Rough start for America…..
Sunday started with the first gold medal for the United States, won by Chase Kalisz in the men’s 400-meter individual medley. Ahmed Hafnaoui, 18, of Tunisia was the surprise winner of the men’s 400 free. Australia swam away with the women’s 4×100 relay, and the United States, with Simone Manuel swimming the anchor leg, won the bronze medal.
Simone Biles made her debut, but the American women’s gymnastics team was overshadowed by Russia. Biles even made some errors, flying out of bounds in the floor exercise and stumbling on her beam dismount.
After a shaky exhibition campaign that included two losses, the American men’s basketball team faltered again in its Olympic opener against France, 83-76.
After lighting the cauldron at the opening ceremony, Naomi Osaka dispatched Zheng Saisai in her first tennis match, 6-1, 6-4.
For the first time ever, there was skateboarding at the Olympics, with the men’s street competition, and the gold medal went to Yuto Horigome of Japan.
The United States won just its third gold medal in women’s fencing as Lee Kiefer won the foil event with a 15-13 victory over top-ranked Inna Deriglazova of Russia. The two previous golds were both in saber by Mariel Zagunis in 2004 and 2008.
Anastasija Zolotic won the first women’s taekwondo gold medal ever for the United States…
image…Credit…Doug Mills/The New York Times
How is it a rough start?
Putting aside the embarrassment of the men’s basketball loss to France (they will have to beat Iran to advance to the medal round if that is still allowed as part of the Iran Nuclear Deal), and the opening loss of the women’s soccer team? Both teams may very well win gold before all is said and done.
The U.S. won a gold medal in Rifle (which would seem appropriate but usually does not happen) as well as Tae Kwon Do and Fencing which are not typically powerhouse sports for the U.S., as well as one swimming gold so far.
The state-sponsored Chinese team always dominates many sports.
The medal event that the U.S. typically wins a lot of and are expected to win are still well down the road.
It would be a major upset though obviously if either basketball team does not win gold. The current U.S. Men’s team apparently has a low of flaws. As mentioned, the Trump cultists are actively rooting against the U.S. in the Olympics.
The US usually WINS strongly in basket ball….
Simone is having a little trouble…..
Olympic Update
Early 7/26/2021…..
Medals
Number of gold, silver, and bronze medals earned by each participating country
RankCountry
Total
China 18
United States 14
Japan 13
ROC 12
Olympic Update
Late 7/27/2021…..
US moves ahead in Gold Medals
Medals
Number of gold, silver, and bronze medals earned by each participating country
Total Medals Received
United States 27
China 23
Japan 20
ROC 18
Olympic Update
Late 7/28/2021
Medals
Number of gold, silver, and bronze medals earned by each participating country
Total Medals Received
United States. 32
China 27
Russian O.C. 24
Japan 22
Olympics Update
Late 7/29/201
Medals
Number of gold, silver, and bronze medals earned by each participating country
Total Medals Received
United States 41
China 33
Russian O.C. 30
Japan 26
US women’s soccer loses to Canada 1-0 on a penalty kick in the second half of regulation time.
On Thursday, the U.S. will play the loser of today’s semifinal between Australia and Sweden (4 a.m. PST/7 a.m. EST on USA Network & elsewhere). Canada will play the semifinal winner in the final on the following day (not quite clear when that will be).
Swedish women beat Australians 1-0 in the other Olympic soccer semifinal, so the bronze medal match on Thursday will be USA-AUS followed on Friday by a Frozen Final of Sweden and Canada.
Of course, the seasoned prognosticators on this blog will have little difficulty in constructing, even before it begins, the dialogue between Donald Trump and Megan Rapinoe.
The former (in more ways than one) will declare that the U.S. women’s team lost because it was too “woke” (translation for his intended audience, too lesbian and bi) and poisoned by Critical Race Theory (translation: they challenge white supremacy which means YOU).
[Megan Rapinoe’s response is left as an exercise for the reader.]
Olympics Update
Midday 8/2/2021
LATEST MEDAL COUNT ›
TOTAL
United States. 64
China. 62
Russian Olympic Committee 50
Britain 35
Japan 33
Olympics Update
Late 8/3/2021
Medals
Total Medals Received
1 United States 73
2 China 69
3 Russian O.C. 52
Maybe Trump will claim his 2020 silver medal is equivalent to gold…
He’ll claim that the 2020 Olympics records are all invalid because the games weren’t played at Bedminster golf course or Mar-a-Lago.
Olympic Update
Early 8/5/2021
Latest Medal Count ›
TOTAL
United States. 91
China 74
Russian athletes58
Britain 51
Japan 46
US women’s soccer team beat Australia 4-3 in a lively game this morning to win the bronze medal.
Megan Rapinoe (age 36) won two US goals and Carli Lloyd (39) won the other two. I’m sure that the Doge of Mar-a-Lago must be brimming with pride.
The Australians, down 4-2, scored a surprising third goal in the 90th minute of regulation time, but not the fourth goal that would have sent the match into overtime.
The gold medal-silver medal match between Canada and Sweden is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday Japanese time = 10 p.m. tonight US Eastern Daylight Time (USA network and fubo.tv). But the Tokyo heat and the humidity have prompted both sides to ask for a delayed kick-off.
Stephen Colbert may already have signed off by then.
Olympic Update
Late 8/8/2021
Medals
Total
United States 108
China 87
Russian O.C. 69
Britain 63
Japan 56
@JebBush
“I wonder how our medal totals would be if we had an exclusionary immigration system which we have had for the last few years. My heart swells for all of our medalists, including those whose families have come from far off lands to love our country.”