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    Monday, May 13, 2024

    Potter: A great day for the USA

    Day 13 produced a day to remember with Usain Bolt declaring himself the greatest athlete in history after becoming the first man to repeat win the Olympic sprint double. The USA however, had a great day winning five gold medals to take top spot on the medal table with 39 gold medals and a total of 90.

    The day turned out to be both fascinating and triumphant as, I spent the afternoon watching BMX cycling for the first time at the Olympic Park and in the evening at Wembley Stadium, watched the women's soccer final.

    The BMX cycling first deputed at the Beijing Games four years ago as a very exciting and fast-paced sport. Over a series of qualifying heats, riders have to navigate a course full of bumps, jumps and tight bends while trying to outmaneuver, and avoid crashing into, their opponents. With the predictable leaps throughout the course, it became a photographic dream, as I managed to catch riders flying birdlike in midair with relative ease. Tomorrow, a dramatic finish will take place with a winner-takes-all one-run final.

    Walking along Wembley Way prior to the big game at Wembley, I felt as if I was in the US, with all the red, white and blue support. A record crowd of 80,203 were in attendance for this exciting Olympic women's soccer final between the Olympic holders and the World Cup winners.

    A fast-paced game, moving from end to end saw the US open the lead with a goal in the 7th minute, scored by Carli Lloyd with a diving header. In the second half the US extended their lead with a tremendous strike by Lloyd for her second goal in the 53rd minute. US goalkeeper, Solo, had a fine game; but, had no chance with Japan's 62nd minute goal by Ogimi to reduce the deficit to 2-1. The US, however, continued to play well and finish great gold medal winners.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Roger Potter works at Mohegan Sun Casino and is a second generation Olympian. He represented Great Britain in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in the discipline of bobsled and his father, Reg Potter, captained the Great Britain water polo team in the 1948 Summer Olympics.

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