WNBA's Bird wants to reclaim gold medal in women's basketball
When Sue Bird plays basketball, she’s always greedy and she never feels guilty.
The Seattle Storm guard has a high school national title, two collegiate national titles, two Olympic gold medals and a WNBA championship. She also has an enormous chip on her shoulder from a third-place finish at the 2006 world championships.
“We’re all very hungry to get that gold medal back,” said Bird, selected last week to the U.S. national team along with seven other players.
For Bird, the much-anticipated road to redemption — for a loss to Russia in the 2006 world semifinals — begins next September in the Czech Republic, where the world champion will receive a berth in the 2012 Olympics.
The Americans, who topped Russia last year in Beijing en route to their fourth straight Olympic gold medal, should enter as the decisive favorite, with USA Basketball veterans Seimone Augustus, Tamika Catchings, Cappie Pondexter and Diana Taurasi also playing for Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma, the successor to Anne Donovan.
Former Tennessee great Candace Parker said, “After winning an Olympic gold medal and having that around your neck, you don’t want to finish second again. … We definitely haven’t forgotten that.”
Augustus called Russia “a great team, but we felt like we should have beat them. This is our opportunity to redeem ourselves and show people we are the best team in the world.”
Pentathletes at worlds
Colorado Springs modern pentathlete Will Brady finished 14th at the world championships this month in London. Other area finishers were Margaux Isaksen (17th) and Sam Sacksen (22nd).
Wrestlers on podium
Olympic Training Center wrestler Elena Pirozhkova won a gold medal this month at the Poland Open in Warsaw. OTC residents Dremiel Byers and R.C. Johnson claimed silvers at the Pytlasinski International in Myslowice, Poland.
Gymnasts in action
Springs resident Wesley Haagensen was third Aug. 14 at the U.S. gymnastics national championships in Dallas. Also from the Springs, Joey Hagerty was eighth, David Henderson 23rd and Andrew Elkind 36th.
Etc.
Springs runner Lopez Lomong finished eighth in the 1,500 meters Wednesday at the world championships in Berlin. … OTC resident Frank Thompson placed 18th in skeet Aug. 16 at the shotgun world championships in Maribor, Slovenia. … Springs taekwondo competitor James Moontasri lost his first-round fight Aug. 18 at the Korea Open in Incheon, South Korea. … OTC judo player Katie Sell competes Saturday at the world championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands. … OTC shooter Amber English starts competition Friday at the international world skeet championship in Tulsa, Okla. … Ice dancers Piper Gilles and Zach Donohue of The Broadmoor Skating Club begin action Thursday at a Junior Grand Prix in Budapest, Hungary.
