The final Grand Slam of 2016 begins on Monday with a new retractable roof the big change awaiting the players in New York City. The retractable roof is ready for operation atop Arthur Ashe Stadium so even if there is rain (though this first week looks pretty dry) action will continue to roll on at least one court at the US Open. There is also a new grandstand stadium (the third largest at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center), and this will be the last year that the old grandstand is used and the last year for the Louis Armstrong Stadium. The old grandstand and Louis Armstrong Stadium will be torn down and replaced be a new, larger, and roofed Louis Armstrong Stadium which will be ready in 2018.
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→
Thursday may be remembered as the day that three Americans who are the greatest Americans ever in their sport, had their signature moment. Kayla Harrison on the judo mat is now not only the only American to ever win gold, she’s won it twice in a row. Simone Biles became the first American woman to win the Olympics all-around and the World Championships all-around (and she has three of those!). And finally in the pool Michael Phelps became the first swimmer ever to win the same event in four straight Olympics and has *22* gold medals now.
Only two golds on Wednesday in the Olympics as the US started the day with an early morning gold in the women’s road time trial thanks to 37-year-old Kristin Armstrong and won a gold to end the day in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay thanks to 19-year-old Katie Ledecky. While the US won two other medals in swimming they also added their second silvers in both diving and fencing.
The US nearly matched their five gold medals from the first three days of the Olympics on Tuesday as some of the biggest names on the team – Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps, and Ryan Lochte all added a gold medal to their resumes. There was the first silver medalist in men’s just since 1992 and the oldest member of the US team won a bronze medal in equestrian at the young age of 52.
Sunday was another strong day for the US with US coming close to gold in both fencing and shotgun before picking up medals. Cycling teased the country with a US rider not even a quarter kilometer from gold, and then swimming brought the house down in the evening with four pairs of swimmers reaching tomorrow night’s finals and, two gold medals, and three other medal. The weather was not great in Rio affecting several events and cancelling the rowing entirely for the day. Catch up on it all and preview Monday in our daily update.
Sunday was another strong day for the US with US coming close to gold in both fencing and shotgun before picking up medals. Cycling teased the country with a US rider not even a quarter kilometer from gold, and then swimming brought the house down in the evening with four pairs of swimmers reaching tomorrow night’s finals and, two gold medals, and three other medal. The weather was not great in Rio affecting several events and cancelling the rowing entirely for the day. Catch up on it all and preview Monday in our daily update.
In a busy day on Saturday US athletes got their Olympics underway in a large range of sports. Medals were up for grabs in a few one-day events and the US didn’t wait long to win their first gold. The first medal of the Olympics for the US was gold and it belonged to Ginny Thrasher, a 19-year-old West Virginia sophomore who had won NCAA championships this spring and ended an incredible six month by winning Olympic gold in the women’s 10m air rifle on the first day of the Olympics. The US would have more chances at gold later in the day but would only take home silver in three swimming events as well as men’s team archery. Continue reading Rio 2016 Daily Update – August 6th→
