★ The Sports Examiner: Chronicling the key competitive, economic and political forces shaping elite sport and the Olympic Movement.★
★ To get The Sports Examiner by e-mail: sign up here! ★
★ Friends: Thank you! Our 42nd donor raised your giving to 103% of our technical costs for the rest of 2024! No complaints if you would like help get us a little ahead. We can use all the help we can get! ★
= PARIS 2024 =
From Lane One
Olympic history was made in the pool earlier in the Paris 2024 Games when Katie Ledecky of the U.S. won the women’s 800 m Freestyle for the fourth time in a row. And on the shooting range, when American Vincent Hancock took the men’s Skeet gold for the fourth time, in five Games.
They joined Paul Elvstrom (DEN: sailing 1948-60), and Americans Al Oerter (discus 1956-68), Carl Lewis (long jump, 1984-96) and Michael Phelps (200 m Medley, 2004-16) in winning one event four times. Now they are all in second place.
Cuban heavyweight Greco-Roman wrestler Mijain Lopez won the men’s 130 kg class for the fifth straight time on Tuesday: 2008-12-16-20-24. He had essentially retired, but came back to try for the record-breaking win and he got it decisively, defeating ex-Cuban Yasmani Acosta of Chile, 6-0.
Across five Olympic Games, Lopez has won 20 straight bouts. There were some close ones, but not that many. His Olympic record is even more remarkable, considering his last World Championship medal was in 2015 and his last Worlds win was in 2014. But 10 years later, he won Olympic gold again, at age 41.
Looking into the future, could American Amit Elor do the same? Just 20 and the younger wrestler on the American team, she steamrolled the field and won the women’s 68 kg Freestyle category with a 3-0 victory in the final against Meerim Zhumanazarova (KGZ). In four matches, she scored 31 points to two for her opponents.
Elor’s Olympic win may be her only worldwide championship in 2024, down from three in each of the past two years. She won the 2022 Worlds gold at 72 kg, Worlds U-23 gold and World Junior gold and did the same in 2023. And she had to step down in weight – there is no 72 kg class at the Olympics – and won again.
Could she win in Los Angeles, Brisbane and wherever 2036 and 2040 are? She might, and if so, she will only tie Lopez.
~ Rich Perelman
¶
“I’m not going to comment on the chaotic scenes yesterday. I think you all either were there or took part in that ‘press conference.’ The one thing I will say about it is that it clearly demonstrates – it clearly demonstrates – that the sport of boxing needs a new federation to run boxing.”
That’s International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams at the Tuesday morning news conference, who then went on with a comment:
“If you ever needed any evidence at all that the [International Boxing Association] is unfit to run boxing, just to look at the key members of the IBA who took part in that travesty yesterday, I think tells you everything you need to know.
“The sad thing is that boxing is incredibly important, an incredibly important Olympic sport, I think I’ve said that before. For us, it’s important not just because it’s a great sport, because actually it’s of those sports which has a real, social aspect to it. It often works in areas which are underprivileged and so it’s incredibly important.
“We would call on, and as I say, I think the best recruiting sergeant for a new federation would be that press conference yesterday. I would ask everyone who hasn’t seen it to please watch it because I think it will give you an idea of why we are desperately in need of a federation that can take this forward.”
So what happened at the IBA event on Monday? It was perhaps summarized best by FrancsJeux.com, which reported (computer translation from the original French):
“The place: a long lounge on the top floor of a very Parisian building in the 9th arrondissement, a stone’s throw from the Grands Boulevards and the Musée Grévin. The atmosphere: overheated, in every sense of the word. And sometimes totally surreal.
“Let’s be clear: the IBA has not really moved the issue forward. Not at all. … they have not really convinced. Above all, they have not provided any evidence that could attest to the relevance and credibility of the femininity tests imposed on the two athletes.
“They have just detailed the chronology of the case. … Nothing very new, then. Embarrassing.”
Then the IBA President, Russian Umar Kremlev, whose appearance by videoconference was delayed for more than an hour by technical issues, and who did not speak about the two boxers which the IBA says are not women, but went back to his ancient criticisms of the Paris 2024 Games and the IOC.
¶
The Seine water quality continues to be an issue, as World Aquatics cancelled today’s open-water practice due to Enterococci levels above levels with which it was comfortable. The E. Coli levels, however, were satisfactory.
