Olympic games performances continue to amaze
by Mark Jurgena
Olympic games performances continue to amaze
“That’s unbelievable!
When you see it, you will or did think the same thing!
In their bronze medal match one week ago the USA women’s Rugby Sevens team pulled off an almost impossible victory.
With world powerhouse Australia leading 12-7 and the USA getting one final possession that spilled into stoppage time, Alex Sedrick broke through two Aussie tacklers and sprinted darn near the entire length of the field untouched to score five points and tie the game.
She then made the game winning conversion kick for a 14-12 win.
Sedrick wasn’t even the team’s conversion kicker!
But according to ESPN.com, the coaches had informed her she may have to kick conversions after tries (think kicking extra points after touchdowns in American football).
She worked on it in pregame and missed both attempts.
“I just put it out of my mind,” Sedrick said. “Whatever happens is gonna happen and maybe I won’t even have to take a kick.”
Just to make it more crazy Sedrick thought her try (think touchdown) was a game-winner!
Anyway she hit the kick for the USA! As always you can find the highlights of the match and her mad dash on YouTube, on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram.
Olympic stories
The media always do a great job of tugging at your emotions when it comes to Olympic stories of sacrifice, overcoming obstacles and triumphs don’t they?
Well this year an array of media outlets both over the airwaves and in print have given us inspiration once again.
For example I give you the performance of the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams that represented the USA.
USA Women’s Gymnastics
The women took the team gold over second place Italy and third place Brazil by a wide margin. That doesn’t seem surprising until you take a further look.
Simone Biles, the 2016 Olympic all-around champion, anchored the USA roster and completed her comeback from her bout with the twisties and becoming an advocate for mental health after having to step away from the 2020/2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Biles returned to compete despite an injured calf suffered in qualifying for the team final to win the all-around championship in Paris. She also took gold in the vault on Saturday.
She competed on Monday in the floor exercise bringing back a silver medal. She was also on the balance beam but did not medal.
Suni Lee, the Tokyo Olympic all-around champion, also came back after a non-life threatening kidney disease which shut down her career until she returned to the mat in January of this year.
Lee took bronze on the uneven bars last weekend as well.
Also on the gold medal winning team were Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezley Rivera.
Chiles took home a bronze in the floor exercise on Monday.
Rivera, a 16-year old, did not compete in the team final but maintained a great attitude despite admitting she was somewhat disappointed she wasn’t chosen to compete with her teammates in Paris.
“In a way, I was sad,” she told The Dallas Morning News‘ Kevin Sherrington. “But I’m also so happy to be supporting Team USA. You know, this is just such a surreal experience and I’m so happy no matter what happens. And even though I wasn’t able to compete, seeing these girls makes me so happy, and winning this gold.
“I’m still a part of this team, and I love competing with them, and I love all the girls.”
What a great attitude about being part of a team for anyone at any age!
USA Men’s Gymnastics
The night before the women won their team title, the men didn’t win gold but did win the bronze medal. It was the first for the USA in 16 years or four Olympic Games.
Stephen Nedoroscik was the hero for the USA team. He competed in only one of the four events for the team.
He had to sit and wait for two solid hours while his teammates competed in all the other gymnastics events.
In order for the USA to win the bronze he had to perform a great routine on the pommel horse.
When it was his turn the bronze medal or fourth place and out of the medals hung in the balance. Nedoroscik calmly executehis routine almost perfectly to set off a wild celebration by Team USA.
All of us in today’s society don’t like to wait today for much of anything, however what our parents told us about “good things come to those who wait,” certainly rang true that night.
Nedoroscik also took the bronze in the horse on Saturday.
Other members of the bronze medal squad were Asher Hong, Brody Malone, Fred Richard and Paul Juda.
Local Olympian
East Alton (Wood River) High School graduate Jaden Ulrich, who is a 21- year old senior-to-be at the University of Louisville, competed in Paris last Friday.
She finished in 18th place out of 32 athletes in the discus throw but did not qualify for the finals.
Ulrich fouled in her first two throws while attempting to qualify for the finals but marked at 61.08 meters or 200’ 4” on her final throw to grab the 18th place finish.
Congrats to her, her family and all the EAWR family!
Final Olympic days
The Paris games will wrap up on Sunday with the closing ceremonies. The Olympics will return in 2028 in Los Angeles for the summer version. The winter games will be Feb. 6-22 of 2026 in Milan and Cortino d’Ampezzo, Italy.
But there is plenty of action left with the gold medal match in Men’s soccer occurring Friday and semifinals in women’s soccer and basketball as well along with plenty of other sports including track & field.
Men’s basketball and volleyball gold medal matches on Aug 10 as well as women’s soccer. The men’s marathon will also be that day.
On the final day of the Olympics, women’s basketball and volleyball have their gold medal matches. Also the women’s marathon will take place.
Happy Olympics!
