Rebecca Soni led a group of Trojan athletes past and present that continued USC’s Olympics success with 21 medals in Beijing.

USC athletes added nine gold, 10 silver and two bronze medals – more medals than at Athens in 2004 or Sydney in 2000 – to its impressive Olympics resume, bringing the university’s all-time tally to 121 gold, 76 silver and 60 bronze. It was Troy's second highest overall medal count, behind only the 24 medals it won at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

If USC athletes had competed as a country this year, they would have placed 13th in the overall medal standing in the Beijing Games (and tied for eighth in golds). USC athletes have taken home at least one gold medal from every Summer Olympics since 1912.

In all, 40 Trojan athletes competed at the Olympics, extending USC’s record total of all-time Olympians to 384.

For a complete list of USC's 2008 Olympic results, visit http://usctrojans.cstv.com/

“The entire Trojan Family is extremely proud of the performance of our current and former athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics,” USC athletic director Mike Garrett said.

“Once again, USC athletes came through in big ways and represented their countries – and their university – in spectacular fashion. To win 21 medals – more than most countries in the world – is simply amazing, but that’s the Olympic standard we’ve come to expect with our Trojan athletes. My congratulations go to each and every one of the 40 Trojans who competed in Beijing, whether they won a medal or not.”

Soni, a senior majoring in communications, led the way with three swimming medals, a gold in the 200-meter breaststroke, a silver in the 100-meter breaststroke and another silver in the 400-meter medley relay.

She set a world record in 2 minutes and 20.22 seconds to win the gold, upsetting former record holder Leisel Jones of Australia.

The feat came two years after Soni underwent surgery to remove scar tissue around her heart that sometimes forced her heart to race up to 400 beats per minute.

“It’s been a long road to get here,” Soni said shortly after her gold-medal performance. “I can't believe what just happened.”

Allyson Felix was the other USC representative to win multiple medals. The May graduate, who never competed for the Trojans because of her professional status, helped the U.S. to a gold medal in the 1,600-meter relay and took a silver in the 200 meters.

Felix hoped to improve on the silver in the 200 meters that she won in Athens. Despite dropping her time by .25 to 21.93 seconds, she again finished second to Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica. Felix had beaten Campbell-Brown last year at the World Championships.

“It would be ungrateful for me to say that I’m disappointed with a silver medal when so many people don’t get the opportunity,” Felix said. “I’m grateful. I’m going to hold my head up and be proud of it.”

Felix was scheduled to run in the final of the 400-meter relay but wouldn’t get the chance when the team, which also included Angela Williams ’02 and Torri Edwards ’99, dropped the baton in the semifinals and was disqualified, likely costing all three of them a medal.

But Felix got redemption in her last race of the meet, running a 48.55-second split – the fastest lap of any of the 32 women in the final – to win her first gold medal as part of the 1,600-meter relay.

Ous Mellouli ’06 became a national hero for his native land of Tunisia, bringing the small African country its only medal in Beijing and just its second gold medal ever by winning the 1,500-meter freestyle in swimming.

Mellouli, who never won an NCAA title in college, upset world-record holder Grant Hackett of Australia. Mellouli is now the second-fastest swimmer in the history of the event.

Erik Vendt ’03 and Klete Keller ’02 also took home swimming golds as members of the U.S. 800-meter freestyle relay team. Larsen Jensen ’07 added a bronze in the 400-meter freestyle.

Tasha Danvers ’00 won a bronze medal for Great Britain with a personal best in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.

USC athletes excelled in team sports, led by gold medals from Lisa Leslie ’94 and Tina Thompson ’97 on the U.S. women’s basketball team.

Leslie and Thompson both started for the U.S., which dominated opponents by an average of 38 points. It’s the fourth gold medal for Leslie.

“In my fourth Olympics, to have four gold medals, it obviously shows a level of dominance that I’ve been able to participate in with so many great players,” Leslie said. “It would be shameful to try to take all the credit for myself when I’ve had so many awesome teammates. So, for me, I just pass that on to my teammates that will go on in the future to represent our country.”

USC has 40 current, former and future Trojans competing at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. For a video update, visit http://usctrojans.cstv.com and look for Trojan Olympic Update 5 under Top Stories.

