misty may treanor and kerri walsh jennings earning another gold in beach volleyball. what's next for the olympic legends? we'll ask them live. and it was a big night for team usa at track and field. americans capturing 7 of 12 medals. now the u.s. women's soccer team goes for its third straight gold facing the world reigns champs

today, thursday, august 9, 2012. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today" at the olympic games with matt lauer and savannah guthrie live from olympic park in london, england. >> good morning and welcome to "today" on this thursday morning here in london's olympic park. i'm savannah guthrie. >> and i'm matt lauer. >> good morning. you want to cap off your olympics and you do it the way mist ooe may treanor and kerri walsh jennings did it. it could have been southern california, it was all americans. >> it was a good night to be americans.

misty and kerri winning in straight sets. when it was over the dynamic duo could not contain their excitement. we'll talk to misty and kerri about their dance moves and the final match straight ahead. >> it was also all about team usa at the olympic stadium as well. seven medals, three of those gold, highlighted by allyson felix's win in the 200 meters. she was simply overjoyed. i would imagine she's still on cloud nine this morning. we'll catch up with allyson live as well. >> this morning we'll show you stunning images captured by a man who calls the olympic the premiere event for any photographer. ann curry is here with a very special profile. >> and a woman who is drawing inspiration from the athletes here in london, lawrence scruur.

>> we've covered her story. she was injured when she walked into a propeller. today we'll talk to her. >> natalie has the olympic headlines. >> good morning. once again, as you heard it was one of team usa's biggest days of these games, 11 medals in al including gold and silver in that, sighting all-american women's beach volleyball final. >> it is over here in london! misty and kerr,three-peat olympic gold! >> they are still the queens of beach volleyball. wednesday night misty may treanor and kerri walsh jennings won their third olympic medals. the pair beat fellow americans jen kessy and april ross for

gold. may treanor and walsh jennings have never lost a match in the olympics. >> i felt this woman deserved to go out on top. she's not going anywhere. we're friends for life. >> i wanted to finish this journey with kerri. i believe in what she does and she believes in me. we knew this was possible. >> misty may's mus matt watched the matchline from los angeles where he plays baseball. >> once they get their minds set on something, it's no holds barred, they're going to go out and do it. >> for kessy and ross, it was their olympic debut. >> i can't believe we came out of it with a silver medal, in the olympics. we keep saying that. >> a gold rush in track and field for the u.s. team. in the 200 meter, allyson felix

fired down the stretch after taking gold in beijing. >> that's a big jump. >> a victory in the long jump for brittney reese, the first u.s. gold in the event since jackie joyner kersey in '88. a close finish in the 400 meter hurdles. lashinda demus took silver just over russia. for the men a one-two finish in the 110 meter hurdles. merit flew to gold. and the fastest man in the world is getting ready to run. wednesday usain bolt easily qualified for tonight's 200 meter final. if he win, he'll become the first man to defend almost pick titles in both the 100 and 200

meter. and a moment in history. 19-year-old sara atar became the first woman to represent saudi arabia at the olympics in track and field. she finished last in an 800 meter qualifying heat but got a big round of applause from the crowd. and today's main events, the u.s. women's soccer team takes on japan in the gold medal game and the u.s. women's water polo team goes for gold against spain. wednesday put usa back on top in the medal count. >> natalie, thank you very much. it was a story book ending to the olympic careers of misty may treanor and kerri walsh jennings winning gold for the third straight time, pushing their career olympic record to a perfect 21-0. they only lost one set in all of their olympic competitions. misty and kerri, good morning.

>> good morning. thank you. it's always a treat. >> it's a treat for us, too, for you to be here live. you guys thought '04 and '08 were great. you said london would be the best. did it finish out that way? >> without a doubt. misty and i have had a great tournament. we've played the toughest competition in the world. to be hanging with you today, dream come true. >> and for us. did it change your outlook because you were facing another u.s. team? or were they just two other competitors? >> we had a similar situation in athens. it's never easy playing your own countrymen but way to represent usa beach volleyball is to have a gold medal match usa versus usa. you know, they helped elevate our game because they are such wonderful players and i couldn't

be more proud to face jen and april in the finals. >> we were there last night, it was fantastic. it seemed to me, kerri, a turning point in the second set, it was 16-14, there was a shot that looked like a winner and up came the ball and set you up for a point. >> that's what she does best, isn't it? >> those are back breakers. you want to build momentum and you want to crush the spirit of your opponent. >> the medal ceremony was poignant for a couple of reasons, three golds in a row, that's enough. but also we're watching as we know it's going to be the last time you two stand there together. what was going through your mind? >> it was a bit overwhelming. i'm personally ready for my next journey, but i will never leave her side. it was emotional but i think, you know, we learned so much about everything outside of

volleyball. that's what this olympic signified was the journey off the court together. it's something we're never going to forget. we're going to be in each other's lives forever. >> tell me something about her that you don't know. >> i hate questions like this. i don't even know where to start. we have a pregame prep. she comes in my room. we have -- what do we play on? >> it's my break dancing. >> she does the egg beater. we have to clear all the sharp edges out. >> i should probably wear a helmet, not the best thing, don't try it at home. >> i think the world knows she's one of the most genuine, amazing women in the entire world. >> i just want to show one thing, we have a video of your husband matt playing for the dodgers last night watching on

the laptop. he said this after your victory. >> there's a huge amount of respect for my wife and what she does. for them to go back and do this, you know, you can't see enough about the two of them. they've adapted their game, they became better as far as their communication and stuff like that and the old ladies went out and did it. kerri's going to kill him for saying that. he's one of our biggest fans. for people to see on the outside the work we've put in and how we've adapted and changed, it's wonderful. >> i love the moment your husband grabbed you and lifted you -- >> it was my brother. >> oh, it was your brother. >> it was really special to see that and share it with everyone. >> three-peat. >> feels good. >> congratulations, ladies and thanks for stopping by. >> our pleasure. >> it was an all-american

celebration last night. april ross and jen kessy took silver. good morning to you ladies. if you had watched the medal ceremony in black and white, you would have thought you guys had won gold from the smiles on your faces. how exciting is it to be going home with silver medals? >> as competitive as it is in beach volleyball, i can't say i expected to be going home with a medal. to bring home a gold and a silver for usa is huge and we're really happy. >> jen, to come so close to getting into the olympic in beijing and now you've got it. what did you think when you were on that medal stand? >> the first i was thinking i would have loved the gold but then i just soaking it in. i've been really, really happy to be up there with april. we've been through a huge road together, a really long road. i'm so proud and so honored. i was holding back tears for sure.

