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= PARIS 2024 =
From Lane One
Everyone expected it, but Mondo had to do it.
In from of a roaring crowd at the Stade de France for the men’s pole vault, Sweden’s defending Olympic champion, Mondo Duplantis won and set another world record.
Five men cleared 5.85 m (19-2 1/4), but only three cleared 5.90 m (19-4 1/4) plus Duplantis, who passed. It got hotter at 5.95 m (19-6 1/4) as two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S. and Duplantis cleared on their first tries.
That put the pressure on Emmanouil Karalis (GRE) and E.J. Obiena (PHI), who had both cleared 5.90 m. Obiena missed all three times to finish fourth on misses, and Karalis missed once at 5.95 and then twice at 6.00 m (19-8 1/4) to take bronze. Duplantis, meanwhile, cleared 6.00 m on his first try to take the lead, while Kendricks missed his three tries and won the silver, moving up from bronze in 2016; he missed Tokyo with Covid.
What would Mondo do? Now a two-time Olympic champ, he went to 6.10 m (20-0) for the Olympic Record and cleared easily. And now the bar went to 6.25 m (20-6) to try for a ninth world record. He had missed this height 15 times in a row coming in – all this year – and he was way over on his first try, but hit the bar with his left hand and right elbow and knocked it off. Same for the second try, way over on the hip height, but knocking off the bar with his right elbow again and curling his lip in disgust.
But on the third try, he snaked over cleanly and on his 18th try at 6.25 m, set his ninth world mark in an event he has reimagined. Fabulous. He said afterward:
“I haven’t processed how fantastic that moment was. It’s one of those things that don’t really feel real, such an out of body experience. It’s still hard to kind of land right now.
“What can I say? I just broke a world record at the Olympics, biggest possible stage for a pole vaulter. The biggest dream since a kid was to break the world record at the Olympics, and I’ve been able to do that in front of the most ridiculous crowd I’ve ever competed in front of.”
And on the world-record jump:
“I tried to clear my thoughts as much as I could. The crowd was going crazy. It was so loud in there, it sounded like an American football game. I have a little bit of experience being in a 100,000 capacity stadium, but I was never the center of attention. Just trying to channel the energy everybody was giving me, and they were giving me a lot of it. It worked out.”
As for what he plans to do now: “Now I’m just ready to eat a bunch of food. The party is going to be pretty big. Not that much sleep, a lot of partying, a good time.”
Remember, he’s only 24. Only Bob Richards of the U.S. had won repeat Olympic golds in 1952 and 1956, and Duplantis has equaled him. Could he win five in a row in Los Angeles (at 28), Brisbane (32) and wherever 2036 is … at age 36?
~ Rich Perelman
¶
Paris booksellers along the Seine say the Olympics
is bad for business
by Karen Rosen
After a successful fight against the removal of their dark, green boxes in the lead-up to the opening ceremony, the booksellers are not cashing in during the Games.
“It’s no good for us,” said Jean, a bookseller who declined to give his last name for fear of getting into trouble with city administrators.
He gestured with two thumbs down.
Jean is based across the river from the Conciergerie, which featured prominently during the opening ceremony in the French Revolution segment. He said his sales were down by 80 percent in July, especially with the kiosks closed from 14 July to 28 July during preparations for the ceremony. For the first few days of August, he saw a slight improvement, but sales were down 60-70 percent from his typical gross for the same time period.
The problem, Jean said, is that many Olympic tickets were bought by Parisians or people who live in the region and they don’t frequent the stalls.
Remy Pascal, whose kiosk is near the cathedral of Notre Dame, echoed that sales were poor in July, but said he hoped August would be better. “The tourists, they buy, but not the Olympic people. And there are not as many tourists as usual.” He expected tourists to return when the Games have ended. He also forecast a boost in sales when the cathedral, which was damaged during a fire in 2019, reopens later this year.
From his vantage point, Jean has noted how other businesses are doing. He said nearby restaurants are not crowded, nor are the “hop on/hop off” buses. On the boats that cruise the Seine, he said, “instead of 300 people, there are 25-30 people.”
The “bouquinistes,” as the stalls are called, have been a fixture since the 1800s and feature posters and souvenirs in addition to books.
The Paris police prefecture originally sought to relocate about 600 of the 900 kiosks ahead of the opening ceremony. While security concerns were cited, the move would also have made more space for spectators. The Cultural Association of Booksellers said some of the historic boxes could be damaged and plotted legal action.
They got a reprieve in February when French president Emmanuel Macron intervened so they would not be forced to move. After losing business during the Covid lockdowns, the booksellers were looking forward to sales of Olympian proportions.
However, on the second Sunday afternoon of the Games, many boxes were locked shut as if the operators did not think it was worth it to open.
