Athletes with local ties have a solid showing of medals

Matt Grevers, left, and USA teammate Nick Thoman, both with Tucson ties, finished first and second in the 100-meter backstroke final.

Athletes with local ties have a solid showing of medals

High-jumper Brigetta Barrett, a University of Arizona theater major, cleared 6 feet, 8 inches, winning an Olympic silver medal.

Athletes with local ties have a solid showing of medals

Georganne Moline, a UA senior, set a personal best in the 400-meter hurdles during track events at the London Games. She finished about a half-second off the bronze.

Athletes with local ties have a solid showing of medals

Above: Caitlin Leverenz, facing, embraces the United States' Arian Kukors after winning bronze in the 200-meter individual medley final. Leverenz is a Sahuaro High grad.

Athletes with local ties have a solid showing of medals

Left: Bernard Lagat, a Tucson resident, left, and Britain's Mohamed Farah competed in the men's 5,000-meter final at the London Olympics. Lagat finished fourth, just off the bronze, after he was tripped in the final stretch.

Athletes with local ties have a solid showing of medals

The 23 Olympic athletes with Southern Arizona ties produced nine medals by the time closing ceremonies ended the London Games on Sunday.

Olympics: Track: Galvanized Bolt shows steel

Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line in the second-fastest 100 time in history (9.63 seconds) to successfully defend his Olympic title.

Olympics: Track: Galvanized Bolt shows steel

Arizona Wildcat Georganne Moline clears a hurdle en route to winning her heat in the 400 hurdles with a personal-best time of 54.31 seconds to qualify for today's semifinals.

Track: Galvanized Usain Bolt shows steel

LONDON - Lining up for the Olympic 100-meter final, Usain Bolt wrapped up his signature prerace preening by lifting a finger to his lips.

Summer Olympic moments in history

Jean Shiley of Philadelphia, captain of the U.S. Women's Track and Field team, is shown in Los Angeles Stadium after breaking the world and Olympic records in the high jump, Aug. 7, 1932. Shiley went over the bar at 5 feet, 5 1/4 inches to win the event. (AP Photo)

Summer Olympic moments in history

The U.S. team poses for photographers after being awarded the gold medal for winning the women's 4 x 100-meter relay race during the Summer Olympics in Rome, Sept. 8, 1960. From left to right; Wilma Rudolph, Barbara P. Jones, Lucinda Williams and Martha Hudson.(AP Photo)

Summer Olympic moments in history

The three winners of the Decathlon event of the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, Sept. 6, 1960, stand on the winners' stand at Rome's Olympic Stadium. The winners pose with their medals that they have just received. They are: USA's Rafer Johnson, center, wins gold medal; Taiwan's Yang Chuan, silve…

Summer Olympic moments in history

Seen here is the photo finish of the final of the women's 100 meter sprint event at the Olympic games in Rome, Sept. 29, 1960. Winning the gold is Wilma Rudolph of the U.S. (right) who clocked precisely 11 seconds. Britain's Derethy Hyman beats Italy's G. Leone into the following places. The…

Summer Olympic moments in history

Jesse Owens is shown winning the 100-meter dash at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. His time was 10.3 secs. equalling the world record. Teammate Ralph Metcalfe was second, Martinus Osendarp of Holland won the bronze medal. American Frank Wykoff, left center, was fourth and German Erich Bo…

Summer Olympic moments in history

Pictured here Edith McGuire, left, wins the 200 meter dash for women at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Japan. Second is Irena Kirszenstein and third is Marilyn Black in red shorts. (AP Photo)

Summer Olympic moments in history

Wilma Rudolph, of Clarksville, Tenn., second from left, hits the tape as she runs anchor for the USA's 4 x 100-meter relay team in the semifinals at the Summer Olympics in Rome Sept. 7, 1960. The U.S. team won in a record breaking 44.4 seconds to qualify for the finals of the event. From lef…

Summer Olympic moments in history

Olympic broad jump medalists salute during the medals ceremony Aug. 11, 1936 at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. From left on podium are: bronze medalist Jajima of Japan, gold medalist Jesse Owens of the United States and silver medalist Lutz Long of Germany. Long and German Olympic officials …