>> april, you grew up watching misty may treanor, but if you had to lose to one team, are you glad it was kerri and misty? >> yeah. they've done so much for volleyball worldwide. >>but you had an amazing tournament. you knocked out the number one seed, the brazilian team. that's got to be on your highlight team. >> oh, yeah. we actually already watched the match again. i can't wait to watch it on nbc at home. we hadn't beaten them in nine times. it's embarrassing to say that. >> biggest victory of our career i would say. >> jen, i have to ask you about your lucky chewing gum. what is this during the match against brazil that it wasn't going so well until you realized you forgot to chew your gum? >> yes, i realized it always

helps me. call a time-out, put it in and it just changed the tide for us. >> april, are you going to carry the gum for now? >> i have carried the gum. my husband is the gum captain. she called a time-out, what is she doing? it's so early in the game. she's like i didn't have gum in. i'm like, okay. >> are you and your gum coming to rio in 2016? >> yes, she is. >> but not you, jen? >> i think i've been it two olympics because we were so close the last time. i'm 35 and i'm not sure what the future holds but i'm not sure if it includes rio. i won't count it out 100% but 99%. >> i know someone named kerri who is looking for a partner. >> it was a very special night at the olympic stadium as well. after winning silver in 2004 and

2008, allyson felix finally got the medal she has trained so hard for in the 200 meters. good morning. >> thank you so much. >> i watched your preliminary race that got you into the final and i watched the way you came into that turn and blew everybody away down the straight. i thought to myself if there's one sure thing in london, allyson felix is going to win this 200. were you confident? >> i was confident. i felt things were coming together for me. the semi-went well so i felt pretty good in the final ps. >> did you realize how big a lead you had? >> i had no idea. i was just trying to be aggressive. >> are you looking at the monitor showing the race or the scoreboard? what are you seeing? >> in the semi you're looking at the monitor, looking where everybody else. in the final you're dead out to cross that finish line.

i think i was overwhelmed. at that moment it hadn't even all sunk in. i let out a "thank you lord" and was overjoyed. >> i mentioned silver in 2004, silver in 2008 and now the gold. and you really have trained hard for this. is this the highlight of your career? >> definitely. i was devastated in beijing. i remember seeing my family and just being in tears. last night i saw them and we were all so happy so it's pretty cool. >> as a broadcaster when i hear you say you were devastated getting a silver medal in the olympics, it's hard to imagine. >> it's a crazy thing because you are so grateful, you're so competitive, it's all about gold. >> you've got one more event here, young lady. >> two. >> you have the 4x100. >> and 4x4.

i think it's going to be pretty special. >> allyson felix, congratulations. it's great to see you. >> good morning, everyone. a rare and daring rescue overnight to save an american stranded in antarctica with a serious medical emergency. keith miller has the latest. >> good morning. the patient has not been identified but is reported to be in stable condition. the rescue was necessary because the medical condition could not be treated at the remote facility. privacy laws restrict the amount of information released but staff at the location said the staff needed immediate corrective surgery. it was the australians to the rescue. a specialist medical team was dispatched to airlift the patient to a hospital in new zealand. flying into antarctica in the

winter is a dangerous and rare event as the weather is unpredictable. they prepared the pegasus for landing. wind chill minus 100 degrees fahrenheit with visibility less than 100 feet. but there was no battle with the weather today as the evacuation flight touched down safely in new zealand. >> mid-winter medical evacuations are sometimes necessary since the research station operates only an urgent care center. natalie? >> thanks, keith. july was one for the record books this year as it became the hottest month in the continental u.s. ever. the previous record was set during the dust bowl in the summer of 1936. it has been the warmest 12-month

period on record as drought conditions worsen. >> new york shakeem for the susan g. komen for the cure's foundation as the president resigns. nancy brinker will also leave her post as chief executive but will serve in a management role. they have been struggling since they tried to cut finding earlier for planned parenthood. and mary thompson is back with us at the new york stock exchange. good morning, mary. >> good morning. traders back to work after a mixed session yesterday. the dow notching its fourth straight gain and nasdaq closing lower. a spike in global food prices could cause rise like those in 2007 and wait. gasoline prices are inching higher following a refinery fire in the bay area. prices in the golden state could reach $4 a gallon.

back to you. >> mary thompson, thank you. >> and nasa's rover curiosity has been on mars for just a few days and already the conspiracy series have begun. a dark image seemed to be a shadow until they sent back a second photo with that mi mysterious blotch completely gone. they say it's most likely just dirt on the lens. or could it be that rover isn't quite alone? i don't know. back over to matt and savannah just now. >> it is a mystery. >> it could mean disaster! >> mr. roker, what's going on? >> well, we've got unfortunately some severe weather to talk about. that risk area stretching from the northeast all the way into the midwest and lower mississippi river valley, hail,

damaging winds, torrential downpours. you live on the radar, we're already seeing stuff firing up, rainfall amounts from green bay down to cincinnati, anywhere from 3 to 5 inchesom >> good morning. a mixture of sun and clouds. about a 30% chance for a thunderstorm. . >> that's your latest weather. gorgeous weather now. fantastic last night at the horse guards parade for that match. in fact, we were all hanging out together, just having a good time. there you go. >> apparently i didn't make the

picture. >> you were out getting beer. >> my face smiling so hard, that was exhausting. >> coming up, much more from london, including a victory lap around the city for the u.s. women's gold medal withining

just ahead, the first time olympians who gave team usa a one-two finish. we'll talk to them. >> and lawrence scruggs will be here for her first interview when she was injured walking into a plan propeller. that's next. parents this year i'm going to teach your kids

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bank, but thankfully, many of them have been cleared, including the accident on 95 south on the beltway. inner loop at charles street, with a crash blocking the ramp. if you normally exit there, take another exit. we have a crash in glen burnie, and northbound 95 at fort mchenry, watch for a disabled a vehicle that may be backing up traffic prior to the left tube. let's take a look at some of our cameras. harrisburg expressway, no sign of delays year. watch for the problem on the inner loop ram. beltway picking up in volume on the west side. coming towards us is outer loop traffic. that backup begins at liberty road towards edmondson. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> we should stay dry through the morning commute. take an umbrella with you in case a thunderstorm pops up later on. dew points are in the upper 60s.

