TOKYO (AP) — The US swimming team was able to grab at least one medal in each event during Sunday’s schedule. Monday didn’t have the same feel until Caleb Dressel hit the pool.
Dressel began his quest for six gold medals by leading off an American victory in the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay. He gave the U.S. a lead it never relinquished as the quartet finished in 3:08.97, the third-fastest time in history.
Australia’s Ariarne Titmus defeated Katie Ledecky in the 400-meter freestyle. Titmus trailed by nearly a full body-length at the halfway mark of the eight-lap race. She turned on the speed to touch in 3 minutes, 56.69 seconds, the second-fastest time in history.
The defending-champion Ledecky had to settle for silver after finishing just under 7/10ths of a second behind, the fourth-fastest time ever.
The powerhouse US team won six of 12 medals on Sunday but was shut out of the medals in the first two finals Monday.
American teenager Torri Huske had to settle for fourth in the women’s 100-meter butterfly after being at or near the lead most of the race. She faded on her final strokes and just missed a spot on the podium, finishing one-hundredth of a second from a bronze medal.
Maggie MacNeil won the event to give Canada it’s first gold medal at the pool.
Like Huske, American Michael Andrew was a fourth-place finisher in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke. The race was won by Britain’s Adam Peaty, successfully defending his title in the event.
In other Olympic events:
— Naomi Osaka has the hopes of the entire host nation resting on her. Novak Djokovic is attempting to accomplish something that no man has done before in tennis. Both players are after something special at the Tokyo Olympics and both produced convincing victories to reach the last 16 at Ariake Tennis Park. Osaka crushed winners off both wings seemingly at will in a 6-3, 6-2 victory over 49th-ranked Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland. Then Djokovic dispatched 48th-ranked Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany 6-4, 6-3. Djokovic is attempting to become the first man to win a Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic gold in the same calendar year.
— The U.S. has rallied to beat Japan 2-1 and win their Olympic softball group stage. That gives them the right to bat last in the gold medal game. Kelsey Stewart hit a game-ending home run leading off the seventh inning. Stewart says it’s like you dream about when you’re a little kid, about hitting a home run at the Olympics. Stewart had been 1 for 12 with no RBIs at the Olympics before she drove the 98th pitch from Yamato Fujita (0-1) just over the glove of leaping right fielder Yuka Ichiguchi.
— Tom Pidcock has won the Olympic men’s mountain bike race. That extends Britain’s dominance from the road and track to the dirt. The course is the toughest in Olympic history. Pidcock left reigning champion Nino Schurter and his Swiss teammate Mathias Flueckiger behind on the fourth of seven laps. Flueckiger gave chase and was left with a silver medal. David Valero Serrano of Spain won a surprise bronze.
