Penn alumna takes bronze

Five athletes from Penn flew to Sydney, Australia, to compete in the Games of the 27th Olympiad. At least one of them will be coming home with a medal draped around her neck. On Sunday, Sarah Garner -- a 1994 College graduate -- teamed with fellow American Christine Collins to bring home the bronze medal in women's lightweight double sculls. Garner and Collins, the defending world silver medalists, got off to a quick start and led through the first 1,000 meters. In the second half of the race, however, the teams from Romania and Germany passed the Americans to claim the first two spots. Garner and Collins finished the race in 7:6.37 seconds, while Romania won in 7:02.64 and the Germans stroked a time of 7:02.95. The tandem of Garner and Collins was one of only three boats from the United States to win a medal. Although the U.S. was the only nation to qualify for all 14 events, the three medals represent the most disappointing performance for American rowing teams since 1972. One of the boats to finish out of the medal count was the three-time defending world champion U.S. men's eight, which featured 1999 Wharton graduate Garrett Miller, a former commodore of the Penn men's heavyweight crew team. The U.S., which qualified for Saturday's final after edging Romania in a repechage heat, finished fifth in 5:39:16. Great Britain took the gold in 5:33:08. With Garner and Miller now finished, only one former Quaker has yet to begin competition. Brandon Slay, a 1998 Wharton alumnus, will begin his quest for a medal in the 167.5-pound weight class of freestyle wrestling on Thursday. Last week, Wharton senior Cliff Bayer and 1994 College graduate Tamir Bloom bowed out of the fencing competition. Bayer, who was believed to be the U.S.'s best hope for a fencing medal, took 10th in the men's foil competition. Bloom won his first bout in the men's epee, but lost to top seed Arnd Schmitt of Germany in the next round.

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