welcome to "world news." and tonight, wonder women. a dramatic victory by the u.s. women's soccer team brings home the gold. how women are saving the day for team usa at the london games. storm surge. a warning tonight about the hurricane season. and why the government is telling millions of americans to get ready. sudden impact. a plane crashes, and it's all caught on tape. how did everyone survive? and, big inspiration. meet the determined 12-year-old who has become an unlikely olympic star. is this the road to grateness?

good evening. right now, team usa is celebrating victory and redemption. just hours ago, the women's soccer team took the field against japan, their first match since last year's tough loss in the world cup. as one player put it then, japan snatched our dream. tonight, the american women took it back. and their win is just the latest triumph for all the women of team usa. these olympic games, more than ever before, have been defined by the golden girls. abc's bill weerl has our front row seat at the olympics and starts us off tonight. how much fun did you have today, bill? >> reporter: it just keys coming, george. if you need further proof that london 2012 will be defined by the fairer athletes, get a load of this. the united states has won 39 golds so far. 26 of those belong to women. and on this night in particular, whether it was on the pitch or on the wood, in the pool, in the ring, for american fans, it was ladies night.

in a soccer-mad world, this was the one and awful lot of girls were glued to. blary eyed in japan's wee hours and giddy at this soccer camp in new jersey. and it was a jersey girl, carli lloyd, who gave all of america reason to holler. with one goal eight minutes into the first half and a second nine minutes into the second. japan mounted a minor comeback late, but uncle sam's girls hold on for the 2-1 win, and as we are the champions blared out over wembley stadium, team japan bowed in respect, tears in their eyes. but in jersey, tears of joy. >> the best part was probably when u.s. scored their first goal, because, like, we were just all like, ahh! and then the u.s. team was all like, ahh! and it was just so exciting. >> reporter: meanwhile, in the liquid hands on version of the game, team usa women took their

first water polo gold ever, with an 8-5 win over spain. on the hard wood, usa hoops juggernaut survived a first half scare against australia to move onto the gold medal game. and history in the ring. a year ago, claressa shields was a 16-year-old with an ex-con father, finding her way on the tough streets of flint, michigan. tonight, she's the first american woman to earn olympic boxing gold. is that a bite mark? >> i dropped it. >> you dropped it? i was really tired this morning. >> reporter: and let us not forget the three-peat of misty may traynor and kerri walsh jennings. how do you feel about the fact that across southern california, maybe even parts of iowa and oklahoma, there are girls saying, you know what, i'm dropping out of school to go to the beach -- >> ah, don't drop out of school. don't drop out of school.

you can play in college. >> we're both college graduates and very proud. >> reporter: see, brains and braun right there for those two girls from the beach. fantastic performances out of the boys tonight. ashton eaton and tray hardee went gold-silver in the decathlon. and usain bolt, the fastest man in the world is just that. led a jamaican sweep, george, in the 200 meter. a dubouble-double to repeat. >> america back in the lead today? >> reporter: they're back in the lead, ten more than china in the total medal column. two more in the gold column and a big weekend ahead, including the dream team going for gold again. >> bill weir, thank you very much. very different story now. late this afternoon, a dramatic development in the case of that movie theater massacre in aurora, colorado. we all remember that first sight of james holmes in court, dazed

an confused with that red hair. in court again today, his legal team declared holmes mentally ill. abc's clayton sandell has the details. >> reporter: his hair still bright orange, james holmes stared blankly and yaubed in court today, where, for the first time, his lawyers claimed he is mentally ill. that asked the judge to force prosecutors to hand over evidence. without it, daniel king said, we cannot address the nature or depth of mr. homs' mental illness. the judge heard from 20 news organizations today, including abc, who want sealed investigation files made public. prosecutors and defense attor y attorneys want them kept secret until trial. that evidence should shine new light on major unanswered questions about the relationship between holmes and his psychiatrist. as abc news has reported, dr. fenton worried enough about holmes that in the weeks before the shooting, she contacted a university of colorado police

officer. but it is not clear what action that officer took, if any. until that information becomes public, there will be no answer to perhaps the most troubling question of all. could the massacre have been prevented? clayton sandell, abc news, centennial, colorado. and we now have an all points bulletin from the nation's top weather experts. hurricane season is about to rev up and could pack a more powerful punch. you can already see it in the gulf of mexico. tropical storm ernesto gearing up there. now a new storm is on the way. abc's sam champion tells us what we're in for and why. >> reporter: as tropical strom ernesto dumps flooding rains across central mexico, it is one of two hurricanes and four tropical storms to develop already this season. >> tropical storm beryl is just coming on shore. >> holy cow. >> the roads are impossible. the sidewalks are flooded. >> reporter: tropical storms alberto and beryl flared up before the season even officially began downing trees, 0 /* flooding streets.

