Queer Icon Laurie Hernandez is America’s Favorite Commentator
Two-time Olympian medalist Laurie Hernandez first captured America’s heart on Team USA, but she’s done it again as a commentator for this year’s games. Her fresh perspective, appreciation for the sport, and ability to explain exactly how amazing the athletes are in an approachable way have made watching women’s gymnastics even more exciting. Here’s to hoping she has a permanent spot behind the desk!
Sha’Carri Richardson Makes Her Olympic Debut
Speaking of queer icons, Sha’Carri Richardson smoked her competition in the first-round heat on the 100-meter dash. She had a meh start and jogged her way to the finish and still managed to get a time of 10.94. For perspective, the world record is currently 10.49 seconds, which was set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988. Richardson races on Saturday, August 3rd, in the semi-final rounds in hopes of making it to the final race later the same day.
Team USA Sets World Record in 4×400 Mixed Relay
The co-ed track event, the 4×400 Mixed Relay, was introduced in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, and Team USA is already making its mark in this race. Vernon Norwood, Shamier Litte, Bryce Deadmon, and Kaylyn Brown made history with a time of 3:07.4 in first-round heats, breaking their own record. They’ll be going for the gold on Saturday, August 3rd.
Both Team USA Volleyball Teams Advance To Round of 16
Team USA’s Beach Volleyball duos Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss and Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng have officially won their pools and are both advancing to the next round which begins Sunday, August 4th. Depending on their performances, there’s a chance that there will be a USA vs. USA match for the gold medal. Best of luck to both teams!
Women’s Water Polo Advanced To Top 8
Team USA Women’s Water Polo team is advancing to the quarterfinals to continue chasing their 4th consecutive gold medal. Ten team members were able to find the net to dominate France 17-5. Let’s go ladies!
Sha’Carri Richardson Wins Silver in 100 Meter Race
In the highly anticipated 100 m finals, all 3 of Team USA’s runners were at the starting line: Sha’Carri Richardson, Melissa Jefferson, and Twanisha Terry. Sha’Carri Richardson won silver, second only to Julien Alfred, who won St. Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal. Melissa Jefferson also made it to the podium, winning bronze.
Katie Ledecky Wins 9th Gold Medal, The Most of Any American Female Athlete Ever
Katie Ledecky continues to dominate swimming, finishing first yesterday in the 800 m freestyle. This is her ninth Olympic gold medal (14th overall), breaking the record for most Olympic gold medals won by a female athlete. It ties her with Larisa Latynina, a Soviet gymnast who won nine golds in the 1950s and 1960s, of any woman in Olympic history. This is Ledecky’s last race of the Paris Olympics, but it seems she is already setting her sights on the LA Olympics in 2028.
Simone Biles, Jade Carey, and Suni Lee All Medal in Gymnastics Specialty Events
Team USA showed the world once again how gymnastics is done. On August 3rd, Simone Biles won her third gold medal in the vault. She was joined by teammate Jade Carey for bronze. Early on August 4th, Suni Lee placed third in the uneven bars. Tomorrow, Team USA will take on the floor and balance beam.
Feel Good Story of the Day: Australian Saya Sakakibara Wins BMX Gold After Traumatic Setbacks
Australian BMX cyclist Saya Sakakibara started racing as a small child, following in the footsteps of her brother, Kai. The two of them trained together, lived together, and even won together. They both quickly rose the ranks of BMX racing, until Kai was in a major accident that left him with a TBI and in a coma for 2 months. He eventually woke up and began the long road to recovery, and Saya was with him every step of the way. Even though this sport devastated her brother, she kept training and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. In the semi-final round, Saya crashed, was carried off on a stretcher, and suffered a major concussion. She almost quit the sport, but she decided to keep going for her brother. She wore her brother’s competing number, #77, in this year’s Olympics with her brother watching on. She made it through every round and eventually won the gold medal for Australia, herself, and Kai.
Team USA Sets World Record in 4×100 Medley Swimming Relay
Once again, the women of Team USA are dominating the pool. Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske participated in the 4×100 meter medley relay, which is an event where each swimmer races a different style: back stroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle. The team finished in 3:49.63, beating the world record (set in 2019 by a different USA team) by almost a second.
Women’s Basketball: USA Advanced Undefeated, Nigeria Makes Olympic History
Team USA has remained undefeated for the entire Paris Olympic Games, and yesterday, they defeated Germany to advance to secure the number one seed and head to the quarterfinal round. Team USA has been undefeated in basketball since 1992. Meanwhile, Nigeria has had a difficult road to get to the Olympics. After the team was denied entry to Nigeria’s opening ceremony boat for “not having enough space”, they missed the festivities plus their morning practice. In addition, their travel accommodations were spotty at best. However, Nigeria has used these setbacks to motivate them, and for the first time in Olympic history, they are going through to the quarterfinal round.
USA’s Kristen Faulkner Wins Gold in Road Race Cycling After Being Added to the Team Less Than a Month Before the Olympics
Alaskan native Kristen Faulker was a collegiate rower, but she fell in love with cycling after attending a free clinic when she moved to NYC. She was originally going to be on the track cycling team, but a month before the games, a teammate who was competing in the road race dropped out to focus on the triathlon. Faulkner was put in her place, and she finished the race first, winning the gold for Team USA for the first time in 40 years.
Italian Gymnast Alice D’Amato Wins Italy’s First Gymnastics Gold Medal
Yesterday was a tough day for women’s gymnastics participants in the balance beam final. Gymnast after gymnast, including Suni Lee and Simone Biles, were falling off in a major way. Commentator Laurie Hernandez even said during the broadcast, “they put butter on the beam.” In the end, Alice D’Amato was able to stay on the equipment and earned Italy their first-ever gold medal in gymnastics.