● Les Temps ● The updated forecast continues mostly cloudy for the remainder of the Games:
● 06 Aug. (Tue.): High of 87 ~ low 63, cloudy
● 07 Aug. (Wed.): 80 ~ 59, cloudy
● 08 Aug. (Thu.): 82 ~ 64, sunny
● 09 Aug. (Fri.): 81 ~ 60, cloudy
● 10 Aug. (Sat.): 86 ~ 65, sunny
● 11 Aug. (Sun.): 90 ~ 68, cloudy
The open-water 10 km events are scheduled for 8-9 August.
● Medals & Teams ● Seven more medals for the U.S. on Monday, but China now in front again on gold medals (surfing is not included):
● 1. 78, United States (20-30-28)
● 2. 53, China (21-18-14)
● 3. 46, France (12-16-18)
● 4. 42, Great Britain (12-13-17)
● 5. 32, Australia (13-11-8)
● 6. 26, South Korea (11-8-7)
● 6. 26, Japan (10-5-11)
● 8. 56, Italy (9-10-6)
● 9. 17, Netherlands (7-5-5)
● 9. 17, Canada (5-4-8)
● 11. 16, Germany (7-5-4)
● 12. 11. Brazil (2-4-5)
In our TSX team rankings, using a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 points system and a much diverse, inclusive and equitable representation of team achievement, the U.S. continues to lead
● 1. 771, United States
● 2. 584.5, China
● 3. 506, France
● 4. 472, Great Britain
● 5. 386 1/2, Italy
● 6. 368 1/2, Australia
● 7. 306 1/2, Japan
● 8. 286 1/2, Germany
● 9. 275 1/2, Korea
● 10. 236 1/2, Canada
● 11. 226 1/2, Netherlands
● 12. 135, New Zealand
● 13. 132, Spain
● 14. 122, Brazil
● 15. 119 1/2, Switzerland
Now, a total of 94 countries (out of 206) – including Belarus and Russia, as “neutrals” – have scored points so far.
● Television ● NBC continues to show strong audiences for the Games, which confirm the star power of Simone Biles and the U.S. women’s gymnastics team:
● 26 Jul. (Fri.): 29.3 million (28.6 + Telemundo 0.7)
● 27 Jul. (Sat.): 32.4 million
● 28 Jul. (Sun.): 41.5 million ~ gymnastics women’s qualifying
● 29 Jul. (Mon.): 31.3 million
● 30 Jul. (Tue.): 34.7 million ~ gymnastics women’s Team final
● 01 Aug. (Wed.): 29.1 million
● 02 Aug. (Thu.): 31.7 million ~ gymnastics women’s All-Around
● 03 Aug. (Fri.): 27.4 million
● 04 Aug. (Sat.): 34.6 million ~ gymnastics women’s Vault
● 05 Aug. (Sun.): 35.4 million ~ men’s 100 m final
NBC reported the 10-day average for 2024 is 33.0 million in 2024, compared to 18.3 million for Tokyo (a lot better) and the 10-day average of 29.2 million for Rio (better).
The measurement of “Total Audience Delivery” is based upon live-plus-same day custom fast national figures from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. This is not a true “apples-to-apples” with prior Games, however, as the audiences prior to 2024 were for the NBC primetime show only and the Paris totals are for the daytime show (live) and the primetime show together. No out-of-home audiences were in the figures for Rio 2016; Nielsen added those in 2020.
● Athletics: Women’s 800 m-5,000 m-Discus
Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson was the prohibitive favorite in the women’s 800 m, and she was in front by 200 m and took the bell at 58.30. Kenya’s Mary Moraa, the 2023 World champion, came up tight on the outside and challenged, but Hodgkinson was matching her into the straight. Then Hodgkinson had that extra gear that no one else has had this season and she won decisively in 1:56.72. Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma passed Moraa on the straight to get silver in a lifetime best of 1:57.12 to 1:57.42 for Moraa. American Juliette Whittaker was seventh in 1:58.50.
The women’s 5,000 m final was predictably slow off the start, with Norway’s Karoline Grovdal in front after 2,000 m at 6:05.4. But things picked up and the Ethiopians came to the front, with Ejgayehu Taye leading at 3,000 m in 9:00.1, just ahead of world-record holder Gudaf Tsegay. Then Kenya’s World Champion, Faith Kipyegon went to the front with two-time Worlds medalist Beatrice Chebet right behind. Kenya and Ethiopia held the top six places with three laps to go.
