The 2020 Olympics Come to a Close
Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels, Jenna Prandini and Gabrielle Thomas of Team United States celebrate winning the silver medal in the Women’s 4 x 100m Relay Final on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 06, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
After two weeks of exciting competition between the world’s best athletes, the torch has been put out. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are over.
As with most things these days, this was not a normal Olympics. COVID-19 took its toll on this year’s ceremonies. No cheering fans in the seats made the games a bit odd feeling, a sentiment shared by many athletes and viewers alike.
Regardless, it was an action-packed two weeks – especially for former Wildcats. Kentucky finished seventh on the college leaderboard with a school-record ten total medals – seven gold and three silver. Two current University of Kentucky medical school students medaled in fencing as well.
Track and field phenom Sydney McLaughlin emerged as one of the biggest stars of this year’s games. McLaughlin is taking not one but two gold medals home after Team USA won the women’s 4x400m relay with the former ‘Cat leading the charge. Last week, she broke her own world record in the women’s 400m hurdles. Pause. Imagine breaking your own world record. That sounds like it’s good, right? Anyhow…
Three of Coach Cal’s former players will be taking some hardware home as well. After getting off to a rough start, the USA men’s basketball team was able to defeat France and win gold yesterday. Bam Adebayo, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Booker are all now world champions. That has to help the sting a little, right Book?
Started from Kentucky now we here 😼 🇺🇸
🥇 @Bam1of1
🥇 Keldon Johnson
🥇 @DevinBook #LaFamilia x #OlympiansMadeHere
📸 @GettySport pic.twitter.com/pgC1Pbzfa3
Gold medals from the women’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams pushed Team USA past China for most gold (#GirlPower). Team USA finished with 39 gold, 41 silver, and 33 bronze for a total of 113 medals. China came in second with 88. So yeah, we still rock.
Now, we patiently wait. But on the bright side, since this year’s games were postponed, we only have to wait three long years for another American athletic domination. ‘Merica!
Speaking of the next Olympics, they will be held in Paris. Planning is already underway, of course. In fact, breakdancing was recently added to 2024’s slate of events. Someone call dancing guy and tell him it’s his time to shine.
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