There are a mammoth 23 gold medals on offer a week into the Paris 2024 Olympics on Friday. Follow here for the latest updates:
USA’s Regan Smith Takes Another Silver in Women’s 200-Meter Backstroke
Team USA’s Regan Smith took her third silver medal this Olympics in the women’s 200-meter backstroke.
Kaylee McKeown of Australia, defending record holder and Olympic champion, took the gold and set an Olympic record of 2:03.73. This is her fourth gold medal in a backstroke event.
Kylie Masse of Canada took the bronze.
Team USA Sets World Record in Mixed 4×400-Meter Relay
The United States has just obliterated the world record in the mixed 4×400-meter relay setting a new standard of 3:07.41.
The quartet of Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon, Kaylyn Brown, and Shamier Little dominated the first heat, leaving their competitors in the dust.
Iga Swiatek Takes Bronze, First Tennis Medal for Poland
Iga Swiatek, ranked No. 1 in the world, won her women’s singles tennis match against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in two sets and took the bronze.
This is Poland’s first Olympics tennis medal.
The gold match will take place Aug. 3.
Sha’Carri Richardson Advances in Women’s 100 Meters, Looking to Strike Gold in Paris
Sha’Carri Richardson is on her way to redemption.
The U.S. sprinter advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 100 meters at Stade de France on Friday, making her Olympic debut with an impressive time of 10.94 seconds.
The 100-meter semifinals are set for Saturday at 1:50 p.m. ET.
Team USA Takes Bronze in Mixed Archery
Casey Kaufhold and Brady Ellison won the bronze mixed archery match against Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara of India.
South Korea successfully defended its gold medal against Germany, which took silver.
Team USA Takes Silver in Equestrian Jumping
For Team USA, Laura Kraut, Karl Cook, and McClain Ward their second silver medal in two Olympics for the equestrian jumping event.
Great Britain won gold and France bronze.
Alcaraz Advances to Finals With Chance of ‘Surface Slam’
The 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz has qualified for the men’s tennis singles finals, making him the second youngest in the history of the event to reach this stage.
Alcaraz won against Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in two decisive 6–1 sets.
A matchup with Novak Djokovic is a possibility, if Djokovic wins his semifinal match against Lorenzo Mussetti of Italy. In July, Alcaraz bested the Serbian athlete at Wimbledon.
In June, Alcaraz won the French Open men’s singles title. If he wins his final Olympics match, he would join a small group of tennis players who’ve accomplished a Surface Slam—winning the three titles on three different surfaces (clay, hard, grass) in the same year.
Finals take place Sunday.
IOC Defends Gender Rules After Boxing Controversy
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) responded to backlash in allowing Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yuting to compete in women’s boxing events despite both athletes failing a gender test administered by the Russia-based International Boxing Association (IBA) for the world championships last year.
“As with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport,” IOC stated. The committee also stated that the athletes had previously qualified for and competed in other women’s boxing competitions.
“Eligibility rules should not be changed during ongoing competition,” the statement said. “The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving.”
The IBA used a DNA test for the 2023 world championships and determined both athletes had XY chromosomes. The athletes are not transgender but have not confirmed being intersex.
The IOC previously required testosterone tests, but in 2021 abandoned the testing and instead issued guidelines for each participating nation to make their own determinations.
USA 3×3 Women’s Basketball Team Gets a Win
The women’s team got their second win with a close 14–13 over Team France. Now in fifth place, Team USA will play Canada today and China tomorrow to see if they can stay in the top six and advance.
Spain Takes Gold, USA Bronze in Men’s Skiff
Spain’s Diego Botin and Florian Trittel took gold in the men’s skiff on Friday, clinching the title with a consummate medal race performance on the Mediterranean.
New Zealand’s Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie claimed silver with a third-position in the medals race, while the United States grabbed bronze on overall points.
Ireland Wins Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls Gold
Ireland took home the gold medal in the men’s lightweight double sculls at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Friday.
Italy came in second to take the silver, with Greece picking up the bronze.
Britain Wins Women’s Lightweight Double Sculls Gold
Britain won the women’s lightweight double sculls gold medal at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nuatical Stadium on Friday.
Romania came in second to secure the silver, with Greece taking the bronze.
Kayak Goes With the Paris Flow
Friday sees the Olympic debut of kayak cross, a sport full of thrills and spills that pits racers against each other in a race to the bottom of the course.
There are also four medals up for grabs in the rowing regatta.
United States in Trouble in 3X3 Basketball
With only one game per team remaining at the end of Thursday, Friday’s sessions should reveal the first teams heading to the knockout phase.
Both U.S. teams are still in danger of elimination after a poor start, while Tokyo champions Latvia top the men’s pool.
Men’s Tennis Semifinal Starts
Spain’s rising tennis star Carlos Alcaraz will take on Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals on Friday.
Alcaraz secured his spot by defeating Tommy Paul of Team USA with scores of 6-3, 7-6 (7) at the Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris on Thursday. At the age of 21, Alcaraz became the youngest male tennis player to reach the Olympic semifinals since Novak Djokovic accomplished the feat in 2008.
Sha’Carri Richardson Makes Debut
American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson is on the track Friday morning for a first-round heat in the 100 meters.
All things considered, this should be nothing more than a warm-up and tune-up for the 24-year-old, who arrived in France as a favorite and saw her status improve when Shericka Jackson of Jamaica announced she was bowing out of the 100 meters.