tweet: "Ok so today I have chatted to Prince William, Harry and Kate, Sonia O'Sullivan, Jessica Ennis and Ann Meyers! haha loving the village life!"
Sounds boring right?
Speaking of Twitter, thanks to @CamperVanCrew for passing along a great photo of Rachael with BU coaches, Kelly Greenberg and Michael Leflar. Rachael helped BU reach the America East title game all four years during her time on Commonwealth Ave.
Casey Rabin, a BU student who is studying abroad in London with Megan Happ and working for MetroWest Daily News, had the chance to meet up with Rachael. Check out the interview below.
3:50 p.m. UPDATE
Megan Happ's Blog #2
It's been four days since the Opening Ceremony and the atmosphere of London 2012 hasn't died down since. I've been very lucky to see several events over the course of this weekend and truly experience the Olympics so FAR.
Starting with the atmosphere of the Opening Ceremony seems appropriate. I was in Trafalgar Square where the Official Countdown Clock is located for the Games. When that clock hit zero everything around me was electrified. People from all over the world were waving their flags, cheering, and singing their national anthems. Back at the pubs, the locals were absorbed by the Ceremony, so much that people were being hushed in a pub. And when Great Britain entered the Olympic Stadium, you could feel the emotion and pride racing through the crowd. It was incredible.
As I mentioned before, many of the London 2012 events are located outside of the Olympic Park on public roads and parks. I got to watch both men's and women's road cyclists zoom past me during their races over the weekend. Seeing thousands of people line the streets to show their support for the five seconds it takes for the cyclists to pass was amazing. The amount of Great Britain pride is infinite here, regardless of how their athletes perform.
The highlight of this week so far is definitely my trip into the Olympic Park. Seeing all the venues up close and personal made these Games real. As we strolled by the Olympic Stadium, the Aquatics Centre, and several other venues, I could not believe the size of them, they were larger than life and to think of them at full capacity is astonishing.
We then found the NBC Today Show in the park and were able to be surrounded by the stars and athletes of NBC's first live broadcast from London. The cast of the Today Show talked to us, as well as Olympians Brendan Hansen and guest Ryan Seacrest. We were also able to see Olympic swimmers Elizabeth Beisel and Natalie Coughlin, silver medalist divers Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston and 2008 gymnast Shawn Johnson. The whole experience was surreal; I still look back on it in awe of how lucky we were to be in the right place at the right time.
But our luck didn't stop there. We were able to get tickets into a women's basketball game in the afternoon as well as a men's field hockey game at night. Although these were not U.S. games, being present at a London 2012 event was unreal. The crowds were spectacular and the venues were everything that I had imagined. To have seen and done so much in only four days makes me feel so blessed to be in this city and I can't wait for what the rest of these days have in store for me.
Remember to check out my photos at boston.com and bujournalism.com/olympics2012 and follow us @BUJOlympics and @BULondon2012!
2:50 p.m. UPDATE
The U.S. women's soccer team defeated North Korea, 1-0, to complete group play with a 3-0 record. The Americans will next compete in the quarterfinals on Friday, Aug. 3.
Why are we mentioning this score? Well, just recently, Boston University's Athletic Training Services hired Hollie Walusz, who is serving as athletic trainer for the Women's National Soccer Team during the Olympics. While working at William & Mary back in 2010, she was first invited to work with the team during a training camp. She would later become the head athletic trainer for the Philadelphia Independence of the Women's Professional Soccer league before moving to BU.
Welcome aboard!
1:00 p.m. UPDATE
Today was one of mixed results with field hockey earning a win and men's basketball losing its second game of the Olympics.
Brett Brown's Australia played tough with 2008 silver medalist Spain (trailing only by five at the half) but would eventually fall, 82-70, to drop to 0-2 in Group B play. Fans can watch the replay by clicking here.
The Boomers need to finish in the top four out of six squads to advance. There's no need to push the panic button yet though because they just need to beat China and Great Britain.
The problem though is the United States. If Australia wins those two games and falls to Russia, the Boomers would probably face the NBA's superstars in the quarterfinals. The world is expecting Spain to face the U.S. for the gold medal, and Brown believes Spain has a chance to win.
While Australia is trying to regroup, New Zealand's field hockey team is off to a great start after knocking out South Africa, 4-1, earlier today. Fans can watch the full replay by clicking here.
