Olympics - Tokyo 2020 - Day 15

Day 15 - August 4 , 2021

An actual real on time post today!!!

The host Japanese had a surprising win in women's basketball as Saki Hayashi hit a 3-pointer with 15.2 seconds left to lift Japan over Belgium 86-85 and book a trip to the semi-finals.  The host bump is real!!!

Along the same surprising lines, Qatar's Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan defeated Italy 2-0 in beach volleyball to book their own trip to the semi-finals, where the Russian Olympic Committee awaits, with Latvia and the overwhelming favorits from Norway in other semi.

In a very exciting game, Argentina's women's field hockey trailed India 1-0, only to come back and win 2-1 to advance to the finals, where they will play the Netherlands.  Argentina will play Great Britain for the bronze medal.

Great Britain had a bit more to celebrate on the water, where Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre won gold in the women's 2 person dinghy 470.  It is her second consecutive gold in the event, and third consecutive medal as she won silver in London in 2012.

On the mat, the USA's Tamyra Mensah Stock defeated Nigeria's Blessing Oborududu 4-1 to capture gold in the freestyle 68 kg final.  Her reaction to winning gold may also have won this Olympics, as she is proud to win as the first female African-American to win gold, then stating if she can do this, she can do anything, like maybe open up a gym to teach other girls how to wrestle!  This is why we celebrate firsts like this.

On the men's side, David Taylor III is fast becoming a world favorite for his streak scoring, and his come-from behind victories.  Today he earned a spot in the 86 kg final  by defeating Ali Shabanau of Belarus 11-0 in the 1/8 final, and San Marino's Myles Amine 12-2 in the quarterfinal.  He looks to be a strong contender for gold.

On a different mat, in the men's +109kg category (the superheavyweights), Georgia's Lasha Talakhadze cemented his position as the world's strongest man by not just winning gold, but setting a world record of 223 kg in the snatch, a world record of 265 kg in the clean-and-jerk, and of course, a world record in the combined of 488 kg.  Iran's Ali Davoudi finished second to win silver, and Syria's Man Asaad won bronze.

In a much wider viewed venue, track and field continued with some great races.  Kenya continued its superiority in the mens 800 meters with Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir winning gold and Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich winning silver.  Polan's' Patryk Dobek won the bronze.  

In the women's 3000 meter steeplechase, Kenya won another medal, with Hyvin Kiyeng winning the bronze, being beaten only by Uganda's Peruth Chemutai (gold) and America's Courtney Frerichs (silver).

More silver for the United States in the women's 400 meter hurdles in the form of Dalilah Muhammad, only her silver was accompanied by a gold medal, world record setting performance by Sydney McLauglin!  Muhammad also set the world record.  Femke Bol of the Netherland's captured bronze.

And in the last race of the day, the men's 200 meter, Canada's Andre de Grasse earned a long-awaited individual gold medal (to go with his bronze in the 100 meters), outdistacing a charging Kenneth Bednarek of the United States (who won silver) and the USA's Noah Lyles (who earned bronze).  Seventeen-year old American Erriyon Knighton finished fourth, but boy does he look like he has a future!

Athlete of the Day - Lasha Talakhadze, Weightlifting, Georgia

Sets 3 World Records in earning gold, and the title "Strongest Man in the World"

Olympic Term of the Day:  Snatch - In weightlifting, it is one of the two types of lifts (with clean-and-jerk), in which the objective is to lift the barbell from the ground to overhead in one continuous motion. 

Olympic Events Watched:  Athletics (Track & Field), Beach Volleyball, Diving, Field Hockey, Marathon Swimming, Soccer, Volleyball, Water Polo, Weightlifting, 

USA Potential Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearer (Alphabetically):  Mu Athing, Caleb Dressel, Phillip Dutton, Brady Ellison, Robert Finke, Adeline Gray, Lee Kiefer, Katie Ledecky, Sunisa Lee, Sydney McLaughlin, Tamyra Mensah Stock, Kelsey Plum, Brittany Reese, Xander Schauffele, Gabrielle Thomas, Anastasija Zolotic

Olympics - Tokyo 2020 - Day 14

Day 14 - August 3, 2021

Hooray - this will catch me up!!!