A second training session in the Seine is scheduled for 7 August and a decision will be taken at 4 a.m. The open-water events on 8-9 August are still expected to be held in the river, although there may be some rain overnight.
● Les Temps ● The updated forecast shows sun for the last couple of days of the Games:
● 07 Aug. (Wed.): High of 79 ~ low of 61, cloudy
● 08 Aug. (Thu.): 83 ~ 64, cloudy
● 09 Aug. (Fri.): 82 ~ 62, cloudy
● 10 Aug. (Sat.): 85 ~ 64, sunny
● 11 Aug. (Sun.): 92 ~ 71, sunny
There is rain in the forecast for Wednesday the 14th, but hopefully will not speed up to land on Sunday.
● Medals & Teams ● Eight medals for the U.S. on Tuesday and now a large gap with everyone else on total medals, although the gold-medal chase is very tight:
● 1. 86, United States (24-31-31)
● 2. 59, China (22-21-16)
● 3. 48, France (13-16-19)
● 4. 46, Great Britain (12-15-19)
● 5. 35, Australia (14-12-9)
● 6. 29, Japan (11-6-12)
● 7. 26, South Korea (11-8-7)
● 7. 26, Italy (9-10-7)
● 9. 19, Netherlands (8-5-6)
● 10. 18, Canada (6-4-8)
● 11. 17, Germany (8-5-4)
● 12. 13. Brazil (2-4-6)
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. 843 1/2, United States
● 2. 635, China
● 3. 539 1/2, France
● 4. 515, Great Britain
● 5. 399 1/2, Australia
● 6. 393 1/2, Italy
● 7. 337 1/2, Japan
● 8. 302 1/2, Germany
● 9. 275 1/2, Korea
● 10. 252 1/2, Canada
● 11. 248, Netherlands
● 12. 156, Brazil
● 13. 136 1/2, Spain
● 14. 135, New Zealand
● 15. 132 1/2, Switzerland
Now, a total of 96 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
● 06 Aug. (Mon.): 29.1 million ~ gymnastics women’s Beam & Floor
NBC reported the 10-day average for 2024 is 32.6 million in 2024, compared to 18.2 million for Tokyo (a lot better) and the 10-day average of 28.9 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.
= RESULTS: TUESDAY, 6 AUGUST =
● Athletics: Men’s 1,500 m-Long Jump;
Women’s 200 m-Steeple-Hammer
Defending champ Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) went to the lead right away, passing 400 m in 54.82, with Kenya’s Brian Komen on his right shoulder. At 800 m, Ingebrigtsen was at 1:51.38 and Kenyan Tim Cheruiyot and Josh Kerr (GBR) were 2-3. But at the bell, Ingebrigtsen was towing the field through 1,200 in a sensationally fast 2:47.27.
Kerr moved up to second with Cole Hocker of the U.S. third with 200 m to go and onto the straight Kerr came up and so did Hocker. Then Hocker fell back a little, but then found an amazing overdrive gear and flew on the inside to pass Ingebrigtsen and Kerr and winning in a shocker in 3:27.65, an Olympic Record and an American Record!
Meanwhile, Yared Nuguse of the U.S. was also in contact and passed Ingebrigtsen with 50 m to go and almost caught Kerr for the silver, with Kerr getting a national record of 3:27.79 in second and Nuguse in a lifetime best of 3:27.80! Ingebrigtsen was fourth (3:28.24), with American Hobbs Kessler getting fifth in a lifetime best of 3:29.45!
Hocker is now no. 7 all-time and Kerr is no. 8. It’s the first time the U.S. had two medals in this event since Abel Kiviat and Norm Taber went 2-3 in 1912 in Stockholm! Seven of the top nine had lifetime bests and three national records were set.
A little later, women’s 100 m winner Julien Alfred (LCA) was in lane eight in the women’s 200 m final, with world leader Gabby Thomas of the U.S. inside her. Off the start, Alfred had her patented blur start, but Thomas was rolling and had the lead into the straight. She ran away from everyone and dominated the race to win in 21.83 (wind: -0.6 m/s). No doubt at all.
Alfred was running hard on the straight, but could not make up anything on Thomas. But behind her, it was a three-way fight with the U.S.’s Brittany Brown in lane six, and Britain’s Daryll Neita and Dina Asher-Smith inside her. Neita fell back first and Brown leaned hard to get the bronze in 22.20, with Asher-Smith at 22.22 and Neita at 22.23. It’s the U.S.’s first win since Allyson Felix in 2012 and only the second in the last eight Games.
