6 August - Day 11 - Paris Summer Olympic Games

 

Storms hit Northern Ohio when I was finishing up Monday's update causing intermittent delays to my Olympics content via Breezeline.  So I am sorry for the lateness of the posts this week, but I am at the mercy of Breezeline at this point.  Others have it much worse than I do, so I'm trying not to complain.  I've got power, AC, and cell service for the moment.  Others don't have that.  Thanks for putting up with me folks.  I hope you are enjoying reading my take on the Paris Olympics!  If you are....drop me a note on Facebook or in Messenger.

Artistic Swimming:  Team USA was ready to attack in the Free program and boy did they ever!  They ended this round in Second Place!  Last round is Acrobatic which is the last (and new) round for the Team Event.  Way to go USA!

Women's Platform Diving:  Yeah...it wasn't close.  China took Gold and Silver and North Korea took Bronze.  No one else had a chance.  

Men's Springboard Diving:  Qualifying round started today and the men are really showing off!  There is a depth in the field that I haven't seen in quite a few Olympics!  China is not going to have an easy win this year.  Team USA, Team GB, Team Italy, Team Mexico, and a lone Jamaican are all diving really well!  Team USA's Copabianco and Tyler made it through to the Semifinals.  Tyler is looking better than his teammate.  Hopefully they can get on a roll!

Men's Basketball:  Team USA crushed Team Brazil, winning by over 40 points.  Team USA moves on.

Women's Volleyball:  Team USA wins in their quarter-final match against Poland!  It was a scrappy match but our girls won in 3 sets!

Women's Beach Volleyball:  Our last Women's team lost to the Swiss and are out of the tourney.

Women's Soccer:  Team USA faced Germany and it was scoreless through regular time.  Team USA scored in the Extra period and held the rest of the time winning the match.  They move onto the next round!

Women's Water Polo:  Team USA actually had to work in this match against a very experienced and tough Hungarian team.  Team USA moves onto the next round.

Women's Wrestling:  In the 50kg class, Team USA's Hildebrant worked her way through the levels just like Elor did the day before and will go on to wrestle for Gold!

Amit Elor...what a phenomenal wrestler!  She fought for Gold against Kyrgyzstan and never let up.  Gold to Elor!  Fantastic! 

Honorable Mention:  Men's Wrestling  - Cuba's Champion Mijain Lopez.  This bear of a man has won Gold at the last 5 Olympic games in this weight class.  The announcers actually call him a bear since he really doesn't compete much between the Olympic games.  He "comes out of hybernation" every 4 years and just smashes the field!  This Olympics was no difference.  He dominated again and took Gold home to Cuba.  What is different?  He signaled his retirement with the removal of his shoes after his win and placing them in the middle of the mat.  Lopez has done something no other wrestler has ever done.  He has the respect of his community and his country....and 5 Gold Medals.  Enjoy your retirement Mr. Lopez!

Boxing - Omari Jones was the last American Boxer standing but lost in his semi-final in split decision against Uzbekistan.  Omari brings home Bronze!  

 

Women's Skateboard Park:  Team USA's Wettstein made it through the qualifiers to the Final but couldn't pull out a better score than 6th place.  She is the Luna Lovegood of the Skateboarding Team and it was wonderful to see someone so happy to just be in the moment and compete in the Olympics!  Aussies win Gold.  Team GB wins Silver.  Japan wins Bronze.

Track & Field:

Qualifiers:

Women's 1500 M:  Mackay, Hiltz, and St. Pierre from Team USA all made it through to the next round

Men's Javelin & Men's Long Jump:  Team USA did not make the qualifying distance and is out.

Women's Long Jump:  Davis-Woodhall, Moore, and Nichols from Team USA all made it through to the next round!

Semis:

Men's 400M:  Hall and Norman made it through.  Bailey is out.

Women's 400M Hurdles: McLaughlin-Levrone, Jones, and Cockrell from Team USA are all in the finals!

Finals:

Women's 200 M:  Gabby Brown is the real deal!  She bested the field and could have waved at St. Lucia's Alfred on the way by!  Thomas wins Gold.  Alfred of St. Lucia wins Silver.  Brown of Team USA wins Bronze!

Women's Hammer Throw:  Ohio's own Echikunwoke put on a show but in the end it was Canada that threw the furthest.  Canada wins Gold.  Team USA wins Silver.  Team China wins Bronze.

Men's 1500 M:  There is a big rivalry in this event between Norway and Great Britain.  They snipe at each other on social media constantly.  Team GB's Kerr was near the front of the pack for most of the race.  Team USA was lurking and waiting for their moment.  In the last 50M, Team USA's Hocker made is move closely followed by Nuguse!  They left the Norwegian eatting their dust and edged out Kerr for the Gold.  Hocker wins Gold and Nuguse wins Bronze.  Kerr of Team GB takes the Silver.

Women's Steeplechase:  Team USA had runners in the mix but they were never close to the lead.  Bahrain surprised Uganda and Kenya and took the lead and in the last lap they couldn't catch her!  Bahrain wins with an Olympic Record time.  Uganda took Silver and Kenya settled for Bronze.

Men's Speed Climbing:  Men's speed climbing starts and Team USA has two in the mix.  Speed climbing is its own event now.  Boulder & Lead being the other event.  Team USAs Sam Watson set a new Olympic record and World record with a time of 4.75!  This was just the qualifiers!  Hammer is out but Sam continues to the next round.

The Women started in the Boulder section and this is one of my favorite events.  They have to solve 4 climbing puzzles and getting points by hitting specific levels on the wall.  Team USA has two excellent climbers in Grossman and Rabadou!  They sit in good position going into Lead!

Tomorrow we will have more in Track & Field, more basketball, soccer, diving, and climbing as well as volleyball! 

See you then!