Day 2: Millimeter Matters

The Archery women's team final appeared through the scope as if the S. Korean women were cruising to another gold, in an event they have never lost...ever. Every Olympic champion has been the S. Korean women. China roared back to win the third and fourth sets to force a fifth and deciding set.  After three arrows each, the score was tied at 27, so the judges got out the magnifying glass and looked to verify if two arrows shot by the Koreans may have barely grazed the line between 9 and 10.  After this Sherlockian inspection, the shots were upgraded to 10s and S. Korea claimed the Gold once again.  

This had major implications for three teams - as each member of the Korean team was selected on our squads: Hunchback of the Swimming Lane, Eiffel Power, and Golden Beret all aimed their sights on the 10 points and were glad to add this to their quiver. In one of the few non-S. Korean picks, Baguette the Gold unfortunately did not bake to golden brown, but burnt to a more Bronze color with Mexico defeating the Netherlands.

Judo matches continued - Tripomphe's Kosovo women made the gold medal match, but got pinned for the silver. France continued flexing with another Bronze for Hunchback. However, Japan dominated with a men's gold medal win for Golden Beret.

Canoeing competitions launched from the dock today - beginning with the K2 slalom.  Jessica Fox of Australia did not have exceptional qualifying heats, but made the final and secured the chance to fulfil her destiny - both of her parents were champion canoe competitiors in the past.  She then proceeded to out-Fox the tough course and stake a claim at the lead.  It all came down to the final competitor from Germany, with possibly the best chance to beat Fox or at least medal, but she ran into the wall and missed the next to last gate. Devastation turned to joy for Fox and Hunchback of the Swimming Lane.  Also, this gave a bronze to Great Britain and Golden Beret, as they were able to hang onto the medal stand.

Swimming will be a nightly fixture for a while - 

• Leon Marchand of France wowed the home crowd with a gold in the 400IM for Synchronized Race Walkers
•  However, the Race Walkers were tripped up when Gretchen Walsh was edged out for Gold by her teammate Tori Huske

Fencing rounds out the set of medals tonight - 

• Alice Volpi of Italy could not stab a medal for Eiffel Power - falling in the Bronze medal match.
• Lee Kiefer of the USA defender her gold medal in the women's Foil final defeating another member of Team USA!  However both were undrafted by our teams!

Elsewhere around the games, sweaty moments for Team de Triomphe, as #1 pick Simone Biles seemed to have injured her ankle during the preliminaries today, even crawling back on the mat at one point.  She was able to overcome this twist without any other "twistys" situation and dominated the remaining competitions. She still has a chance for 5 medals in these games. Rebeca Andrade ended in 2nd for Golden Beret, and Suni Lee in 3rd for Seine Superstars, setting up a great competition for all-around medals.