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i hear you speak british. >> we speak a little bit of british. >> we're really fantastic. >> so what do you do after you win gold here in london? smart to do a little sightseeing of course. jenna bush hager tags along with the u.s. gymnastics team. on the plaza, our home away from home the past couple of weeks. i'm matt lauer along with savannah guthrie, natalie morales and al roker. >> it's going to be a huge night tonight. the u.s. women's soccer team advance to the finals after the

last-second win against canada. natalie caught up with alex morgue a morgan, the hero of the game and they're going to tell us how they feel going for their third straight olympic medal. >> every time we come to the olympic games, we're in search of an inspiring story but we're going to share an inspiring story from back home. lauren scruggs, who walked into a propeller, was terribly injured. sheep has made the trip here to london, she'll take in the sights. it's her first interview since that accident. we'll talk to her shortly. >> first we want to say hello to two medal winners. guys, good morning to you. not too slouchy for two first-time olympians. >> not bad at all. >> how do you feel? >> i feel great. it like a dream come true. it's been something i've been

training for, it's amazing. >> and deliver your personal best, right? >> yes, it was. >> did you so much better in this race than you did trying to teach savannah. >> you had to bring it up. >> take me through the race. >> to be a hurdler, you have to be a little bit crazy, you have to believe you're able to defy gravity. for us it starts with a strong, powerful start. >> precision is really everything. and aries, you're all about the method. even though you had the gold coming your way, you thought your race of imperfect. are you being too hard on yourself in. >> as a world class athlete, you strive for perfection. if you're satisfied, something's wrong. >> when you're doing this, what is time like for you? are you conscious of the time or does it seem like it's going on for a while? >> you're not really conscious of the time. you just go out there and

compete like you do at practice and the time will be there. you're just not focused on that. >> i know you guys are competitive on the track but also with your hair. >> he has better hair. >> we have different hair. >> it's a dead heat. >> aries merit and jason richards, congratulations. and lucky for you, al's english class is about to be in session. >> we share the same language but it means so many different things. today in al's english class, it's a little bit of the news. the presenter on the telli looks squish in his jumper. >> the presenter is the host. looked what? >> squish. >> dapper? >> the anchor on the television

looks stylish in his sweater. >> next one. the little nipper's plans went sixes and sevens. >> it went all wrong. >> what's the little nipper? >> little kid? >> the small child's plan went haywire. >> you get credit there. >> it's a nice team effort. team usa. >> there you go. >> good morning. it will be a warm and humid day today. you might want to take an umbrella with you.

al, thanks very much. this morning on "today's athlete to watch", the u.s. women's soccer team. they advance thanks to a thrilling extra time goal headed in by alex morgan. they'll face a tough opponent, japan, who beat them in last cup's world cup finale. natalie? >> after speaking with five women of team usa, i can tell you to never count them out because they are ready for a taste of redemption. it was a play for the ages as the clock wound down in double overtime --

>> alex morgue and has done it! >> a cross and a header by 23-year-old alex morgan right into the net propelling team usa to the gold medal race in the olympics. >>. >> did their part. i just happened to be the right place at the right time when heather crossed that ball. >> how stressed do you have get when you're down? >> if there's time on the clock, we always feel like we're in it. >> and in it is right where team usa expects to be tonight when they take on japan in a rematch of last year's world cup finals, the match the u.s. lost on penalty kicks. >> tell me how you're feeling going into this match. >> the team is feeling good, going up against japan again, readvantar reven revenge. we're going for a gold medal. >> you sure keep your fans on

pins and needles. if you're looking for a shoot-out scenario again, will that be disappointing for you guys? >> we're expecting to get the job done within 90 minutes. all of us have the belief in ourselves and each other, i think we owe it to each other to perform for 90 minutes. >> it's also been a bit of fun. >> megan, i hear alex has a nickname. >> i don't know where that came from. >> baby horse. >> when she first came on the team she was so talented. she plays with so much power, like she's a baby horse. now we're proud to say she's upgraded herself. she's a stallion. >> the stallion and the rest of the team have celebrated their scoring, with cart wheels against new zealand and the world versus north korea. >> can you show me that?

>> ready? >> whoo. >> practicing your move. >> could a special celebration be in the works for tonight? >> i don't think anybody is going to have to choreograph the celebration. you'll see it on our faces. >> and with this team you see ou far women's soccer has come through the years. >> i also think all of us want to keep creating more opportunities for people who come behind us, more opportunities to inspire. my favorite story from the world cup was when a 15-year-old kid came up to me, a boy, and said i want to be a women's professional soccer player when i grow up. that was amazing. i any it's really come full circle. >> and if they win tonight, fingers crossed, it will be their third straight olympic gold. this team is all about true grit. they've been down four times here in the olympics and they've

come back to win. >> going to the game? >> of course. i'll be there. >> you can catch that game at 2:15 eastern time on the nbc sports network. >> up next, the women's gymnastics team takes jen bush hager on a tour of london. all multivitamins give me the basics. they claim to be complete. only centrum goes beyond. providing more than just