For a full list of all USC athletes competing in the 2008 Games, visit http://http://usctrojans.cstv.com/genrel/073008aaa.html


Here are the previous stories that have run on the Trojan Olympic athletes:

Amy Rodriguez, who is entering her senior year, set up the game-winning goal in overtime to lead the U.S. to a 1-0 victory over Brazil in the gold-medal game for women’s soccer.

Gabe Gardner ’97 helped the U.S. men’s volleyball team to an upset of defending Olympic champion Brazil for the gold medal. Nicole Davis ’03 helped the U.S. women’s volleyball team to a silver medal that included impressive upsets of Italy and Cuba.

USC athletes just missed out on five more gold medals in women’s water polo.

The U.S. team lost 9-8 to the Netherlands in the final. USC junior Kami Craig and alums Patty Cardenas ’07, Brittany Hayes ’07, Moriah Van Norman ’06 and Lauren Wenger ’06 each contributed with goals in their first Olympics to earn silver medals.

The U.S. men’s water polo team, with USC junior J.W. Krumpholz, also took silver.

It's been a spectacular year for USC's Amy Rodriguez.

Already a 2007 NCAA champion with the Women of Troy, Rodriguez captured an Olympic gold medal in Beijing as the U.S. women's soccer team edged Brazil 1-0 in extra time for the USA's third Olympic gold.

A first-time Olympian, Rodriguez was an unwavering spark on the front lines throughout the Games. In the final against Brazil, it was Rodriguez who set up the game-winning goal from Carli Lloyd, slipping a pass back to Lloyd for the assist on the golden strike.

Rodriguez got her first call as an Olympic starter in the USA's second match of the Beijing Games. A remarkably speedy striker, Rodriguez went on to start and play at least 80 minutes in the next five USA matches – all wins – including the gold-medal match.

The Trojan senior notched her first Olympic goal in a 4-0 win over New Zealand during group play. She played 109 minutes of the USA's 2-1 overtime win against Canada in the quarterfinals and had an assist on the United States' second goal in a 4-2 win over Japan in the semis to boost Team USA into the gold-medal match.

Up against a tough rival in Brazil, the U.S. went into extra time once again. In the 96th minute, Rodriguez slipped a pass back to Lloyd, who took a touch to the left outside the box and drilled a shot toward the far post and under the diving Brazil keeper to get Team USA ahead 1-0. The USA defense withstood an onslaught of Brazilian attacks late in the second extra time period as the U.S. emerged with the win and Olympic gold.

Having logged a pile of minutes for the USA, Rodriguez is expected to sit out the start of the Trojan 2008 season, which opens Friday at San Diego.

Rodriguez is USC’s first women's soccer Olympian and the first USC soccer player to medal in the Games. Her gold-medal win in Beijing brings USC its fifth gold of the 2008 Games and 117th all-time Olympic gold medal.

Women of Troy Take Water Polo Silver

USC's Olympic medal tally ballooned further as five Women of Troy helped make history for the United States women's water polo team.

A silver-medal finish in Beijing makes Team USA the only women's water polo team to medal in three consecutive Games, a feat that likely would not have been accomplished without the efforts of five first-time Olympians hailing from USC.

USC junior Kami Craig and Trojan grads Patty Cardenas, Brittany Hayes, Moriah Van Norman and Lauren Wenger all scored for Team USA during the run to the Olympic final. In the gold-medal match, the United States fell 9-8 to the Netherlands to take the silver medal in Beijing.

Felix Captures Silver in 200M Race

Trojan Allyson Felix ran a season-best time of 21.93 in the women's 200m race to earn the silver medal at the Beijing Games.

Felix, who also won the silver medal in the 200m at the 2004 Athens Olympics, placed second, sandwiched between winner Veronica Campbell-Brown (21.74) and third-place finisher Kerron Stewart (22.00), both of Jamaica.

Felix was the defending world champion in the 200m after defeating Campbell-Brown last year at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan.

It also was bittersweet for Felix as she just missed out in the 200m at the Athens games, taking the silver by finishing .13 behind Campbell-Brown.

"What can you say?" Felix said. "A phenomenal time. Deja vu, and not in a good way."

Felix graduated from USC in December 2007 but did not compete for the Trojans as she turned professional prior to her freshman season.

