Olympics - Rio 2016 - Day 15

Day 15 - August 17

Today's Events:  Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Diving, Handball, Track and Field, Volleyball, Wrestling,

Olympic Word of the Day:  Passport - An official document issued by a government, certifying the holder's identity and citizenship and entitling them to travel under its protection to and from foreign countries.  OK - so not really an "Olympic" term, but it will make sense soon.

Some amazing performances today, starting with Brazil's men's soccer team 6-0 defeat of Honduras in the semi-finals, in which Neymar scored a goal just 14 seconds into the fixture.  Gabriel Jesus scored as well, and the stadium is going to be rocking when Brazil plays Germany for the gold medal on Saturday.

China's men's table tennis team defeated Japan for the gold medal, to join the Chinese women's team as gold medalists, and finalizing the country's sweep of the sport in the Olympics.

Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, fresh off her British Open victory shot a 7-under par 65 in the first round, with plenty of big names behind her, including world number 1 Inbee Park from South Korea and American Lexie Thompson.

On the track, Jamaica's Elaine Thompson completed the sprint double by winning gold in the 200 meters, with Daphne Schippers of the Netherlands winning silver and American Tori Bowie earning the bronze.  In the men's steeplechase, Conseslus Kipruto set an Olympic record in winning gold, with American Evan Jager winning the silver medal.  It was only the second American medal in the event, and comes just after American teammate Emma Coburn won a bronze in the women's race.  Interestingly enough, both Coburn and Jager wore the same hair tie, as Coburn had to borrow Jager's before her race.

In the women's 110 meter hurdles, after each winning their respective semi-final races, Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin swept the podium for the United States, the first such sweep in any event by American women in history.  Rollins (as  you can see below) held the lead throughout most of the race, but a great close by Ali - one of 25 siblings - and Castlin allowed the U.S. to win all three medals.

In the 200 meter semi-finals, a budding bromance seems to be developing between Jamaica's Usain Bolt - the gold medal winner in the 100 meters, and Canada's Andre De Grasse - the bronze medal winner in the 100 meters, as each competed in the same semi-final heat, finishing 1-2, and advancing to the finals.

There is more to report on the Ryan Locthe situation.  A Brazilian Judge has issued a seizure warrant for the passports of Ryan Lochte and his three teammates involved in the now alleged holdup-robbery at gun point in Rio.  When the authorities went to the Olympic Village to serve the warrants, the U.S. swim team had already vacated the village.  Lochte, it turns out, flew home on Tuesday or early Wednesday, but Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were both removed from their airplane before it departed Rio de Janeiro - Galeao International Airport and taken for police questioning.  Swimmer James Feigen was unaccounted for, but apparently had made arrangements to speak to authorities tomorrow.  This story could ONLY involve Ryan Lochte.

The story of the day goes to Japan's Kaori Ocho, who won her fourth wrestling fold medal when she defeated Valeria Koblova 3-1 in the 58 kg weight category.  Ocho is the first wrestler in history to win four gold medals.  Sakshi Malik of India won the bronze medal, the first medal for India in these games.  Congratulations Ocho, will you try to make it 5 in Tokyo in 2020?

Olympics - Rio 2016 - Day 12

Day 12 - August 14

Today's Events:  Basketball, Diving, Equestrian, Golf, Tennis, Track & Field, Water Polo

Olympic Word of the Day:  Balk - In equestrian, when a horse refuses to move, or make a jump.  Results in a penalty.

For all of the faults the United States tennis team took due to Venus Williams losing her first singles match, Serena Williams losing way earlier than expected, and the Williams sisters falling early in the doubles, failing to win their fourth gold medal, the team actually fared pretty well.  In mixed doubles, Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands won the gold medal over fellow Americans Rajeev Ram and Venus Williams, who earned the silver medal.  It was the second medal for Jack Sock who, along with teammate Steve Johnson earned bronze in the men's double.  For all of the starpower of the United States watching as the medal rounds progressed, three medals in the five events is not bad.

Fellow American Sarah Robles won the bronze medal in over 75kg weight class of weightlifting, earning the first American weightlifting medal since 2000 in Sydney.  Robles lifted 286 kilograms, 20 kilograms shy of the silver.

It was a great day for Great Britain, who celebrated 5 golds, in gymnastics, cycling, golf, and tennis, and eight medals overall.  The gold in cycling was expected, and Justin Rose in golf and Andy Murray in tennis are certainly world renowned, but Max Whitlock in gymnastics stole the show winning the gold in the floor exercise to go with the gold he won in pommel horse.

Speaking of the men's floor exercises, in addition to celebrating Whitlock's gold, the Brazilian crowd went berserk for Diego Hypolito and Arthur Mariano, the home-country gymnasts that won silver and bronze respectively.  Hypolito and Mariano could not contain their emotions of winning medals in their home country, and then acknowledged the crowd as they waived their flag for all to see.

In diving, Shi Tingmao continued China's dominance of the 3m springboard by winning the gold medal, China's 8th consecutive in the event.  However, it is hard to say whether Shi or He Zi had the better day, as after He won the silver medal, her boyfriend, fellow diver Qin Kai, asked He to marry him at the venue immediately after the medal ceremony.  She accepted.

Moving to the track, the long-awaited final of the men's 100 meter dash did not disappoint, ad two time defending gold medalist Usain Bolt of Jamaica flew to a relatively easy victory, over American Justin Gatlin (silver) and Canadian Andre de Grasse (bronze).  No word if Drake and Ryan Lochte were present to cheer on de Grasse.  Usain Bolt (three golds) and Justin Gatlin (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) are the only two athletes in history to win three Olympic medals in the 100 meters. Yet, despite all of the buzz surrounding the fastest man on earth, even Bolt could not carry the story of the day.

That honor belongs to South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk, who followed up his world championship in the 400m by breaking the world record in running a 43.03 in beating reigning Olympic medalist Kirani Jones from Grenada and LeShawn Merritt of the United States in one of the strongest races ever run at this distance.  van Niekerk passed the immortal Michael Johnson, dethroning Johnson as the fastest man in history at this distance.  Congratulations to Wayde van Niekerk, you are the story of the day.