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♪ ♪ real fruit smoothies from mccafé. the simple joy of real fruit. ♪ this morning the fierce five will start their post olympic lives with three medals, a gold, a silver and a bronze. but first jenna bush hager helps they celebrate. >> they made me feel like a teen-ager. with all of their hard work,

there's been little time to play until now. the girls went off to blow some steam and they took me along for the ride. i heard you are speak british. >> a little bit. >> you speak a little bit of british. >> we've been practicing a lot. >> you're doing very well. how about you? >> not really. >> you guys have been competing the entire time. have you been able to do anything? >> we were been in the olympic village the whole time. >> you haven't been anywhere at all? >> no. today's our first day out. >> usa! >> come on board, let's see london. you guys are all in your teens still. what are you looking forward to that has nothing to do with gymnastics? >> i think besides competing outside of the gym we're normal girls. we love fashion and talking

about boys. >> we're just normal girls. we just want to have fun. >> whoo! ♪ oh girls, they want to have fun, oh, girls just want to have fun ♪ ♪ girls just want to have fun >> and all of us girls did have a lot of fun. if you're wondering why they now go by the fierce five, they decided on that neck name after being told the fab five was already used by the university of michigan's basketball team in the 90s. savannah? >> well, here they are, the fierce five. girls, i think at this point you need no introduction. did you have fun on that tour of

london? >> so much fun. >> what was the best part? >> the hot chocolate. >> a dance party. >> i had a feeling you guys have been having a dance party. every night in your room? >> definitely. >> what's the theme song of the pierce five these days? >> we have too many. so hot chocolate. nothing something you had p pre-olympics i'm sure. have you done anything to cut loose? >> we've been pretty busy. we've been hanging out, enjoying being done. >> you've had the highs and lows of the olympic experience. what has most impressed you about your teammates or who has really stood out for the way they've handled everything? kyla, do you have something to say? >> i'm sorry, i didn't really hear you. >> who has really stood out you think during these olympics?

who do you think has really shined? >> i think we all sort of went out there and did our job for team finals. i think going out there and showing we're fierce out there helped us throughout the olympic experience. >> i think each girl had their time to shine. aly is the team captain and got the gold medal, jordyn came back and redeemed herself and i'm just really proud of all these girls. >> jordyn, we see you have the fashion statement there, the boot. you have been hurt? >> once i got to london, i figured out i had a stress fracture in my shin. i was able to push through it. this was the olympics. i couldn't give up so easily. i fought through it and came together for the team. >> i have to ask you about your medal ceremony. a lot of people say she did not look that happy to win silver. >> it wasn't the silver i was

disappointed about. i was just disappointed in what happened and how i performed. i wanted to hit both my vaults but i ended up falling on my second one. i was just disappointed with myself, not the silver medal. it's amazing to be here and be on this team usa. it wasn't what i was disappointed about. >> you're all wearing gold and looking good. i hear you had a brush with royalty. you saw princess kate. thofs that, gab-- how was that,? >> it was an amazing experience to say i met princess kate. abby told her she loved her fashion. >> you guys are looking to meet usain bolt. i have a picture to say you've got the pose down. >> haven't found him yet. >> have you tried stalking him? >> i know you guys are big justin bieber fans and he tweeted you. is that right?

>> mm-hmm. >> tack a look at that monitor. see if you can hear. >> that was not a gold medal performance but what is is what you guys have been doing over there in london. i want to say you guys are incredible and keep up the hard work. >> what do you think, girls? can you go home now complete, your olympic experience? >> so cool. amazing. >> i didn't know he could do that. >> that wasn't him. that was one of his dancers. >> i'm sure -- >> i couldn't really see. >> maybe you guys will get to meet him and you can show him how to do a back flip. >> gabby, you're going to be on the cover of "people" magazine. that's exciting. >> i think it's going to be pretty exciting. to see my covface on the cover l

be exciting. >> we know you're going to keep at it. congratulations here. still ahead, much more from london. dane helen mirren is going to stop boy. and the olympics through the lens of a very special photographer after this. is the end the most rewarding part of the journey? is it? the truth is, there's no destination without a beginning. no dream without closing your eyes. for us, there's no finish... without the most important part of the day... [ girl ] the start. [ female announcer ] kellogg's. [ girl ] see you at breakfast. discover a supernatural family comedy that has audiences in stitches. ooh! "paranorman."

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>> -- or on the sand -- >> misty and kerri, three-peat! >> the women have provided some of the most thrilling moments. among them, sarah atar, a runner from california representing saudi arabia because it's her father's homeland. but this isn't a story about winning. it's a story about breaking barriers. sarah atar is the first woman ever to compete for saudi arabia in track and field. she drew a roar from the crowd at the start of her 800 meter race. the rest of the field blew by her from the very start and they were already cooling off by the time she crossed the finish line alone. but that didn't matter. sara atar came to london not to finish first but to chang hearts and minds. it's a great story. and just ahead, lauren scruggs,

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>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> time for a check on. your. here is sarah caldwell and traffic pulse 11. >> we are recovering from an earlier accident. in several spots, 95, both sides of the beltway, now clear. things are looking better after a disabled vehicle is clear and it's not out of action. -- in the northbound direction. out of white marsh towards the 895 split, tapping the brakes on the north side in the parksville region. let's give you a quick live look at traffic. 100 looking good at them moment.

here is a look at security. coming towards us as west side traffic on the outer loop. definitely building. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> so far so good at least for the morning commute. we would get through the rest of this just fine. 76 of the airport. dew points of 73. we are watching shower activity to the west of hagerstown. that could hold together and drift in parts of the baltimore area this morning. take an umbrella with you just in case one of these showers or thunderstorms pop up. high temperatures between 88 and 93 degrees. partly cloudy skies otherwise. over the weekend, a chance for rain up to 60% on friday and some of them could be strong or severe.

things should settle down over the weekend. that's over rainshowers on saturday. generally dry. over n

8:00 on this thursday morning, the 9th of august 2012, 73 degree, nice breeze, it's a chamber of commerce today, a chance to say hello to the folks back home. >> tell the chamber of commerce they can move this helicopter. >> always with the complaints. >> it's always something. >> maybe it's the queen! >> blame al roker. >> good morning, everyone. i'm matt -- >> you're matt? >> no, you're matt. that's al. eem s i'm savannah. just ahead, we are going to

catch up with a remarkable young woman whose story we have been following. lauren scruggs was badly injured in december when she walked into a spending plane propeller. she lost her arm, she lost her eye but she is making a remarkable recovery. this morning she is here to tell us how she's doing in an exclusive live interview. it's her first since that accident. >> also ahead, a man who is capturing some stunning images of these games. ann curry has made her way to london and she'll have the story. >> and we've got some stunning images, abby road, man's first step on the moon, michael jordan defying gravity. >> let's get the top lem pick ne -- olympic news of the day. we turn to michelle kosinski.

