CHINA: OLYMPICS BEIJING 2008 - U.S. basketball players celebrate after epic gold medal final against Spain in which the favourites won 118-107

Record ID: 335214

  • Title: CHINA: OLYMPICS BEIJING 2008 - U.S. basketball players celebrate after epic gold medal final against Spain in which the favourites won 118-107
  • Date: 25th August 2008
  • Summary: YOUNG FAN WITH AMERICAN FLAG
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA73RT1KN1W9RFSQZK750HI634S
  • Story Text: The US basketball team got a heroes' reception when they arrived back at their Beijing hotel proudly wearing the gold medals they won in beating Spain in the Olympic final on Sunday (August 24).
    The hot favourites, the Americans won the gold by outgunning Spain 118-107 in an epic final of hard fouls and flying elbows.
    Wearing their gold medals, the U.S. players chanted "USA, USA" and waved the Stars and Stripes flag.
    Lebron James said Spain were worthy opponents, "We knew it wasn't going to be a cake walk like the last game. Spain brought their A plus game and we did too, so for us to come here and take care of business, we did it the right way."
    The U.S. have won 12 Olympic men's basketball titles but their dominance has waned in recent years, finishing with bronze four years ago and third at the 2006 world championships.
    And the American players said this team were ready to prove again that they are the world's best.
    "It just says we can play as a team...and that we can prove that when it comes down to a close game that we are not going to break, we might have bent a little bit but we are talented and we had a great time at the Olympics," Jason Kidd told Reuters.
    But Kidd is still concentrating on events back home.
    "A little celebration and then we have to get ready for our real jobs, in the sense of trying to win a championship," said Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, currently seventh in the NBA's Western Conference.
    Basketball is hugely popular in China with the players superstars.
    One fan outside the arena after the gold medal presentation was Shi Xian Yu, who described Kobe Bryant as a god and added: "He's irreplacable in our hearts. We really adore him. He's not only a good basketball player, but also a great human being."
    Spain's only Olympic medal in men's basketball came at the 1984 Games when they took silver behind the U.S.
    Given the strength of the American team Spanish fans celebrated coming second, with some fans saying winning a silver against the U.S. was like winning a gold.
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