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From swimming to soccer, here’s a run down of how Olympians with local ties have performed so far in the highly anticipated international event and upcoming competitions to look out for.
Soccer
The United States women’s soccer team opened the Tokyo Olympics with a 3-0 setback to Sweden on Thursday (local time) at Tokyo Stadium without fans.
The Americans face a big match against New Zealand, captained by Stanford alum Ali Riley, on Saturday in Saitama, Japan.
Sweden, which played Team USA to a draw in April, ended the second longest unbeaten streak in U.S. women’s soccer history at 44 matches and handed the U.S. its worst loss in Olympics history.
The U.S., shutout for the first time since July of 2017, is 23-7-12 against the Swedes, including a 1-1-1 mark in Olympics play.
Former Sacred Heart Prep standouts Abby Dahlkemper and Tierna Davidson, both defenders, were among six Americans who made their Olympics debut.
Dahlkemper played all 90 minutes while Davidson subbed in for Crystal Dunn in the 80th minute.
Former Stanford All-Americans Kelley O’Hara and Christen Press, who has 12 goals and seven assists since the start of 2020, were in the starting lineup along with Dahlkemper and played the entire game.
Stanford grads Jane Campbell and Catarina Macario are also in Tokyo as alternates.
New Zealand fell to Australia 2-1 in its first match. The U.S. is 15-1-1 in its all-time series with New Zealand. The teams last met in May of 2019.
Rowing
Stanford alum Alie Rusher was part of the U.S. quadruple sculls team that placed fifth in its and will have to earn a spot in the final via repechage on Sunday.
“I was just bummed that we were dropped off the start,” Rusher told US Rowing. “We have a lot more speed than we showed today. I’m glad that the first race is over, and we can just focus on coming together with a lot of speed. Our practices have been going really well, so I think the only change that we are going to make is coming off the start a little more aggressive and a little sharper.”
Stanford grad Veronica Toro Arana, competing for Puerto Rico, finished third in her heat of the single sculls and advances to the quarterfinals.
Stanford grad and two-time Olympian Grace Luczak will be competing with the U.S. women’s four on Friday in the second heat. Stanford alum Stephanie Grauer will compete in the first heat with Canada in women’s four.
Badminton
Mountain View resident Timothy Lam makes his Olympic debut on Sunday with a men’s singles match against Japan’s Kento Momota.
Swimming
Incoming Stanford freshman Torri Huske competes in the fourth heat of the women’s 100 fly on Saturday. She’ll be in lane four, right next to world record holder Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden.
Volleyball
The U.S. national men’s team takes on France in its first preliminary match on Saturday. Former Stanford All-Americans Erik Shoji and Kawaka Shoji play for the U.S.
Water polo
The U.S. women’s team gets underway with a game against Japan on Saturday. Team USA’s roster is full of former and current Stanford stars, including Aria Fischer, Makenzie Fischer, Melissa Seidemann, Maggie Steffens and alternate Jamie Neushul.
Stanford alum Gurpreet Sohi plays for Canada, which opens against Australia.
Fencing
Stanford grad Vivian Kong, representing Hong Kong, opens women’s Épée on Saturday with an individual match against Peru’s Maria Luisa Doig Calderon.
By Rick Eymer
By Rick Eymer
By Rick Eymer