In probably one of the two co-stories of the day, Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand became the first openly transgendered woman to compete in the Olympics, but she no-lifted in the sntach to DNF.  This does nothing to minimize her accomplishments and the fact that she is the first, opening up the doors to future transgender women.

Sarah Robles of the USA finished third to win bronze, just 1 kg behind Great Britain's Emily Jade Campbell who won silver by vitrue of a 7kg lead in the clean & jerk.  China's Li Wenwen set an Olympic record in winning gold.  Robles becomes the first American woman to win multiple medals in weightlifting.

The co-story of the day was the return of Simon Biles to the gymnastics arena, where she competed in the last women's event of these Olympics, and earned a bronze medal in balance beam to tie as the most decorated American woman in gymnastic's history, tying Shannon Miller's seven medals.  China's Guan Chenchen and Tan Xijing won gold and silver respectively.

In soccer, Spain broke the hearts of the home crowd, with Marcus Asensio scoring a goal in the 115' minute, to send Spain into the gold medal match where they will face Brazil, who was a 4-0 shootout winner over Mexico in the other semi-final.

Out on the track, American Brittany Reese won silver in the long jump, narrowly finishing behind Germany's Malaika Mihambo, who won gold, and just ahead of Nigeria's Ese Brume, who earned the bronze.  This is Reese's second consecutive silver in the event, and third medal overall (gold in 2012 in London), making her the first American since Jackie Joyner-Kersee to win 3 medals in the long jump.  I don't know what it is about the long jump, but the World Record (Galina Chistyakova from the Soviet Union) and Olympic Record (Jackie Joyner-Kersee of the United States) have both stood since 1988.

Staying in the field, Sweden's Mondo Duplantis won the gold medal, just ahead of Christopher Nilsen of the United States and Thiago Braz, the defending gold medalist, of Brazil.  I wonder how this would have played out if Sam Kendricks didn't have to withdraw because of a positive Covid test.

On the track, Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah completed her defending double by winning the 200 meters, on top of her earlier 100 meter victory.  Christine Mboma of Namibia earned the silver and American Gabrielle Thomas secured bronze.  I don't think I need to tell her story, as it is all over the news, but GO HARVARD!!!

Sophomore at Texas A & M Mu Athing won the gold in the 800 meters, setting a national record, finishing ahead of silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain and teammate Raevyn Rogers, who earned the bronze.  Her future is certainly bright!!!

And, in the race of these games, Brazilian Alison dos Santos set a South American record, and broke the Olympics record, in the 400m hurdles, only to finish THIRD!!!  American Rai Benjamin shattered the world record of 46.70 by running a 46.17, and won the Silver.  Both men were chasing Norway's Karsten Warholm from the outset, and couldn't run him done as he finished in a blistering 45.94 seconds, a full .76 faster than his previous world record.  AMAZING!!!

In team handball, Denmark advanced to the semi-finals with a 31-25 victory over Norway.  Denmark's Mikkel Hansen, scored 8 goals, including his 100th career Olympic goal, in the victory.  France, Spain and a surprising Egypt join Denmark in the semi-finals.

Athlete of the Day - Karsten Warholm, Athletics (Track & Field), Norway

Without a doubt.  His winning time was faster than 18 of the runners in the open 400m!

Olympic Term of the Day:  Dive Shot - In team handball, a dive shot is way of putting the shot toward goal, by jumping from beyond the d-line, and over the d-line, while releasing the ball before landing.  The jump must start without touching the d-line and the play completed before the player lands. 

