PARIS — They have landed into our lives, our family rooms and our phones for more than a week now. Are there any more famous names in American sports at the moment than Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles? 

We all know them. But they’re far from alone. There’s swimmer Torri Huske, fencer Lee Kiefer, cyclist Kristen Faulkner, sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, gymnast Suni Lee, the rugby sevens team and more from where they came from.

Which is the United States, also known as the Land of Title IX. 

More than halfway though the 2024 Paris Olympics, U.S. female athletes are on pace to win more medals than U.S. male athletes, and if they do, it will be the fourth consecutive Summer Games in which that has occurred, going back to 2012: London, Rio, Tokyo and now very likely Paris. 

This is no accident. It’s what happens when a nation passes a law in 1972 that mandates sports participation for all of the children and young adults in the country, not just half of them, the male half. It’s what happens when, over several decades, that law develops into a mindset. And it’s what happens when girls born into that national mindset grow into young women propelled by the full blast of that law, then show up in Paris, so confident, so fearless, so on top of their game.

“It’s now over 50 years since Title IX was passed and it’s amazing how great U.S. women athletes are doing here,” women’s sports legend Billie Jean King said in a text message Monday while in Paris. “Finally hearts and minds are getting closer to matching the law. People are investing in women’s sports as a business, not a charity. The Women’s Sports Foundation, a great protector of Title IX, turned 50 this past May. All of these things are helping to create the results we’re seeing at these Olympics.”

➤ Get Olympics updates in your texts! Join USA TODAY Sports’ WhatsApp Channel

As of early evening Monday in Paris, the United States has won 19 gold medals, 29 silver medals and 27 bronze medals for 75 in all. 

U.S. women have won 11 gold, 16 silver and 14 bronze for a total of 41. U.S. men: seven gold, nine silver and 12 bronze for 28. (Mixed events featuring both men and women account for the rest.)

That means not counting the mixed events, U.S. women have won 59.4 percent of the entire American medal haul so far.

“The Paris 2024 Olympic Games have been nothing short of extraordinary, showcasing the incredible talent, determination and confidence of the women athletes of Team USA,” U.S. Olympic & Paralympic CEO Sarah Hirshland texted Monday.

“Seeing young stars dominate their sports is both inspiring and a testament to the impact of Title IX. Their performances are a reminder of how far we’ve come and the boundless potential that still lies ahead. We couldn’t be prouder of their achievements and the example they set for future generations of athletes.”

It turned out the answer to both was zero. 

“Because there was no Title IX, there were no women’s swimming programs in college,” she said Monday. “I was about to go to college, and I did, but I had to end my competitive swimming career right then and there.

“So consider this: If there was no Title IX now, if it never became law, Katie Ledecky never would have had four Olympics, or Torri Huske even two Olympics. They would have had to quit swimming because there would have been no college programs to go to and continue their training, and no interest in allowing women swimmers to keep training in any way. That’s what happened to me in 1964. Thank goodness it isn’t happening anymore.”

Things couldn’t be more different now. These Olympic stars have played sports their whole lives, a variety of them — basketball and soccer for Ledecky; karate, figure skating, soccer and track for Huske; rowing, swimming and running for Faulkner. They have never been told no, have never had to stop doing what they love, have always believed they could compete and win.

Not only has it benefitted them, it has changed a nation.

Follow Christine Brennan on social media @cbrennansports

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Amid major conference realignment, a bigger playoff field and a whole lot of movement on the coaching carousel, the 2024 football season is going to reflect a lot of change. One thing, however, will be the same as last season: Georgia will enter the campaign with the No. 1 ranking in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll.

The Bulldogs, though not defending a national championship this time, were voted first by 46 of the 55 coaches on this season’s panel. They finished third in the final rankings last season after coming up short in the SEC championship game and missing the four-team College Football Playoff field.

