>> live from your olympic station 7 news takes you into the olympic zone. brought to you in part by dunkin donuts. >> reporter: with more than 550 team usa athletes in rio feeding them all is no small task. introduce making sure they have the fuel to success. to brazilians few things are as important as soccer. with brazils dominance in the sport in doubt in recent years future stars stronger than ever. feast for the eyes it is a play ground for adventurers. introduce you to islands that are fun in the sun. i'm joe amorosino.

track team usa dominated the summer games in rio. that domination continued on the hard court where the womens basketball team punched their ticket to gold yesterday. and men was to follow suit today. heading into the semifinal show down with spain. it wasn't easy. the americans pulled it out 82-76. the 2 time defending gold medalists will face the winner of sunday's gold medal game. the mens volleyball team playing for a spot. team usa was up 2 sets to 1. but the italians made an improbable come back. and then winning the final set. the americans will play for the bronze on sunday. team usa fairing better against italy in the pool. the water polo team capping off

becoming the first team to win 2 olympic gold medals in women's water polo. for travis stevens the third time was the charm competing in his third olympics. stevens won the silver medal in mens judo. securing the usa's first olympic medal in that weight class. more on tonight's home town hero. >> reporter: travis stevens has been to 3 olympic ga never medaled up until rio. he told me he was approaching these games differently t. appears to have paid off. travis stevens is no stranger to the olympics. the 30 year old has competed in the past 2 games for team usa learning more about himself every time. >> i feel more confident heading into this olympics than i have for any 1.

sites in london. >> man, that is never going to leave me. imagine 80% of your life working towards a goal to not only fail, but to feel like it was taken from you. that was one of the hardest things in life i've ever had to go through. >> reporter: there was a silver lining. inspired stevens to find a new balance in his life. making judo and his >> the balance out of sport and in sport was so important going into this one. even if we fail for this one i still have my balance. so not all of my happiness is weighed on just my sport. >> reporter: it's a mindset that served him well. stevens jumped into the olympic medal mix after taking home gold

competition. >> that was a complete mistake. we checked the wrong box on a form at a local youth center. got my class schedule in the mail and here i am today. >> reporter: he went on to train at gyms around the world. >> i wasn't wildly successful until i put trust into them to make sure that i was ready. if it wasn't for the training partners and the staff i wouldn't be here. i've proven to the world and myself and all of my sponsors that i i don't need the medal as much as i want it. and that's letting me compete on my own terms. >> reporter: and travis is leaving rio with a silver medal. after accomplishing that dream he got to accomplish another dream having a beer with his coach jimmy pedro. nancy chen 7 news. >> anchor: team usa is running away in the medal count in rio. amazing performances in the pool and track and almost everywhere

what are american athletes eating to power them so well. ann thompson has the answer. >> the olympic zone brought to you by milk life. proud sponsor of team usa. >> reporter: to sore. >> she looked like he reached a new altitude. >> reporter: to excel. >> he makes it look easy. >> to achieve. >> the dynasty continues. >> reporter: olympians need fu. i love food. >> i need to eat at least 4 to 5 times a day. >> reporter: a couple months under my mother's roof eating her home cooking. >> lots of fuel. >> i'm from texas. so a nice steak is always great. >> reporter: swimmer elizabeth beisel is a 3 time olympian. from days of cheering for

beijing, london and rio. how do you eat in those cities. >> it is hard. >> reporter: the array of produce this this store ranges from exotic to expensive. >> this is the best avocado i've seen. >> reporter: there's a myth about swimmers that you can eat anything you want. >> when i was 15, yes. now no. >> reporter: at 2 beisel eats smart. >> i would go crazy with she and many olympians can't resist. >> i love chocolate milk. >> chocolate milk. >> reporter: from this kitchen her team prepares 1200 meals a day for team usa. >> not only does it taste good. it's all the nutrition information that they know to look for to get in one 12 ounce container. >> reporter: but they are human after all.

from the athletes village attest. how much does it break your heart to see long lines at mcdonald's. >> it's normal and comfort food. it fills a void. as long as you have calories. >> reporter: if you look at the official twitter page of team usa nutrition a popular post game or post training recovery snack is a healthy smoothy. on 7 news in the olympic zone. familiar sight in brazil. these aren't just any kids. and we'll meet a wrestler looking to make it back to back

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for the road. for the ride. for the early mornings... long days... and late nights. for the love. ? . >> reporter: of checking the medal count team usa dominating 34 silver and 32 bronze. the americans comfortably atop the medal count. china in second with 65. great britain rounds out the top 3. brazils greatest sports passion is soccer. despite a 7 to 1 loss to germany in the world cup that was held in brazil. dreams of finding a better life through soccer persists across

youth clubs. >> reporter: football club a team with a proud past and a modest presence. won the city championship in 1926. the legendary ren aldo played here just like the boys practicing here today. the team now plays in the minor leagues of brazilian bourby ball. the dedication of these players is >> are you ready? >> are you ready? >> are you ready? >> reporter: i might have told these kid that i'm the best goalee in the united states. come on leo. come on leo.

