Day eight highlights
Catch up with the best of our coverage from a packed Saturday…
Finally, here is our round-up of the best photographs of Day 8. Every day at the Olympics has its specialness, and this was the same.
The Australians have lost the beach volleyball. That didn’t take so long. They’re out and the Americans go through. Australia won the doubles tennis gold earlier today though, forgot to mention that. Anyway. Enough. Farewell.
With a view from the live blog, tonight was about the specialness of that first St Lucia medal followed by Dominica’s very first medal, and the fact that they were both gold in marquee women’s events, the 100 metres and the triple jump.
We were in St Lucia only a month ago covering the T20 World Cup, and it’s such a small place and such a cricket country, such a warm and vibrant and interesting part of the world. There is vast pride at the career of Darren Sammy, who captained West Indies, and now has the main ground in the country named after him. It’s hard to even imagine how meaningful an Olympic gold must be.
And Ukraine won an emotional first gold in Paris after Olga Kharlan led a fierce comeback in the women’s team sabre. That final round was goosebump territory.
Jon L always seems to be everywhere, because he was also being a fancy boy up at a church on a hill. Perhaps in French he should be Jonathan Lieu?
Katie Ledecky keeps proving her greatness, with perhaps her most impressive long-distance win. Kieran Pender and Jonny Liew were both there.
After that, Femke Bol produced a stunning 400 metre run in the sprint relay. Andy Bull was there, but beyond tall people wearing orange he was pondering the nature of relevance and star wattage.
But everyone else’s sprinting sadness opened up joy for Julien Alfred and the tiny island nation of St Lucia, as their first ever medal was a gold in one of the Games’ biggest events.
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There was an unexpectedly early exit for an iconic British runner, while a Jamaican great of the sport didn’t even get to reach the start line.
For the Australian audience, or a different summary, you can get Mike Hytner’s overnight wrap.
Simone Biles might go around again, on home soil. We can only hope so.
So let’s have a look at some things that happened today.
Imane Khelif won her bout, her first full match of the Games after a first-round bye and Angela Carini’s withdrawal. Khelif has been treated appallingly by so much of the coverage of these games, and now is guaranteed at least a bronze if she loses her next bout, and could progress to the gold-silver final.
So that leaves only the Aussie men’s pair, Hodges and Schubert, playing beach volleyball at quarter past ten in the evening under the Eiffel Tower, as you do. Evans and Budinger of the USA their opponents. I’m not sure that you need me to focus the entire power of the blog on that for the next seven hours or however long it takes.
Volleyball: Speaking of long sports, has anyone else noticed that this is an insanely long sport? I’ve been waiting to tell you the Canada-Serbia result for about two hours, and that whole time they’ve been playing the fifth set. Anyway, Serbia won it. It’s a Pool A match. I don’t think either team can qualify anyway.
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Football: Hayzüs. We just played eighteen minutes of extra time. Well, most of us just watched it. But that went on and on and on. Finally, finally, after another raft of fouls and some more desperate French attacks, the ref blows the whistle for the end of the game rather than for another lunge. A spiteful match ends with Brazil’s women into the Olympic semis.
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Beach volleyball: In the women’s comp, Canada’s pair go through the Lucky Loser round and make the round of 16 at the expense of Czechia.
Football: It’s getting ridiculous out there, Brazilian players hurling themselves to the ground all over the pitch, yellow cards coming out, entire teams surrounding the referee, fast tackles. France have not made a convincing move in the entire time we’ve had eyes on this game. Still 1-0 to Brazil, with 10 minutes of extra time left.
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Football: Not sure I’ve seen this before… 16 minutes of added time in France v Brazil. Sixteen, Jeremy! That’s insane.
Football: Brazil goal! Gabi Portilho in the 82nd minute receives the assist from Adriana, finds herself one on one with the goalkeeper, and slots it into the bottom corner. Their first shot on target for the night, and calm when the moment comes. Not long for the French women to stay in their home Games.
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Basketball: The ride is over for South Sudan. There have been huge swings of points in this last quarter, they’ve fallen way back then made it up, but they’re 15 points down now with three minutes to play, and flagging, missing shots and so on. The Serbs will take this one, and progress with the USA from Group C.
Kellie Harrington makes the 60kg boxing final
Falls to her knees in the ring and howls after the ref raises her hand. She wins it points 4-1 from the judges – won the first round by that margin, lost the second 3-2, but had a unanimous card in the third round and wins comfortably enough in the end. She’ll fight Yang Wenlu in the final on Tuesday.
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Handball: Denmark’s women have beaten Korea 28-20 in their prelim match.
Another match from earlier.
Basketball: South Sudan were trailing by 9 points in the last quarter but they’ve brought it back to one. Serbia miss a free throw, score another to make it 2 points the difference, 8 and half minutes to go.
Boxing: Kellie Harrington, the Irish boxer, has started her 60kg bout against Beatriz Iasmin Soares Ferreira of Brazil.
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Here’s a read for you.
3x3 basketball: USA beat China in the women’s play-in game, 21-13 to progress.
Right, time to catch a breath. What else is happening? There’s a big-ticket game in the football, France-Brazil in the women’s quarters, but it’s been going a while and is still 0-0.
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US gold and a world record in the mixed medley relay
Toe to toe for the US and China through the first two laps of that relay, both electing to use their two male swimmers for the backstroke and butterfly laps. Australia went with Kaylee McKeon in the backstroke, backing up from her race earlier, then Joshua Yong. The strategy must have been for Matthew Temple to make up ground in the third lap doing breaststroke, but he had a lot to pull back and couldn’t claw enough to set up Mollie O’Callaghan for the freestyle. She’s into the water well after the front pair, though she does finish strong and takes bronze for Australia behind Torri Huske for USA and Junxuan Yang for China. Regional records for the silver and bronze teams, and a world mark for USA, knocking off Great Britain in that respect.
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Swimming: Right, that mixed medley relay final is starting…
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Basketball: South Sudan within three points of Serbia, just quietly, at half time in the men’s pool match. They each have one win so far, so South Sudan a chance to progress if they do the job here.
Norwegian gold in the men's decathlon
Markus Rooth wins the most convoluted event at the Games, a huge effort over ten sports and two days. The 1500m race is the final event. Leo Neugebauer takes silver for Germany, Lindon Victor bronze for Grenada for another Caribbean success.
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Football: No such luck for Canada in the football though, they’ve gone out thanks to a German penalty shootout. There’s a first for everything I guess. It was 4-2 in the end, after Germany’s keeper Ann-Katrin Berger saved twice before slotting her own spot kick to end it.
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3x3 basketball: Australia’s women are now out, after losing to Canada in the play-in stage following their loss to France earlier today. Canada go to the semi-finals.
And a first Olympic medal for Dominica!
Women’s triple jump: It’s a night for the Caribbean nations. We just saw St Lucia get their first medal in style, a gold in the 100 metres. Now Thea Lafond does the same for Dominica, jumping 15.02 tonight to win. Shanieka Ricketts wins silver for Jamaica, and Jasmine Moore bronze for the USA.
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Swimming: The 4x100 mixed medley relay final will be in about 15 minutes.
Katie Ledecky is the champ again
The greatest of long-distance swimming does it again! Finishes 7 seconds outside her world record in the 800 metres freestyle, but 2 seconds ahead of Titmus. It was notable because usually Ledecky is in clear water that late in a longer race, but she had Titmus with her the whole way, and Madden arriving late. Not used to being challenged, and she was, but she still had enough to counter. Enough to lift and push away. A brilliant race by Titmus, who was all courage and deserves every gram of that silver medal, while Madden smashed her own PB by 5 seconds in claiming bronze. Three stellar performances.
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Swimming: Up to the 600 mark, Ledecky is pulling away by a few tenths, and reaches 650 almost a body length up. Paige Madden is threatening now as they head towards 700.
Swimming: 500 metres in, and it’s still stroke for stroke! This is a brawl. A quarter of a second in it. Four swimmers vying for third, but way behind the main two.
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Swimming: Halfway mark, Titmus is right on Ledecky’s shoulder.
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Swimming: Ahead of world record time coming up to the 200m mark. Titmus is staying right there. Pallister is third but already four metres behind the main two.
Swimming: They’re off! Titmus is going stroke for stroke with Ledecky for the first 100 metres.
Swimming: Now we’re off to the women’s 800 metres. Katie Ledecky will be the race leader, with Ariarne Titmus and Lani Pallister challenging for Australia.
Women’s 100m: The ride of emotions that Alfred has just gone through. So much concentration and seriousness through the semis and the buildup. Roars with celebration in the immediate aftermath. Breaks down in tears as she walks back onto the track. Richardson comes and places a hand on her back, leans down to speak to her, the two of them bent double. Then Alfred breaks out in a huge smile after she recovers. Wraps the turquoise flag around her shoulders, and revels in history. Melissa Jefferson takes bronze for the USA.
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Julien Alfred wins St Lucia's first Olympic medal - 100m gold
What an astonishing run! She bossed Sha’carri Richardson in the semi, though you could imagine at that stage that Richardson might have been running cagey, holding something back.
This time, there was no scent of that. Alfred burns out of the blocks and gives nobody the slightest sniff of anything. She heads the field the entire way and there’s no chance, even with Richardson’s closing speed, to haul her back.
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It’s pouring rain on the track…
Kambundji, Ta Lou-Smith, Clayton, Jefferson, Alfred, Richardson, Neita, Terry.
Athletics: Right, let’s hit the women’s 100 metres on the track.
Swimming: It’s an Olympic record for McIntosh too, 2:06:56.
Disqualification in the medals for 200m individual medley
But no! There’s a check, and Walsh is disqualified. Apparently turned over too early coming out of the backstroke leg into the turn. So that leaves McKeown in third place, she had been thereabouts until the back half of the breaststroke lap but then lost touch, but finished as strongly as she could. That’s enough to earn Australia a bronze.