and according to noaa, this bad season is about to get worse. >> it takes a whole set of conditions to produce a hurricane and right now that whole set of conditions is favorable. >> reporter: among those conditions, much warmer than normal atlantic ocean temperatures. >> as the waters warm more they can put more moisture into the air and that can make a stronger hurricane. >> reporter: even the arrival of a hurricane-killing el nino, which normally causes wind shear, breaking tropical systems apart, will not slow this season. noaa now expects 12 to 17 named storms, including 5 to 8 hurricanes of which 2 or 3 could be major with winds of at least 111 miles per hour. but it's not just the winds. flooding is the leading cause of death from hurricanes. and a slow-moving tropical storm can produce tremendous amounts of rain. we saw that in june, with tropical storm debbie in florida, and who can forget last year when tropical storm irene inundated the northeast?

from new york city -- some of the steadier rain bands are making their way in. through new england, swamping vermont. now, one of the reasons experts think the second half of the season will be very active is, it's already started. we'll show you here, the three circles are the tropical systems we're looking at right now. ernesto, this little wave that's near jamaica. and td-7, just named in the last couple of hours. it will take the "g" name. and off the coast of africa, we are watching, this is where storms form. that little area of clouds is likely to be a tropical player for next week. >> we don't know exactly what's going to happen with those but we have to be ready. >> reporter: the thing is, look. there are this many systems on the board. every coastal community has to watch them. >> okay, sam champion, thank you. now, to our consumer watchdog, and a serious warning tonight about an iconic american product that is a kitchen staple. 1.3 million ge dishwashers are being recalled. the government says they're a fire hazard and is asking owners

to stop using them immediately, even pull the plug. we posted all the details, makes and models on our website. and experts say no matter which model is in your kitchen, it's never a good idea to run the dishwasher while you are away from home or sleeping. to the campaign trail now. your voice, your vote. where the war of words and ads turned red hot today. both sides are spending at an unprecedented rate. $1 billion by election day. as jon karl tells us, they are playing fast and loose with the facts to a degree we've never seen before. >> reporter: in colorado today, president obama lashed out as those super-pacs, spending millions of dollars on negative ads. >> you will see more negative ads. these super-pacs, these guys are writing $10 million checks, giving them to mr. romney's supporters and --

>> reporter: but the single most outrageous ad of the campaign comes from a super-pac supporting the president. and run by his former spokesman. it features a man he once worked for a company oin owned by bain capital and immrims romney was responsible for the death of the man's wife from cancer. >> by then, it was stage 4. it was -- there was nothing they could do for her. and she passed away in 22 days. i do not think mitt romney realizes what he's done to anything. >> reporter: in fact, the man's wife died in 2006, years after romney left bain capital. but the group isn't backing down. >> what this ad does is, items a story of one guy -- >> but it's misleading. >> this is your opinion. >> reporter: romney campaign has hit below the belt, too. currently with a misleading ad claiming president obama has gutted welfare reform. >> the obama administration quietly offers to issue waivers

to the work requirement in the law. >> reporter: the obama campaign is calling that a bold-faced law. the administration is allowing states to experiment with changes, but insists it is still requiring people to work. here in boston, the romney campaign is already gearing up for the announcement of a running mate that could come any time now. george, we don't know when that announcement will be, but as i saw at romney headquarters, there's already a staff in place for that vice presidential candidate. they are working away, though they have no idea who they will be working for. >> if mitt romney decided tonight, they are ready to go tomorrow? >> reporter: they call it a turnkey operation. they are ready to go now. >> jon karl, thank you. now, to a heart-stopping moment in the sky, all caught on tape. a small plane with a father, son and two friends on board stalled in midair, sending them straight toward the ground. abc's senior national correspondent jim avila shows us what happened, thanks to a camera in the cockpit. >> reporter: moment of impact