Tsegay and Kipyegon pushed each other as they got to 800 m to go, and a front pack of eight broke away with 500 m left. On to the bell, with Kipyegon and Chebet 1-2 and defending champ Sifan Hassan (NED) moving up. But Kipyegon and Chebet broke away with Hassan chasing in full sprint and the medalists were set. Into the straight, Chebet moved past Kipyegon with 75 m to go and won in a sensational upset in 14:28.56. Chebet won the World Road 5 km gold in 2023 and got the 10,000 m record in May and blew by Kipyegon to claim the win, only Kenya’s second in this event all-time. Kipyegon won silver in 14:29.60 and Hassan took the bronze in 14:30.61.
Kipyegon was disqualified for the pushing with Tsegay, meaning everyone else temporarily moved up, but the disqualification was reversed on appeal.
Italian Nadia Battocletti set a national record of 14:31.64 and was fourth; Taye was sixth, Grovdal seventh and Tsegay was eighth. Americans Karissa Schweizer and Elise Cranny finished 10-11 in 14:45.57 and 14:48.06 and Whittni Morgan was 14th in 14:53.57, a lifetime best.
On the infield, defending champion Valarie Allman of the U.S. needed to take charge of the women’s discus and she did, taking the lead at 68.74 m (225-6) in round two, a throw that was not matched. She was close in round three (68.06 m/223-3) and then clinched it at 69.50 m (228-0). After a foul in the fifth, she finished at 69.21 m (227-0), meaning all four of her fair throws would have won.
Behind her were China’s 2022 World Champion, Bin Feng and Croatia’s 2012-16 Olympic champ Sandra Elkesevic, silver and bronze at 67.51 m (221-6), with Feng getting second on a better second mark. It’s the fourth Olympic win for the U.S. all-time and third in the last five Games.
● Badminton: Men’s Singles; Women’s Singles
Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen won his second straight Olympic gold with a 21-11, 21-11 win over Thailand’s reigning World Champion, Kunlavut Vitidsarn. It’s the first Olympic medal for Thailand in this event.
Malaysia’s Zii Jia Lee won the bronze, 13-21, 21-16, 21-11, over India’s Lakshya Sen.
Korea’s Se-young An came in as the reigning women’s World Champion and took the Olympic hold, sweeping aside China’s Bing Jiao He, 21-13, 21-16, in 52 minutes. The 2016 Olympic champ and three-time World Champion Carolina Marin of Spain had to retire due to an injury, so Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (INA) is the bronze medalist.
● Basketball: Men’s 3×3; Women’s 3×3
In the men’s semis, the Netherlands pounded Lithuania, 20-9, and France dispatched Latvia, 21-14, to meet in the final. Worthy de Jong (NED) drove for a tying shot with a second to go in regulations to knot the final at 16 and go to overtime. And de Jong won it with a fadeaway two-point shot for the 18-17 win.
Lithuania defeated Tokyo winners Latvia, 21-18 in the bronze-medal game.
The women’s semis had Spain getting an 18-16 overtime over the U.S., with Hailey Van Lith scoring eight for the U.S. and Spain getting nine from Sandra Ygueravide.
The U.S. – Hailey Van Lith, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard and Cierra Burdick – took the bronze with a 16-13 victory over Canada, with Van Lith scoring six to lead the Americans. In the gold-medal game, Germany (8-1) got a two-pointer from Sonja Greinacher with 30 seconds left and held on to beat Spain (5-4) for the title, 17-16. Greinacher led the winners with five; Juana Camilion had six for Spain.
● Canoeing: Men’s Kayak Cross; Women’s Kayak Cross
The question coming in was whether Australia’s Jessica Fox could sweep all three women’s golds, and it was a Fox that won, but it was the younger sister, Noemie Fox in a significant upset.
Jessica was stunningly eliminated in the qualifying phase, but Noemie won her heat, won her quarterfinal, won her semi and took the gold, ahead of Angele Hug (FRA) and 2023 Worlds winner Kimberley Woods (GBR), who held the early lead.
The winner of exactly one medal in World Cup Kayak Cross events, Noemie, 27, was in her first Olympic Games and now has her own Olympic gold.
New Zealand’s Finn Butcher, the 2021 Worlds silver medalist, was the upset winner of the men’s Kayak Cross over three-time defending champion Joseph Clarke (GBR), with German Noah Hegge third. In parallel to Fox, Butcher had never won a World Cup race – two silvers and a bronze in Kayak Cross – in his career, but is now Olympic Champion.
● Cycling: Track Women’s Team Sprint
In the final, Britain’s Sophie Capewell and Emma Finucane (with Katy Marchant) won the final over Shaane Fulton and Ellesse Andrews (NZL, with Rebecca Petch) in a world-record time of 45.186 to 45.659.
Three-time defending World Champions Germany had the no. 3 time in he second round and took the bronze, 45.400 to 45.690 over the Netherlands.
