Axios Sports: "The best race in Olympic history"

Plus: Axios Sports playlist | Tuesday, August 03, 2021

Open in app View in browser     Axios Sports By Kendall Baker ·Aug 03, 2021 👋 Good morning! I won't miss this Olympics time zone difference, but the rush of news every morning has certainly saved me money on coffee. Today's word count: 1,689 words (6 minutes). Let's sports...     1 big thing: 🥇 "The best race in Olympic history" Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images   Three men, three countries and 46 seconds. That's all it took Tuesday morning in Tokyo for the men's 400-meter hurdles final to set the Olympics ablaze, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. Watch the race. What happened: Norway's Karsten Warholm, just one month removed from breaking a 29-year-old world record, rewrote history with one of the most jaw-dropping races in human history. Warholm won gold with a mind-boggling time of 45.94 seconds, obliterating his month-old record (46.70). He ran faster than 18 of the 48 men who raced in the regular 400-meter dash (!!!). American Rai Benjamin won silver, with his 46.17 besting the previous world record by more than half a second. Brazil's Alison dos Santos won bronze and ran the fourth-fastest time ever recorded (46.72). What they're saying: "That was the best race in Olympic history. I don't even think Usain Bolt's 9.5 topped that," said Benjamin. Photo: Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images The big picture: The men's 100-meter final has been a marquee event for nearly a century; its champions some of the Games' biggest stars. None of those stars shined brighter than Bolt, and in his first absence since 2004 — despite a phenomenal race by Italy's Lamont Marcell Jacobs — the 100 lacked its typical electricity and buzz. That left the door open for another event to fill the void, and the 400-meter hurdles delivered. Warholm is 25, Benjamin is 24 and Dos Santos is 21. Will they run it back in Paris? Coming up: Tonight's women's 400-meter hurdles (10:30pm ET) features some serious American firepower. Dalilah Muhammad, 31, is the reigning Olympic champion. In 2019, she broke a 16-year-old world record; two months later, she broke it again. Sydney McLaughlin, 21, broke Muhammad's record in June at trials, overtaking the veteran down the final straightaway.     2. 🇯🇵 While you were sleeping: Tokyo headlines Photo: Sergei Bobylev\TASS via Getty Images   🥉 Simone Biles made her Olympic return, winning bronze in the balance beam final to tie Shannon Miller as the most decorated U.S. gymnast ever (seven medals). 🏀 The U.S. beat Spain, 95-81, to advance to the men's basketball semifinals, where they'll play either Australia or Argentina. ⚽️ Brazil beat Mexico on penalty kicks, 4-2, to advance to the men's soccer final, where they'll play either Spain or Japan. (Reminder: Rosters are U-23.)     3. 🥇 Olympics dashboard Laurel Hubbard poses for a portrait after competing in women's weightlifting. Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images   📆 Coming up: Today's key events include finals in the women's 200- and 800-meter dashes and the women's 400-meter hurdles. Full schedule. 🍜 1 food thing: Foreign media must remain inside the Olympic bubble, but have found solace in conbini — Tokyo's 24-hour convenience stores filled with just about every food imaginable. Stories: 🏳️‍⚧️ Hubbard makes history: New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard made history as the first openly transgender female athlete to compete at the Olympics. She failed to complete a lift, but broke barriers all the same. ✊🏾 Podium protest: After winning silver in the shot put, American Raven Saunders raised her arms in an "X" on the podium, representing "the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet," she told reporters. The IOC will now determine if her demonstration abided by its new rules, while the USOPC has already defended her. Highlights: ⚾️ Hometown walk-off: Japan beat the U.S., 7-6, on a walk-off single in the 10th inning and will now face South Korea in the first semifinal. The U.S. is guaranteed a place in the bronze-medal game, with gold still possible if it wins out. Next game: 11pm ET tonight. 🏸 Golden event: Indonesia beat China to win gold in women's doubles badminton. The world's fourth-most populated country has eight gold medals all-time, and all eight have come in badminton.     A message from Axios The biggest video game news delivered to your inbox     Get the latest scoops, trends and news from the world of video games with Axios Gaming, delivered every weekday to your inbox. Why it matters: A crucial view into an industry that is an essential part of millions of people's lives. Subscribe for free     4. 🇨🇳 The Chinese gold medal machine Data: IOC; Chart: Connor Rothschild/Axios China enters Day 12 of the Olympics with 32 gold medals — 10 more than any other country, Jeff writes. Why it matters: While being the world's most populous nation certainly doesn't hurt, China's dominance is by design. "We must resolutely ensure we are first in gold medals," said Gou Zhongwen, head of the Chinese Olympic Committee, on the eve of the Tokyo Games. Yes, but: That success comes at a cost, and the athletes themselves are usually responsible for paying the price. The backdrop: The People's Republic of China was formed in 1949 at the end of Mao Zedong's Communist Revolution, at which point the Republic of China (ROC) fled to Taiwan. The PRC (China) competed in the 1952 Helsinki Games, leading the ROC (Taiwan) to withdraw in protest. The tables turned in 1956, as China staged a decades-long boycott of the Olympics in the wake of Taiwan's IOC-approved inclusion. In 1984, after Taiwan was renamed Chinese Taipei for Olympic competition, China returned to the Games, intent on using sport as a vehicle to shed its century-old title as the "sick man of Asia." How it works: China essentially runs an Olympic factory, scouting and placing its most talented children into one of 2,000 government-run sports schools, where kids begin grueling training as young as 6. From there, the focus is on churning out Olympic champions in select events that mostly follow two criteria: practice makes perfect, and a wide-open field. In other words, train for events in which the best rote routine can win gold, and don't waste time with