The third U.S. finalist, NCAA champ McKenzie Long, was seventh in 22.42.
European runner-up Mattea Furlani got everyone’s attention as third in the order in the men’s long jump final, landing at 8.34 m (27-4 1/2) to take the lead. But defending champ Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) responded at 8.27 m (27-1 3/4) on his first jump, then exploded to 8.48 m (27-10) in round two to take the lead.
Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock also fired up in round two to grab second at 8.36 m (27-5 1/4). Furlani jumped 8.34 m again in round five, but the medalists did not change. Swiss Simon Ehammer reached 8.20 m (26-11) for fourth.
Tentoglou’s back-to-back long jump titles are the first in the Games since Carl Lewis’ four in a row from 1984 to 1996.
World-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) had the early lead in the women’s Steeple, stringing out the field with defending champ Peruth Chemutai (UGA) behind her. Chemutai took over with four laps left, and Ethiopian Sembo Almayew was in the mix with Chepkoech in second. With two laps left, five were in the mix, with Chemutai and Chepkoech still at the front, but with World Champion Winfred Yavi (BRN) moving up to challenge. Chemutai, Chepkocech and Yavi were together at the bell, then Yavi took off after Chemutai.
Off the last water jump, they were together, and off the final hurdle, Yavi stormed to the lead and won going away in an Olympic Record of 8:52.76, with the no. 4 performance ever. Chemutai was second in 8:53.34, now the no. 5 performer ever with the no. 7 performance. Faith Cherotich of Kenya came up to get the bronze in 8:55.15, as Chepkoech faded to sixth (9:04.24).
Americans Courtney Wayment and Val Constien were 12th and 15th at 9:13.60 and 9:34.08.
In the women’s hammer, World Champion Camryn Rogers of Canada led after round one, then China’s Jie Zhao led after round two, but the U.S.’s Annette Echikunwoke blasted a seasonal best 75.48 m (247-8) to take the lead in round three!
Rogers closed to 75.44 m (247-6) for second in round four, and finally got to the lead in round five at 76.97 m (252-6) and added the Olympic title to her 2023 World title.
Zhao remained in third with her second-round toss of 74.27 m (243-8). It’s the first time that either Canada or the U.S. have won an Olympic medal in this event.
The U.S.’s DeAnna Price, the 2019 World Champion, was a disappointing 11th at 71.00 m (232-11). Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk was trying for a fourth straight Olympic gold, but a thigh injury suffered in 2022 while stopping a thief trying to break into her car derailed her significantly. She finished a very creditable fourth with a seasonal best of 74.23 m (243-6).
● Boxing ● Women’s 60 kg
Ireland’s Kellie Harrington won in Tokyo at 60 kg and defended her title, downing China’s top-seeded Wenlu Yang, the 2022 Asian Games winner and 2023 Worlds bronze medalist, by 4:1. Four judges had the fight for Harrington by 29:28 and one had Yang winning, 29-28.
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 came in as favorites. Against a strong British team in the final, the Dutch left no doubt, winning with a world record of 40.949, reaching an average speed of 41 miles an hour.
The British trio of Jack Carlin, Ed Lowe and Hamish Turnbull finished in 41.814. Australia defeated France for the bronze, 41.597 to 41.993.
● Diving ● Women’s 10 m Platform
China is closing in on an Olympic sweep, winning its fifth straight event, with Tokyo champion Hongchan Quan defending her victory with a 425.60 to 420.70 win over teammate and Tokyo runner-up Yuxi Chen, with whom she won the 10 m Synchro gold. Quan won four of the five dives. North Korea’s Mi Rae Kim, fourth at Rio in 2016, got the bronze at 372.10.
It’s now five golds in a row for China in this event.
● Equestrian ● Individual Jumping
How’s this for tight: three riders went through the final with no faults, requiring a jump-off!
London 2012 gold medalist Steve Guerdat (SUI), Tokyo bronze winner Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and Christian Kukuk (GER) were not only perfect, but within a second-and-a-half on time, so they had to do it again. In the jump-off, only Kukuk – and Chester 47 – were perfect again, with Guerdat and van der Vleuten suffering four penalty points and Guerdat faster on time for the silver. And van der Vleuten got the bronze again.
