2008 Beijing Games Day 6

U.S. gymnast Alexander Artemev gets into position on the rings at the men’s individual all-around finals.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Jonathan Horton of the U.S. performs on the pommel horse at the men’s all-around finals.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. gymnast Jonathan Horton does a flip during a routine for the men’s all-around.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The National Aquatics Center in Beijing, also known as the Water Cube, hosts another day of swimming events.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Natalie Coughlin pushes hard in her leg of the women’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay, in which the U.S. wins bronze.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

From left, Allison Schmitt, Caroline Burckle and Natalie Coughlin watch as Katie Hoff swims the final leg of the women’s 800-meter freestyle relay. The U.S. team finishes third behind Australia and China.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

French swimmer Alain Bernard gestures to friends poolside after winning the gold medal in the men’s 100-meter freestyle.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps competes in the men’s 200-meter individual medley semifinal at the National Aquatics Center.  (Francois-Xavier Marit / AFP/Getty Images)

U.S. swimmer Aaron Piersol likes his time in the men’s 200-meter backstroke semifinal.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Cheerleaders clear the field of play before Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor of the U.S. defeated Norway’s Nila Haakedal and Ingrid Toerlen in beach volleyball women’s preliminary round.  (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)

As USA’s Misty May-Treanor reaches for a spike, partner Kerri Walsh watches in the U.S.-Norway match.  (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)

Kerri Walsh of the U.S. blocks a kill attempt by Norway’s Nila Haakedal in women’s beach vollyball preliminary round. Walsh and partner Misty May-Treanor defeated the Norwegians in two games.  (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)

A video monitor zeroes in on a table tennis match between China and the Dominican Republic at the Peking University Gymnasium.  (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)

Chinese Taipei’s Chih-Yuan Chuan, right, and Sweden’s Jens Lundqvist are a blur during their table tennis game. Chinese Taipei wins the victory.  (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)

USA’s Chen Wang, top, returns a serve by Netherland’s Li Jiao. Wang wins this game.  (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)

Lu Lee, 4, holding up a Chinese flag, attends the table tennis event at Peking University Gymnasium. Behind her is a mural of the much-loved Chinese sport.  (Scott Strazzante / Chicago Tribune)

Members of the U.S. softball team watch the downpour during their match with Canada. It was the second rain delay of the game.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Allison Schmitt, Caroline Burckle and Natalie Coughlin watch Katie Hoff swim the final leg of the women’s 4-by-200-meter freestyle relay. The Americans finished third to Australia and China in the race.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. boxer Demetrius Andrade exchanges punches with Russian Andrey Balanov during a welterweight preliminary bout at Beijing’s Workers’ Gymnasium.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

A camera exposure of one-eighth of a second blurs the action between light welterweight boxers Non Boonjumnong of Thailand, left, and Masatsugu Kawachi at Beijing’s Workers’ Gymnasium. Boonjumnong, the defending Olympic gold medalist, defeated Kawachi and moved on to the next round.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

American welterweight Demetrius Andrade is pumped after defeating Russian Andrey Balanov during a preliminary round at Beijing’s Workers’ Gymnasium.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

American Chris Paul tries to snatch the ball from Greece’s Vasileios Spanoulis, center, and Sofoklis Schortsanitis during a preliminary basketball game. The U.S. went on to win, 92-69.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Dwyane Wade looks to make a pass against Greece’s Sofoklis Schortsanitis, left, and Antonios Fotsis during a preliminary game.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Chris Bosh blocks a shot by Greece’s Nikolaos Zisis. The U.S. won, 92-69.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Kobe Bryant lets out a scream after dunking the ball against Greece.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

American Mariel Zagunis, left, battles France’s Leonore Perrus during the women’s team saber bronze-medal match.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)