Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday: Golden Firsts
July 28, 2021
Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday: Golden Firsts
U.S. women won the first three-on-three basketball gold. Katie Ledecky made history, too.
Katie Ledecky left everyone in her wake in the 1,500 free.
This was the first time women swam the 1,500-meter freestyle at the Olympics. The race lasts 30 laps — yes, 30.
It was a race made for Ledecky, the ultimate distance swimmer.
She finished in 15 minutes 37.34 seconds, more than four seconds ahead of anyone else.
Ledecky has loved the 1,500 since she first raced it when she was 12. She has been nearly impossible to beat in it ever since.
She will try to win the 800-meter freestyle gold for the third time later this week.
Soniia Cheah of Malaysia lost to Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand during the women’s singles badminton quarterfinal.
Men's Preliminary Round handball match between Denmark and Bahrain.
Daiki Hashimoto of Japan celebrating his high bar routine that helped him secure the gold medal at Artistic Gymnastics Men's All-Around.
The Russian team fell just short of a gold medal in the men’s 3x3 basketball competition, when Karlis Lasmanis of Latvia hit a game-winning 2-pointer on the move to seal a 21-18 win.
Fiji won 27-12 over New Zealand in men’s rugby sevens gold medal match.
There are live spectators at very few events in Tokyo. To make up for it, some screens are showing people from around the world.
Daniil Medvedev was dealing with the heat against Fabio Fognini of Italy when the chair umpire asked if he was OK. “I’m fine. I can finish the match but I can die. If I die will the I.T.F. take responsibility?” he responded, referring to the International Tennis Federation.
Synchronized diving is China’s show.
Few Olympic sports are dominated the way synchronized diving is by China. The country has won an astonishing 19 of 24 possible golds since events were added in 2000.
Six judges rate the execution of each dive, while five others evaluate its synchronization.
As divers stand on their boards, one quietly counts to perfect the timing. The divers begin their simultaneous bounces on the springboard and then leap.
Andrew Capobianco and Michael Hixon of the United States won silver on the 3-meter springboard.