two cameras rolling. one in the front seat, the other in back, as this vintage stinson 108, carrying three passengers and one pilot clips tree tops in the idaho wilderness, turns upside down and crashes to the ground. >> pop, pop, pop. you hear the wings start hitting trees. and then the plane just kind of is blasting through trees. >> reporter: from takeoff, the single engine plane had trouble in the thin mountain air, struck ming and failing to gain enough altitude. >> it sounded like rapid gunfire until we were on the ground. it was kind of just mayhem. >> glass and debris and sticks and pine cones and everything just flying. >> reporter: the cameras still rolling after impact, buried in 2 dirt, as the three hiking buddies from boise can be heard checking on each other. >> everybody okay? >> i think we're okay. please get out. >> reporter: the survivors find the camera. stunned silent by the mangled wreck, now worried about the pilot, 70-year-old air national guard veteran, helicopter pilot

in vietnam, les gropp, suffering the worst of it. a broken jaw, rib and lacerations on his face. abc news aviation consultant steve ganyard says the flight was doomed from the start. >> this is the critical point here, right? >> he just doesn't have the power. too hot. this airplane is just not going to get airborne today. >> reporter: small planes account for nearly all the accidents in the sky. more than 1,400 last year. and all the fatalities -- 485. but here is the surprising good news. believe it or not, a single engine crash like this one does not mean instant death. 9 out of 10 are survived. a 90% survival rate. >> i think my ah ha moment was hanging upside down there in the plane awake. knowing i was going to be there for my family. it was just -- just amazing. >> reporter: clearly. jim avila, abc news, washington. >> that is some ah-ha moment. more good news tonight from the airlines.

they are earning record-high grades for on-time arrivals and not losing luggage. 84% of domestic flights are l d landing 15 minutes of their scheduled time and fueler than three bags for every 1,000 passengers are lost or damaged. the reason, less snow and rain than usual and fewer flights in this weak recovery. coming up, the real life catch me if you can. he conned his way into the e.r., even posed as a cop. why did he do it, get away with it, and how he final limb got caught. so what i'm saying is, people like options. when you take geico, you can call them anytime you feel like saving money. it don't matter, day or night. use your computer, your smartphone, your tablet, whatever. the point is, you have options. oh, how convenient. hey. crab cakes, what are you looking at?

geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief

for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. celebrex can be taken with or without food. and it's not a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you.

visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. tonight, we have a rare look into the mind of a serial conman. just 18, the young florida man talked his way into an emergency room to treat patients and posed as a cop behind the wheel of a cruiser. after his arrest, he spoke to police for three hours and tonight, abc's matt gutman brings us inside that interrogation room. ♪ come fly with me >> reporter: in "catch me if you can," leonardo dicaprio played the world's most infamous con artist, swavly impersonating a pilot. and a doctor. police say 17-year-old matthew scheidt also masqueraded as a medical professional, until he got caught. in this just-released video, he tells interrogators he even administered cpr to a patient, after a real doctor left the room.

>> he said, can you take over cpr? i started doing cpr for a minute, two minutes, while he went to get medication. he came back in. the only reason why i did do it was because there was nobody else there. and i'm not going to let her die. >> reporter: and wearing scrubs and a lab coat, he kept going back for days. >> it becomes like an addiction. the rush is so high when they get away with it, they want that feeling again and again. >> reporter: so it was for frank abegnale, the inspiration behind "catch me if you can." impersonating a doctor, he actually wrote on patient's charts. a real pilot actually handed him control of a plane during a commercial flight. >> the pilot uniform always made me feel -- feel good. it gave me respect and people looked at me differently. made me believe i was somebody. allowed me to, of course, meet women. >> reporter: so how do these imposters get away with it? psychologists call it the halo effect. people standing around in scrubs, maybe a lab coat, they

seem to have authority. experts say if you suspect someone is an imposture all you have to do is ask them a couple of questions. that's how scheidt got busted. he was cruising around miami allegedly posing as a cop. matt gutman, abc news, miami. >> and he's in some real trouble now. coming up, dreaming of flying. how did this man get his x-ray taken while sleeping in an airport?s still make you take notice. there are a million reasons why. but your erectile dysfunction that could be a question of blood flow. cialis for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache.

to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, or if you have any allergic reactions such as rash, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. there's the sign to the bullpen. here he comes. you wouldn't want your doctor doing your job, the pitch! whoa! so why are you doing his? only your doctor can determine if your persistent heartburn is actually something more serious like acid reflux disease. over time, stomach acid can damage the lining of your esophagus. for many, prescription nexium not only provides 24-hour heartburn relief, but can also help heal acid-related erosions in the lining of your esophagus. talk to your doctor about the risk for osteoporosis-related bone fractures and low magnesium levels with long-term use of nexium. possible side effects include headache, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. other serious stomach conditions may still exist. let your doctor do his job.

