The Olympic track meet is "meant to confer such mythical titles as 'the fastest man in the world,'" but this year it "may decide something even bigger: whether people still care about a sport wounded by a series of bruising doping scandals and other problems," according to Sara Germano of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Track and field has been "battered for two years by an incessant series of scandals centered" on PEDs, and its top star, Usain Bolt, is "about to race in what he says will be his last Olympics." New stars "have yet to break through," though some point "hopefully to a crop of young runners and jumpers set to take the stage in Rio," including 17-year-old U.S. runner Sydney McLaughlin and 18-year-old U.S. high jumper Vashti Cunningham. U.S. high jumper Chaunte Lowe said that the youth injection "should serve to revive interest in the sport" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 8/12).
FIRST TEE JITTERS? In Chicago, Teddy Greenstein reports 6,242 spectators "attended the first round" of the men's Olympic golf tournament, and the crowd at the first tee "was large and enthusiastic enough to give the players butterflies." U.S. golfer Matt Kuchar said, "The nerves don’t get me very many places. Here was a little different." Great Britain's Justin Rose added, "This felt unique and different. It’s like we’re representing not just Team GB but the nation as well" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/12). Meanwhile, in Raleigh, Luke DeCock writes it is "worth revisiting" a possible team format for the '20 Tokyo Games, because "at the moment there’s very little to distinguish Olympic golf from any other tournament on any other tour." DeCock: "That’s not making the most of this opportunity" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 8/12).
IS H-O-R-S-E NEXT? FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann on Thursday said that the organization is "making another push" to include 3-on-3 basketball in the Olympics. He said that the IOC "will decide in June" if 3-on-3 will be added to Tokyo. USA TODAY's Jeff Zillgitt notes the IOC in '13 "denied FIBA’s application" for 3-on-3 at Rio, but sports such as BMX, mountain biking and beach volleyball are now "part of the Olympic program." FIBA believes the "fast pace and youthful appeal of 3-on-3 make it a perfect fit for modern Olympics." FIBA in recent years has made an effort to increase 3-on-3's "worldwide presence, including world tours and world championships" (USA TODAY, 8/12).
