Texans are still on the quest for gold, in track and field, basketball and soccer as we enter Day 13 of the Tokyo Olympics.
Team USA Earns Multiple Medals, Including Gold, in Track and Field
For the second consecutive Olympics, Americans Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs finished first and second respectively in the men’s shot put event.
Crouser beat his own Olympic record, throwing the shot put 23.30 meters on his final attempt to take the gold. New Zealand’s Tom Walsh won bronze, which he also took in 2016, making it a repeat across the board on the winner’s podium. It is the first time that has happened in a track and field event in Olympic history.
Grant Holloway finished second to claim silver in men's 110m hurdles, posting a time of 13.09 despite being the overwhelming favorite to win it all. The world champion blazed to the quickest time in the hurdles semifinals, but was unable to hold on to the top spot in the final. Hansle Parchment of Jamaica won gold in the upset, posting a time of 13.04, and handed Holloway his first loss of the year. Jamaica also won gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The U.S. advanced in the women's 4x100m relay, finishing second overall with a time of 41.90. Team USA, which comprised of Javianne Oliver, English Gardner, UT Austin's Teahna Daniels and Aleia Hobbs finished ahead of Team Jamaica. The heats were missing the star power of Allyson Felix, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and reigning women's 100m and 200m champion Elaine Thompson-Herah.
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Unfortunately, the men did not fare as well. Team USA, which included Baylor's Trayvon Bromell, TCU's Ronnie Baker, Texas A&M's Fred Kerley and Cravon Gillespie, finished sixth in Heat 2 (eighth overall) with a time of 38.10.The U.S. men's team hasn't medaled in the 4x100m relay since earning silver in 2004.
Vashti Cunningham was the only member of Team USA to advance in women's high jump. Cunningham automatically qualified after posting a jump of 1.95m on her third and final attempt. She placed 13th in high jump at the 2016 Rio Olympics and is a favorite to win it all at Tokyo.
Team USA's Will Claye finished fourth in men's triple jump. His longest jump was 17.44m on his third attempt. The two-time silver medalist looked to claim gold for the United States with the absence of two-time Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor, who did not compete due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. Pedro Pablo Pichardo of Portugal won gold with a jump of 17.98m on his third attempt.
Team USA's Kendell Williams finished the night's women's heptathlon in bronze medal position. Williams was in 12th place with 4806 points, but moved up to 3rd after adding 836 points for her 48.78m javelin throw. This brings Williams' total to 5642.
Annie Kunz from Texas A&M is in 6th place with a total of 5540 points. Kunz added 1670 points between her 6.32m jump and a javelin throw of 41.80m.
Erica Bougard follows closely behind with 5499 points in 9th place.
The heptathlon 800m continues on Thursday at 7:20 a.m. CT.
Watch on Peacock, or stream live.
Team USA Men’s Basketball Advances to the Gold Medal Game
Team USA defeated Australia 97-78 to advance to the gold medal game. While the final score reflects a blowout, that certainly was not the case early in the game. A 28-4 U.S. run that started late in the second quarter and carried into the third turned what had been a 15-point deficit into a comfortable lead. Kevin Durant led the way with 23 points and nine rebounds, placing him one win away from tying Carmelo Anthony's Olympic record of three gold medals in basketball. Devin Booker added 20 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
The United States advanced to the gold medal game on Friday at 9:30 p.m. CT against the winner of France and Slovenia.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic's hopes of leading Slovenia to another victory and the gold medal game were dashed Thursday morning. Slovenia has dominated the men's basketball tournament and remained undefeated in group play going into the semifinal game against France.
The French team managed to stop Doncic with great defensive play, but they didn't stop him from getting his third triple-double in history and the first since Lebron Kames at the 2012 London Olympics.
It all came down to the last few seconds of the game, Nicolas Batum blocking a game-winning shot to send France to the gold medal match against Team USA.
This is the first time in the nation's history Slovenia has made it to the Olympic semifinals, and it's due in large part to Doncic averaging 26.3 points per game.
You can watch on NBCSN.
Team USA Women's Water Polo Beats ROC to Advance to Gold Medal Match
The U.S. women’s water polo team rallied from a three-point deficit to trounce the Russian Olympic Committee in a 15-11 victory.
With that win, Team USA moves to the gold-medal match and will face either Spain or Hungary, who face each other in the second semifinal at 5:50 a.m. CT.
The win was partly thanks to three points from captain Maggie Steffens. Steffens is the all-time leading Olympic scorer in the sport.
Watch Team USA-ROC on CNBC.
U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Beats Australia to Win Bronze
Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd each scored two goals as the U.S. beat Australia for the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
Team USA allowed two own goals, and goalkeeper Adrianna Franch ultimately let in three goals on nine shots. However, the U.S. held on for victory.
It was the first bronze medal for the USWNT. The U.S. won gold in four of the first five Games since women's soccer became an Olympic sport in 1996, taking silver during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
When time expired, the USWNT celebrated its medal-clinching win with hugs, smiles and a team photo.
Watch on USA Network.
Nathaniel Coleman Wins Silver in Inaugural Sport Climbing Event
American Nathaniel Coleman took the silver medal in the first ever sport climbing competition in Olympics history.
Coleman finished with 30.00 total points to finish second. In sport climbing, the lower the points, the better, so Coleman finished two points behind Alberto Gines Lopez of Spain, whose 28.00 won the gold.
Austria’s Jakob Schubert won the bronze with 35.00 points.
American Colin Duffy, who ranked fourth entering the finals, slipped to seventh, with 60 total points.
