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Random Thoughts on the Day Before the Opening

  • Saturday, 6 August – Courtney and Kelly Hurley will compete for the USA in individual épée fencing. Its a long shot but if they were to both make the podium, they would become the first sisters to finish on the podium in an individual event at the Summer Olympics. Sisters have only done this twice before – both at the Winter Olympics. Here are all the siblings who have finished 1-2 at the Olympics in an individual event.

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Brothers

John / Sumner Paine,pistol shooting,1896
Platt / Ben Adams,standing high jump,1912
Nedo / Aldo Nadi,sabre,1920
Jennison / Jack Heaton,skeleton,1928
Edoardo / Dario Mangiarotti,épée,1952
Raimondo / Piero D’Inzeo,jumping,1960
Phil / Steve Mahre,slalom,1984
Philipp / Simon Schoch,snowboard PGS,2006
Sisters
Christine / Marielle Goitschel,slalom / giant slalom,1964
Doris / Angelika Neuner,luge,1992
Justine / Chloe Dufour-Lapointe,moguls,2014

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  • If the Hurley sisters do not do that, and it would be an upset if they did, two Australian swimming sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell, have a strong chance to do this in the 100 freestyle (11 August) or 50 freestyle (13 August). Cate is favored to win in both events, and Bronte has a good chance for a medal in either event.
  • In shooting, the Georgian mother-son combo of Nino Salukvadze and Tsotne Machavariani will compete at Rio. This will make them the first mother-son to compete at the same Olympic Games. More on this can be found at https://olympstats.com/2016/05/03/mother-and-son-shooters-to-compete-in-rio/.
  • In athletics, Ashton Eaton will compete in the decathlon, looking to defend his title from 2012. His wife, Brianne Theisen-Eaton will compete in the heptathlon, and has a good shot at a gold medal in that event, although she is not the overwhelming favorite that her husband is. Eaton competes for the United States, while Theisen-Eaton represents Canada – they met in school at the University of Oregon. Should they both win gold medals, they will become the first husband-wife to win gold medals at the same Olympics, while representing different nations. See more on this at https://olympstats.com/2016/01/09/married-couples-winning-olympic-gold-medals/.