Big Medals Day for USA in Track & Field Athletics

@TeamUSA had a great night (and day) in Olympic track & field on Wednesday. They won 7 medals, with 2 golds, 3 silvers, and 2 bronzes.

The highlights were the women’s medal sweep in the 100 metre hurdles, with Brianna Rollins winning gold, Nia Ali silver, and Kristi Castlin bronze; Britney Reese and Tianna Bartoletta winning gold-silver in the women’s long jump; Evan Jager winning a silver medal in the men’s 3,000 metre steeplechase, the first by a USA runner since 1920, and the first better than a bronze since 1952; and Tori Bowie taking bronze in the women’s 200 metres.

How does 7 medals in athletics (track & field) stack up against previous dominant days for @TeamUSA?

Well, all in all, we’ve done much better than that before, but that includes going back to the unusual 1900 and 1904 Olympics, and pre-WWII days. At more recent Games, this was one of the most successful days ever by @TeamUSA athletes.

This is the 24th day on which @TeamUSA athletes won 7 or more medals in athletics. Going back to 1948, however, it is tied for the 4th best day, trailing 9 on 6 August 1992, and 8 on 24 November 1956 and 8 August 1984 – and the 1984 Olympics are a special case because of the Soviet-led boycott. So one could make a case it is the =3rd best day for the USA since the 1936 Olympics.

Here is the full list of days on which @TeamUSA athletes have won 6 or more medals in track & field on a single day (35 days).

[table]

DE,ME,YE,G,S,B,TM

3,September,1904,7,6,5,18

16,July,1900,6,6,6,18

29,August,1904,6,5,5,16

15,July,1900,7,5,3,15

1,September,1904,4,5,5,14

31,August,1904,4,4,4,12

3,August,1932,4,3,2,9

6,August,1992,4,2,3,9

10,April,1896,4,3,1,8

24,November,1956,4,3,1,8

1,May,1906,3,3,2,8

11,July,1912,3,4,1,8

8,July,1912,2,3,3,8

8,August,1984,2,3,3,8

21,July,1952,4,2,1,7

11,August,1984,4,2,1,7

7,April,1896,3,3,1,7

2,September,1960,3,2,2,7

6,August,1984,3,3,1,7

8,August,2012,3,2,2,7

17,August,2016,2,3,2,7

1,August,1928,2,2,3,7

27,November,1956,2,3,2,7

18,August,1920,1,3,3,7

20,October,1968,4,2,0,6

27,April,1906,3,2,1,6

13,July,1924,3,0,3,6

31,July,1948,3,1,2,6

12,July,1912,2,2,2,6

16,August,1920,2,3,1,6

7,July,1924,2,2,2,6

8,July,1924,2,2,2,6

26,September,1988,2,1,3,6

10,August,1984,1,1,4,6

21,August,2008,1,3,2,6

[/table]

One thought on “Big Medals Day for USA in Track & Field Athletics”

  1. I’m looking for information on the 1948 winter olympics in St Moritz. Mainly information on the military patrol, the USA team.
    My dad Stanley Walker skied in it.

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