Texas Tech University Athletics
2016 Rio Olympics Blog
August 01, 2016 | Women's Soccer, Track and Field
Follow along as TexasTech.com chronicles the five Red Raiders at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil
Beckie was the first of the four to arrive in Rio, and got the lay of the land before traveling to Sao Paulo for more training.
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Amazing time exploring the village the past two days but it's time... Sao Paulo here we come! #TeamCanada #AFTA pic.twitter.com/Qkkh7MHEwG
— Janine Beckie (@janinebeckie4) July 27, 2016
Esson and the New Zealand Women's Football team showed off their kits before taking off for Rio.
Once a Red Raider, always a Red Raider. Beckie and Esson put their guns up for a quick photo before heading their separate ways for the Olympics.PHOTO I The NZ Women's Football Team leave for #Rio2016 tomorrow night. @nzolympics #BetheInspiration @PhotosportNZ pic.twitter.com/wsSWFxSVAi
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) July 17, 2016
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MONDAY, AUGUST 1
Â"The amount of support that I have purely from people in Lubbock has just been unreal," Janine Beckie said. "It's really cool to see such a Red Raider family here. It's overwhelming to see how much support there is anytime something big happens."Â
Beckie was the only member of her family born in the United States. Her parents are Canadian, and her three older siblings were all born in Canada. She grew up in Colorado, but spent plenty of summers and holidays north of the border, playing soccer in both countries. TTU.edu's Heidi Toth details how Beckie got started playing for Canada and her path to being an Olympian, which can be found here or at TTU.edu.
Esson put in some night time work with the New Zealand keepers as they prepare for the U.S. Women's National team on Wednesday, August. 3
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Good work out for the goal keepers tonight as they get ready for @ussoccer_wnt #USAvNZL @nzolympics pic.twitter.com/NpvvboYrI2
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) August 2, 2016
TUESDAY, AUGUST 2
Beckie and the Canadian Women's National team kick off the 2016 Olympics on Wednesday at 1 p.m. against Australia.Â
That feeling when we open at the Olympics tomorrow... No place I'd rather be #CanWNT #AFTA ????????? pic.twitter.com/Z0a6kSmjIY
— Janine Beckie (@janinebeckie4) August 3, 2016
Esson and the New Zealand Women's Football team have arguably one of the toughest draws, starting the Games against the United States later in the night at 5 p.m.
The NZ Women's Football team have toured Mineiaro Stadium in Belo and are fizzing about tomorrow night #USAvNZL pic.twitter.com/b7GtMPNDAH
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) August 2, 2016
Below are the respective previews for each team's matches on Wednesday.
Canada at #Rio2016 Olympic #Football Tournament
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) August 3, 2016
READ ?? https://t.co/lpuInpTzYC#CANWNT?? on #CAN ?? 13.30ET/10.30PT pic.twitter.com/n9ASUmzBHw
PREVIEW | Women's team relishing taking on best in world to open country's #Rio2016 campaign https://t.co/jmjKfInoeS pic.twitter.com/DJbei5WwVw
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) August 3, 2016
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3
The 2016 Olympic Games began today! Canada takes on Australia at 1 p.m. CDT on NBCSN or online here, while New Zealand squares off with the United States at 5 p.m. CDT on NBCSN or online here.
#CANWNT #Rio2016 journey starts TODAY! Match LIVE on CBC (pre-show starting at 13:30 ET / 10:30 PT). pic.twitter.com/RomF19zpA5
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) August 3, 2016
GAME DAY I The NZ Women's Football team are counting down to face @ussoccer_wnt @nzolympics #BeTheInspiration pic.twitter.com/d7i4Rj6wyX
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) August 3, 2016
It was a storybook beginning for Janine Beckie's Olympic career, scoring 20 seconds into the match from a perfect pass that cruised right through the defender's legs. Her goal was the fastest ever scored in Women's Olympic Soccer history.
?? Have another look at Janine Beckie's first-half goal that stands as the fastest goal scored in Olympic history!https://t.co/4DHOJZYCWw
— Texas Tech Soccer (@TexasTechSoccer) August 3, 2016
The goal was very similar to her first collegiate goal, which came 57 seconds into her first match on Aug. 17, 2012, against Idaho.
#CANWNT @janinebeckie4 scored the fastest goal in the history of the Olympic women's football tournament in 1' pic.twitter.com/PnYqWW8l98
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) August 3, 2016
Beckie and Team Canada picked up a 2-0 victory over Australia to earn three points in the Group F standings. They'll return to the pitch on Saturday, Aug. 6, when they take on Zimbabwe at 1 p.m. CDT.
