>> live from your olympic station 7 news takes you into the olympic zone. brought to you in part by dunkin donuts. >> reporter: castelli left haiti when he was 9 years old. he served a tour in iraq as a muslim chaplain he is becoming the first haitian wrestler to compete in the olympic games. in the shot put since 2004. and the reigning world champ understands more than anyone else that mother knows best. and we'll show you how new technology and forward thinking design have team usa primed to race for gold at the paraolympics in rio. good evening everyone and welcome to the 7 news olympic

after dominating in the pool to open the olympics team usa is finding success on the track this week. that number will surely go up tonight when ashton eaton is expected to make the podium in the mens decathlon. the defending olympic medalist enters tonight in first place following 9 of the 10 events and is in prime position to retain his title of world's greatest athlete. and that action in prime time coverage tonight right here on 7 nbc. also in action tonight is diver jessica parado the dover new hampshire native earning a spot by placing second in the semifinal. parado hoping for a better result tonight. castelli is you know looking to

special. no other haitian athlete accomplished this in 88 years that is an olympic medal. in a sport his country has never participated in at the summer games. nancy chen has more on tonight's home town hero. >> reporter: castelli breaks barriers in every way possible. he's here in rio not only to compete but also to inspire a nation both on and off whatever comes his way springfield wrestler castelli won't let life pin him down. the 38 year old is the first athlete ever to wrestle for haiti. >> i don't think our grandparents were born yet last time they won a medal. >> reporter: castelli knows how much is on the line for the match itself.

leaders great men individuals to inspire all this. >> reporter: it was a 3 year process filled with letters and phone calls to convince haiti to let him represent them in haiti. >> they kept doing one of those please try again. come on. you keep on trying and trying you persist and we're going to give it a try. >> reporter: castelli is used to persevering against all odds. >> i grew up in a mud house in 80. >> ror jersey. it wasn't an easy transition. with classmates bullying him for only being able to speak french. >> people pick on you because i didn't speak the language. >> reporter: castelli got involved in wrestling a welcome escape during trying times. he moved to massachusetts to welfare and study at a college in springfield. >> i'm still serving. i'm with the 1179 reserve out of brooklyn.

coaches wear many hats taking care of everything on and off the mat without a federations financial nor logistical support. which made it more surprising when he got the email saying he made it to the olympics as a wild car. when he gets on the mat he won't be by himself. the hopes of his nation guiding him on. >> when the motto on the back of the wrestling sh >> reporter: he wants to move back to haiti and open a wrestling school. it would be the nation's first. nancy chen 7 news. >> anchor: bmx racing is making the third appearance on the program in rio. if you're unfamiliar with it and think it's a bunch of kids on bikes. think again. mario lopez caught up with one high flying olympian to

>> reporter: 5'2" and 125 pounds her nickname is the beast. watch her attack the bmx track and you'll understand why. the tiny but fierce 25 year old elise post is taking her fire to rio where she'll be suiting up for her second olympic games. i caught up with elise at the training center in california in the run up to rio. how did you get into this? >> as a little girl. i had 2 older brothers that i was chasing to keep up with. >> reporter: riding bmx since she was 6 years old. elise traded one kind of adrenalin rush for another. >> how steep is that drop? >> you can't see the bottom of it when you're on top of it. you're at full speed 40 miles an

foot jumps. it's dynamic and explosive. what we do i compare it to a horse race and a roller coaster ride out there. you're doing it with 7 of the other best riders in the world. people don't realize the amount of work and professionalism that goes into what we're doing out there. there is a lot of work that goes into it. the fierce competitiveness of it can be devastating. >> reporter: experience. she has come back from multiple racing injuries and surgeries and she has also come back after the painful loss of her mother cheryl in 2014. >> she was able to go into the 2012 games. going into rio i'm riding with her on my shoulders. i definitely want to give her a

proudly ride cheryl strong. >> reporter: a crash in the semifinals prevented post from making it to the final 4 years ago in london. aiming for a better result in rio when she races for a medal tomorrow night. we'll introduce to you the new technology helping american wheelchair racers go faster than ever. introducing dunkin's new cold brew coffee, steeped slowly in cold water for small batches with an ultra-smooth, full-bodied flavor. discover the craft of cold brew today and keep on.

for the road. for the ride. for the early mornings... long days... and late nights. for the love. >> reporter: checking the medal count team usa continues to dominate in rio. 32 gold. 32 silver and 31 bronze. the americans sit comfortable atop the medal count with 95 total. china second with 58. great britain rounds out the top

some of the worlds most inspiring athletes will take center stage in a few weeks for the paraolympics. why some of team usa's athletes will be racing faster than ever. >> the olympic zone brought to you by bmw the ultimate driving machine. >> reporter: tatiana mcfadden paraolympic career is already the stuff of legend. >> mcfadden. >> reporter: 11 medals over 4 paraolympic games. summer and winter. in rio she hopes to compete in 7 distances from a hundred meter sprint to the marathon. a massive undertaking even for her. mcfadden and the other american wheelchair racers will be rolling in the sports version of a formula one car.

chair i was absolutely shocked and so happy with it. just looks like a bat mobile to me. >> reporter: 4 time medalist josh george has been testing the prototype. >> when you get in the chair and you push it for the first time you can feel and tell how the power that you're translating from your arms is being received in the frame. and this frame feels solid. >> they hit the push rim like this and drive the wheel pushing around this push rim. an incredible force and high speeds. >> reporter: bmw engineers worked with the athletes to focus on details likiro dynamics fitness and the cockpit. >> i've gotten severe injuries because a chair wasn't made right for me. the chair flex too much. just to have a chair that works all the time.