Danvers Wins Bronze in Hurdles

Former USC NCAA champion Tasha Danvers posted a personal-best time of 53.84 in the women’s 400m intermediate hurdles race to earn a bronze medal at the Beijing Games Aug. 20.

Danvers, running for her native Great Britain, took third place in the race won by Melaine Walker of Jamaica in an Olympic-record time of 52.64. USA’s Sheena Tosta took second with a time of 53.70.

Danvers had advanced to the finals by taking second in her semifinal heat with a time of 54.31 and winning her opening-round race with a time of 55.19.

The results were especially pleasing to Danvers as she had struggled through an injury-plagued season.

“I had to remember ‘Do not give up on yourself’ mentally. At least if you’re mentally able to stay on top of it, you never know what you can do,” Danvers said. “I did the training, the proof is in the pudding and I managed to put it together at the right time so I am so happy.”

At USC, Danvers won the 2000 NCAA title in the 400m intermediate hurdles and set two school records which still stand, posting a 54.94 time in the 400m hurdles in 2000 and running the first leg of USC’s fastest recorded 4x400m relay of 3:28.08 in 1999.

Danvers also competed for Great Britain at the 2000 Sydney Games in the 400m hurdles and on its 4x400m relay team but did not medal.

Ous Mellouli Wins Gold in 1500-meter Freestyle

By Paul Goldberg

Former USC NCAA Champion Ous Mellouli became the first man to defeat Grant Hackett in the 1500-meter freestyle in 11 years, wresting away the stranglehold the Aussie had on the race to win Tunisia’s first-ever swimming gold medal on the final day of swimming at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Following Mellouli’s win, USC senior Rebecca Soni swam the breaststroke leg for the U.S. 4x100m medley relay, which resulted in a silver medal.

Mellouli, a four-time All-American in the mile but never a title-winner in college, trailed the first two-thirds of the race before taking over first after 1100 meters. Coached in Beijing by USC head swimming coach Dave Salo, Mellouli stretched his lead to almost a second-and-a-half with only 100 meters to go.

Hackett cut more than half a second off the lead with 50 meters to go, but couldn’t catch a sprinting Mellouli over the final 50 meters as the Tunisian won in 14:40.84, an African record which made him the second-fastest man ever in the race. Hackett, the world record holder in the race, finished in 14:41.53.

Mellouli’s win is even more noteworthy considering he’s been battling back pain in recent months that has limited his training. Diagnosed in July with two herniated disks in his back, Mellouli’s ability to vie for medals in Beijing recently was in doubt.

“We were not sure he was going to do anything, let alone medal, especially in the 1500,” Salo said. “His 400 gave us hope and he seemed to be coming along reasonably well through the night before the race. The race played out well for him. Had Grant Hackett and (bronze medal winner) Ryan Cochrane gone out faster, I am not sure Ous would have been in the hunt for the gold medal. When he realized he had a chance to win at about 600-800 (meters), he was energized and took advantage of the way the early leaders were swimming.

Also swimming in the 1500m free was former Trojan Larsen Jensen, who won bronze in the 400m free earlier in the meet. The silver medalist in the 1500m free in 2004, he finished fifth in the mile in 14:48.16.

Mellouli’s win in the mile continues a tradition of Olympic success USC has had in the event. Mike O’Brien won the race in 1984 for the U.S. while Trojan Australians John Konrads and Murray Rose won the race in 1960 and 1956, respectively. Rose won silver in the race in 1960, as did Jensen in 2004. Buster Crabbe also won bronze in the race in 1928.

Soni Wins Gold in 200-Meter Breaststroke

By Paul Goldberg

USC senior Rebecca Soni pulled off one of the biggest upsets thus far in the National Aquatics Center at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, dethroning 200-meter breaststroke world record holder Australian Leisel Jones by shattering the world standard and capturing the gold medal in China.

Soni, who finished second to Jones in the 100m breaststroke earlier this week to earn her first career Olympic medal, trailed Jones after 50 and 100 meters. But known for her prowess in the back half of her races, Soni overtook Jones after 150 meters by one one-hundredth of a second and then crushed the field over the final 50 meters to win in 2:20.22.

The swim erased Jones’ two-and-a-half-year-old world record of 2:20.54.