Unlike the Boomers, the Black Sticks (2-0) must finish in the top two of their group to advance to the knockout rounds, so every win counts. They will next face the world's top team in Argentina on Thursday before playing against the U.S. and Germany.
DAY FOUR: MONDAY, JULY 30
5:00 p.m. UPDATE
Team GB and Canada were tied at 61-61 with just over four minutes remaining in the game, but the British were unable to pull off the upset, as Canada went on to win, 73-65. The British managed just two baskets in the final four minutes as Canada took the victory.
The game was closely contested from the start, with 10 lead changes and a tied affair at six different occasions. After serving as Team GB's third-leading scorer on Saturday, Rachael Vanderwal ('06) did not see any action against Canada.
Fans can watch a replay of today's game here. Team GB will look for its first Olympics victory in women's basketball when the British take on Russia on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 11:45 a.m. ET.
Tuesday will be another early day for Terriers' fans, as Brett Brown and the Australia men's basketball team and Ella Gunson and New Zealand's women's field hockey team have early morning games. New Zealand is set to take the field against South Africa at 5:45 a.m. ET and the Australians tip-off against Spain at 6:15 a.m. ET.
2:30 p.m. UPDATE
Congrats to Natalie Dell, who rowed elsewhere but earned her master's degree at BU in 2009. She helped the U.S. place second in the repechage and earn a spot in the A Final for the women's quadruple sculls.
1:45 p.m. UPDATE
Fans can watch Jozef Klaassen's race by clicking here. Head over to 17:00 in the video to follow.
11:30 a.m. UPDATE
Very excited to pass along that the BU men's rowing team will have two former Terriers competing for gold on Wednesday!
Rowing for Germany's eight boat in the seven seat, Florian Mennigen ('06) clinched a spot in the final on Saturday by winning his heat over Great Britain, Jozef Klaassen ('07) and the Netherlands, and Canada.
Needing to finish in the top four today during the repechage, Klaassen rowed in the six seat for the Netherlands and took third to clinch a spot in Wednesday's medal round. It was a very close finish, but the Netherlands never had to fear of missing out on the Grand Final.
BU has had several medal winners in rowing but never had two from separate countries in the same event. We'll talk more about our past Olympic history tomorrow in building up to Wednesday's race, which is set for 5:30 a.m. ET.
Men's Eights (Repechage), 1-4 to 'A' Final, 5-6 to 'B' Final
1) Great Britain - 5:26.85
2) Canada - 5:27.41
3) Netherlands (J. Klaassen) - 5:27.98
4) Australia - 5:28.67
5) Poland - 5:30.34
6) Ukraine - 5:42.19
DAY THREE: SUNDAY, JULY 29
6:30 p.m. UPDATE
Just a few items to pass along.
Click here to watch a replay of Ella Gunson and New Zealand defeating Australia, 1-0, in field hockey.
Last night, a photo of Rachael Vanderwal was used atop the official London2012.com recap of women's basketball day one competition. Very cool!
Here are two articles on Brett Brown and Australia's performance today: Boomers confident despite loss and Turnovers instrumental in Boomers' first-game failure.
BU swimmer Megan Happ continues her summer internship in London for Boston.com. Check out a youtube video of her photos taken during the women's cycling competition today. She also spoke with a Massachusetts native who participated in Friday's opening ceremony. Click here to watch.
Finally, don't forget to set your alarm clock for 4:45 a.m. ET. Jozef Klaassen ('07) will row for Netherlands in the men's eight repechage. He'll need to finish in the top four against five other boats to join Florian Mennigen (Germany) in Wednesday's medal race.
9:00 a.m. UPDATE
Valiant effort by Australia against Brazil. Trailing 36-35 at the half, the Boomers fell behind by as many as 13 before cutting the deficit to two (73-71) with 29.4 seconds left. Right before the shot clock expired, Brazil managed to get a kick ball and reset the clock. Sent to the line, Brazil hit both free throws and held on for the 75-71 victory.
Brazil featured a handful of NBA players, including Nene and Anderson Varejo, while Australia had the Spurs' Patty Mills (game-high 20 points). Unfortunately, the Boomers are without Andrew Bogut, who most certainly would have made a big difference in the post today.
Fans can watch the replay by clicking here. Australia will next face 2008 silver medalist Spain on Tuesday.
