Sunday, August 24, 2008 - 2:56 AM

The United States has swept to a fourth successive Olympic women's basketball gold medal with a crushing win over world champion Australia in Beijing.

The predicted fireworks failed to materialise as the Americans obliterated their fierce rivals 92-65 in a totally one-sided Beijing final to win their sixth Olympic title.

Not even Australia's WNBA trio of Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor and Erin Phillips could stem the US tide.

Taylor and Phillips had skipped the first half of the US pro season to prepare for the Games, while Jackson left the Seattle Storm early to train with her teammates.

Jackson finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds for Australia, while Belinda Snell scored 15, all in the first half.

"America was better than us tonight," Jackson said. "We tried hard to get there, but that's the way it goes."

Australia's Kristi Harrower said the scoreboard did not tell the whole story.

"The scoreboard doesn't really show how good we are," she said.

"And that's what hurts the most. I'd rather lose by 20 than two, but it's still disappointing.

"Defence has been our strength the whole tournament and we just let them have 90 points. That's not Australian basketball."

European champion Russia took bronze for the second consecutive Olympics by overpowering tournament hosts China 94-81.

Winning streak


The United States carried an astonishing 32-0 winning streak into Saturday's gold medal showdown, a run that was never threatened by an Australian team who came out flat.

The Opals shot a woeful 22 per cent from the floor in the first half to go back to the locker room trailing by 17 points.

The Americans, who had been crushing their opponents by an average of just under 40 points, were led by 15 points from Kara Lawson, while Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker added 14 each.

"It has been a blessing for me to be out on this court," Leslie said.

"It's my fourth Olympics and my fourth gold.

"I haven't necessarily played great during this tournament. Tonight I got into some foul trouble as did Diana (Taurasi) and Katie (Smith).

"But we fought hard and we beat Australia."

Australia, which barely improved its field goal shooting during a scrappy final two quarters, took silver behind the US women for the third straight Games.

The United States claimed its sixth gold medal in the past seven, having only missed out in Barcelona in 1992 when they took bronze behind the Unified Team.

The Russians, who were beaten by the United States in the Beijing semi-finals, had too much firepower for China, with American-born guard Becky Hammon providing the spark with 22 points.

"The medal is the icing on the cake," said Hammon, whose decision to play for Russia triggered dismay in the United States.

"I fell in love with these girls. They're sweethearts."

Centre Chen Nan carried the fight with 26 points for the Chinese, who last won an Olympic medal in women's basketball when they finished runners-up the 1992 Barcelona Games.