The Sports Report Olympics edition: U.S. gold-medal battle with China down to the wire

Welcome to today’s Olympic newsletter. I’m your tour guide John Cherwa and I’m thinking the U.S. ought to hire a track relay technique coach.

The day we never hoped would come is here. The apocalypse is upon us. OK, overly dramatic. And not very surprising. China is tied with the United States in gold medals, 33-33, with two days to go. Remember that’s the standard of success in most of the world, except the U.S., which looks at total medals, because that one it always wins.

The U.S. has only lost the gold-medal count to China once, and that was 2008 in Beijing, and well, you know.

So, with apologies to Steve Kornacki, let’s try and handicap this battle of the cobra and the mongoose (no idea which country is which).

Artistic swimming: We’re going to call it for the duet from China. With two of three disciplines done, its duo is comfortably in first while the U.S. is 11th.

Basketball: The U.S. should be favored to pick up two gold medals, Saturday in the men’s against a tougher than usual French team and Sunday with the women also against France.

Boxing: We’re going to give China another gold, predicting that Qian Li of China will beat Atheyna Bibeichi Bylon of Panama in the women’s 75 kg (165 pounds) gold match. U.S. is out.

Breaking: Doesn’t look like a gold opportunity for either country, but better for the U.S. It has fifth-ranked Jeffro and sixth-ranked Victor, while the highest-ranked Chinese competitor is X-Rain at 27th. (If you are guessing it was my first time looking at these world rankings, you’re right.)

Canoe Sprint: The U.S. has a reasonable shot in the women’s canoe single 200 meters as Nevin Harrison won her heat and holds the Olympic record in this event from Tokyo. China has two in the women’s singles 500 meters. We’ll give the medal edge to the U.S.

Cycling track: There are five golds over the next two days. It’s difficult to determine favorites, but the U.S. cycling track team has one gold and China hasn’t hit he board. No clear advantage.

Diving: China is so good in diving you can lock down a gold in the men’s 10-meter platform, giving them a sweep of all diving golds.

Golf: Rose Zhang of the U.S. has a decent chance at 7 under, two behind the two leaders at 9 under. At 4 under you can find Kelly Korda of the U.S. and Xiyu Janet Lin and Ruoning Yin of China.

Rhythmic gymnastics: China was fifth in qualification, so we’ll say no gold. France is fourth and you know what they say about the home ribbon advantage. U.S. didn’t have a team.

American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wears a crown and holds the U.S. flag after winning the 400-meter hurdles during the Paris Olympics on Thursday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Speed climbing: Reasonable U.S. chance for a gold with Brooke Raboutou, who was third in the women’s boulder and lead in qualifying.

Soccer: The. U.S. women have a gold opportunity when they play Brazil. U.S. could certainly win but Brazil has played tough this tournament.

Track and field: There are 10 more events in track and field and this is where the U.S. has a huge advantage. This is just not China’s event. There are almost guaranteed golds, unless there is a baton screw up, and that is the men’s and women’s 4x400 relays. The U.S. has a shot, but not the favorite, in the men’s 800 (Bruce Hoppel) and men’s 5,000 (Grant Fisher). The U.S. has three in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, but maybe not the best three.

Volleyball: Should be a great match on Sunday on the women’s side when the U.S., third ranked in the world, plays top-ranked Italy.

Weightlifting: There are four more golds to be given and China has a real shot at two of them (women’s 81+ kg and men’s 102 kg). The U.S. is more middle of the pack.

Wrestling: There are six medals to go and the edge might be with the U.S. in the men’s 97 kg (213 pounds) where third-seeded Kyle Frederick Snyder meets China’s Awusayiman Habila in the round of 16. Long way to go, though. The U.S. has one person alive in the men’s 65 kg (143 pounds) and both countries have a person in the women’s 76 kg (167 pounds).

Heading to the finish

Don’t worry. We didn’t forget about Friday’s competition. The short story is the U.S. women are better then the men, at least in track and basketball. Let’s see what we’ve got going.

— A lot to absorb at track and field, but bottom line is the U.S. women’s 4x100-meter relay was unbeatable. Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas, Melissa Jefferson and Twanisha Terry gave the U.S. its first gold of the track day. The men’s 4x100-meter relay kept its 20-year medal-less streak alive by botching a baton transfer and didn’t make the final. In the last race of the day, Rai Benjamin of the U.S. won the men’s 400 hurdles. In between, nada for the U.S.

Americans Kenneth Bednarek, Kyree King, Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley look down the track after getting disqualified from the 4x100-meter relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Friday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

— The winning streak for the U.S. women’s basketball team reached 60 with an 85-64 win over Australia to put it in the gold-medal game against France.

— The score was 3-0 but it was so much closer as the U.S. won the bronze medal in men’s volleyball over Italy. It was the first U.S. medal since 2016.

— The U.S. men’s water polo team will try to duplicate the volleyball team after losing 10-6 to Serbia, two-time defending champion. Our Kevin Baxter looks to the future of the U.S. program, right here.

— Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, at the center of misconceptions about her gender, won the gold medal in boxing’s women’s 50 kg (110 pounds) division. She won all three rounds.

— You would never know it from watching NBC, but Friday was the first day of breaking. Both U.S. competitors were eliminated in the first round. While NBC ignored it, our Thuc Nhi Nguyen didn’t. See her report here.

— The U.S. won its first gold medal in weightlifting in 24 years when Olivia Reeves won the women’s 71 kg (156 pounds) division. She had combined lifts of 710 pounds.

— Kristina Teachout of the U.S. won the bronze medal in the women’s 67 kg (148 pounds) taekwondo competition.

— The U.S. picked up three medals in wrestling upping its total to five. Richard Lee Spencer won silver in the 57 kg (126 pounds) and Aaron Marquel Brooks (86 kg, 189) and Helen Louise Maroulis (57 kg, 126) won bronze.

What to watch for today

A lot of what you need to know is higher in the newsletter. So, here’s some quick highlights.

— The first event in track and field starts at 10 a.m. PDT with the men’s high jump and the last event is at 2:14 p.m. with the women’s 4x400 relay.

— The U.S. men’s basketball team plays France at 12:30 p.m. PDT for the gold medal.

— The U.S. women’s soccer team plays Brazil at 8 a.m. PDT for the gold medal.

Must-read links

Let’s catch up on some stories you might have missed but shouldn’t have:

• Paris Olympics TV schedule: Saturday’s listings
• ‘Everyone loved it.’ American B-girls proud to be part of breaking’s Olympic debut
• Amid strong Paris run, U.S. men’s water polo aims to shine brighter in L.A.
• Rai Benjamin, who trained at UCLA and USC, wins elusive Olympic gold in 400 hurdles
• For Olympic newbie sports like breaking, there’s a lot more at stake than medals
• Carl Lewis blasts U.S. officials for another botched Olympic 400-meter men’s relay
• U.S. women’s water polo team beset by tragedies keeps rare Olympic loss in perspective
• How the Paris Olympics spun ratings gold for NBC and Peacock
• Skateboarder Nyjah Huston’s bronze medal looks more black and ‘like it went to war and back’
• Ex-USC star Anna Cockrell overcomes mental hurdles to take silver in, yes, Olympic hurdles
• As breaking debuts at Olympics, meet the New York DJ behind the Paris party
• Opinion: Have the 2024 Olympics really changed the game for women in sports?
• 2024 Paris Olympics live updates
• 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games: Complete coverage
• 2024 Paris Olympics: How to watch every event and the closing ceremony

Your TV guide

How can you watch the Games today? Check out Saturday’s Olympic TV listings.