Ohio State will open at No. 2. The Buckeyes, favored to return to the top of the expanded Big Ten, picked up seven of the remaining nine first-place nods to land a spot ahead of new fellow conference member Oregon. Texas, a semifinalist last year now representing the SEC, will open at No. 4, picking up a No. 1 vote. It’s the highest starting spot for the Longhorns since 2010. Alabama rounds out the top five, still a lofty position but still the lowest position in the preseason poll for the Crimson Tide since 2009.

TOP 25 RANKING: See the complete preseason US LBM Coaches Poll

Mississippi earns the No. 6 ranking, its highest preseason start since USA TODAY began administering the coaches poll in 1991. Their previous high was in 1970. Notre Dame, the lone independent in the Top 25, begins at No. 7. Defending national champion Michigan received the last No. 1 vote but lands at No. 8 overall, the lowest preseason ranking for the previous year’s champ since 2011 when Auburn opened at No. 19. Penn State and Florida State round out the top 10.

With the exception of the aforementioned Fighting Irish, the four so-called power conferences comprise the entire top 25. The SEC has the most with nine, all in the top 20. That record-tying haul, a first for any conference in the preseason poll, is in part a function of league expansion as the list includes the fourth-ranked Longhorns and fellow newcomer Oklahoma at No. 16. The poll of Sept. 8, 2015, also had nine SEC teams ranked.

The similarly enlarged Big Ten has six ranked squads, with the four in the top 10 joined by No. 23 Southern California and No. 25 Iowa. The Big 12 is next with five teams, but newcomer Utah is the highest of the group at No. 13. The ACC holds down the other four slots in the Top 25.

Washington, the national runner-up from a season ago, is first among other schools receiving votes but becomes the first team since the beginning of the Bowl Championship Series in 1998 to start the season unranked after appearing in the national championship game. Also of note, No member of a Group of Five league cracked the Top 25 for the first time since 2014. Memphis, a projected favorite in the American Athletic Conference, came the closest with 44 poll points.

BEREA, Ohio — The story of the Browns’ defense through the start of training camp has been as much about who hasn’t been on the field as it has been who’s on the field.

Injuries have caused havoc, both big and small, to the defense that ranked No. 1 in the NFL last year. The emphasis most definitely went on big on Monday when defensive end Za’Darius Smith was carted to the locker room after suffering an injury during an 11-on-11 red-zone drill.

Smith’s injury happened while he was pulling up to avoid contact with defensive end Myles Garrett, who was pursuing quarterback Deshaun Watson on the play. After he went down to the ground behind the play, he appeared to grab his left knee as a trainer approached.

The Browns have not made any official announcement about Smith’s injury or his status.

Smith wasn’t the only defensive lineman to go off with a trainer during Monday’s practice. Defensive tackle Sam Kamara, just moments before Smith got on the cart, walked to the team’s facility with a trainer.

All things Browns: Latest Cleveland Browns news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Kamara had seen his practice reps increase in numbers because of the rash of injuries to the defensive tackle position. Hours earlier, prior to practice, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had talked glowingly of the job Kamara had done in shifting inside after primarily working at defensive end before this year.

‘Sam Kamara has had a really good camp,’ Schwartz said. ‘He’s playing pretty much full-time inside after being a swing guy and mainly concentrating on end last year. But he’s been very impressive so far and really taking advantage of a lot of those plays.’

The Browns’ first two defensive tackles on the field Monday were Quinton Jefferson and Maurice Hurst II. Hurst had been running with the first unit all camp after Dalvin Tomlinson was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list due to arthroscopic knee surgery he underwent on July 26.

Jefferson, who was signed in the offseason after an six-sack season last year with the New York Jets, has been running with the first unit since Shelby Harris sustained what has remained an undisclosed injury early last week while the team was still at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. Harris has not been seen on the field since July 29.

That’s also opened the door behind Jefferson and Hurst, specifically for rookies Mike Hall Jr. and Jowon Briggs.