>> the u.s. will play japan in soccer and last night it was a great one to be an american athlete at the london games winning medal after medal. >> celebration time once again for the golden girls. >> the unstoppable team of misty may treanor and kerri walsh jennings grabbed gold yet again in the beach volleyball finals, beating kessy and ross in straight sets. they celebrated on a night that finally felt something like london, temperatures in the low 70s. >> i'm so honored to have played the last 12 years in misty. i'm so proud. >> we wanted to go down in history, three-time gold medallists. this is what we wanted. >> we were really happy.

we would have loved to have a better match today. i think we've battled so hard in the last two weeks. >>al san felix gets her gold! >> an historic night for team usa in track and field getting seven medals, capped by a long-awaited gold medal for allyson felix in the 200 meter. >> there's tons of hardships along the way. you can't give up and lose sight of your dreams. >> and she insisted on limping over the finish line. the crowd gave her a standing ovation. >> and she wore a big red flower in her hair in honor of her grandmother's 100th birthday.

>> and the track opened for bmx, on the second time the sport has been in the olympics. 19-year-old american brook crane was doing great in the preliminaries when one of the gravel hills got him, slamming into the next one. crane was okay. >> and the u.s. once again tops china in the medal count 81-77. back to you guys in the sunshine. >> thanks very much. >> i just was signing someone's hat. i had to remind myself not to sign it matt lauer. i've recovered now, though. let's send it over to natalie morales who has a check of the news today. >> good morning, everyone. president obama called the prime minister of india wednesday to express his condolences over the shooting deaths of six sikh

worshippers on sunday. gunman wade michael page died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he was shot by police. officials still do not know his motive for the massacre. >> sear -- syrian government forces have larched a ground assault on aleppo. >> country sing are randy travis is facing new legal trouble after his second alcohol-related arrest in just six months. >> reporter: this almost sounds like a bad country song. police say they found randy travis wearing nothing at all, all alone by the side of the road after he allegedly crashed his car. country singer randy travis is a free man this morning following a bizarre run-in with the law late tuesday. a witness called 911 alerting police to someone in distress.

>> i just found a guy laying in the road. >> is he responsive? >> i haven't got out of my vehicle yet. >> reporter: according to the police, travis was found naked and smelling of alcohol after he crashed his pontiac trans am in his home state of texas. he was arrested and charged with driving while entointoxicated a felony retaliation, saying he was belligerent and threatened to shoot the officers. >> he was buck neighborhoaked, demanding cigarettes. he had no money on him. i said how are you going to pay for it? >> reporter: in february he was charged with public intoxication, seen on this video. >> you're going to go to jail

for intoxication. >> hoda kotb asked hum about the incident when he co-hosted earlier this year. >> i was waiting for someone to pick me up and the wrong person showed up. >> reporter: travis was released on bond from jail wednesday morning. neither the singer or his staff has commented on the arrest. he has a tour scheduled next week. >> for a look at what is trending today, what has you talking online. jenny garth reports she is dating again but, quote, with training wheels on. she jokes that she's back into adult adolescencadolescence. >> a low blow is getting a lot

of replay online. he punched a player below the belt during the quarterfinal loss. he played for the trail blazers and later apologized on twitter. carmelo anthony also shaking off a cheap shot delivered by argentina player on monday night. and the american gymnast's expression is being photo shopped into different images. this morning she said she was disappointed in herself and not the silver medal win. and how about this week's rover landing? we know, not impressed. people are having a lot of fun, too much fun. >> she was actually thinking of my forecast. that's what that look is. let's show you what we have for london. no frowny faces with this forecast.

lots of sun today, 81 tomorrow. as we go back to the states, we do have showers and thunderstorms through the upper midwest. risk of strong storms stretching ngl the way up into new england >> good morning. a mixture of sun and clouds. about a 30% chance for a thunderstorm. >> and that's your latest weather. matt? >> thank you very much. when we come back, the remarkable recovery of lauren scruggs, the young lady severely injured when she walked into a

plane's propeller. she here in london. it's her first interview. we'll have that right after these messages. [ sneezes ] [ male announcer ] if you have yet to master the quiet sneeze... ♪ [ sneezes ] [ male announcer ] you may be an allergy muddler. try zyrtec®. it gives you powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because zyrtec® starts working at hour 1 on the first day you take it. claritin® doesn't start working until hour 3. [ sneezes ] [ male announcer ] zyrtec®. love the air. join zyrtec® rewards. save up to $7 on zyrtec® products. what are you gonna do? ♪ [ cross ] i'm gonna finish what he started. [ dita ] it's aaron cross. consider the magnitude of what we're facing. let's go. [ male announcer ] "the bourne legacy." rated pg-13. let's go. energy is being produced to power our lives. while energy development comes with some risk, north america's natural gas producers are committed to safely and responsibly providing generations

