On Day 9 of the Paris Olympics, Team USA’s Bobby Finke pulled his signature late-lap comeback and won the 1,500-meter freestyle while also breaking his previous world record and Olympic record time with 14:30.67. The women’s team delivered in the 4×100-meter medley, claiming gold and breaking a world record with a time of 3:49.63.
Novak Djokovic claimed his first gold in his fifth and likely last Olympics, besting Carlos Alcaraz in two tiebreaking sets.
Team USA continues to lead in the medal count with 71 total, and has caught up in the gold tally, tying with China’s 19. This was helped by Noah Lyles becoming the first American to win gold in the men’s 100-meter in 20 years, by .005 seconds in a tense race Sunday evening.
Here is the latest:
Noah Lyles Wins 100-Meter Gold by a Whisker
Noah Lyles of the United States won an enthralling and dramatic men’s Olympic men’s 100 meters final by fractions of a second in a time of 9.79 on Sunday.
Kishane Thompson of Jamaica took the silver in the same time and Fred Kerley of the United States claimed bronze in 9.81.
It was the first time an American had won the title since Justin Gatlin in 2004 and Lyles raised his arms in triumph to wild cheers from the packed crowd at the Stade de France as his name appeared at the top of the standings.
He made a slower start out of the blocks than his rivals but accelerated through the finish to clinch victory by five thousandths of a second.
Belgium Withdraws From Mixed Relay Triathlon After Swimmer Falls Ill
Belgium’s Olympic committee announced Sunday that it would withdraw its team from the mixed relay triathlon at the Paris Olympics after one of its competitors who swam in the Seine River fell ill.
Claire Michel, who competed in the women’s triathlon Wednesday, “is unfortunately ill and will have to withdraw from the competition,” the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee said in a statement.
Paris 2024 organizers had no immediate statement on Michel’s illness, but said in a statement Sunday night that the mixed relay triathlon would proceed Monday at 8 a.m. The swim portion of the competition is slated for the Seine.
The Belgian committee’s statement did not elaborate on Michel’s illness but it comes after concerns over the river’s water quality. Organizers had said that water quality tests done the day of the individual triathlon races showed “very good” bacteria levels.
On Sunday night, representatives from World Triathlon and the International Olympic Committee along with Paris Games organizers and regional and weather authorities reviewed water tests. The results indicated the water quality at the triathlon site had improved over recent hours and would be within the limits mandated by World Triathlon.
US Women Crush World Record in 4×100 Medley Relay
The U.S. Women’s swim team capped off their performance at the Paris Olympics by shattering the world record in the 4×100-meter medley relay.
The American quartet pulled away from the competition to secure gold, finishing with a time of 3:49.62.
Australia came second, taking silver, while China claimed the bronze medal.
USA’s Bobby Finke Breaks World Record in Men’s 1500m Free to Win Gold
Bobby Finke set a world record in the 1,500-meter freestyle Sunday, giving the United States a huge boost on the final night of swimming.
Finke was under world-record pace the entire race and really turned it on coming to the finish. He touched in 14 minutes, 30.67 seconds to break the record of 14.31.02 set by China’s Sun Yang at the 2012 London Games.
USA’s Scottie Scheffler Wins Men’s Golf Gold
American Scottie Scheffler won the gold medal at the men’s Olympic golf competition on Sunday with a final score of 19 under par at Le Golf National, south of Paris.
The world number one finished one shot ahead of Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood who took silver. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama claimed the bronze medal a further shot back, improving on his tied fourth place on home soil in Tokyo three years ago.
Novak Djokovic Wins His First Olympic Gold
Novak Djokovic won his first Olympic gold medal by beating Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) in an enthralling men’s tennis singles final Sunday, giving the 37-year-old from Serbia the last significant accomplishment missing from his glittering resume.
In Paris, wearing a gray sleeve over the right knee that required surgery for a torn meniscus two months ago, Djokovic faced Nadal in the second round and eliminated his longtime rival in straight sets. Now Djokovic is the oldest man to win the singles gold in his sport since 1908 — and prevented Spain’s Alcaraz, who is 21, from becoming the youngest.
Sunisa Lee Wins Bars Bronze
Sunisa Lee of the USA picked up her third medal in Paris and sixth of her Olympic career by grabbing bronze, exactly where she finished in Tokyo three years ago.
USA Takes Silver in Men’s Archery
Team USA’s Brady Ellison took silver in men’s archery, just three millimeters from the gold in a shoot-off at the finals.