● Gymnastics: Men’s Parallel Bars-Horizontal Bar;
Women’s Balance Beam-Floor
Carnage in the women’s Beam, as four of the eight finalists fell, including Americans Simone Biles and Suni Lee. That left Italy’s Alice D’Amato – with a clean routine – as the winner at 14.366, her first major international medal in the event! She was followed by 2023 Worlds silver winner Yaqin Zhou (14.100) and Italy’s Manila Esposito.
Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade finished fourth at 13.933, followed by Biles (13.100) and Lee (13.100). Biles had won two straight Olympic bronzes on Beam; the U.S. had won a Beam medal in five straight Games. It’s Italy’s first gold in women’s gymnastics.
On Floor, Biles performed superbly, but was dinged for out-of-bounds violations on two of her tumbling runs – 0.6 points – and that made the difference. Andrade scored 14.166 to 14.133 for Biles, with fellow American Jordan Chiles third at 13.766 after a review of the routine added 0.1 to her score to lift her over Ana Barbosu (ROU: 13.700).
This is the fifth straight Games for the U.S. with at least one Floor medal; Biles and Aly Raisman went 1-2 for two on the podium in Rio in 2016.
China’s Jingyuan Zou defended his Olympic title in the men’s Parallel Bars, scoring an impressive 16.200 – the same score as in qualifying – well ahead of Ukraine’s two-time European champ Ilia Kovtun (15.500). That’s five wins for China in this event in the last seven Games. All-Around champ Shinnosuke Oka (JPN) won the bronze at 15.300.
Oka and Colombia’s Angel Barajas both scored 14.533 in the Horizontal Bar final, with Oka winning on a higher execution score. Barajas, 17, won a bronze at the 2023 World Junior Championships and moved up to Olympic silver a year later! China’s Boheng Zhang and 2018 Asian Games winner Chia-hung Tang (TPE) shared the bronze at 13.966 (and the same execution score!).
● Shooting: Men’s 25 m Pistol; Mixed Team Skeet
China’s Yuehong Li won bronze medals in the men’s Rapid-Fire Pistol event in Rio and Tokyo, but finally got to the top of the podium in Paris, scoring 5-4-5 on his last three shots to win, 32-25, over Yeong-jae Cho of South Korea. Xinjie Wang of China took the bronze with 23.
Italy won the first-ever Mixed Team Skeet competition by 45-44 over the U.S., in a match-up of four Olympic medal winners: Diana Bacosi (22/24) and Gabriele Rossetti (23/24) just ahead of Americans Austen Smith (21/24) and Vincent Hancock (23/24).
China defeated India, 44-43, in the bronze-medal match.
● Triathlon: Mixed Relay
World Triathlon confirmed to athletes on Sunday evening that the race would be held on Monday morning, with confounding readings of between 727 (acceptable) to 1,553 (unacceptable) at the four measuring points on the Seine, but a second set of readings was in the acceptable range of 687 to 984.
The race itself was a thriller, with Britain’s gold medalist, Alex Yee, in the lead over Tim Hellwig (GER) after the first leg, but Lisa Tertsch (GER) overhauled Georgia Taylor-Brown for the lead at the half.
Britain’s Samuel Dickinson tagged first at the end of the third leg over Lasse Luhrs of Germany, and they had about 20 seconds on the U.S. and Portugal. On the anchor, Taylor Knibb went wild for the U.S., with the fastest leg in the field by 15 seconds (22:13), making up the ground on both the British and the Germans. Knibb got the lead on the run over Beth Potter (GBR) and Laura Lindemann (GER), but the three were together on the run-in and Lindemann won at the tape, with Knibb getting the silver on the lean, after another photo review.
The Germans were timed in 1:25:39 and the U.S. and Great Britain were both at 1:25:40, with only 0.005 separating the silver and bronze winners.
¶
CNN reported that Switzerland lost one of its triathletes – Adrien Briffod – to gastrointestinal illness in advance of the Mixed Relay on Tuesday, but replaced him and did not blame the water quality in the Seine River.
Swiss Olympic Chief Medical Officer Hanspeter Betschart said, “A survey of my colleagues from other countries has so far not revealed any accumulation of gastrointestinal illnesses among the athletes who started the individual race last Wednesday.”
Belgium withdrew its Mixed Relay team from Monday’s competition due to illness, but did not specify its nature. A Belgian paper reported an E. Coli infection in Claire Michel after she competed in the women’s tri in Paris and finished 38th; a Paris 2024 spokeswoman said the illness was not related to the competition. The Belgians did complain about the cancellation of the training swims due to bacteria levels in the river and the fluid schedule:
“The COIB [Belgian Olympic Committee] and Belgian Triathlon hope that lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games such as guaranteeing training days, competition days and the competition format, which must be clarified in advance and ensure that there is no uncertainty for the athletes and support personnel.”
