Aug. 3 (UPI) — Sprinter Athing Mu, wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock and gymnast Simone Biles collected medals from historic performances as part of a nine-medal day for Team USA on Tuesday in Tokyo.
The two gold, four silver and three bronze medals kept Team USA on top of the medal count, with 73 through 11 days of 2020 Summer Games competition. China ranks second with 69 medals, but has an Olympic-best 32 golds.
Mu, 19, was one of the first Americans to make history Tuesday in Tokyo. She became the first American woman to win the 800-meter sprint since Madeline Manning Mims in 1968.
Mu’s winning time of 1:55.21 set a U.S. record. Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson finished second. American Raevyn Rogers claimed the bronze medal for third.
The Americans won their first medal of Day 11 in track and field. Brittney Reese added to the U.S. total with a second place finish in the women’s long jump. Germany’s Malaika Mihambo won gold. Nigeria’s Ese Brume won bronze.
Track’s Rai Benjamin claimed another silver medal a few hours later in the men’s 400-meter hurdles. Norway’s Karsten Marholm won that event with a world record time of 45.94 seconds. Benjamin clocked a 46.17. Brazil’s Alison dos Santos won bronze at 46.72.
In track cycling, Americans Emma White, Chloe Dygert, Jennifer Valente and Megan Jastrab finished third for a bronze medal in the women’s team pursuit final. Germany and Great Britain won gold and silver, respectively.
In gymnastics, Simone Biles ended her hiatus from competition and won a bronze medal in the women’s balance beam individual final. China’s Guan Chenchen and Tang Xijing were first and second, respectively.
Biles’ bronze was her second medal of the Games and seventh all-time, which ties her with Shannon Miller for the most ever among American gymnasts.
Back in track and field, American Christopher Nilsen claimed silver in the men’s pole vault with a height of 5.97 meters. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis won the event with a height of 6.02 meters. Brazil’s Thiago Braz won the bronze.
Team USA sprinter Gabrielle Thomas claimed bronze Tuesday with a time of 21.87 seconds in the women’s 200-meter final.
Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah won that event with a time of 21.53 seconds for her second gold medal of the Games. Namibia’s Christine Mboma, 18, placed second with a world under-20 record time of 21.81.
Later Tuesday, Team USA’s Mensah-Stock became the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling.
Mensah-Stock beat Nigeria’s Bellsing Oborududu in the women’s freestyle 68-kilogram gold medal match.
“Just because you’re a female doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish the biggest of goals,” Mensah-Stock told NBC. “Being an Olympic champ is one of the hardest things I’ve done in my entire life. I can say it’s well worth it.”
In non-medal events, Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman beat Germany’s Laura Ludwig and Margareta Kozuch to advance to the women’s beach volleyball semifinals.
Team USA boxer Duke Ragan beat Ghana’s Samuel Takyi in a 52-57 kg. featherweight semifinal bout to advance to the gold medal fight. Ragan battles Albert Batyrgaziev of the Russian Olympic Committee for gold Thursday in Tokyo.
In men’s basketball, Team USA beat Spain 95-81 in a quarterfinal Tuesday in Saitama. Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant scored a team-high 29 points. Spain guard Ricky Rubio scored a game-high 38 points.
The Americans battle Australia in the semifinals Thursday in Saitama for a chance to play in the gold medal game. They’ll face France or Slovenia if they beat Australia.
Team USA’s women’s water polo team also advanced to the semifinal round with a 16-5 win over Canada in the quarterfinals Tuesday in Tokyo.
In soccer, Brazil beat Mexico in a penalty kick session to win a men’s semifinal Tuesday in Kashima. Spain went on to beat Japan 1-0 in the other semifinal Tuesday in Saitama.
Real Madrid midfielder Marco Asensio led Spain to the victory with a goal in the 115th minute of extra time.
Spain battles Brazil in the gold medal match at 7:30 a.m. EDT Saturday on NBCSN. Brazil enters the game as defending champion, with its last title at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.
In baseball, the Dominican Republic beat Israel 7-6 on a walk-off single from MLB veteran Jose Bautista in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The Dominican Republic advances to face Team USA in an elimination game. The winner advances to the semifinals, where it will face Japan or South Korea.
Team USA faces the Dominican Republic on Wednesday in Yokohama.
In field hockey, Belgium beat India in the first of two men’s semifinals Tuesday at Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo. Australia followed with a win over Germany. Belgium battles Australia in the gold medal game Thursday in Tokyo.
