
This photo of Jamaica's Usain Bolt smiling as he nears the finish line during the men's 100-meter semifinal race on Sunday night has gone viral and is being called one of the most iconic shots of the entire 2016 Olympic Games. (Read an account from the photographer here.)
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What Happened Yesterday
Watergate: Part II
The saga of Ryan Lochte and the other American swimmers who fabricated a story about being robbed in Rio continued for another day. Lochte apologized on Facebook (probably with advice from the crisis manager he hired). The apology wasn’t enough for the International Olympic Committee, which has launched an investigation of the incident.
Swimmer Jimmy Feigen, who was detained by Brazilian authorities, made an $11,000 donation to a charity and was allowed to return home. Swimmers Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, who were also involved in the incident, returned the United States. Both released statements — Conger laid the blame at Lochte’s feet, as did Bentz.
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The “Triple-Triple” could be a good burger promotion
Usain Bolt anchored the Jamaican men’s 4×100 relay team to a gold medal. Bolt has become the first athlete to win three sprint gold medals (100, 200, relay) in three straight Olympics. Not that he needs more endorsements, but some burger chain could probably do worse than signing the sprinter up to endorse the Usain Bolt three-patty, three-cheese slices “Triple-Triple” burger.
Damn Bolt is just fast pic.twitter.com/XtkI6gjmHT
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) August 20, 2016
DQ does not mean Dairy Queen
Things did not go as well for the Americans in the 4×100 relay. To start, they missed the silver medal to the Japanese by .02 seconds. Even worse, they were disqualified and stripped of their bronze a few minutes later for passing the baton outside the designated zone. The Americans were pissed.
Um did they find out from the wrong person pic.twitter.com/omfYaBFaxA
— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) August 20, 2016
At least there’s still the American women
The U.S. women’s 4×100 team redeemed itself after losing in the heats (a bobbled baton pass was appealed on the grounds that the U.S. runner was bumped by another competitor, and in a rerun they qualified) by winning the gold medal.
Progress
Great Britain won gold in women’s field hockey, beating the Netherlands in a shootout after a 3-3 tie in regulation. Kate Richardson-Walsh (the team captain) and her wife Helen thus became the first same-sex married couple to win Olympic gold.
Of course there’s a collecting craze going on at the Olympics
Every Olympics features some weird collecting craze of one kind or another. This one in Rio is about the hunt to collect a full set of 42 disposable beer cups, one for each Olympic sport.
Elsewhere
Simone Biles was chosen to carry the flag at the closing ceremonies. The Brazilians are already dismantling some of the Olympic venues. Ever wonder what the press center is like? Here’s a look around (hint: It is not that great).
What to Watch Today
Primetime
The penultimate day of competition features the men’s and women’s 4×400 relay (9:00 p.m. ET for the women, the men follow at 9:35). Other track and field events include the men’s 5,000-meter race, as Great Britain’s Mo Farah goes for one more medal, women’s high jump and men’s 1500-meter race.
Daytime
The women’s basketball gold medal game starts at 2:30 (NBC). The U.S. women — who are more dominant than the men — play Spain as they chase their sixth straight gold medal. The men’s gold medal soccer match (NBCSN, 4:30 p.m. ET) features Brazil vs. Germany. It is a rematch of the 2014 World Cup semifinals where the Germans humiliated the Brazilians 7-1, causing a national crisis. If the Brazilians win gold, the games will be considered a success.
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