‘Well, it’s not just D-line,’ Schwartz said. ‘I mean, we have a lot of guys that are benefiting from a lot of reps and some guys that need to take a little better advantage of some of the opportunities. But we’ve been practicing most of the last week, obviously without Dalvin, but also without Shelby, so two of our major contributors last year. It just opens up a lot more for guys like Michael Hall, guys like Jowon Briggs, guys like Sam Kamara.’

He maintained that stance on Monday at the 2024 Paris Olympics amid a Chinese doping scandal that saw numerous swimmers test positive for banned substances but still medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever with 28 medals, told the Associated Press on Monday that athletes who test positive for banned substances should be banned from competition for life.

“If you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again, cut and dry,” Phelps said. “I believe one and done.”

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

The stance comes after 23 swimmers from China tested positive for banned substances ahead of the Tokyo Olympics but were still able to compete and medal at the event. The news of the positive tests came in April 2024 following an investigation by The New York Times, which the World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics have since acknowledged.

The two agencies never disclosed the matter because they both accepted the Chinese explanation that those athletes consumed ‘tainted food.’ Eleven of those swimmers have since competed in the 2024 Paris Games, nine of whom medaled in the Tokyo Olympics.

“If everybody is not going through that same testing, I have a serious problem because it means the level of sport is not fair and it’s not even,” Phelps added. “If you’re taking that risk, then you don’t belong in here.’

Phelps, who retired after the 2016 Rio Games, testified to Congress in June about the matter, noting: ‘If we continue to let this slide any farther, the Olympic Games might not even be there.’

It came down to his final attempt, and the entire crowd at Stade de France clapped in unison one more time.  

Armand “Mondo” Duplantis had already secured another gold medal in the pole vault at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Monday. He had set an Olympic record by clearing 6 meters and posed for the cameras in a manner that quickly went viral on social media.

But he wanted more.

He wanted a moment of every Olympic athlete’s dreams — a chance to set a world record on the grandest stage track and field has to offer. Only for Duplantis, it was the chance to set a world record for the ninth time, to stake yet another claim to being the best pole vaulter of all time.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

Then, he delivered these Games with another signature highlight.

After two failed tries at 6.25 meters, Duplantis — representing Sweden but born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana — cemented his status as a legend in the sport. He took off and contorted his body over the bar, his landing on the mat greeted by a thunderous roar from an enraptured audience in Paris chanting his name.

He beat his previous world record by one inch.    

Duplantis, 24, is among the most accomplished athletes with ties to the United States in these Olympic Games. His father is American. His mother is Swedish. He set national records while attending Lafayette (Louisiana) High School. He set NCAA records and earned a silver medal at the 2019 world championships while attending LSU — where he also was teammates with Sha’Carri Richardson. He won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and won the world championships in 2022 and 2023. 

He’s the first back-to-back champion in the Olympic pole vault since American Bob Richards in 1952 and 1956, a feat that captivated even the competitors he had just beaten.

Sam Kendricks of Oxford, Mississippi won the silver medal Monday, but there he was beside the runway clapping along with all of Stade de France as Duplantis sprinted toward more history.

Duplantis will forever be remembered for more than just winning gold at the Paris Games.

Host nation France and Spain will meet in the men’s soccer final at the Paris Olympics.

France’s Jean-Philippe Mateta scored two goals, including one in extra time, while Michael Olise added another extra-time goal in the 108th minute to beat Egypt 3-1 on Monday night.

Spain advanced after Fermín López (66’) and Juanlu Sanchez (85) started a second-half comeback in a 2-1 win against Morocco.

France and Spain will play for the men’s soccer gold medal Friday, both seeking their second Olympic gold, in an all-Euro final.

Spain will make its second straight appearance in the gold medal game, after losing to Brazil and earning silver at the Tokyo Olympics. Spain previously won gold at Barcelona in 1992.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

France has reached the men’s soccer final for the third time, seeking its second gold after winning at Los Angeles in 1984, and finishing with silver at Paris 1900.

Morocco and Egypt will meet Thursday for the bronze medal in a match between African teams, each vying for their first Olympic medal in the sport.

