Follow all the latest news and results from the 2024 Paris Olympics as we bring you live updates from day one of the games.
US Wins Gold in Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay
Caeleb Dressel collected his eighth career Olympic gold medal, and a first of the Paris Games for the U.S. team, when he anchored them to a second successive 4×100 meters freestyle title on Saturday.
Australia took silver and Italy the bronze, with China missing out on the medals in fourth place.
Jack Alexy, Chris Giuliano, Hunter Armstrong, and Dressel combined in a time of three minutes 09.28 seconds to beat Australia by 1.07 in the last final of a raucous opening night at the La Defense Arena.
Matt King and Ryan Held swam in the morning heats but were switched out in favour of Alexy and Giuliano for the final. King and Held will also receive gold medals.
Dressel won five golds in Tokyo in 2021 and two in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Australia Defends Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay; US Wins Silver
Australia’s women’s 4×100 meters freestyle relay swimmers secured their country a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event at the Paris Games on Saturday with an Olympic record-breaking swim.
The quartet of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, and Meg Harris clocked 3:28.92, just under a second short of Australia’s world record, to hold off runners-up United States, while China took the bronze.
The gold added to Australia’s elation after Ariarne Titmus defended her 400m title by holding off Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky in a contest that had been dubbed Paris’s “Race of the Century.”
Australia have been led by their female sprinters for more than a decade, with their Olympic reign dating back to the 2012 London Games.
On Saturday, they started with Olivia Wunsch and Bronte Campbell in the heats but swapped them out for the unstoppable O’Callaghan and Jack in the final.
Titmus Defends 400-Meter Freestyle Title; Ledecky Wins Bronze
Australian Ariarne Titmus defended her Olympic 400-meters freestyle title on Saturday after the world’s three fastest women over the distance fought a thrilling battle in the Paris pool.
Canadian 17-year-old Summer McIntosh took the silver and Katie Ledecky of the United States the bronze. All three medallists were past or present world record holders.
The race had been compared to the epic men’s 200 freestyle “Race of the Century” showdown between American Michael Phelps, Australian Ian Thorpe, and Dutch giant Pieter van den Hoogenband in 2004.
“I’m just happy to get the result for myself and I feel so honoured to be a part of the race and be alongside legends like Katie,” said Titmus.
“I look up to her so much as an athlete and there’s certainly not a rivalry beyond the races. I really respect her as a person and I hope that I put on a good show tonight and everyone enjoyed it.”
The medal was a first for teen sensation McIntosh, who finished fourth in Tokyo in 2021 as a 14-year-old and held the world record for four months last year until Titmus took it back.
Ledecky, the gold medallist at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and second in Tokyo, now has 11 Olympic medals—seven of them gold.
Maertens Motors to 400-Meter Freestyle Gold for Germany
Germany’s Lukas Maertens won his first Olympic gold in the men’s 400-meter freestyle at the Paris Olympics on Saturday as he emerged triumphant from a final stacked with world champions.
Maertens touched the wall in a time of 3:41.78 to finish 0.43 seconds ahead of Australian silver medallist Elijah Winnington and South Korean bronze-winner Kim Woo-min at La Defense Arena.
Maertens, a 22-year-old from Magdeburg, came into the race with the fastest time this year and duly converted on the biggest stage to become the first German winner in the event since Uwe Dassler took the title for East Germany at the 1988 Seoul Games.
His victory erases his record as a nearly-man in men’s swimming, following two bronzes and a silver at the last three world championships.
He made a barnstorming start, shooting out to a big lead ahead of a trio of world champions in Kim, Winnington and Australia’s Sam Short.
The German raced at world record pace until the final 50 meters, and that proved enough despite a fast finish by Winnington, who claimed his second Olympic medal.
Nadal Considering Dropping Singles After Doubles Win With Alcaraz
Rafael Nadal has yet to decide whether to enter the singles tournament in Paris on Sunday as he aims to maximize his chances of bringing a medal home, he said after winning his first Olympic doubles match with Carlos Alcaraz.
The self-dubbed “Nadalcaraz” team opened their doubles campaign with a 7–6(4) 6–4 defeat of Argentine sixth seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.
They produced some spectacular tennis as they were roared to victory by a packed evening crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Despite some injury worries, the 38-year-old Nadal looked sharp as the 14-times French Open champion sealed the opening set with a fierce backhand winner.
The Mallorcan, who has previously won two gold medals in singles, is now considering focusing on doubles.
“We are going to make the decisions that we think are most appropriate as a team to try to have the best chances of bringing medals home for the Spanish team, to try to give ourselves the chances of that happening,” Nadal said.
“Sometimes more is more, sometimes more is less, but with that I’m not saying that I’m not going to play at all,” he added.
Alcaraz, winner of this year’s French Open and Wimbledon titles and the new force in men’s tennis, appeared to be loving life alongside his idol.