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go above and beyond to find lower priced options... ♪ and enroll you in walgreens prescription savings club... which saves members an average of one hundred and seventy dollars a year. ask your pharmacist how much you can save today at walgreens. ♪ welcome back to london. the life of aspiring model lauren scruggs changed forever last december when she accidentally walked into the propeller of a plane. she writes about it in a book coming out this fall called "still lolo." >> reporter: for this beautiful young model and fashion blogger, it was a life changing moment, one that could have easily claimed her life just a few weeks before christmas. lauren heads out in a two-seat are plane piloted by a friend

n for a look at holiday lights. in the dark, lauren accidentally walks into the path of a still spinning propeller. >> a girl walked into an airplane prop. i need an ambulance immediately. >> she suffered multiple injuries, the loss of her left hand and eye. doctors said it was a miracle she survived the accident but that her recovery might take yet another. months of rehabilitation, numerous surgeries, her parents and twin sister kept a daily vigil by her side, often logging that lolo, as they call her, was in considerable pain. lauren didn't hide. she was spotted in grocery

stores. on twitter, there were pictures of family getaways, including this one to colorado just two months after her accident. back home she was fitted with pr prosthetics, first her left eye and then her hand. by her 24th birthday last month, this texas beauty was in a celebratory mood, out with those she loves and crediting family and faith for a recovery most say is nothing short of another miracle. >> and lauren scruggs is with us exclusively. lauren, good morning. >> good morning. >> it is good to see you. you look great. how do you feel? >> i'm feeling good. i think physically it's good that i'm off all my pain meds and all medication and haven't had pain since january so that's a blessing. and emotionally days are hard sometimes just accepting the loss of my eye and hand but it

just gets better and i've realized god's in control of my life and there's a purpose in this story and spiritually i just learn to live not by faith and not by sight. i realize the lord has a strong purpose and i need to use that. >> you have an amazing story to tell. i know you have a book coming out and we're going to talk more later. but there was a reason you wanted to come out now publicly and show the world here you are. why was that important to you? >> i know a lot of people have been following the story and photographers trying to get photos. it's just good to be out in public just as i am and letting people know that i'm doing okay and healing up. >> you wanted to do it on your terms? >> yes, yes. >> i know we'll talk more about it. do you remember that night? >> i remember my feet touching the ground getting out of the

plane but that's all i remember. we'll go into more detail in the book. my parents obviously have their side of the story and my sister and so it's good to see their perspective as well. >> how was the prose cess of writing it? was it therapeutic? was it painful? >> it was a little bit of both. it was really healing for me to talk about the event and even reading things that i was unsure of that everyone else went through. and, i don't know, it was just i have kind of gained a new perspective of life and i feel like i need to use my message of hope and healing to help others, inspire others just like people have inspired me. >> i know you've gotten so much support, certainly from your family but also from total strangers. on a happy note you're here at the olympics. why was it important for you to come here? >> i'm just inspired by the athletes and their perseverance. i had to, you know, be --

persevere through this recovery and still am. >> are there any particular athletes that you really are inspired by? >> yeah, i think gabby is a real inspiration to me, just her spirit is so sweet and just how she professes her faith. >> gabby douglas, i see someone wanting to say hello to you. >> so nice to meet you. >> you, too. >> oh, my gosh, yeah, i just think she's a doll. >> thank you. >> here's two ladies that can draw inspiration from one another. gabby, that must be pretty exciting to you, a total stranger looks to you and says you've inspired them. >> i just have to say this means so much to me. and to know that i was always wanted to inspire the nation and inspire people. it means so much when you said you're inspired by me. it's just an amazing feeling. and i'm so happy and so excited for you and all that you've

overcome just keep staying strong and keep shining. >> two wonderful ladies, gabby douglas and lauren scruggs. we'll see you later but until then get a picture with gabby. we'll be back from london right after this. we imagined a vehicle that could adapt to changing road conditions. one that continually monitors and corrects for wheel slip. we imagined a vehicle that can increase emergency braking power when you need it most. and we imagined it looking like nothing else on the road today. then...we built it. the 2012 glk. where bold engineering meets bold design. starting at $35,880.

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ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. we're back in london where these games have already produced a lot of memorable images. ann curry is here to introduce us to a guy who hopes to mack them last forever. >> a few days ago i saw a photograph that captured two synchronized swimmers in motion. >> as a sport photographer, the olympics is probably the premier vant you can photograph. it's almost like a compressed emotions of human life. >> what do you learn about our human nature, about our drive

for excellence? >> you see the whole range of emotions in a really short space in time. you see the same people coming back and back again. they'll do anything to achieve in their particular field. >> who are some of those people you've seen rise up? >> i've seen michael phelps' career begin and come to a close here in london. >> and michael phelps is going to win gold! >> describe the technical challenges of photographing the fastest athletes in the world. >> technically it's probably not as difficult because the athlete is so perfect. they're predictable almost. but then to get something a little bit different is where it i guess becomes a challenge and where you really do need to have good reflexes or most of the time it a bit of foresight. you know, knowing what to expect. planning for that unexpected moment and hopefully getting it. >> well, given how much there is a risk of not getting the photograph, why do you take the risk of shooting with such a

short depth of field when you're looking at a moving object? >> at the olympics you're competing against i don't know how many other thousands of photographers. to get your picture used or noticed, you want to create something different or unique. i guess that's where the risk comes into it. >> so risk is good? >> risk is good, yeah, definitely. >> most of the time. >> most of the time, yeah. will have been times where it hasn't paid off. >> you seem to take a lot of pictures of water. and you have to get in the water. >> yes. you know, i didn't want to try to look for that easy option. and from australia, living down by the beach, i love the water, i grew up in the water. i think water, life and athletic bodies is photographic nirvana. >> and in this one, what is going on here? >> you really see the impact on the guy's face, the amount of force he hit the water with. >> you seem to find images that

are quiet, simple. how do you do that? >> the first thing i look at is what background am i going to shoot? it's almost like building a picture rather than taking a picture or going and look at a background and try and find the best possible situation for that background, then i'll look at the lighting and probably the last thing i think about is where the athlete will be. >> how grueling are these hours? >> look at these eyes. >> they look pretty good to me. >> i'm 21 years old. >> what, are you 16 hour days? >> sometimes longer. if i complain about it, they say don't come back next time, we'll get somebody else. you fight to come back. >> photographer adam priddy says what we see in these frozen moments of impact and drama is

what's great even with these still pictures. >> you're pretty good with a camera. did you take any pictures? >> no, but i learned something from him. >> we're back after your local news. >> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. let's get a check on your morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> problems out there that we are tracking. if you travel along russell street and mosher street, we have an accident coming in. 21 miles per hour at white marsh continuing towards the 895 split. woodside, average speed sprang

