Team USA Wins Zero Medals on 1st Day of Summer Olympics, a First in Nearly 50 Years

Abigail Adams
·4 min read
South Korea's Kim Junghwan (L) reacts during the match against USA's Eli Dershwitz in the men's sabre individual qualifying bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on July 24, 2021.
South Korea's Kim Junghwan (L) reacts during the match against USA's Eli Dershwitz in the men's sabre individual qualifying bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on July 24, 2021.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty

No gold, no silver, and no bronze for the United States after one day of the Summer Games.

Team USA failed to medal on the first day of the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday. It is the United States' worst start to the Summer Games since the 1972 Munich Games, USA Today reports.

American athletes competed in five of the seven available events — archery, cycling, fencing, air rifle and pistol shooting, and weightlifting — without nabbing a single spot on a podium.

China currently leads all countries with four medals (three gold) after one day. South Korea is second with three.

RELATED: All of the Must-See Photos from the Opening Ceremony at the Tokyo Olympics

China's Yang Qian won gold in the women's 10m air rifle final while Team USA's Mary Tucker, an event favorite, finished sixth.

Medalists Yaxuan Xiong, Anastasiia Galashina, Nina Christen
Medalists Yaxuan Xiong, Anastasiia Galashina, Nina Christen

AP Photo/Alex Brandon Medalists Yaxuan Xiong, Anastasiia Galashina, Nina Christen

World No. 1 Brady Ellison and teammate Mackenzie Brown were eliminated from the archery mixed team event after falling to Indonesia 5-4 in the first round. Ellison, 32, said he was "disappointed" to go out as early as they did.

"I'm still a little shocked," Ellison said Saturday, according to AZCentral.com. "I completely expected us to win a medal today. We got in that stadium, and I shot left. Mackenzie started getting it figured out there at the end. I shot left that entire match trying to aim off for the wind. That finals venue kicked my ass. I just didn't see it and that cost us the match."

Brady Ellison of Team United States competes in the Mixed Team 1/8 Eliminations on day one of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yumenoshima Park Archery Field on July 24, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
Brady Ellison of Team United States competes in the Mixed Team 1/8 Eliminations on day one of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Yumenoshima Park Archery Field on July 24, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Justin Setterfield/Getty

Jourdan Delacruz, a weightlifter from north Texas, was headed toward a bronze medal in the 49-kg division before failing to convert her three attempts to clean and jerk, her second discipline of the day. She finished the day near the bottom of the pack.

RELATED: The Best Outfits at the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony

Despite the defeat, the 23-year-old said she was "really proud" of herself for accomplishing all she has to date.

"I mean, there's a lot of pressure, but at the same time, it's the clean and jerk. It's a lift that you've done a hundred times, so you can only just go out there and do what you know how to do," said Delacruz after the event, according to The Washington Post.

Team U.S.A. Wins Zero Medals on 1st Day of Summer Olympics For The First Time in 50 Years
Team U.S.A. Wins Zero Medals on 1st Day of Summer Olympics For The First Time in 50 Years

Clive Rose/Getty

Cyclist Brandon McNulty placed sixth in the elite men's road race, the best showing for Team USA in this event since Taylor Phinney placed fourth at the 2012 London Games. Though he didn't medal, the 23-year-old called it "a big honor" to achieve the result.

"Wow. It's crazy. I think within the USA Cycling program, every year and every generation is getting closer to being kind of at the top of the sport," McNulty said in a team statement after the race, according to CyclingNews.com.

RELATED: Every Must-See Photo of Athletes and Stars Arriving at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

However, Day 1 wasn't a complete bust for U.S. athletes.

The women's national soccer team rebounded from a tough 3-0 loss to Sweden on Wednesday with a massive 6-1 victory over New Zealand thanks to a record-setting second half. The USWNT now owns Olympics records for goals in a game (6), margin of victory (5), and most goals in a half (4).

United States women's national soccer team Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
United States women's national soccer team Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Francois Nel/Getty U.S. women's national soccer team

"Sweden was a very good team and we didn't play our best, and when you do that up against a top opponent, they're going to punish you. So that wasn't our best performance," said defender Crystal Dunn after the game, according to USA Today. "I think we came into Game 2 knowing that we don't go from being a really great team two days ago to not being a great team anymore."

RELATED: Athletes Reveal Their Pre-Competition Rituals Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics

The women's basketball team also earned victories in both of their 3x3 matches. Team U.S.A won 17-10 against France and 21-9 against Mongolia.

Meanwhile, the softball team remained undefeated following a 2-0 win over Mexico. The women's water polo team also claimed victory Saturday with a 25-4 win over Japan.

Elsewhere, the U.S. men's gymnastics squad just narrowly qualified for the team final, meaning their forthcoming quest to make the podium will be a hard fought one.