SAINT-DENIS, France — Before Noah Lyles walked onto the track in the men’s 100-meter final Sunday night, his coach Lance Brauman told him that the next time they saw one another, Lyles would be an Olympic champion.

‘I said ‘Hey, a showman shows up when the show’s on,” Brauman recalled. ‘And that’s what he did.’

Lyles surged to a thrilling and momentous Olympic gold medal Sunday, cementing his place as the fastest man in the world by beating Kishane Thompson of Jamaica in a photo finish that might go down as the closest final in Olympic history. The jumbotron at Stade de France showed both men with a time of 9.79 seconds, while the actual margin between them was almost impossibly slim: Five thousandths of a second.

Brauman, who has coached Lyles for years, watched it all unfold from a spot on the back stretch near the finish line, grappling with the kind of nerves and excitement that only the Olympic final can provide.

At around the 60-meter mark, he said he felt really good about Lyles’ positioning. At 80 meters, he thought ‘holy cow, he’s right there.’ At 90, he started to worry. It was a much closer race than he thought.

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‘I thought he was going to run a (personal best). I have for the past three weeks,’ Brauman said. ‘It was just a matter of, was he going to run a big enough PB to win the race? And he did.’

Brauman said he had to move from his seat to get a better view of the jumbotron. When asked about the time, 9.79, he noted that it was the fastest time to win an Olympic 100-meter final by someone not named Usain Bolt. But he also added that ‘I didn’t give a (expletive) what the time was, to be totally honest with you.’ Brauman just cared that Lyles crossed the line first.

Ditto for the 27-year-old’s form at the end, where he might have had a slight lean. (Contrary to preconceived notions, sprinting coaches teach their pupils to run up straight and power through the line, as leaning can cause deceleration.)

‘I haven’t seen it on film,’ Brauman said when asked if Lyles broke his form at the finish line. ‘If I go back and look at it? Maybe. But I don’t really give a (expletive) right this second.’

Brauman cracked a smile. He’s usually pretty reserved but said he went bonkers when he saw that Lyles had become an Olympic champion − a title that eluded him at the 2021 Tokyo Games and has, in part, motivated him in the three years since.

Brauman said this race, like all of Lyles’ wins in recent years, isn’t about his coaching or the message he offered before the race. But it is special to him. And, at least for now, the meticulous, affable coach with a Southern drawl said the usual analysis of Lyles’ technique and form could wait.

‘In races like that, you just got to do what you have to do to get to the line first,’ Brauman said. ‘He has a knack for it. And he did a hell of a job today.’

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.

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NANTERRE, France — Breaking the world record was not Bobby Finke’s plan for the men’s 1,500-meter freestyle final. Taking it out fast wasn’t part of the 24-year-old American swimmer’s strategy either. 

But he wanted to defend his Olympic title from the 2021 Tokyo Games, and he knew he was Team USA’s last chance to win a men’s individual gold medal at the Paris Olympics. If he didn’t, it would have been the first time the American men left the Olympics without an individual swimming gold since 1900 (with the exception of the 1980 boycotted Games).

“I’m just happy I won really,” Finke said. “I had a lot of pressure going into the race.”

The two-time Olympian quickly took the lead on the first lap of the longest race in the pool and never relinquished it, winning his second 1,500 free Olympic gold and setting a world record in the process.

“I could see the world record line on the board a couple of times,” he said. “It wasn’t like I was trying to see it. I just happened to see it.”

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He won with a time of 14:30.67, besting the world record set by China’s Sun Yang in 2012 (14.31.02) by nearly a half a second. Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri took silver with a time of 14.34.55, and Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen got bronze in 14.39.63.

“I knew he was going [to] change his tactics, and the only problem was, I didn’t see it,” Wiffen said. “I was looking that way, but I got body-blocked by [Paltrinieri]…By the time I noticed, I saw [his] leg kick, I was like, ‘Oh, OK, now it’s going to be a very painful 1,500 for me.’”

Finke noted that he could also see his “pretty decent” lead at the 300-meter mark, so he kept digging. He wasn’t trying to build on his lead with each 100; he said he’s better when he works to maintain the pace he goes out with because it’s “easier and a lot less stressful.”

But he also wasn’t interested in blowing it. 

“I knew I just had to keep going and hopefully try and make the guys hurt a little bit trying to catch up to me,” Finke said. “They started catching up to me, and I was getting a little worried…

“At like that 300 mark, I was maybe like a body length [ahead]. I was like, ‘I can’t let go of this now. I can’t be the guy who got ran down after I do all the running down.’ So that was also a big factor in my mind.”

Turns out, he didn’t take it out too fast, and he had enough left in the tank for a 26.27-second final 50 compared with his 28- and 29-second 50s throughout most of the mile.

Finke also won a silver medal in the men’s 800 freestyle at these Games behind Wiffin, and at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he won gold in both men’s distance events. 

“I was disappointed after the 800. I really wanted to defend that medal too,” Finke added. 