The main story, though, should be McIntosh, the prodigy winning another gold with a storming swim.
Swimming: Walsh leads early but McIntosh catches her at the end of the fly lap, then into a bigger lead with the backstroke. Douglas makes up ground on the breaststroke though, with McKeown third in the outside lane. Walsh charges through late on that lap, then attacks the freestyle. Catches Douglass, they tussle for the lead… and McIntosh burns right up past them on the freestyle lap! Douglass takes silver, having just caught Walsh late, and Walsh takes bronze…
Swimming: Time for the women’s 200m individual medley. For the Aussies, Kaylee McKeown in Lane 1, two golds in her suitcase so far. Ella Ramsay will take Lane 8. Call them the bookends. No, wait… she’s a late withdrawal, and they couldn’t get an alternate ready in time. So an empty lane. It’s a theme tonight.
Summer McIntosh, the Canadian, is in the middle with USA’s Alex Walsh. Kate Douglass is there for the States, she won a gold in the breaststroke as well. Yiting Yu for China, Abby Wood for Britain, Sydney Pickrem for Canada.
Swimming: Sarah Sjoestrom of Sweden set a new Olympic record in the 50m freestyle semis, notching 23.66. Shayna Jack and Meg Harris have both qualified for Australia.
Gold for Netherlands in the 4x400 mixed relay
I don’t know enough about this event to say whether that’s a boilover, but let’s call it a boilover. The USA were second after the first leg, then led, then led, and were leading into the final straight. I thought that Femke Bol was going to gobble up GB’s Amber Anning for silver, but she kept right on racing and caught Kaylyn Brown for gold! Ran that last leg a second and a half faster than Brown. Amazing finish, huge strides. Great Britain bronze.
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The women’s triple jump gold is up for grabs, the 4x400 mixed relay on the track, and we’re about to have the 200m IM in the pool in 8 minutes, with the 100m women’s on the track just after that. Send help.
USA gold in the shotput
He was expected to, but Ryan Crouser hangs on after Rajindra Campbell launches a bomb with the last throw of the night but is flagged for a foul. So Campbell takes bronze and looks pumped with that. Joe Kovacs makes it a gold-silver for USA.
Gold in the pool for Hungary
Men’s 100m butterfly: Yes, the stroke that makes you feel like you’re drowning. Kristof Milak wins it ahead of a Canadian double of Josh Liendo and Ilya Kharun. Which by North American maths means that Canada won 2-1 on medals.
Gold for Ukraine! In the women's team sabre
Fencing: Kharlan scores! Twice! Attacking with ferocity each time, and ends it with a point into the helmet grille, it looked like. A sixth gold medal for Ukraine, and a moment of immense pride for a nation that has been fighting for its existence. She has the yellow and blue painted over her grille, then as she rips the helmet off, and her gloves, you can see it painted on her fingernails as well, as she clasps her hands over her face in disbelief, and in tears.
Olga Kharlan, Yuliia Bakastova, and Alina Komashchuk take the gold.
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Fencing: Another video review, this one initiated by Korea as Kharlan is given a point for 42-43 and the lead. The review backs Ukraine.
Fencing: Jeon of Korea gets the lead back, to 42-40 after a judge’s video review. Then Kharlan makes it up and levels again. Incredible contest.
Fencing: Olga Kharlan levels with three straight points in the team sabre! 40 apiece.
Fencing: Tight in the gold medal match final leg, Korea up by 3 points but Ukraine score the first.
Handball: Norway beat Germany 30-18 in the women’s handball qually round. They’re top of Group A with four wins out of five.
Football: Canada-Germany still 0-0 in their quarter-final.
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Spain pull off remarkable comeback in women's football quarter-final
Back to that football quarter-final, what an extraordinary match. The World Cup winners Spain conceded after 12 minutes, and again seven minutes into the second half. They didn’t score until the 79th, when Jennifer Hermoso got them under way. Then the captain Irene Paredes puts in an equaliser in the 97th. That’s some champion mindset. Spain in the semis.
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Fencing: Japan have won the bronze over France in the women’s team sabre event, 45 points to 40. The gold medal match between Korea and Ukraine is underway.
Football: Heartbreak for the Colombian women’s team, losing on penalties. They led the powerhouse of Spain 2-0 at one stage, but conceded an equaliser after 97 minutes of regular time. Scoreless through extra time, then missed two spot kicks. That’s pressure.
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Women’s 100m, third semi: Neita comes in second in 10.97, Terry third. So the top two from each semi quality, then two more on times, so that adds Terry in 11.07 and the Swiss Mujinga Kambundji in 11.08. The latter ran sixth in Tokyo three years ago.
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Women’s 100m, third semi: Tia Clayton wins the semi for Jamaica! Led hard and kicked late. Makes sure there is a fast Jamaican entrant with Fraser-Pryce out of contention.
Women’s 100m, third semi: TT Terry steps up now, for the USA, with Darryl Neita for Great Britain, the key runners.
Women’s 100 metres: Crazy, if unconfirmed, news from Paris – the word on the telecast is that Fraser-Pryce is fit and well, which is great, but was denied entry to the race on some technicality about how entrants had to access the warm-up area. As in, she arrived from the wrong direction or something of that sort. Some sort of officious nonsense. If that’s the real story about why one of the all-time greats didn’t run in the marquee event today, there will be hell to pay for some Paris officials.
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Second semi: Much faster race! Julien Alfred of St Lucia wins it, a stern look on her face and a serious run, she clocks 10.84. Richardson starts slower but she often does and then burns up the track in the second half of the race. She does reel in Alfred for about 30 metres and then they both seemed to ease just a touch to the line, knowing they were well in front. The top two qualify automatically. Australia’s Bree Masters is seventh, and is delighted to have made a semi in her post-match interview.
Second semi: Huge news here, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrawing from the race. The veteran of so many Games. She’s not here, the Jamaican. Sha’carri Richardson of the USA is, most eyes are on her.
Women's 100m semis are under way
The first of three has just been run. Melissa Jefferson of the USA wins it, going under 11 by one hundredth of a second. Marie-Josee Ta Lou Smith is second in 11.01 for Cote d’Ivoire. Dina Asher-Smith finishes back in fifth for Great Britain.
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1500m repechage: Ollie Hoare of Australia says he “didn’t have the legs” in the last 100 metres. He was in a great position on the last turn but got overrun and won’t make the final.
Shotput: The men’s final is on currently. The world record holder, Ryan Crouser of the USA, is unsurprisingly at the top so far, though he’s a metre short of his own best mark.
Football: For the women, Canada and Germany are in the first half scoreless, while Spain and Colombia look headed to penalties deep in the second half of extra time. These are quarter finals, so knockouts are coming.
The matches are short, not the USA women. They’re generally pretty tall in this sport.
3x3 basketball: And in the subsequent match (they’re short) the USA women have just got past China, 14-12.
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3x3 basketball: First for the Australians, it is my melancholy duty to inform you that the Australian women have gone down to France in an overtime thriller, 18 to 16. I don’t think that means much for qualification, we’re still in the pool stage. But you know, winning and all that stuff.
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Thanks Barry! Nice to be here, first Olympics live blog action for me since we had the triple-header of Tokyo 2021, Paralympics 2021, and the Winter Olympics of 2022. That was all done indoors during lockdown. Now, it’s summer in Paris and the people are back in the stadiums. Away we go.
A momentary lull: We’re in a period of rare tranquility ahead of the evening’s action and Geoff Lemon is here to provide the literary equivalent of some soothing chill-out music before guiding you through the evening’s sporting entertainment.
Surfing: Australian surfer Jack Robinson is into the Paris Olympics semi-final in Tahiti, but he will be surfing with a painted-over board design following a complaint from South Korean officials about the rising sun design on his board. Kieran Pender reports from Paris …
Day eight in pictures: There’s plenty more action to come tonight, the pick of it in the pool and on the track. In the meantime, here are the best pictures from the day’s action so far, as curated by Elena Goodinson.
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Gymnastics: “It feels good, it feels very good,” says Rhys McClenaghan in an interview with the BBC, his pommel horse gold medal around his neck. “It’s a dream come true and I can’t believe I’ve done it on this day.”
On what was going through his mind: “To do my job. To do what I’ve been practicing every single day in the training gym and do myself proud in that aspect of it. I’d already done myself proud by making it here today to do my job and come out on top is a dream come true.”
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Football: The USA women’s team, managed by Emma Hayes, are two wins from a record-extending fifth Olympic gold medal, after a Trinity Rodman wonder strike in extra time won a tightly contested quarter-final with Japan that failed to catch fire until the final reel. Bryan Armen Graham reports from the Parc des Princes …
Gymnastics: Rhys McClenaghan is presented with his gold medal for winning the pommel horse and stands proudly on the top step of the podium as Amhrán na bhFiann, the Irish national anthem, is played.
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Golf: We’re almost finished the third round of the men’s competition and Spain’s Jon Rahm and America’s Xander Schauffle currently shae the lead on -14 as they approach the end of their respective days’ work.
Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood is one stroke behind in third place with two holes left to play this evening, while Denmark’\s Nicolai Hojgaard and has put himself into medal contention with a third round 62 that leaves him on -11 alongside Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.
Ireland’s Rory McIlroy shot a 66 today and is currently four shots off the pace going into the final round. He’s tied sixth with Scottie Scheffler (USA) and Tom Kim (South Korea) on -10. Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg and Australia’s Jason Day are a further shot back.
China win tennis gold
Tennis: The Chinese player Qinwen Zheng has won the women’s singles final, beating Croatia’s Donna Vekic in straight sets: 6-2, 6-3.
