Track and Field Begins, Tokyo Scorcher and 10,000m Surprise

Day 1 of the Tokyo Olympics track and field began Friday morning, and we couldn’t be more excited to watch.

Given how early on we are, there were mostly only preliminary races, though there was one final.

Opening rounds of the women’s 100m dash, 800m, 5000m, triple jump, and shot put went off today. On the men’s the 400m hurdles, discus, high jump, and steeplechase. We also got our first look at what’s to come from the always exciting mixed 4x400m relay. This is the first time it will be contested at the Olympic Games.

Men’s 10,000m (Final)

In the men’s 10,000m run, we were given a bit of a shock as the world record holder, and gold medal favorite Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda was ousted by Selemon Barega of Ethiopia. Both ran splendidly, but Barega’s final 200m was blistering and was enough to hold off the attack from both Cheptegei and fellow Ugandan phenom, Jacob Kiplimo.

This marked the first gold for Ethiopia in the event since the four straight Olympic title dominance by Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele ending in 2012.

Women’s 100m (First Round)

There’s no longer any doubt that the women’s 100m will be any less exciting without the likes of American Sha’Carri Richardson. Her unfortunate absence from Tokyo due to a drug ban will leave us with plenty of questions about what the outcome could have been, but damn, what a scorcher.

In the opening round — let me repeat that — in the opening round, six athletes dropped times under the 11-second mark, capped off by a 10.78 performance from Marie-Josee Ta Lou from the Ivory Coast. The Ivorian placed 4th in both the 100m and 200m in Rio and is surely looking to leave with a medal this time around.

The semi-final round will see everyone you would expect, including all the American women. Notably, Kelly-Ann Baptiste from Trinidad and Tobago did not make it past the opening rounds.

Women’s 800m (First round)

All three Americans made it to the next round. Each of the three is quite accomplished in their own right. Ajee Wilson is the U.S. record holder in the 800m, Raevyn Rogers is the silver medalist at the 2019 World Championships, and Athing Mu is perhaps the most exciting 19-year-old women’s track prospect in the world.

The top two qualifiers were Jamaica’s Natoya Goule and Great Britain’s Jemma Reekie.

Women’s 5,000m (First round)

In what most would consider sickening and outrageous, Netherlands' Sifan Hassan, began her first round of her first of three contested in events in these games. Dubbed by some as the “Hassan-athon“, She is attempting to make the podium in the women’s 1500, 5000m, and 10000m runs. What’s crazy, is she’s someone with a legitimate chance at doing just that.

Sifan came through the finish line of her heat with an easy victory, clocking 14:47.89 to move onto Monday’s final. Following Hassan as expected is world-leading Gudaf Tsegay from Ethiopia, and world champion and Olympic silver medalist, Hellen Obiri of Kenya.

Also, American hopefuls Karissa Schweizer and Elise Cranny advance into the final which should be fun to watch.

Women’s Triple Jump (Qualifying round)

It wouldn’t be women’s triple jump if we didn’t see world indoor record holder and two-time world champion Yulimar Rojas. The 6 foot 4-inch behemoth from Venezuela hopped, skipped, and jumped her way right into the final with a 14.77m mark.

Just behind her was Spain’s Ana Peleteiro. American record-holder Keturah Orji was able to capture a qualifying spot with a 14.26m jump. Unfortunately, fellow Americans Jasmine Moore and Tori Franklin were unable to get one out far enough to join their teammate.

Women’s Shot Put (Qualifying round)

American Raven Saunders, donning a joker mask and hair to match, qualified for the event final with a sizeable throw of 19.22m. In front of her, was two-time world champion Gong Lijiao and Song Jiayuan, both of China.

The ever-powerful, now a mother of two, Valerie Adams of New Zealand positioned herself well in the qualifier and still poses a threat to stand atop the podium once more. Will Adams make a stand and take another medal in her already illustrious career?

Sneaking in with one of the last remaining spots was American Jessica Ramsey in her first Olympic appearance.

Men's 400m Hurdles

This event is perhaps one of the absolute most anticipated events in all of track and field this time around. Never have we seen such fast and comfortable times over the last two years.

Newly minted world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway, will be closely tailed by two of the fastest 400m hurdlers in history — American Rai Benjamin, and Qatari Abderrahman Samba. Let’s not forget that Brazil’s Alison dos Santos and Turkey’s Yasmani Copello are hungry to stake their claim as well.

American Kenneth Selmon also cruises to the semi-final.

Men’s Discus (Qualifying round)

Reigning world champion Daniel Stahl from Sweden lands his first and only throw out to an automatic qualifier. Lithuanian Andrius Gudzius and American Sam Mattis both make the final as well. Jamaican Fredrick Dacres, two-time Olympic silver medalist Piotr Malachowski from Poland, and Americans Reggie Jagers and Mason Finley are unable to advance.

Men’s High Jump (Qualifying round)

No real surprises here. Russian Olympic Committee Mikhail Akimenko, Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim, Canada's Django Lovett, Olympic double-qualifier Juvaughn Harrison of the U.S., and fellow American Shelby Mcewen qualify for the final.

If we were to be a little surprised, it might be because Bahamamanian Donald Thomas was unable to clinch a spot, but given his age (37) and his track record of jumping no higher than 2.29m over the last 8 years, it comes as less of a surprise than his meteoric rise to world champion all the way back in 2007.

Men’s Steeplechase (First round)

The opening heats were anything but slow. In fact, Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia ran the fastest heat time at the Olympics ever with a blistering 8:09.83. To put that in perspective, that time would have medaled, if not won every Olympic final other than the 2004 and 1988 games.

Followed only 0.09 seconds behind him, with a new national record, was Japan’s own 19-year-old Ryujii Miura.

Most of the familiar faces made it through including Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot and Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco. Not advancing are U.S. champion Hillary Bor, Kenya's Leonard Bett, and Ethiopia's Bikila Tadese Takele.

The slowest qualifying time to make it to the final was 8:19.36.

Mixed 4X400m Relay (First round)

Defending world champions and world record holders, the United States was first disqualified for making a baton pass outside the exchange zone between Elija Godwin and Lynna Irby.

Irby was actually standing outside the exchange zone when the baton was passed.

It was later appealed by the United States after Michael Johnson and crew at BBC noticed that other teams had lined up incorrectly as well but made the adjustment last second, giving rise to the likelihood that the officials lined them up wrong or didn't give proper directions to the athletes ahead of time.

The U.S., thankfully, won the appeal and will be competing in the final with a chance to get atop the podium once more.