Laura Kraut was the top American rider in eighth (four penalties) and Karl Cook was 16th (8). It’s Germany’s first win in this event since 1996.
● Skateboard ● Women’s Park
Japan’s 15-year-old Kokona Hiraki, the 2023 World Champion, put up a solid 91.98 score in the first round and looked like a possible winner through two rounds of the women’s Park final. But in the final round, Australia’s 14-year-old Arisa Trew jumped from third to first at 93.18. Two riders later, Britain’s Tokyo bronzer Sky Brown (16) tried to get back up to second and improved to 92.31.
That put Hiraki in third as the final rider. She pulled off a superb run, scoring 92.63 that gave her the silver, but leaving Drew, a two-time X Games champ as the surprise winner. Bryce Wettstein of the U.S. finished sixth, at 88.12.
● Surfing: Men’s and Women’s Shortboard
After all the tumult about moving this event to Tahiti and then the seemingly endless delays because of the weather and the surf conditions, the Olympic competition finally concluded with wins for France and the U.S.
The men’s final was a joy for France, with 22-year-old Kauli Vaast – the Word Surfing Games bronze medalist – scoring a 17.67 to 7.83 win over Australia’s Jack Robinson, a seven-time World Surfing League event winner. Vaast, who did not make the finals of any of the eight World Surfing League stops so far this season, scored solidly, at 15.10, 15.33, 10.96 and 17.67 in the elimination rounds, and his 17.67 in the gold-medal match was the second-highest score of anyone in the knock-out rounds.
Brail’s Gabriel Medina, the 2024 World Champion, won the bronze medal, 15.54 to 12.43 over Alonso Correa (PER).
The U.S. won the Tokyo 2020 women’s surfing gold with Carissa Moore, but this time it was 2023 WSL Finals winner Caroline Marks who barely edged 2023 World Champion Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) in the gold-medal final by 10.50 to 10.33. Marks scored 7.50 on the second wave and that was the difference in the five-wave final that took 35 minutes to complete.
In the women’s bronze-medal match, France’s Johanne Defray – a two-time Worlds medalist – claimed a bronze for the host country with a 12.66 to 4.93 over Brisa Hennessey (CRC).
● Wrestling ● Men’s Greco-Roman 60 kg-130 kg;
Women’s Freestyle 68 kg
Olympic history in the men’s Greco-Roman 130 kg class, as Cuba’s 41-year-old Mijain Lopez came out of retirement and won his fifth consecutive gold in the super-heavyweight class, defeating ex-Cuban Yasmani Acosta of Chile by 6-0 in the final.
Lopez is the first one to ever win the same event five times in a row and he was clearly better than everyone else in Paris, winning his matches by 7-1, 3-1, 4-1 and 6-0. He placed his shoes on the mat at the end of the match, indicating his retirement … again.
Iran’s Amir Mirzazadeh and China’s Lingzhe Meng won the bronze medals.
More history, this time in the women’s 68 kg final, as American Amit Elor – age 20 – defeated Meerim Zhumanazarova (KGZ) by 3-0 to win her seventh global title in the last three years. She won the 2022 Worlds gold at 72 kg, Worlds U-23 gold and World Junior gold and did the same in 2023. Now, she stepped down in weight – always difficult – and is Olympic champion.
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 and 3-0 in the final: that’s 31-2 in four matches.
In the men’s Greco 60 kg final, Japan’s Tokyo silver medalist, Kenichiro Fumita, moved up to gold, defeating China’s 2023 Worlds bronze medalist, Liguo Cao, by 4-1 in the final. Zholaman Sharshenbekov (KGZ) and Se Ung Ri (PRK) won the bronze medals.
Elsewhere:
● Athletics ● Lots of interest in the men’s 110 m hurdles repechage and whether American Freddie Crittenden – who jogged through the heats to protect against possible injury – would be well enough to advance.
No problem: Crittenden led the repechage at 13.42 and is into the semifinals.
Similarly, Trevor Bassitt of the U.S. moved on to the semis in the men’s 400 m hurdles, second in the repechage at 48.64, winning race one.
India’s defending champion Neeraj Chopra led the qualifying in the men’s javelin at 89.34 m (293-1), ahead of two-time World Champion Anderson Peters (GRN: 88.63 m/290-9). Curtis Thompson of the U.S. was 27th at 76.79 m (251-11) and did not advance.