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Men's pommel horse podium
Rhys McClenaghan (Ireland)
Nariman Kurbanov (Kazakhstan)
Stephen Nedoroscik (USA)
Ireland take pommel horse gold; Whitlock out of the medals
Gymnastics: The final competitor, Hur Woong, from South Korea, falls off the pommel horse during his routine, but still scores an impressive 14.3.
The upshot? Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan wins the gold medal, the first ever for his country in gymnastics. In his final competition, Max Whitlock finishes out of the medals in fourth.
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Gymnastics: You could write the amount I know about gadding about on a pommel horse on the back of a very small stamp, but even I can tell that the standard in this final is incredible.
Japan’s Takaaki Sugino does his routine and celebrates afterwards like it’s the best one he’s ever done. It might well be, but i’s not enough to get him on the podium – he scores 14.933.
Gymnastics: Max Whitlock could be in trouble! Team USA’s Stephen Nedoroscik has just completed his routine on the pommel horse and has the air about him of a man who thinks he’s done enough to get amongst the medals.
He’s right to back himself – his score of 15.300 puts him into third place and pushes Max Whitlock out of the medals with three gymnasts left to compete.
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Tennis: The women’s singles final is ongoing at Roland Garros, where China’s Qinwen Zheng is a set up against Croatia’s Donna Vekic. It’s going with serve in the second set, with the score at 3-3.
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Gymnastics: Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan, a genuine gold medal contender in the pommel horse, has just completed his routine and assorted folk on the BBC who know far more about this kind of thing than I do, are gasping at how good his performances was.
He scores 15.533 to move into the gold medal position with four gymnasts left to go in the competition. His performance means Team GB’s Max Whitlock is bumped down to the bronze medal position.
Imane Khelif advances
Boxing: The Algerian woman gets the better of her Hungarian opponent in the -66kg division and advances to the semi-finals, guaranteeing herself a medal in the process. Khelif won by a unanimous decision and her opponent seemed to have no complaints.
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Gymnastics: Whitlock does his thing and looks pleased with his effort, which is greeted with raucous applause. I won’t lie – I have no idea whether he was better or worse than Mr Kurbanov! He scores a 15.22, which puts him in second place.
Gymnastics: The men’s pommel horse final has just begun at the Arena Bercy, where Team GB’s Max Whitlock is bidding to win his third consecutive Olympic gold in the discipline.
Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov is first to take to the apparatus and scores a whacking great 15.433, which immediately puts him into medal contention. Whitlock is next up …
Boxing: Following her win over the Italian Angela Carini in a bout that generated no end of headlines and controversy regarding gender eligibility, Algeria’s Imane Khelif has just taken to the ring for her second fight of these games. Her opponent is Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori.
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Biles wins stunning vault final
Gymnastics: After winning gold in the individual all-around and helping the US to a dominant win in team all-around, Simone Biles picked up her third gold medal in five days at the Paris Olympics in the vault on Saturday.
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Remco Evenepoel wins the men's road race
Cycling: With the Eiffel Tower serving as a stunning backdrop, Evenepoel crosses the finish line to win his second gold medal of these Olympic Games. For France, Valentin Madouas just about hangs in there to win the silver medal and his compatriot Christophe Laporte takes the bronze.
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Cycling: Evenepoel seems to have read my last entry and now seems aware that he will not lose barring a disaster. Madouas seems to be looking good for the silver, as the group behind him are keeping tabs on each other as they prepare to duke it out for the bronze medal.
Cycling: With the race aqt his mercy, Remco Evenepoel gets a puncture and has to switch bikes. It’s a quick handover from the support car and it shouldn’t ruin his chances.
He gets back on his bike and with a camera bike behind him, points animatedly at his wrist. He has no idea how far ahead he is but if you’re reading this, Remco, I can tell you that you have a one-minute lead over Valentin Madouas with just over two kilometres to go.
Simone Biles wins the women's vault for USA!
Gymnastics: To rapturous applause from the crowd, the diminutive American takes the gold medal. Rebeca Andrade takes silver and Jade Carey (USA) gets the bronze.
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Cycling: With six kilometres to go, Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) continues to lead the men’s road race from Valentin Madouas (France) by 47 seconds. The Frenchman has 31 seconds over a group featuring Stefan Kung (Switzerland), Ben Healy (Ireland), Matteo Jorgenson (USA) and Chrisophe Laporte (France).
Gymnastics: Simone Biles leads the women’s vault final because of course she does. Despite her best efforts, Rebeca Andrade (Brazil) remains in second place after getting a 14.833 for her second attempt. An Chang-ok (North Korea) is in third place.
Cycling: Evenepoel decides to make his move and pulls away from Madouas and will now hope to time trial his way to victory and his second gold medal of these games. A reminder: none of the riders in this race have comms/radio, so plenty of them won’t know what the gaps are.
A TV camera motorbike gets a little to close for comfort to Remco Evenepoel and the driver gets a rollocking from the race leader for his troubles. The course is tight and technical, Evenepoel doesn’t know how far ahead he is and he wants to choose his own racing line without outside interference from an overzealous camera crew.
Cycling: With 15 kilometres of the men’s road race to go, the riders have been in the saddle for almost six hours. Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) currently leads the race, with Valentin Madouas (France) on his wheel, leaving the Belgian to do all the work.
They have a one minute lead over Christophe Laporte (France) and Matteo Jorgenson (USA), while a strong bunch featuring lots of big-hitters including Wout van Aert (Belgium), Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands), Michael Matthews (Australia) and Tom Bidcock (Great Britain) is a further 22 seconds behind.
At the front of the race, Evenepoel, who won the men’s ITT last weekend, keeps flicking his elbow, suggesting to Madouas that he should do a turn at the front but the Frenchman isn’t playing ball.
Greetings everyone. Men’s cycling and women’s gymnastics are the main orders of Olympic business at the moment. Let’s do this thing …
Right, that is it for me, Martin Belam, for today. I am going to go and watch the rest of the cycling without having to write it down. That is going to be Barry Glendenning’s job. See you tomorrow.
Women’s vault: Simone Biles has just vaulted and gone into the lead at the Bercy Arena with a 15.3.
Elena Goodinson has our selection of the best pictures from today’s action in Paris and across the Olympics …
Men’s cycling road race: tremendous effort by Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) and Wout van Aert (Bel) off the front of the Peloton. They are attempting to bridge the gap to the leading effort. France’s Valentin Madouas has managed to hold on to the wheel of Remco Evenepoel. They are the one-two on their own at the front of the race.
Men’s cycling road race: Remco Evenepoel has started the second climb of Montmartre. That leading group have 45 seconds on the Peloton. The Dutch are at the head of that group and trying to close the gap, but the gap isn’t closing. Evenepoel’s race to lose here.
Gold and silver for USA in men's skeet shooting! 🥇🥇🥇
Men’s skeet shooting: a USA one-two saw Vincent Hancock take gold by one shot from teammate Conner Lynn Prince. Meng Yuan Lee, competing for Taiwan under the Chinese Taipei banner, came third.
Men’s road cycling: Remco Evenepoel is driving that group forward, they’ve caught Ben Healey.
Carl Hester, Charlotte Fry and Becky Moody won bronze for Great Britain in the dressage team Grand Prix Special after overcoming the pressure generated by the ban handed to star rider Charlotte Dujardin on the eve of the Games.
Men’s road cycling: Remco Evenepoel has started flying now, he has crossed the gap to become the eight rider in the chasing group like it was nothing. Incredible turn of speed.
A bit more on Emma Wilson here with some strong quotes:
Emma Wilson accused sailing officials of putting athletes’ mental health at risk after falling foul of a controversial new format and being forced to settle for a second consecutive windsurfing bronze medal off the coast of Marseille on Saturday.
“I think it’s obvious I’m at a disadvantage, and I think the [sailing officials] should think about it, and think about people’s mental health as well,” said a clearly emotional Wilson afterwards.
“It’s not OK to put people in this position every time. I had a 60-point lead at the World Championships, and a 30-point lead here. I don’t know how many times you can come back. I think I’m done with the sport.”
At last year’s World Championships in Lanzarote, Wilson won 15 of the 20 races but still had to settle for silver behind Kantor in the medal race. Besides the new Olympic sport of kitesurfing, windsurfing is the only sailing class to adopt the new format.
Men’s road cycling: Ben Healey on the ride of his life. There is still something like an hour of this to go. What a joy. Here is a scrappy screengrab of the current standings rather than typing it all out …
Men’s road cycling: Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert make their move!
Men’s road cycling: the first ascent of Montmartre is beginning with 47km to go. Healy and Lutsenko are 15 seconds ahead of the seven in the chase group, none of who particularly featured in pre-race favourites lists, they are:
Domen Novak (Slo)
Michael Moerkoev (Den)
Valentin Madouas (Fra)
Fred Wright (GBr)
Marco Haller (Aut)
Michael Woods (Can)
Jambaljamts Sainbayar (Mgl)
They have about a minute on the Peloton. Paris looks spectacular, what a course they have picked here. Surely the leading Peloton group are not just going to let this race get away from them?
Cath Bishop in Paris has this analysis of why Team GB’s rowers have had such a great regatta:
Rowers have certainly played their part in Team GB’s most successful opening Olympic week. Boats flew over water, tears flowed off the water and more British athletes celebrated on the podium than ever before.
The outstanding performance of the regatta came from Imogen Grant and Emily Craig, who led their lightweight double sculls final from start to finish. Their story began in Tokyo where they set a world-best time in the semi-final but finished fourth in the final by 0.01 seconds.
Their determined response to hold their heads high and take pride in their Tokyo performance, while others described the heartbreak, helped them move on, driven but not defined by the experience. Since then, they have been unbeaten in international competition and will remain reigning champions in eternity as the event is cut from Los Angeles 2028 (where beach sprint rowing will feature as part of moves to spice up the sport).