Elsewhere:
● Athletics ● The morning qualifying started with the men’s 400 m hurdles, with defending champ Karsten Warholm (NOR) posting the fastest time at 47.57, with Rai Benjamin of the U.S. winning heat one at 48.82. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos advanced out of heat three in third place. American CJ Allen (48.64) advanced out of heat three, but Trevor Bassitt (fifth in heat two, 49.38) is in the repechage.
World-record holder Mykolas Alekna (LTU) led the men’s discus qualifiers at 67.47 m (221-4) with defending champ Daniel Stahl and 2022 World Champion Kristjian Ceh (SLO) also advancing to the final. No Americans advanced, as Sam Mattis (62.66 m/205-7), Andrew Evans (62.25 m/204-2) and Joseph Brown (61.68 m/202-4) finished 14th, 17th and 22nd, respectively.
In the women’s 400 m heats, 2023 World Champion Marileidy Paulino was the fastest at 49.42. Alexis Holmes qualified second in heat six (50.35), Aaliyah Butler was second in heat five (50.52), but Kendall Ellis (51.16) was fifth in heat one and is in the repechage. Defending champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) pulled up before the 200 m mark in her heat and walked across the finish in 2:22. 29 in seventh, injured. She is in the repechage but is apparently out.
The women’s vault qualifying was at 4.55 m (14-11) and 4.40 m (14-5 1/4), with defending champion Katie Moon the only American to advance. Brynn King and Bridget Williams both made 4.40 m but were eliminated on misses. The shocker was that world leader Molly Caudery of Great Britain no-heighted and was eliminated. Moreover, fellow Brit and Tokyo bronze medalist Holly Bradshaw also did not advance after clearing 4.20 m (13-9 1/4).
In the afternoon session, the first heat of the men’s Steeple got crazy when Kenya’s Amos Serem, no. 2 on the 2024 world list, was elbowed and went around the penultimate water jump on the inside. He had to stop, go back and jump into the water and then put on a full-out sprint over the final 500 m to try and get to a fifth-place qualifying spot. He got back into contact by the final water jump and picked off several men, but ended up sixth in 8:18.41, 0.08 away from fifth. Defending champ Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) won in 8:17.90; American James Corrigan was 10th in 8:36.67.
But Serem got a reprieve as he was advance to the final by the referee.
Morocco’s Mohamed Tindouft won the second heat in a lifetime best of 8:10.62, ahead of Samuel Firewu (ETH: 8:11.61). American Matthew Wilkinson was a non-qualifying sixth in 8:16.82. In heat three, world-record holder Lamecha Girma controlled the race and won easily in 8:23.89, with American Kenneth Rooks staying in touch and getting second in 8:24.95. New Zealand’s Geordie Beamish, the World Indoor 1,500 m champ, left his move too late and was seventh and did not qualify.
The men’s 200 m heats were next, with Tokyo Olympic runner-up Kenny Bednarek of the U.S. winning heat four in style at 19.96 (wind: +0.2 m/s) , ahead of Alexander Ogando (DOM: 20.04). In heat five, Erriyon Knighton of the U.S. trailed around the turn, then turned on the jets and won in 19.99 (+0.2). World Champion Noah Lyles was in the final, sixth heat in lane five, one lane behind defending Olympic champ Andre De Grasse (CAN). Lyles was third coming off the turn, but powered into the straight and won in an eased-up 20.19 (+0.1). On to the semis.
In the women’s 200 m semis, 100 m winner Julien Alfred (LCA) blew away the field in race one, including American McKenzie Long, dominating in 21.98 (0.0), with Nigeria’s Favour Ofili second (22.05) and Long at 22.30 in third. World leader Gabby Thomas was in semi two, coming off the turn behind 2019 World Champion Dina Asher-Smith, then sailing away to a 21.86 win (+0.2), with Asher-Smith at 22.31.
● Basketball ● The U.S. men (3-0) will play Brazil (1-2) in their quarterfinal on Tuesday (6th) in Paris and if victorious, will play the winner of Serbia (2-1) vs. Australia (1-2) in the semis on the 8th. France (2-1) and Canada (3-0) and Germany (3-0) and Greece (1-2) play in the upper part of the bracket.
The women’s quarters are on Wednesday, with the U.S. (3-0) winning 58 straight games in Olympic play and facing Nigeria (2-1) in their quarterfinal. The winner will play the victor in the Serbia (2-1) vs. Australia (2-1)
● Beach Volleyball ● Americans Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh defeated Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava (ITA) in the round-of-16, 21-17, 21-18 and are on the quarters on the 7th. Olympic and World Champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum (NOR) eliminated Americans Chase Budinger and Mike Evans, 21-16, 21-14.
