2012 Olympics Results: Winners and Losers from Day 9

Records, redemption and revenge. Day 9 of the 2012 London Olympics was full of storylines and dreams coming to fruition.

Others weren't so lucky.

The most lasting image of the day, though, goes to "The Lightning Bolt." Usain Bolt quieted the crowd, stormed ahead of the pack and took home an Olympic record in the 100 meters. The world's fastest man is back, and he took his show to London.

That wasn't all Sunday's action had to offer. Sanya Richards-Ross went for gold and Murray-Federer Part II was settled in straight sets. Not to mention the British hosts going through some ups and downs.

Who were the winners and losers of Day 9? Click ahead to find out.

Winner: Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt did it again. In Olympic-record fashion. The world’s fastest man broke off from the pack halfway through and finished .12 seconds ahead of the nearest competition, fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake.

So much speculation was made about Bolt’s second Olympic run. Blake beat him in both the 100 and 200 meters in Jamaica qualifying, and Bolt had only the third-best Olympic qualifying time heading into the final.

Boy, did Bolt have the whole world fooled. He just wanted to put on a show.

Loser: McKayla Maroney

McKayla Maroney had been steamrolling her way toward a gold in women's vault until a slip-up on her second attempt in the final. Her final score of 15.191 would finish second to Romania's Sandra Izbasa and render her to the silver.

Following a fantastic first attempt, in which she graded a 9.666 for execution, the 16-year-old California native was unable to stick the landing of her second vault. After the scores were tallied, Izbasa did just enough to hold on for the gold.

A gold medal for the young American would have been three straight for U.S. women’s gymnastics and the apex of a brilliant year in which Maroney won the 2011 World Championships in vault by almost an entire half-point.

With her best years likely still ahead, Maroney should have another chance at Olympic gold. Unfortunately, the weight of this loss will last for at least four years.

Winner: Andy Murray

Nobody needed these Olympics more than Andy Murray.

The Scot/Brit used the home-court advantage to win the gold medal 6-2 6-1 6-4. In doing so, he overcame his nemesis, Roger Federer, who had bested him at Centre Court only a month ago.

Murray made sure it would be his day, leaving no room for the Swiss legend to breathe all afternoon. The Brit would finish off the world No. 1 in straight sets.

Now that Murray has the “fifth major” as a career accomplishment, perhaps the world can finally appreciate Murray for what he is: the greatest British player ever. He has more than a few years left, mind you; he’s only 25.

Enough with the legacy talk for today, though. Day 9 of the 2012 Olympics will forever be his "redemption Sunday."

Loser: Roger Federer

There are not many days where Roger Federer ends up in the loser’s section, but the way he went down in the final warrants it.

The world No. 1 had history on his side heading into the matchup. A 7-1 record in finals at Centre Court. A Wimbledon victory over the same player, on the same court, only a month ago. Federer had more of a home-court advantage than Murray playing in his own country.

But the 17-time Grand Slam champion played Sunday’s Olympic final like he had never been there before.  

Federer has yet to capture the Olympic gold in tennis singles. The elusive gold is the only blip on an otherwise magnificent resume.

Winner: The Williams Sisters

For Venus and Serena Williams, Day 9 was a day of milestones to add to their storied careers.

The pair’s finals win in women's doubles over Czechs Andrea Hlavackova and Lucy Hradecka (6-4, 6-4) made the sisters the winningest gold medalists in Olympic tennis history. Both have four golds to their names.

Serena continued her unprecedented run at the 2012 Games, sweeping the singles and doubles competition, the first since Venus at Sydney in 2000. She joined Steffi Graf this weekend as the only women’s players to complete the Golden Slam.

Yeah, you guessed it—all four majors and Olympic gold. Safe to say, it’s been a good year for the No. 1 player in women’s tennis.

Let’s not leave Venus out of the conversation, either. She became the second woman in Olympic tennis history to medal at three different Games.

Sunday’s finals match echoed the Williams' history of Olympic dominance—at one point, the sisters went three consecutive games without losing a point.

From there, doubt was in their rearview mirror. History, too.

Loser: Great Britain Indoor Volleyball

While Great Britain has enjoyed a medal resurgence this weekend, their indoor volleyball teams have not been as fortunate.

The women’s squad failed to surprise for a quarterfinal berth following their first ever Olympic win six days earlier. Fifth-ranked Japan was too talented and too experienced for the Brits, winning in straight sets 25-19, 25-14, 25-12. 

The GB men’s team has failed in comparison, going winless in all four group-play matches these Games.

One has to wonder how Britain can be third in the medal count, but cannot field Olympic-competitive volleyball teams.

Winner: Ben Ainslie

Overall, Great Britain had the best weekend these London Games, going from relative obscurity in the medal count to the top three. Their prized sailor has something to do with that.

Ben Ainslie took his third consecutive gold medal in the men’s Finn competition Sunday afternoon, and thus became the second sailor in Olympic history to accomplish that feat.

What makes Ainslie’s feat even more impressive is that he only gets one race to win those golds. Also, in order for him to make the final, he has to qualify in 10 races up to the Olympic final. A feat so taxing and outstanding, one Telegraph columnist calls Ainslie the best British Olympian of his generation .

I think he’s got free drinks at the pub for life. Just guessing.

Loser: Tatyana Lebedeva

A constant fixture on the women’s high-jump and triple-jump podiums, the Russian couldn’t sniff a medal in the triple jump, finishing 10th.

The world-record holder in the same event, Lebeydeva’s fall from grace may be an indicator of her 36 years of age. Her best performances rank back to eight years ago, when she took gold in the Olympic long jump and won a million-dollar jackpot for the triple jump on the European circuit in 2005.

It may be the end of an era, but Lebeydeva should be proud of her effort. There aren’t many 36-year-olds able to jump over a fence, let alone do a triple jump.

Winner: Sanya Richards-Ross

It was a long time coming for Sanya Richards-Ross. She came back from what was likely a misdiagnosed battle and treatment against Behcet’s disease (almost forcing her retirement) to win her first Olympic gold in the 400 meters.

The heralded runner and wife of New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross, Sanya got off to a fast start, and when she hit the final turn, rose above the pack. When she crossed the finish line, she blew a kiss to the crowd in celebration; Richard-Ross had just won her first individual gold medal.

The misdiagnosis for Behcet’s, a rare sickness concerning an excess amount of cold sores and lesions, derailed her training up to the 2008 Games, where she finished in third in the 400.

Her victory is the pinnacle of a comeback bid.