Biggest Rivalry At Olympics Finally Here; Spencer Lee Is A Madman; Relay Gold For USA? (Olympics Day 17 Preview)
The Gold Medals keep rolling in for Team USA…
UPDATED AS OF 12:00 AM EST ON AUGUST 9th
They are currently ahead of pace from Tokyo 2020 by a few Gold Medals… but I must note that this race is very far from over.
If you recall, the United States needed a miracle on the last day of Tokyo 2020 to surpass China and win the Gold Medal count. Right now things remain tight and while they have the edge on the pace three years ago, it doesn't factor in that three Gold Medals from those Games won't be repeated, or are likely out of reach: Women's Water Polo (shocking upset loss on Thursday), Men's Freestyle Wrestling 86 kg (shocking upset loss on Thursday), and Women's Gold (Nelly Korda with disastrous 15 & 16 to likely play herself off the podium). Now that's not to say the United States won't make up for it in other spots, because they are favorites to pick up Gold in the following races on the track that they didn't win it at Tokyo 2020: Men's 400m Hurdles, and Men's 4x100m Relay. You'll also read later on in this preview how it is likely they'll pick up a Gold in the Men's Wrestling Freestyle 57 kg weight class.
Basically, let's not panic yet, or be too concerned. Going into Saturday we will have a pretty good idea as to what will be needed in order to bring home the Gold Medal count yet again.
Also, I need to own up to be dead wrong about the fact it didn't matter Sebia had seen Team USA in Men's Basketball twice before… because it clearly mattered a little. With that said, I will take a bow for noting the importance of Embiid playing better, and calling the Steph Curry game…
…one of the best basketball games I've ever seen, and just another reason watching these greats come together for the Stars & Stripes is so awesome. I had goosebumps watching them celebrate the comeback. This team fucking rules.
Friday in Paris is a big one, and once again we begin with the track…
EPIC 400m HURDLES RIVALRY & SHOWDOWN
It's been three years since Karsten Warholm of Norway obliterated the Men's 400m Hurdles World Record (one that he owned), beating the United States' Rai Benjamin in the process. Fast forward to 2024 in Paris and it is Benjamin who enters the finals of the Men's 400m Hurdles as the favorite to dethrone Warholm and take home his first individual Gold Medal.
I've mentioned this a few times over the last few weeks, but the rivalry between Benjamin, Warholm, and Brazil's Alison dos Santos is probably the best rivalry in all of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The three men I just mentioned are the fast men to ever run the 400m Hurdles, owning, combined, the 17 fastest times ever ran in the event, and 24 of the Top 25.
While the 400m Hurdles for the Women wasn't a contest, as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone dominated in a fashion that is…
FUCKING INSANE, the Men's 400m Hurdles is going to a likely epic, and close finish, despite the fact Benjamin is the favorite by a larger-than-expected margin. Do not miss this race, which will have the gun go off around 3:45|2:45c on Friday.
DOUBLE GOLD FOR USA 4x100 RELAY TEAMS?
Let's start with the Men's 4x100m Relay.
I have good news and bad news. The bad news? Noah Lyles, the 100m Gold Medalist, is leaving Paris after his COVID-19 issues, so he won't be in this race for Team USA, which is a tough blow. The good news? Jamaica is, shockingly, not in the Finals of this race. Somehow, they failed to qualify. By somehow, I mean they sucked at the baton exchange…
A shocking result and, while countries such as Great Britain, South Africa, and Italy can definitely push the United States, their real threat was Kishane Thompson, Oblique Seville, and Jamaica. Without them in the Final, it sort of washes out the fact Noah Lyles won't be there.
There seems to be five guys who will be considered for a spot in the 4x100m Relay for the men: Fred Kerley, Christian Coleman, Courtney Lindsey, Kyree King, & Kung-Fu Kenny Bednarek. The first four guys were on the Semi-Finals team, with Bednarek not running due to the 200m later that day. I would think Bednarek finds his way on the 4x100m Relay team, which would mean that likely Lindsey or King gets the boot (I think it would be King) for the Finals.