Men’s soccer games today: Schedule, times, scores

∎France 3, Egypt 1

∎Spain 2, Morocco 1

When is the Paris Olympics men’s soccer gold medal game?

The gold medal game between France and Spain is Friday at 12 p.m. ET.

TV, streaming: USA Network (Fubo), Telemundo, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com

When is the Paris Olympics men’s soccer bronze medal game?

The bronze medal game between Morocco and Egypt is Thursday at 11 a.m. ET.

TV, streaming: Telemundo, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com

France beats Egypt 3-1 in men’s soccer semifinal: Highlights

France responded from the brink of elimination and weight of being Olympic hosts behind two goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta (83’ and 99’), and a goal by Michael Olise (108’) to beat Egypt 3-1 on Monday night.

France will face Spain on Friday in the men’s soccer final with a gold medal on the line.

Michael Olise goal: France 3, Egypt 1

Michael Olise has scored in the 108th minute of extra time, and France has stormed back with a 3-1 lead against Egypt in their men’s soccer quarterfinal.

Jean-Philippe Mateta goal: France 2, Egypt 1

France has taken the lead in extra time! Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored again in the 99th minute, earning a brace and helping France take a 2-1 lead against 10-man Egypt.

Egypt’s Omar Fayed gets second yellow card, exits match

Egypt will have to finish this match without defender Omar Fayed, whose hard foul as extra time got underway resulted in a second yellow card and an ejection. Fayed was shown a red card, and Egypt will finish with just 10 men on the pitch.

Fayed’s first yellow card came during stoppage time, and he quickly walked toward the locker rooms after committing his foul.

France, Egypt tied at 1, going to extra time

France and Egypt will play on after playing to a 1-1 tie in regulation.

Here’s a crucial VAR review that resulted in no foul or handball in stoppage time:

Jean-Philippe Mateta goal: France 1, Egypt 1

France has broken through as Jean-Philippe Mateta scored in the 83rd minute to tie at 1 against Egypt.

It was France’s 18th shot of the match, which could see extra time or/and penalties if the score holds after regulation.

France missing its chances vs. Egypt

France is knocking at the door, but coming up short. Alexandre Lacazette hit the post, while Loïc Badé hit the bar on this sequence in the 75th minute.

Mahmoud Saber goal: Egypt 1, France 0

Mahmoud Saber has scored in the 62nd minute to help Egypt take a 1-0 lead against host France in their Olympic men’s soccer semifinal.

It’s the first goal France has allowed in the entire tournament.

Spain awaits the winner in the gold medal game on Friday, while the loser awaits Morocco in the bronze medal match Thursday.

France, Egypt scoreless at halftime

France and Egypt have opened with several attempts on goal, but both teams are scoreless at the end of the first half of their Paris Olympics men’s soccer semifinal.

Spain vs. Morocco highlights: Late goal helps Spain reach gold medal game

Juanlu Sanchez scored in the 85th minute, the late goal Spain needed to reach the men’s soccer final at the Paris Olympics in a 2-1 win against Morocco.

Spain will make its second straight appearance in the gold medal game, and hopes to win gold after a silver finish at the Tokyo Olympics.

Fermín López scored in the 66th minute to fuel Spain’s comeback after Morocco’s Soufiane Rahimi converted a penalty in the 36th minute to lead early.

An electric run by Morocco, which beat the United States 4-0 and outscored opponents 11-2 before Monday’s semifinal, comes to an end.

Fan storms onto pitch, scores goal before Spain-Morocco ends

Just before the final minutes of stoppage time concluded, a fan ran onto the pitch and scored a goal before he was taken off by stadium security.

Juanlu Sanchez goal: Spain 2, Morocco 1

Juanlu Sanchez has scored in the 85th minute for Spain, a late goal that could ensure Spain’s entry to the gold medal game at the Paris Olympics.

Fermín López goal: Spain 1, Morocco 1

Spain’s Fermín López struck with a left boot in the 66th minute, and we’ve got a tied semifinal between Spain and Morocco.

López did receive a yellow card for his celebration, kicking the corner flag.