Ellison and South Korea’s Kim Woojin both shot three 10s in a row, setting up a last shot where the one closest to the center wins.
This is Kim’s third gold this Olympics, and the fifth of his career.
USA’s Thomas Begins Assault on 200m with Fastest Preliminary Run
The USA’s Gabby Thomas cruised into the women’s semi-finals of the 200 meters at the Paris Olympics, showing she is the woman to beat with the quickest time of Sunday morning’s preliminary round.
The 27-year-old Thomas clocked 22.20 seconds, while Nigeria’s Favour Ofili — who missed the 100 in Paris after Nigeria officials failed to enter her in the event — was second at 22.24. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith was third in 22.28.
The final is on Tuesday.
USA’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Advances in Hurdles
Defending gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone easily passed the 400-meter women’s hurdles, advancing to the semifinals.
“It feels pretty good to get back out there,” she told NJ Advance Media after the race.
A matchup against world record holder Femke Bol of the Netherlands is one of the most anticipated races this Olympics, as both women are the only female hurdlers who have ever broken 51 seconds. The finals race is scheduled for Thursday.
Top Jamaican Sprinter Withdraws From 200-Meter Race
Jamaican sprinter Shericka Jackson pulled out of the women’s 200 meters Sunday and will not race for an individual medal at the Paris Games.
Jackson, the defending world champion who is the second-fastest woman of all-time in the 200, had previously withdrawn from the 100 meters, saying it was partly because of a leg injury she suffered in a tune-up race last month. It is unclear why she pulled out of Saturday’s race.
It turns American Gabby Thomas into the clear favorite to win the 200. Thomas cruised through her qualifying heat Sunday, as did Julien Alfred, who returned to the track about 13 hours after beating Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100 meters.
Sunisa Lee Returns to the Stage
Sunisa Lee, the 21-year-old American gymnast, is set to compete in the women’s uneven bars this Sunday, aiming to add a sixth Olympic medal to her collection. Just three years ago, she clinched the bronze in this event at the Tokyo Games.
But her journey here has been anything but easy.
Lee was diagnosed last year with two serious kidney diseases and doctors told her she might not be able to compete again.
She was on bed rest for weeks and took five months off from gymnastics as she experienced the side effects of medications used to treat her symptoms.
“I mean, literally, six months ago I didn’t even consider I would be here competing today,” Lee told reporters in Paris after finishing with an all-around bronze on Thursday.
Despite all the obstacles, Lee stayed in the gym and even returned to the Olympic medal podium. She won bronze in the all-around final on Thursday and helped her team claim the gold in women’s gymnastics on Tuesday.
The women’s uneven bars finals start at 9:40 a.m. ET.
Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting Advances to Medal Match Amid Gender Controversy
Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan won a match against Svetlana Kamenova Staneva of Bulgaria in the quarterfinals, advancing to a medal match.
Lin is one of two boxers who were disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing a gender eligibility test.
Lin and Imane Khelif of Algeria are both listed as female on their official documentation and have participated in girls and women’s sports throughout their school years and careers.
Lin thanked supporters after clinching a medal but didn’t mention the gender controversy. Khelif said in an interview after advancing to a medal match that she is a woman and will stay as one.
This all comes amid controversy regarding gender eligibility rules as this is the first Olympics since the International Olympic Committee did away with testosterone testing requirements for athletes competing in women’s sports events.
Djokovic Eyes Tennis Singles Gold
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic tries to add a first Olympic gold medal to his 24 Grand Slam titles.
On Sunday, Djokovic will be up against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz who will start favorite after beating Djokovic to win Wimbledon.
“Three of the [previous] four Olympic Games I played I made semifinals but failed to overcome that hurdle,” Djokovic, whose only medal was a singles bronze in 2008, told reporters after beating Lorenzo Musetti of Italy on Friday.
“Just to secure a higher medal for my country, whatever happens on Sunday, is a huge pride and honour. I’m going for gold, but this is a big deal.”
Final Swimming Events
The swimming competition in Paris ends with four medal events after nine days of thrills, when the fastest woman in the pool will be crowned in the 50m freestyle final. World record holder Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden is the favorite.
After winning gold in the 800m freestyle, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen will look to complete the distance double having topped the 1,500m freestyle heats.
The night ends with men’s and women’s 4x100m medley relay finals, with the defending champion United States team under pressure from a Leon Marchand-inspired France.
Catherine Yang Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.