Aug. 20, 2008

TEMPE, Ariz. – Wednesday evening in Beijing brought about the end of competition for the members of the Arizona State University contingent as the final two athletes were eliminated from their respective competitions at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

On Wednesday night, Shawn Redhage and the Australian basketball team faced Team USA in the quarterfinals and fell to the Americans, 116-85. Redhage scored two points on 1-for-1 shooting and added one steal in his six minutes of playing time. Team USA advances to the semifinals where they will face Argentina with the winner facing the winner of the Lithuania-Spain semifinal.

Tuesday afternoon saw the final individual competitor fall from the Games as former NCAA champion Joona Puhakka, diving for Finland, missed out on advancing to the finals of the 3m springboard by one position. With only the Top 12 advancing to the final, Puhakka placed 13th with 451.95 points, just 2.35 points out of the finals. Puhakka did improve upon his finish from the 2004 Athens Games as he finished 14th in Greece.

Although the former athletes have completed their competitions in Beijing, one former staff member still has a job to do as Casey Smith is currently serving as the head athletic trainer for the American men’s basketball team. Smith, currently the head athletic trainer for the Dallas Mavericks, is an ASU graduate and formerly worked as an athletic trainer for the Sun Devils.