Soufiane Rahimi penalty goal: Morocco 1, Spain 0

The new referee made a crucial penalty call after VAR, and it paid off in Morocco’s favor: Soufiane Rahimi scored in the 36th minute to give Morocco a 1-0 lead over Spain.

Penalty by Spain!

Spain’s Pablo Barrios was penalized for this kick on Morocco’s Amir Richardson, leading to a penalty kick after VAR review by the new referee in this match.

Spain vs. Morocco referee injured, substituted out

There’s already a substitution in the Spain-Morocco match, and it’s the head official, who collided with a player from Spain and needed to be subbed off.

Spain vs. Morocco Olympic men’s soccer starting lineups

Here are the lineups for both teams for today’s semifinal:

How did Spain reach Paris Olympics men’s soccer quarterfinal?

Spain beat Japan 3-0 in the quarterfinals, and finished second in Group C after a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan, a 3-1 win over Dominican Republic and a 2-1 loss to Egypt.

How did Morocco reach Paris Olympics men’s soccer quarterfinal?

How did France reach Paris Olympics men’s soccer quarterfinal?

France beat Argentina 1-0 in the quarterfinals, and won Group A with a 3-0 win over the United States, 1-0 win vs. Guinea and 3-0 win against New Zealand.

How did Egypt reach Paris Olympics men’s soccer quarterfinal?

Egypt advanced past Paraguay 1-1 (5-4 in penalties) in the quarterfinals, and won Group C after a scoreless draw against the Dominican Republic, 1-0 win vs. Uzbekistan and a 2-1 win against Spain.

How did USMNT perform at Paris Olympics?

The United States Olympic men’s soccer team was ousted after a 4-0 loss to Morocco in the quarterfinals. It was USA Soccer’s first Olympics appearance since 2008, and the first time they reached the knockout stage since 2000.

When does USA women’s soccer national team play in Paris Olympics?

The USWNT is still alive in the Paris Olympics, and will play Canada in the semifinals on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET.

PARIS — The greatness of Simone Biles can be summed up in one photo.

It’s not of her with her many, many medals. Or of a score that reflects another dominant performance. It doesn’t show her soaring high above the vault. It’s of Biles and Jordan Chiles, bowing down to new Olympic floor champion Rebeca Andrade as the Brazilian steps onto the medals podium at the 2024 Paris Games.

“I love Rebeca. She’s absolutely amazing,” Biles said Monday afternoon. “Jordan was like, ‘Should we bow to her?’ And I was like, ‘Absolutely.’ It was just the right thing to do.”

Yes, but not many athletes — not many people — would be big enough to celebrate someone else’s success in the wake of their own disappointment. Or mature enough to do it so genuinely. Not many would be generous enough to show the grace that so often isn’t extended to her.

Biles is the greatest gymnast of all time, and the surprising results Monday do nothing to change that. But she’s an equally good human, continuing to dole out lessons on how to do life.

Be kind. Celebrate success, both yours and that of others. Take as much care of your mental health as you do your physical health. Never allow others to write your own story.

“I accomplished way more than my wildest dreams, not just at this Olympics, but in the sport. So I can’t be mad at my performances,” said Biles, who leaves the Paris Olympics with four medals, three of them gold.

“A couple of years ago, I didn’t think I’d be back here at an Olympic Games. Competing and walking away with four medals, I’m not mad about it,” Biles continued. “I’m pretty proud of myself.”

Of course Biles was disappointed with the outcome Monday. She is, after all, fiercely competitive, and her performances in the balance beam and floor exercise finals weren’t what she imagined for herself. Or what anybody imagined for her.

The last day of event finals was supposed to be a coronation, an exclamation to what, for the first 10 days of the Olympics were “The Simone Games.” At least one other gold medal from the balance beam or floor exercise finals, maybe even a historic ninth one that would tie her for most by a female Olympian. Two medals for sure, moving her past Allyson Felix for most overall by an American woman who is not a swimmer.