The women’s quarters are on the 6th and 7th, with World Champions Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes playing Tanja Huberli and Nina Betschart (SUI) on Tuesday.
Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson eliminated the U.S. duo of Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth on Monday, 21-19, 21-18.
● Football ● In the men’s semifinals, two-time defending champion Brazil was eliminated, so a new champion – in this mostly U-23 tournament – is coming. Spain, the Tokyo runner-up is on to the final again after a tense, 2-1 win over Morocco on a Juanlu Sanchez goal from the right side all the way across to the left corner of the Moroccan goal in the 86th minute.
France and Egypt tied 1-1 after 90 minutes and went to extra time, with Jean-Philippe Mateta giving the French the lead, 2-1, on a strike in the 99th. Michael Olise made it 3-1 for France with a goal in the 108th and the home team moves on to try for its first Olympic gold since 1984!
The final will be on the 9th (Friday).
The women’s semis, including the U.S. vs. Germany, are on Tuesday.
● Sport Climbing ● Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw crushed her own world record in the women’s Speed qualifying (15 m) at 6.06 seconds, shattering her 6.24 mark from 2023.
● Volleyball ● In the quarterfinals, 2022 World Champion Italy (4-0) outlasted Japan, 3-2, and defending champion France (3-1) edged Germany, 3-2, in the upper half of the men’s bracket and will meet in the semis on the 7th.
Worlds runner-up Poland (3-1) got past Slovenia, 3-1, and in the match between 2022 World bronzer Brazil and the U.S., the 2018 Worlds bronze winner, resulted in an American victory by 3-1 (26-24, 28-30, 25-19, 25-19). They also play on the 7th.
● Water Polo ● The defending champ U.S. women (3-1) are in the quarterfinals tomorrow, facing Hungary (2-2) with the winner facing the victor in the Australia (4-0) vs. Greece (1-3) match in the semis on the 8th.
The lower bracket has Netherlands (3-1) vs. Italy (1-3) and Canada and Spain (4-0).
The U.S. men (3-2) are in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, facing Australia (3-2), with the winner to play the survivor of Greece (4-1) and Serbia (2-3) in the upper bracket. Italy-Hungary and Croatia-Spain (4-0) are in the lower bracket.
= PREVIEWS: TUESDAY, 6 AUGUST =
(15 finals across 8 sports)
● Athletics: Men’s 1,500 m-Long Jump;
Women’s 200 m-Steeple-Hammer
The men’s 1,500 m final is one of the much-awaited showdowns in Paris, with defending champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen having been beaten at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships finals by Britain’s Jake Wightman and then Josh Kerr.
Wightman is not in Paris, but Kerr is and showed Ingebrigtsen that he’s quite fit after his eased-up second to the Norwegian in the first semi in 3:32.38 and 3:38.46, with Cole Hocker of the U.S. third in 3:32.54. In the second, American mile record holder Yared Nuguse and Hobbs Kessler were 1-2 and looking controlled while posting times of 3:31.72 and 3:31.97. These folks are so fit that the race will only be settled in the final 100 m, but everyone will be keying off Ingebrigtsen.
The men’s long jump has Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou trying for a second straight Olympic title; he was the 2023 World Champion and led the qualifying at 8.32 m (27-3 3/4) with radek Juska (CZE) second at 8.15 m (26-9). It can’t be that easy; expect a charge from Italy’s European runner-up Matteo Furlani and 2022 Worlds bronzer Simon Ehammer (SUI), and Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock, the 2023 Worlds silver winner.
The women’s 200 m was expected to be all about Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, the 2022 and 2023 World Champion, but she did not start in the heats. Meanwhile, American Gabby Thomas is the world leader at 21.78 and showed a gear no one else has to win in the London Diamond League, and in her semifinal. Fellow Americans Brittany Brown – the 2019 Worlds runner-up – and NCAA champ McKenzie Long of the U.S. are in the final, but the main challenge is now expected from former NCAA champ and 100 m gold medalist Julien Alfred (LCA). Underrated but in the mix is 2019 World Champion Dina Asher-Smith (GBR).
The women’s Steeple has no obvious favorite, with defending champ Peruth Chemutai (UGA) the world leader at 8:55.09, world-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) close behind, Val Constien of the U.S. at 9:03.22 and 2023 World Champion Winfred Yavi (BRN) also in the top five. Is 2022 World Champion Norah Jeruto (KAZ) the wild card in all this?
