After the second weekend of the Olympics, I see things completely different than a week ago. Things have really heated up and it's been great to watch. Here are the things that have stood out:
- Medal Count (as it stands today)
1. China - 65 overall with 32 golds
2. USA - 64 overall with 29 golds
- Gabby Douglas and US Gymnastics
It was inspiring watching the US women win gymnastics as a team once again. They performed well and they completely deserved it. Even more amazing is the story of Douglas, who has emerged from nowhere. She didn't do well yesterday on the uneven bars, but she got the gold in overall gymnastics. She has been a bright light for our country throughout the games.
- Michael Phelps goes out on Top
There isn't any question after these games that Michael Phelps is indeed the greatest Olympian of all time. After a slow start last week, he picked it up in the pool winning his final 4 events upping his totals to 22 overall medals and 18 golds. Both are records! He is officially done and will retire. What a way to end though.
- Murray Delivers for Home Country - America Dominance too
After failing to deliver the coveted Wimbledon win, Andy Murray bounced back to defeat Roger Federer for the gold medal on the same court. It was an amazing performance and he deserved it. The other side of that story is that despite wanting the singles gold more than any other title this year, Federer couldn't get it. He likely won't be playing at all or at the top of the game in four years (for the next Olympics), so he will never add that to his resume. Its his only blemish!
For years people have said that America has lost its grip on tennis. And while that may be true in men's singles, that isn't the case across the board. The US won 3 gold medals and a bronze in five events. Serena Williams completed the Golden Slam by winning in singles. She teamed with her sister to win the gold again in doubles. She is the first person ever to win the Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. The Bryan Brothers continued the sibling theme to win gold in men's doubles, also completing the Golden Slam. Mike teamed with Raymond to win bronze in mixed. Great US performance here.
- US Basketball Dominance
With all the talk about the original Dream Team, the men's squad this year has won pool play in impressive fashion. They only had one close game, but they had another game that set nearly every record in Olympic Basketball history. They have been impressive, although really miss inside players like Howard, Bynum, Blake, and Aldridge. Wade would have helped too. Only then could they have been close to the original Dream Team.
The women have been just as dominant and may be the best Olympic squad ever. That haven't had any close games and will likely roll to the gold with ease.
- Usain Bolt does it Again
He became a household name in Beijing. Now, he backed it up with a very impressive performance. In what may have been the best field ever, Usain Bolt proved he is still the fastest man in the world.
- New Stars Emerge
Along with Gabby Douglas, other names have become popular in these games. Missy Franklin exploded onto the scene in swimming. Women's boxers have been a nice focal point as that sport is very new. Gibbs/Rosenthal are our only hope to win beach volleyball as old cornerstones Rogers/Dalhauser got upset.
- Controversy and Excitement in Soccer
The US women advanced in soccer and will play for gold. In the semifinals though they were the beneficiaries of a couple shady calls. The time delay and handball call led to their late game-tying goal. It was exciting to watch the overtime extra time header though.
Enjoy the rest of the Olympics folks. Don't miss out cause you won't be able to see it again until 2016!
Andrew
No comments:
Post a Comment