Andy Murray Wins Olympic Gold at Elusive Wimbledon

Andy Murray finally won a big match when he defeated Roger Federer in three sets to win the gold medal. (Clive Brunskill)

Just one month ago, Andy Murray took the first set against Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final. Murray looked primed to make history, but that wasn't his day as he lost the next three sets. Once again, Centre Court at Wimbledon failed to see to a Briton win the champion honors for the first time since 1936. It was an all too familiar feeling for Murray, who fell to 0-4 in Grand Slam finals. Many wondered whether or not he had what it takes to win the "big one."

Pressure was quickly mounted upon Murray once again as he carried the hope of the host nation winning a medal on the tennis court. The Britons were hopeful, but many were cautiously pessimistic because of his past shortcomings. The only way those shortcomings could come to an end is by beating the best in the world on the biggest of stages. The Olympics gave Murray that opportunity once again. In the semifinals, he beat world #1 Novak Djokovic to advance to the gold medal match. His opponent was set to be a familiar opponent, Federer.

Murray shocked everyone by coming out and taking a stronghold on the match. Murray's confidence grew, as Federer's game suffered. Federer's struggles included losing nine straight games and committing 31 unforced errors. Meanwhile, Murray was propelled by the home crowd to play at his best. By the time Federer looked to recover in the third set, it was too little, too late. Murray went on to win convincingly 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.

Even though Federer was clearly hampered by something, the breakthrough of Andy Murray is the story here. Long heralded as the one who couldn't get over the top, he finally pieced it all together when it mattered most. With his countrymen cheering him on, he was able to capture Olympic gold. His improved forehand may have been just one of the decisive factors. Now, Murray must look to keep this momentum and confidence going. The last Grand Slam tournament of the season is the U.S. Open. It will be interesting to see how he allows it to affect him.

Mo Farah Wins 10,000m Gold For Great Britain

Mo Farah's hard work paid off as he won the gold medal in the 10,000m for Great Britain. (Stu Forster)

Mo Farah was born in Somalia, but at a young age moved to London to live with his English father. He struggled in school, but excelled in athletics. A number of adults saw Farah's potential and made sacrifices to push him to succeed. He continued to be held back by a lack of motivation and poor lifestyle choices.

A transformation in Farah's life began after he lived with a group of Kenyans. They taught him the importance of commitment and hard work. Disappointment came for Farah in Beijing when he failed to qualify for the 5,000m final. He vowed to give everything to become the best in the world. In the 2010 European championship, Farah won double gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m, but his time in the latter was still more than two minutes slower than the world record.

In preparation for this summer's Olympics in Great Britain, he made the difficult decision to leave his wife and daughter to travel to Portland, Oregon to train with American runner Galen Rupp and coach Alberto Salazar. The two pushed each other to get stronger and stronger. Today was the day when they would find out if their hard work would pay off. With the Ethiopian Bekele brothers and Eritrean Zersenay Tadese among the favorites, Farah and Rupp knew they would have to run their best to have a shot at medaling.

As is expected with a long race like this, the pace started slow and got faster and faster as the race progressed. With the favorites among the leaders, it came down to the final lap to determine who would medal. That is when Farah and Rupp made their move. The duo took the lead as the British crowed cheered their countryman on. The Bekele brothers made a push to pass them, but it was too little too late.

Farah and Rupp came across the finish line as the gold and silver medal winners respectively. Elation was on both their faces as the two great friends embraced. Both made history with their accomplishment. Farah became the first Briton to win the event. Rupp became the first American to medal in the event since 1964. Ethiopian Tariku Bekele had to settle for third. Farah's gold medal was the coronation of a great day for the hosts. The joy on the faces of Mo Farah, his wife Tania, and seven-year-old daughter Rihanna was just the beautiful icing on the cake.