Olympic Events Watched:  Athletics (Track & Field), Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Soccer, Volleyball 

USA Potential Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearer (Alphabetically):  Mu Athing, Caleb Dressel, Phillip Dutton, Brady Ellison, Robert Finke, Adeline Gray, Lee Kiefer, Katie Ledecky, Sunisa Lee, Kelsey Plum, Brittany Reese, Gabrielle Thomas, Anastasija Zolotic

Olympics - Tokyo 2020 - Day 13

 Day 13 - August 2, 2021

Entry 3 of catch-up (almost there) ...

In soccer, Canada defeated a lackluster US women's team 1-0, scoring their only goal on a penalty kick, which also happened to be their only shot on goal.  All-World goalie Alyssa Naeher was forced out of the game in the first half with a knee injury, and she is likely out for the bronze medal game against Australia, itself a 1-0 loser to Sweden.  Look for the USA to play a lot of youngsters, as the likes of Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Crystal Dunn and others are likely at, or near, the end of their national team careers.

In a very exciting game, Japan defeated the United States 7-6, with a walk-off single in the tenth, after starting the inning with two runners on base (by rule), after a sacrifice bunt, Kai Takuya singled off Edwin Jackson, Jr, scoring Yanagita Yuki with the winning run.  The USA is still in medal, and even gold, contention, but Japan's path is now easier after winning as they advance to the gold medal game.  USA is still in the medal play-in tournament, needing to defeat Korea in its next game to keep advancing.

Badminton was exciting as two gold medal matches took places.  In the men's singles, Denmark's Vikto Axelsen defeated Chinee favorite Chen Long 2-0.  Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting defeated Guatemala's Keving Cordon 2-0 for the bronze medal.  In the women's doubles match, Indonesia's team of Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu defeated China's Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan 2-0 to wing old, with Korea's Kim Soyeong and Kong Heeyong defeated countrywomen Lee Sohee and Shin Seungchan 209 for the bronze medal.  Indonesia has won 8 gold medals all time in the Olympics and all 8 have been in badminton.

At the track, Moracco's Soufiane El Bakkali won a very tactical men's 3,000 meter steeplechase, edging Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma - who won silver - and Kenyan Benjamin Kigen - who earned bronze.  In another tactical race, Hellen Obiri led three Kenyans in the top 12 and Gudaf Tsegay led three Ethiopians in the top 6 of the women's 5000 meter, only to finish second and third respectively.  The Netherlands' Sifan Hassan won gold in 14:36.79.

In the women's 100 meter hurdles, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico, and sister of Chicago Bears linebacker Robert Quinn (which I only mention because I am a Bears' fan), could not equal her Olumpic record set just one day prior, but she was able to hold on for gold, with Kendra Harrison of the USA finishing second, and Jamaica's Megan Tapper winning bronze.

Out in the field evnets, the USA's Valarie Allman won gold in the discus by 2.12 meters over silver medalists Kristine Pudenz of Germany.  Yaime Perez of Cuba took bronze.  A good haul for Cuba in the field as Juan Miguel Echevarria won silver and Maykel Masso won bronze in the men's long jump.  Echevarria, in the lead after his third jump, also hurt himself on this jump, so he passed on his fourth and fifth attempts.  Then, on his last attempt, Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece took the lead, requiring Echevarria to make one last attempt for gold, but alas, his body would not let him even complete his run down the runway.  Incidentally, none of the jumpers were close to the Olympic record of 8.90 meters (29.199 feet) set by Bob Beamon in 1968!!!!  Mike Powell set the World Record in 1991 - 30 years ago - of 8.95 meters (29.363 feet).

On the wrestling mat, Adeline Maria Gray of the United Sates won the 76kg freestyle gold medal 7-3 over Aline Rotter Focken of Germany, earning gold.

Mijain Lopez Nunez won the gold medal in the Men's Greco-Roman 130kg division, defeating Iakobi of Georgia 5-0.  This was Lopez's 4th consecutive gold medal in the event, joining a very short list that includes Paul Elvstrom of Denmark (Sailing Firefly/Flynn 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960), Al Oerter of the United States (Discus 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968), Carl Lewis of the United States (long jump 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996), Kaori Icho of Japan (Wrestling 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016), and Michael Phelps of the United States (200 meter individual medley 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016).

