Serena gears up to take on her FIRST singles match this morning! GOOD LUCK!
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U.S. men look to build on momentum from gymnastics qualifications.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — In the midst of arguably their finest team performance in a quadrennium, a familiar nemesis provided the U.S. men's gymnastics team with a reminder that nothing comes easily.
Especially on pommel horse. Especially at the Olympics.
While having Chris Brooks and Sam Mikulak go spinning off pommels removed some of the sparkle of an occasionally spectacular Saturday during Olympic preliminaries, it also offered a reality check. As solid as the score of 270.405 points was — second only to two-time defending champion China — the Americans know it can be better during Monday's team finals.
"We just want to keep building momentum," Mikulak said. "I think that's what today was, getting comfortable on the equipment and making a little bit of a statement. Hopefully that statement will carry over and we can carry that momentum to Monday."
Four years ago in London, the Americans dominated qualifying only to slide to fifth with a medal on the line, a fall kickstarted by a forgettable set on pommels. China, which slogged to sixth in prelims, rebounded all the way to the top of the podium.
It's a painful memory that remains fresh for the five men on Team USA, all of whom were involved on the 2012 team in some capacity. This group, they insist, is not that group. They're older. Wiser. And not so caught up in their own hype.
"We were just so pumped up about everything we might have just believed in ourselves that we might have already proven ourselves," Mikulak said. "This time we all know that's not what we're going to do. ... What happened today doesn't matter on Monday."
Russia, Japan, Britain, Brazil, Ukraine and Germany all advanced to the eight-team final, though the sometimes giddy atmosphere — punctuated by host Brazil's euphoric breakthrough in front of a raucous home crowd during the opening session — was tempered by sobering reminders of the sport's ever present danger.
French gymnast Samir Ait Said broke his left leg while trying to land a vault, the crack of the bone shattering upon impact with the mat echoing throughout the arena and the shocking images of Said holding it in his hands instantly going viral.
"It is catastrophic," French teammate Cyril Tommasone said.
Andreas Toba's right knee buckled during his floor routine. While the German managed to compete on pommels, he watched the rest of qualifying in sweat pants with his right leg ramrod straight in a brace, his Olympics over.
"I cried like a little kid," Toba said. "The injury on my knee is big, but the emotional injury is way bigger."
Japan's missteps were far less painful but nearly as startling. Nine months ago after ending China's long run at the top by surging to gold at the world championships, the Japanese looked a bit overcome by the stage at Rio Olympic Arena.
Even typically poised and ever elegant defending Olympic champion Kohei Uchimura wasn't immune to the pressure.
Looking for a gold medal to bookend the one he captured in London, he went sailing off the high bar — an event where he is the reigning world champion — and smacked onto the ground in shock. The miscue means he'll miss the event final. It also cost him the top qualifying score in the all-around. Uchimura's score of 90.498 was second to Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev, one of the rare times Uchimura hasn't found himself looking down at the rest of the field.
The scores will be reset in the individual all-around next Wednesday, though Uchimura is more concerned about getting his team mentally prepared for Monday night.
"We try to perform like the world championships," Uchimura said. "But we know this is the Olympic Games and this makes us stressed out."
The stress didn't get to China, which downplayed Japan's rise at worlds and promised to be ready by Rio. The Chinese posted the top scores on parallel bars and still rings, their three near flawless sets on rings in the final rotation giving them just enough to edge the Americans.
China delivering in the clutch is hardly new. It is new in Brazil, which made the team final for the first time, fueled by an arena that roared with every stuck landing.
The highlight came during three-time Olympic veteran Diego Hypolito's floor exercise. After falling in the 2008 floor final and failing to make the event final in 2012 after a similar mistake, tears streamed down the 30-year-old Brazilian's face after posting a 15.5, good enough for a spot in the floor final later in the games. Yet the tears were not for his score as much for his country.
"This was important for Brazil, it was about the team," Hypolito said. "I've been to three Olympics. This is something we've thought about for a long time. To perform like this, it's a dream."
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — In the midst of arguably their finest team performance in a quadrennium, a familiar nemesis provided the U.S. men's gymnastics team with a reminder that nothing comes easily.
Especially on pommel horse. Especially at the Olympics.