“His energy, the way that he handled the difficult moments was unbelievable. And obviously I tried to learn from him,” Alcaraz said.
While the Argentines showed experience as a pair, the Spaniards sometimes struggled to find their marks, recording 15 unforced errors in the first set, mainly by Alcaraz, against four for their opponents.
France Secures Win Over Brazil in Its Opening Olympic Basketball Game
In the opening game on Saturday, France secured a 78–66 victory over Brazil, marking the beginning of their pursuit for the gold medal in men’s basketball. This win positions France alongside Germany at the top of the Group B standings.
France’s Victor Wembayama scored 19 points, while Rudy Gobert made his presence known with two crucial blocks. Despite Brazil’s strong start where they led after the first quarter and expanded their advantage to 12 points in the second, France mounted a fierce comeback. Wembayama was particularly dominant in the second quarter, scoring 11 points.
During the second half, the French team widened their lead. Nicolas Batum matched Wembayama’s scoring with 19 points, and Frank Ntilikina scored nine points including three successful three-pointers.
A critical moment in the fourth quarter sealed Brazil’s fate. Trailing 64–58, Vitor Alves Benite missed a crucial three-pointer that could have tightened the game. France capitalized on the rebound with Batum sinking a three pointer on the subsequent possession to extend the lead.
France will face off with Japan in their next match on Tuesday.
France Claims First 2 Medals of Its Home Olympics
Luka Mkheidze and Shirine Boukli won France’s first two medals of the Paris Olympics in judo on Saturday night, with Mkheidze claiming silver and Boukli winning bronze.
Mkheidze lost 1–0 to Yeldos Smetov of Kazakhstan in the final of the men’s 60-kilogram division, disappointing a raucous crowd at Champ-de-Mars Arena. The No. 3-seeded Mkheidze made an impressive rally through the bracket in the lightest men’s weight class, but he couldn’t score against Smetov, who became the first Kazakh gold medal-winning judoka after taking home silver and bronze from the two previous Olympics.
About 30 minutes before Mkheidze’s loss, Boukli claimed France’s first medal of its home Olympics with a victory over Spain’s Laura Martinez in a bronze-medal match.
The powerful French judo team—which includes Olympic cauldron-lighting heavyweight Teddy Riner — is off to a strong start.
“It was magical, it was incredible,” Boukli said. “It is a great crowd that spreads positive vibes. It makes me want to roll over anything. I feel like this is historic.”
The 28-year-old Mkheidze was born in Georgia, and he came to France as a teenager in 2010. He quickly rose to prominence in judo, winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and he won a gold medal at last year’s European Judo Championships.
The Paris crowd was vocal in support of its two judokas, who provided one of the early signature moments of these Games even before their medal triumphs.
During the morning session, both competitors ended up on the mats simultaneously in separate matches. The fans reacted with double delight, chanting “Allez Les Blues!” and even breaking into an impromptu rendition of “La Marseillaise.”
Mkheidze and Boukli then dramatically finished their opponents with ippons that occurred mere seconds apart, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Nadal and Alcaraz Cruise to Victory in Paris Olympics Debut
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz kick off their Olympic games with a 7–6 and 6–4 win over Argentina’s Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez.
Their partnership, dubbed “Nadalcaraz” by fans, generated excitement in the stands for Nadal, a seasoned player with gold medals in both singles and doubles, and Alcaraz, the young gun who shared the court with his idol.
At one point in the match, the umpire asked the crowd to settle down as fans yelled and did the wave.
Hungarian Fencing Great’s Gold Streak Ends
Three-time Olympic champion Aron Szilagyi of Hungary was denied a four-peat in the men’s individual sabre fencing round of 32. He fell to Canadian Fares Arfa, who secured a remarkable victory. Mr. Szilagy lost the match 8–15. Mr. Szilagy previously took home the gold medal at the Olympics in 2012, 2016, and 2021.
Reigning world champion Eli Dershowitz of the United States suffered a 15–10 defeat to Csanad Gemesi in round 32. Likewise, women’s epee defending Olympic champion Sun Yiwen from China was ousted in the first round by Japan’s Miho Yoshimura.
Samoa Boxing Coach Dies at Paris Olympics After Cardiac Arrest
The national boxing coach of Samoa, Lionel Elika Fatupaito, died Friday at the 2024 Paris Olympics while in the Olympic village.
The International Boxing Association (IBA) confirmed Mr. Fatupaito’s death in a statement on Saturday.
“We at the International Boxing Association (IBA) extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Lionel Elika Fatupaito, the national boxing coach of Samoa, who tragically passed away during the Paris 2024,” the statement read.
“Lionel’s dedication and passion for the sport have left an indelible mark on the boxing community. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations. Our thoughts and prayers are with Team Samoa and all those affected by this profound loss,” it continued.
Mr. Fatupaito, 60, was treated by emergency services at the Olympic village. His cause of death has been listed as natural causes.