19 mi. per hour from belair road towards dulaney valley. here is a live view of traffic. we will update you at 175. southbound traffic intermittently seen delays towards 32. to a live view of volume on the west side. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. tony, over to you. >> later on this morning, a chance for thunderstorms popping up. dew points in the low 70's. scattered thunderstorms trying to develop in the mountains already. there is a chance that some of these could hold together and drift towards baltimore city later this morning. 30% chance for a thunderstorm. high-temperature is between 80 and 93 degrees. south winds at 10 miles per hour could chance for rain goes up to

60% tomorrow. some of those storms could be strong. cooler and less humid over the weekend. >> back with another update at 8:56.

day 30 now on the thursday morning, it's also the 9th day of august 2012. a gorgeous view of some of the sights of london. boy, this city has put on some show over the last couple of weeks. we appreciate their hospitality. by the way, there's our friends at goodyear providing those images. let's not forget the nice people who have joined us here in

olympic park as well. they've been here for two weeks as well. well, not the same people. because so many people have come to the olympic games, it's hard to find ways around without jumping into traffic. >> or even on the subway, the tube. i actually brought my bicycle with me. this is a biking city. a lot of folks on bikes. it's a great way to see the city and the surrounding countryside. ben fogel took me out and we had a great time. >> we have a national treasure here today. dane, helen mirren is here. do you think she's got the olympic spirit? >> i don't think that i've ever seen her dress casually. that's cool. >> also doesnn't forget we have really exciting week next week, concerts lined up for you, monday we'll have the fray followed by nicki minaj, carrie

underwood, lionel richie and friday a rare 98 degrees reunion, all next weekly on rockefeller plaza on today. be sure to stop on by. all of you in london, come with us. >> let's show you what you've got as far as your weekend is concerned. starting with friday, a beautiful day out west. the eastern seaboard is going to be a mess. saturday more sunshine and sizzling weather, showers around the great lakes, and then sunday we are looking at more mild weather, plenty of sunshine along the eastern seaboard. showers mid section of the country. beautiful weather all the way >> good morning.uthwest where ih it will be a warm and humid day

today. you might want to take an umbrella with you. >> and that's your latest weather. savannah? >> al, thanks. when you spend time in london, it's clear the americans and british have a special relationship but why are we so fascinated with one another? tom brokaw is here to explain. good morning. >> good morning. as you know, it's a mixed relationship. at the beginning america was a british colony. before long there was a family feud and the british were told to take their ting and get lost.

it turns out we're bonkers for royalty. any major royal event is big box office on american television. the queen, so much more than the head of the royal household. >> it's our brand. >> tracy ulman, an american citizen but always a brit. >> she's done a bloody good job, if i say so. and kate middleton has rejuvenated us all again, on we go. >> it doesn't stop with the royals. on we go to abby, the lifestyle of the british upper class. >> are you afraid someone will think you're american if you spoke openly? >> i doubt it will come with that. >> there's mccartney and the beatles, mick and the stones, hollywood, that very american institution, some of the biggest stars are british. best pictures "the king's

speech." before that "shakespeare in love." "harry potter" conquered america young and old. so what do the british like american? katty kay is a british bbc correspondent based in london. >> all of our grumbling about hour americans behave around the world, we're still wearing levis, drinking coke, using ipads. >> it's a little bit harder now and independent speaking as a student of history to look at how you actually make a decision in washington. >> we talk about god, guns and government. those are the three big things we don't understand. the role of government here is much more complicated. people don't want it in america. in britain we expect government to provide things for us. >> in these olympic games there's a kind of mutual

admiration society. there are more of us here with a bigger medal count, but britain is having a great run. and it is an agreeable mix. they can row. >> great britain takes the gold medal! >> we can swim. >> here comes phelps to the wall and gets it done! >> they're better on a horse, we're better on hardwood. >> what i love about this olympic game that seems to have happened in england is that we've imported a ton of american self-esteem. we could never high five year ago but now we're high fiving, we're winning gold medals. >> royals kate and harry, the younger royals, are a big attraction for americans in the stands. they seem like the kids next door, if this is your idea of

next door. kate is so much more than just another young bride. >> she has a mystique. we don't know her. she's not on the reality shows, you don't know every about them. you just know everything about everybody. and that's what she's got right now, this mystique. >> you know, i think that this relationship really has been enhanced during this week here, such a great feeling in the city. the british are very inclined to be very generous about americans. i'm going to go out into olympic park, take up a collection and see if we can buy matt a pair of socks. >> oh, no you didn't. he's right there listening to you and so are his ankles. >> i've run out of laundry. >> and helen mirren has stopped by. >> go gb!

>> we'll talk to her but first this is "today" on nbc

and this morning on "today" in london, a little manpowerer to see the sights around here. mr. roker hit the road for a little adventure. >> coming into the games the folks were worried about the london traffic. i found if you hop on a bike, you're good to go. ben fogel took me along for a ride. >> you can keep your traffic, i'm getting on my bike. a lot of londoners feel the same way.

now i'm off to the countryside and meeting up with ben. if you have one of these dinky folding bikes, you'll never have to take the bus again. >> 20 miles out of london here. >> this is gorgeous. >> i've always found being on a bicycle the best way to cover a huge distance and see places you wouldn't normally get to. >> but see it in ways you don't see it from a car. all this exercise is making me hungry. what's for lunch? is that chicken? >> we've got plenty. >> that is fantastic! she's got something for you. >> it's bangers and mash. >> if we weren't on our bikes -- >> we'd be on the boat. >> i have move on. ben says he has a surprise up his sleeve. >> wait a minute. this is where matt's staying while he's covering the olympics. >> this was henry viii's palace,

famous for chopping his wife's heads off. but he loves sports. this was one of the olympic venues as well. what do you think? matt's got a pretty good pad here. >> he does. i can't believe he was able to score this. since matt seems to be out right now, we have the run of hampton court. i have to tell you, i've seen just about as much as i can possibly see. oh, my goodness. what the heck? >> what is this? >> this is a bicycle that victorian people used to ride all the time. >> some people even race them today. >> were these dangerous? >> yeah, very. >> ooh! >> uh-oh, ben's going to give it a go. >> let's just go for it. i am riding a penny farthing. oh, yes. >> oh, yeah, who's the man? wiggins has nothing on you. >> one hand!