History was also made by the women’s quadruple sculls of Georgina Brayshaw, Lola Anderson, Hannah Scott and Lauren Henry, winning with a defiant surge on the final stroke. It was the first time Team GB has won that event and turned the page on Tokyo where no crews won gold and no women won medals.
If you shoot for the moon, sometimes you land among the stars. That was the story for several Team GB crews who raced to win, showed bravery and demonstrated the willingness to take risks that is essential to have a chance of the top spot, knowing that inherent in those risks is the chance they may not always pay off.
Read more here: Power, technique, pacing, tactics: Team GB’s rowers got it right
I would have been watching Leyton Orient’s pre-season friendly against Dagenham & Redbridge if I wasn’t live blogging here. That is 0-0 by the way :-)
Men’s cycling road race: Ben Healey and Alexey Lutsenko are still out on front, and now there is a breakaway of seven riders behind them. There isn’t much margin for error when you only have four man teams.
Gold for Philippines in men's floor exercise! Silver for Israel, bronze for Team GB! 🥇🥇🥇
The Philippines have their first gold of the Games after Carlos Edriel Yulo scored 15.00 in the floor exercise. He was a whisker ahead of Artem Dolgopyat of Israel on 14.966, and Team GB’s Jake Jarman on 14.933.
More details soon …
Men’s decathlon: a hugely entertaining contest kept Stade de France entertained as eventually Estonia’s Janek Oiglane went over at 5.30m for a personal best. Norway’s Markus Rooth also scored a PB of 5.30m. Harrison Williams and Zachery Ziemek of the USA also went over 5.10 and 5m respectively, and Leo Neugebauer also made a 5m vault.
Going into the javelin the top overall scores are …
Leo Neugebauer (GER) – 7,410
Markus Rooth (Nor) – 7,271
Lindon Victor (Gre) – 7,191
Ayden Owens-Delerme (Pur) – 7,153
Harrison Williams (USA) – 7,118
Men’s cycling road race: much chortling on Eurosport’s commentary as it appears the stretched out Peloton just managed to set off a speed trap camera by the side of the road. Ben Healey of Ireland and Alexey Lutsenko of Kazakhstan have a thirty second advantage up top.
Daniel Boffey and Sean Ingle report:
The International Olympic Committee has been forced to issue a correction after its president, Thomas Bach, got in a muddle when defending a decision to let an Algerian boxer who failed a gender test fight in the Paris Games.
In a sign of the issue’s complexity, Bach confused the terms transgender and DSD, an abbreviation of “differences in sexual development”, as he sought to quell the row over a swiftly terminated bout between Algerian fighter Imane Khelif and Italian Angela Carini. “I will not confuse the two issues,” Bach said, before confusing the two issues.
Read more here: IOC puts out correction after president Thomas Bach confuses gender issues
Women’s football: the first quarter-final, USA v Japan, is 0-0 at half-time.
Here, via PA Media, is a report on Emma Wilson of Team GB winning bronze after having spent so long in the lead of the windsurfing:
Emma Wilson had to settle for a second consecutive Olympic bronze medal after falling away dramatically in the women’s windsurfing final off the coast of Marseille on Saturday.
The 25-year-old had dominated the qualification process, winning eight of the 14 races, and had been a heavy favourite to claim an elusive first major title. But despite holding a narrow lead at the halfway stage, Wilson finished well behind eventual winner Marta Maggetti of Italy, with Israel’s Sharon Kantor taking silver.
The final had been held over from Friday due to light winds, and Wilson had to watch as her rivals got to grip with the conditions during the quarter-finals and semi-finals that immediately preceded the medal shoot-out.
Wilson, whose mother Penny also represented Team GB in windsurfing at the Olympics, has dominated her discipline since Tokyo, but has fallen foul of a new rule designed to increase the jeopardy in her class, and which essentially means qualifying results are wiped out for the final showdown.
Had the previous Olympic rules still been in place – as they are for every other sailing class bar the brand new kitesurfing discipline in Marseille – she would have gone into the final race secure in the knowledge that she had already sealed her gold medal.
Read more here: Emma Wilson wins windsurfing bronze but left in tears after falling away
Women’s table tennis: the final here is tied at 4-4 between two Chinese athletes, Sun Yingsha and Chen Meng. The latter is now 30 and joined the national team when she was just 13. She is defending her title.
Nick Ames has been at Vaires-sur-Marne for the Guardian:
It was an image to crown Great Britain’s renewed command of Olympic waters. While his crewmates gulped for breath, trying to master the elating mixture of adrenaline and sheer exhaustion, the men’s eight cox Harry Brightmore leapt on to the stern of their boat. He punched the air, removed his cap and flung it away: this had yet been another epic run for the line, channelling legends of yore while consigning recent years’ frustrations to ancient history.
“An absolutely fantastic regatta, it’s good to be back from Tokyo,” beamed Louise Kingsley, the director of performance. She had watched Brightmore and his teammates win the country’s third gold in the Vaires-sur-Marne lake, and eighth medal of any hue. They had raced straight after a women’s eight that took bronze and the week finished with only the Netherlands, neck and neck rivals throughout, matching the British haul of podium finishes.
Read more here: Team GB rowers sign off with men’s eight gold and end regatta on a high
Men’s cycling road race: we have two pairs of the front now. Elia Viviani (ITA) and Ryan Mullen (IRE) are out front, Ben Healy (IRE) and Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ).
Gold for Germany in team dressage! Silver for Denmark and bronze for Team GB! 🥇🥇🥇🐴🐴🐴
Equestrian dressage team: Germany have won the team event! It is by the narrowest of margins though – they score 235.790, bettering Denmark by just 0.121. They are ecstatic, but the final Danish round by Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Freestyle was nearly enough to steal it at the last. Team GB finish third.
Updated
Men’s cycling road race: it looks like the Peloton have had enough of it being a dull chase, and now it is all fun and games with a series of attacks off the front. They are eating into the gap.
Men’s decathlon: this pole vault competition has been thrilling, and with a couple of earlier high profile failures, there is a sense that there is a real medal opportunity here. Norway’s Markus Rooth has posted a personal best of 5.20m, and four of the ahtletes have gone 5m or over. Every 10 centimetres they put on here effectively gives them a little bit of time in hand in the 1,500m later. That is going to be some finish to the event – with the javelin still to come first.
Updated
Men’s cycling road race: the men are now two-thirds of a way through the race, with just over 90km to go. The leading group hold just over a two minute advantage on the Peloton.
Equestrian dressage team: Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Freestyle have scored 81.216. Team GB have bronze, Denmark have at least silver. It is all down to the final routine here from Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on TSF Dalera BB.
Equestrian dressage team: Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale have popped in a score of 79.483 which is the second highest score of the day according to my hasty notes. Team GB will definitely win bronze here.
Denmark’s Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Freestyle is up next, to try to consolidate their second place. Germany go last, with Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on TSF Dalera BB, a horse that sounds like it is a club that plays in the fourth tier of German football.
I’m getting the horse emoji ready for the medal announcement again. I do a lot of live blogging, and very rarely get to deploy the horse emoji.
Cycling men’s road race: there has been a shakedown at the front of the men’s race. The chasing group of three hauled themselves to the front, and two of the first leading group, Charles Kagimu of Uganda and Christopher Rougier-Lagane of Mauritius have been able to hang in with Elia Viviani (ITA), Ryan Mullen (IRE) and Georgios Bouglas (GRE). The peloton is about 3 minutes behind, there is about 107km to go.
Equestrian dressage team: Charlotte Fry is going for Great Britain now, on Glamourdale. The team starts in the bronze medal position.
Men’s windsurfing: I nearly missed the men’s eights final this morning, and think I missed the men’s windsurfing final too. Tom Reuveny won Israel’s first gold of the Games, to add to Sharon Kantor’s silver in the women’s event. Silver in the men’s windsurfing went to Grae Morris of Australia, and Luuc van Opzeeland for the Netherlands took bronze. The Dutch seem to be having their very own super Saturday today.
Equestrian dressage team: we are right at the medal business end here. Dinja van Liere on Hermes for the Netherlands goes fourth from the end, with a slim chance of nicking it on to the podium. I wish the horses got to go on the podium too, it would make for such great photos.
Men’s decathlon: a huge surprise and shake-up in the decathlon as Canada’s Damian Warner failed three times at 4.60m, Sander Skotheim of Norway failed three times at 4.50m and both of them score nothing in the pole vault. That leaves the medal field wide open, as they were sitting second and third. A shocker.
Ewan Murray is at Stade de France for the Guardian:
Britain’s surprise package Louie Hinchliffe claimed a qualifying edge on 100 metres favourite Noah Lyles as he led home the world champion in 9.98 seconds in Saturday’s first-round heats.
Coached by Carl Lewis and the first European to win the NCAA title in the United States, Hinchliffe finished strongly and Lyles, not exactly easing up, took second in 10.04 to go through safely.
Lyles is targeting a possible four golds in Paris, in the 100m, his favourite 200m, the 4x100m relay and, possibly, the 4x400m relay. That would emulate illustrious compatriots Jesse Owens and Lewis, who achieved the feat at a single Games but with long jump instead of the longer relay. “It was a beautiful reaction and great to see it all coming together,” Lyles said after getting a huge welcome from another sold-out Stade de France crowd. It is difficult. These guys are ready to compete.”
Kishane Thompson is the world leader with the 9.77 he ran to win the Jamaican trials in June. The 23-year-old is in only his second year as a professional athlete but dealt with the distraction of the false-start disqualification of Briton Jeremiah Azu in the lane alongside him to get a good start, a strong pick up before easing down early to clock 10.00 and win the first heat.
Thompson has proved he can run the rounds as he posted 9.82 and 9.84 in the heats and semi-finals at the Jamaican trials before winning the title in 9.77, the fastest time recorded in the world since 2022. He is now the ninth-fastest man in history and hoping to become the second Jamaican, after triple champion Usain Bolt, to claim the most prestigious title in the sport.