While having Chris Brooks and Sam Mikulak go spinning off pommels removed some of the sparkle of an occasionally spectacular Saturday during Olympic preliminaries, it also offered a reality check. As solid as the score of 270.405 points was — second only to two-time defending champion China — the Americans know it can be better during Monday's team finals.
"We just want to keep building momentum," Mikulak said. "I think that's what today was, getting comfortable on the equipment and making a little bit of a statement. Hopefully that statement will carry over and we can carry that momentum to Monday."
Four years ago in London, the Americans dominated qualifying only to slide to fifth with a medal on the line, a fall kickstarted by a forgettable set on pommels. China, which slogged to sixth in prelims, rebounded all the way to the top of the podium.
It's a painful memory that remains fresh for the five men on Team USA, all of whom were involved on the 2012 team in some capacity. This group, they insist, is not that group. They're older. Wiser. And not so caught up in their own hype.
"We were just so pumped up about everything we might have just believed in ourselves that we might have already proven ourselves," Mikulak said. "This time we all know that's not what we're going to do. ... What happened today doesn't matter on Monday."
Russia, Japan, Britain, Brazil, Ukraine and Germany all advanced to the eight-team final, though the sometimes giddy atmosphere — punctuated by host Brazil's euphoric breakthrough in front of a raucous home crowd during the opening session — was tempered by sobering reminders of the sport's ever present danger.
French gymnast Samir Ait Said broke his left leg while trying to land a vault, the crack of the bone shattering upon impact with the mat echoing throughout the arena and the shocking images of Said holding it in his hands instantly going viral.
"It is catastrophic," French teammate Cyril Tommasone said.
Andreas Toba's right knee buckled during his floor routine. While the German managed to compete on pommels, he watched the rest of qualifying in sweat pants with his right leg ramrod straight in a brace, his Olympics over.
"I cried like a little kid," Toba said. "The injury on my knee is big, but the emotional injury is way bigger."
Japan's missteps were far less painful but nearly as startling. Nine months ago after ending China's long run at the top by surging to gold at the world championships, the Japanese looked a bit overcome by the stage at Rio Olympic Arena.
Even typically poised and ever elegant defending Olympic champion Kohei Uchimura wasn't immune to the pressure.
Looking for a gold medal to bookend the one he captured in London, he went sailing off the high bar — an event where he is the reigning world champion — and smacked onto the ground in shock. The miscue means he'll miss the event final. It also cost him the top qualifying score in the all-around. Uchimura's score of 90.498 was second to Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev, one of the rare times Uchimura hasn't found himself looking down at the rest of the field.
The scores will be reset in the individual all-around next Wednesday, though Uchimura is more concerned about getting his team mentally prepared for Monday night.
"We try to perform like the world championships," Uchimura said. "But we know this is the Olympic Games and this makes us stressed out."
The stress didn't get to China, which downplayed Japan's rise at worlds and promised to be ready by Rio. The Chinese posted the top scores on parallel bars and still rings, their three near flawless sets on rings in the final rotation giving them just enough to edge the Americans.
China delivering in the clutch is hardly new. It is new in Brazil, which made the team final for the first time, fueled by an arena that roared with every stuck landing.
The highlight came during three-time Olympic veteran Diego Hypolito's floor exercise. After falling in the 2008 floor final and failing to make the event final in 2012 after a similar mistake, tears streamed down the 30-year-old Brazilian's face after posting a 15.5, good enough for a spot in the floor final later in the games. Yet the tears were not for his score as much for his country.
"This was important for Brazil, it was about the team," Hypolito said. "I've been to three Olympics. This is something we've thought about for a long time. To perform like this, it's a dream."
Need this 3rd set ladies.....Good luck!
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Win the 1st set....Then fall apart.
Now that's a roommate list. We're on the board.
The Ultimate Olympic Viewer Guide: Aug. 7.
Sunday sets up as another dramatic day in the pool, where heats begin at noon in a session headlined by the women's 400-meter freestyle and the incomparable Katie Ledecky, who won silver as the anchor on Team USA's women's 400-meter freestyle relay, and medal rounds take over in primetime (scroll down for times).
A handful of Team USA athletes will be up much earlier today, though — including Angelica Delgado, the United States’ first judoka in action at the Games. At 52 kg., Delgado’s prelims start in the morning (9 a.m.).