>> [portuguese]. >> reporter: it's like the united states. in united states we have basketball, football. here it's about soccer. you want to be a soccer player like ren aldo like massy. >> massy. >> reporter: no matter the odds brazilian kids are hard wired to dream of >> [portuguese]. >> reporter: and these days it's not just for the boys. womens soccer has come a long way. the olympic team filling stadiums and breaking hearts with their final loss. he says maybe if he doesn't become a pro he'll marry a pro: these boys have years before that comes up.

one of hundreds of youth academies in rio. every player here hopes to grow up and achieve the ultimate goal to wear the yellow jersey of brazil. >> reporter: the country of brazil will be watching and praying tomorrow when the mens soccer team aims to avenge that devastating loss 2 years ago to germany and win brazil's first fun in the sun and we'll check in with castelli for 5 things you may not know about the first wrestler to represent haiti at

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. your silver. your gold. and liberty mutual insures them all. 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. man: we gave him the option -- "do you want to do a big party with your friends, or would you rather do something with us as a big family?" and so he chose for all of us to get together, actually go down to great wolf lodge, and have a family birthday.

all around him at all times, and lots of support. ? >> going for gold brought to you by your new england honda dealers. >> reporter: jordan burrows went

a shocking loss in the quarter finals ended his dreams of a repeat. nancy chen has more on borrows. >> reporter: he has a motto. he happens to have a tattoo of it. >> dream it do it. that's one of the mottos i live by. it's not enough to dream about doing something or set goals. once you set goals you have to create small consistencies to reach those i want to accomplish it. i don't to just have a dream. dream it do it. >> reporter: with 3 world championships and an olympic gold medal he hopes to 1 day be known as the greatest u.s. wrestler of all time. >> never feel like i'm going to make it in midair.

day for a 6 minute match. you think of the hours i put in the olympic games i wrestle 4 matches. so i've trained 5,000 hours for 24 minutes. >> he said all i see is gold. now the world will see gold around his neck jordan burrows an olympic champion. >> the fruits of labor come from preparation. they come from the work, the commitments, the it's necessary. a lot of guys want what i want. there's only one spot on the top of the podium. >> reporter: he's gotten married and has 2 kids. all of them in rio to cheer him on. nancy chen 7 news. >> reporter: despite the upset in the quarter finals. but the reigning olympic champion lost his second match as well. and he will head home without a

we go just off the coast of rio

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>> you're back in the olympic zone. brought to you in part by dunkin donuts. >> reporter: time for a memorable moment from the 2016 summer games. back to last night where bolt continued to cement his status as world. keeping alive his chance at an unprecedented triple triple. a gold medal in the 100 meter, 200 meter. and 4 by 100 meter relay. in what could be his final race of the olympics. catch bolt's shot at a ninth gold medal. it wasn't the olympics castelli was hoping for.

head hold high. becoming the first wrestler to represent haiti at the olympics. and had the honor of carrying his countries flag at the opening ceremony. tonight's fast 5. >> tv show boon dock. i always have ice cream i guess if anything. people find it face off. i would say superman. yeah, he's powerful. but he has the limited weakness. old school rocky 4 the whole sound track. >> reporter: if you love adgenteur travel rio has options to offer.

throughout the games. this time hitting the water for fun in the sun.. >> reporter: just one mile off the coast of rio a small group of islands where adventure awaits. the uninhabited trail of picturesque rocks offer natural beauty, breath taking wildlife, and wild man made fun. adventurer's paradise for myself. the gang at bay sports club took me out for a day on the water. i got my life jacket on. i'm ready. my guide diago. we jumped in a boat and headed out to sea. first stop paddle boarding. no big deal.

islands. if you're feeling ambitious you can paddle all the way to the islands and back. 90 minutes each way. >> there's a giant turtle. do you want to go see it? once you circle the island still more breath taking scenery is revealed. you just want to linger. all right so what's up now. >> now we are going to snorkel. >> reporter: all right. next up we jump off a cliff. we climbed up the rocky shore and found the sweetest jumping spot.

these guys jump. and then it was my turn. and i did it. another fear conquered. i've never jumped off a cliff before. it was unbelievable. what a day. all right. i'm signing off from islands. >> reporter: whether it's paddle boarding, surfing or hang gliding rio is a paradise for all adventure seekers. up next on the 7 news olympic

[ 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. we should fit into your life. not the other way around. ?

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a night of marquee events. bolt anchors the jamaican 4 by 100 meter relay. in what could be his final olympic race. a familiar rival the united states and another jamaica u.s. match up. 100 and 200 champion elaine thompson leads jamaica. tory buoy li team. in men's platform diving pursues a second consecutive gold medal. all coming up in prime time. >> that's all our time for this half hour. for the latest olympic news you can log on to whdh.com. i'm joe amorosino.

he makes it look easy. >> usain bolt completes an a triple double and stands at eight olympic golds. ? >> at an olympic games, even the inevitable can be exhilarating but never discount the surprises that can lurk around every corner. four years ago, his flawlessness from high above surpassed every challenger. now, here, it was about defending his title against