Olympics

Serena Williams beats Sharapova for Olympic gold: Aug. 4, 2012; By Steven Wine, Associated Press; Serena Williams became only the second woman to achieve a Golden Slam, winning the most lopsided women's final in Olympic history Saturday by beating Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1.

U.S. women beat Czechs 88-61 in Olympic basketball: Aug. 4, 2012; Associated Press; Tina Charles is leading the way inside, to where the big girls play. With 6-foot-5 center Sylvia Fowles resting a sore left foot, Charles has become the U.S. women's basketball team's leading rebounder in her first Olympics.

No need to go to London to try your hand at an Olympic sport: Aug. 3, 2012; By Tom Gorman; So you’re watching the Olympics and thinking that some of the sports might be fun to try. Maybe not the pole vault or the pentathlon or synchronized swimming but hey, you say, I can get my hands on a bow and arrow or a badminton racket. Fencing? Bring it on, Zorro! And if you’re burned out on Strip entertainment, maybe you’d enjoy watching dressage.

Little-known sport of team handball offers a path to Olympics: Aug. 3, 2012; By Ray Brewer; Are you watching this summer’s Olympic Games in London and dreaming of one day representing the red, white and blue on sports’ biggest stage? Bernhard Schneider is confident he can help you become an Olympian. But you’ve got to like handball.

Gabby Douglas shatters glass ceiling with historic win: Aug. 3, 2012; Will Graves, Associated Press; Gabby Douglas believed two years ago, when she persuaded her mother to let her move halfway across the country.

U.S. men's basketball set for familiar Nigerian team: Aug. 2, 2012; Brian Mahoney, Associated Press; While teams such as Nigeria want to test themselves against LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, they may have to settle for Kevin Love and Andre Iguodala.

Las Vegas' Michael Hunter eliminated from Olympic boxing in first match: Aug. 1, 2012; Greg Beacham, Associated Press; The U.S. Olympic boxing team realized it faced a brutal slate of matchups Wednesday, taking on a Cuban world champion and two hulking Russian heavyweights. None of the three Americans could beat the odds to advance in London.

America's 'Fierce Five' soar their way into Olympic history: Aug. 1, 2012; Will Graves, Associated Press; For 16 years, the Magnificent Seven defined the U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics program, setting the standard by which every American team is judged. Now — finally — there is the team known as the "Fierce Five."

Badminton booed after top doubles pairs don't try: July 31, 2012; Associated Press; The world doubles badminton champs apparently are good at losing, too. Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang of China were booed off the Olympic court Tuesday after appearing to intentionally lose against South Koreans Jung Kyun-eun and Kim Ha-na in a preliminary women's match.

What's up with China's swimming success?: July 31, 2012; John Leicester, AP columnist; When Chinese swimmers started blowing rivals out of the water in London's Olympic pool, whispers quickly followed. Is China cheating the sport again, as it did in the 1990s, when drug-fueled, muscle-bound swimmers emerged from nowhere to beat the world?

Nevada gets the cold shoulder: July 30, 2012; By Richard N. Velotta; When the curtain rose on the Olympic Games over the weekend, millions of people saw Big Ben, Tower Bridge, the London Eye and other icons. That’s exactly the kind of publicity Nevada hoped to get in 2022.

Olympic boxing field set after all-important draw: July 28, 2012; Associated Press; Luck of the draw: American women have different fates after Olympic boxing field is set.

Sweat poured out on BMX courses in valley paves way for trip to London: July 22, 2012; By Brian Nordli; Connor Fields leaned on a wooden fence beam at Boulder City BMX, armed with a Sharpie and two 24-packs of Monster Energy Drink. A flock of kids straddling BMX bikes surrounded him. For nearly an hour on a sweltering 90-degree day, he scribbled his initials – a C and backward F the way his dad does it –and Team USA onto cans, BMX jerseys, bike seats and anything else thrust at him. Kids ranging from 4 to 14 years old shout his name and fight for his attention. They don’t need to though.

Michael Hunter hopes to fulfill dreams — his and his father's — with Olympic gold: July 22, 2012; By Ray Brewer; Michael Hunter has had his hopes set on becoming an Olympic boxer since he was a kid; he even promised his dad he would win a gold medal. The time has come.

Berth on U.S. team for London games puts hammer thrower ahead of schedule: July 22, 2012; By Taylor Bern; Amanda Bingson is ready for her dress rehearsal. The lights and stage will be similar to the real thing, but that’s not until the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. For Bingson, a recent UNLV grad who came out of nowhere to qualify for this summer’s Olympics in the hammer throw, London is just a warm-up.