Cycling

McCartney sees Britain beat U.S.

The British women's pursuit team of Dani King, Laura Trott and Joanna Rowsell had just set another world record while winning an Olympic gold medal, and nobody could have blamed them for believing things couldn't get any better.

Then their eyes opened even wider as Paul McCartney stood up from his seat above the second corner of the London Velodrome, playfully bowing down at them.

"Unbelievable!" Trott shouted over the din. "Who would have expected a Beatle to be here? It's not every day you can wave and blow a kiss at a Beatle!"

King, Trott and Rowsell turned in a time of 3 minutes, 14.051 seconds Saturday to shatter the world record they set earlier in the day, scorching across the finish a full quarter of a lap ahead of the silver medalists from the United States.

"They're in a league of their own," U.S. rider Jennie Reed from Issaquah High School said.

The team of Reed, Sarah Hammer and Dotsie Bausch gave the impression they wouldn't make it easy, breaking the American record with a 3:19.406 during their qualifying run.

Men's basketball

Americans tested, but win

Two days after running and gunning to a record-shattering 83-point win, the United States needed a strong finish from LeBron James to eke out a 99-94 victory over Lithuania.

The Americans trailed 84-82 with 5:50 to play, but James scored nine of his 20 points in the final four minutes. Linas Kleiza scored 25 for Lithuania, which shot 58 percent and outrebounded the U.S. 42-37.

Women's track

Jamaican repeats in 100

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce from Jamaica made it back-to-back Olympic titles in the women's 100 meters Saturday night, closing ground over the last 20 meters and leaning at the line to win in 10.75 seconds and edge American Carmelita Jeter by .03 seconds.

Fraser-Pryce is the first woman to repeat in the 100 since Gail Devers of the U.S. (1992, '96).

British athletics

Big day for the hosts

Team Britain sent a charge through the capacity crowd at Olympic Stadium with a quick series of victories, producing repeated roars that could be heard throughout Olympic Park.

The victors: Jessica Ennis in heptathlon; Greg Rutherford in men's long jump; and Mo Farah in the men's 10,000 meters. Three gold medals in about one hour for the host country.

Britain got two more golds on the final day of the Olympic regatta, and another in women's pursuit at the London Velodrome.

Men's track

Pistorius advances

Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee who runs on carbon-fiber blades, finished second in his 400-meter heat to earn a berth in the semifinals Sunday night. He posted a season-best time of 45.44 seconds.

"I've worked for six years ... to get my chance," said the South African, who became the first amputee to compete on the track at an Olympics.

Seattle Times news services