Tokyo Today: Team USA Tops Spain, Sydney McLaughlin Advances To Final

All good things must come to an end. After an exciting run of swimming finals, track and field upsets and late-game softball heroics, the 2021 Summer Olympic Games are coming to a close. With less than one week left, there are a few big events left including the men's basketball final, women's 400-meter hurdles final and the men's lightweight boxing final. Not to mention, there are volleyball matches and baseball games still left to be played. So, it's time to get your snacks ready, set up your Smart TV for streaming and prepare to be entertained by the best athletes in the world.

Highlights

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! There are no fans in the stands out in Tokyo, Japan, but millions of viewers are cheering on Team USA from their homes. All of the encouragement and cheers are needed as Team USA hopes to chase down China in the race to bring home the most gold medals. Thus far, Team USA has brought home 28 gold medals, but China still holds a commanding lead with 32 gold medals. Fortunately, Sydney McLaughlin, Kevin Durant and company can help break into that lead.

• Team USA tops Spain to advance to the final four. After a rocky start, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum look like they're prepared to bring home a gold medal in men's basketball. Early Tuesday morning, Team USA toppled Spain behind a 29-point performance from Durant. With their win, Team USA advances to the semifinals. On Wednesday night, Team USA will have an opportunity to avenge their exhibition loss against Patty Mills and Australia.
• We may have just witnessed history. In what may have been her final Olympic event, Simone Biles won a bronze medal in the women's balance beam final. By securing third place in the highly competitive event, Biles has become the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history. Over the course of two Olympic runs, she has brought home seven medals.
• The future is bright for Gabby Thomas. The Harvard graduate took home a bronze medal after running the 200-meter dash in 21.87 seconds. Having brought home her first Olympic medal at 24 years old, Thomas has set herself up for a potential Olympic run in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

Lowlights

Everything has not gone as planned in Tokyo this week. Boxing contender Troy Isley fell short of earning a medal, Japan upset Team USA to win a gold medal in softball and Italy's Lamont Jacobs sped past Fred Kerley to win the 100-meter dash. Unfortunately, the upsets have not slowed down in recent competitions.

• Canada moves past Team USA to play for gold in the women's soccer final. Crystal Dunn and company did not get off to a hot start in Olympic play after the Netherlands snapped their 44-match winning streak. Just a few days later, Dunn and Team USA fell by a score of 1-0 to Canada in the semifinals. Fortunately, Team USA will have an opportunity to win a bronze medal on Thursday at 4 a.m. ET.
• Canada stifles Team USA yet again. Canada did not only upset Team USA in women's soccer. Our northern neighbors also stopped Sarah Sponcil and Kelly Claes of the women's beach volleyball team from advancing to the semi-finals. Fortunately, Team USA has another pair of Olympic beach volleyball stars, Alix Klineman and April Ross, that will play in the semifinals against Switzerland.

Beyond Team USA

Team USA wasn't the only team making headlines on Monday.

• There is honor even in defeat. For the first time since 1972, Ghana will bring home a medal in men's boxing. Men's featherweight contender Samuel Takyi did fall to Duke Ragan of Team USA in the semifinals, but he did take out Ceiber Àvila and JC Caicedo Pachito during his Olympic run. He joins Clement Quartey, Eddie Blay and Prince Amartey as the only Olympic boxing medalist from Ghana.
• Jasmine Camacho-Quinn will return to Puerto Rico as a hero. On Monday morning, she finished the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.37 seconds. By doing so, she secured the second gold medal in Puerto Rican Olympic history.

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