The USA dominated in the medal count as usual, with over 100 total. Congratulations to all of the Olympians. I tried to watch as many different sports as I could during those two weeks, but there are just too many of them to keep track of, even for me.
I am already looking forward to the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, because it will be 32 years since Atlanta, Ga., hosted in 1996. One of the biggest things I’ll be looking forward to is not having to worry about the time difference in the European cities compared to the East Coast.
I was happy for the USA women’s soccer team completing the mission to win a gold medal over a feisty Brazil team, 1-0. It was a great game. Brazil controlled the first half but was unable to score, and the USA took control in the second half. It was a fun game to watch for sure.
While we all wait for the next Summer Olympics, I would really like to see the gymnastics events get more consistent coverage during those non-Olympic years. The athletes are amazing and the events are very enjoyable to watch.
Watching the swimming this time reminded me of years passed. This summer, the French found their version of Michael Phelps in Leon Marchand. He was the superstar of the games. I don't know if he can maintain his dominance for four more years, but it would be great if he gets to return again in 2028.
In golf, Lydia Ko from New Zealand and Scottie Scheffler from the USA won the gold medals for the golf tournaments. For the first time since golf was back in the Olympics, it felt like a real golf tournament because fans were able to go out to watch. In 2016 in Brazil, they had the Zika virus and almost no fans were allowed until Sunday for both the men's and women's competitions, and then with COVID in 2021 they had the same problem. So it was great to hear all the fan support throughout the week.
With her victory, Lydia Ko is now the youngest person to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame at the age of 27 and she has won gold, silver and bronze Medals in the last three Olympics. Scottie Scheffler has his second consecutive PGA Player of the Year trophy as well.
I actually think there are too many Olympic sports now. I know this is not going to happen, but I would eliminate three of them, specifically race walking, skateboarding and three-on-three basketball. I don’t know why every sport has to be an Olympic event. The basketball seems to have been included solely for the USA to win some more medals. I was actually happy they struggled in that sport, at least for this Olympics.
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A 2002 Cape grad and 2007 UD grad, Lewes resident Sumner Spence is one of the Cape area's biggest sports fans. Although he’s used a wheelchair his entire life, he has lived vicariously through his sports-playing father, brother, and friends, who gave him his love of sports. He hopes to provide new and interesting perspectives on the sports stories and issues of the day. Email Sumner at sumspence@gmail.com.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and building pages, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