>> don't get cocky! >> very good, my friend. >> yes! >> i'm going to try something just as dare devil. >> are you? >> you wait here. >> i'm going to wait here. >> oh, hey! >> not bad, huh? look at this. for athletic ladies or less athletic men. yes. >> do you have room for another one sp. >> no, i'm on this. i'm on fire, baby. have you ever seen anything like this before? >> never. >> now, would you swap my bike for one of these? >> no. first of all, those don't fold up and, secondly, they're just really weird. >> cool. >> we had a great time. more impressive than the fact that you rode a penny farthing

is that you took a sausage from the boat -- >> i know. >> when we come back, one of great britain's treasured athletes, dame helen mirren preparing for race walking on our plaza. but first this is "today" on nbc.

welcome back to london. oscar winning actress helen mirren is enjoying having the olympic games in her home stadium. she's happy to join us here in olympic park. my first question was, helen, are you into the olympic spirit? i think we have our answer this morning. >> i am so into the olympic spirit. i was into it right from the beginning. i was a big supporter. i was thrilled when london got the bid and i've been supporting

it ever since. luckily my schedule worked out so i could be here. >> and icing on the cake, team g.b. is doing great. >> unbelievable. i don't know if that happens every time a host country hosts. we always know the americans are always going to do great, the russians are always going to do great, the chinese are always going to do great but it was -- i think it's been quite a surprise for all of us. it just shows how important preparation is, you know, to have the training facilities, to have the encouragement of kids in school. really, really great to see. i have to say for me the overriding story is the women, the women in the olympics. >> and it's just been huge. >> the english -- the british girls but girls from all over the world. just watching them compete. i remember in 1984 when the games were in los angeles, that was the first year i was told that women ran in the marathon. and that was in 1984.

that wasn't so long ago. >> well, they've come a long way. i know you've gotten to see some events. you saw usain bolt won? >> i saw him win. >> are you one to scream and shout? >> that's not the way we operate in britain. >> i heard you have a theory that the brits excel in sports in which you're sitting? >> the british prime minister did say that, we have excelled on the sitting down sports, riding, cycling, rowing. >> it's been a big year. you narrowed the jubilee pageant. that wasn't nerve racking at all? >> no, it wasn't nerve racking. it was a wonderful celebration of an amazing era in time. and to have this as the icing on the cake here, you know, is just

an amazing experience for all of us. sorry. >> feel free to cough. are londoners sick of partying now? are they kind of over it? >> londoners i'm afraid never get sick of partying, as you see every thursday, and friday night in all the pubs. we are party animals. it's just so wonderful to see the beautiful, beautiful women and goals doing extraordinary physical feats. that's just been so moving for me and exciting. >> very inspiring. speaking of beautiful women, i can't let you go without mentioning you were voted the celebrity who has aged the best in a poll rating celebrities over 60s. it's your gold medal moment. do you want to make a speech? >> i'm very honored.

>> you are a good sport indeed. great to see you. and your city is wonderful. coming up next, where the olympic families go to relax when they're not watching families compete. but first this is "today" in london.

as we've been tell ing you for a while, it's exciting to watch an olympic event in

person. but for athletes' families, it can be a bit stressful. >> the proctor and gamble house here in london is treating the olympic families to their own experience. >> my family is so important to me. >> my parents are so supportive. >> whether i quit swimming tomorrow, they're still going to be rooting for me to matter what i do. they're my parents. >> my mom has been a huge part of my life. >> reporter: we met up with ashton's mom at the procter and gamble house, which has become a home away from home for the family's 10,000 competing athletes at the games. it's your son's first olympics. >> yes. >> reporter: tell me what that's like as a mom. >> it's one of the most surreal, magical moments ever. just a representation of so much effort by him.

>> reporter: how awesome is it that there's a place like this that supports the moms? >> it's an amazing place where we can get our laundry done and eat. >> reporter: between the anticipation of events, families can grab a bite, taking a financial strain off the liolymc experience. you have to take me to your favorite places. >> let's go. >> reporter: they serve a thousand meals a day from this kitchen. when you think about some of the athletes whose parents might not have that much money to come over to london. >> it just takes care of so many things for parents. >> reporter: and relax. we have these wonderful pillows where people can lounge. some moms, like the mom of dana

vollmer. to all of us, she's an olympian but to you she's your daughter in. >> she's my baby. >> reporter: found time to get dolled up. you're going to get your hair done. what's it like to have a place like this that really pampers you? >> i've never had anything like this before at all. they never had anywhere that would do our hair and our nails. this is great. >> i like it. >> reporter: there's a man cave for dads. team usa viewing parties. and even birthday celebrations. >> happy birthday! >> go usa! >> reporter: and some moms come here for a little bit of fun, like kerri walsh jennings's mom. >> so this is a green screen. i'm kind of new in television but something tells me this is very fun. i'm not sure what it is but we can take pictures.

>> i think we should go for it. >> one, two, three. >> we're olympians. >> reporter: that was hilarious. >> when you watch her as a mom, you must have driven her to a thousand volleyball practices. millions. >> right. >> reporter: what's it like to see her ultimate dreams have come true? >> our family is a partner and is a team. it's been amazing. as long as she wanted it, we would support her in anything she wanted to do. >> reporter: and here in london a place of support for the families who have given so much. >> and both of the girls' moms -- hello, thanks for joining us -- and knocking my bracelet off. both of the girls' moms we met up with, they both won gold and ashton is on his way for another gold. so it's the moms that really get them there. >> jenna, thank you very much.

>> this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am mindy basara. the second special session of the year begins in annapolis. the main issue up to lawmakers is expanded gambling in the state. gov. martin o'malley will meet with senate democrats to talk about a bill that would allow tabl

>> there is only about a 30% chance we will see a couple of showers and thunderstorms popped up. not a bad idea to take an umbrella. high temperatures between 88 and 93. chance for rain up to 60% on friday. some could be strong or severe.