The women’s hammer has 2023 Worlds winner Cam Rogers of Canada back, and 2019 World Champion DeAnna Price of the U.S. back and in form. They look like the clear favorites, but Finland’s Krista Tervo led the qualifying at 74.79 m (245-4), a national record! Poland’s Anita Wladarczyk has won three straight Olympic golds in this event, but was the last qualifier; any magic left at age 38?
● Boxing ● Women’s 60 kg
Ireland’s Kellie Harrington won in Tokyo at 60 kg and is back to defend, having also won the 2022 European title and the 2023 European Games. She will face China’s top-seeded Wenlu Yang, the 2022 Asian Games winner and 2023 Worlds bronze medalist. Both have sailed through their fights and are experienced: Harrington is 34 and Yang is 33.
Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira and Shih-yi Wu (TPE) took the bronzes.
● Cycling ● Men’s Team Sprint
The Dutch trio of Jeffrey Hoogland, Harrie Lavreysen and Roy van den Berg won the Olympic title in Tokyo, won the 2021 and 2023 World titles and took silver in 2022. They are the favorites to repeat.
Australia, keyed by Matthew Richardson, was second at the 2023 Worlds and won in 2022 and should be the chief pursuers, accompanied by France and Great Britain.
● Diving ● Women’s 10 m Platform
China has won the last four Olympic golds in the women 10 m platform, with Hongchan Quan winning in Tokyo and the 2024 World Champion. Teammate Yuxi Chen won silver in Tokyo, but won the 2019-22-23 Worlds golds. They look like a strong 1-2, with lots of possibilities for the bronze, starting with Australia’s Melissa Wu – bronze in Tokyo – in her fifth Olympic Games.
Britain’s Andrea Splendolini-Sirieix won bronze at the 2024 Worlds, Pamela Ware (CAN) won bronze in 2023 and Pandelela Rinong (MAS) in 2022.
● Equestrian ● Individual Jumping
Defending Olympic champ Ben Maher (GBR) is back, along with two-time Olympic silver winner Peter Fredricson (SWE) and teammate Henrik von Eckermann, the 2022 World Champion. Tokyo bronze medalist Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) also won a 2022 Worlds bronze.
London 2012 champ Steve Guerdat (SUI) is back and won the 2018 Worlds bronze; teammate Martin Fuchs won the silver. The U.S. has Team Jumping stars McLain Ward and Laura Kraut, and do not discount Belgium’s 2022 Worlds silver medalist Jerome Guery.
● Sailing ● Men’s Laser; Women’s Laser Radial
Australia’s Matthew Wearn has won the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 golds in the Laser class and has won the last two World Championships in 2023 and 2024. He’s leading through eight races at 38 net points, with two wins and two seconds.
Pavlos Kontides (CYP), the 2012 Olympic silver medalist and 2017-18 World Champion stands second at 52, with Peru’s Stefano Peschiera third at 62. Two-time Worlds medalist Michael Beckett is fourth and Norway’s Herman Tomasgaard – who won the 2023 Worlds silver – is fifth.
Rio 2016 winner and four-time World Champion Marit Bouwmeester (NED) has a large lead in the women’s Laser Radial class, with 30 net points after nine races. Denmark’s four-time World Champion Anne-Marie Rindom won at Tokyo 2020, and is second (51), ahead of Line Hoest (NOR: 71) and Maud Jayet (SUI: 76).
● Skateboard ● Women’s Park
This event, one of the favorites in Tokyo will likely be a test to see if Britain’s Sky Brown, now 16, can break up Japanese stars including 2023 World Champion Kokona Hiraki, defending Olympic champ Sakura Yosozumi and 2023 Worlds runner-up Hinano Kusaki.
Minna Stess of the U.S. won the 2023 Worlds bronze; can she break up the party?
● Wrestling ● Men’s Greco-Roman 60 kg-130 kg;
Women’s Freestyle 68 kg
American wrestling star Amit Elor has won three Worlds golds in each of the last two seasons in the women’s 72 kg class: junior, U-23 and senior. But that weight class is not in the Games and so she stepped own to 68 kg
No problem. She beat 2023 World champion Buse Tosun (TUR) by 10-2, then shut down Wiktoria Choluj (POL) by 8-0 and Sol Gum Pak (PRK) by a 10-0 technical fall in the semis. Elor will face Meerim Zhumanazarova (KGZ) in the final.
In the men’s Greco-Roman 60 kg class, Japan’s Kenichiro Fumita, the Tokyo silver winner, has won bronze and silver in the last two Worlds and is a two-time World Champion. Is it his turn? He will face China’s Liguo Cau, a 2023 Worlds bronze winner.
History may be in the making in the Greco 130 kg – heavyweight – class as Cuba’s legendary Mijain Lopez – now 41 – is in the final for an unprecedented fifth consecutive gold in this class.
