gold medal

China's gold medal gymnasts were old enough to compete in the Beijing Olympics, the sport's governing body said Wednesday, though it still had questions about the team that competed at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Two members of that squad -- Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun -- remain under scrutiny.

China proved an acquisitive first-time Olympic host, topping the gold-medal chart with one of the most dominating and diverse performances ever.

The United States, Britain and an array of small nations also had reasons to celebrate. China's haul of 51 gold medals was the largest since the Soviet Union won 55 in Seoul in 1988.

The United States won the gold medal in Olympic men's basketball Sunday with a 118-107 victory over Spain.

The Americans won their first gold medal since the 2000 Olympics, but not without a fight. They led by just four points with less than 2 1/2 minutes remaining before pulling away to beat the same team they handled by 37 points in pool play.

Dwyane Wade scored 27 points and Kobe Bryant added 20 for the Americans.

Brazil won its first gold medal in women's volleyball on Saturday, beating the U.S. 3-1 and ending an emotional run by an American team struck by tragedy hours after the opening ceremony.

The Brazilians won a tight and tense deciding set in their first Olympic final to win 25-18, 18-25, 25-13, 25-21, and spoil the return of U.S.

BEIJING -- It was just one moment in the parade of moments that comprise the protocol before any Olympic basketball game -- the exchange of gifts, the hand clasps, the butt-pats dealt out to opponents, teammates, even referees.

But in the context of the U.S. men's pursuit of a redemptive gold medal, it was a moment particularly worth taking note of.

Angel di Maria's goal gave Argentina its second Olympic soccer title in a row, a 1-0 victory over Nigeria on Saturday.

Di Maria collected a through ball from Lionel Messi in the 58th minute to give 2004 winner Argentina another gold medal and leave the Nigerians, champions in 1996, the silver.

Brazil won the bronze on Friday by beating Belgium 3-0 in Shanghai.

Outplayed and overwhelmed for most of the night, the Americans got the only shot they needed. Olympic champions, once again.

Carli Lloyd scored in the sixth minute of overtime Thursday night, Hope Solo bailed out her teammates time and again, and the United States beat Brazil 1-0 to win the gold medal in women's soccer for a third time in four Olympics.

One more for gold. One more before goodbye. Pushed to extra innings, the U.S. Olympic softball team scored four runs in the ninth inning and beat Japan 4-1 on Wednesday to move within one win of its fourth straight gold medal -- in the sport's farewell for now.

Crystl Bustos hit a three-run homer -- almost out of Fengtai Field -- in the ninth inning as the Americans extended their Olympic winning...

There is yet another controversy in gymnastics. SI.com's E.M. Swift explains how a goofy tiebreaker and dubious scoring robbed Nastia Liukin of a gold medal.