I don't know how much play this topic will get here, but I believe it's worthwhile. To start things off, here's a nice tidbit re: the U.S.-Australia swimming rivalry.
I think it's more jealous than mad. I believe one or more of their relays beat ours in the last Olympics and they don't seem to understand the meaning of winning with class.
I wondered how they got a swimming pool in Lucas Oil Stadium, but they got 2!!! Here's a Youtube video of the process.
Followup tp the first post in this topic: The 32 year old Australian swimmer, Cate Campbell, who made those comments failed to qualify for the Australian Olympic team. Karma? Yep!
One of the top female 800m runners got tripped on the 1st lap and is out. Seems like there is an unfortunate incident like that in every Olympic Trials and somebody loses out. The USA is strict about you having to win your way on the team, accident not considered. Other countries allow athletes with Olympic resumes still make the team.
Youngest Male USA Olympian...Quincy Wison at 16 will be in the 4x400 relay pool. Good luck to the kid!
Wasn't Michael Phelps 15 in his first Olympics? Quincy Wilson likely is the youngest track athlete. Certainly, his qualifying for the U.S. track team is historic.
Not that many golds so far but a ton of Silver and Bronze have given us the lead in the overall medals. Sort of odd not to see the Russians battling us for the medal lead. I haven't watched that much, but did watch the women's team competition and those ladies are amazing athletes.
Well Scottie Scheffler came out firing cylinders. He shot a 62 today and takes home the Gold Medal, Quite the year for him and he could still win the Fedex Cup. Golf returned to the Olympics in 2016 after a 100+ year absence. Not all of the top players opted in at Tokyo 2020, which had immense COVID implications. But the 2024 men's tournament in Paris reminded us why one of the sport's true global games belonged at the Olympics. The final day's leaderboard was as stacked as you'll see. Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood, Hideki Matsyuama, Tom Kim and Rory McIlroy were among those fighting it out for their countries. Frenchman Victor Perez had a massive final day - going minus-8 - to springboard into contention. But with a 62 final round, it was Scheffler who came out on top for America, taking a one-stroke win over Tommy Fleetwood who took home silver for Great Britain. Japan's Hideki Matsuyama won bronze. Schauffele had won the 2021 Olympic tournament, making it back-to-back golds for the U.S.
Observations on the Olympics. USA should win gold in both men's and women's basketball. Gold in women's soccer is with in our reach, but it's a more competitive field than basketball. Watched a lot of track and field and the Olympics is the only time I watch it, but it was exciting. Watching Swedish pole vaulter set a new World record was inspiring. Except for the fact he's an American, born in Louisiana, grew up in Louisiana, his dad was a vaulter at LSU, where he went to college as well. So why is he competing for Sweden? His mom is/was Swedish which opens the door for him to be a dual citizen. Why he chose to compete for Sweden is beyond me. I always come away from the Olympics wondering why we don't have many schools with men's volleyball teams. It's an exciting and fast sport
The track and field event that I really liked was the 4 by 400 mixed relay. The American men and women easily won their heat and set a world's record. in the finals it looked like another easy win when in the last 100 yds. the Dutch runner came from a distant 4th to win. What an effort by her.
That was pretty amazing run by Ms Bol to make up the distance and get the win. Team USA never saw her coming. I also liked the women's 800 M, won by English runner Keely Hodgkinson who looks more like a model than the fastest woman in the world at 800 meters
Do schools in Europe not have athletics? It seems like all of the younger athletes are going to US universities.
This coming school year, the Indiana High School Athletic Assn. (IHSAA) for the first time will consider boys' VB an official school sport. Just a guess that because it's expensive at the college level to have men's VB and because most good/great players hone their craft at the club level (most HS girls VB players are recruited for college at the club level), the NCAA is leaving it alone. Like I said, just a guess.