Day 15 - August 7, 2024
Well, the biggest problem today isn't an actual controversy, for once, but is a black eye for Australia's field hockey team. Tom Craig, a FeeHocker (shoutout to Blackish), wa arrested for purchasing cocaine. I don't know if he did or didn't, but I do know that he was arrested for it. That being said, good to see the controversies had nothing to do with anything that occurred in our around the actual events.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has definitely had an up-and-down memorable Olympics. Qualifying in a weight class lower than the one in which she participated in Tokyo 2020, Phogat went on to upset Japanese star Yiu Sasaki in teh quarterfinals. Sasaki won the gold medal in Tokyo without even surrendering a single point to any point during the entire tournament. She then won her quarterfinal and semifinal matches to advance to the finals. However, before the finals began, Phogat failed to make weight by about two-tenths of a pound. This despite a lot of time in the sauna, and even cutting her hair. Phogat then fainted later in the day and went to the hospital, suffering from dehydration. She then announced her retirement from wrestling on X (Twitter).
In that weight class, Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA, who was supposed to wrestle Phogat, instead defeated Yusneylis Guzman Lopez for the gold medal in wrestling.
Showing off his own strength, USA weightlifter Hampton Morris won third place in his weight class, earning not only the bronze, but the first medal in weightlifting of any kind for the United States since 1984, games it should be noted that the Eastern Bloc countries boycotted. Congratulations Hampton!
Another American flourishing at these Olympics is Kristen Faulkner, a cyclist that only took up cylcing six years ago. She followed-up her gold medal performance in the road race by leading her team to the gold medal - her second of these games - in the women's team pursuit. Faulkner, Chloe Dygert - a bronze medalist in the cycling time trial - Jennifer Valente, and Lilly Williams, defeated a New Zealand team that had beaten them in a preliminary round for gold. Faulkner's gold medal is the 11th medal at these games for Harvard alumni and/or students. ELEVEN!
On a different track, US track athletes had a great day today as well. In the 3000 meter steeplechase, American Kenneth Rooks took off in a sprint in front of a lead pack of about 7 (some were spread out a little bit - but they were all in touch with each other), later saying "what did I have to lose". Although he was caught and passed by defending Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, Rooks won the silver. Rooks, who is only in his second international race at this distance, seemed to be an unknown quantity to the rest of the finishers as they didn't even appraoch him to congratulate him like they did El Bakkali, but it didn't look like anger or jealousy, but more like, "Who is this guy?" Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya finished with the bronze.
Steeplechase world record holder Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia fell over a hurdle on the penultimate lap and hit his head hard on the track. He was transported on a stretcher, and later a gurney, to the hospital where he is recovering well.
And then there was the men's 400 meter dash. Quincy Hall of the US dug down deep within himself, and passed 3 other runners in the last 30-40 meters in order to capture gold for the US! Hall's finish was spectacular, as he was looking like he was putting so much into his final sprint that he might fall down. You can tell from his facial expressions that he literally had nothing else to give as he was picking off runners. Hall passed Zambia's Muzala Samukonga who held on for bronze, and at the line, nipped Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain, earning the Brit the silver. This was Zambia's third medal ever, and the first since the great Samuel Matete.
Nina Kennedy of Australia wins gold in the women's pole vault, followed by the USA's Katie Moon (silver) and Alysha Newman of Canada (bronze). Newman will be the one remembered, though, for her twerking celebration.
In team sports, there was no better place to be than in the water polo pool. In the first semifinal matchup, Greece scored against Serbia with 11 seconds left on the clock to tie the match. In a rush Serbia speeds up their transition, where Greece fouled with 3 seconds left; stopping the clock. The Serbia player picks up the ball, fires it toward the net, and in for a victory and a date in the finals. But this was just the appetizer.
The entree match pitted the United States versus Australia, where the United States scored a second goal early to tie it up 2-2. But wait, there's more. On the play, the American's Johnny Hopper was issued a red card on a brutality call - he threw a punch - pulling the goal off the board, ejected Hopper, gave Australia a penalty shot - which they hit, and a 4:00 power play. The score was 5-1 Australia at the end of the first period, but then it was 5-5 at the end of the third period. At the end of regulation, the score was 7-7 and went to a shootout, where US goalie Adrian Weinberg made two saves for the US to win the match 4-3 on penalty shots.Weinberg had 11 total saves in the match - as the US adance to play Serbia in the gold medal match.
In the other pool, China won the team artistic swimming event capturing gold, leaving the silver for the United States and the bronze medal for Spain.
In other team sports, the United States fell to Poland in the men's volleyball semi-finals, as they just didn't have an answer for the best player in the world, Wilfredo Leon. The Americans will be battling for the bronze medal later this weekend.
In kid's sports, just kidding, Keegan Palmer of Australia won gold in skateboarding, American Tom Scharr secured silver, and the bronze medal was awarded to Brazil's Augusto Akio.
Athlete of the Day - Quincy Hall, USA, Athletics
Not only did he comeback down the final backstretch to pass 3 athletes to win gold, he did it in the fourth fastest time ever.
Team of the Day - Poland Men's Volleyball Team, Volleyball
That team is good, but it is mostly because Wilfredo Leon is a bad, bad boy.
U.S. Team of the Day - Women's Team Pursuit, USA, Cycling
Gold medalists in the team pursuit. Second gold for Kristen Faulkner, second medal for Chloe Dygert.
Olympic Term of the Day: Brutality Call - A water polo call in which the offending player is "demonstrate obvious intent to injure another player."
Olympic Events Watched: Athletics, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Kayak, Skateboarding, Volleyball, Water Polo
USA Potential Closing Ceremony Flag-Bearer (listed alphabetically): Simone Biles, Ryan Crouser, Caleb Dressel, Brady Ellison, Kristen Faulkner, Cole Hocker, Vincent Hancock, Torri Huske, Lee Kiefer, Katie Ledecky, Ilona Maher, Tom Murphy. Sophia Smith, Gabby Thomas
