We are into the double digit days now!
CANOE/KAYAKING (FLAT WATER)
Today marked the beginning of flat water canoeing and kayaking – no rapids to worry about. But it wasn’t meant to be for the Canadian paddlers today.
Mark Oldershaw (Men’s Canoe Single (C1) 1000m), Genevieve Orton/Kc Fraser (Women’s Kayak Double (K2) 500m), Andreanne Langlois (Women’s Kayak Single (K1) 200m), and Adam van Koeverden (Men’s Kayak Single (K1) 1000m) all had to paddle in a semifinal (no bye to the final) but none were able to crack the top spots required to earn spots in the medal Finals.
We’ll see these paddlers on Wednesday as they compete in their next events.
TRACK CYCLING
Men’s and Women’s Omnium took place today. It’s like a heptathlon, but with six events, not seven, and on bikes. High speed collisions are not unlikely in the ‘everybody on the track’ events, much like what happened to Canadian rider Allison Beveridge during the Scratch Race when a German rider cut in, clipped wheels and they both went flying down the track bank with tens of fixies trying to avoid a pile up. The Women’s Omnium concludes tomorrow. Beveridge is in 14th place.
On the Men’s side Italy’s Viviani took the Gold medal, followed by GBR’s Mark Cavendish for Silver and Denmark’s Hansen
DIVING – MEN’S 3M SPRINGBOARD
Canada’s Philippe Gagne has qualified for the Semifinal.
GYMNASTICS
More individual apparatus finals today.
Women’s Beam – Simone Biles (USA) picked up another medal, this time Bronze. Teammate Hernandez took Silver and Dutch gymnast Wevers took the Gold medal.
Men’s Rings – Greece’s Eleftherios Petrounias scored a perfect 16.000 to take the Gold! Brazil’s Zanetti was a ‘distant’ Silver with 15.766, Russia’s Abliazin earned Bronze.
Men’s Vault – Russia’s Abliazin was a double medalist today, winning the Silver medal in the vault. North Korea’s Ri Se Gwang won Gold, and Japan’s Kenzo Shirai won Bronze.
SWIMMING – Women’s 10km Open Water
Any worries that the swimmers had about the water quality were put to the back of their minds as 26 women withstood flailing arms, kicks and swells, battling each other for 10km. The Netherlands’ van Rouvendaal touched the finish line with little pressure in 1:56:32.1, though not far behind her, French swimmer Muller was stroke for stroke with Italy’s Bruni and Brazil’s Okimoto. At the last reach, Muller (who slightly veered off course right at the end), tried to get her position back, reaching over/tackling Bruni to slap the board first. However, upon review, Muller was disqualified, moving Bruni into Silver and Brazil’s homegirl Okimoto into Bronze!
Canadian Stephanie Horner finished 23rd, touching at 1:59:22.1
TRACK AND FIELD
Women’s 400m Hurdles – Tonight was the qualification round. Canada will be well-represented in the semis by Sage Watson and Noelle Montcalm. Unfortunately, Chanice Chase went down hard on the final hurdle, but picked herself to finish her race. Her comments after the race, “I’m not going to let this affect me, [I’ll be back better than ever]”
Men’s 110m Hurdles – The hurdlers had to endure a downpour of rain. Organizers eventually postponed Heat 3, but not before Canadian Johnathan Cabral made it through to the semis by finishing top 4 in Heat 2. Semis and Finals continue Tuesday night.
Pole Vault –
Scary things about Pole Vault:
- Launching yourself high into the air
- Relying on your trusty pole, hoping it won’t snap
- Falling near the edge of the mat on the way down
- Stalling in the air and barely making up the depth to get over the bar
- Having the bar fall 6m down onto you while you lay on the mat
Canadian Shawn Barber was favoured by Sports Illustrated to win gold, but missed three times on his second height of 5.65m. He successfully vaulted over 5.50m
The big story was Brazil’s Thiago Braz da Silva. da Silva gave defending Olympic champ Renaud Lavillenie (France) a run for his money. da Silva set a new national record of 5.95m. Lavillenie then set a new Olympic record at 5.98m, da Silva skipped the 5.98m, opting for the bar to be moved up – if he was going to vault a height he’s never done before, it was going to be for gold! Lavi missed, da Silva missed, Lavi missed, da Silva MADE IT! A New Olympic record: 6.03m! Lavi had one more shot and requested for the bar to be moved up to 6.08m (again, these guys are going for the win!). And… he missed!
22 year old, 12th place at the World’s and now Olympic Champion and hometown hero: Thiago.
USA’s Sam Kendricks earned Bronze with 5.85m.
Women’s 400m Final – Bahamas Shaunae Miller (running Lane 7) was leading around the final bend and in the final straightaway, she was being closely rivaled by USA’s Allyson Felix – it was neck and neck until the end when Miller made a last ditch effort and dove across the finish line, edging Felix (49.51) with a time of 49.44, to set a PB. Felix set a season’s best. Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson came third.
VOLLEYBALL – INDOOR MEN’S
Canada vs. Italy in the final round robin match. Not much to say, except that Canada continues to upset the competition, including Italy, the number 1 team in their group! Canada is guaranteed to move onto the next round.
TOMORROW:
- Boxing – Women’s Fly Weight (Canadian Mandy Bujold looking to move past the quarterfinals) – 10am
- Women’s Soccer Canada vs. Germany – 3pm
- Equestrian – All Canadians have made the jumping finals