designers say any medals the u.s. wins will be due to the athletes not the technology. they're inspired to help the american racers maximize performance in rio. >> it's a cool feeling for the team because these athletes are such incredible athletes. so talented so committed. this is for us to help push their sport and push competition. >> reporter: the paraolympics kick off from rio on september 7th. catch that action on the networks of nbc. >> up next on the 7 news olympic zone we'll check in with an american shot putter. and we'll sit down with eli dershwits about 5 things you may not know about the rising

[ clock ticking ] time. you only have so much. that's why we want to make sure you won't have to wait on hold. and you won't have to guess when we'll turn up. because after all we should fit into your life.

by your new england honda dealers. >> reporter: team usa has medaled in mens shot put in each of the last 8 summer games. 12 years since the americans have captured a gold medal in the event.

reigning world champion. >> reporter: this is joe covacs first olympics. he came close in london. as an alternate he never got the call. joe covacs picked up shot put to stay fit for high school football. >> my mom was my coach when i started out. she coached me throughout high school. she didn't know about throwing as she does she taught me along the way. >> reporter: covacs trains in california. he's taken his home town of bethlehem pennsylvania to rio. >> to where i grew up it's the family and friends i have there. it's the community that going to rio. i'm going myself. all these people shaped me to get me to this point. thankful for everybody who's been a support to me.

the u.s. the first gold of the world championship. >> reporter: he's happy with the course he's on. >> that's the goal to start small and work your way up. know you can do it. you don't need much. i started with a -- no ring. no circle. at one point no shot put. started with a stone and a brick that were different sizes. turned into getting more equipment. it wasn't the it was the passion and drive that kept me going. >> reporter: his olympic village roommate jeff henderson won gold on saturday. in rio nancy chen 7 news. >> reporter: covacs will go for gold in the mens shot put tonight. when we return on the 7 news olympic zone bob costas is one of the most well known broadcasters in sports.

>> you're back in the olympic zone. brought to you in part by dunkin donuts. >> reporter: dershould the wits olympic experience. he remains upbeat and is looking forward to the 2020 summer games in tokyo. tonight's fast 5. >> for some reason i've always collected movie ticket stubs and hotel room cards. we go to so many different hotels in countries on earth. i keep the hotel key card. i have a stack of them that's maybe this high. that's miracle about the hockey

soviet hockey team. probably say breaking bad. i just watched it this year. all my friends watched it years ago. i'd say grilled chicken. that's basically like -- i have grilled chicken and brown rice pretty much all the time. i like to keep everything the same. like i always pack my bags the same way. i bring the same snacks. i with the way i work out before i leave. the way i warm up and stretch at competitions i try to keep everything exactly the same as it's always been. >> reporter: bob costas is a 27 time emmy award winner and one of the most respected broadcasters in the business. as it turns he has a secret sports passion. one the olympic zones joe martin discovered in rio.

assignment. they want me to ask bob costas to do a feature playing an olympic sport. >> that will do it for all of us from rio. thank you for watching. see you tomorrow night. i'm bob costas. that one's finally in the books. >> reporter: hey bob. >> hey jill. >> reporter: they want me to do a feature with you where you play an olympic sport. >> what sport do they want me to play. >> reporter: basketball. >> >> reporter: what about fencing. >> i was zoro once on halloween when i was a kid. >> reporter: what about table tennis. >> i played ping pong as a kid. in fact i was pretty good. >> reporter: when did you know that you were that good? >> when i was a little kid as opposed to a diminutive adult i

hand eye coordination. >> reporter: do you still play. >> every night when i go back to the hotel yeah, a little bit. >> reporter: do you think you could beat an olympian at this point in your life. >> absolutely. >> reporter: it's funny because i happen to have a table and an olympian who can compete against you standing by. >> i'm ready let's go. i got it. todd so what have we got here. >> we've got a 16 year old. >> a 16 year old to play me. >> yeah. >> li got this. bob costas. somebody hold on to this for me. i haven't played since last night. let's get loose. can we volley a bit is that right. before we go for real tompt warm

this counts. >> reporter: jaw versus costas. game on. game one costas. game 2 costas. game 3 costas. >> yo unbelievable.. >> reporter: game 4 costas is the champion. >> next time, kid. [sigh]. >> reporter: good job, bob. >> thanks simone. >> reporter: we have no confirmation to the rumors that

for team usa at the 2020 olympics. he's not quitting his day job soon. coming up on the 7 news olympic zone we'll check with costas for a preview of what's in store a preview of what's in store tonight for primetime. massachusetts public charter schools are among the best in the country. our charter schools are public, and we have longer school days with more personal attention. we have a proven record of helping students in underperforming areas succeed. expand charter school access and result in more funding for public education. every parent should be able to choose the public school that's best for their child. announcer: vote yes on question 2. for stronger public schools. good is in every blue diamond almond. good is a catalyst,r: vote yes on question 2. good is contagious. and once it gets going there is no stopping what you can do. get your good going. blue diamond almonds.

when people ask me what it's like to win an olympic medal, i tell them, "you already know." the medals you've earned are all around you. your bronze.

and liberty mutual insures them all. liberty mutual is proud to insure every team usa medal won in rio, just like we protect the medals you've earned in life. liberty stands with you. liberty mutual insurance. >> tonight's primetime line up is brought to you by bmw the ultimate driving machine. the fastest stars on the track are coming up in prime time. bolt blasts off in the 200 meter final. with 400 meter bronze medalist la sean merit among challengers. the high flying final in women's platform diving. it's coming up in prime time. >> reporter: thanks for joining us for the latest olympic news

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usain bolt, still invincible. >> first man in history to win 300-meter olympic bronze in a row. ? at these games, the higher you rise, the greater the expectations seem to get. but for the very best, the burden of that reality is outweighed by the opportunity it presents. he is history's fastest man. electrifying to watch. seemingly impossible to catch.