The opening weekend of Olympic competition saw Ryan Lochte win gold by a wide margin in the 400 IM and Dana Vollmer, despite losing her outer swim cap during the race, set a world record on her way to gold in the 100 butterfly.
The American basketball and beach volleyball teams took care of business, and the United States men’s gymnastics team set itself up well for today’s team final.
Dana Vollmer celebrates her record-breaking win in the 100 butterfly. (Photo by REUTERS/Jorge Silva)
This weekend also saw Michael Phelps fail to win a medal in an event for the first time in twelve years. One day after his disappointing performance in the 400 IM, Phelps, Lochte, and the USA men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay team defeated the heavily favored Aussies but lost out to the French, taking silver.
Meanwhile in North Greenwich Arena, reigning world champion gymnast Jordyn Wieber failed to qualify in the women’s all around competition. Aly Raisman and Olympic trials champion Gabby Douglas will represent the United States in the all around. (Raisman’s parents should be happy.)
There are plenty of interesting things happening today in and around London. Here are a few to watch for:
Swimming
Ryan Lochte will swim for a second individual gold medal in the 200 freestyle final at 1:43 p.m. Central. He’ll have to beat favorite Sun Yang from China, who swam the fastest time in the semifinal and who won gold in the 400 freestyle in Olympic record time.
Moments later, Missy Franklin will swim in her first Olympic individual final, the 100 backstroke. She’ll be up against favorite Emily Seebohm from Australia and Great Britain’s Gemma Spofforth, the world record holder.
The men’s 100 backstroke final at 1:58 features Americans Matt Grevers (silver medalist in Beijing) and Nick Thoman. In the last final of the day Americans Rebecca Soni (silver medalist in Beijing) and Breeja Larson will swim for medals in the 100 breaststroke.
Gymnastics
The first gold medal in gymnastics will go to the winner of today’s men’s team competition, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Central.
The American team of Jonathan Horton, John Orozco, Danell Leyva, Jake Dalton, and Sam Mikulak will be in medal contention, their toughest competition coming from China and Japan. Team USA starts with the floor exercise then moves to the pommel horse, then the rings, then the vault, then the parallel bars, then the horizontal bar.
John Orozco and the rest of the American men hope to end the evening on the medal stand. (Photo by Matt Dunham/AP)
Tennis
World #1 Roger Federer is scheduled to do double duty today. He’ll play France’s Julien Benneteau in the second round of the men’s singles tournament. Then Fed and partner Stanislas Wawrinka will begin their defense of their 2008 gold medal in men’s doubles.
The Williams sisters will also be busy today. Venus faces Wimbledon runner-up Sara Errani in the first round of the women’s singles tournament, while Serena will play Poland’s Urszula Radwanska in the second. The sisters are also scheduled to begin doubles play.
Americans Andy Roddick, John Isner, and Varvara Lepchenko also play singles matches today (though Roddick’s match likely will be complete by the time you read this).
I should add that today’s tennis schedule is all out of whack because of rain delays.
Women’s Basketball
The United States women’s basketball team overcame an awful start Saturday to easily defeat Croatia 81-56. They shouldn’t have any trouble today against Angola, one of the weakest teams in the Olympic field. The game starts at 4:15 p.m. Central. NBC Sports Network will carry it at 5:30.
Women’s Volleyball
The top-ranked American women, coming off a convincing win over South Korea Saturday, take on Brazil this morning at 10:45 Central. You can catch the match live on NBC.
Beach Volleyball
Two-time defending gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings take on the Czech Republic this afternoon (5:00 p.m. Central) in group play. The fourth-seeded American men’s team of Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal have a 3:00 p.m. Central group-play match against Poland. You can watch Gibb and Rosenthal live on NBC.
TV Schedule
All times Central Daylight Time. Add one hour for Eastern time and six hours for London time.
NBC
9:00 a.m.: Swimming
9:30 a.m.: Rowing
10:00 a.m.: Canoe/kayak
10:30 a.m.: Women’s volleyball, USA v. Brazil
12:30 p.m.: Rowing
12:45 p.m.: Swimming
1:30 p.m.: Women’s water polo, USA v. Hungary
3:00 p.m.: Men’s beach volleyball (until 4:00)
7:00 p.m.: NBC Primetime, featuring swimming finals, men’s gymnastics team competition, and men’s synchronized diving (until 11:00)
NBC Sports Network
7:15 a.m.: Equestrian (until 11:45)
12:15 p.m.: Boxing
2:00 p.m. Shooting (until 2:30)
3:15 p.m.: Women’s volleyball, Italy v. Japan
4:45 p.m.: Table tennis
5:30 p.m.: Women’s basketball, USA v. Angola
MSNBC
8:00 a.m.: Women’s water polo, Spain v. China
9:30 a.m.: Women’s beach volleyball
10:15 a.m.: Women’s water polo, Italy v. Australia
10:45 a.m.: Women’s basketball, Russia v. Brazil
12:30 p.m.: Badminton
1:00 p.m.: Men’s field hockey, Great Britain v. Argentina (until 2:30)
3:00 p.m.: Women’s handball, South Korea v. Denmark
4:00 p.m.: Weightlifting
4:30 p.m.: Women’s beach volleyball (until 5:30)
CNBC
4:00 p.m.: Boxing (until 7:00)
Bravo
6:00 a.m.: Tennis (until 2:00)
* * * * *
Medals Awarded on Monday
Diving
Men’s synchronized, 10-meter platform
Fencing
Women’s individual épée
Gymnastics
Men’s team
Judo
Women’s 57 kg
Men’s 73 kg
Shooting
Men’s 10-meter air rifle
Swimming
Men’s 200 freestyle
Women’s 100 backstroke
Men’s 100 backstroke
Women’s 100 breaststroke
Weightlifting
Women’s 58 kg
Men’s 62 kg
About Josh Tinley