Regardless of the question marks, Team USA didn't have their top team in the Semi-Finals and, for the most part, dusted a field of teams fielding their best runners. They should be fine tomorrow as they look to grab the Men's 4x100m Relay Gold Medal for the first time since the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Let's turn our attention to the Women's 4x100m Relay.
While they didn't quite separate as much as the men, the Team USA women also won their Semi-Final.
Had it not been for a rough exchange from TeeTee Terry to 200m Gold Medalist Gabby Thomas, I suspect the United States women would have separated themselves by a much larger distance. There isn't a soul in the race tomorrow who will chase down Sha'Charri Richardson, who is poised to win her first Gold Medal, and there likely isn't anyone who can even hold her off. After blowing by Germany to finish off the race, the United States solidified their spot at the favorite in this race. The only real test for them will be Great Britain, and even then, it's not expected to be close at all. The lineup shouldn't change either, as the three women I mentioned above will be joined again by Women's 100m Bronze Medalist Melissa Jefferson.
If all goes well, the United States will have their first Gold Medal since the Rio 2016 Olympics, but also I am going to show them breaking the World Record at London 2012 instead…
…I was at that race as, and it was fucking insane. I was also at this race…
…which is the greatest one of all time, and the fastest.
SPENCER LEE FUCKING RULES
Where the Hawkeyes fans at?
This is what happens when you face Spencer Lee:
The American wrestling team is off to a hot start, winning two Gold Medals already thanks the women's side of the team, and poised to take home a few other pieces of hardware. One of the men wrestling on Thursday was Spencer Lee, who is in his first Olympics after passing on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to injuries. He beat the fucking shit out of everyone and will wrestle for Gold on Friday. He came into the Olympics with a 27-0 record in senior freestyle matches, and hopefully will leave a crisp 30-0 with a Gold Medal.
Aaron Brooks of Team USA had a great start on Thursday, upsetting the number-one seed in his weight class, but had a shocking loss in the final seconds of the semi-finals, so he will wrestle for Bronze on Friday. Penn State legend David Taylor won in the same weight class (86 kg) in the previous Olympics in Tokyo.
There are a few more Team USA men who have yet to wrestle, including Ohio State legend and two-time Olympic medalist Kyle Snyder, but Kyle Dake is the one I have my eye on. His journey starts on Saturday as he looks to finally break through for his first Olympic Gold Medal. The man has racked up 11 Gold Medals while donning the red, white, & blue, but none at the Olympics, and all after a collegiate career which saw him win four straight NCAA National Championships from 2010 through 2013. The man's legacy needs an Olympic Gold Medal!
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- Basketball: The Team USA Women are not expected to have as tough of a test as the men had, as they get ready to take on Australia with a trip to the Gold Medal Game on the line. Reminder that the women are on a 58-game winning streak, are looking for a Gold Medal to complete an EIGHT-PEAT.
- Water Polo: The United States' dynasty in Women's Water Polo ended on Thursday with a heart-breaking shootout loss to Australia as they will now fail to win four straight Gold Medals. But the men are not out of it yet! They have a Semi-Finals match on Friday against Serbia early in the morning. They've never won Gold in an official capacity at the Olympic Games, and have only medaled one time since 1990, a Silver Medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
- Volleyball: It was a tragic end for the Team USA men, who had a 2-set-to-1 lead on Poland in the Semi-Finals, but now find themselves taking on powerhouse Italy in the Bronze Medal Match. While Bronze isn't Gold, taking down Italy to sit on the podium would be no joke. That match starts in the morning at 10:00|9:00c.
- Beach Volleyball: The United States isn't involved, but the Gold Medal & Bronze Medal matches in Beach Volleyball for the women should be great, and those start in the afternoon at 3:00|2:00c.
- Breaking: Don't call it Break Dancing! Breaking makes its debut in the Olympics (before it leaves, as it will not be a part of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics) on Friday with the women's competition where the United States' Logistx and Sunny will compete.
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That's all for now. Go Team USA. See you tomorrow.