Just eight days ago we were talking to you in this article of how highly favored the United States delegation was in Tokyo 2020. For its record, for the quality of its selection and for the number of members (613). Then his final victory in the medal table was paid at 1.1.
Now, a week after the start of the finals, the United States is only third in the rankings, behind Japan and intractable China. Although the forecasts still give them as the main candidate for the first place, the distances have been shortened and the athletes of the nation of the stars and stripes will have to give their best if they want to be crowned in the medal table on August 8.
The absences, the silvers and the two Asian powers
The United States, which dominates the general record of the Modern Olympic Games with 1,022 golds (the former Soviet Union follows with just 395) and has prevailed in five of the last six editions, is paying for the absences of those who were its top stars. Without going any further, in Rio 2016, the figures of Michael Phelps and Simone Biles took the covers with five and four golds, respectively. Those nine gold metals do not add up to Tokyo 2020. In addition, the third big star in the last edition was Katie Ledecky, who also hung four golds. In these Games, the swimmer counts only one win.
In Brazil, Team USA (with 58 fewer athletes than this time) crushed with 46 golds and a total of 121 metals. Great Britain, second, managed 19 wins less and China, which is now first, was then 20 golds behind the champions.
In just five years, things are radically different. Not only are the Chinese (who have brought 181 fewer athletes to Tokyo than the United States) are ahead, but Japan also surpasses them on this point. The fact that the Olympics are being held this year in Asia seems to be turning out to be key.
Another of the outstanding notes is the high number of silver medals that the favorite delegation is hanging. It means that they have touched victory. They count 16, by 10 from China and only 4 from Japan. In fact, if we pay attention to the total classification of medals, the Americans are first with 41. But we know that in the Olympic event the golds are what make the difference. And today, after a week, the Americans are five from China.