The current owner Italy’s Marcell Jacobs, who has had a wretched time with injury since his shock Tokyo success, looked a little sluggish in finishing second in 10.05 behind Nigerian heat winner Kayinsola Ajayi (10.02). “I’m feeling great and in good shape but I had to save my energy,” Jacobs said.
Read more here: Louie Hinchliffe proves 100m quality by beating Noah Lyles in Olympic heats
Kieran Pender is at La Défense Arena for the Guardian:
Kyle Chalmers has sought to play down the strained relationship between Australian and Chinese swimmers, saying there is no bad blood between him and rival Pan Zhanle after the 100m freestyle gold medallist alleged that Chalmers had snubbed him during the Olympic swim meet.
Tensions between China’s swim team and other nations have been high this week as a number of anti-doping controversies linger on the pool deck. After Pan won gold in a world record time on Wednesday, he alleged that Chalmers had “totally ignored me” earlier in the meet. Pan also accused an American swimmer, Jack Alexy, of acting disrespectfully towards Chinese coaches during a training session.
But on Saturday, the Australian three-time Olympian said had been in touch with his Chinese counterpart and would be visiting him in Shanghai later this year.
“We’ve exchanged messages which has been really nice,” Chalmers said following the men’s mixed medley relay heat. “I’m supposed to be going to the world cup series, and obviously the first leg is in Shanghai. He’s looking forward to having me there and wanted to show me around, so that makes me a lot more excited about going.
“I don’t think there was any animosity ever,” added Chalmers, who won silver behind Pan in the 100m freestyle. “From my point of view, I spoke to him in the marshalling room before the race, after the race went straight over and shook his hand in the pool, on the podium shook his hand, and then had a great conversation before we started our cool-down.”
Read more from Kieran Pender here: Olympic swimming tensions ease as Kyle Chalmers and Pan Zhanle exchange messages
Men’s cycling road race: the leading group of five are still out in front, made up of:
Achraf Doghmy (MAR)
Christopher Rougier-Lagane (MRI)
Thanakhan Chaiyasombat (THA)
Charles Kagimu (UGA)
Eric Manizabayo (RWA)
Back up the road there is a chasing group consisting of:
Elia Viviani (ITA)
Ryan Mullen (IRE)
Georgios Bouglas (GRE)
Gleb Syritsa from the neutral team was in that group but has dropped back. The chasers are 2.02 behind, with the Peloton at 4.50 which features Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium controlling it from the front. There is about 130km to go, which includes nine areas marked out as climbs on the route.
Men’s golf: the lads are out there thwacking it left, right and centre, as I believe the technical terms are. I must confess the only golf I’ve ever played in earnest is the EA Sports or Everybody’s Golf variety. What I do know is that Spain’s Jon Rahm and Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood have a share of the lead on 12 under at the moment. Xander Schauffele of the USA is a shot back.
Womens’ handball: Brazil can leapfrog Angola for the last quarter-final spot in Group B, and they have set about it at pace. Brazil lead 10-2 after twenty minutes.
Jack Snape is at Roland Garros for the Guardian:
Australian pair Matthew Ebden and John Peers have produced a glorious comeback to win gold in the men’s tennis doubles at Roland Garros, defeating Americans Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek in a third set super tiebreak, prevailing 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1), 10-8.
It’s the first time Australia has won a gold medal in Olympic tennis sinc Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge triumphed in Atlanta in 1996.
The Australians had to dig deep down a set and a break, but found a way against the American doubles specialists who had knocked out Spanish pair Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in the quarters.
The comeback began when Peers finished a brilliant exchange of volleys at break point when the score was at 3-4 in the second set. The Australians maintained the momentum, working up the Roland Garros crowd into a frenzy.
They raced out to an 8-3 lead in the super tiebreak and, despite the crowd coming alive with “U-S-A” chants, held on to win 10-8.
Updated
Gold for Ebden and Peers and Australia in the men's tennis doubles! 🥇🥇🥇🎾🎾🎾
It is gold for Australia in the men’s tennis doubles! Victory for Matthew Ebden and John Peers over Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek of the USA, 6-7 7-6 10-8.
More details soon …
Equestrian dressage team final: the final round has started in this. Going into it Germany lead, Denmark are second and Great Britain third.
Martin Belam here with you again, thank you Barry for guiding us through the last couple of hours.
Handover: Martin Belam is back to take you through the next few hours of action. Enjoy.
Tennis: Australian pair Matthew Ebden and John Peers have levelled the tennis men’s doubles final at one set apiece after a rousing comeback against Americans Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.
The yellow shirts overcame an early break, levelling the second set with a brilliant exchange of volleys at break point on Ram’s serve when the score was 3-4.
They continued their momentum and romped through the tie-break 7-1 as the stands, now almost full, roared their appreciation.
The gold medal will now be decided by a 10-point tie-break.
Italy take gold; bronze for Emma Wilson
Windsurfing: Italy’s Marta Maggetti sails out an easy winner of the women’s iQFOIL class final and Israel’s Sharon Kantor takes silver. Team GB’s Emma Wilson has to settle for bronze and is beaten by both her fellow finallists and the exciting new format of the competition. In any other Olympics she’d have been the runaway gold medal winner on points.
Windsurfing: The women’s final is well under way and Marta Maggetti is currently in control after Sharon Kantor forced Emma Wilson out left on the upwind leg of the race, forcing the Briton to sail extra distance.
Windsurfing: Team GB’s Emma Wilson is about to contest her final in the iQFOIL class final in Marseille and is guaranteed a medal. She’s up against Sharon Kantor from Israel and Marta Maggetti from Italy.
Cycling: Emma Finucane, who is the reigning world and European women’s individual sprint champion, is tipped to become one of the stars of the velodrome at these Games. Jeremy Whittle sat down with the 21-year-old from Carmarthen to discuss her hopes and velodrome dreams.
Women’s handball: Nick Russell emailed me earlier to remind me that everything is very much up for grabs in Group A. The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium are going through, but could all end up anywhere between first and third in the gorup. Germany, South Korea and Slovenia are all on two points, and any three of them could progress.
Swimming: The morning session has conluded at the pool, where the British quartet of Kathleen Dawson, Angharad Evans, Keanna MacInnes and Freya Anderson have failed to qualify for the women’s 4x100 medley relay final.
Wind surfing: Despite a vailiant attempt, Great Britain’s Sam Sills has failed to advance from the men’s iQFOIL class final series semi-final and will not be troubling the podium.
A more realistic gold medal contender, Team GB’s Emma Wilson is about to compete in the women’s final and is already guaranteed a medal.
Updated
Athletics: “[It was a] lazy start because the false start threw me off a bit but I’m ok, I’m through the round,” says Zharnel Hughes after qualifying from the final heat of the men’s 100m, in an interview with the BBC.
“Unfortunately I had an injury just last month. London [Diamond League] was my first race of the season for the 100m so I’m using the rounds to get sharper and sharper. I’m fine, I’m not worried about anything.”
Cycling: There’s around 190 kilometres to go in the men’s road race and in almost certainly doomed breakaway news, an escape party comprising Christopher Rougier-Lagane (Mauritius), Thanakhan Chaiyasombat (Thailand), Charles Kagimu (Uganda), Eric Manizabayo (Rwanda) have a lead of over 12 minutes on the peloton. It would be a massive shock if anyone in the lead group won a medal but this is cycling, where strange things often happen.
“As winning the cycling road race normally requires a cohesive team behind you, is only a medal of each colour awarded to the placing rider, or does the entire team get one?” asks David Alderton. It’s often a team effort but only the first three riders home get medals, David.
Updated
Tennis: Americans Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek have taken the first set 7-6 (8-6) in the men’s doubles final at Roland Garros against Australian pair Matthew Ebden and John Peers.
The Americans were stronger for much of the set and didn’t lose a point on either of their last two service games of the frame.
And they controlled the tiebreak, finally converting a set point on their third opportunity, as the “U-S-A” chant rung out around Roland Garros.
Athletics: Team USA’s Fred Kerley wins that heat in a time of 9.97sec and is followed home by Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes.
Athletics: Following the red card shown to Team GB’s Jeremiah Azu for a false start, we’ve had another disqualification in the heats of the men’s 100m. Canada’s Aaron Brown jumps the gun and is told to leave the track. Like Azu, he claims he heard something but because his false start was so blatant, he is not allowed to run under protest.
Swimming: A gold medallist in the 800m freestyle during the week, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffin has won his heat in the 1,500m freeestyle and qualifies for tomorrow’s final. Great Britain’s Dan Jervis finished last in his heat and failed to qualify.
Athletics: The defending Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs is finding some form after returning from the injuries that ruled him out of a tilt at gold in the world final last year.The Italian finishes second in his heat in a time of 10.05sec and advances to tomorrow’s semi-final with a minimum of fuss.
Tennis: Out on court at Roland Garros are the Australian duo, Matt Ebden and John Peers, and their American opponents, the No 4 seeds Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram, for the final of the men’s doubles.
The Aussies are the first pair since the “Woodies” at Sydney 2000 to reach a gold medal match and are aiming to break a 28-year gold medal drought in tennis. The quartet are warming up, with play about to get under way.
Cycling: “I’ve loved watching Adam Peaty, Tom Daley and Simone Biles at these Games – next week it’s time for British track stars to shine,” writes Laura Kenny, who knows a thing or two about cycling anti-clockwise around a velodrome at great speed.
Athletics: In better news for Team GB, Louie Hinchliffe, who is coac hed by Carl Lewis, has won his heat of the men’s 100m in a time of 9.98sec. Noah Lyles (USA) and Shaun Maswangani (RSA) take the other two qualification spots.
