All countries know going into the Olympics that USA is the country to beat. But it goes without saying that everyone enjoys watching some of the top US athletes who don't fail to amaze us with their talents. Finishing the games with 110 medals, the highest number of medals than any other country, the US team had a phenomenal run. Here are some of the top athletes, and best highlights of the USA Olympic team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Athletes:
Probably the best known-well liked and unbelievably talented athlete from Team USA is swimmer Michael Phelps. Michael won 8 gold medals; the highest amount of gold medals to ever be won at an Olympic games. He is probably the most talked about athlete from this year's Olympics, and kept US's medal standing hard to beat in Beijing.
Some other top athletes on the US team include: Gold medallist basketball player Kobe Bryant; individual all-around gold medalist of 2008 Nastia Liukin; the women's beach volleyball team including gold medallists Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh; silver medal swimmer Dara Torres; and finally US gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson.
Highlights:
The US Gymnast team went in with Shawn Johnson being the top gymnast in the world. But Nastia Liukin outdid Shawn Johnson in the all-around, and most likely could have won a second gold in the uneven bars if it weren't for a tie breaker. Top US contender in the decathon Bryan Clay overcame World record holder Roman Sebrle to earn the title of World's greatest athlete.
At 41 years of age Dara Torres lost gold in the 50m freestyle to someone half her age by only .01 seconds. She also swam with the US swimming team to a silver medal victory.
The US basketball team claimed their victory on the final day of the Olympic games in Beijing. Battling it out against Spain, coach Mike Krzyzewski's led the Americans to a win of 118-107. Even missing their injured point guard Jose Calderon; Dwayne Wade led the team with 27 points. It was an amazing win for the US team, and Krzyzewski called it "one of the greatest games in international basketball history."
These are only a hand full of athletes and highlighted events from the USA Olympic Team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. To say the least, the US holds some of the greatest athletes in the world, and will continue to impress in Olympic Games history.