Kendall Ellis, the U.S. Trials winner in the women’s 400 m, rebounded from a lousy heats performance to lead the repechage and move on to the semis, winning race four at 50.44.
The women’s 1,500 m heats were staggeringly fast, with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay – a day after rhe 5,000 m final – winning heat one in 3:58.84, ahead of Britain’s Tokyo runner-up Laura Muir (GBR: 3:58.91) with the top six under 4:00. Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji won heat two in 3:59.73 and Nelly Chepchirchir (KEN) won heat three in 4:02.67. All three U.S. runners – Emily Mackay, Nikki Hiltz and Elle St. Pierre – got through to the semis.
All of the favorites moved ahead in the women’s long jump qualifying, with Tara Davis-Woodhall of the U.S. at 6.90 m (22-7 3/4), followed by European runner-up Larissa Iapichino (ITA: 6.87 m/22-6 1/2), defending champ Malaika Mihambo (GER: 6.86 m/22-6 1/4) and Tokyo bronze winner Ese Brume (NGR: 6.76 m/22-2 1/4). Americans Jasmine Moore (6.66 m/21-10 1/4) and Monae Nichols (6.64 m/21-9 1/2) also qualified.
In the afternoon session, Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton won the first semi in the women’s 400 m hurdles in 53.00, with American Jasmine Jones right behind at 53.83. Defending champ Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won semi two in 52.13, and Femke Bol led from the start in semi three, winning in 52.57. Anna Cockrell of the U.S. came up on the straight to get second in 52.90.
In the men’s 400 m semifinals, American Quincy Hall won the first race in 43.95, Grenada’s 2012 champion Kirani James looked very impressive in race two in 43.78 – nol. 2 in the world for 2024 – and European champ Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) won the third semi from 2022 World Champion Michael Norman of the U.S., 44.07 to 44.26. The third American, Chris Bailey, qualified from semi two on time (44.26) and is in the final.
● Basketball ● In the men’s quarterfinals, 2023 FIBA World Cup champs Germany came from behind and won the second half by 40-27 to eliminate Greece, 76-63. Franz Wagner led the winners with 18 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 in a losing cause for the Greeks.
The Germans will play France, an 82-73 winner over Canada, taking a 23-10 lead at the quarter and holding firm. Guerschon Yabusele had 22 points to lead the French.
In the lower bracket, Serbia was down to Australia by 24 points in the first half, but cut the deficit to 54-42 by half and then had the lead by two at the end of three quarters. The game went into overtime with Serbia winning, 95-90. Paddy Mills led all scorers for Australia with 26, and superstar Nikola Joklic had 21 for the Serbs.
They will play the U.S., which had no trouble with Brazil, scoring the last 15 points of the first half to close with a 63-36 lead. The final was 122-87, with Devin Booker scoring 18, Anthony Edwards at 17 and Joel Embiid adding 14. Bruno Cabocio had 30 to lead Brazil.
● Beach Volleyball ● In the men’s quarters, co-favorites David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig (SWE) got past Evandro de Oliveira and Arthur Lanci of Brazil, 2-0, and Germans Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler won their match against Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot (NED), also by 2-0.
The U.S. pair of Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh play tomorrow against Tokyo bronze winners Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Yijan of Qatar.
The U.S. women’s team of Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng, reigning World Champions, were upset and eliminated by the Swiss Tanja Huberli and Nina Brunner, 21-18, 21-19, in their quarterfinal.
● Football ● The U.S. women faced Germany in a semifinal in Lyon, with a scoreless first half that did not offer many chances for either side. The U.S. had 64% of possession and a 7-2 edge on shots, but no goals.
The second half was more of the same. The Germans had the best of the first 20 minutes, but the American attack was better later in the game. Mallory Swanson scored in the 86th, but she was clearly offsides. The U.S. had 61% possession and a 13-8 shots edge, but it was still 0-0 after 90 minutes.
In the extra time, U.S. forward Mallory Swanson sent a ball from the midfield into the box on the right side and Sophia Smith was able to run onto it and with German keeper Ann-Katrin Berger coming out at a bad angle, Smith sent a right-footed shot into the goal for a 1-0 lead in the 95th. Smith almost got another in the 104th from the left side, but Berger saved it with her left leg. The U.S. had a 5-3 shots advantage in the first extra period.
