Olympic Updates (July 24): Riviere Makes Debut; Woods Fifth in Cycling Race
7/24/2021 9:27:00 AM | Olympics
• Tokyo Olympics Site | U-M Olympics Coverage
Men's Cycling
A grueling 145.4-mile race with more than three miles of accumulated upward elevation change came down to fractions of a second as former Michigan track and field runner Mike Woods of Canada placed fifth in the men's cycling road race on Saturday (July 24). One minute and seven seconds after Ecuadorian gold medalist Richard Carapace crossed the line, Woods was part of a group of eight men who covered the final 200 meters on the Fuji International Speedway racetrack in an all-out sprint, but he came up just meters shy of the medals. All eight were given finishing times of six hours, six minutes and 33 seconds.
Woods, who was an intermediate leader in this month's Tour de France climbing classification, was one of the field's strongest riders on the final big climb at Mikuni Pass -- a four-mile stretch that saw the riders gain nearly half a mile in elevation change. He was part of a three-man lead group over the final peaks and briefly led the race with less than 20 miles to go. He was ultimately caught by the chase pack but was riding third overall with four miles to go and moved up to second at times as he battled within a chase pack of seven men.
The chase group steadied itself in the closing mile and slowed to a crawl with less than half a mile left in preparation for the final sprint, which launched with 200 meters to go. Woods initially got boxed in, first trying unsuccessfully to break through along the far left side of the road before cutting back to the middle.
Woods' fifth-place finish marks the second-best placement in the event for a Canadian, trailing only Steve Bauer's 1984 silver-medal performance in Los Angeles.
• Mike Woods: 5th (6:06.33)
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Men's Gymnastics
Former Wolverines Sam Mikulak (USA) and Uche Eke (Nigeria) were in action during men's gymnastics qualification on Saturday (July 24), with spots in the team (top eight), all-around (top 24, maximum of two per country) and individual event (top eight, maximum of two per country) finals at stake.
Mikulak, a cornerstone of Team USA for the past two Olympic cycles, qualified for the all-around and parallel bar finals while helping the Americans qualify for the team final as well. His all-around score of 84.664 was good for 14th place, while his effort of 15.433 on parallel bars put him in fifth. Team USA was fourth overall (256.761) to advance to the team final on Monday (July 26) at 7 p.m. Japan time (6 a.m. EDT).
Eke, the first gymnast in Nigerian history to earn a berth in the Olympic Games, finished 58th in the all-around competition (74.765). His top event proved to be pommel horse, where he placed 52nd with a 12.866.
• Sam Mikulak: All-around, 14th (84.664); floor exercise, 15th (14.466); pommel horse, 23rd (13.900); still rings, 25th (13.866), vault, 33rd (14.133); parallel bars, 5th (15.433); high bar, 54th (12.866)
• Uche Eke: All-around, 58th (74.765); floor exercise, 61st (12.833); pommel horse, 52nd (12.866); still rings, 70th (11.900); vault, 61st (13.433); parallel bars, 64th (12.233); high bar, 67th (11.500)
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Men's Swimming
The first day of swimming at Tokyo Aquatics Centre saw rising sophomore Jake Mitchell (USA) and alumnus Felix Auböck (Austria) advance to the 400-meter freestyle final. Auböck swam the second-fastest time in the heats (3:43.91). He finished just 0.24 seconds behind the leader and will swim out of lane five in the event's final at 9:52 p.m. EDT Saturday night (10:52 a.m. Sunday in Japan). Mitchell qualified thanks to a 3:45.38 in the heats, good for seventh overall. He will swim out of the first lane in the final.
• 400-meter Freestyle (Heats): 2. Felix Auböck (3:43.91); 7. Jake Mitchell (3:45.38)
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Women's Swimming
The first day of swimming at Tokyo Aquatics Centre saw two Michigan women in action, and both experienced success. Maggie MacNeil, the reigning NCAA Swimmer of the Year, turned in a 56.55 in the women's 100-meter butterfly heats for the fifth-best clocking. The Canadian will be in the second semifinal Saturday night at 9:46 EDT (10:46 a.m. Sunday in Tokyo), swimming in lane three.
