LONDON — Tiki Gelana felt the Olympic marathon slipping away when she tumbled on the rain-slickened street.
Around the halfway point of the race, the Ethiopian was knocked down by another runner as she reached for her water bottle, a hard fall that bloodied her right elbow. Already aching, Gelana thought about pulling out. Instead, she found new motivation and headed on down the road.
Gelana recovered from the fall to win the marathon on Sunday in a race that began in a downpour, was briefly brightened by sunshine and ended in another drenching rain.
She was soaked as she crossed the finish line, but she didn’t seem to mind, raising her hands high to celebrate after navigating the rainy course in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 7 seconds to hold off Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya by five seconds. Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova of Russia won the bronze in the typical London weather.
“When I fell, I said, ‘Oh, wow, I’m not going to finish,”’ Gelana said through an interpreter. “But I just concentrated on running. All of a sudden, I made it.” GYMNASTICS
Maroney takes silver
McKayla Maroney was all set to add the vault title to her team gymnastics gold with the U.S. when she made a costly mistake. She appeared to land her second vault on the backs of her heels. Her feet slid out from under her, and she plopped on the mat, a look of shock crossing her face.
“I really didn’t deserve to win a gold medal if I fall on my butt,” Maroney said. “I was still happy with a silver, but it’s still just sad.”
Sandra Izbasa of Romania won the gold, and Russia’s Maria Paseka took the bronze.
BASKETBALL
U.S. women roll
Diana Taurasi had 22 points and the U.S. women matched their Olympic scoring record in a 114-66 rout of China.
The Americans’ 38th consecutive victory in Olympic play gave them the top seed in the group for the quarterfinals. The U.S. will meet Canada on Tuesday.
Angel McCoughtry scored 16 as the women equaled the 114 points they scored against Spain in 1992, but fell well short of the women’s Olympic mark of 128 points set by Brazil in 2004.
France finished undefeated in pool play, beating Russia 65-54, and will play the Czech Republic in the quarters. Turkey meets Russia and Australia faces China in the other matchups in the next round.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
American duo wins
Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor beat Italy in straight sets in the quarterfinals to remain on track for a third consecutive Olympic gold medal.
The Americans earned a berth in the semifinals against Beijing bronze medalists Xue Chen and Zhang Xi. The Chinese team has beaten the two-time defending Olympic champions the last three times they’ve met.
The No. 2 U.S. women’s team of Jennifer Kessy and April Ross also advanced, beating the Czech Republic 25-23, 21-18. The Americans next play reigning world champions Juliana and Larissa of Brazil.
VOLLEYBALL
Berg injured
The undefeated U.S. women’s team lost captain and three-time Olympian Lindsey Berg to a left ankle injury during a straight-set victory over Turkey.
The Americans breezed through the second set and took a 9-5 lead in the third before Berg limped off the court. The setter removed her shoe, and a trainer wrapped the ankle in ice.
Berg said she didn’t think the injury was serious and she should be ready to play in Tuesday’s quarterfinal.
Destinee Hooker scored 19 points in the 27-25, 25-16, 25-19 victory for the U.S., which had clinched the top seed in its pool.
China and Russia each posted five-set victories. Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Japan also won.
DIVING
Minxia gets gold
China’s Wu Minxia won the women’s 3-meter springboard for her first individual gold and record-tying sixth career medal.
Wu led all but one round of the five-dive final, totaling 414.00 points. She tied retired countrywoman Guo Jingjing with six medals. Wu and partner He Zi also won the 3-meter synchronized title in London.
He took the silver with 379.20, giving China its sixth diving medal of the games, including five gold after sweeping the synchro events.
Laura Sanchez Soto of Mexico earned the bronze at 362.40.
Sports, Pages 19 on 08/06/2012