As Biles learned all too well three years ago in Tokyo, however, life isn’t neat and tidy. Things don’t always go how you want, or expect. Sometimes you win all the things, sometimes you don’t.

On Monday, she didn’t. She fell off balance beam, breaking her streak of winning a medal on every all-around, vault, balance beam and floor exercise final she’s competed in at the world championships or Olympics. Then, on floor, an event she’d never lost at a world championships and Olympics, she finished second to Andrade after going out of bounds one too many times.

“She’s a little tired, emotionally and physically,” said Cecile Landi, who is Biles’ co-coach with husband Laurent. “You know, she made mistakes on floor. But you make mistakes and (are) still a silver medalist, it’s pretty cool.”

But as Biles showed in Tokyo, it’s easy to have character when things are going well. The truer measurer is how you respond when they’re not.

When it was announced in the post-meet news conference that the gold and bronze finish on balance beam by Italy’s Alice D’Amato and Manila Esposito gave the country its first medals on the event, Biles enthusiastically applauded and smiled. Not only was she happy for D’Amato and Esposito, but she also recognizes the impact it will have in their country.

“They’re building the bricks for the younger Italians,” Biles said. “Really proud of them. They did their job.”

When Chiles’ score was changed, giving her the bronze medal, Biles looked happier for her teammate than she did herself. As Chiles ran along the sidelines, sobbing, Biles gave chase, wrapping her in a bearhug when she finally caught up to Chiles.

As for celebrating Andrade, that was easy. Andrade’s floor gold is the culmination of the years the Brazilian has pushed Biles and motivated her to get better. Also a rightful recognition for how she’s elevated Brazil, which won its first Olympic team medal in Paris, one year after winning its first team medal at the world championships.

“She’s queen,” Biles said, simply.

Biles is, too often, held to an impossible standard. She’s expected to be both perfect and infallible. Superhuman. We’ve become so accustomed to her greatness that we take it for granted, assuming she will deliver on command. And more often than not, she does, as she did in the team and all-around finals.  

“It’s amazing to recover (from Tokyo) the way she did,” Laurent Landi said. “To do the work, the personal work, to be here and to perform – it’s amazing. It just shows how tough the mind is and if you heal it properly, you can be very, very successful.’

But sometimes, Biles is at her best when she’s not doing “Simone things.” When she’s just being Simone. It’s the grace and generosity she shows in those moments that reflect a true champion. 

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

PARIS — Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles won silver and bronze, respectively, in the floor exercise final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing behind Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade.

Then the pair, as a part of a podium of all Black women, decided to show respect to the new floor champion, who now has two Olympic gold medals and six overall: They bowed down to Andrade on the podium during the medal ceremony in a moving moment of reverence for Andrade and for the sport of gymnastics.

“Rebeca, she’s so amazing, she’s queen,” Biles said.

After Andrade won gold, Brazilian fans in the crowd erupted into cheers, chanting her name just before the medal was draped around her neck. Biles and Chiles said they had a quick confab about how they wanted to honor the gold medal winner, Chiles suggesting the bow, and decided they shouldn’t wait — that the podium was the place they should recognize her.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said.

“Why don’t we just give her her flowers? Not only has she given Simone her flowers, but a lot of us in the United States, our flowers as well,” Chiles said. “So giving it back is what makes it so beautiful. So I felt like it was needed.’

Andrade, who won gold on vault in Tokyo and led Brazil to bronze in the team final in Paris, has suffered three ACL tears in her career, but put Biles under more pressure than she’s ever been under in the all-around final here, ultimately taking silver.

“I don’t want to compete with Rebeca no more. I’m tired!” Biles joked after the all-around final. “It’s way too close. … It definitely put me on my toes, and it brought out the best athlete in myself. So I’m excited and proud to compete with her but uh, uh, uh. I don’t like it!”

Interactive graphic: Want to train like an Olympic champion? Start with this expert advice.

The USA TODAY app brings you every Team USA medal — right when it happens. Download for full Olympics coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and much more.