Lopez's teammate Luis Alberto Orta Sanchez of Cuba won gold in the 60kg Greco-Roman Wrestly final defeating Kenichio Fumita of Japan 5-1, culminating a very good day for Cuba.

Athlete of the Day - Mijian Lopez Nunez, Wrestling, Cuba

Seriously, did you see that list of names that he joined?  Elvstron, Oerter, Lewis, Icho, and Phelps.  That's it!!!

Olympic Term of the Day:  Over/under - In wrestling, where one wrestler has one arm wrapped over and the other under an oppoentn's arm.  Sometimes referred to as the "dance position".

Olympic Events Watched:  Athletics (Track & Field), Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleball, Equestrian, Soccer, Volleyball, Water Polo, Wrestling 

USA Potential Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearer (Alphabetically):  Caleb Dressel, Phillip Dutton, Brady Ellison, Robert Finke, Adeline Gray, Lee Kiefer, Katie Ledecky, Sunisa Lee, Kelsey Plum, Anastasija, Zolotic

Olympics - Tokyo 2020 - Day 12

 Day 12 - August 1, 2021

Entry 2 of catch-up mode, so here we go ...

Last day of swimming, so we won't change a good thing and we will once again start in the pool.

And the pool did not disappoint.  The USA's Robert Finke added a second gold (to his 800m meter freestyle gold) by winning the 1500 meter freestyle, outdistancing the Ukraine's Mykhail Romanchuk and Germany's Florian Wellbrock, who joined him on the podium.

Australia's Emma McKeon earned the title fastest woman in the pool by breaking the Olympic record in the 50 meter freestyle, earning her 4th gold of these games (and 7th overall!!!).  This Olympic record stood for 1 whole day, as she broke her own record set the day earlier.  Sweden's Sara Sjoestroem finished second and Denmark's PErnille Blume earned the bronze.  Closing out the women's meet, Australia set an Olympic record in teh 4x100 meter medley relay, but with some controversy.  The aforementioned Emma McKeon looked like she jumped early to start her third leg (butterfly), and overtook the USA's Torri Huske at the start to cruise Australia into the lead, a lead which anchor Cate Campbell was not going to give back.  The United States finished second with China earning the bronze.

For the men, Caleb Dressel set an Olympic record in the 50 meter freestyle, easily defeating France's Florent Mananudou and Brazil's Bruno Fratus (second and third respectively), with fellow American Michael Andres finishing fourth.  Then, 40 minutes or so later, Dressel took the lead in his third leg of the men's 4x100 medley relay, which Zach Apple brought home for gold in World Record time, along with teammates Ryan Murphy (backstroke) and Michael Andrew (breastroke).  This was Andrew's first medal in what was supposed to be his coming-out party.  Perhaps he should have not badmouthed people that wear masks or got vaccinated.  Caleb Dressel won 5 gold medals in 6 events (the 6th being yesterday 4x100 mixed medley relay, in which Lydia Jacobs had her goggles incident), and Dressel was taken out of the 4x200 meter freestyle relay due to scheduling concerns with his other races.

In gymnastics, America's Jade Carey followed up her silver medal in the team competition with a gold in the floor exercises.  A trio of medals for the United States women, as Mykayla Skinner won silver in the vault, and Sunisa Lee - fresh off her individual all-around gold medal, won bronze in the uneven bars.  Also of note is Israel's Artem Dolgopyat winning gold in the men's floor exercises, with fellow non-Olympic power Rayderley Zapata from Spain taking silver.  China - now there is an Olympics gymnastics power - won bronze through Xiao Ruoteng.

Germany's Alexander Zverev followed-up his semi-finals defeat of Novak Djokovic by easily handling the ROC's Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-1 for gold.  ALso in tennis, Belinda Bencic could not double after her singles gold, as Switzerland - with her and Viktorija Golubic losing the Barbara Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, who earned the gold medal.  Still a great two weeks for Bencic.