and you do yours. ask if nexium is right for you. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. [ male announcer ] start with a simple idea. think. drink coffee. hatch a design. kill the design. design something totally original. do it again. that's good. kick out the committees. call in the engineers. call in the car guys. call in the nerds. build a prototype. mold it. shape it. love it. give it 40 mpg. no, 41. give it a huge display. give it a starting price under 16 grand. take it to the car shows. get a celebrity endorser. he's perfect. "i am?" yes, you are. making a groundbreaking car. it's that easy. ♪ because vitamin d3 helps bones absorb calcium, caltrate's double the d. it now has more than any other brand to help maximize calcium absorption. so caltrate women can move the world. okay, this is one way to get a free x-ray. a norwegian fell asleep on a

baggage carousel and went for a ride, for 15 minutes. he was only found when this popped up on security monitors. his body curled into the fetal position. the tourist had arrived beer in hand. the police even had a hard time waking him up. and, the daredevil nick what len day has done it again. we all remember that incredible stunt back in june, when he walked across niagra falls on a tight rope. today, the high wire was in atlantic city, a full quarter mile 100 feet up you and this time, no safety harness. but nick made it look so easy. he said before, it would be just like a walk on the board walk, and it was. everyone knows there are two kinds of people. you love either dogs or cats. that was dividing our news room today when he learned how america comes down. it's official. dogs. nearly 37% of american households have one. just 30% have a cat.

but silver lining for the cat side, there are more cats overall, and for the first time in over 20 years, total pet ownership is actually down. americans have 2 million fewer dogs, nearly 8 million fewer cats. experts pla s blame the economy coming up, the unlikeliest olympic hero. 12 years old, 200 pounds, helping us all find our 12 years old, 200 pounds, helping us all find our greatness. 12 years old, 200 pounds, helping us all find our dry mouth can be frustrating... and ignoring it can lead to... sipping water can help, but dentists recommend biotene. biotene moisturizes and helps supplement some of saliva's enzymes, providing soothing relief when you need it most. don't ignore dry mouth... look for biotene in your oral care section today. this has been medifacts for biotene. ooh gas, take an antacid. oh, thanks. good luck. good luck to you. doesn't he know antacids won't help gas? oh, he knows.

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finally, if you're watching the olympics, you've probably seen this runner, in a el the vision ad. he's only 12 but weighs 200 pounds. watching him struggle, some viewers think he's being mocked. but as abc's ron claiborne discovered, he's turning out to be a real inspiration, too. >> reporter: every olympics, it seems one commercial stands out. in 1984, it was "we love l.a. " in '88, the pole vaulting budweiser dog. >> greatness -- >> reporter: and now this year, there's this. >> some how we've come to believe that greatness is a gift. reserved for a chosen few. for prodigies. for superstars. >> reporter: instead of an elite athlete performing some

superhuman feat, this ad shows a 12-year-old, 200-pound boy from ohio jogging alone. >> greatness is not some rare dna strand. it's not some precious thing. >> reporter: his name is nathan sorelle, and before he made this commercial, nathan says he didn't even like running. >> i just kind of put the hatred of running to the side, because it was just such an experience and so fun. >> reporter: fun, except for the one take when he got sick from the exertion. >> out of breath, took a drink, my stomach started hurting and i went over to the side of the road and just let it go. >> reporter: something about this commercial, the image of the overweight kid struggling down a country road, struck a chord with millions around the world. online messages supporting nathan poured in. many from overweight people. "i'm headed out for a jog around the block there's nowhere to go but up." >> i love nathan. i hope he runs until he feels awesome about himself. sort of offsets the idea that

the only people who are great are this pinnacle of greatness. i like the idea that anyone can do something challenging in their daily life. >> reporter: not everyone likes the ad. some says it exploits a chubby kid. but nathan and his family are happy with it, just the way it is. and while he mail never be an olympic athlete, he sails he's going to keep at it. and he'll keep inspiring others. ron claiborne, abc news, new york. >> way to go, nathan. that's all for us tonight. thank you fch wor watching. check out "nightline" later. i'll see you tomorrow on "gma."