Grabbing three golds and two bronze medals on Sunday the US wrapped up Rio with 46 gold medals and 121 total medals. The 46 golds matched the total from four years ago in London as the most at a summer games other than the exceptional 1908 and 1984 Olympics and the the 121 total medals are the third most behind 1908 and 1984. The US had never won more than 110 medals in any Olympics other than those two years so this was a major successful medal haul from the US. Individually speaking Sunday saw golds from heavy favorites (men’s basketball and Claressa Shields), a gold from a rising young wrestling star (Kyle Snyder), a newcomer to the marathon that took bronze in just his second ever marathon (Galen Rupp), and a comeback story bronze (both in Rio and in their match on Sunday) on the volleyball court.
A big medal haul of 11 on Saturday including five more golds, including a surprising track win, brought the US to 114 total, their best Olympics since Los Angeles in 1984 (174) and third all time behind 1904 St. Louis as well (239). Those two Olympics are very unique and will probably never be surpassed so the US total in Rio is noteworthy. The 43 golds the US has in Rio are within striking distance of Beijing’s 46 for second most all-time behind 1984 and 1904. The US should take gold in men’s basketball and women’s boxing on Sunday but the question is if they can find one more gold to take home from Rio in perhaps the marathon or wrestling.
Five more medals for the US on Friday pushed them to 105 total, passing their London total and now within five of their total from Beijing. The US medal winning was diverse with golds in a track relay, BMX, and water polo including great stories in track and BMX of gold medalists who thought their Olympic dreams might have been over.
Thursday was all about the track and field for the US where they won six medals including a 1-2 shot put finish and a 1-3 women’s 400m hurdles finish. The US also had Ashton Eaton claim the “World’s Greatest Athlete” title for the second straight Olympics and had their first ever women’s wrestling gold medalist in a huge upset.
A nine medal haul on Wednesday that had only two golds but five performances that were better than any non-Americans in the field as the US went 1-2 in women’s long jump and the women’s 100m hurdles. There was also the best US finish in the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 64 years and the US continue their streak of taking a beach volleyball in every Olympics it’s been contested at.
The US got back atop the medal stand Tuesday with two golds on a day where the US had an impressive four medal in gymnastics and went 1-2 in both the events they won gold. There was also the first sailing medal for the US since Beijing and the first EVER women’s 1500m medal in the 44 year history of the event for the US. The women’s basketball and volleyball teams also advanced but there was an upset in beach volleyball.
Monday was the first time in Rio that the US failed to take home a gold medal and the six total medals were the lowest number for a single day since the first day of the games. The two biggest highlights of the day were Allyson Felix barely losing a photo finish in the women’s 400m as she took silver and Laurie Hernandez winning a silver on the balance beam as the US women’s gymnastics team has four medals through three apparatus finals.
The US took home nine medal on Sunday in Rio including the first ever gold and silver for one country in the same tennis event, Simone Biles’ 3rd gold of Rio, a medal in the first ever Olympic golf event, and the first US medal in 16 years in weightlifting.
The US wrapped up a remarkable Olympics in the pool where the US won HALF of the events and 33 medals in 32 events. In addition on Saturday there was a gold in rowing and a gold in the long jump. Swimming is done but track and field is kicking into full speed going into a Sunday that features two marquee events in the 100m and the 400m.
Another incredible night for the US in the pool capped off a Friday that featured a medal in fencing that hadn’t happened in 84 years, tennis bronze, a medal for the sixth straight Olympics by a shotgun athlete, and an equestrian bronze. The US also took home medals in archery and boxing on perhaps the most diverse and busiest day of the games for the US. Continue reading Rio 2016 Daily Update – August 12th→
