gold at the Pan American Games last fall in Mexico and carried the Canadian flag at the closing ceremonies. Spencers absence wou

MINSK, Belarus -- Canadas London-bound rhythmic gymnastics team delivered a strong performance on Sunday at the final World Cup before the London 2012 Olympic Games. The six-member team showed its goal of reaching the final at the Games is well within reach after placing eighth among the worlds top teams gearing up for the Games. In the three ribbon-two hoops group final, the Olympic favourites from Russia took the gold with 28.225 points. Belarus was second with 27.400 points and Italy third with a score of 27.325. Canada placed eighth with 25.600 points in a tight battle among teams ranked 5th to 8th. “Our goal going into the competition was to make one final and in that final to compete with no major mistakes and we accomplished that,” said Alexandra Landry of Toronto. “On day two we were much stronger and stuck all our elements with no drops.” Other members of the team are Anjelika Reznik, Anastasiya Muntyanu, and Rose Cossar, all of Toronto, Kelsey Titmarsh of Thornhill, Ont., and Katrina Cameron of Mississauga, Ont. “With three weeks of training left until we step into the Olympic village, were already feeling ready,” said Landry. The team will continue its final preparation for the Games at its European training base in Marbella, Spain. Wholesale Jerseys. The Czech Republics Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek both won their singles in straight sets against the Americans. Berdych fired 12 aces in defeating Andy Roddick 6-1, 6-2 and Stepanek routed James Blake 6-2, 6-1. Wholesale Jerseys China. Confined to practices and film sessions for the past week -- and growing increasingly antsy in the meantime -- the Spurs expressed relief Sunday after watching the Los Angeles Clippers knock out Memphis in the NBAs last first-round playoff series to finish up and finally lock down their matchup for the Western Conference semifinals. http://www.uswholesalejerseystore.com/. - Rookie midfielder Luis Silva scored twice as Toronto FC defeated FC Dallas 3-0 on Thursday to set up an all-Canadian final at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic. Wholesale Jerseys USA. -- Stephen Curry is still holding out hope to return this season.QINGHUANGDAO, China - Canadian boxing star Mary Spencer has just one last shot at the London Olympics. The three-time world champion from Windsor, Ont., has to hope shes awarded the lone wild card berth for the Games after she missed out on one of the two Olympic spots up for grabs this week at the womens world championships. "Im praying for a wild card," Spencer said. "The only thing better than winning Olympic gold would be winning gold after qualifying via wild card." Spencer needed Swedens Anna Rosalie Laurell to defeat Elena Vystropova of Azerbaijan in the womens 75-kilogram semifinals Thursday, but the Swede lost 16-15. A victory by Laurell would have guaranteed Spencer one of the two Olympic spots set aside for the Americas. Spencer, a three-time world champion and the top seed in her weight class, will now have to wait and see if she gets a wild card spot from the International Olympic Committees Tripartite Commission. Canadas Mandy Bujold and Sandra Bizier are in a similar position after they also missed their chance to qualify for London through the world championships. According to a spokesman from the International Amateur Boxing Association, the wild cards for the three Olympic weight classes willl be decided early next month.dddddddddddd The qualifying process has been a complicated one after five boxers from the Americas failed to advance past the round of 16, creating a five-way tie for two spots. Spencer lost to Laurell in her opening bout at the tournament earlier this week, so the further Laurell went in the event, the better chance Spencer had of earning a spot. Brazils Roseli Amaral Feitosa and American Claressa Shields have been awarded the two Olympic berths because the women they lost to have both advanced to final. Spencer, 27, was born in Wiarton, Ont., and grew up in Windsor. The five-foot-11 fighter captured gold at the Pan American Games last fall in Mexico and carried the Canadian flag at the closing ceremonies. Spencers absence would be a big blow to the Canadian Olympic team. Shes considered one of Canadas top hopes for a medal in London, and is a rising star on the squad. In addition to being the new face of CoverGirl, Spencer is featured prominently in a new ad campaign from the Canadian Olympic Committee. Her remarkable consistency also took a hit early last month when she dropped a 27-14 decision to Shields in the final of the American Boxing Confederations continental championships. ' ' '