Associated Press
The olympic notebook…
NORFOLK, Neb. — Nebraska native Jeremy Scott failed to qualify for the Olympic finals in the pole vault competition.
Scott, who grew up in Norfolk, Neb., cleared the qualifying height of 5.5 meters Wednesday in London. But Scott didn’t advance because it took him two attempts and he failed to clear 5.6 meters.
The 31-year-old Scott was competing in his first Olympics.
He was the runner-up at the last two U.S. outdoor championships and won the indoor competition in 2003. He also won the indoor and outdoor title in NCAA Division III while he was a student at Allegheny College.
EATON WINS DECATHLON
SLONDON — Instead of one victory lap, Ashton Eaton got four.
His Olympic gold medal in the decathlon was all but sealed when he reached the last event, the 1,500 meters, where he simply needed to finish in an average time to win the event on Thursday night.
The world-record holder cruised over the four laps, crossed the line and — even as exhausted as he was — started celebrating.
Eaton finished the two-day competition with 8,869 points to defeat fellow American Trey Hardee by 198. It’s the first time the Americans have gone 1-2 in the Olympic decathlon since Milton Gray Campbell and Rafer Johnson in 1956.
“That’s what Trey and I really, really wanted,” said Eaton, who’s from Eugene, Ore.
Especially this year, on the 100th anniversary of the event. At the 1912 Olympics, Jim Thorpe won the inaugural title.
Thanks to Eaton, the decathlon gold is staying in the United States. Eaton joins 2008 winner Bryan Clay and, of course, Bruce Jenner, in earning the honor as “The World’s Greatest Athlete.”
Even Usain Bolt, the star of the night with his victory in the 200 meters, was impressed.
BOLT RESPONDS
LONDON — Usain Bolt took a momentary break from basking in his historic Olympic sprinting double to fiercely criticize former U.S. athlete Carl Lewis.
Soon after winning gold in the 200 meters at the London Olympics for 100 and 200 titles at back-to-back games, Bolt said Thursday he had “lost all respect” for Lewis after the American was quoted as saying Jamaica’s doping controls were not as strong as other countries.
While not making any direct accusations, former 100 and 200 Olympic champion Lewis has said in recent years that Jamaican drug testing procedures might need to be tightened.
The comments brought a stern reaction from Bolt at Olympic Stadium, right after he roared to an unprecedented second 200-meter title at the games.
No other athlete has won the 200 twice at the Olympics, although Lewis won the event in 1984 and finished second in the 1988 Games.