The U.S. men's Olympic basketball team - known as "the Redeem Team" - has beaten world champion Spain, 118-107, to win the gold medal in Beijing.
The Americans - who finished with the bronze medal four years ago in Athens - had their hands full Sunday, with Spain pulling to within four points in the closing minutes. But the American team was able to pull away to win its first international gold medal since the Sydney Olympics.
Dwayne Wade led Team USA with 27 points while Kobe Bryant added 20 points. Rudy Fernandez led Spain with 22 points.
Earlier, the U.S. men's volleyball team beat defending champion Brazil, 3-1, to capture its first Olympic gold medal in 20 years, 20-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-23.
China Boxes to Gold
Zou Shiming won China's first gold medal in boxing after Mongolia's light flyweight (48 kg) Serdamba Purevdorj retired with a shoulder injury in the second round. Mongolia's Badar-Uugan Enkhbat won his country's first Olympic boxing gold in the bantamweight (54 kg) category.
Also in the boxing ring, Russian Alexey Tishchenko won the lightweight (60 kg) gold medal. Kazakhstan's Bakhyt Sarsekbayev won the gold in the welterweight (69 kg) division. Zhang Xiaoping of China won the light heavyweight (81 kg) gold medal. Italy's Roberto Cammarelle won the super-heavyweight (+91kg) gold.
Kenya's 21-year-old Samuel Wanjiru won his country's first ever Olympic men's marathon title in an Olympic record time of two hours, six minutes, 32 seconds.
In the rhythmic gymnastics group all around final, Russia won the gold medal for the third straight time. Hungary won the men's water polo gold medal. France beat Iceland to take the men's team handball gold.
The United States leads the total medal count with 110 but host country China leads the gold medal total with 51.
Party Time
The Olympics will end with an elaborate closing ceremony directed by Oscar-nominated Chinese director Zhang Yimou. The next Olympic host - London - will take over part way through the ceremony for an eight minute show. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and British singer Leona Lewis will perform.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