In the 4x100-meter freestyle heats, 2019 Michigan alumna Catie DeLoof helped the United States to the fifth-best time (3:34.80). DeLoof swam the second leg for Team USA and had the second-fastest split, turning in a 53.42. The Americans will have lane two in the final at 10:45 p.m. EDT Saturday night (11:45 a.m. Sunday in Japan).
• 100-meter Butterfly (Heats): 5. Maggie MacNeil (56.55)
• 4x100-meter Freestyle Relay (Heats): 7. United States (3:45.38)
• Results and Video: 100 Fly | 4x100 Free Relay (NBCOlympics.com)
Women's Soccer
Canada 2, Chile 1
In its second game of the Olympic Games, Canada got a much-needed 2-1 victory over Chile behind two goals from Janine Beckie. In the 39th minute, Beckie picked up a rebound in the middle of the box and ripped it into the center of the net to allow Canada to take a 1-0 lead in the first half. Following the halftime break, Beckie timed a perfect run into the box off a Nichelle Prince lob to give Canada the 2-0 advantage over Chile. Chile cut the lead to one when it capitalized on penalty kick, but the Canadian defense warded off Chile for the remainder of the match to earn its first win of the 2020 Olympic Games. Current Michigan junior Jayde Riviere made her Olympic debut, earning the start and playing all 90 minutes on defense, while U-M alumna Shelina Zadorsky also played the entire match. Canada (1-0-1) will close out Group E round-robin action against Great Britain (2-0-0) on Tuesday (July 27) at 8 p.m. Japan time (7 a.m. EDT).
• Jayde Riviere: 90 minutes
• Shelina Zadorsky: 90 minutes
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Amanda Chidester (Getty Images)
Softball
USA 2, Mexico 0
Team USA earned its third straight shutout win in opening-round play, defeating Mexico 2-0 on Saturday (July 24) in its first contest since relocating to Yokohama Stadium outside Tokyo. Veteran pitchers Cat Osterman and Monica Abbott again combined for the shutout. Osterman fanned four and allowed just one hit and a walk through six innings, while Abbott struck out all three batters faced in the seventh. Ali Aguilar drove a bases-loaded, two-run single into right-center to plate the only runs of the game. Wolverine alum Amanda Chidester went 0-for-4 in the game but was placed on base as the temporary runner for catcher Dejah Mulipola with two outs in the third and crossed home plate for the go-ahead tally.
• Amanda Chidester: 0 for 4
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)Women's Water Polo
Australia 8, Canada 5
The Australian water polo team started its trek toward gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Saturday (July 24) against Canada. The two teams played evenly through the opening quarter, with each side scoring a goal. The Stingers were able to take a two-goal advantage into halftime at 5-3 thanks in part to former Wolverine Abby Andrews, who scored her first career Olympic goal in the second quarter. Each team tallied a goal in the third quarter, and the two followed the same script in the fourth, finishing with an 8-5 Aussie win.
• Abby Andrews: 1 goal, 1 shot
• Amy Ridge: 2 shots
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Women's Rowing
Women's Four (4-) Heats
The second day of rowing events in Tokyo on Saturday morning (July 24) at the SeaForest Waterway featured the women's four (4-) heats and Grace Luczak. Luczak, who went on to graduate from Stanford, and USA teammates Kendall Chase (California), Claire Collins (Princeton) and Madeleine Wanamaker (Wisconsin) placed fourth in the second of two heats, timing 6:43.80 behind winner Australia (6:28.76). The repechage will be conducted at 1 p.m. Tokyo time on Sunday, July 25 (midnight EDT Sunday) with two spots available in the A final.
• Grace Luczak (women's four): 4th, heat 2 (6:43.80) -- to repechage
• Results and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