“So I really wanted to get on top of the podium again and hear the anthem all over again, like I did for the first time in Tokyo. So being able to do that — listen to it and hand over my heart — it was a dream.”

Follow Michelle R. Martinelli on X (fomerly Twitter) at @MMartinelli4.

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VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France — The U.S. women’s basketball team is on a collision course with host country France as teams enter the knockout rounds of the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The Americans are the top team out of Group C after wins over Japan, Belgium and Germany. France, meanwhile, crushed Canada, beat Nigeria and lost to Australia. It won Group B based on point differential.  

Pool play for the 2024 Olympics took place at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille, on France’s northern border. Now, qualifying teams move to Paris as the chase for medals continues at Bercy Arena, home for the last week-plus to Simone Biles and gymnastics. 

The U.S. is the heavy favorite to win it all, and will take on Nigeria at 9:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. ET) Wednesday. If the U.S. wins, it will advance to play the winner of Australia-Serbia. The women’s semifinals are scheduled for Aug. 9, and the gold medal game will take place Aug. 11. 

The U.S., led by WNBA two-time MVPs A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, is seeking an unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal. Diana Taurasi is also trying to become the first Olympic basketball player to win six gold medals. The Americans have not lost a game at the Olympics since 1992.

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Here are the women’s quarterfinal games set for Wednesday: 

Serbia vs. Australia, 11 a.m. local time (5 a.m. ET)
Spain vs. Belgium, 2:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET)
Germany vs. France, 6 p.m. local time (noon ET)
United States vs. Nigeria, 9:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. ET)

SAINT-DENIS, France — Noah Lyles is the fastest man in the world.

The U.S. sprinter won the 100 at the Paris Olympics. Lyles crossed the finish line with a gold-medal winning time of 9.79 (.784) in a photo finish to win track and field’s marquee sprint event. It took a photo view to reveal Lyles had beaten Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by five-thousandths of a second. American Fred Kerley posted a time of 9.81 to get bronze.

The runners had to wait for photo review moments after the race and didn’t know who won seconds after the race. Lyles told reporters later that he thought Thompson had won.

‘I did think Thompson had it at the end,’ Lyles said. ‘I went up to him when we were waiting and I said, ‘I think you got that one big dog.’ And then my name popped up and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m amazing.’

‘I wasn’t ready to see (my name). That’s the first time I have ever said that in my head, that I wasn’t ready to see it. … It was hard for me to picture where we were. I guess that was a good thing.’

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The moment belonged to Lyles inside a packed house at Stade de France as soon as the announcement was made. Lyles is the first American sprinter to win an Olympic gold medal in the men’s 100 since Justin Gatlin won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.

‘It’s the one I wanted, it’s the hard battle, it’s the amazing opponents,’ Lyles said after the race. ‘Everybody came prepared for the fight and I wanted to prove that I’m the man among all of them, I’m the wolf among wolves.’

Lyles came into the Olympics confident. He ran a personal-best 9.81 last month. He told USA TODAY Sports that he wanted to win multiple Olympic gold medals. He’s well on his way to achieving his goal.

The 100 victory earned Lyles his first Olympic gold medal. He received a bronze in the 200 at the Tokyo Olympics. He’s also a six-time world champion gold medalist, but Sunday’s Olympic gold medal in the 100 might be the crowning achievement of his career thus far.

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OPINION: Noah Lyles is no longer a meme. He’s a stunning redemption story.

How Noah Lyles’ coach pumped him up for golden run

SAINT-DENIS, France — Before Noah Lyles walked onto the track in the men’s 100-meter final Sunday night, his coach Lance Brauman told him that the next time they saw one another, Lyles would be an Olympic champion.

‘I said ‘Hey, a showman shows up when the show’s on,” Brauman recalled. ‘And that’s what he did.’

Lyles surged to a thrilling and momentous Olympic gold medal Sunday, cementing his place as the fastest man in the world by beating Kishane Thompson of Jamaica in a photo finish that might go down as the closest final in Olympic history.

At around the 60-meter mark, Brauman said he felt really good about Lyles’ positioning. At 80 meters, he thought ‘holy cow, he’s right there.’ At 90, he started to worry. It was a much closer race than he thought.

‘I thought he was going to run a (personal best). I have for the past three weeks,’ Brauman said. ‘It was just a matter of, was he going to run a big enough PB to win the race? And he did.’ – Tom Schad

Noah Lyles was diagnosed with asthma as child

Adding to the already-impressive nature of Noah Lyles’ accomplishment is the fact he was able to achieve it with asthma — a respiratory condition that affects the airways in the lungs, causing a difficulty to breathe. He is one of several Olympic athletes in Paris who has the condition, as noted by the American Lung Association.

Lyles has suffered from the condition since he was a child, which even caused him to be homeschooled, he told CNN in 2020.

“Asthma definitely affects kind of everything I do in terms of health, physical fitness, sometimes even emotional because if you’re emotionally fatigued, that can bring your immune system down,” Lyles told CNN at the time.

