When the U.S. women are on, they're unbeatable. They could even be a little bit off and still win by several points.
Soccer Sets Quarterfinal Matchups
The U.S. women couldn't be in better shape. A quarterfinal berth is in the bag, and they'll wrap up first place in the group (and a favorable matchup for those quarterfinals) with a win or draw against Colombia, which hasn't beaten the U.S. in five tries. (Or tied the U.S. Or scored against it.)
Colombia, last place in the group and with no realistic chance of advancing to the quarterfinals, won't even be at full strength. Star midfielder Yoreli Rincon is missing the Games with a broken leg, and some players may sit out what figures to be the team's finale, according to Anne M. Peterson of the Associated Press:
So the biggest questions will be coach Jill Ellis' personnel decisions. Will she rest players who have played all 180 minutes so far: Tobin Heath, Allie Long, Kelley O'Hara and Becky Sauerbrunn? Will we finally see Megan Rapinoe, who hasn't played a competitive game since tearing her right ACL in December?
Brazil's group also has little suspense. The hosts beat China 3-0 and Sweden 5-1, leaving only the formality of a match with last-place South Africa. The other group is more interesting—Canada can clinch first place with a draw against Germany, which was surprisingly held to a draw by Australia.
The Canada-Germany group winner will have little advantage in the quarterfinals thanks to a quirk of the 12-team format. The group winner gets the runner-up from the United States' group—likely France. The group runner-up will face the runner-up from Brazil's group—probably either China or Sweden.
Women Take First Shots in Water Polo
In case you haven't seen enough sports in which the U.S. women are favorites, women's water polo gets underway with a full set of games. The U.S. won gold in 2012 after three near misses since the sport was introduced to the Games in 2000. Only four players, including captain Maggie Steffens,
return from four years ago.
In the past three years, the Americans have shown 2012 was no fluke. They won the World Championships in 2015 and the last three World League titles.
The U.S. will open with a tough foe in Spain, which finished second in the 2012 Games and won the 2013 World Championships.
No matter the results in Brazil, American attacker Kaleigh Gilchrist may be back in the Olympics in 2020 in another sport: surfing, which the IOC added to the Games on Wednesday.
"I was kind of just overwhelmed with joy, and you know it just made that long-term goal set and I am going to look for 2020," Gilchrist said, per the
Associated Press.
Oldest U.S. Olympian in Medal Chase
Strong horses and skilled riders have spent the first three days of the Olympics competing in eventing, a tough test that wraps up Tuesday with jumping.
ED JONES/Getty Images
Two of the four American riders had major issues on the cross-country course.
After two days of dressage, the United States was tied for sixth place in the team competition. But in Monday's cross country phase, Clark Montgomery's horse recorded three "refusals"—which means it basically decided navigating the next obstacle wasn't a good idea—and Lauren Kieffer fell, wiping out their chances.
The U.S. still has hope in the individual standings with its remaining riders. Phillip Dutton, the
oldest 2016 U.S. Olympian in any sport, is in fifth place. Boyd Martin is sixth.
Ledecky's Closest Individual Race
You've seen Katie Ledecky in the 4x100-meter freestyle, where she's not quite up to speed with the top sprinters. That shouldn't be a surprise—she finished seventh in that event at the U.S. trials.
Then you saw her in the 400-meter freestyle, where she pulled away from everyone in the world, closely chased only by the line representing her own world record.
FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/Getty Images
Katie Ledecky makes it look easy.
The 200-meter freestyle splits the difference. Ledecky is favored—but not by much. Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom, already a winner in Rio in the 100-meter butterfly, finished slightly ahead of Ledecky in Monday night's semifinals, clocking 1:54.65 to 1:54.81.
Picking between the two of them is tough. But it's a safe bet the times will be better, as each swimmer looked capable of going faster.
In the other swimming finals Tuesday night, Maya DiRado will face defending champion Ye Shiwen of China in the women's 200-meter individual medley, Michael Phelps will meet rival Chad le Clos of South Africa in the men's 200-meter butterfly and the U.S. men will seek another relay medal in the 4x200-meter freestyle.
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