Olympic Updates (Aug. 1): Third Medal, Hurdles Semifinals, Water Polo Rout
8/1/2021 9:11:00 AM | Olympics
• Tokyo Olympics Site | U-M Olympics Coverage
Women's Swimming
Rising senior Maggie MacNeil helped the Canadian 4x100-meter medley relay team take bronze Sunday morning (Aug. 1) at Tokyo Aquatics Center, earning MacNeil her third medal of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. MacNeil, who also won gold (100-meter butterfly) and silver (4x100-meter freestyle relay) earlier this week, became the first Wolverine varsity swimmer (female or male) to earn three medals at one Olympics and the first U-M female varsity athlete with three career medals.
The London, Ontario, native once again swam the butterfly leg of the medley and turned in the top split of all competitors (55.27) to bring the Canadians a full second closer going into the final leg of the race. Canada's anchor, Penny Oleksiak, closed in 52.26 for a final time of 3:52.60, a new Canadian record. The bronze is Oleksiak's seventh career medal, making her the most-decorated Canadian Olympian of all time. Australia took the gold (Olympic-record 3:51.60) and the Americans won silver (3:51.73).
In total, the Michigan women's swimming and diving program will bring home six medals from Tokyo 2020, with 2019 alumna Siobhán Haughey winning two silvers (100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle) to become Hong Kong's first Olympic medalist in swimming and 2019 alumna Catie DeLoof adding a bronze in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay for the United States.
• 4x100-meter Medley Relay (Final): 3. Canada (3:52.60)
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
• Three for Three: Relay Bronze Gives MacNeil Record Third Olympic Medal
Tiffany Porter (left, Getty Images)
Women's Track and Field
The goal of advancing to a second straight Olympic 100-meter hurdles final came to an end for sisters Tiffany (Ofili) Porter and Cindy (Ofili) Sember in the semifinals, despite strong performances from both women Sunday night (Aug. 1) at Olympic Stadium.
Representing Great Britain in the Olympics for the third time, Porter was fifth in her heat -- the second of three in the semifinals -- in a 12.86 (+0.3m/s) clocking, eliminating her from the possibility of advancement to the final. Only the two top finishers in each of the three heats and the next two best times overall would continue on to Monday's final. Her effort, which came after three recalled starts and a warning directed at her, was 0.01 of a second slower than her showing in the opening round.
The two-time Olympian Sember, also a member of Team GB, turned in a marked 0.14 of a second improvement over her opening salvo with a 12.76 (-0.2m/s) in her semifinal heat, but it was only good enough for seventh in the race as the field ahead of her included a new Olympic record 12.26 from Puerto Rico's Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.
Overall, Sember placed 15th and Porter was 18th.
• Tiffany Porter (100-meter Hurdles Semifinals): 5th, semifinal 2 (12.86) -- 18th overall
• Cindy Sember (100-meter Hurdles Semifinals): 7th, semifinal 3 (12.76) -- 15th overall
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Men's Swimming
U-M alumnus Felix Auböck competed in his third final of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Sunday morning (Aug. 1) in Japan and finished seventh in the men's 1,500-meter freestyle on the final day of swimming competition at Tokyo Aquatic Centre. Auböck stayed with the pack for the first 200 meters of the race before falling off the leaders' pace. The former Wolverine maintained his seventh-place status for the race's final 500 meters and finished in 15:03.47. In his second Olympic appearance, Auböck also made finals in the 400-meter freestyle (4th) and 800-meter freestyle (7th).
• 1,500-meter freestyle (Final): 7. Felix Auböck (15:03.47)
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Abby Andrews (Getty Images)
Women's Water Polo
Australia 14, South Africa 1
The Australian women's water polo team bounced back from its first loss of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by dominating South Africa 14-1 Sunday night (Aug. 1) at Tatsumi Water Polo Centre, pushing its pool-play record to 3-1 and qualifying for the knockout stage.
The Stingers, after struggling offensively in the second half against Spain on Friday, took a small 1-0 lead after one quarter of play. In the second quarter Australia erupted with six goals, including two from former Wolverine Amy Ridge, her first multi-goal game of the Olympics. After leading at halftime 7-1, the Australians poured it on in the second half, scoring four goals in the third quarter and three more in the fourth without allowing one to the South Africans. Fellow former Wolverine Abby Andrews got involved in the scoring in the fourth quarter, giving her one goal in each game of pool play.
Australia will play the Russian Olympic Committee in the quarterfinal round Tuesday (Aug. 3) at 6:50 a.m. EDT (7:50 p.m. in Tokyo). Australia (3-1) is the No. 2 seed out of Group A, while the Russians (2-1-1) are the No. 3 seed from Group B. Australia, Spain and the Netherlands were all 3-1 to lead Group A, while ROC tied Hungary for second in Group B.
• Abby Andrews: 1 goals, 3 shots
• Amy Ridge: 2 goals, 4 shots
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Men's Basketball
The quarterfinal-round schedule for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics men's basketball competition was set Sunday (Aug. 1) in Japan after the conclusion of group play. Former Wolverine Moritz Wagner and Germany will play Slovenia at 9 p.m. EDT Monday, Aug. 2 (10 a.m. Tuesday in Japan). Germany (1-2 in Group B) ended up eighth in the preliminary round combined rankings to claim the last quarterfinal slot, while Slovenia (3-0 in Group C) was first.