7:00 a.m. UPDATE
Not sure if playing at 8:20 a.m. London time (3:20 a.m. ET) had any effect, but New Zealand earned a key 1-0 victory over Australia to open the field hockey competition at the Olympics. Ella Gunson played 27 minutes in the midfield for the Black Sticks in the win. They will next face South Africa on Tuesday at 5:45 a.m. ET. Get the full recap from the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, Brett Brown ('83) is currently coaching Australia's men's basketball team on the NBC Sports Network. The Press Herald in Maine had an article today on the two-time BU captain. Check it out by clicking here.
DAY TWO: SATURDAY, JULY 28
8:00 p.m. UPDATE
In the final competition of the day, Rachael Vanderwal ('06) and Great Britain fell to FIBA's No. 2 ranked Australia, 74-58. The Opals used an 18-0 run in the middle of the first half to grab a 39-26 lead at the half. The Brits moved within 11 multiple times but could never cut the deficit to single digits in their first-ever Olympic Games appearance.
Vanderwal finished third on the team with nine second-half points on 2-of-4 shooting in 26:21 of action. Hitting one 3-pointer and two free throws, she also added three rebounds and a steal.
If you missed the broadcast, you can watch a replay by clicking here.
BTW, Vanderwal's aunt caught her on Canadian TV during the opening ceremony. Check out the twitpic.
Appearing in the middle of the first quarter for Great Britain, Vanderwal made history by becoming the first-ever BU women's basketball player to appear in the Olympics. BU Hall of Famer Debbie Miller ('81) was named to the 1980 U.S. Team, but was unable to play due to the Americans boycotting the Moscow Games.
Tony Simms ('83) was the last Terrier to play basketball in the Olympics. An All-American on the 1983 America East championship team, he represented Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Check out a couple of photos of him by clicking here and here. Check out his stats by clicking here.
Two games to watch on Sunday. Brett Brown ('83) will serve as men's basketball head coach for Australia, as the Boomers face off against Brazil at 6:15 a.m. ET. Ella Gunson ('14) and New Zealand will face Australia at 3:20 a.m. ET in field hockey.
12:45 p.m. UPDATE
If you missed the rowing this morning, you can watch a full replay by clicking here.
Head over to 54:20 to watch Florian Mennigen (Germany) race in the eights against Great Britain, Canada and Jozef Klaassen (Netherlands). For Meindert Klem (Netherlands), head over to 2:44:00 to watch the men's pair heat.
12:30 p.m. UPDATE
There were two other Olympians with BU connections who rowed today that we're keeping track of this week.
Natalie Dell, who earned her master's degree in public health from BU, took second in her quadruple sculls heat at 6:15.76. Her boat will have to row in the repechage on Monday, while Germany advanced directly to Wednesday's final after winning by 2.14s.
BU strength & conditioning coach Glenn Harris spent the past year working with Gevvie Stone, who took third in her single sculls event, to reach Tuesday's quarterfinals. She posted a time of 7:33.68, 3.37s behind the winner.
8:45 a.m. UPDATE
Great start to the Olympics for three BU men's rowing alums! If you were awake at 5 a.m. ET to watch the competition, thanks for showing off your Terrier Pride!
Featuring Florian Mennigen ('06) in the seven seat, Germany's eight boat has been the premiere crew since 2009 and didn't disappoint in the second heat, posting a winning time of 5:25.52 to avoid the repechage and advance to Wednesday's final.
Great Britain kept it close, losing by just 2.09 seconds. The British obviously have great support competing at home and will have a boost on Wednesday from the fans. If you need proof that there is such thing as a "home court" advantage in the Olympics, look at the men's gymnastics team, which made its first team final since 1924!
Jozef Klaassen ('07) and the Netherlands also showed they will be in the hunt for gold after they took third with a time of 5:28.99, just 1.38s behind the Brits. The two crews will face off again in the repechage on Monday along with Canada, Australia, Poland and Ukraine. You must finish in the top four to reach the Finals.
The United States won the first heat at 5:30.72 to avoid the repechage, but its time was only the fourth best of the morning behind Great Britain and the Netherlands.
In the other race, Meindert Klem ('10) took third in his men's pair heat to avoid the repechage and advance directly to Wednesday's semifinals. He and Nanne Sluis posted a time of 6:25.90, 2.1s behind Canada. The time was the 10th best overall.
