Once more Michael Phelps today and then it will be all over for the most successful Olympian ever
LONDON, England ● Usain Bolt begins the defence of his 100 metres title at London 2012 on Saturday and Michael Phelps will have one last chance to add to the biggest Olympic medal haul of all time.
Bolt, the charismatic Jamaican who lit up the 2008 Beijing Games with three golds and his trademark lightning bolt celebration, will run in the heats of the shorter sprint, the most anticipated event of the Games.
Also limbering up for Sunday’s final will be the three other fastest men in history, all intent on toppling him: fellow-Jamaicans Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell, and Tyson Gay of the United States.
The last night of swimming action will see Phelps join his American team mates in the 4×100 metres medley final and looking for his 22nd Olympic medal.
With 25 gold medals to be won in 11 different sports, ‘Super Saturday’ is one of the most eagerly awaited days at London 2012.
Day 8 of the Games promises more thrilling Athletics action at the Olympic Stadium, there will also be Swimming medals to be won at the Aquatics Centre and Track Cycling drama at the Velodrome.
Hyde Park will be the venue for the women’s Triathlon and there will also be Rowing, Tennis, Badminton, Trampoline, Fencing, Shooting and Weightlifting medals up for grabs.
On the track, Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will look to defend the 100m title she won in Beijing four years ago. Great Britain’s Mo Farah will have the home crowd on their feet if he can kick for home and win the 10,000m final.
The majority of a packed-out crowd at the Olympic Stadium will also be hoping Great Britain’s Jessica Ennis wins gold in the Heptathlon – with the 800m the final event in the competition. Day 8 will also feature finals in the men’s Long Jump and the women’s Discus.
At the Aquatics Centre, Michael Phelps will get the chance to end his remarkable Olympic Games career with yet another gold medal when the USA team compete in the 4 x 100m Medley Relay final. America qualified fastest for the final despite resting their strongest four swimmers, including the most decorated Olympian Phelps – who will be determined to end his glittering career by standing on top of the podium yet again.
World record-holder Sun Yang will fancy his chances of winning a second gold medal at London 2012 when he races in the men’s 1500m Freestyle final, while Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands will look to add the women’s 50m Freestyle title to the 100m gold she won at the Games. There is also the women’s 4 x 100 Medley Relay final.
The picturesque Hyde Park will be the venue for the women’s Triathlon, with Helen Jenkins the favourite to win gold for Great Britain, and thousands of spectators are expected to gather along The Mall for the men’s 20km Race Walk.
Four Rowing golds are at stake at Eton Dorney, with finals to look forward to in the men’s Four, the men’s and women’s Lightweight Double Sculls and the women’s Single Sculls.
There will be plenty of Cycling, but just one final at The Velodrome with the women’s Team Pursuit title to be decided.
The women’s Trampoline final will take place at North Greenwich Arena, while medals will be won in the women’s Team Epee Fencing at ExCeL, the men’s 94kg Weightlifting as well as the women’s Trap Shooting and women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions.
Wimbledon will see the women’s Singles and men’s Doubles finals in Tennis, while at Wembley Arena there is the women’s Doubles and women’s Singles gold medals up for grabs in the Badminton.