Back to Primetime last night--I actually missed some stuff yesterday afternoon, so I will paying closer attention this time. Tirico takes to the conclusion of the Men's 10,000m final--good plan to skip the 30 minutes of guys going around the track--Grant Fisher of the US gets on the medal podium in a final dash. Then it's off to Men's Synchonized 3m Springboard Diving (that's a mouthful). The US blows it early, and Mexico improbably moves into the top spot at one point (perhaps helped by El Santo in the audience). But despite errors, China still takes it in the end. This is Cynthia Potter's final time in the booth after 9 QISE's.
Snoop drops by to show his "greatest hits" of the QISE so far, and then off to the track for the Mixed 4x400m Relay (this was added in 2020). The heats are fun to watch--the US outfits are giving the TV cameras a fit. Then it's shotput, with Peyton interviewing Ryan Crouser--he's already won gold twice, and qualifies easily. Sha'Carri Richardson gets her video package (narrated by Beyonce) before she easily qualifies for the 100m. The Men's 1500m also gets a video package before the heats.
Caeleb Dressel gets a video package on his mental travails prior to the 50m Free--blink and you miss it. France wins, Dressel misses the podium. The "Event of the Night" is the Women's 200m Back--Aussie win, US silver. Then it's the Men's 200m IM--all Marchand, all the time. Then it's semis to fill the gap (with an emphasis on Dressel not making it to finals) before another Tirico whiparound--a (not) Russkie wins in Trampoline, US is eliminated in Futbol, some Tennis and Golf, and the Equestrian Team finals (US wins silver). Tirico then talks about the “Gold Rush Weekend”--there’s 51 golds up for grabs, including Gymnastics, Swimming, and Track.
Some SNLer’s do a Race Walking bit (with more promotion for SNL50)--they are very grating. Another medal count--US is either first or third, and then a review of the first week from the French perspective, wrapping with a Marchand medal ceremony.
Late Night (watched on Peacock, where they have it effectively buried), with Maria Taylor in an empty stadium (it is the wee hours there) throwing it to BMX Racing. The French sweep the Men’s final, while a Lady Aussie takes her final. Taylor talks to Suni and Jordan about their Gymnastics so far. We hear “Like” a lot. Then it’s 3x3 B-Ball (”She had the game in her hands like a Nintendo DS!”) and a whiparound. Taylor then hypes “Gold Rush Weekend” (I think we’re going to hear this phrase A LOT). Then it’s an interview with swimmer Simone Manuel.
Onto today’s coverage--Lowe formally introduces “Gold Rush Weekend” (see?), then the Men’s Cycling Road Race. It’s a 6 and a half hour event (170 miles), so
we do cut over to more swim heats. I’m noticing that the analysts are losing their voices from screaming so much. Back to the bikes, then off to the track--Noah Lyles begins his journey to the 100m. There’s also the Discus--I am always concerned for the poor officials keeping an eye on the incoming missiles. Meanwhile, the Decathlon is in its final rounds, running Discus as well. Pole Vault qualifications are running. Just a lot going on.
Back to the pool for 4x100 Medley Relay heats. Relays mean DQ’s due to mistimed handoffs, and the men and women have them. Back to cycling, then Lowe and Melvin interview Casey Haufhold, who won bronze in Team Archery. Again, it’s all about controlling your nerves. Then back to cycling, then Sesame Street’s Elmo is with the Men’s Rowers. I’ve always considered Elmo to be annoying. And more cycling. Fareed checks out the Velodrome (which I enjoy more than the road races). Speaking of--I fast forwarded through a few hours of that.
NBC finally broke up the monotony with Simone Biles and the Women’s Vault final. It’s daytime, so it’s gee-whiz Hernandez in the booth. Biles sails through, and Jade Carey--who’s had stomach issues all week--grabbed the bronze. Then it’s Basketball, and a lot of fast-forwarding--the Millionaire Cheaters won.
Back to the track, and to the “Repechage”--a second chance qualifier for events such as the 1500m. Meanwhile, the Men’s Shotput is going on, as well as Women’s 100m semis.
The next hour and a half is packed with track and swims. Men’s 100m Fly swim (Hungary wins), Crouser wins the Shotput as expected (3rd consecutive gold), Mixed 4x400m Relay Run in the rain (Netherlands takes it at the very end over the US), Women’s 200m IM swim (Canada’s McIntosh wins, while US gets the bronze--Alex Walsh got a DQ).
Triple Jump and some of the races were delayed due to heavy rain, but then we made it to the Women’s 200m final--Saint Lucia wins, with Sha’Carri getting silver. This is the first medal for Saint Lucia since they joined QISE in 1996. Back to the pool, and Ledecky’s 800m Free--she now has 14 medals, with 9 golds. Most medals by an American woman, most ever by a female swimmer, and ties for the most golds by a woman with Russkie gymnast Larisa Latynina from the 1950s and 60’s.
Back to the track for the Decathlon, and Dominica wins its first medal in the Triple Jump (the US wins its first medal in the sport). There’s a bizarre occurrence in the Pole Vault qualifying: Frenchman Anthony Ammirati misses his shot due to his, well, package, which knocks down the pole. Track wraps up with the Decathlon 1500m--Norway wins it (they last won over a century ago). Back to the pool and the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay Final--the US wins gold (finally!) in World Record time.
Back to the Gym for Men’s Floor Exercise (the US isn’t in the mix, so it’s been buried at the end of the day). The Philippines take it for the first time. Tirico vamps with a documentary on veterans returning to the beaches of Normandy (sponsored by Delta Airlines), then more Floor Exercise, and the finals of Rowing “Eights”, with Romania winning the Women’s and Team GB winning the Men’s. Medal Count--US is now ahead by 20 over France in terms of total medals.
More to come.
#vivalaqise2024