tokyo olympics

6 to Watch: Biles Wins Bronze, USA Men's Basketball Advances to Semis, Track and More

Here are our 6 things to watch at the Tokyo Olympics

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Monday marks day 11 of the Tokyo Olympics - and you didn't want to miss out on the action as Team USA competes for more medals.

One of the best to ever compete in the Olympics, Simone Biles, was back for her only shot at gold in this Olympics after withdrawing from three competitions last week, it was do-or-die for the U.S. men's basketball team and track and field takes center stage with several Americans vying for medals.

Here are the 6 things to watch at the Tokyo Olympics.

1. Simone Biles wins bronze in triumphant return to Olympic stage

After withdrawing from the team all-around and four individual events after a case of the ‘twisties,’ a vertigo-like condition that makes gymnastics exceptionally dangerous, Simone Biles returned to compete in the final event of the Tokyo Olympics, winning bronze.

Simone Biles made her return to Olympic gymnastics -- and the Olympic podium -- in Tuesday’s balance beam final.

Biles was the third gymnast on the beam and posted a score of 14.000, finishing with a bronze medal.

The American superstar returned to the gymnasium to compete in Tuesday’s balance beam final after missing the previous four events. Biles pulled out of the individual all-around, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise after experiencing the “twisties” on a vault in the team final last Tuesday.

Biles also won bronze on the balance beam at the 2016 Rio Games. She has seven Olympic medals in her storied career, including silver from the team competition in Tokyo. She tied Shannon Miller’s American record for most Olympic gymnastics medals with Tuesday’s result.

Simone Biles of Team United States competes on vault during the Women's Team Final on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on July 27, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
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Simone Biles of Team United States competes on vault during the Women's Team Final on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on July 27, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.

2. Warholm annihilates own 400m hurdles world record, wins gold in epic showdown

Karsten Warholm of Norway absolutely pulverized his own world record Tuesday in Tokyo by three-quarters of a second, setting an unfathomable mark of 45.94 – one that may never be surpassed – to win Olympic gold in one of the greatest hurdling races in history.

The two-time reigning world champion ripped his singlet at the chest like Superman after crossing the finish line ecstatic, gazing with his jaw dropped at the clock in utter disbelief.

On Tuesday morning many of the world’s fastest women will once again compete for a chance at Olympic glory. 

The other day 11 track and field finals include: Women’s long jump, men’s 400m hurdles, women’s hammer throw, and the women’s 800m. 

There will be final competitions in men’s pole vault and women’s hammer throw. 

We will also see American track star Noah Lyles make his Tokyo Olympic debut. Lyles is a favorite to medal in the 200m.

Elaine Thompson-Herah of Team Jamaica celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Women's 100m Final on day eight of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 31, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
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Elaine Thompson-Herah of Team Jamaica celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Women's 100m Final on day eight of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 31, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.

3. U.S. men's basketball beats Spain to advance to semifinals

Team USA men’s basketball advanced to the semifinals after defeating Spain. Kevin Durant led the charge for the U.S., but it was no easy feat getting around a stellar performance from Spain’s Ricky Rubio.

The U.S. men's basketball team defeated Spain 95-81 to advance to the semifinals.

Kevin Durant paved the way with 29 points to lead the U.S. to the quarterfinal win.

Spain came out as the better team in the first half, led by Ricky Rubio, who ended with 38 points. But the U.S. was able to go into the break with the score tied at 43. 

Durant scored 13 points in the third quarter, but an 11-2 run by Spain to end the quarter made it just a 69-63 lead for the Americans. 

The U.S. had a strong fourth quarter, outscoring Spain 26-18 to hold onto the victory. 

Team USA now awaits the winner of Australia-Argentina.

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SAITAMA, JAPAN - JULY 25: Jayson Tatum of the USA and Rudy Gobert of France challenge for the ball during the preliminary rounds of the Men's Basketball match between the USA and France on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Saitama Super Arena on July 25, 2021 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

4. U.S. women's water polo handles Canada to advance to semifinals

The U.S. women’s water polo team advanced on to the semifinals following a decisive 16-5 win over Canada.

The United States women’s water polo team grabbed an early lead against Canada in the quarterfinal match and never looked back, trouncing the Canadians 16-5 to move on to the semifinals. 

Maggie Steffens, who finished with three goals, got the scoring going early, with two goals in the first two minutes to kickstart the offense. That propelled the Americans to a quick 7-1 lead in the first quarter. That lead was built to 11-3 by the end of the first half. 

Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the U.S. added onto it in the fourth to finish the match with a 16-5 victory. 

The United States advances to the semifinals, where it will face the winner of the Australia-ROC quarterfinal. 

Marcel ter Bals/BSR Agency/Getty Images
TOKYO, JAPAN - JULY 30: Makenzie Fischer of United States, Anastasia Fedotova of ROC during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Waterpolo Tournament women match between United States and ROC at Tatsumi Waterpolo Centre on July 30, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

5. Wrestling enters semifinals, medal rounds

Wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock says she hated wrestling when she first began the sport, but was encouraged by her sister to stick with it.

Some of the top wrestlers from across the country will take to the mats Tuesday as Olympic wrestling enters the finals for some of the weight classifications.

Women's freestyle light-heavyweight will enter the medal round along with medals up for grabs for both men's Greco-Roman welterweight and heavyweight.

Wrestling competitions began Sunday. There's a South Florida connection as Miami native Alejandro Sancho took on Artem Surkov in the 1/8 Round of 16 on Monday night, losing 10-4.

(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - APRIL 03: Alejandro Sancho celebrates after beating Ellis Coleman in their Grecco-Roman 67kg finals match on day 2 of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials at Dickies Arena on April 03, 2021 in Fort Worth, Texas.

6. Sports Climbing will make its Olympic Debut

Team USA Climber Brooke Raboutou discusses why she loves climbing and how it her family got her started in the sport.

Sports climbing will make its Olympic debut 4:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

There are three disciplines in Olympic sports climbing: Bouldering, Speed, and Lead. Each participant must compete in all three, and a winner is determined by multiplying a competitor's placement in the various disciplines.

The lowest score wins gold. Because each competitor must compete in all three disciplines, each climber must have a combination of speed, flexibility, and endurance if they wish to reach the podium. 

Team USA’s hopes of for gold in sport climbing's Olympic debut rest on the shoulders of Nathaniel Coleman and Kyra Condie. Coleman won three consecutive USA Climbing Bouldering OPen National Championships (2016-2018). Condie is making an Olympic debut that was once thought impossible.

Early into her climbing career it was discovered that she had idiopathic scoliosis and would require surgery. After being told she would never climb again, Condie now has a chance to be an Olympic medalist. 

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INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA - JUNE 26: Nathaniel Coleman of the USA competes during the men’s boulder finals at Kletterzentrum Innsbruck on June 26, 2021 in Innsbruck, Austria. (Photo by Marco Kost/Getty Images)
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