EYES ON LONDON: Bolt's cool finish, US soccer gold

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:

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QUICKQUOTES: BOLT

Here's what Usain Bolt is saying after winning his second London gold on Thursday.

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Was he confident all along?

? "There wasn't a doubt. I know a lot of people doubted me, but in my mind, there wasn't a doubt. After the 100 meters, I was really confident in myself. So I knew I could do it. It wasn't a problem."

What was behind the 'ssshhh' gesture?

? "That was for all that people that doubted me, all the people that was talking all kinds of stuff that I wasn't going to do it, I was going to be beaten. I was just telling them you can stop talking now because I am a legend."

Even Yohan Blake?

? "I don't know if Yohan was talking. I didn't hear him, so I can't say. If he was talking, then yes."

Are you the greatest ever?

? "Without a doubt. I've done something that no one has done before, which is defend my double title. Back to back for me, I would say I'm the greatest."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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LIGHTNING BOLTS

It's the move of the night.

Tens of thousands of people are pouring out of London's Olympic Stadium after seeing Usain Bolt win gold in the 200 meters. So what do they do? They strike the Jamaican's signature pose ? a lightning bolt. And their friends take a picture.

And so on, and so on, and so on. Nonstop lightning bolts.

Even British police in their distinctive Bobby helmets were cheerfully striking the pose.

? Danica Kirka ? Twitter http://twitter.com/danicakirka

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QUICKQUOTE BLAKE

"I did it at the trials and he wanted to get me back. So he got me back." ? Yohan Blake commenting on Usain Bolt's 'ssshhh' gesture as he crossed the finish line in Thursday's 200-meter final.

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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QUICKQUOTE: HARDEE

"To be part of the U.S sweep ... when we are 80 or 90 years old, our grandkids are going to puff out their chests a little bit." ? Tray Hardee, a silver medalist, talking about the American domination of the decathlon.

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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RUDISHA'S INSPIRATION

Daniel Rudisha failed to set a world record in the 1968 Olympics, settling for a silver medal in the 400 meters.

His son, David, went one better on both counts Friday.

And his thoughts were with the man he calls his inspiration.

"Even before I started my race I was thinking how my father was sitting in front of the television back home," said Rudisha after winning gold and setting a world record in the 800 meters.

"I know he's always proud of me, he's the one who encourages me to come this far. He's a big inspiration in my career.

"He wanted to do it in the 400 but he couldn't do it. So, for his son to do it... "

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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TWO STYLES

Two teams, two styles left Wembley stadium on Thursday night.

When the final horn sounded, U.S. goalie Hope Solo was mobbed by teammates and Abby Wambach emphatically waved a towel as Queen's "We Are the Champions" thundered on the speakers.

The American women's soccer team, which won the gold medal 2-1 over Japan, donned white T-shirts that read "Greatness Has Been Found" ? with the first word in gold.

The Japanese huddled quietly, with several players sobbing. They then walked over to a section filled with Japanese fans, bowed as a team and left the pitch.

? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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US WINS SOCCER GOLD

The United States women's soccer team has beaten Japan 2-1 to win the gold medal.

Carli Lloyd scored both goals for the U.S and Hope Solo was outstanding in goal, including a lunging save on a point-blank shot from Asuna Tanaka in the 84th minute to keep the Americans in front.

The Americans avenged a loss to Japan in the World Cup final and captured their third straight Olympic title.

? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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RECORD CROWD

Wembley Stadium has set a record for attendance at a women's Olympic soccer game. The crowd for Japan-United States was announced at 80,203, beating the 76,481 who watched the gold medal game in Atlanta in 1996.

? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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RUDISHA AND BOLT

"Usain Bolt is a great athlete. He's the greatest sprinter we've seen in the world over many years. Maybe one time if we can meet in 400 and compete it would be great. It'll be fun just to watch it." ? David Lekuta Rudisha of Kenya, who set a new world record Friday in the 800-meter final

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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'NO REGRETS'

Jeneba Tarmoh passed on a runoff against Allyson Felix for the last spot on 100 meters for the U.S. team.

Tarmoh ran Thursday in the opening round of 4x100 women's relay, and said she isn't thinking about what might have been. The U.S. women easily won their heat in 41.64 seconds and will compete in Friday's final.