He sailed through his bracket with wins of 7-1, 3-1 and 4-1 and now will be a huge favorite against Chile’s Yasmani Acosta – born in Cuba – a bronze medalist at the 2017 Worlds.
Lopez has won Olympic golds in 2008-12-16-20, but has not won a Worlds medal since 2015, but he in position to make history.
= INTEL REPORT =
● Athletics ● How did Noah Lyles win the men’s 100 m? By being 1/100th of a second faster than everyone else between 80-90 m and 90-100 m.
Analysis of the 100 m final showed that Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson had the lead from the 30 m mark and was up on Lyles – in seventh place – by 5.56 to 5.61 at 50 m. But from then:
Lyles:
● 0.83 – 0.82 – 0.83 – 0.84 – 0.86
Thompson:
● 0.85 – 0.83 – 0.83 – 0.85 – 0.87
All of that got both to the line in 9.79, with Lyles just 0.005 faster and the gold medalist. What’s amazing is that Lyles was eighth – and last – at 20 m and 30 m, seventh at 50, third (!) by 60 m and second by 90 m, then won at the line.
However, the fastest 10 m in the entire race belonged to South Africa’s Akine Simbine: 0.81 between 60 and 70 m, where he moved from seventh to fourth. Lyles’ 0.82 from 60-70 was the second-fastest segment in the entire race.
World Athletics noted that the Olympic final was the first time ever that eight men broke 10.00 in a wind-legal race. Wow.
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Asked about her feelings about winning the women’s high jump while her country continues in its defense against Russia, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh said in an interview session at the Ukraine House:
“I have two years of experience. Of course it’s difficult to focus only on track and field but it gives me some power. I feel the power on the track.
“Before my attempt for 2.10 meters [world record], I thought that the people in Ukraine would be so happy if I jumped that. Because it would be good news in this terrible war and I did. It really motivated me.
“We are Ukrainian. We cannot not think about that because it’s our country. We are citizens of Ukraine and we want the war to stop as soon as possible and rebuild all the cities. Unfortunately we cannot get lives back, the ones we lost. I think that we are paying a big price for independence. But I hope that in the next 10 years it will be the most modern country. Because I compare it with other European countries and we really had progressed in all fields before the war.”
¶
It was reported that Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, the co-Olympic gold medalist at Tokyo 2020 and the reigning World Champion, posted a note showing himself in a hospital on Sunday:
“Unbelievable… This can’t be true.
“Yesterday, two hours after I wrote ‘I deserve it’ on social media, I felt a stabbing pain in my side. Emergency room, CT scan, ultrasound, blood test. Probable kidney stone.
“And now I find myself, three days before the event for which I sacrificed everything, lying in a bed, helpless, with a fever of 38.8.” (101.8 F)
He added: “Only one thing is certain, I don’t know how I will get there, but I will be there on that platform and I will give my soul until the last jump, whatever my condition will be.” The high jump qualifying is on Wednesday.
● Swimming ● Once the aquatics and international doping communities get past the immediate fracas over the January 2021 doping positives of 23 Chinese swimmers, it’s likely that some folks from World Aquatics, its Aquatics Integrity Unit and the International Testing Agency will examine China’s rapid performance rise in world swimming. Consider its medal performance in the past four years:
● 2021: 6 medals (3-2-1) at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (37 events)
● 2022: 5 medals (1-0-4) at 2022 World Championships (42 events)
● 2023: 16 medals (5-3-8) at 2023 World Championships (42)
● 2024: 11 medals (7-3-1) at 2024 World Championships (42)
● 2024: 12 medals (2-3-7) at Paris 2024 Olympic Games (37)
It’s a remarkable rise in such a short time, not dissimilar to China’s rise from zero medals in 2000 to two in 2004 to six in 2008 and then to 10 at London 2012. But it was down to six in Rio in 2016 and stayed there in 2020. So what happened between 2022 and 2023?
● Table Tennis ● The Associated Press reported that two table tennis players will compete at both the Paris Olympic Games and Paralympic Games:
“Brazil’s Bruna Alexandre and Australia’s Melissa Tapper are participating in the Olympics and the upcoming Paralympics …
“The 29-year-old Alexandre had her right arm amputated because of a blood cot when she was a few months old. The 34-year-old Tapper has brachial plexus palsy, a type of paralysis to her right arm caused during her birth.”
● Tennis ● Worth noting that with his gold-medal performance in the men’s Singles in Paris, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic became the fifth player ever to win the “Golden Slam”: the four Grand Slam events and the Olympic gold, joining Steffi Graf (GER), Americans Andre Agassi and Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal (ESP).
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