The women's judo 52 kg. medal rounds begin in the afternoon (2:30 p.m.).
Also early, Team USA’s fencing stars Alex Massialas (No. 1 in the world), Miles Chamley-Watson (No. 18) and Gerek Meinhardt (No. 4) will be aiming to advance out of the Round of 32 (9 a.m.). Semifinal bouts are set for the afternoon (3 p.m.), followed by the men's individual foil medal bouts (4:15 p.m.).
Day 2 of equestrian eventing action begins at 10 a.m., with the dressage portion contested today.
Men’s and women’s tennis roll on with first-round matches in both singles and doubles, where the Serena Williams has her first match (the second match on a slate that begins at 9:45 a.m.). Serena will turn things around quickly, too, as she and sister Venus will play their first doubles match (the fourth match on a slate that begins at 10 a.m.).
Women’s rugby sevens, which split games on Saturday, is back in action, this time taking on Australia (12:30 p.m.), with placement games beginning later this afternoon (3 p.m.), followed by the quarterfinals to close out the day (4 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m.).
In cycling, the women’s road race will take place at Copacabana Fort (11:30 a.m.), where, at 42 and in her third Games, Kristin Armstrong will become one of Team USA’s oldest cyclists ever. Megan Guarnier, who may have Team USA's best shot at gold after medaling at the 2015 worlds, Mara Abbott and 2012 Olympian Evelyn Stevens are also in the field.
Men’s canoe and kayak events make their 2016 debut, headlined on Team USA by Casey Eichfeld, who is competing in his third Games, in two runs of canoe slalom (11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.), and Michal Smolen in two runs of kayak slalom (12:28 p.m., 2:28 p.m.).
Ledecky could begin cementing her status as a historic figure in swimming with the 400 freestyle — and, who knows, maybe another world record for the superstar teen. Prelims begin at noon, with Ledecky going in the fourth heat (1:46 p.m.), with finals tonight.
Corey Cogdell-Unrein will have her chance to improve on an Olympic bronze medal in Beijing with gold on the line in the women’s trap shooting final this afternoon (2:45 p.m.). Semifinals begin at 2, with the bronze-medal match set for 2:30.
Life’s a beach for Beijing gold medalist and MVP Phil Dalhausser, who will be looking to avenge a loss in the round of 16 at the London Games when his third Games opens today (3:30 p.m.) in Pool C. The second U.S. women's tandem of Brooke Sweat and Lauren Fendrick also begin their Rio competition today when they face Poland at 10 a.m.
Team USA’s men’s volleyball squad will look to jump out to a 1-0 start, against Canada, this afternoon (4 p.m.), when Reid Priddy, at 38, will officially appear in his fourth Olympic Games. Eight of Team USA’s dozen players are making their Olympic debut.
Like the men yesterday, women’s gymnastics begin today, this time with the eyes of the world on Simone Biles, with qualifying rounds, which began this morning, but Team USA’s rotation begins later (4:30 p.m.). Biles is poised to submit one of the best Olympic gymnastics performance in history, and she'll compete on all four events, as will Olympic champions Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman.
During the night session in the pool, medals will be awarded in:
Sunday sets up as another dramatic day in the pool, where heats begin at noon in a session headlined by the women's 400-meter freestyle and the incomparable Katie Ledecky, who won silver as the anchor on Team USA's women's 400-meter freestyle relay, and medal rounds take over in primetime (scroll down for times).
A handful of Team USA athletes will be up much earlier today, though — including Angelica Delgado, the United States’ first judoka in action at the Games. At 52 kg., Delgado’s prelims start in the morning (9 a.m.).
The women's judo 52 kg. medal rounds begin in the afternoon (2:30 p.m.).
Also early, Team USA’s fencing stars Alex Massialas (No. 1 in the world), Miles Chamley-Watson (No. 18) and Gerek Meinhardt (No. 4) will be aiming to advance out of the Round of 32 (9 a.m.). Semifinal bouts are set for the afternoon (3 p.m.), followed by the men's individual foil medal bouts (4:15 p.m.).
Day 2 of equestrian eventing action begins at 10 a.m., with the dressage portion contested today.