Chloe Dygert Wins Bronze in Women’s Road Cycling After Wiping Out
Team USA got a bronze medal in women’s road cycling when Chloe Dygert pulled out a third place finish after wiping out on a slick deck while making a turn during the rainy race. It is Ms. Dygert’s third career Olympic medal.
Grace Brown of Australia got the gold in the race with a time of 39:38.24. Anna Henderson of Great Britain won silver with +1:31.59 and Ms. Dygert’s time was less than a second behind at +1:32.46.
Ms. Dygert was seriously injured in 2020 when she went off a guard rail, and she had an Achilles heel injury earlier this year. It looked like she could win the gold before the wipeout happened.
Her bronze medal puts the United States in the lead for the medals count so far.
Katie Ledecky Sets Top Mark in Women 400-Meter Freestyle Preliminary Heat
Team USA former world record holder and 2016 Gold Medalist finished at the top of the preliminary heat in the Women’s 400M Freestyle with a time of 4:02.19 on Saturday morning at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Ms. Ledecky overtook Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, the current world record holder and Tokyo gold medalist, in the last 100 meters of the third and final heat, setting up what is sure to be an exciting showdown when the two compete in the event later Saturday afternoon.
The top four swimmers in the heat were separated by only 0.46 and were well shy of their personal bests in the preliminaries.
Pouring Rain Disrupts Games After Drenched Opening Ceremony
Pouring rain in Paris on Saturday forced the men’s Olympics street skateboarding competition to be postponed and tennis matches were also delayed, while athletes had mixed feelings about how to cope with the unexpectedly wet weather.
On Friday, a dazzling but soaked opening ceremony for the Summer Games saw thousands of athletes parade on a flotilla of barges on the Seine, at the heart of the French capital, waving to the crowd despite the downpour.
The rain continued on Saturday, forcing some events to be rescheduled and umbrellas were more in evidence than sunglasses at the beach volleyball at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
“The risk factor becomes too high when skateboarding in the rain,” a spokesperson for World Skate said after Saturday’s competition was rescheduled to Monday because La Concorde, the outdoor venue where it was supposed to take place, was drenched.
“The water creates a lack of traction that is extremely dangerous, especially in consideration of the cement and metal obstacles they’re skating,” the spokesperson said.
The opening day of the tennis event was also disrupted, with thousands of spectators without tickets for the two main show courts left frustrated after negotiating lengthy queues to get in.
Play began on time under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof and across the complex on Court Suzanne Lenglen. But play on the uncovered courts was delayed.
However, Paris 2024 organizers said they were confident the triathlon events would take place as scheduled on Tuesday even though the rain might lead to Sunday’s training session being cancelled due to concerns over the water quality in the Seine.
And outside the Arena Champ-de-Mars, where the judo dojo is located, hundreds of fans braved the weather to queue to get in ahead of busy evening that could see France win its first medals, including a possible gold for Luka Mkheidze in the under 60 kg category.
Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Swiatek Start Gold Chase With Wins
Men’s top seed Novak Djokovic began his fifth Olympic Games with an emphatic victory over Australia’s Matthew Ebden after women’s favourite Iga Swiatek launched her bid for gold with a straight sets win at a rain-drenched Roland Garros on Saturday.
Serbia’s Djokovic, chasing the Olympic title that has proved so elusive during a career that has earned him 24 Grand Slam titles, sauntered to a 6–0, 6–1 win against a player only handed a spot in the draw as a late alternate.
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz was also presented with a comfortable first-round draw against Lebanese alternate Hady Habib, but was at least given a workout in a 6–3 6–1 win.
Poland’s Swiatek opened proceedings under the closed Court Philippe Chatrier 50 days after winning her fourth French Open on the same arena and had to battle back in the second set against Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu to win 6–2 7–5.
“I’m happy that I’m through because first rounds are never easy, especially at the Olympics,” top seed Swiatek told reporters after matching her run to the second round in Tokyo.
“The atmosphere was a little bit different and I was a little bit more nervous as well.”
Cook and Bacon Win First Team USA Medal With Synchronized Diving Silver
Cook‘N Bacon, as the synchronized 3-meter springboard duo of Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook are known, became the first members of Team USA to win a medal in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics on Saturday. The duo won a silver medal in their event, which involves five synchronized dives. Their score was 324.64.
China’s Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani won the gold medal in the event with a score of 337.68, while Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen of Great Britain won the bronze with a score of 302.28. It was Great Britain’s first-ever medal in the event.
14 Gold Medals Up for Grabs on Day 1 of Paris Games
France’s capital city is set to rock to a sporting beat on Saturday as the Olympic Games get underway in earnest on the back of an opening ceremony as dazzling as it was rainswept.
No fewer than 14 gold medals will be up for grabs as day one promises action across multiple sports: four golds in swimming, two each in cycling, fencing, and judo, and one each in diving, skateboarding, shooting, and rugby sevens.
Jen Krausz, Jessamyn Dodd, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.