Tokyo Olympics

5 to Watch: NJ's McLaughlin Wins Gold; US Women's BBall, Volleyball Advance

The women of Team USA shined on the Tokyo Olympics track and on the court Tuesday night and Wednesday morning

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Team USA track star Sydney McLaughlin took gold in the women’s 400m hurdles and broke her own world record, while Dalilah Muhammad took silver and posted the second fastest time ever.

All eyes were on the American women on the Tokyo track Tuesday night ET as New Jersey native Sydney McLaughlin won gold and set a world record in the process in the women's 400m hurdles.

On the court, the U.S. women's basketball team kept its impressive Olympic winning streak going. And, the U.S. women's volleyball team -- with plenty of Penn State connections -- got closer to a medal.

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Penn state alum David Morris Taylor III competes against Hassan Yazdanicharati of Team Iran during the men’s freestyle 86kg final.
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Here Taylor poses with his medal during the Victory Ceremony.
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New Jersey native and Temple University alum Ajeé Wilson just missed out on making the women’s 800m final.
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Lehigh Valley native Joe Kovacs competes in the men’s shot put final. Kovacs was born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth.
Here Kovacs is posing with his silver medal in the men’s shot put.
AP
Vashti Cunningham competes in the women’s high jump. Cunningham is the daughter of former Philadelphia Eagle Randall Cunningham.
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The Boss's daughter, Jessica Springsteen, competes with Don Juan van de Donkhoeve. Springsteen is from Colts Neck, New Jersey.
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Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's Jennifer Brady plays a backhand during her women’s singles first round match against Camila Giorgi of Team Italy.
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Voorhees, New Jersey native Tommy Paul plays a forehand during his men’s singles first round match against Aslan Karatsev of Team ROC.
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Princeton graduate Ashleigh Johnson blocks a shot during the Tokyo Olympics water polo tournament.
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Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, native Hali Flickinger swam to bronze in both the 200m butterfly (seen above) and the 400m individual medley.
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Here Flickinger is posing with silver medalist Regan Smith after the women's 200m butterfly final.
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Nic Fink competes in the men’s 200m breaststroke semifinal. Fink is from Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and currently lives in Morristown.
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Pottstown, Pennsylvania, native Payton Ridenour finished fifth in the BMX racing quarterfinals.
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New Jersey’s Jackie Dubrovich participated in women’s team and individual foil events.
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New Jersey’s Colton Brown defeated Raphael Schwendinger of Liechtenstein in the men’s judo 90kg elimination round of 32 before losing in the round of 16.
USWNT’s Carli Lloyd made her hometown of Delran, New Jersey, proud in the team’s 6-1 win over New Zealand.
USWNT’s Julie Ertz kicks during the Tokyo Olympics. She is married to Philadelphia Eagles’ tight end Zach Ertz.
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Kristina Wagner (left) and Princeton University graduate Gevvie Stone (right) came in fifth in women's double sculls.
Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Coxswain Julian Venonsky, rower Nicholas Mead and rower Justin Best of the men's eight have roots in Chester County, and rower Austin Hack trained in Princeton, New Jersey. Team USA placed fourth in the men’s eight.
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Jessica Thoennes, Charlotte Buck, Gia Doonan, Brooke Mooney, Olivia Coffey, Regina Salmons, Meghan Musnicki, Kristine O’Brien and Katelin Guregian compete during the women’s eight heat 2 at the Tokyo Olympics. The team trained in Princeton, New Jersey, ahead of the Games and Salmons is a University of Pennsylvania graduate.
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Megan Kalmoe and Tracy Eisser compete during the women’s pair final B on day six of the Tokyo Olympics. Eisser, who is a Fair Lawn, New Jersey, native, trained with Kalmoe in Princeton.
Martin Meissner/AP
Athing Mu of Trenton wins a heat in the women’s 800-meter run at the Tokyo Olympics. Mu attended Trenton Central High School and would win gold in the event.
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Mu draped herself in the red, white and blue after his historic win.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
New Jersey native and Temple University alum Ajeé Wilson just missed out on making the women’s 800m final.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
New Brunswick native Sam Mattis competes in the men’s discus throw qualification at the Tokyo Olympics. Mattis, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, now lives in Philly.
Valarie Allman took home gold in women's discus throw in her first Olympic games. Allman, who was born in Newark, Delaware, and grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is the first American woman to medal in the event since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
New Jersey native Sydney McLaughlin competes in round one of the women’s 400m hurdles heats. McLaughlin graduated from Union Catholic Regional High School in 2017.
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Lehigh Valley native Joe Kovacs launched the shot put into the night as he advanced to the final.
AP Photo/Frank Augstein
Jordan Larson, left, and Haleigh Washington, right, block a spike during the women’s volleyball preliminary round at the Tokyo Olympics. Washington graduated from Penn State in 2017.
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Penn State graduate Matthew Anderson competes against Ezequiel Palacios of Team Argentina during the men’s preliminary round – pool B volleyball.
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
Morgan Pearson, center, dives into the water for the start of the men’s individual triathlon at the Tokyo Olympics. Pearson is a New Vernon, New Jersey, native who attended Delbarton School in Morristown.
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Villanova University graduate Summer Rappaport and other competitors dive during the Mixed Relay Triathlon at the Tokyo Olympics.
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Lancaster, Pennsylvania native Casey Kaufhold competed in archery.
MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images
New Jersey native Tobin Heath has had some hard fought moments during the USWNT's run.
USWNT goalie Alyssa Naeher attempts a save in the women's semi-final match. The Penn State graduate was injured Monday and replaced by USWNT backup Adrianna Franch. She will miss the bronze medal game.
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Former Phillies prospect Anthony Gose comes in in the seventh inning during the baseball opening round Group B game between Team South Korea and Team United States. Yes, the ride in on a mitt cart.
Yuichi Masuda/2021 Getty Images
Todd Frazier bats in the fourth inning during the baseball opening round group B game between Team South Korea and Team United States. Frazier is a Point Pleasant, New Jersey, native who won the Little League Baseball World Series with Toms River.
AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
Mark Kolozsvary, left, and David Robertson celebrate their win after a baseball game against South Korea. Robertson used to pitch for the Phillies.
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Phillip Dutton competes during the eventing individual jumping final. Dutton, who lives and trains with his family in Chester County, is the oldest U.S. Olympian.
BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP via Getty Images
Cochranville, Pennsylvania, resident Boyd Martin competes in the equestrian’s eventing team and individual cross country.
Toru Hanai/Getty Images
Penn State graduate Micha Hancock serves against Team ROC during the women’s preliminary – pool B volleyball.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Marquis Dendy competes in the men’s long jump qualification. He is part of a small group of Delawareans competing in the Olympics.
Friso Gentsch/picture alliance via Getty Images
New Jersey's Jessica Springsteen rode Don Juan van de Donkhoeve over the jumps.
Marcel ter Bals/BSR Agency/Getty Images
Maddie Musselman competes in the women's water polo match between United States and ROC. Musselman has Bucks County roots and grew up rooting for the Eagles.
Elsa/Getty Images
New Jersey's Dagmara Wozniak during her bout against Charlotte Lembach of Team France in women’s sabre fencing team table of 16.