Soni, who set the American and Olympic record during prelims, was the top seed entering the final, but still was considered the underdog to the veteran Jones.

Jones, however, could not match Soni’s pace during the final lap and settled for silver in 2:22.05. Sara Nordenstam of Norway earned the bronze in 2:23.02.

The last USC women’s swimmer to win an individual gold medal was Canadian Anne Ottenbrite, who coincidentally won the 200m breaststroke at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She won that event in USC’s McDonald’s Swim Stadium, the same pool Soni has trained in for the past three years.

"The hard work, commitment and dedication she demonstrates every day in training prepared her for the win and the world record," said head coach Dave Salo. "It was awesome to see Rebecca have a big smile on her face as she experienced the dream becoming reality. Wow!"

Several Trojan women have earned gold medals on relays in recent Olympiads, most recently Lindsay Benko, Rhi Jeffrey and Kaitlin Sandeno in the 4x200m freestyle relay in 2004.

The last Trojan men’s swimmer to win an individual gold was Lenny Krayzelburg, who won both the 100m and 200m backstroke in 2000.

Vendt, Keller Extend Gold Medal Streak

By Paul Goldberg

Former Trojan swimming greats Erik Vendt and Klete Keller, members of the U.S. 4x200-meter freestyle relay, clinched gold medals when the Americans took first place in the event’s final Wednesday morning at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The event extending an amazing USC streak: A Trojan has won a gold medal in every summer Olympics from 1912.

Vendt and Keller swam the final two legs of the Americans’ preliminary relay Tuesday night in Beijing, helping to set an Olympic record of 7:04.66. Although both only swam in the prelims, by virtue of the U.S. win in the final, both former Trojans earned the same medals as the swimmers in the final.

It is Vendt’s first Olympic gold medal after winning the silver medal in the 400m IM in both the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. It is Keller’s second Olympic gold and fifth medal overall (he also has one silver and two bronze). He previously won gold as the anchor leg during the final of 4x200m free relay in 2004 when he held off Australian great Ian Thorpe at the wall.

It was the third and fourth medals already won by a current, former or future Trojan in the 2008 Games. Former Trojan Larsen Jensen won bronze in the 400m free while current USC senior Rebecca Soni won silver in the 100m breast. Both are medal contenders in other events later in the week.

Soni Wins Silver In 100m Breaststroke

By Paul Goldberg

USC senior Rebecca Soni, a two-time 2008 NCAA champion and the 2008 Olympic Trials champion in the 200-meter breaststroke, won a silver medal in the 100-meter breaststroke Tuesday morning at the Beijing Olympics.

Soni set a personal best in 1:06.73, finishing second to Australian world record holder Leisel Jones, who won the race in 1:05.17. Austria's Mirna Jukic won bronze (1:07.34).

Soni, considered by some a long shot to earn a medal in the event, turned fifth at the midway point and was 0.32 out of second place, but her back final 50 meters of 35.17 was second-fastest in the race, helping the New Jersey native earn a spot on the medal stand.

Soni was not originally scheduled to compete in the event after finishing fourth in the event at the Olympic Trials. But first-place finisher Jessica Hardy withdrew from the U.S. team after testing positive for a banned substance on July 21. With the deadline for adding swimmers to the team having passed, USA Swimming could only add a swimmer to the event from within the existing USA Olympic squad. That berth went to Soni.

"I don't even know how I feel yet," Soni told reporters immediately after the race. "It's still registering. Who could ask for more?"

Soni, considered a stronger medal contender in the 200m breast, will swim in the prelims of the event on Wednesday. She will also likely swim in the 4x100m medley relay.

"I'm going to try to keep it rolling," Soni said. "It's a good sign for the 200. It takes a lot of the pressure off. After the first swim, especially if you win a medal, it makes the next swim a lot easier, a little more relaxed."

USC is currently being represented by 41 past, present and future athletes at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

Also on Tuesday, former Trojans Rodrigo Castro (Brazil) and Ous Mellouli (Tunisia) finished 18th and 19th, respectively in the 200m freestyle, while Tamas Kerekjarto (Hungary) was 22nd in the 200m butterfly.

Incoming freshman women's swimmer Katinka Hosszu just missed qualifying for the semifinals of the 200m IM, taking 17th in prelims. She was also 12th in the 400m IM.