Updated
Athletics: In the BBC studio, Michael Johnson has his say on Azu’s disqualification. “You’re at the Olympic games and you know you can’t jump the gun,” he says. “That was a blatant false start. The issue is whether or not he did hear something. If he did hear something then that is a legitimate excuse. No one else heard it, though and that’s his problem.
“He’s the only one that heard it and that’s going to be a problem for him in the protest. Typically you are able to run under protest but they might have a different system in place here at these Olympics.”
Jeremiah Azu: “Honestly I reacted to a sound,” says the disappointed British sprinter. in a trackside interview with the BBC “It’s a shame. The crowd are so excited, they’ve got the pole vault going on, the French fans are in here and it’s a shame they didn’t let me run under protest. I’m not sure what rules are being used but they’re saying I’ve got to go back and put in an appeal and go through the process and see what happens.”
I suspect Azu will be wasting his time with an appeal and if he’d run under protest and smashed the world record, his time still wouldn’t have counted. Replays show he clearly jumped the gun.
Athletics: The 100m heat concludes without Azu in the now vacant lane four and is won easily by Kishane Thompson of Jamaica in a time of 10.00sec. He’s followed home by Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati and Cuba’s Rynaldo Espinosa, who also qualify.
Athletics: With his fellow competitors becoming increasingly agitated and impatient, Azu protests at length with the race officials but his pleas fall on understandably deaf ears. He clearly jumped the gun and is eventually persuaded to leave the track. It’s desperately disappointing for the Briton but them’s the breaks.
Athletics: Oh dear. It looks like Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu has just been disqualified for a false start in his heat of the 100 metres. He protests but is – pun intended – bang to rights. He leapt out of his starting blocks long before the B of the starting’s gun’s “B-A-N-G”.
Updated
Hello everybody. The rowing regatta has concluded and athletics expert Michael Johnson is in the BBC studio rhapsodising about runsprinting ahead of a 100m heat. It feels like a significant milestone has been reached in these Olympics.
Right, I am going to take a break for a couple of hours, and pass you along to Barry Glendenning. I will see you later on …
Women’s hockey: Argentina beat Great Britain 3-0 in Pool B. That leaves Great Britain in fourth place in the standings, and facing probably the hardest possible quarter-final tie, against the Netherlands who so far have a 100% record in these Games.
Cycling men’s road race: a group of five riders have got off the front of the peloton, with 30km gone and they have a gap of six-and-a-half minutes. The leading group consists of riders from Morocco, Mauritius, Thailand, Uganda and Rwanda.
Equestrian dressage team final: Great Britain lead Denmark, and Germany are in third place after the first round of the dressage Grand Prix Special.
Phew! There is a lot going on – cycling, athletics, handball, dressage, badminton. But that is the last of the rowing for these Games. We will have some updates from elsewhere in a second. Here are the Team GB women’s eight with their bronze medals.
Gold for Germany in men's single sculls! 🥇🥇🥇
Men’s single sculls rowing: Oliver Zeidler (GER) takes gold, I wouldn’t say with ease, but he was undern no pressure at all in the last 300m. Simon Van Dorp (NED) picks up another medal for his country, who have had a brilliant few days on the water here. Belarus-born Yauheni Zalaty finishes third as a neutral athlete.
Men’s single sculls rowing: 300m to go and Oliver Zeidler (GER) has clear water, Simon Van Dorp (NED) is in second. Zeidler has pulled right away here.
Men’s single sculls rowing: we have hit the halfway point, it is Oliver Zeidler (GER) from Simon Van Dorp (NED) from defending champion Stefanos Ntouskos (GRE) in third.
Men’s single sculls rowing: this delayed final is now the last race of the day, and it is off. Oliver Zeidler (GER) has his nose in front early doors.
Here are the victorious men’s eights from Team GB at the end of the race.
By the way I am reliably informed in the comments and my emails that my cycling buildup was a lazy stereotype [don’t see 10.00 BST, it is bobbins] and not at all how the race is going to unfold. My bad. I only do the Olympic cycling once every four years and from my memory I was expecting a regular hilly TdF or Vuelta stage, but apparently not … so that’s exciting. It is one of seven things I’m watching at once so fun should be had by all.
There is one more rowing final to be had, the men’s single sculls has been delayed, but it has been a great morning for Team GB, for Romania and for the Netherlands on the water already.
A victory for Team GB in the men’s eights just a few moments after the women won bronze in their equivalent event. They clocked a time of 5.22. The Dutch had the lead at the halfway mark but the British team never let them get away.
Gold for Team GB in the men's eight rowing! 🥇🥇🥇
It is another rowing gold for Team GB! The men’s eights held off the Netherlands in second place. USA third.
Great Britain are still ahead with 250m to go, the Dutch and USA are close, but I don’t think they have enough here in the men’s eight.
Men’s eights rowing: there are 750m to go here, and Great Britain are in the lead from the Dutch, but this is tight!
The BBC have had a rather breathless interview with five of Team GB’s women’s eight, who seem overjoyed with their bronze medal, meanwhile the men’s final has crept up on me!
Women’s hockey: Argentina have taken a 2-0 lead against Great Britain in the third quarter. Valentina Raposo Ruiz de los Llanos and Agustina Albertarrio with two goals in rapid succession.
Athletics: the morning session has started in Stade de France. The men’s decathlon has reached the discus, and there are qualification rounds taking place in the men’s 100m, and in the pole vault.
Here are the triumphant Romanian eight from that women’s rowing final.
Cycling men’s road race: this is about to get started underneath the Eiffel Tower. It is easily one of my favourite events at the Games.
If you are not familiar with it, you can expect a small bunch to breakaway near the beginning, then they race for hours and hours, then the peloton catches the bunch near the end and there is a mass sprint finish.
Well, that happens 99 out of 100 times.
But sometimes, just sometimes, the break stays ahead, and gets the spoils all to themselves. I can’t wait …
Romania win gold in women's eights rowing! Silver for Canada! Bronze for Team GB! 🥇🥇🥇
Women’s eights rowing: dominant racing from Romania saw them lead home this race, while a tight battle behind them ended with silver for Canada and bronze for Team GB. The USA were fourth.
Women’s eights rowing: Canada, GB and USA are very tight now from second to fourth.
Women’s eights rowing: 250m to go and Romania have stretched their lead a little. Canada are second, Team GB third, USA fourth. Those four are in medal contention.
Women’s eights rowing: Romania have the edge halfway through the race, but you think Canada must have some reserves here to call on, it is about half a lengh maybe? Great Britain are nestled in third. The USA are close to Team GB in fourth.
Women’s eights rowing: Canada from Romania from Great Britain after the first 500m but it is tight.
Women’s eights rowing: they are off! Six-ish minutes racing to decide the gold!
Women’s hockey: the Netherlands have a 100% record in Group A. They are 2-0 up against Japan after nine minutes in their final group match. I am not a betting man, but I already suspect they are going to end the group with a 100% record too.
Women’s eights rowing: because of the delays to the men’s single sculls athletes, we are getting this final first. I would say this has disturbed my meticulous preparation for this event but *coughs* I’m sure we’ll cope. Italy, Canada, Romania, Great Britain, USA and Australia are the six. Canada are defending the title.
Updated
In team sports, the Netherlands beat Hungary 30-26 in the women’s handball this morning. Both sides progress regardless.
Similarly, in the women’s hockey, both Great Britain and Argentina are assured of a quarter-final spot. They are tied at 0-0 at the end of the second quarter.
Here is your new Olympic champion in the women’s single sculls rowing … Karolien Florijn of the Netherlands.
And a lovely pic of silver medallist Emma Twigg and the winner embracing after the race.
Gold for Netherlands in women’s single sculls rowing, New Zealand take silver! 🥇🥇🥇
Women’s single sculls rowing: reigning women’s world champion Karolien Florijn (NED) held off defending Olympic champion Emma Twigg (NZL) to take the Netherland’s fourth gold of the regatta.
Viktorija Senkute (LTU) took the bronze from Tara Rigney (AUS) right on the line to give Lithuania their first ever Olympic rowing medal, and only her country’s 27th medal of all time.
Women’s single sculls rowing: 500m to go, Karolien Florijn (NED) leads, Emma Twigg (NZL) has been cutting into it, but Florijn appears to be holding it to half a length.
Women’s single sculls rowing: Emma Twigg (NZL) has taken half a length back here on Karolien Florijn (NED). Is this race back on?
Women’s single sculls rowing: Karolien Florijn (NED) leads by a length from Emma Twigg (NZL) who has just under a length on Tara Rigney (AUS), with 1000m to go.
Women’s single sculls rowing: the Dutch have been enjoying this venue at the Games, with three golds and two silvers, and Karolien Florijn (NED) is setting the early pace here.
Women’s single sculls rowing: the final is about to start in this. Emma Twigg (NZL) is defending her Tokyo title. Karolien Florijn (NED) is current world champion. Tara Rigney (AUS), Desislava Angelova (BUL), Viktorija Senkute (LTU) and Kara Kohler (USA) are the rest of the field.
Women’s badminton singles: South Korea’s An Se-Young has taken the first quarter-final in that competition.
I am hearing that the men’s single sculls final in the rowing has been delayed as there has been in a delay in the bus getting the athletes to the venue.
Women’s hockey: Great Britain are about to face Argentina in Group B. The British side haven’t exactly set the tournament alight – they have two wins and two defeats in their group matches so far, but both sides here are already assured of progress.
Gold for South Korea in the women's 25m pistol shooting! 🥇🥇🥇
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: after a dramatic shootout round, Jiin Yang of South Korea has taken the gold medal, with Camille Jedrzejewski of France pushing her all the way for the hosts in second place. Veronika Major of Hungary took bronze.
