Aug. 14, 2016
by Tony Jones
NOTRE DAME, Ind. ââ’¬” A pair of key matchups on the hardwood featuring former University of Notre Dame stars highlights Sunday events as the 2016 Rio Olympics roll on.
Assistant coach Monty Williams and the Team USA men’s basketball team attempt to play into the quarterfinal round with a showdown against France at 1:15 p.m. (NBCSN). The United States leads Group A with eight points after opening preliminary play with a 4-0 record, thanks most recently to a 94-91 win over Serbia on Aug. 12.
In the women’s basketball draw, Natalie Achonwa and Team Canada look to clinch a quarterfinal berth by closing Group B action against Spain at 4:45 p.m. (online streaming). Canada is 3-1 thus far in the tournament with its lone loss to Group B winner Team USA, and sits in third place in the group table behind the U.S. (eight points) and Spain (seven points).
The final Notre Dame athlete set for Sunday competition is 11-time Irish track All-American Margaret Bamgbose, who attempts to qualify for her first career Olympic final in the opening heat of the women’s 400-meter dash semifinals at 7:35 p.m. (online streaming). Representing Nigeria, Bamgbose ran a first round time of 51.43 on Aug. 13 to finish as one of 24 qualifiers for the 400m semifinal draw.
Yesterday | August 13
–Amanda Polk earned her first career gold medal, and the first Notre Dame gold medal of the 2016 Olympics, when Team USA Rowing claimed victory in the women’s eight with a time of 6:01.49. The U.S. women’s eight has won 11 consecutive world/Olympic titles.
–Mariel Zagunis made USA Fencing and Notre Dame Olympic history as a member of the bronze medal U.S. team sabre squad. The bronze medal was Zagunis’ fourth career podium finish at the Olympic Games, tying Notre Dame track legend Alex Wilson for the most Olympic medals earned by an athlete with Irish ties. Zagunis is also the first U.S. fencer to ever medal in three different Olympics after claiming gold medals in individual sabre in 2004 and 2008, and bronze medals in team sabre in 2008 and 2016.
–Margaret Bamgbose posted the third-fastest time of the third heat of round one of the women’s 400m dash, qualifying for the semifinals with a time of 51.43.
–Angie Akers and the Netherlands beach volleyball duo of Marleen van Iersel and Madelein Mappelink saw their Olympic run end in the Round of 16 with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Switzerland.
Today | August 14
–Monty Williams and the USA men’s basketball team will close out preliminary play against France at 1:15 p.m. ET (NBCSN).
–Natalie Achonwa and the Canadian women’s basketball team will face Spain in the final game of pool play at 4:45 p.m. ET (online streaming).
–Margaret Bamgbose will compete in the semifinals of the women’s 400 meters at 7:35 p.m. ET (online streaming).
Tomorrow | August 15
–Should she advance, Margaret Bamgbose will appear in the final of the 400 meters at 9:45 p.m. ET (online streaming).
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Tony Jones, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2012 and coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame softball and men’s soccer programs. A native of Jamestown, New York, Jones is a 2011 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, and prior to arriving at Notre Dame held positions at the University of Louisiana Monroe and with the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills.