Image via WikipediaKARLOVY VARY, Czech Republic (AP)—Sue Bird handed the world championship trophy to Tamika Catchings and the two embraced, sharing a large grin.
The only blemish on their distinguished U.S. basketball career was now gone after an 89-69 victory over the Czech Republic in the women’s basketball title game Sunday night.
It was one sweet win for Bird, Catchings, and Diana Taurasi, who were on the U.S. team that finished a disappointing third in the 2006 worlds.
The three were determined not to let that happen again.
“There’s definitely a feeling of satisfaction, redemption,” Bird said. “It was tough losing in Brazil, it was very difficult. We were definitely on a mission. It started in the Olympics, that’s what fueled us then, but this being the same tournament we lost in, we wanted to get that gold back.”
Angel McCoughtry scored 18 points, Taurasi added 16, and Bird had 11 for the Americans, who now have won the world championship eight times—the previous time being Catchings’ first in 2002.
“This one was definitely sweeter,” Catchings said. “Knowing what we went through in 2006 to erase that made this special.”
To win the gold, in a similar situation to the men’s team that won in Turkey, the U.S. had to get past the host nation in the final.
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