The events are spectacular on HDTV, like the incredibly dominant U.S. women’s gymnastics team and the swim relays and individual races. But sometimes a little extra-curricular activity adds to the coverage.
Lilly King, a 19-year-old breast-stroker from Indiana, was caught in a finger-waving battle with a rival qualifier whom King thought shouldn’t even be in Rio. Russian Yulia Efimova, who finished two-tenths of a second behind King in her qualifying race, was shown on TV wagging her index finger after winning her heat.
King, who swam the top semifinal time of the women’s 100 breast stroke, saw it on the screen and waved her No. 1 right back at Efimova. Why, King was asked by NBC reporter Andrea Joyce. “You’re shaking your finger No. 1, and you’ve been caught for drug cheating—I’m just not a fan.” King said. Okay, ask a straight question and get a straight answer.
Efimova, twice suspended for doping violations, was one of the Russian athletes who were late additions to their Rio team. King had already criticized her earlier Sunday, suggesting a clean field would be preferred. They will square off Monday night, and we’ll see whose finger will be wagging.
Meanwhile, N.C. State swimmer Ryan Held went from winning a national championship to making the Olympic team to getting the call for the gold medal race in the 4 x 100 relay with 31-year-old Michael Phelps. Held barely held it together on the medal stand after he swam the second leg and turned it over to Phelps who gave the U.S. the winning margin with his best-ever split of 47.12 seconds.
After the race, WRAL reporter Jeff Gravely caught up with the emotional Held and asked him what he did when the race was over before getting the gold medal that was by then hanging around his neck. He said he went looking for his parents and then darted into the locker room where he went looking for a trash can, showing Gravley his best barfing motion.
By the way, Phelps won his 19th gold medal and 23rd overall, while burgeoning superstar Katie Ledecky won the first of what could be her handful before everyone leaves Rio…index fingers up.