Here are five to watch:

NJ's Sydney McLaughlin wins gold and sets record in women’s 400m hurdles crown

Sydney McLaughlin is golden.

The 21-year-old track star beat fellow American Dalilah Muhammad in a highly anticipated women's 400m hurdles final at the Olympic Stadium Tuesday night.

McLaughlin bested her own world record with a time of 51.46 to win gold. Muhammad also beat McLaughlin's previous world record with a time of 51.58, but it was only enough for her to earn silver.

Femke Bol of the Netherlands came in third at 52.03 seconds.

McLaughlin entered the race as the world record holder in the event, while Muhammad came in as the defending Olympic champion.

McLaughlin set the previous world record time of 51.90 against Muhammad at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June and also posted a better time than Muhammad in the semifinal round in Tokyo.

Track and field turned around and had another session that began at 5:30 a.m. ET on Thursday.

Team USA's Allyson Felix will attempt to win another medal in the women's 400m final. The 35-year-old mother finished second in her heat to automatically qualify for the race. Felix crossed the finish line in 49.89 seconds.

She is already proving to everyone that age is just a number, finishing first in the third heat of Round 1 on Monday in 50.84 seconds.

Quanera Hayes started off strong in the first heat of the semifinals but tired out over the last 250 meters. She finished with a time of 49.81 seconds. American Madeline Jonathas finished fourth in the second heat with a time of 50.51 seconds.