sports already dominated by others. By the numbers: Nearly 75% of China's Summer Olympic gold medals since 1984 have come from just six sports, per NYT: table tennis, shooting, diving, badminton, gymnastics and weightlifting. Between the lines: China's sports schools train tens of thousands of children to find Olympic champions, but the ones who don't make it are often discarded by a system that no longer has use for them. The successful Olympians don't exactly live charmed lives, either. Education is mostly limited to sport, isolation from family is the norm and post-Olympic financial windfalls are rare. One former weightlifter, now living in poverty, sports a beard that grew as a result of a state-forced doping regimen she underwent as a young girl. Go deeper: Taiwan's gold medal win over China in badminton raises tension (NYT)   Share Axios and earn rewards If you like this newsletter, your friends may, too! Refer your friends and get free Axios swag when they sign up. Be a good friend and share   5. 🏀 NBA offseason: Free agency, extensions Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios   NBA free agency got off to a fast start on Monday, with a flurry of deals coming in after the 6pm ET start. Headlines: New homes: Kyle Lowry (three years, $90M) signed with the Heat, Lonzo Ball (four years, $85M) signed with the Bulls, Evan Fournier (four years, $78M) signed with the Knicks. Staying put: Chris Paul (four years, $120M) is staying in Phoenix, Jarrett Allen (five years, $100M) is staying in Cleveland, Mike Conley (three years, $73M) is staying in Utah. What a ride: Duncan Robinson began his college career at D-III Williams College. On Monday, he signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Heat, the largest ever for an undrafted player. The journeyman: The Nuggets will be Jeff Green's 11th NBA team. The record is 12, held by four different players: Chucky Brown, Jim Jackson, Tony Massenburg and Joe Smith. Meanwhile ... While this year's free-agent class lacks star power, the list of players eligible for extensions does not. Two of the biggest deals so far: Stephen Curry (four years, $215M) and Trae Young (five years, $207M) Go deeper: Free agency tracker (CBS Sports)     6. 😷 Chart du jour: Delta variant driving surge Data: Our World in Data; Chart: Will Chase/Axios Coronavirus hospitalizations are surging once again, threatening to overburden some local health care systems just as badly as the waves that hit last spring and summer, Axios' Caitlin Owens writes. Where it stands: More than 40,000 patients are currently hospitalized for COVID-19 infections, and the vast majority of hospitalized patients are unvaccinated. Florida is setting new records, forcing the state's largest hospital systems to limit visitors, expand coronavirus units and prepare for staffing shortages, ABC News reports. Hospitalizations in this wave of the pandemic "clearly will surpass waves 1 and 2," tweeted Eric Topol, executive vice president of Scripps Research.     7. ⚡️ Lightning round Photo: Adam Hunger/Getty Images   🐈 Cat in the Bronx: A tiny cat sent Yankee Stadium into a frenzy — with fans chanting "MVP! MVP!" — after it found its way onto the field and evaded the grounds crew. 💉 Zimmer sounds off: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer vented about his unvaccinated players. "I just don't understand. I think we could put this thing to bed if we all do this. ... These guys, some of them just won't do it. ... Some of the things they read is just, whew, out there." 🏈 Saban gets paid: Nick Saban, who turns 70 in October, has signed a new extension that will pay him an average of $10.6 million per year and keep him at Alabama through 2028.     8. 📆 Aug. 3, 1992: A father's love Photo: Bill Frakes /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images   29 years ago today, an injured Derek Redmond crossed the finish line with his father in one of the greatest moments in Olympic history. The moment: Redmond cruised into the 400-meter semifinal. But 250 meters into the race, he pulled his hamstring and collapsed to the track in agony. Determined to finish, Redmond began hobbling towards the finish line. As the crowd stood and applauded, Redmond's father, Jim, fought his way onto the track to assist him. "We started this thing together and now we'll finish it together," Jim told his son. "You're a champion — you've got nothing to prove." Start your morning with a good cry.     9. ⚾️ MLB trivia Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios   The Dodgers are vying to become the first repeat World Series champions since the Yankees, who won three straight (1998–2000). Question: Who is the only other MLB franchise to three-peat? Hint: Currently in playoff position. Submitted by: Fuller (Arlington, Virginia) Answer at the bottom.     10. 🎵 Axios Sports playlist: August Source: Giphy Thanks for all the songs! We picked our 30 favorite submissions and put them in a playlist on Apple Music and Spotify. At a glance: Here are 10 of our favorite songs from the playlist, with the YouTube link for each one. Memory — Kane Brown & blackbear (Jalen from Milwaukee) Whoa — Cautious Clay (Kendall) Devils in the Canyon — The Strike (Carly from Greenville, South Carolina) False Alarms — Lawrence feat. Jon Bellion (Mystery reader) Industry Baby — Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow (Carla from Menlo Park, California) Ways — Third Eye Blind (Austin from Dover, Delaware) Liz — Remi Wolf (Lara from Brooklyn) Baseball — Michigan Rattlers (Morgan from Collierville, Tennessee) Alive — Rüfüs Du Sol (Nick in Toronto) She's Too Good for Me — Franc Moody (Austin from San Francisco) Listen: Apple Music playlist Spotify playlist     A message from Axios The biggest video game news delivered to your inbox     Get the latest scoops, trends and news from the world of video games with Axios Gaming, delivered every weekday to your inbox. Why it matters: A crucial view into an industry that is an essential part of millions of people's lives. Subscribe for free   Talk tomorrow, Kendall "Tacoooooooo Tuesday" Baker Trivia answer: Oakland Athletics (1972-74) 🙏 Thanks for reading. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter: @thekendallbaker and @jeffreytracy. Like this email style and format? Learn more about Axios HQ. 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