The Germans almost got a goal in the 119th off a free kick, a rebound, a pass toward goal and a header that was somehow saved by U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher and that was it. The U.S. finished with 57% possession and 19-15 on the shots and on to the final on Saturday in Paris.
It’s the first U.S. appearance in the final since the Americans won three straight Olympic golds in
2004-08-12.
The other semi, in Marseille, saw Brazil go up 1-0 in the sixth minute on what was called an own goal off defender Irene Paredes. Striker Gabi Portilho made it 2-0 in stoppage time at the end of the half and then Brazil went up 3-0 on a header by Adriana in the 71st. The final was 4-2; Brazil last appeared in the Olympic women’s final in 2008, losing to the U.S. for the second straight time.
● Volleyball ● In the men’s semis on Wednesday, World Champion Italy will meet France and the U.S. will play Poland, the 2014 and 2018 World Champions. The women’s semis are on the 8th, with the defending champion U.S. playing Brazil and Turkey playing Italy.
● Water Polo ● In the women’s quarterfinals, the defending champion U.S. outlasted Hungary, 5-4, on a Rachel Fattal goal with 3:02 to go. Australia beat Greece, 9-6, and the Americans will play Australia in their semifinal on Thursday.
The Netherlands got by Italy, 11-8 and Spain pounded Canada, 18-8, in the lower half of the bracket.
The men’s quarters are on Wednesday.
= PREVIEWS: WED., 7 AUGUST =
(21 finals across 10 sports)
● Artistic Swimming: Team
This is a combination of the Technical Routine, Free Routine and Acrobatic Routine, with China – the Acrobatic Routine Worlds Champion in 2023 and 2024 – leading after the Tech phase at 313.5538 and Spain second at 287.1475.
In the Free Routine, China remained the leader, scoring 398.8917 points to claim a 712.4455 to 643.0255 lead on the U.S., which was second on Tuesday at 360.2688. The U.S. hasn’t won a medal in this event since 2004.
China was the Acrobatic Routine World Champions in 2024, with the U.S. third, so the current standings could end up being the medal standings as well. Spain is 10 points back in third.
● Athletics: Men’s 400 m-Steeple-Discus;
Women’s Vault; Mixed Walk Relay
The Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay is a replacement for the men’s 50 km Walk, now eliminated from the Olympic program. The event is a two-person program of alternate legs that add to the marathon distance of 42.195 km with legs of 11.45 km (man), 10 km (women), 10 km for the man and finishing with a 10.745 km leg for the woman.
The most significant trial of the event was at the 2024 Race Walking Team Championships where Italy’s Francesco Fortunato and Valentina Trapletti won in 2:56:45, with Japan second and Spain third. China will be a factor as well.
Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith is the men’s 400 m world leader at 43.74, getting his breakthrough win at the London Diamond League last weekend. And what about U.S. Olympic Trials winner Quincy Hall, who won his semi, ran 43.80 earlier and keeps getting better? And lurking behind both is 2022 World Champion Michael Norman, who ran a seasonal best of 44.10 in the heats and looked sensational. London 2012 winner Kirani James (GRN) looked fabulous in his semi, in 43.78, and is also a major factor in the medal hunt.
The men’s Steeple appears to be a showdown between Olympic and World champ Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR), who just keeps winning, and world-record holder Lamecha Girma (ETH). If either fails, Kenya’s Amos Serem and Abraham Kibiwot and Ethiopians Getnet Wale and Samuel Firewu. A surprise from the heats was Morocco’s no. 2, Mohammed Tindoufti, who ran a lifetime best 8:10.62!
The men’s discus could be a showcase for new world-record setter Mykolas Alekna (LTU), chased by Olympic champ Daniel Stahl (SWE), 2022 World Champion Kristjan Ceh (SLO), Australia’s Matt Denny and ex-American Alex Rose of Samoa. So far, Alekna, 21, has had all the answers this season.
American Katie Moon won the Tokyo Olympic title in the women’s vault and shared the Worlds gold with Nina Kennedy (AUS) in 2023. But Moon has been off of late and Swiss Angelica Moser won the European title and must be considered. The shocker in qualifying was the no-height for Britain’s Molly Caudery, the 2024 world leader and the World Indoor Champion.