There were tears from Jedrzejewski at the end, of joy and relief, as she enjoyed huge home support. It is France’s first medal in the shooting range at these Games.
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: they can’t be separated – Camille Jedrzejewski and Jinn Yang go to a shootout series of five.
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: former world record-holder Veronika Major of Hungary takes bronze. Camille Jedrzejewski and Jiin Yang are tied at the top. There is now a series of five to decide the gold!!!
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: Manu Bhaker of India has two bronze medals from Paris, but won’t add a third medal. South Korea, France and Hungary will take the medals – but who will get gold?
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: Veronika Major of Hungary is the first to miss, but then so does Bhaker … twice!
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: ooooooof a shoot-off for fourth place. The loser misses out on a medal – India v Hungary.
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: Nan Zhao of China is eliminated fifth. Camille Jedrzejewski is in contention for a medal for the hosts here. Veronika Major (HUN) is at risk of elimination in fourth.
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: Manu Bhaker of India has a lot of support in the hall, and just shot a perfect series of five which has bunched things up at the top of the leaderboard.
They are playing Depeche Mode’s Just Can’t Get Enough at the venue, so now I am having to live blog while doing my 80’s dad dancing. What a mental image for you so early in the day.
Haniyeh Rostamiyan of Iran was eliminated in sixth, Thu Vinh Trinh of Vietnam seventh.
Women’s 25m pistol shooting: the final is under way at the shooting range. We are just about to have the first elimination, liable to be Katelyn Morgan Abeln of the US. Jiin Yang of South Korea has opened up a lead of three shots after 17.
Women’s handball: the Netherlands and Hungary look pretty evenly matches in the early exchanges – with the Dutch enjoying a slender 14-12. Both teams are already assured of progress from Group B. Indeed the final match in the group, at 2pm Paris time, between Brazil and Angola, is a straight knock-out to secure the final quarter-final berth from Group B.
Team GB being slightly bullish about medal prospects today …
A super Saturday pending? 👀
— Team GB (@TeamGB) August 3, 2024
There are finals everywhere you look on day eight 🤩
Find out more here 👇
Men’s golf: they have begun teeing off at Le Golf National on the third day. I’m sure there is some kind of more exciting team format they could use for the golf at the Olympics rather than this, but there you go. The lead at the moment is a three-way tie on 11 under featuring Xander Schauffele (USA), Hideki Matsuyama (Jap) and Tommy Fleetwood (GBr). Those three tee off at 12.39pm local time, as there are still 60 men to trundle round the course.
Good morning, it is Martin Belam here in London, just a hop, skip and a jump from Paris. If you are joining us, here is what we have coming up on the medal front today …
Medal Events
🥇 Shooting – women’s 25m pistol (from 09.30)
🥇 Rowing – men’s & women’s single sculls / men’s & women’s eights (from 09.30)
🥇 Equestrian – dressage team grand prix special (from 10.00)
🥇 Cycling – men’s road race (from 11.00)
🥇 Tennis – men’s doubles / women’s singles (from 12.00)
🥇 Sailing – women’s & men’s windsurfing (from 12.13)
🥇 Table Tennis – women’s singles (from 14.30)
🥇 Archery – women’s individual (from 14.46)
🥇 Gymnastics – men’s floor & pommel horse / women’s vault (from 15.30)
🥇 Shooting – men’s skeet (from 15.30)
🥇 Judo – mixed team (from 16.00)
🥇 Badminton – women’s doubles (from 16.10)
🥇 Athletics – men’s shot put & decathlon / women’s triple jump & 100m / 4 x 400m mixed relay (from 16.10)
🥇 Fencing – women’s sabre team (from 20.00)
🥇 Swimming – men’s 100m butterfly / women’s 200m IM & 800m freestyle / 4 x 100m medley mixed relay (from 20.30)
🥇 Surfing – men’s & women’s (from 22.00)
*(All times listed are Paris local)
That’s all from me this weekend in Melbourne. Time for me to pass you onto Martin Belam in London.
Badminton: The first women’s quarter-final is being played to an extremely high standard with fifth seed Yamaguchi (JPN) taking the opening game against top-ranked An (KOR).
Weather: It is overcast in Paris this morning and temperatures are a few degrees cooler than recent days. It should remain dry but there’s the chance of a shower later this evening.
One of the questions of the week in our household has been “what is in the cardboard box handed to medallists on the podium?”. Well, the answer is a copy of the offical Paris 2024 poster, as unboxed here by Brazilian judoka Beatriz Rodrigues de Souza.
Mistério revelado! A @Bia_Rodrigz mostrou o que vem na caixinha que os medalhistas de @Paris2024 estão recebendo!
— CBJ (@JudoCBJ) August 2, 2024
Negócio bonito, ne?! 🎨 pic.twitter.com/1xaqUC7Bjx
Badminton: As well as judo this Saturday morning we now have badminton, specifically the women’s singles quarter-finals. Seven of the top eight seeds have made it through, including defending champion Chen Yufei (CHN) and the current world champion An Se-young (KOR).
An Se-young is first up in the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, taking on Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi – the 2021 and 2022 world champion.
Judo: There are just two round of 32 contests remaining, with the line-up for the last 16 almost complete. Israel are currently leading Mongolia for the right to face France, and once that has concluded Georgia await the winner of Italy v Hungary.
Judo: Spain have already won their contest against the Refugee Olympic Team. They move on to face world champions Japan.
Judo: The first action of the day is under way with a couple of contests in the mixed team elimination round of 32. France, led by Teddy Riner, are expected to compete for a medal. Japan are the defending world champions.
The sport that I have become an armchair expert in fastest this Olympics is Trampoline Gymnastics. I will be using “horizontal displacement” in all conversations for the next week.
The women’s gold medal in the sport was won yesterday by Team GB’s Bryony Page, who sounds excellent. Before trampolining she studied biology, writing a dissertation on the sounds that dinosaurs might have made. Her plan now is to join the cast of Cirque du Soleil.
As we approach the halfway mark of official competition, Barney Ronay has taken the pulse of the Games from ground level.
One week in, the Games have so far been grand, exhilarating, and unusually light and sustainable in their staging. But the big moments have mainly been Francophone, from delight at the men’s rugby sevens victory – France’s players are still engaged in an unceasing celebration; a selection of them were seen most recently dancing in sunglasses in Ibiza – to an opening ceremony that was basically a slick and persuasive TV advert for Paris, to the wonderful spectacle of the triathlon that felt at times like a mashup of ominous pollution bulletins and a super-shiny chocolate box Netflix series, E coli in Paris.
For these Games to be great they need to do more than speak to the pre-converted or pump up the tyres of its host nation. The legend of the Games is built on moments of competition, the sense that what we have here is a kind of sporting ultimacy. The middle-aged NBC subscriber base may already have that shared folk memory, but not so much the younger audience. A pre-Games survey by the company EduBirdie suggested almost 90% of the UK’s generation Z demographic had never watched a single minute of the Olympics and that one in three wouldn’t notice if the Games were cancelled.
The preliminary round of the women’s 100m was a glimpse into a parallel Olympics.
There are no medals at stake in this parallel Olympics. None of the 36 runners on show make it past the opening session. In fact, the very point of the preliminary round is as a kind of quality filter, safely herding away the least accomplished runners before they can bother the Richardsons and the Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryces of this world. In a way, these are the slowest fastest women on Earth. But they are all Olympians. And all of them have a story to tell.
The final of the men’s singles could add a full stop to any debate about the greatest tennis player in history. It could also confirm the changing of generations and the arrival of the next contender for the mantle.
While Djokovic has won every other big title on offer, including the four grand slam tournaments, every current Masters 1000 event, the ATP Finals and Davis Cup, Olympic gold is the one achievement he has yet to secure. The semi-finals have proven an extremely difficult barrier in his career, with the Serb losing at this stage in three of his four previous Olympic appearances. Coming into the match, Djokovic held a 1-7 record in Olympic semi-finals and bronze medal matches combined across singles and mixed doubles. He won a singles bronze medal at Beijing 2008.
Earlier in the day, Carlos Alcaraz continued his incredible summer form as he demolished Félix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-1 to reach the gold medal match in his first Olympics. Alcaraz, the second seed and still only 21, is the youngest men’s medallist since tennis was brought back into the Olympic Games in 1988.
Just a quick note that there is a gap in moderation coverage meaning we have had to close the comments section for the time being. We’ll hopefully be back up to speed in a couple of hours.
One of the most popular gold medals of Australia’s Olympics was secured by BMX racer Saya Sakakibara. The 24-year-old travelled to Tokyo three years ago expecting a medal but crashed heavily in the semi-finals. That fall came not long after her brother suffered a life-altering crash in a race in Australia.
The setbacks for Saya Sakakibara just didn’t let up. The trauma from her brother’s BMX accident, gnawing at her in the months before Tokyo. The impact of her own crash at those Games, ruining dreams and leaving her in hospital. Another stack, a year later, that triggered lingering concussion symptoms.
It was all getting too much, and she was close to giving up. Close, but she persevered. Built the foundation again. Started tearing in. Gaining confidence. Putting the fears aside. And then – three days out from competition in Paris – a test for Covid came back positive.
“My heart kind of sank. I was like, ‘oh no’, like, I can’t believe that. This is my Olympics,” she said.
In the end, she was right. Paris has become the 24-year-old’s Games, after she claimed gold in the women’s BMX racing event at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines stadium on a raucous Friday evening.
The opening day of action on the track has athletics fans salivating at the prospect of these Games witnessing a host of broken records. One world record has already fallen – the mixed 4 x 400m relay – while Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei won the men’s 10,000m title in an Olympic record. There were also a stack of sub-11 second runs in round one of the women’s 100m.
Watching on was Jon Ridgeon, the World Athletics chief executive, who predicted that more records would tumble in the next eight days. “The track is fast, really fast,” he said. “And the athletes are also coming here in sublime form. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw four or five world records.”
