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Stanford swimmers added a couple more medals to their collection as the Tokyo Olympics ends its first week. A Cardinal sailor completed his best race yet while other Stanford athletes competed in other sports. Read on for highlights from the Games.
Swimming
Incoming Stanford freshman Regan Smith earned a silver medal in the 200 fly on Thursday, swimming a 2:05.30, 1.44 seconds behind winner Yufei Zhang of China.
Smith’s closest competition came from fellow American Hali Flickinger, who was second through 150 meters.
Smith outswam Flickinger over the final 50 meters, 32.10 to 33.28 and out-touched her by .35 seconds.
Katie Ledecky took over the anchor leg of the 4×200 free relay from former Stanford teammate Brooke Forde and helped the Americans win silver with an American record 7:40.73.
That would have been a world record had China not gone .40 seconds faster to earn the gold medal.
Forde, who swam anchor in the semifinal, will still be awarded a silver medal.
Ledecky won the fourth and final heat of the women’s 800 free with a time of 8:15.67 to qualify for the final. Fellow American Katie Grimes was second in 8:17.05.
Ledecky led from start to finish, swimming constant splits between 30.48 to 31.64.
Andrei Minakov, swimming with the Russian Olympic Committee, finished third in his heat of the men’s 100 fly with a time of 51.00, the fourth best among eight heats, qualifying the Stanford alum for the semifinals.
Taylor Ruck, competing for Canada, finished third in her heat of the 200 back, recording a time of 2:08.87, easily qualifying her for the semifinals. She had the sixth best time of the trials.
Smith came back to help qualify the U.S. mixed 200 medley relay team for the finals. She swam the opening leg. The Americans finished with a time of 3:41.02, second fastest.
Stanford grad Andi Murez swam for the Israel mixed relay team, which placed fifth in its heat, recording a time of 3:43.94.
Volleyball
Former Stanford All-American Foluke Akinradewo recorded nine points on four kills and five blocks and the U.S. survived a five-set marathon Thursday, beating Turkey, 25-19, 25-20, 17-25, 20-25, 15-12, at Ariake Arena.
Baseball
Israel dropped a 6-5 decision to South Korea and former Stanford standout Jeremy Bleich was the losing pitcher, giving up an unearned run in the bottom of the 10th inning at Yokohama Baseball Stadium on Thursday.
Bleich, who recorded two outs, was one of six pitchers used by Israel.
Water polo
Nicholas Presciutti scored with 1:40 remaining to play and Italy beat the U.S. men’s national team 12-11 on Thursday.
The Americans had a couple of chances in the final minute, including a power play that was saved.
Former Stanford All-American Alex Bowen was one of four players with two goals.
Stanford alum Drew Holland recorded 11 saves for the U.S., which plays Hungary on Saturday at Tatsumi Water Polo Center.
Rowing
Stanford grad Veronica Toro Arana, competing for Puerto Rico, finished fifth in a C/D semifinal round of women’s single sculls and will compete in the D final.
Toro Arana competed her race at the Sea Forest Waterway in 7:53.36. Sweden’s Lovisa Claesson won the semifinal in 7:35.91.
Sailing
Stanford senior Luke Muller recorded his best finish yet in the men’s one person dinghy (heavyweight) Finn division, finishing fourth in his sixth race (of 10).
Muller finished 14th in his fifth race on Thursday at Enoshima. He placed 12th and 15th at Zushi on Wednesday.
Muller flirted with a top two finish halfway through his third lap, sailing a mere nine seconds behind leader Giles Scott of Great Britain, who won the race by 14 seconds.
Muller was eight seconds ahead of Scott after the first mark but fell behind. He was as close as five seconds behind and finished 23 seconds behind Scott.
By Rick Eymer
By Rick Eymer
By Rick Eymer