Olympics Day 4: Women’s Gymnastics Wins Gold, Phelps Wins Silver

Scores and highlights from Day 4 of the Summer Olympics in London.

• FULL COVERAGE: 2012 Summer Games

BASKETBALL

Team USA in another rout…France surprises Argentina

Tt’s two routs in two outings for the NBA star-laden U.S. basketball team. Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love scored 16 points apiece and Kevin Durant added 13 in the Americans’ 110-63 victory over Tunisia. Team USA turned a close game into a blowout with a spectacular second half.

The Americans led by only 13 at halftime and appeared to be going through the motions. But with their second unit starting the third quarter, the U.S. outscored Tunisia 39-14 in the period and put on a crowd-pleasing performance on the way to its second straight easy win.

AP college player of the year Anthony Davis scored 12 points — 10 on dunks — and Russell Westbrook added 11 for the Americans, who will face 1-1 Nigeria on Thursday night.

LONDON (AP) — Tony Parker scored 17 points as France stunned Argentina 71-64 in an Olympic preliminary men’s game featuring 10 NBA players. Nicolas Batum added 14 points for France (1-1), which came in 0-4 in Olympic competition against Argentina.

Parker’s San Antonio teammate Manu Ginobili (MAN’-oo jih-NOH’-blee) scored 26 for Argentina which had looked so impressive in a 23-point win over Lithuania in its opener.

SWIMMING

Phelps sets Olympic mark

LONDON (AP) — Michael Phelps is master of the medals.

The swimming sensation has set the Olympic record for most medals won, helping the U.S. to the gold medal in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay. That brings his medal haul to 19, including a record 15 gold.

Phelps broke the record held by former Russian gymnast Larrisa Latynina (lah-TIHN’-ihn-uh).

Earlier, Phelps tied the mark when he was edged out for gold by South Africa Chad le Clos (KLOH) in the 200-meter butterfly.

Allison Schmitt set an Olympic record to win the 200-meter freestyle. The American was clocked at 1 minute, 53.61 seconds, more than a second better than the old mark. American teenager Missy Franklin finished fourth.

The International Olympic Committee is springing to the defense of China’s teenage swim sensation Ye Shiwen (yee shih-wehn). There has been speculation as to how the 16-year-old swam so fast while shattering the world record in 400-meter indvidual medley final on Saturday.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams says the top five finishers in all events are drug-tested, and the IOC is very confident that if there are cheats, they will catch them.

Adams also says it is “very sad” if great performances cannot be applauded.

GYMNASTICS

U.S. women strike gold

LONDON (AP) — The Americans emphatically claimed their first Olympic gold medal in women’s gymnastics since 1996. The favorites lived up to expectations, collecting 183.596 points to earn a whopping five-point victory over Russia. Romania won the bronze medal.

The Americans jumped on top on their first rotation with a number of booming vaults to open a 1.7 point lead. With one rotation to go, the outcome was decided and the U.S. women used their floor exercises like a coronation.

Aly Raisman (RYS’-man), world champion Jordyn Wieber (WEE’-bur), Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney and Kyla Ross raised their index fingers as the crowd chanted “U.S.A.”

SOCCER

U.S. women win, wrap up first

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The United States clinched first place in its group in Olympic women’s soccer with a 1-0 win over North Korea.

Abby Wambach scored in the 25th minute for her 141st international goal and third of the tournament.

Nearly 30,000 attended the first women’s soccer game played in 23 years at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United.

The Americans won all three of their group games and were already assured a berth in the next round heading into Tuesday’s game. They now move on Newcastle for a quarterfinal match on Friday.

TENNIS

Roddick bounced, Williams sisters advance

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) advanced to the third round of the Olympics by beating three-time Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick of the U.S. 6-2, 6-1 on Centre Court at the All England Club.

Venus Williams eased into the third round of the women’s competition by beating Aleksandra Wozniak (WOHZ’-nee-ak) of Canada 6-1, 6-3. She later teamed with sister Serena to advance to the quarterfinals in doubles with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Sabine Lisicki.

Top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States advanced to the quarterfinals of Olympic doubles by edging Nikolay Davydenko (NIH’-koh-ly dah-vee-DENK’-oh) and Mikhail Youzhny (YOOZ’-nee) of Russia, 7-6, 7-6.

TENNIS

Olympic record set

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — The longest set in Olympic history was played at Wimbledon when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (SAHNG’-guh) of France defeated Milos Raonic of Canada 6-3, 3-6, 25-23 in the second round.

Tsonga leaped and roared when he won on his fourth match point with a drop volley.

The previous record was 30 games in 2004 when Fernando Gonzalez defeated Taylor Dent in the third set, 16-14, to win the bronze medal.

VOLLEYBALL

American men are 2-0

LONDON (AP) — Clay Stanley scored 16 points and the U.S. men’s volleyball team improved to 2-0 in preliminary pool play at the London Olympics with a three-set victory over Germany.

Matt Anderson added 15 points in the 25-23, 25-16, 25-20 win for the defending Olympic champions.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Walsh Jennings will press on

LONDON (AP) — American beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh Jennings has pinkeye but says she’s taking antibiotics and will keep competing at the London Olympics.

Walsh Jennings and partner Misty May-Treanor (TRAY’-nur) are two-time defending gold medalists and are 2-0 so far in these Olympics.

SKEET SHOOTING

Hancock goes back to back

LONDON (AP) — Vincent Hancock of the U.S. has successfully defended his title in the Olympic men’s skeet competition.

Hancock topped his own Olympic record by hitting 123 targets in qualifying earlier Tuesday, and was a perfect 25-for-25 in the medal round.

It gives the U.S. a skeet sweep in London. Kimberly Rhode (ROH’-dee) won the women’s competition earlier this week.

WATER POLO

Yanks rally to win

LONDON (AP) — The United States recovered from a slow start to edge Romania 10-8 in men’s water polo.

Ryan Bailey and Peter Varellas paced the comeback with three goals each.

Trailing 5-3 halfway through the second quarter, the Americans cranked up the defense and shut down Romania while scoring four unanswered goals of their own to take control of the match.

FIELD HOCKEY

U.S. stuns Argentina

LONDON (AP) — Shannon Taylor scored late in the first half and the United States upset second-ranked Argentina 1-0 in women’s field hockey.

The Americans got into the Olympics by stunning Argentina 4-2 in last year’s final at the Pan American Games. That was considered the biggest win in U.S. field hockey history.

Both teams are 1-1 in Group B play.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)