"No regrets. When I make decisions it's really calculated. I usually make decisions I don't regret," she said.

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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LIU'S SURGERY

We knew something was up when we walked by Lord's Cricket Ground, where we were looking to snap a few pictures, and saw close to a hundred Chinese media huddled on the sidewalk.

A sudden interest in cricket? Nope. Just across the street from Lord's is Wellington Hospital, and there was a famous patient inside. Hurdler Liu Xiang, the gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Games, was undergoing surgery for a torn Achilles tendon in his right foot.

One reporter told us he had been camped out for at least four hours, and some media had been there twice that long. Turns out, the surgery took just a little over an hour, according to Chinese reports. Liu will remain in the London hospital for several days before returning home to Shanghai.

And those Lord's pictures?

We had to settle for snapping the signs outside the stadium, which was used during the Olympics for archery. Since that competition is over, the security guards wouldn't let us inside. Come back next week, they said, when a more familiar sport returns to the "Home of Cricket."

? Paul Newberry ? Twitter http://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and Beth Harris ? Twitter http://twitter.com/bethharrisap

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DEFLATED SPEARMON

A devastated Wallace Spearmon is saying he's "sorry I let you down."

The American just finished fourth behind three Jamaican runners ? including winner Usain Bolt ? in the 200 meter.

"I'm going to go home and work harder. I'm sorry I let you down," Spearmon says. "You have good days, you have bad days and you have those days. It wasn't the best day and it wasn't the worst. It just wasn't my day."

Of Bolt, Spearmon says: "He ran a great race. The guy is just on another planet right now."

Is Bolt the best ever? Spearmon was sobbing: "I just can't answer that right now. I'm sorry."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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A WIN, AND PUSHUPS

It was drop and do a few pushups for Usain Bolt after he took the 200 meters with really only his countryman, Yohan Blake, anywhere close to him.

Bolt, 25, became the first man to win the 100-meter and 200-meter in two successive Olympics; he did the same thing in Beijing four years ago.

Bolt won handily with a time of 19.32 seconds, which didn't beat his own personal ? and the world ? record for the 200-meter. Still carried by the trajectory of his run, Bolt threw himself onto the track and did a few pushups as the crowd roared and flashbulbs popped by the thousands. Blake, the second-place finisher who pushed toward Bolt for a moment, stood next to him.

Bolt appeared to slow slightly and look to his left at Blake, with a finger to his mouth, as the race ended.

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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BOLT WINS 200-METER

No world record for Usain Bolt, but an easy win for the fastest man in the world.

Bolt defended his 200 meter gold medal in Beijing by leading a Jamaican sweep Thursday night. He'd hinted he might have a world record in him, but he seemed to slow at the finish and ran a 19.32. His 19.19 is the world record.

Yohan Blake, who beat him at the Jamaican finals in June, finished second. Warren Weir was third.

Bolt looked over at Blake as he crossed the finish line, and seemed to place his finger over his lips as if to say "shhh."

He then dropped to the ground and did four push-ups. Was it one for each individual gold medal?

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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HOPE STANDS TALL

U.S. goalie Hope Solo has been a busy woman in the first half of the gold medal game against Japan.

The Americans led 1-0 at the break thanks to an early goal from Carli Lloyd. But Japan controlled the last 35 minutes by using its speed to create scoring chances.

The Japanese peppered Solo with shots, and she made a brilliant, leaping save of a shot from Yuki Ogimi midway through the half.

When the halftime buzzer sounded, Abby Wambach gave Solo an emphatic high-five, thanking her for keeping Japan off the board.

? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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CALLING LONDON

Janis Smedins and Martins Plavins were talking to reporters in the mix zone after winning the men's beach volleyball bronze medal on Thursday night when the secretary general of the Latvian delegation handed Smedins a phone.

It was Andris Berzins, the president of Latvia. He was calling to congratulate the pair on the nation's first medal of the London Games. Smedins spoke for a few minutes before handing the phone to Plavins.

"He said he's so happy," Smedins said. "He wished us all the best in the future."

It's the first beach volleyball medal ever for Latvia.

? Jimmy Golen ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jgolen

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EDITOR'S 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.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eyes-london-bolts-cool-finish-us-soccer-gold-210940937--oly.html

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