● Boxing: Men’s 63.5 kg-80 kg
France’s 2017-2021-2023 World Champion Soufiane Oumiha was the Rio silver medalist and the final is a re-match with Cuba’s Erislandy Alvarez. Canada’s Wyatt Sanford and Georgia’s Lasha Guruli were the semifinal losers and share the bronze.
At 80 kg, 2023 World Champion Nurbek Oralbay (KAZ) faces 2017 World Champion and the Tokyo 2020 runner-up Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine. Khyzhniah scored an impressive semi-final victory over two-time Olympic gold medalist Arlen Lopez of Cuba, 3-2. Lopez and Dominican Cristian Pinales have the bronzes.
● Cycling/track: Men’s Team Pursuit; Women’s Team Pursuit
In the men’s Pursuit, Australia and Great Britain were 1-2 in qualifying and the first round and will face off for the gold. British teams won this event at the 2008-12-16 Olympic Games and Australia has gone 2-2-3 in 2012-16-20.
Denmark won bronze at Rio 2016 and silver in Tokyo and won the 2023 Worlds gold, but will have to settle for facing defending champion Italy for the bronze.
The women’s Pursuit is also about familiar faces. Great Britain won in 2012 and 2016 over the U.S. both times, and then Germany got gold in Tokyo, ahead of Britain and the U.S. Britain won again at the 2023 Worlds over New Zealand, however, with France third.
In the qualifying, New Zealand and the U.S. were fastest at 4:04.679 and 4:05.238, with Britain third at 4:06.710.
● Sailing: Mixed 470, Mixed Nacra 17
The opening races of the Mixed 470 – a new format for 2024 – showed Austria’s Lara Vadlau and Lukar Mahr with 24 net points and leading a tight pack following eight races, ahead of 2024 World Champions Jordi Xammar and Nora Brugman (ESP: 31), 2024 Worlds bronze winners Keiju Okada and Miho Yoshioka (JPN: 35) and Anton Dahlberg and Lovisa Karlsson (SWE: 39).
In the Nac17 multihull standings after 12 races, Italy’s Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti are the defending champions and 2022-23-24 World Champions, and lead the fleet with six wins and 27 net points. Hanging close are Mateo Majdalani and Eugenia Bosco (ARG: 41), with Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson (NZL: 47) tied with Tokyo silver winners John Gimson and Anna Burnet (GBR: 47) for third. Only the medal race remains.
● Skateboarding: Men’s Park
The men’s skateboard park final has Tokyo Olympic winner Keegan Palmer (AUS) back again, facing American Worlds gold and bronze medalists, Gavin Bottger and Tate Carew. Brazil’s 2018 World Champion Pedro Barros is also going to be in the mix.
● Sport Climbing: Women’s Speed
Poland’s two-time World Champion Aleksandra Miroslaw went crazy in the qualifying, lowering her own world record down to 6.06 seconds! But she still has to win the final.
She will have to deal with American Emma Hunt, the 2023 Worlds runner-up, World Champion Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi (INA) and Poland’s 2021 Worlds winner Natalia Kalucka.
● Taekwondo: Men’s 58 kg; Women’s 49 kg
Defending men’s 58 kg champion Vito Dell’Acqua – also the 2022 Worlds winner – and silver medalist Mohamed Jendoubi (TUN) are both back and will battle South Korea’s 2023 World 54 kg gold medalist Tae-joon Park (KOR) and Worlds 58 kg medal winners Georgii Gurtsiev (BLR as “neutral”) and bronze winner Adrian Vicente of Spain.
Thailand’s Panipak Wongpattanakit was the Tokyo gold medalist in the women’s 49 kg class and won bronze and silver at the 2022 and 2023 Worlds. Spain’s Adriana Cerezo won silver in Tokyo, but is the 2023 World Champion, and Tokyo bronze winner Abishag Semberg (ISR) is also back. The stiffest challenges might be from 2023 Worlds winner Merve Dincel (TUR) and bronze winner Bruna Duvancic (CRO).
● Weightlifting: Men’s 61 kg; Women’s 49 kg
The lightest men’s class has Fabin Li (CHN) as the favorite, having won the 2019-22-23 World Championships golds, ahead of Eko Yuli Irawan (INA) in 2022 and Italian Sergio Massidda in 2023. The U.S. has a hopeful in Hampton Morris, who won the 2023 Worlds Clean & Jerk segment, but did not have a successful Snatch lift.