American Courtney Frerichs won her first Olympic medal in the 3000m steeplechase. After taking the lead for most of the race, she was passed on the final lap by Uganda's Peruth Chemutai.

She finished in 9:04.79, and Chemutai finished in 9:01.45.Kenya's Hyvin Kiyeng won bronze in 9:05.39.

American Valerie Constien finished in 12th, and reigning Olympic bronze medalist Emma Coburn finished 14th after falling on the final water jump.

The morning wrapped up with a North America showdown in the men's 200m.

With Usain Bolt not in the field, it was wide open for Americans Noah Lyles, Kenneth Benarek and teen Erriyon Knighton. It was Canada's Andre de Grasse who would take home gold, with Bednarek winning silver and bronze for Lyles.

Team USA routs Australia in women’s basketball to advance to semifinals

For a team that has won six straight gold medals and more than 50 consecutive games, playing from behind is unfamiliar and unexpected territory.

Yet, after the first quarter in all three games during pool play, the mighty U.S. women's basketball team found itself in that very territory: trailing.

That changed on Wednesday as the U.S. jumped out to an early lead en route to a 79-55 rout of Australia in its quarterfinal matchup at the Tokyo Olympics. The fast start helped secure a spot in the Final Four as Team USA extended its winning streak to 53 games and put itself within two victories of a seventh straight gold medal.

The U.S. advances to the semifinals to face Serbia, which defeated China 77-70 in the quarterfinals, on Friday at 12:40 a.m. ET.

U.S. women's basketball advanced to the semifinals with its win over Australia. The win marks the team's 53rd straight win, putting the U.S. two victories away from a seventh straight gold medal.

US women’s volleyball beats Dominican Republic to advance to semifinals

Despite being without setter Jordyn Poulter and opposite hitter Jordan Thompson, the United States women’s volleyball team handled the Domincan Republic with relative ease, winning 3-0 in the quarterfinal matchup. 

The U.S. team now will play in the semifinals, where they can punch their ticket to the gold medal game. It's the United States' fourth straight Olympic semifinal appearance.

The U.S. -- which features Penn State alums Micha Hancock and Haleigh Washington -- will face the winner of Serbia and Italy in the semifinals. The United States came from down 2-1 to defeat Italy 3-2 in the last match of group play. 

That match will take place Friday, Aug. 6 at 8 a.m. ET. 

The U.S. women’s volleyball team advanced to the semifinals after shutting out the Dominican Republic 3-0.

Nelly Korda near top of leaderboard in Olympic women’s golf tournament

The first round of the women’s golf tournament is in the books and Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom is on top of the leaderboard by one stroke, while Team USA’s Nelly Korda and India’s Aditi Ashok are tied for second.

Korda entered the Olympic tournament as the world's top-ranked golfer and finished four under par and one stroke behind Sagstrom.

Viewers can stream Round 2 of the tournament on Aug. 4 at 6:30 p.m. ET. Click here for more information on scheduling.

Japan wins gold and silver in women's park skateboarding

Japan won its third straight gold to kick off the inaugural Olympic skateboarding competition.

Japan's Sakura Yosozumi won the first ever Olympic gold medal in women's park skateboarding on Wednesday in Tokyo. Yosozumi, 19, was the oldest medal-winner by more than six years. Japanese teammate Cocona Hiraki, 12, took silver with a 59.04; she scored a 58.05 on her first run, 59.04 on her second, and 5.70 on her third.

Sky Brown, who turned 13 less than a month ago, took the bronze with a 54.04. 

World No. 1 Misugu Okamoto, 15, qualified first out of prelims but missed the podium in the final, finishing fourth. Her highest run score was a 53.58.

American Bryce Wettstein advanced to the final but teammates Brighton Zeuner and Jordyn Barratt missed out, finishing in 11th and 12th in prelims, respectively. Wettstein finished sixth with a 44.50 on her first run.

Holding the Olympics during a pandemic means lots of empty seats that were supposed to be filled with cheering fans. NBCLX storyteller Chase Cain takes you to Ariake Urban Sports Park in Tokyo, where the first-ever Olympic skateboarding competition was held, to learn what it’s like to be one of the only fans in the Olympic stands — and how all that quiet affects the athletes competing.
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