London -- US swimmer Ryan Lochte backstrokes his way to a spot in the finals by finishing first in the men's 200m backstroke at the London 2012 Olympics Aquatics Center.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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Michael Phelps, left, and Ryan Lochte race side by side in the men's 200m individual medley semifinal at the Olympics Aquatics Center.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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U.S. swimmer Tyler Clary celebrates winning the men's 200m backstroke semifinal.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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Shannon Vreeland, left, joins U.S. teammates Missy Franklin, Dana Vollmer and Allison Schmitt after they won the gold medal in the Women's 4x200 Freestyle Relay at the London 2012 Olympics Aquatics Center.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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Gold medalists in the women's 4x200 freestyle relay, Team USA poses for photos after the medal ceremony at the Olympics Aquatics Center. Left to right are Allison Schmitt, Dana Vollmer, Shannon Vreeland and Missy Franklin.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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Samoa's Toafitu Perive competes in the Men's 77kg weightlifting event at the 2012 London Olympics on Wednesday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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Mariel Zagunis of the U.S. walks off after losing the bronze medal to Ukraine's Olga Kharlan in the Women's Sabre Individual at the 2012 London Olympics Wednesday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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Work crews prepare the floor for the men's individual all-around event at the 2012 London Olympics on Wednesday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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Team USA's Tamika Catchings wrestles the ball from Turkey's Kuanitra Hollingsvorth in the second half of a preliminary game at the London 2012 Olympic Basketball Arena.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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Turkey's Yasemin Horasan battles Team USA forward Asjha Jones for a rebound in the second half of a preliminary game at the London 2012 Olympic Basketball Arena.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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Team USA fans try to put a hex on a Turkish player at the free throw line as Turkey and the United States play a preliminary game at the London 2012 Olympic Basketball Arena.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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American swimmer Nathan Adrian celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 100-meter freestyle at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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London — Rebecca Soni of the United States reacts to her world record time of 2:20 as other swimmers come to the finish line in the 200-meter breaststroke semifinal.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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London — Venezuela's Gascon Limardo gets a kiss from his coach late in his match before winning the gold medal in the men's epee individual final.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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London — Mariel Zagunis, left, of the United States battles Ukraine's Olga Kharlan in the women's sabre individual.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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Danell Leyva of the United States celebrates after his performance in the parallel bars during the men's individual all-around at the 2012 London Olympics on Wednesday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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Danell Leyva of the United States competes on the horizontal bar during the men's individual all-around at the 2012 London Olympics on Wednesday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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John Orozco of the United States reacts after his poor showing on the pommel horse during the men's individual all-around at the 2012 London Olympics on Wednesday.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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Danell Leyva of the United States competes in the floor exercise during the men's individual all-around competition at the 2012 London Olympics on Wednesday. Leyva took the bronze medal.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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Danell Leyva of the United States chalks his hands before his routine on the uneven bars in the men's all-around individual gymnastics competition.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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John Orozco of the United States competes in the floor exercise during the men's individual all-around gymnastics competition.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

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Japan's Kazuki Watanabe competes in a men's 200-meter backstroke semifinal. He finished third.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Michael Sohn / Associated Press

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Marta Mangue of Spain, left, and Rikke Skov of Denmark get in each other's face during a women's handball preliminary match.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Matthias Schrader / Associated Press

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Jinsun Jung, left, of Korea collapses in relief and joy after defeating Seth Kelsey of the United States for the bronze medal in men's epee individual fencing.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Hannah Johnston / Getty Images

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Britain's Simon Terry takes aim in an elimination match in the men's individual archery competition at Lord's Cricket Ground. Terry was defeated by Moldava's Dan Olaru.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: JEWEL SAMAD / AFP

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Irish boxer John Joe Nevin, right, battles Kanat Butalipov of Kazakhstan in a Men's Bantam preliminary bout at the London 2012 Olympics.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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US boxer Joseph Diaz Jr. claps for his opponent after losing a 21:15 decision to Lazaro Alvarez Estrada in the Men's Bantam Weight preliminary bout at the London 2012 Olympics.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

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German rowers, who won the gold in the men's eight competition, toss their coxswain, Martin Sauer, into the drink in celebration.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Mike Hewitt / Getty Images

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The women of the U.S. rowing quadruple sculls team, which won the bronze, are wrapped in Old Glory as they face photographers.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press

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The Netherlands' Mink van der Weerden reacts after scoring his second goal against Belgium in a men's field hockey preliminary match.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bullit Marquez / Associated Press

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The U.S.' Kristin Armstrong, gold medalist in women's individual time trial road cycling, acknowledges the crowd during the medal ceremony.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Alex Livesey / Getty Images

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Elizabeth Armitstead of Great Britain waves to the crowds after the women's individual time trial road cycling.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Bryn Lennon / Getty Images

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Rosa Tenorio Silva of Ecuador competes in the women's 69 kilogram weightlifting competition.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images

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Korea's Hwang Ye-Sul, in white, competes with Italy's Erica Barbieri during the judo competition for women less than 70 kilograms.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: FRANCK FIFE / AFP / Getty Images

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Germany's Kerstin Thiele celebrates after winning a match in judo for women less than 70 kilograms.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: FRANCK FIFE / AFP / Getty Images

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China's Liu Jing competes in women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay heats.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: LEON NEAL / AFP / Getty Images

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U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps prepares for a men's 200-meter individual medley heat.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: MARTIN BUREAU / AFP / Getty Images

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An athlete from Pakistan walks the track in Olympic Stadium.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP / Getty Images

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Home team Great Britain's Heather Stanning and Helen Glover celebrate after winning the gold in the women's rowing pair competition. It's Brain's first gold of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Chris Carlson / Associated Press

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China's Chen Nan grabs the ball over the hands of Angola rebounders during a women's basketball game.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Charles Krupa / Associated Press

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Estrada Alvarez of Cuba, in red, lands a blow on South El Monte's Joseph Diaz Jr. in men's bantamweight boxing.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: CLAUDIO ONORATI / EPA

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Japan's Kasumi Ishikawa serves in a women's bronze medal table tennis match against Singapore's Tianwei Feng.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: Sergei Grits / Associated Press

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