Team USA's quest for the overall title in the Tokyo Olympics took a huge hit on Friday as the Americans did not record a single gold medal on Day 7 of this year's Summer Games. The United States managed just three medals on the day with a paltry two silvers and one bronze.
China and Japan took full advantage of Team USA's Day 7 collapse as they stretched their lead at the top of the medal standings. China remains on top with a total haul of 19 golds, 10 silvers, and 11 bronze medals. Japan is still in second with 17 golds, four silvers, and seven bronzes, while the United States remains in third with 14 golds, 16 silvers, and 11 bronze medals.
Swimming spares Team USA's blushes with three medals on Day 7
All of Team USA's medals on Day 7 of the Tokyo Olympics came in the pool, which comes as no surprise given the Americans' dominance in swimming in this year's Summer Games. Lilly King had her eyes set on another Olympic gold medal, but she had to settle for silver after a stunning swim from South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker.
Schoenmaker finally posted the first individual world record in swimming at the Tokyo Olympics, breaking the eight-year-old mark of 2:19.11 in the women's 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:18.95. Joining Schoenmaker and King at the podium was Annie Lazor, who brought home the bronze medal for Team USA.
Ryan Murphy took home the other medal for Team USA on Day 7, winning the silver in the men's 200-meter backstroke final. He once again failed to take down ROC's Evgeny Rylov, who finished with an Olympic record time of 1:53.27. Murphy grabbed the headlines shortly afterward when he insinuated that the race was not clean, seemingly accusing Rylov of doping.
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Murphy blasts Russian opponent as frustrations boil over
Rylov denied the accusations, saying he was surprised by Murphy's strange statement. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency also backed up its athlete, saying Rylov had been tested three times this year and that the swimmer was "prepared and clean" for the Tokyo Olympics.
Murphy's frustrations are understandable given that Rylov thwarted him twice in the men's 100-meter and men's 200-meter backstroke events. Russia is technically banned from the Tokyo Olympics after being found guilty of state-sponsored doping.
Murphy believes the punishment handed out to them has not been tough enough with Russian athletes still competing in the Tokyo Games, albeit under the ROC moniker.
Contributing to Team USA's poor showing on Day 7 was the sub-par performance of its rowing team as the men's and women's rowing eights did not win a medal. It was disappointing, particularly for the women who had won three consecutive gold medals in that event before the Tokyo Olympics.
For the first time in the history of the Olympics, the United States has not won any medals in rowing.
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