Trojans At Tokyo Olympics Day 6: Kelly Claes Remains Unbeaten; Kostas Genidounias Scores 3 Goals
It was a lighter day of heats and preliminary round action for USC's Olympians on Day 6 (Thursday, July 29, in Tokyo) of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, highlighted by victories by Kelly Claes in beach volleyball and Kostas Genidounias in water polo.
- Trojan Kelly Claes and her UCLA alum partner Sarah Sponcil took just 25 minutes to record an easy 21-8, 21-6 victory over Kenya's Gaudencia Mokokha and Brackcides Khadambi in women's beach volleyball group play. Claes had match highs with 11 kills and 2 blocks. The U.S. duo (2-0), which is guaranteed to move on to the knockout rounds, concludes group play on Friday (July 30) at 5 p.m. PT (9 a.m. JT on July 31) against Brazil's Ana Patricia Silva Ramos and Rebecca Silva.
- In men's water polo group play, the U.S. fell to Italy, 12-11. Both Trojans on the American squad—Hannes Daube and Marko Vavic—scored a goal. Next up for the U.S. (2-1) in group play is Hungary on July 30 at 10 p.m. PT (2 p.m. JT on July 31)
- Then, Greece edged Japan, 10-9, with the winning goal coming with 32 seconds to play. Trojan Kostas Genidounias scored a game-high 3 goals. The Greeks (2-0-1) now play South Africa on Saturday (July 31) at 3:35 a.m. PT (7:35 p.m. JT).
- In the day's final water polo match, Australia lost to Serbia, 14-8. USC brothers Blake (2 goals) and Lachlan (1 goal) Edwards both scored for the Aussies (1-2), while goalie Joel Dennerley did not see action. Australia next plays Spain on Friday (July 30) at 7:30 p.m. PT (11:30 a.m. JT on July 31).
- In the evening swimming heats, Austria's Marlene Kahler was 22nd in the 800m freestyle in 8:36.16 and did not advance.
- Three Trojans competed in the men's 100m butterfly heats and all finished with nearly-similar times, but none of them advanced: Italy's Santo Condorelli, who owns USC's only medal so far this Olympics (silver in the 400m freestyle relay), placed 31st in 52.32, Dylan Carter of Trinidad and Tobago was 33rd in 52.36 and Nikola Miljenic of Croatia was 40th in 52.68.
- Then, in the 200m backstroke, Hungary's Katinka Hosszu was 20th in 2:12.84 and did not move on.
- In baseball, Israel lost a 10-inning opening round game to Republic of Korea, 6-5, but Ben Wanger—who played at USC in 2020 before transferring—did not play. Israel next faces the U.S. on Friday (July 30) at 3 a.m. PT (7 p.m. JT) in another opening round contest.
- Shooter Sandra Uptagrafft, who was in USC's Army ROTC program and is the Trojans' oldest Tokyo Olympian at age 50, sits in 24th place with 288 points after the precision portion of the 25m sport pistol qualification. The rapid portion of the event is on Thursday (July 29) at 5 p.m. PT (9 a.m. JT on July 30), with the top 8 finishers advancing to the final.
Sixty-five past, present and future USC students are competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, far more than any school in the nation this Olympics and the Trojans' most ever in a single Olympics. The Trojans represent 32 National Olympic Committees in 12 different sports.