U.S. women have work cut out for them
This year’s Olympics (less than two months away now) are going to be much different for the United States, especially when you consider they’re the three-time defending gold medalists. Teams from Australia, Russia and Brazil are thought to be top contenders for Olympic Gold, as well as the Americans, but as Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star via USA Today states, it’s definitely not going to be easy to repeat.
The American women lost a semifinal game to Russia in the 2006 World Championships, their first major international loss in 12 years, opening the door for Australia to win the title. And most recently, the national team — a watered-down version of the team, mind you — went only 4-2 during a pre-Olympic tournament in Beijing.
“We’d always felt like it was just us and the Russians, but when Australia won the (world) title, that was the breakthrough, and it sent a message that things had changed,” said Indiana Fever coach Lin Dunn, an assistant with the U.S. Olympic team in the 1992 Barcelona Games.
“This is something that’s evolved and it’s good for the women’s game, but I’m not so sure it’s good for the United States. Basically, we’re helping develop our biggest competitors.”
If the U.S. women lose a game (or more) in the Beijing Games, let’s just say you were warned.
The Olympic basketball competition gets going on August 9.
Tags: "australia", 2008-Olympics, beijing olympics, brazil, Olympics, russia, team usa
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