Tokyo Olympics: Three Coloradans earn gold medals at Games in opening weekend; a look ahead at Week 2

3 years ago 470

Warning, spoilers ahead: The U.S. gymnastics squad contention airs astatine 6:30 p.m. MT connected NBC tonight

With the 2nd week of the Tokyo Olympics starting, 3 Coloradans person already earned golden medals this past weekend.

Colorado Springs’ Anastasija Zolotic secured the United States’ first-ever golden medal successful taekwondo, winning successful the women’s featherweight part connected Sunday. Zolotic scraped past fifth-ranked Russia’s Tatiana Minina, 25-17. The 18-year-old lone needed 1 travel to the Olympics to unafraid the apical spot connected the podium.

Zolotic is lone the 2nd pistillate from Team USA to scope an Olympic taekwondo last and the 4th American overall. This year, she won the Pan-American Championships metallic medal and brought location golden astatine the 2018 inferior satellite championships.

The United States’ shooting squad got disconnected to a beardown commencement this past play that included 2 Colorado Springs natives, Will Shaner and Amber English. Shaner made his Olympic debut successful the men’s 10-meter aerial firearm lawsuit connected Sunday. Shaner capped his gold-medal triumph by mounting an Olympic grounds of 251.6 points and the archetypal ever golden medal for Team USA successful men’s aerial rifle. The 20-year-old inferior astatine the University of Kentucky already has a plethora of accomplishments connected his resume, including a freshman All-American honor, 2nd successful the NCAA championships and awesome showings astatine erstwhile planetary championships.

Following close down Shaner’s shooting occurrence was Amber English. After hardly missing the past 2 Olympic Games, English — on with chap American teammate Vincent Hancock — completed a expanse of the men’s and women’s skeet connected Sunday. English deed 56 of 60 targets successful the opening shotgun lawsuit to acceptable an Olympic record, edging retired reigning skeet champion Diana Bacosi of Italy by one. English deed her last 10 attempts portion Bacosi missed her 3rd changeable to gain the gold.

On Monday, the men’s gymnastics squad placed 5th successful the squad last (254.594), coming up abbreviated against fourth-place Great Britain, third-place China, second-place Japan and the golden medal victor Russian Olympic Committee. Fort Collins autochthonal Yul Moldauer has different accidental to scope the podium erstwhile helium competes for the level workout last connected Aug. 1.

USA Cycling’s Christopher Blevins placed 14th successful the men’s cross-country upland biking lawsuit connected Monday greeting with a clip of 1:28:13, 2 minutes and 59 seconds down the golden medal winner, Thomas Pidcock of Great Britain.