Spoiler alert: LGBT Watch at the Olympics is a regular feature tracking the nearly two dozen LGBT athletes at the London 2012 Olympics. In the U.S., NBC is tape-delaying much of the games on its local stations, yet live-streaming on the Internet. Some of the results listed below may not have yet been broadcast in your area.
Fans of Team USA are looking forward to Friday when the women’s soccer team plays New Zealand in the quarterfinals and the women’s basketball team plays the Czech Republic.
Also Friday, Sweden plays France in another quarterfinal match in women’s soccer. Both soccer teams sport lesbian starters.
Still, there has been plenty of competition for LGBT athletes at the London 2012 Olympics.
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Judith Arndt of Germany won a silver medal in cycling in the women’s time trial on Wednesday.
She is the first LGBT Olympian to medal at London 2012.
Arndt finished second with a time of 37:50.29 to Kristin Armstrong of the United States with a time of 37:34:82. Olga Zabelinskaya of Russia won the bronze medal with the time of 37:57.35.
Almost two dozen other out athletes are still in competition for medals.
In women’s doubles action, Lisa Raymond and Liezel Huber of the United States beat Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the semifinals. Raymond is a lesbian.
In the individual dressage, Carl Hester of Great Britain is in first place on Day One of the equestrian competition, held Thursday. Hester and his horse Uthopia scored a result of 77.720, almost a full point ahead of second-place finisher. Edward Gal of the Netherlands will ride on Friday on his horse Undercover. Both men are gay.
In field hockey, the Netherlands beat China 1-0 on Thursday. The Dutch feature three lesbians: Marilyn Agliotti, Maartje Paumen and Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel. After three matches, the Netherlands and Great Britain are unbeaten and atop Group A play. The Dutch play Korea on Aug. 4 and Great Britain on Aug. 8 in group play.
Natalie Cook of Australia, a five-time Olympian and a lesbian, has been eliminated in the beach volleyball competition. She and her teammate Tamsin Hinchley lost in three sets to Marketa Slukova and Kristyna Kolocova of the Czech Republic on Wednesday.
Cook won a gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and a bronze at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. At age 37, Cook likely is retiring from the sport.
“I’m proud, I’m sad, I’m disappointed, I’m excited I’ve left everything out there. I couldn’t perform any better,” she told reporters as her voice trembled and cracked.
“It’s disappointing that it’s not enough and I’d love to be playing further in the tournament but you’ve got opposition out there trying to stop you and … I don’t have any words for it right now.”
U.S. women crush Turkey in basketball
The powerful U.S. women’s basketball team on Wednesday won its 35th consecutive game in Olympic competition, which is why the Americans are the heavy favorites to win a fifth consecutive gold medal.
The United States remained unbeaten in Group A play, running away from Turkey 89-58 at the Basketball Arena in Olympic Park in London. Next up for the Americans are the Czech Republic on Aug. 3 and China on Aug. 5.
Seimone Augustus, a lesbian, was benched as a starter for the second consecutive game. Augustus scored nine points in four-of-eight shooting. She also had one rebound and one assist.
After three games in Group A, the United States and China are 3-0, Turkey is 2-1, the Czech Republic is 1-2, and Croatia and Angola are 0-3.
Checking on other LGBT athletes
In women’s beach volleyball, lesbian Natalie Cook and her Australian teammate T. Hinchley lost 2-1 today to the Czech Republic team of Kolocova and Slukova. The Aussies finish in last place in Pool C with three points after three matches in the preliminary round …
In women’s handball, Brazil overpowered Great Britian 30-17 to move to 3-0 in Group A play. Mayssa Pessoa, a lesbian, is Brazil’s goalkeeper. Brazil plays Russia on Aug. 3 and Angola on Aug. 5 to conclude group play.