Men’s and women’s tennis roll on with first-round matches in both singles and doubles, where the Serena Williams has her first match (the second match on a slate that begins at 9:45 a.m.). Serena will turn things around quickly, too, as she and sister Venus will play their first doubles match (the fourth match on a slate that begins at 10 a.m.).
Women’s rugby sevens, which split games on Saturday, is back in action, this time taking on Australia (12:30 p.m.), with placement games beginning later this afternoon (3 p.m.), followed by the quarterfinals to close out the day (4 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m.).
In cycling, the women’s road race will take place at Copacabana Fort (11:30 a.m.), where, at 42 and in her third Games, Kristin Armstrong will become one of Team USA’s oldest cyclists ever. Megan Guarnier, who may have Team USA's best shot at gold after medaling at the 2015 worlds, Mara Abbott and 2012 Olympian Evelyn Stevens are also in the field.
Men’s canoe and kayak events make their 2016 debut, headlined on Team USA by Casey Eichfeld, who is competing in his third Games, in two runs of canoe slalom (11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.), and Michal Smolen in two runs of kayak slalom (12:28 p.m., 2:28 p.m.).
Ledecky could begin cementing her status as a historic figure in swimming with the 400 freestyle — and, who knows, maybe another world record for the superstar teen. Prelims begin at noon, with Ledecky going in the fourth heat (1:46 p.m.), with finals tonight.
Corey Cogdell-Unrein will have her chance to improve on an Olympic bronze medal in Beijing with gold on the line in the women’s trap shooting final this afternoon (2:45 p.m.). Semifinals begin at 2, with the bronze-medal match set for 2:30.
Life’s a beach for Beijing gold medalist and MVP Phil Dalhausser, who will be looking to avenge a loss in the round of 16 at the London Games when his third Games opens today (3:30 p.m.) in Pool C. The second U.S. women's tandem of Brooke Sweat and Lauren Fendrick also begin their Rio competition today when they face Poland at 10 a.m.
Team USA’s men’s volleyball squad will look to jump out to a 1-0 start, against Canada, this afternoon (4 p.m.), when Reid Priddy, at 38, will officially appear in his fourth Olympic Games. Eight of Team USA’s dozen players are making their Olympic debut.
Like the men yesterday, women’s gymnastics begin today, this time with the eyes of the world on Simone Biles, with qualifying rounds, which began this morning, but Team USA’s rotation begins later (4:30 p.m.). Biles is poised to submit one of the best Olympic gymnastics performance in history, and she'll compete on all four events, as will Olympic champions Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman.
During the night session in the pool, medals will be awarded in:
- Women's 100-meter butterfly (9:03 p.m.): Dana Vollmer, who lost her Olympic record on Saturday to world-record holder Sarah Sjostrom during the semis, returns to defend her Olympic title after recording the fourth-fastest semis time.
- Men's 100-meter breaststroke (9:53 p.m.): Team USA's Kevin Cordes, after finishing second in his Saturday semifinal, is a medal threat, as is Cody Miller, who finished second in his own semi.
- Women's 400-meter freestyle (10:01 p.m.): Can Ledecky break a world record on her march to multiple medals?
- Men's 4x100-meter freestyle (10:52 p.m.): Always thrilling, the event may have the added significance of Michael Phelps' first chance to medal in his fifth Olympics, while Olympic 100-meter free champion Nathan Adrian is a lock.
Happy Sunday from Rio!
Good luck Serena.....Play well!
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It`s a murder in the 1st degree.
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On to Semis for Corey Cogdell,qualifies 4th of 6 in Women's Trap.....Semis start at 2 pm ET.....Good luck Girl!
American Kathleen Baker turned in the fastest time of the morning and the 10th-fastest time ever in the prelims of the 100 back Sunday afternoon 
58.84). Baker will be joined in Sunday night's semifinals by teammate Olivia Smoliga, who finished 5th in prelims with a time of :59.60. The US has won gold in the event in each of the last three Olympics.
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58.84). Baker will be joined in Sunday night's semifinals by teammate Olivia Smoliga, who finished 5th in prelims with a time of :59.60. The US has won gold in the event in each of the last three Olympics.
Rafa is obviously not an American...I`ve always been a fan though...Good luck to him...Been dealing with a lot of injuries lately...He plays this afternoon.
121 pts is a new U.S. Olympic record for points in a game.
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