[8] Phelps also surpassed Spitz, Larisa Latynina of the USSR, Paavo Nurmi of Finland, and U.S. sprinter Carl Lewis to become the current record holder for the most Olympic gold medals (14).

[22] The United States earned a qualification spot in baseball by placing in the top two at the 2006 Americas Olympic Qualifying Event.

As a result, the Americans and other nations where professional baseball is developed relied on collegiate players, while Cubans used their most experienced veterans, who technically were considered amateurs as they nominally held other jobs, but in fact trained full-time.

The victory allowed Lisa Leslie to join former teammate Teresa Edwards as the only basketball players to win four Olympic gold medals.

[38] On August 8, 2008, two-time national champion and bantamweight boxer Gary Russell Jr. forcibly withdrew from the Olympics after collapsing before his weigh-in.

Reigning flyweight world champion Raushee Warren, America's best hope for gold, lost his opening bout to Lee Ok-Sung of South Korea.

[50] Before the start of the games, Heidi White-Carty and her horse Northern Spy withdrew from the U.S. eventing team because of a veterinary issue.

[52] # - Indicates that points do not count in team total * Phillip Dutton qualified for the final show jumping event round on 68.2 faults (sixteenth place) and jumped a clear round to move up to twelfth place, but was disqualified because weighted boots worn by his horse exceeded the maximum limit.

[57] Head Coach: Lee Bodimeade Reserve: The United States earned spots in Beijing for both men's and women's soccer by advancing to the finals of the CONCACAF Pre-Olympic Tournaments in March and April 2008.

[61] In the final match before the Olympics on July 16, the women's team lost leading scorer Abby Wambach after she broke her left leg in a collision with Brazilian defender Andréia Rosa.

[64] After aggravating a hamstring injury, defender Nathan Sturgis was replaced by midfielder Dax McCarty on the Olympic roster July 24, 2008.

Head coach: Pia Sundhage The United States named a squad of 18 players and 4 alternates for the tournament.

[68][69][70][71] Prior to the tournament, Abby Wambach withdrew injured and was replaced on 17 July 2008 by Lauren Cheney, who was initially selected as an alternate player.

Two members of the U.S. men's gymnastics team, Paul Hamm and Jonathan Horton, were named at the conclusion of the Olympic Trials.

Because of the injury of his hand and shoulder, Paul Hamm withdrew from the Olympic team on July 28, 2008, and was replaced by alternate Raj Bhavsar.

[73] Two members of the U.S. women's gymnastics team, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, were named at the end of the Olympic Trials on June 22.

The remaining members were not named at the Trials, although Chellsie Memmel, Samantha Peszek and Alicia Sacramone were projected to be on the team.

USA Judo announced their 2008 U.S. Olympic Team on June 18, 2008, following trials at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Taormina, however, finished strongly, taking first place in riding (show jumping) and setting a modern pentathlon Olympic record in swimming (200 m freestyle).

[94] Following the surprise loss, the top three teams spelled "2016" using softballs in front of home plate in the hopes of Olympic reinstatement.

[100] Phelps also surpassed Spitz, Larisa Latynina of the USSR, Paavo Nurmi of Finland, and American sprinter Carl Lewis to become the current record holder for the most Olympic gold medals (fourteen).

Gao Jun and Wang Chen automatically qualified in women's singles by being in the top 20 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) world rankings.

Steven López, a defending two-time Olympic gold medalist, lost his only match in six years after a controversial point deduction in the quarterfinals.

[115] After losing all eight previous matches against Roger Federer, James Blake defeated him in a surprise upset in the quarterfinals of men's singles.

[118] However, they went on to win the gold in doubles over Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual, and in improving the sisters' Olympic record to 10–0.

[119] From September 2007 to April 2008, the U.S. held three selection events, with the top American man and woman securing a place on the U.S. Olympic team.

The United States men's water polo team qualified for Beijing by winning the 2007 Pan American Games tournament, held July 21–26 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The United States women's water polo team qualified for Beijing by winning the 2007 Pan American Games tournament, held July 14–20 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

[131] Casey Burgener was originally selected to lift at the +105 kg event after the USOC reported that the International Weightlifting Federation offered the United States a third men's Olympic slot.

[133] The best U.S. hope for a weightlifting medal was expected to be Melanie Roach, who set a new American record and finished in sixth place.