Aug. 15, 2008

BEIJING - California swimmers continued to excel in the pool and softball continued to roll on Day Seven of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Natalie Coughlin recorded her fifth medal of these Games, this time a bronze in the 100 freestyle final. Milorad Cavic won his semifinal heat in the 100 butterfly and advanced to the final.

Softball
Vicky Galindo and the United States defeated Japan and Canada at Fengtai Softball Field. After routing Japan, 7-0 in five innings, the Americans returned to the field to continue a rain-delayed contest against Canada. The U.S. resumed play trailing the Canadians 1-0, but stormed back to win easily, 8-1. Galindo didn't see any action against Japan, but came in to pinch run against Canada. The U.S. next faces Chinese Tapei tonight at 9 p.m. PT (Saturday, Aug. 17, at 12 p.m. Beijing time).

Rowing
Serbia's Iva Obradovic came in fifth in the women's Single Sculls Final B at SY Rowing-Canoeing Park. She posted a time of 7:53.83. Obradovic was in third early on and held on to that lead until the final 500 meters.

Track and Field
Amin Nikfar, competing for Iran, was the first Cal track and field Olympian to take center stage at National Stadium in the qualifying round of the men's shot put. Unfortunately, Nikfar was unable to record a mark and did not advance to the final.

Field Hockey
Assistant coach Peter Milkovich and Canada fell to the Netherlands, 4-2, at Olympic Green Hockey Stadium. The Canadians will next take on Great Britain Saturday, Aug. 16, at 5:30 p.m. PT (Sunday, Aug. 17, at 8:30 a.m. Beijing time).

Women's Swimming
Natalie Coughlin recorded her fifth medal of these Games, this time a bronze in the 100 freestyle final at the Water Cube, notching a time of 53.39. It was Coughlin's fifth medal in these Games, which ties her for the most medals in one Olympic Games by a U.S. woman. Coughlin achieved the same feat at the 2004 Games in Athens.

She needs one more medal to tie Matt Biondi for the most medals by any Cal athlete and two more to tie Jenny Thompson for the most U.S. Olympic women's swimming medals.

Coughlin's next race for a record-setting sixth medal should be the final of the 4x100-meter medley relay Saturday, Aug. 16, at 7:40 p.m. PT (Sunday, Aug. 17, at 10:40 a.m. Beijing time). Although Coughlin did not swim in the prelims of the 4x100, the relay posted the third-fastest time of the heats (3:59.15).

Men's Swimming
At the Water Cube, Serbia's Milorad Cavic won his semifinal heat in the 100 butterfly and advanced to the final with a time of 50.92. Cavic had previously set the Olympic record in a prior heat with a time of 50.76. The 100 butterfly final will take place tonight at 7:10 p.m. PT (Saturday, Aug. 16,10:10 a.m. Beijing time).

Duje Draganja and Bart Kizierowski, competing for Croatia and Poland, respectively, both swam in the 50 freestyle semifinals. Draganja took fifth in his heat, clocking a time of 21.85, while Kizierowski finished seventh at 22.12 in his heat. Neither of the two advanced to the final.

Dragana and another former Bear, Gordan Kozulj, also swam as part of Croatia's 4x100-medley relay in the qualifying heats. But Croatia finished last in its heat in a time of 3:37.69 and will not advance to the final.

Women's Water Polo
Former Bears Heather Petri and Elsie Windes and the U.S. team defeated Russia, 12-7, in Group A action. Windes scored a gold and Petri posted an assist as the United States won the group with a 2-0-1 record and advanced to the semifinal round. The U.S. women wins Group A as a result of Italy's 10-9 victory over China. Italy and USA played to a 9-9 tie, but the United States claimed the group title by scoring more goals against China (in a 12-11 U.S. win) than Italy did. The USA will meet the winner of the China-Australia quarterfinal in either the first semifinal at 11:20 p.m. PT on Monday (2:20 p.m. on Tuesday Beijing time) or the second semifinal at 12:40 a.m. PT on Tuesday (3:40 p.m. on Tuesday Beijing time).