In fencing, the United States won bronze in team foil as Alexander Massialas, Race Imboden and Gerek Meinhardt defeated their Japanese counterparts for third.  This was the first team medal in foil in the United States history.  France defeatd the Russian Olympic Commitee 45-28 in the gold medal match.

The most watched sport for the next week will no doubt be track & field (Athletics), and it did not disappoint yesterday.  Raven Saunders of the United States won silver, as China's Gong Lijiao took home the gold.  But no doubt, the coverage is going to be of Saunders elevating her arms in an "X" sign on the podium, which she says indicates "the intersection where all oppressed people meet."  The International Olympic Committee if investigating whether Saunders' arm signal violates its rules, but the United States Athletics Federation supports her.

In the men's high jump, Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy were tied at 2.37 meters (with bronze medal winner Maksim Nedasekau of Belarus), and they had the same amount of misses (Nedasekau had more), which is the tiebreaker in the high jump.  While an official was discussing the jumpoff rules with Barshim and Tamberi, Barshim said, "or we can have 2 golds?".  It was determined that the two competitors and friends would both get a gold medal! 

Tamberi-Barshim share Olympic gold, heartwarming moment leaves netizens in tears - YouTube

Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela outdistanced Patricia Mamona of Portugal and Spain's Ana Peleteiro for the gold medal in the women's triple jump, with a world record jump of 15.67 meters, or 51.411 feet.

In the feature race of the Olympics, the men's 100 meter dash (and who will replace Usain Bolt), traditional sprinting powers Canada finished third (Andre de Grasse with his second consecutive 100 meter dash podium finish), and the United States (Ronnie Baker fifth and Fred Kerley winning silver), are upset by Italy's Lamont Marcell Jacobs, who ran away with the gold in 9.80 seconds.  This is Italy's first gold medal ever in the 100 meter dash, and first sprinting gold medal since the 200 meter great Pietro Mennea's gold in Moscow in 1980.

But, the best, most exciting, and closest action of the day occurred at Kasumigaseki Country Club, as Xander Scahauffele - the fifth ranked golfer in the world - earned the gold medal with an 18-under 266, to narrowly hold off a "come out of nowhere" course and Olympic record 10 under par 61 from Slovakia's Rory Sabbatini, who won silver.  The battle for third place was amazing, as seven players tied for 3rd with a 15 under 269, and headed for a sudden death playoff.  Local hero Hideki Matsuyama, feeling the pressure after shooting a pedestrian 69 (2 under) in the final round, and Great Britain's Paul Casey were dropped on the first playoff hole (18).  The remaining 5 players all parred the second playoff hole (hole 10).  A par on the third playoff hole (hole 11) was the end of the line for Colombia's Sebastian Munoz, Ireland's Rory McIlroy, and Chile's Mito Pereira, leaving Taipei's C.T. Pan and the USA's Colin Morikawa to shoot it out at 18 again, where Pan's par earned him the bronze.

A tough tie for 22nd for Sungjae Im and tied for 32nd for Si Woo Kim, both of South Korea, as a medal for either - or both - of them, would have enabled them to skip compulsory military service.

Athlete of the Day - Lamont Jacobs, Athletics (Track & Field), Italy

He really did win the 100 meter dash!!!

Olympic Term of the Day:  Fosbury Flop - In track, specifically the high jump, the method of jumping by American Dick Fosbury who used it in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, in which the final four or five steps of the approach are fun in a curve, allowing the jumper to turn away from the bar as they jump, and thus going over the bar with their back.  This method gives a longer time period for take-off thrust, and produces a rotation of the jumper's body along the bar's axis, aiding in clearance.

