2016 Rio Olympics

Ignoring the LA Games (when the Eastern Bloc didn't show up) their largest haul (total medal count) was 22, in Atlanta (they had 3 gold that year). We already have 4 gold and, who knows, maybe that BMX biker can get #22? Any other obscure "sports" we're good at?

On tap for today:

- Golf round 3 is under way -- Henderson (2 strokes back) tees off at 10
- Women's soccer team goes for bronze against host Brazil at noon (good luck with the refs)
- Men's 4x100 finals 9:35PM (Bolt and de Grasse anchoring their teams)
- BMX semifinals - Tory Nyhaug (current leader) goes at 12:42, then the finals (assuming he makes it) at 2:10

Others:
- 50k "walk" has a Canadian who was 10th in the 20k
- women's 67k TaeKwonDo round of 16 has Mellissa Pagnotta (no idea where she's ranked)
- women's kayak four 500m sprint preliminaries (no idea where Canada is ranked)
- equestrian individual jumping finals (Lamaze had 0 faults in qualifying so I assume he's in)
- women's pentathlon  (Canada has 2 competing) swimming at 11, fencing at 1
- men's 10m platform preliminaries
- women's pole vault finals at 7:30 (large group qualifying at 4.60m and Canadian Kelsie Ahbe is next group at 4.65m -- that set a new personal best for her so another "probably not")
- women's 4x400 at 7:40 (no idea where Canada sits, finals are tomorrow)
- women's 4x100 at 9:15PM (Canada was 0.77 back of third-best so probably not)

Thanks for the update Walter!

These Olympics have been awesomely entertaining so far...here's hoping Brooke can work a little magic today and tomorrow.

Hey, what's that little (but not clickable) "Thanks" right next to the "MULTI-QUOTE" button? Is that new? I can't click it (but maybe it's clickable to others)? I don't believe the old +/- was a "Thanks" button so I take it it's a different up-voting thing of some sort.

An Olympic walker appears to have pooped his pants during the race. I had no idea this was the most explosive event at the summer games.

— Ian McLaren (@iancmclaren) August 19, 2016

I sh*t you not.

Pagnotta (TaeKwonDo) lost her bout9-3; she's out.  But the women's kayak 4 qualified for the medal race on Saturday.

The race walker didn't win anything -- but at least he didn't poop his pants, eh?

Well this was a surprise:

REDACTED Dunfee awarded bronze after protest in 50km race walk, sets #CAN mark https://t.co/zJhmvb6HCn … #Rio2016

— Fernando E. Pardo (@ProfessorPardo) August 19, 2016

19 (reached target) and counting.

Women's soccer team is leading 1-0 at the half.

Henderson is 3 back (even on the day) after 9.

Can't find coverage of BMX.

BREAKING: SINCLAIR scores to give CAN 2-0 lead!!!!!

wprager wrote:And on the lighter side:

Japanese Pole Vaulter's Olympic Dream Crushed by His Own Joystick

Ogita was attempting to clear a height of 5.3 metres in group A of the first round of the pole vault, when his leg came in contact with the bar.  As he began to drop back down towards the ground, his shin grazed the bar, causing it to wobble dangerously.  But it was his joystick that delivered the final blow. Already unsteady, the bar was dislodged from its holdings when Ogita’s old fellow decided to make an appearance and slap the metal.

Japanese athletes need to keep their protuberances in check (the walker who was disqualified to give Dunfee the bronze elbowed him when he passed him).

Brazil scores to make it 2-1 with 12 minutes to go. Earlier Canada just missed making it 3-0. So Brazil will do the soccer equivalent of pulling the goalie (one defender, one mid-filed and everyone else up).

Canada hangs on to win 2-1 and grabs their second straight Olympic bronze. That's 20 and counting.

Henderson now 4 back. Guess she'll need another strong final day.

wprager wrote:Well this was a surprise:

REDACTED Dunfee awarded bronze after protest in 50km race walk, sets #CAN mark https://t.co/zJhmvb6HCn … #Rio2016

— Fernando E. Pardo (@ProfessorPardo) August 19, 2016

19 (reached target) and counting.

The challenge giveth, and the challenge taketh away. Dunfee's bronze given back to the Japanese walker. But while all this was going on Eric Lamaze got a bronze for equestrian so we're still at 20.

Henderson had a pretty bad back nine and is 7 strokes back. That's going to be nearly impossible to make up.

BMX guy finished 5th.

The men's 4x100 finished 4th but US got disqualified for exchanging the baton well outside the marked exchange area. Or so they said. The US is appealing. If this one stands (remember Dunfee) then Canada enters the final day with 21 medals, 10th overall in medal count (goal was 19 and 12th). Henderson has already teed off (but she is well back of the lead); De Jonge finished 7th in his kayak spring final.

In addition to Henderson, here's what else is on tap today for Canada:

- Alexandria Treasure in women's high jump finals 7:30PM (she jumped 1.94 which set a new PR so very unlikely she medals)
- Nathan Brannen in men's 1500 finals 8PM (his PR is 3:34:22 and 5 seconds or more back of the top runners -- not likely)
- Melissa Bishop in women's 800 finals 8:15PM (she took a silver at the Worlds in 2015)

22 would tie their best total (outside of the 44 in LA, but that one will always be an asterisk). They aren't going to come close to the 7 golds in Barcelona (not without a couple miracles).