MATCH REPORT: #CAN defeat #AUS despite early red card at #Rio2016 #Olympics #footballhttps://t.co/v4VM4yDcUj pic.twitter.com/36Z2ToADuv
— FIFA Women'sWorldCup (@FIFAWWC) August 3, 2016
Later in the day, Esson and New Zealand squared off with Team USA. However, New Zealand would fall, 2-0, in the match.
Full time: NZ Women's Football fought valiantly but could not break the @ussoccer_wnt defence #Rio2016 @nzolympics pic.twitter.com/EmC3FGFH1e
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) August 3, 2016
They'll return to the pitch on Saturday, Aug. 6, against Colombia at 6 p.m. CDT.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5
The opening ceremonies to the 2016 Olympic Games were on Friday and early on, Idalou's Bradley Adkins got some national attention on the NBC broadcast..@bradley_adkins photobombing Michael Phelps on @NBCOlympics. Combined 18 gold medals between them. #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/Vfi4Hw5TLz
— TTU Track & Field/XC (@TTU_TF_XC) August 5, 2016
Members of the Red Raider family walked out in front of the Olympic stadium with their respective countries.
NZ women's football team all dressed up for the @Olympics opening ceremony @nzolympics #betheinspiration #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/pqxc380NVi
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) August 5, 2016
Unfortunately, Beckie wasn't able to walk out with her country, due to preparations for the upcoming match, but the women's soccer team was there in spirit.
#CANWNT is tuning into the #Olympics opening ceremonies from São Paulo... We can't wait to see @TeamCanada! ??????? pic.twitter.com/hFefu5fcpU
— Janine Beckie (@janinebeckie4) August 5, 2016
Tech's two United States Olympians found each other in Rio and posed for a "Guns Up" photo at the ceremonies.
Brad & Gil at the Opening Ceremonies. #RedRaidersInRio #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/oOyz8ET4yQ
— TTU Track & Field/XC (@TTU_TF_XC) August 6, 2016
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6
Beckie's second match at the Olympics was even better than her first. It took her a little over seven minutes to put Canada on the board against Zimbabwe, coming off a rebound from her first shot.7' - Lovely feint by Sinclair before she centres to Janine Beckie. First shot saved, but Beckie burries the rebound.#CANWNT #Rio2016
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) August 6, 2016
1-0
But Beckie wasn't done there. Later in the first half, Beckie made an outstanding play to bury Canada's third goal of the game and Beckie's third of the Rio Olympics.
is @janinebeckie4 a good soccer player ?
— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) August 6, 2016
well,, it hard to say#DashOn #CAN #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/sqWZ9XKpkS
Beckie and Team Canada notched a 3-0 victory and after the result of the Australia-Germany match later in the day, Canada secured their spot to advance out of the group stage into the quarterfinals.
Congratulations Canada!#CAN are first side through to #football knockout stages at #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/r1s7eO1hmu
— FIFA Women'sWorldCup (@FIFAWWC) August 6, 2016
Esson and New Zealand also competed on Saturday, picking up a 1-0 win over Colombia. It was New Zealand's second Olympic victory in the country's history.
FULL TIME: NZ Women's Football hold on to make history - their second ever win at an Olympics #COLvNZL @nzolympics pic.twitter.com/7yfX4p6o5O
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) August 7, 2016
MONDAY, AUGUST 8
"When I came across the line, my initial thought was a weight had been lifted off my shoulders," Gil Roberts said. "Thank God, I'm going to be living my dream. For me to be able to qualify for the United States, the hardest team in the world, it's special to me. It's only half the journey, journey's not over yet, but a lot of pressure left."Roberts went through a rollercoaster ride of tribulations at the U.S. Olympic Trials - from finishing with the second-fastest time in the prelims, to being initially disqualifed for a false-start, to having the fastest start in the first half of the 400-meter final. Glenys Young details Roberts' career and explains what makes Roberts stand out when he explodes out of the blocks later this week at the Olympics in this story on TTU.edu.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11
"I remember standing there by my coach and after [Deante] Kempter missed and I knew I was in, I just dropped to my knees and thanked God," Bradley Adkins said. "I thanked him for this opportunity and for blessing me with this. Looking back, after all the struggles, all the ups and downs of the season, to be able to be at this point, it is so surreal. It's just an awesome experience."Adkins' 2016 was a rollercoaster ride. After finishing second at both the NCAA Indoor & Outdoor Championships in 2015, he was positioned to be THE guy. A rocky year that even included holding the NCAA lead in the high jump for several weeks almost made Adkins end his athletic career. But then, he returned to Eugene, Oregon, for the U.S. Olympic Trials, and something incredible happened. George Watson takes a look at the life of Adkins as he nears his Olympic debut in this story on TTU.edu.
Players Mentioned
