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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Nobody really thought the United States would be shut out of Olympic gold medals on the track at these Summer Games, but the bullion still wasnt in the bank when the three 100-meter hurdlers crouched at the start Wednesday.Brianna Rollins projected the aura of a former world champion. Nia Ali proved she could return to world-class form after becoming a mother last year. Injury impeded Kristi Castlins path to the 2012 Olympics, but shed been through far worse, losing her father to murder at age 12 and living through the slaughter of 32 innocents as a Virginia Tech student.The trio represents the latest wave of U.S. excellence in the event, accelerating out of a talent pool so deep that a defending Olympic champion and a current world-record holder were left at home on the bench. Any one of them could have won it, but they approached ambition as a team. They understood they could be greater than the sum of their parts if they swept an Olympic podium for the first time in U.S. track history. They stayed off social media in the days before the race and prayed together instead.We said it was our time, lets go, lets do this and get it out of the way, Ali said.They broke the mini-drought and propped open the floodgates. Rollins won going away in 12.48 seconds. Ali knew shed finished second in the hubbub when she saw her time of 12.59. Then Castlins name popped up in third place on the scoreboard just two-hundredths of a second behind and the flags came out and the women who leap for a living jumped for joy and posterity and the cameras, this time in unison.I typically run in seventh place until about the last three hurdles, said Castlin, who pirouetted for the crowd as she came out of the tunnel. Im a closer. Im a finisher. My thing was not to win a bronze medal for myself, it was about upholding the team.Rollins rolled through interview after interview clutching an apple in one hand, too busy to take a bite. She said she clipped a few hurdles and felt relieved at the outcome.The U.S. women long jumpers doubled down on gold and silver as the versatile Tianna Bartoletta sent the sand flying with a personal-best mark of 7.17 meters -- enough to edge defending champion Brittney Reeses 7.08.Bartoletta, who has moonlighted as an elite bobsledder, was trying to stay earthbound after her clutch win, because she has to run a preliminary round of the 4x100-meter relay Thursday. My work is not yet finished, she said. Tori Bowie added a bronze in the 200-meter event.The mens 200 will be missing the amiable but polarizing figure of Justin Gatlin, who fell one spot and .03 short of advancing to Thursdays final and another duel with two-time defending champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica. Gatlin said he is still bothered by lingering soreness in his right ankle after rolling it last November, an issue that didnt prevent him from finishing second to Bolt here in the 100.Gatlin spoke to reporters at length, saying he hasnt been fazed by the booing that has greeted him in the Olympic Stadium -- a reception that may owe partly to his past but mostly to Bolts extraordinary persona.The rivalry I have with Usain has turned it into a professional wrestling feel, Gatlin said. Everyones cheering for Usain, but they have somebody theyve got to boo against. It would be an immature mindset for me to come out here and think that every Brazilian is against me. They want to see a great show, and Usain is a great competitor and a showman. He puts on a great show.Gatlins two previous doping suspensions have made him a human heat conductor at these Games where the debate over sanctions has boiled over into numerous athletes public comments. I dont really focus on likes and dislikes, he said. I try to give everyone around me respect. I try to get to know them. He predicted a strong final for teammate LaShawn Merritt, whose 19.94 seconds seeded him third behind Bolt and Canadas 21-year-old Andre De Grasse.Bolt continued his frisky romp through Rio, casting an amused eye to his right when De Grasse came up on his shoulder in their semifinal and forcing him to hustle a little more than hed planned. Bolt finished in 19.78 seconds and the mens playful double-takes and interaction lacked only the passing of a torch.I see the talent in him, Bolt said. I see that he got a national record, actually, so he means business.Bolt, somewhat superfluously, added that he is on the right track. ... I felt energetic and everything was going smooth.But the charisma award Wednesday night went to Alis adorable 15-month-old son with the formidable name -- Titus Maximus Tinsley -- who starred in her victory lap.Im happy we have photos, cause then hell know Im not making up stories about that one time I ran in the Olympics, Ali said. But what happened was better than fiction. . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. BOULDER, Colo. -- Senior Xavier Johnson turned the page on an injury that sidelined him all of last season and helped Colorado get this season off to a good start in the process.Johnson had six points and seven rebounds in Colorados 90-53 win over Sacramento State on Friday night, a solid showing in his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon in a preseason practice last year.Xavier has had a long road, a long recovery, Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. It was a tough injury, so it was good to have him back. I thought he rebounded the ball well for us defensively. Offensively, I think hes got to get a few more and thats something we continue to encourage and challenge him to do. And I think Xavier is playing really unselfishly.The crowd at the Coors Events Center welcomed Johnson back with a pregame standing ovation.It was good. It was awesome, Johnson said. I am blessed to be back on the court. I cant take anything for granted, so this feels awesome.Dominique Collier added 12 points, all on 3-pointers, and Josh Fortune scored 11 for Colorado, which has won its last nine openers at home.Nick Hornsby had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Sacramento State, which has dropped its only two meetings with Colorado. The Hornets lost their first meeting against Colorado 80-56 in 1994.Sacramento State shot 20.6 percent from the field in the first half and trailed 42-19 at halftime. Colorado built on its lead early in the second, including a stretch of three consecutive 3-pointers -- two by Collier -- as the Buffaloes opened a 55-28 lead with 14:55 to play.We got off to a bad start, couldnt score, Sacramento State coach Brian Katz said. We played pretty good `DD and made it tough for them.dddddddddddd Its almost like when we got down, we couldnt score and we broke down defensively.Theyre easily the best team well play all year, not even close. They did a great job here.Ten of 12 Colorado players who played scored.BIG PICTURE:Sacramento State: The Hornets returned four starters from last seasons team but they struggled with their shooting accuracy throughout the night. Center Eric Stuteville epitomized the teams struggles, missing his first five shots before finally hitting a layup with under five minutes remaining. Though the Hornets had won four of their previous five season openers, their long-term history is pretty rough. They dropped to 8-18 in openers since becoming a Division I program in 1991-92.Colorado: The Buffaloes possess an experienced corps of nine letter winners from last seasons 22-win team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The opener also provided an encouraging glimpse of newcomers Derrick White and Deleon Brown, who both could play prominent roles. White, who was in the starting lineup in his Colorado debut, sat out last season after transferring from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, where he was a standout for three seasons. Brown, a 6-foot-4 guard, helped Brewster Academy reach the quarterfinals of the National Prep School Championships last season.UP NEXTSacramento State: Continues its season-opening road trip with a visit to Nebraska on Sunday night.Colorado: Plays Seattle on Monday as part of the Legends Classic at Barclays Center in New York. ' ' '
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