2 August - Day 7 - Paris Summer Olympic Games

 

Some really great action today!  Let's get to it!

BMX:  Team USA had finalists in both the Men's and Women's race but were unable to pull out any medals.  Team France swept the Men's podium and in the Women's race the Aussies won Gold, Netherlands won Silver, Team GB won Bronze

Men's Synchro Springboard :  I didn't even see this until Primetime!  Then round 2 came around and I found out why:  Team USA tanked a dive when one of our divers was half-way off the board when he hurdled and completely lost all his spring....they got 2s on the dive.  

The big story here though wasn't Team USA not doing well but rather Team China was NOT on their game!  Splashing, out of synch, no pointed toes...definitely not what we are use to seeing.  Team Mexico ALMOST caught them but Team China pulled out a spectacular dive in the last round winning Gold by only 2 points!  Mexico won the Silver and Team GB won the Bronze!

Whitewater:  Kayak cross is a new head-to-head event in Kayaking.  Ranking rounds were run today and this looks nifty!  Team USA has Evy to paddle for us so we'll have to see how this goes!

Women's 3 Position Rifle:  Shooters fire from kneeling, prone, and standing in this event.  Sgt. Maddalena was back in action for Team USA and some great kneeling and prone shots put her in the race for a medal!  At the end of the standing position, the Swiss shooter put up a 10.7 scoring shot and won the Gold and Maddalena took the Silver for Team USA.  Team China took the Bronze.

Golf:  Team USAs Men are doing well out on the course.  They will shoot at least one more round before medals are awarded.

Archery:  Mixed Team  - Team USA's Kaufhold and Ellison pulled out a Bronze medal in their match against Uzbekistan!  Nice Job!

Sailing:  Team USA took Bronze in the 49ers Skiff event!  WooHoo!

Equestrian Team Jumping:  Team USA had such a hard time with all the other Team events that it was so nice to see them do so very well in Team Jumping.  Team GB won gold but Team USA won the Silver!  France took the Bronze.

Track & Field

Men's Decathlon:  Team USA has three men competing in this 2 day event.  Day 1 had two runs and 3 in-field events.  Puerto Rico leads after day one (though he is actually from Pittsburgh), with Norway in the second position, and Norway in third.  The defending Gold medalist, Warner from Canada, is in 4th.  Harrison from Team USA is in eighth which is the best position for the Americans right now. ZZ got hurt in long jump and futher injured in the high jump.  I hope he can continue.  The youngest member of our team, Heath from Michigan, didn't get the results he was hoping for on day one but could do well on Day 2.

Lots of qualifiers:  

Women's High Jump:  Cunningham is through but no one else from Team USA made the cut

Men's Hammer Throw:  Winkler is through but no one else from Team USA made the cut

Men's 1500 M:  Nuguse, Hocker, and Hessler all made it through.

Men's Shotput:  Otterdahl, Crouser, and Kovacs all made it through.

Women's 5000:  Cranny and Switzer and (OMG...I can't read my writing!) our third runner are through.

Women's Triple Jump:  Moore & Orji are both through to the next round

Women's Discus:  Allman and Fraley are through to the next round

Women's 800 M:  Whittaker and Akins are through but Wilson goes to the repechage.

Women's 100 M Qualifiers:  Sha'Carri Richardson, Jefferson, and Terry (TT) all made it through.

In the Mixed 4 x 400 Relay qualifier Team USA was NOT PLAYING AROUND!  They set a World Record time in the race and took the #1 spot!  Way to Go!

Men's 10,000M  FINAL:  This event doesn't have a qualifier, thank goodness!  Team USA had 3 runners:  Fisher, Kincaid, and Young.  Fisher was able to stay near the front for most of the race and in the last 200 was able to stick with the very fast African runners and pull out a Bronze for Team USA!  Uganda wins Gold.  Ethiopia wins Silver.

3X3 Basketball:  Team USA's Women have finally won a few games and the Men won their very last chance game!  

Women's Beach Volleyball:  Team USA's team of Cheng & Hughes took on Germany and pulled out a win!

Men's Beach Volleyball:  Team USA's team of Budinger & Evans had a hard match and a windy day and lost 2-0 versus Team Spain.  I hope they can pull it together!

Men's Soccer:  Team USA made it to the elimination rounds and faced off against Team Morocco who soundly beat us 4-0.  Team USA is out. 

Men's Indoor Volleyball:  Team USA faced off against a really scrappy Team Japan but was able to pull out a victory 3 sets to 1.  Team USA makes it to the elimination rounds with a record with a 3-0 record!  I love watching these guys!

Women's Water Polo:  Team USA dominated Team France winning 17-5!

Swimming:  In the morning qualifiers everyone made it through except Heilman in the Men's 100 Fly.  The best thing, though, was seeing the 4 x 100 Mixed Medley Relay.  This has two women and two men and everyone swims a different stroke.  The lead changes so often in this you just don't know who won until the touch on the wall!  Team USA did great mainly due to Dressel swimming the Butterfly leg!  I hope we can get him in the Relay for the Final!

In the evening, Semifinals had Dressel eliminated in the 100 M Fly.  So sad!  Douglass and A. Walsh made it through to the finals in Women's 200 IM.

Finals...Hard night for our Men....not one medal!  Men's 50 was won by the Aussies with Dressel taking 6th place and the Men's 200 IM, Carson Foster took 4th while Marchand took the Gold for France.

In the Women's 200 Backstroke, Regan Smith did great but was just edged out by the Aussies.  Aussies win Gold.  Smith take Silver for Team USA.  Canada wins Bronze.  

Saturday & Sunday will have 51 Medals awarded!  There will be the Gymnastic Event medals, lots of Track & Field, more Swimming, the Cycling Road Race, Soccer, Volleyball and more!  Hold onto your seats!