Olympic Events Watched:  Athletics (Track & Field), Badminton, Equestrian, Fencing, Golf, Swimming 

USA Potential Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearer (Alphabetically):  Caleb Dressel, Phillip Dutton, Brady Ellison, Robert Finke, Lee Kiefer, Katie Ledecky, Sunisa Lee, Kelsey Plum, Anastasija, Zolotic                          

Olympics - Tokyo 2020 - Day 11

Day 11 - July 31, 2021

So, I fell off the pace this weekend, but I did watch the Olympics, and I do have my notes, so I will be catching up with a vengeance today!  Probably not a lot of pictures, just narrative to help me catch up.

Since we are closing to the end of swimming and diving, I might as well start with them again.  In the pool, Katie Ledecky won her third straight Olympic gold in the 800 meter freestyle, and her 10th overall medal (7 gold).  Ledecky beat Australia's Ariarne Titmus, who earned silver, and Simona Quadarella of Italy, winning bronze.

In the 4x100 mixed medley relay, Great Britain set a world record for gold, followed by China and Australia for silver and bronze respectively.  The United States finished in 5th, but was never in it as Lydia Jacoby, swimming the breastroke second leg, knocked her goggles off her eyes and down into her mouth as she dove into the pool to start her race.  This easily cost the US two to three seconds, and a possible medal.

The track also had its mixed relay, as the 4x400 mixed relay was held.  In a surprising result, Poland won gold in an Olynpic record time (well, this is the first time the race was competed at the Olympics,) with the Dominican Republic earning silver and the United States winning the bronze.

In a highly-anticipated race on the track, Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah defended her 2016 gold medal in the 100 meter dash, setting an Olympic record as she led a Jamaican sweep of the podium.  Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (double-hypen should be her nickname) came in second and Shericka Jackson finished third.  Thompson-Herah's 10.61 is the fastest in Olympic history, and the second-fastest of all time.  I don't know where Sha'Carri Richardson would have finished, but she definitely would have made this race way more exciting.

USA Men's basketball defeated the Czech Republic in a not very exciting 119-84 blowout.  This game gets mention here because Kevin Durant finally showed up, scoring 23 points on 8-11 shooting, with 8 rebounds and 6 assists.  If Durant starts playing, watch out.

New Zealand defeated France 26-12 in the women's rugby gold medal game, and Fiji, fresh off the men's gold medal, beat Great Britain 21-12 in the bronze medal game.

But, some of the most interesting action on this day occurred in tennis.  After losing yesterday in the men's semifinals to Germany's Alexander zverev 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the number 1 player in the world who has won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon already this year, lost in the bronze medal match to Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-7, 6-3.  After being denied a medal, Djokovic then withdraw from the mixed doubles bronze medal match, leaving his teammate Nina Stojanovic without the ability to play for a medal, and handing women's world number 1 Ashleigh Barty and John Peers of Australia the bronze medal.

In the most exciting match of the day, Brazil's team of Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani fought off four match points in a row to win the bronze medal in women's doubles defeating the Russian Olympic Committee's Veronika Kudermetova and Elena Vesnina 4-6, 6-4, 11-9.

In the women's singles gold medal match, the only gold medal match of the day, Switzerland's Belinda Bencic defeated Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.

Staying in racket sports, in a mtach with world-wide geopolitical implications, Chinese Taipei's Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin defeated China's Li Jun Hui and Liu Yu Chen 2-0, to win the gold medal in badminton men's doubles.  I sure hope the Chinese government doesn't attempt to retaliate against Li and Liu for losing to Taipei, but my guess is the government will just take credit for this gold medal.

Athlete of the Day - Belinda Bencic, Tennis, Switzerland

Well earned gold medal, all earned while also playing doubles for Switzerland (her gold medal game for that is tomorrow).

Olympic Term of the Day:  Shido In judo, a penalty which is equal to a koka score; 3 shidos equals one point for your opponent

Olympic Events Watched:  Athletics (Track & Field), Badminton, Baseball, Golf, Handball, Swimming, Triathlon 

USA Potential Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearer (Alphabetically):  Caleb Dressel, Phillip Dutton, Brady Ellison, Robert Finke, Lee Kiefer, Katie Ledecky, Sunisa Lee, Kelsey Plum, Anastasija, Zolotic