France’s male footballers are following suit and yesterday Thierry Henry’s side reached the semi-finals at Argentina’s expense in a bitter grudge match that spilled into violence at full-time.
The song sung by several of Argentina’s Copa América-winning side last month, singling out France’s players of African heritage, sparked an international incident and justifiable hurt throughout a country whose diversity is a superpower. Its footballers knew the importance of defending their homeland, its predominant values and, not least, themselves.
Afterwards Millot, who will be suspended for the semi-final against Egypt, said the game’s grim context had “given us a pep”. France certainly began like a train and so did their support, who whistled through Argentina’s national anthem and booed when the visitors’ names were recited.
The ability of France’s pre-tournament stars to rise to the big occasion has been staggering. Marchand, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Cassandre Beaugrand, Antoine Dupont, and now Teddy Riner have all secured gold medals to ensure the opening week of the Paris Games has been accompanied by the sound of the greatest national anthem in the world.
He is France’s most popular sports star, a smiling powerhouse known as the nation’s teddy bear, who for years aced judo contests to crowds’ shouts of “Teddy Bam Bam!” in honour of his ability to swiftly throw and pin his opponents to the ground.
All hopes were fulfilled when Teddy Riner displayed his ice-cold tactical calm and spectacular physical might in his home city of Paris on Friday – making history by taking his third Olympic individual gold medal in the +100kg category.
The 35-year-old is now considered the most successful judo star of all time – with four Olympic golds – three individual and one team – and two Olympic bronze medals.
Also in the pool Kaylee McKeown made Australian history.
Four individual gold medals in three years across two Olympics makes her the most individually successful Australian Olympian of all-time. Dolphins teammate Emma McKeon has six golds, four from relays. Ian Thorpe and Mollie O’Callaghan both have five golds, but again relays have played their part. Friday’s triumph gave McKeown her fifth gold medal – now she has four individual victories and a medley relay win in Tokyo.
Before Friday, only eight Australian Olympians had three individual gold medals to their name – an illustrious list that included Thorpe, Ariarne Titmus, Paris flag-bearer Jess Fox and past greats Dawn Fraser and Betty Cuthbert. McKeown has now overtaken that list to sit alone on four individual gold medals. Those seven other names were already rarefied company. From Friday, McKeown is in a league of her own.
Those brilliant sporting accomplishments begin in the pool where, last night, Léon Marchand’s fourth gold medal cemented his status as a French Olympic legend. His performances have illuminated the opening week of competition and energised home fans to such an extent that La Défense Arena will be remembered as one of the greatest swimming arenas in the sport’s history.
It was Marchand’s 11th race in six days, his fourth gold, and his fourth record. Great Britain’s Duncan Scott was closest to him, but truth be told that wasn’t very close at all. Scott won the silver in 1min 55.31sec. It was his eighth Olympic medal. Only Jason Kenny has won more for Great Britain.
Scott was pretty phlegmatic, too. It was his second-fastest time. But Marchand was just that much faster. “I’d like to think I went head to head with Leon for a little bit of the race,” he said, “but the guy is the best 200m breaststroker in the world, the best 200 fly swimmer in the world, the best 200 medley swimmer in the world, and the best 400 medley swimmer in the world. It’s a real honour to be able to race him in this environment as well. The crowd were nuts. It was sensational to be a part of.”
Updated
We’ll come onto the brilliant sporting accomplishments of day seven shortly, but the leading news item of the day was the row regarding participation in women’s boxing.
Here’s the latest news story on the subject.
Here’s Barney Ronay’s analysis from North Paris Arena.
And here’s a podcast featuring Ross Tucker, the sports scientist I turn to when issues like this arise to help synthesise the complex science involved.
Podcast SPECIAL. If you’ve just watched the women’s boxing disgrace at #Paris2024, and are wondering “how did we get here?”, this podcast is for you. We explore and explain the IOC’s disregard for safety and fairness for women in sport. Appalling misogyny https://t.co/FG9fX9p7ik
— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) August 1, 2024
The best images of day seven include our first glimpses of the Paris running track. What do you make of the lilac hue?
Judo will provide the first action of the day with the mixed team event kicking off at 08:00. Next up is badminton with the women’s singles quarter-finals taking place from 08:30.
At 09:00 there’s an avalanche of activity with beach volleyball, golf, handball, shooting and volleyball.
Athletics events begin at 10:00. The morning program includes the first round of the men’s 100m, and probably a single jump from Armand Duplantis in pole vault qualification.
Staying with the medal table, Nielsen’s Gracenote has updated its prediction for who will come out on top by the end of the Games.
Before the Olympics the USA were expected to claim the most medals but face a stiff test from China for the most golds. Behind those titans, Great Britain, France, and Australia rounded out the top five.
🔧 - A simple adjustment to our original #Paris2024 #VirtualMedalTable for how the top countries have performed in the first 7 days produces the attached forecast for the end of the #Olympics.
— Gracenote Olympic (@GracenoteGold) August 2, 2024
The original is here: https://t.co/qvYMw51Gr7#Olympics pic.twitter.com/HdqvIYHAKB
🧮 - How are the top #Olympics nations tracking against our #VirtualMedalTable forecast after 7 days (113 events)?
— Gracenote Olympic (@GracenoteGold) August 2, 2024
🇫🇷France, 🇺🇸USA, 🇰🇷Korea, 🇨🇦Canada up on medals
🇦🇺Australia, 🇯🇵Japan, 🇮🇹Italy, 🇳🇱Netherlands below medal expectations
🇫🇷France behind gold forecast,🇯🇵Japan ahead pic.twitter.com/sphIxKw12L
China still top the medal table thanks to their dominance in shooting and diving, but France and Australia have again climbed above the USA after impressing on day seven. It is turning into a Games to remember for the Dolphins who lead the US swim team 7-4 in gold medals.
53 NOCs have now won medals at these Olympics, with 34 nations hearing their national anthem. That includes Uganda after Joshua Cheptegei became his country’s first multiple gold medallist when he added 10,000m gold yesterday to his 5,000m success in Tokyo.
Preamble - Day Eight Schedule
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the eighth official day of competition of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Day six was another stunning day for the hosts with French superstars Teddy Riner and Leon Marchand continuing the incredible atmosphere around these Games. Australia enjoyed another gold rush with Kaylee McKeown becoming the first Australian to win four individual golds. And there were exciting signs from the opening day of athletics action with the Stade de France track praised for its speed. But despite all this extraordinary action it was a day overshadowed by “the most wildly politicised, toxic and largely misunderstood event of these Olympics.”
So what can we look forward to today?
Medal Events
🥇 Shooting – women’s 25m pistol (from 09:30)
🥇 Rowing – men’s & women’s single sculls / men’s & women’s eights (from 09:30)
🥇 Equestrian – dressage team grand prix special (from 10:00)
🥇 Cycling – men’s road race (from 11:00)
🥇 Tennis – men’s doubles / women’s singles (from 12:00)
🥇 Sailing – women’s & men’s windsurfing (from 12:13)
🥇 Table Tennis – women’s singles (from 14:30)
🥇 Archery – women’s individual (from 14:46)
🥇 Gymnastics – men’s floor & pommel horse / women’s vault (from 15:30)
🥇 Shooting – men’s skeet (from 15:30)
🥇 Judo – mixed team (from 16:00)
🥇 Badminton – women’s doubles (from 16:10)
🥇 Athletics – men’s shot put & decathlon / women’s triple jump & 100m / 4 x 400m mixed relay (from 16:10)
🥇 Fencing – women’s sabre team (from 20:00)
🥇 Swimming – men’s 100m butterfly / women’s 200m IM & 800m freestyle / 4 x 100m medley mixed relay (from 20:30)
🥇 Surfing – men’s & women’s (from 22:00)
*(All times listed are Paris local)
Simon Burnton’s day-by-day guide:
Gymnastics: men’s pommel final
In his last ever event Max Whitlock is attempting to become the first gymnast ever to win four Olympic medals on the same apparatus. Since he won gold in Tokyo Whitlock has retired, unretired (“I felt like a complete waste of space”), and had a generally positive return, with occasional hiccups and a few minor injuries. “There are still areas I can improve but I’m definitely on the right track,” he said in March of his preparations. Also being decided today: the men’s floor and women’s vault.
Athletics: women’s 100m final
The second night of athletics at the Stade de France and things are hotting up, with five titles to be decided including the women’s 100m, in which the USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson will aim to stop Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. For Fraser-Price this will be a final meet, 16 years after she won gold in Beijing. “I want to finish on my own terms,” she says.
Swimming: women’s 800m freestyle
At a meet in Orlando in February Canada’s 17-year-old tyro Summer McIntosh beat Katie Ledecky in the 800m freestyle, the American’s first defeat over the distance in any kind of final for 13 years. But McIntosh, who trains at the University of Florida alongside Ledecky, has decided to concentrate on other events in Paris leaving Ledecky strong favourite to cement her all-time-great status with a fourth successive Olympic gold over the distance.
Other unmissable moments include… well, practically everything. We’re into the closing sessions for sports that have dominated the opening week, and into the thick of things in the Stade de France, so everywhere you look there’s going to be a reason to stay tuned. If pressed, I would suggest you shouldn’t turn down one final glimpse of the surf of Teahupo’o. The men’s road race (cycling) promises to be brutal. And the crowning of the decathlon gold medallist is akin to crowning the king of the Games.
I’m sure I’ve failed to include something notable to you in this short rundown, so feel free to let me know what’s on your agenda by emailing: jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com or, if you’re still rummaging around in the post-Twitter dumpster fire, find me on X @jphowcroft.
I’ll be around for the first few hours of the blog here in Australia, after which I’m handing over to Martin Belam in the UK.