China has defending champ Zhihui Hou returning, also the 2018 World Champion and runner-up in 2023. American Jourdan Delacruz won the Worlds bronze in 2023, and the 2021 Worlds winner, Thai Surodchana Khambao is also in, along with runner-up Rika Suzuki (JPN) and 2022 Worlds runner-up Saikom Mirabai Chanu of India.
● Wrestling: Men’s Greco 77 kg-97 kg; Women’s 50 kg Freestyle
In the men’s Greco 77 kg class, Japan’s Nao Kusaka, the 2023 Worlds bronze winner and 2024 Asian champ, faces Demeu Zhadrayev (KAZ), 34, a 71 kg Worlds silver winner way back in 2017.
At 97 kg, Artur Aleksanyan of Armenia is back for a fourth Olympic medal. He won at 98 kg at Rio 2016, has a bronze in London 2012 at 97 kg and a Tokyo silver at 97 kg. He will face Iran’s Mohammad Hadi Saravi, the 2021 World Champion who also won a Tokyo bronze that year.He has followed up with Worlds bronzes in 2022 and 2023.
In the women’s 50 kg freestyle wrestling class, India’s Vinesh Phogat defeated Olympic champ and four-time World Champion Yui Sasaki (JPN) in the first round and has moved through to the final. Phogat won the Worlds bronze in 2023 at 53 kg.
She will face American Sarah Hildebrandt, the Tokyo bronze winner and a four-time Worlds medalist: two silvers and two bronzes, including in 2022 and 2023. This will be the first time the U.S. has done better than bronze in this class.
= INTEL REPORT =
● Olympic Games 2028: Los Angeles ● LA28 announced Autodesk as the “Official Design and Make Platform” for the organizing committee, placing the engineering software company at the center of the enormous development, planning and temporary construction operations for the 2028 Games.
An Autodesk ad will run on NBC during the Paris 2024 closing ceremonies on 11 August and Autodesk Chief Marketing Officer Dara Treseder told Marketing Dive:
“This LA28 partnership is across the board for us. It’s at the very top of the funnel, getting people to learn about Autodesk. Autodesk can be used to design and make anything, Autodesk is helping to bring the LA28 Games to life. …
“We’re very excited about this partnership, it’s not something we’ve ever done before and it’s a big bet for us. But we know this bet is absolutely worth it because the authenticity is there, we know we can have outsized impact driving the business forward.”
● Athletics ● A further explanation of why the Solomon Islands entered marathoner Sharon Firisuas in the women’s 100 m, where she finished her 100 m heat in 14.31 (a lifetime best), ninth in heat four, and 35th overall in the preliminary round.
According to the Solomon Islands National Olympic Committee, Firisua was the only athlete eligible to compete since her name was in the Paris 2024 registration database, although her event was not specified. Said Martin Rara, the NOC President:
“Going to the Olympics even on a wildcard, there is a process; the only reason why Sharon ran the 100 m is because there was no one else in the system.
“If there was anybody else entered into the system, we would have gone with another option, a middle-distance runner or sprinter.”
But in order to maintain a universality place for 2028, Firisua had to run, and did.
● Cycling ● A full recounting of the record-breaking in the women’s Team Sprint at the Velodrome National showed a total of five record-setting performances:
● 45.472 in qualifying by Great Britain (Capewell-Finucane-Marchant)
● 45.377 in round one by Germany (Hinze-Friedrich-Grabosch)
● 45.348 in round one by New Zealand (Andrews-Fulton-Petch)
● 45.338 in round one by Great Britain
● 45.186 in the gold-medal final by Great Britain
The day started with China holding the record at 45.487 from 2023. Said Katy Marchant after the Brits defeated New Zealand for the gold: “I have no words! It’s a dream come true. We’re over the moon! We’ve worked so incredibly hard towards this.”
● Triathlon ● Paris 2024 reported the water-quality readings in the Seine for the triathlon Mixed Relay were sufficient for World Triathlon to allow it to continue. The federation’s level for Enterococci is less than 400 and the four testing points showed levels of 326, 387, 411 and 517 on the day before and then 242 to 378 on the day of the race, with another testing point outside of the race course at 436. Not perfect, but sufficient.
¶
You can receive our exclusive TSX Report by e-mail by clicking here. You can also refer a friend by clicking here, and can donate here to keep this site going.
For our updated, 547-event International Sports Calendar for the rest of 2024 and beyond, by date and by sport, click here!