41 Trojans Compete in Beijing

By Matthew Kredell

Forty-one current, former and future Trojans will compete at the 2008 Olympic Games, which have kicked off in Beijing.

USC leads all American universities in the number of athletes who have participated during the 104-year history of the modern Olympics. This year’s 40 participants, second in the nation behind Stanford University, would extend USC’s record total of all-time Olympians to 384.

Trojan athletes have collected 236 medals, including at least one gold in every summer Olympics since 1912. Only 11 nations have won more gold medals than the 112 by USC athletes.

“Once again, Trojan athletes from throughout the world will gather at the Olympics and compete successfully at the highest level in their sports,” said USC athletic director Mike Garrett. “It is something we’ve come to expect ever since our first Olympian in 1904. USC’s Olympic tradition of participation and success by its athletes is unlike any other university, and the Beijing Games will further enhance that legacy.”

Allyson Felix ’08 is the most likely individual athlete to continue USC’s gold rush, though the sprinter never actually competed for the school. Felix became the first female in track and field ever to turn professional right out of high school in 2003.

Part of her contract with Adidas was to pay for her college education. She chose to attend USC, where her brother Wes competed, and graduated in May with a degree in elementary education.

Although Felix never wore the uniform, USC track and field coach Ron Allice said it doesn’t make her any less of a Trojan.

“What people don’t realize is she could have gone any place and the shoe company had to pay,” Allice said. “That’s a Trojan family. Her brother was the captain of the team here. She’s on the pillar (dedicated to USC Olympians at the entrance to the Katherine B. Loker Track and Field Stadium). If you’re an Olympian and go to school here, that’s where you’re going to be.”

Sports Illustrated picked Felix as the favorite to win her best event, the 200-meter dash. She won the silver in that event at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. She also could help the United States medal in the 400- and 1,600-meter relays.

Felix was one of 39 Trojan athletes in Athens, a group that brought home eight gold medals and 17 overall.

USC would be more than halfway to breaking its 2004 gold medal total if the United States wins in women’s water polo. Junior Kami Craig, Patty Cardenas ’08, Brittany Hayes ’07, Moriah Van Norman ’06 and Lauren Wenger (on track to graduate soon), amazingly make up five of the 13-person roster.

“We’re very proud and really excited about watching the Olympics,” USC water polo coach Jovan Vavic said. “The last Olympics, we didn’t have anyone on the team. I think it says we’ve done a good job recruiting and developing players the last four years.”

If the U.S. doesn’t win at women’s water polo, USC still has its bases covered. Russia is considered the main competition for the title, and the Russian captain is 2004 USC graduate Sofia Konoukh. Another contender is Hungary, where USC has a representative in Aniko Pelle ’03.

Konoukh and Pelle are part of a large international constituency of USC athletes. Twenty of the 40 Trojans are competing for 16 countries outside the United States. Eight are currently at USC, 30 are former Trojans and Katinka Hosszu, who will represent Hungary in swimming, is an incoming freshman.

USC also is well-represented among Olympic coaches and staff.

Ten USC-affiliated coaches or former athletes will be in Beijing coaching or helping with track, baseball, water polo, swimming and volleyball. Three current USC coaches in the group are track’s Tina Fernandes, assisting Puerto Rico’s women’s track team, head swimming coach Dave Salo, the head coach of men’s swimming for Tunisia, and diving head coach Hongping Li, serving on the staff of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The other seven former USC coaches or athletes are assisting U.S. teams, such as Bernice Orwig ’99, a former USC water polo goalie and 2000 Olympic silver medalist, who is an assistant coach for women’s water polo.

Other athletes who are possibilities to win gold medals include Los Angeles Sparks forward Lisa Leslie ’97 and Tina Thompson ’97 in women’s basketball, senior Amy Rodriguez in soccer, Torri Edwards ’05 and Angela Williams ’02 in track and swimmers Larsen Jensen ’07, Erik Vendt ’05 and Klete Keller, currently a junior.

“It will be fun for Trojan fans across the globe to root on the many USC athletes who will be competing in Beijing,” Garrett said. “A number of those Trojans have excellent chances of bringing home medals. Not only will their home countries be solidly behind them in their quest, but so will the entire Trojan Family.”