SATURDAY RESULTS
Men's Eights (Heat 2), 1 to Final/2-4 to Repechage
1) Germany (F. Mennigen): 5:25.52
2) Great Britain: 5:27.61
3) Netherlands (J. Klaassen): 5:28.99
4) Canada - 5:37.91
Men's Pair (Heat 2), 1-3 to semifinals, 4 to Repechage
1) Canada - 6:23.80
2) Australia - 6:24.83
3) Netherlands (M. Klem) - 6:25.90
4) United States - 6:26.59
Have one more event to follow today with Rachael Vanderwal facing Australia at 5:15 p.m. ET.
DAY ONE: FRIDAY, JULY 27
3:00 p.m. UPDATE
Here is our first entry of the Olympics! Each day we will be posting links to articles, results and anything else interesting we stumble upon. Please read our Olympic Game Sport Previews (found in the "Essentials" section above) for more in-depth information on our BU Olympians.
If you're up for it, do not forget to set your alarms for 5 a.m. on Saturday (July 28). Jozef Klaassen (Netherlands) and Florian Mennigen (Germany) will be racing against each other in the men's heavyweight eights during the first heat of the competition. The first-place finisher out of the four boats will advance to Wednesday's medal round, while the other three will have to compete in the repechage on Monday.
Meindert Klem (Netherlands) will row in the pairs two hours later starting around 7 a.m. The links to watch can be found above. Of course, check back here for updated results.
Since we posted our preview on Brett Brown and Australia this past Monday, The Forecaster in Maine spent some time with the 1983 BU graduate. Read the article by clicking here.
Also, congrats to Rachael Vanderwal (@rachvanderwal), who was named one of the top 50 Tweeters to following during the Olympics by the London Telegraph! Click here for the article.
There are two other Olympians with a BU connection to keep track of over the next week. Natalie Dell rowed at Penn State but did earn her master's degree in public health at BU in 2009. She will compete in the women's quadruple sculls for the United States. Learn more about her by clicking here. Also, strength & conditioning coach Glenn Harris spent the past year training Gevvie Stone, who will compete in the single sculls for the United States as well.
Over the next two weeks, we will look back at past Olympic accomplishments from BU athletes. Starting off, check out BU Hall of Famer David Hemery's victory in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1968 Mexico City Games. The Guardian named his win the No. 25 Most Stunning Moment in Olympic history.
Finally, here is Megan Happ's first blog entry. Enjoy!
Megan Happ's Blog #1
The Olympic Games. That phrase can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. The summer Olympics have always had a special place in my heart; I've been watching them for the past 21 years of my life. I used to tell my mom that I would swim in the Olympics one day, make a lot of money, and then buy her a castle. Of course, that's what the Olympics meant to me at age 10.
As I sit in a small café in London with the Opening Ceremony hours away, it's hard to put into words what it all means to me now. I'm in the same place where the world's most elite athletes are about to compete. My childhood idols (and current idols, for that matter) are within a 30 minute tube ride from where I live. History is about to be written in my backyard. To be able to say that is absolutely mind-boggling.
London truly is one of the greatest cities in the world. The past couple of weeks of being here have been thrilling. It's the history, art, and culture of this place that makes the city so diverse and endless in a way. I'm very excited to say that it is now time for the world to turn its attention to this city for the next 17 days of sport.
During my time in London I will be a part of a team of student correspondents for Boston.com. I will be taking pictures and blogging throughout the Games, documenting my experience of being in London during the Olympics. I plan to see many of the free events that will be taking place in Hyde Park, my current home's backyard, such as open water swimming and the triathlons. I am also hoping to meet up with some of New England's athletes and their families, maybe even a BU alum or two!
But most importantly while I'm here, I'm hoping to capture the essence of this city during a time when the world comes together for the love of sport. I want to meet people from around the world who have come to see a family member compete. I want to be able to capture the emotions of a country coming together as a host city.
I believe that there is more to the Olympics than the medal stand. Everyone here has a story, whether it is an underdog story, a comeback story, or hard work paying off after so many years. These athletes and their families are about to be a part of an experience that is incomparable to any event they have been to before.
With London 2012 kicking off tonight, I can assure you that this is going to be a Games you don't want to miss. The people of this city are ready, the air is full of excitement and anticipation. There are stories to be told, records to be broken, and history to be made, and it's all happening here.
Stay tuned for my next blog post and be sure to check out boston.com and bujournalism.com/olympics2012 for my latest photos. Follow my internship group @BUJOlympics for daily tweets about what we are up to!
