First, a postscript to yesterday’s daytime coverage--Team GB, Sky Brown, 16-year old bronze medalist in skateboarding, came by to talk to Fareed in the apartment/studio. The story here--she was the OLDEST on the podium.
OK, onto Prime Time. Tirico shows us the end of Women’s Futbol (US Women onto the gold medal match), before moving onto--more Track semis??? A rerun of Women’s Diving (China own the event), more semis--and a video package for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the US (her husband is her coach). She wins her semi in a “walk”. There’s also Field event reruns (very edited). Two more SNLers talk with Tirico (synergy with the 50th anniversary coming up). It’s a VERY awkward fit.
The “Event of the Night” finals--the Men’s 1500m (US takes gold and bronze in a QISE record), Women’s Steeplechase (Bahrain takes it in another QISE record), and Women’s 200m (the US’s Gabby Douglas, the favorite, wins as expected).
Tirico runs a B-Ball review (big surprise that the Millionaire Cheaters moved on), then a whiparound. He then gives an update on the problematic Boxing competition--the athlete in the middle of the tug-of-war between the International Boxing Commission and the International QISE Commission moves onto the gold round.
Tirico then interviews the dual US medalists from the Men’s 1500m, Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse. Of course, we get to see their medal ceremony. It’s the first time the US won multiple medals in this event since 1912. A quick medal count (US ahead by 2 in golds, 27 in total), and we’re onto Late Night (which Plex randomly decided to tape).
Taylor sends us to Skateboarding (random trick names result in an Aussie win), then does a TikTok with gymnast Frederick Richards (he keeps his gold medal in his bookbag). Off to Sport Climbing, which it’s own nomenclature (runs are called “problems”, there are “methods”) There’s also speed runs--don’t blink. The long shot is like watching an ant farm. Maria provides a whiparound before an interview with Charles Barkley, another whiparound, and another interview, this time with Masai Russell--a contender in the 100m Hurdles.
Onto the Today Show--with most of the gang back in NYC (only Melvin stayed onsite), it’s mostly QISE video packages. Gabby Douglas does do a long-distance interview with the Bobbsey Twins. Also, winning surfer Caroline Marks checks in, while Melvin interviews other US medalists as well as Dwayne Wade on B-Ball.
Onto Day 12--Lowe sends us to Sport Climbing and the Women’s Speed event. Again--don’t blink--Poland wins it. Back to the track for (sigh) more heats. Melvin joins Lowe to compare notes, Fareed checks out the cauldron/balloon (BTW--it’s not flame, it’s mist and lighting), and we go to a Volleyball semi with the US. An agonizing amount of time later, US loses to Poland.
Cole Hocker drops by for an interview after winning the Men’s 1500m, then it’s diving--the prelims of the Women’s 3m Springboard. Lowe sends us off to the track, just as an anthem is being played. The result is no audio for about a minute before Leigh Diffey finishes his coffee. Women’s Pole Vault--Ohioan and Tokyo QISE champ Katie Moon is doing well.
More semis, then Tirico does a whiparound including a US bronze in Weightlifting (the first time since 1984), a silver in Skateboarding, and a gold in Track Cycling. A peek in at Water Polo later (Tirico knows how to do a handoff)--and yet more semis. I would have rather seen other events going on at the same time. I know I can see them on Peacock, but why is NBC convinced audiences want to see endless track heats and semis?
We go to a Water Polo shootout, with the US winning. Guess where we return to?
Finally, more Pole Vault, then B-Ball coach Steve Kerr talks to Tirico. A quick check on Artistic (aka Synchronized) Swimming--US wins silver, and another peek at Volleyball. Hey, more field events, and back to the track. Carmelo Anthony talks to Tirico on B-Ball, another whiparound, and the Men's 400m Final--US's Quincy Hall comes back to win. Meanwhile, the Aussies take the Women's Pole Vault, and Moon takes the silver. Onto the Men's Steeplechase, with a cut-in for Jamaica winning the Men's Discus. Morocco wins the race, with the US's Kenneth Rooks shockingly getting the silver.
The day wraps up with team sports--Women's B-Ball, Men's Beach Volleyball, and Women's Artistic (Synchronized) Swimming. Skipped the first two in favor of the last. There's a bunch of acrobatic sequences among the Esther Williams-esque routines. No more classical music--it's all hip hop and metal. Still looks goofy, but the US gets the silver anyway (first medal in 20 years). Kornacki runs the Women's B-Ball stats, and we get the latest medal count--US is 2 ahead of China on golds, 29 ahead overall.
More to come.
#vivalaqise2024