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.
Iris Wang for the second straight event had a real close and competitive match but was unable to advance, losing in three games to He Bingjiao of China in Australia. Wang and Bingjiao traded the lead in the first game with Wang up 19-18 before Bingjiao got the last laugh by winning the last three points to take the game 21-19. In game two it was Wang with the late run coming back from down 17-15 to win six of the last seven points and take the game 21-18. In game three Wang never saw the lead and never was even after an early 3-3 score as Bingjiao pulled away for a 21-14 win. Wang was within one at 11-10 but after a 5-0 run by Bingjiao never got any closer than five points.
This was the last Super Series event before the Olympics, where Wang will compete for the US. The next Super Series event is in Tokyo, Japan starting September 20th.
Previous Badminton Super Series Coverage:
Australia Preview
Beiwen Zhang had as good a day as anyone on Sunday at the US Badminton National Championships as she won national titles in both women’s singles and women’s doubles. Zhang took care of Ariel Lee in the singles final and wasn’t tested in a 20 minute 21-7, 21-7 win. She joined partner Jing Yu Hong to wrap up a perfect 5-0 weekend in women’s doubles with a dominant opening game 21-0 over #2 seed Deepti Reddy and Yen-Fang Wang before a 21-11 result in game two. Zhang didn’t go three-for-three though as she and partner Yoga Pratama were unable to compete in the mixed doubles final, handing it to Phillip Chew and Jamie Subandhi on a walkover. It seems the issue was with Pratama who also withdrew from his men’s singles third place match. It was back-to-back titles for Zhang in singles and Zhang and Yu Hong in doubles.
The Olympic men’s doubles team of Chew and Sattawat Pongnairat lost their final to Mu He and Ricky Xiu Liuzhou 21-16, 21-13 and Pongnairat also lost the men’s singles final to Charles Gu 21-8, 21-12.
Iris Wang will be competing in the Australian Badminton Open on Wednesday. She opens with He Bingjiao of China. Wang has yet to advance at a Super Series event this year in three tries.
Previous US Badminton National Championships Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update
Previous Badminton Super Series Coverage:
Indonesia Recap
The favorites dominated on day two of the US Badminton National Championships with some really dominant performances on Saturday. In women’s doubles Beiwen Zhang and Jing Yu Hong didn’t see any of the six games they played in go past 21-7 as they needed just 55 total minutes to win three matches 2-0 and get to 4-0 for the event. They face #2 seed Deepti Reddy and Yen-Fang Wang in their final match who are 3-1 so far. Zhang won twice in women’s singles (both with 21-5 and 21-6 games) and will face Ariel Lee in the final on Sunday.
The men’s doubles team of Phillip Chew and Sattawat Pongnairat won their opener easily 21-2, 21-6. The second matchup was a bit harder but they led 21-12, 5-1 before their opponents retired. The semifinal matchup was a real contest though and they dropped the first game 20-22 to Charles Gu and Sheng Lyu but came back to win the next two 21-17. 21-15. They will face Mu He and Ricky Xiu Liuzhou in the final on Sunday.
In mixed doubles Chew and Jamie Subandhi got 21-7, 21-5 and 21-14, 21-10 wins to advance to Sunday’s final. Their second win came over defending champion Yu Hong and her partner this year, Abhishek Ahlawat, who did win two matches to start the day. Chew/Subandhi will face Yoga Pratama and Zhang in the final. Zhang has three finals on Sunday.
Previous US Badminton National Championships Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Most of the top competitors at the US Badminton National Championships didn’t have to play at all on Friday night to open the event. That wasn’t the case for Beiwen Zhang and Jing Yu Hong in women’s doubles. The defending national championships faced Ariel Lee and Sydney Lee and emerged with a 21-10, 21-9 win. The women’s doubles field is just six deep so there is a round robin competition going on while the other competitions are elimination tournaments.
Things continue on Saturday with the rest of the top competitors getting in to action.
Previous US Badminton National Championships Coverage:
Preview
Some of the best US Badminton athletes will be heading to West Palm Beach, Florida for the National Championships starting on Friday. Titles will be awarded in men’s and women’s singles as well as men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles.
Of note in the field…
Men’s doubles – the US Olympic team of Phillip Chew and Sattawat Pongnairat is seeded #1
Women’s singles – defending champion Beiwen Zhang, reached the quarterfinals on the Singapore Open in April and is seeded #1
Women’s doubles – Jing Yu Hong/Zhang are defending their national championship and seeded #1
Mixed doubles – Chew and Jamie Subandhi, the US Olympic team, are seeded #1. Defending champion Yu Hong is paired with Abhishek Ahlawat this year and unseeded.