Olympic Updates (July 26): Gold Medal, Fifth Place, Walkoff Win, Hat Trick
7/26/2021 10:22:00 AM | Olympics
• Tokyo Olympics Site | U-M Olympics Coverage
Women's Swimming
One night after winning an Olympic silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, rising senior Maggie MacNeil became the first women's swimmer from the University of Michigan to bring home an individual Olympic gold medal in more than 50 years, winning the women's 100-meter butterfly by five one-hundredths of a second for Team Canada on Monday morning (July 26) at Tokyo Aquatics Center.
MacNeil's 55.59 was anchored by an incredible closing stretch, as she covered the final 50 meters in 29.09 to move from seventh at the halfway point to the second-fastest time in Olympic history. The London, Ontario, native also set a new Americas record as she shaved a full second off her times from the heats and semifinals.
China's Yufei Zhang (55.64) won the silver medal, while Australia's Emma McKeon (55.72) took the bronze.
MacNeil becomes the first women's swimmer from U-M to win an individual gold medal since Ginny Duenkel at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Duenkel, who did not enroll at U-M until after the 1964 Games, competed for the U-M Women's Athletic Association team at a time there was not a women's varsity swimming and diving program. MacNeil's two medals in one Olympics also equal Duenkel, who won gold in the 400 freestyle and bronze in the 100 backstroke in 1964.
Alumna Siobhán Haughey (Hong Kong) competed in the women's 200-meter freestyle heats in the evening session and had the eighth-fastest time overall with a 1:56.48. Haughey qualified for the semifinals Monday night at 9:30 p.m. EDT (10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Japan).
• 100-meter Butterfly (Final): 1. Maggie MacNeil (55.59)
• 200-meter Freestyle (Heats): 8. Siobhán Haughey (1:56.48)
• Results and Video: 100 Fly | 200 Free (NBCOlympics.com)
Sam Mikulak (USATSI)
Men's Gymnastics
Men's Team Final
Former Wolverine Sam Mikulak (USA) was in action during the men's team final Monday (July 26) at Ariake Gymnastics Centre, taking part in five events as Team USA placed fifth with a team score of 254.594.
Mikulak began on pommel horse in the first rotation, notching a 13.733. He then put up two team-leading scores, posting a 14.466 on the vault table in the third rotation followed by a 15.000 on his signature event, parallel bars. Mikulak marked a 14.566 on high bar in the fifth rotation and closed with a 12.133 on floor exercise.
The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team took the gold medal with a 262.500, edging out host nation Japan (262.397), and China placed third (261.894). Great Britain beat out the U.S. in the final rotation for fourth place (255.760).
Mikulak now shifts his focus toward the all-around final on Wednesday (July 28) at 6:15 a.m. EDT (7:15 p.m. in Japan). He also has qualified for the parallel bar final on Tuesday, Aug. 3, at 4 a.m. EDT (5 p.m. in Japan).
• Team Final: 5. USA (254.594)
• Sam Mikulak: Pommel horse, 13.733; vault, 14.466; parallel bars, 15.000; high bar, 14.566; floor exercise, 12.133
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Softball
USA 2, Japan 1
The United States completed opening-round play with a perfect 5-0 record after rallying to defeat Japan, 2-1, in a preview of the gold-medal game. Team USA earned its second straight walkoff victory when Kelsey Stewart led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo homer to right field. Japan led for the majority of the contest after scoring on a passed ball in the first inning, but the Red, White and Blue used three singles to plate the tying run in the sixth before a deep fly ball left the bases loaded. Three different U.S. pitchers appeared in the circle, with Ally Carda striking out nine through 5.1 innings and Monica Abbott earning the victory in relief. Former Wolverine Amanda Chidester went 0-for-2 from the plate but reached on a full-count hit-by-pitch in the fourth inning. The gold-medal game is scheduled for Tuesday (July 27) at 7 a.m. EDT (8 p.m. in Japan) on NBCSN.
• Amanda Chidester: 0 for 2, HBP
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Women's Water Polo
Australia 15, Netherlands 12
Former Wolverine star Abby Andrews tallied a hat trick to help lead the Australian women's water polo team through adversity and to a 15-12 victory over the Netherlands in its second game of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Monday (July 26) at Tatsumi Water Polo Centre. Both teams scored three goals in the opening quarter, with Andrews netting a pair. The Dutch took control of play in the second, scoring five goals to put the Stingers behind 8-5 at halftime.
The Michigan duo of Andrews and Amy Ridge helped spark the Aussie comeback in the second half, with each scoring a goal in the third quarter to help the Stingers tie the score at 10 after three. Australia came through with a dominant performance in the final quarter, outscoring the Dutch 5-2 to secure the win and move to 2-0 in pool play.
• Abby Andrews: 3 goals, 4 shots
• Amy Ridge: 1 goal, 2 shots
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
