The flame has been snuffed out and the games of the 29th Olympics are officially in the books. Below is a recap of how our Michigan athletes and the U.S. did at the games. The US-of-A won the overall medal count with 110 — 36 gold, 38 silver, 36 bronze, while host China was second with 100 — 51 gold, 21 silver and 28 bronze. Russia came in third overall with 72 — 23 gold, 21 silver and 28 bronze.
Michael Phelps, a U-M alum, became the winningest Olympian after collecting eight gold medals in the swimming events. The Ann Arbor and Boston native broke Mark Spitz’s old mark of seven medals.

Peter Vanderkaay of Rochester, who has Davison ties, is also a U-M alum. He added to his 2004 summer games medal collection by bringing home gold as part of the 4x200 freestyle team that featured Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Ricky Behrens. Vanderkaay also won bronze in the 200 freestyle and was fourth in the 400 free. He didn’t qualify for the 1500 after finishing fourth in the fifth heat.

Betsey Armstrong and Alison Gregorka, members of the women’s water polo team, brought home a silver medal after losing to Hungary in the gold medal match. Both women were born in Ann Arbor and now reside in California.

Carrie Howe of Grosse Pointe was part of a three-man crew in the sailing event that advanced to the medal races.

Matt Hughes raced in the rowing events, but did not medal.

Courtney King-Dye placed 13th overall in the equestrian events. She was listed as a Michigan resident, but did not list a specific hometown. She earned a spot in the freestyle finals with an eighth-place finish of 70.8 points.

Kate Markgraf was part of the silver medal women’s soccer team that lost to Brazil in the gold medal match. Mark-graf listed ties to Pontiac.

Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell ran in the marathon. Ritzenhein, of Grand Rapids, placed ninth in 2:11.59.

Daryl Szarenski hails from Saginaw and Seale, Ala. He tied with four others in the 50-meter pistol shooting and was ranked at number four.

Katie Smith, a member of the Detroit Shock women’s basketball team, helped the USA bring home the gold in women’s basketball.

Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons was part of the “Redeem” Team that brought home the gold in men’s basketball.

Sheila Taormina, a Livonia native, was 19th in the modern pentathlon, which includes shooting, fencing, swimming, biking and running.

Ellen Tomek of Flushing just missed the podium in women’s double sculls with a fifth-place finish after qualifying out of the repechage.

Serena and Venus Williams, born in Saginaw, just missed out of the medals in singles tennis, but won the silver in doubles after beating a tandem from Spain.

London will host the 2012 Summer Olympics with Michael Phelps expected to swim again for the U.S. The next winter games are in

2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The U.S. has participated in every Olympics except for the 1980 Moscow-hosted games, which the U.S. boycotted. The U.S. has played host four different times — 1904, 1932, 1984 and 1996. The U.S. can hang its hat as the most successful nation in Olympic history with 2,200 medals, nearly 900 of them gold, which is nearly double what any other nation has been able to earn.

Prior to Phelps, Mark Spitz won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich games, winning the 100 and 200 freestyle, the 100 and 200 butterfly, and was part of three gold-medal winning relay teams. He won two gold, a silver and a bronze in 1968 at Mexico City.

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