ESPN reports that, in 2016, Lyles’ asthma attacks ‘largely subsided’ due to supplements and USATF-approved medication. – Austin Curtwright

What determines victory in Olympic photo finish?

Just after the men’s 100-meter race concluded, NBC’s Mike Tirico gave a brief explanation of how track and field race winners are determined. In his explanation, Tirico said Olympic races determine a victor when any part of the leading runner’s torso crosses the vertical plane of the finish line.

USA Track & Field, the governing body that oversees Team USA’s international track and field competitions, has similar language published in its 2024 USATF Competition Rules.

On page 67 of the document, under Rule 163 (which concerns running competitions), the first point states: “Competitors shall be placed at the finish line in the order in which any part of their bodies (i.e., the ‘torso,’ as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, hands, legs, or feet) reaches the finish line.” – Lorenzo Reyes

When does Noah Lyles run next?

Lyles will start his pursuit of 200-meter gold Monday with round 1 heats. He’s in the sixth heat with Jamaica’s Bryan Levell and Canada’s Andre De Grasse, the defending 200-meter champion from Tokyo. De Grasse did not qualify for the 100 final. The first heat starts at 7:55 p.m. Monday in Paris (1:55 p.m. ET). The top three in each heat advance to the semifinals, which are Wednesday. The final is Thursday.

Keisha Caine Bishop on Noah Lyles’ dreams of turning pro

Noah Lyles’ mother knew her sons’ dream of becoming professional track stars when they were still teenagers.

“In 10th grade they wanted to go professional out of high school and I was like are you crazy,” Keisha Caine Bishop, the mother of Noah and Josephus, told USA TODAY Sports this summer.

In July 2016 when Noah was 19 years old, he and his younger brother, Josephus, 18 at the time, turned professional and signed a contract with Adidas instead of competing collegiately for the University of Florida.

“I had to go back and apologize,” Caine Bishop said. “I realized that’s not fair to kill somebody’s dream, especially if they are willing to do the work, and they were willing to do the work.”

Noah and Josephus have been running professionally since. Josephus isn’t on the Olympic team in Paris but ran the 100 and 200 at Olympic trials. – Tyler Dragon

NBC broadcaster incorrectly calls 100 meters race winner

If you thought Noah Lyles missed out on the gold medal in the 100-meter dash, you weren’t the only one.

NBC broadcaster Leigh Diffey was into the moment like the rest of the audience taking in the 100 meters, but he seemed a bit more decisive with his call than what the eye told. As the sprinters crossed the line, the cameras panned to Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson and Diffey declared Thompson the winner, not Lyles.

‘Jamaica’s gonna do it, Kishane Thompson is a gold medalist, on debut,’ Diffey declared, before going silent.

The competitors were all huddled waiting for photo evidence of the finish. When the photo did come in, it was Lyles who was the winner of the race, by five-thousandths of a second over Thompson. 

Lyles’ victory secures the USA’s first gold medal in the 100 meter in 20 years, and solidifies his standing as the fastest man in the world. – Joseph Rivera

Results of the men’s 100 meters

1 Noah Lyles, USA 9.79

2 . Kishane Thompson, Jamaica 9.79

3.  Fred Kerley, USA 9.81

4.  Akani Simbine, South Africa 9.82

5. Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Italy 9.85

6. Letsile Tebogo, Botswana 9.86

7.  Kenny Bednarek, USA  9.88

8. Oblique Seville, Jamaica 9.91

According to World Athletics, it’s the first time in history that eight men have broken 10 seconds in a wind-legal race.

USA’s Juliette Whittaker makes it through to 800 final

Juliette Whittaker will be the only American woman in the 800-meter final after squeaking through the semifinals Sunday night.

Whittaker, 20, nabbed the third and final 800-meter spot on Team USA at the Olympic trials but is now the only one of them left. Allie Wilson did not make it out of the first round, and Nia Akins fell short in the semifinals.

After making the final and running a personal best of 1 minute, 57.76 seconds, Whittaker said she feels like she’s playing with house money now.

‘I think I’m just so excited now just to see what I can do tomorrow, without any expectation,’ she said. ‘Even if I get last in the final, I will be overjoyed just to make it that far. So yeah, I’m just excited.’ – Tom Schad

3 Americans qualify for men’s 1500-meter final

There will be plenty of red, white and blue in the men’s 1500-meter final.

All three Americans left in the field qualified for the final, with Yared Nuguse and Hobbs Kessler finishing first and second in one of the two semifinals to advance. Both ran under 3 minutes, 32 seconds.

Cole Hocker also cruised into the final after placing third in his semi and spending most of the race shadowing two of the medal favorites: Jacob Ingebrigsten of Norway and Josh Kerr of Great Britain.

‘That was just the very last bit of confidence that I needed, heading into the final,’ said Hocker, who ran collegiately at Oregon. – Tom Schad

USA’s Vashti Cunningham finishes fifth in women’s high jump

SAINT-DENIS, France – Team USA women’s high jumper Vashti Cunningham missed out on a medal for the third consecutive Olympics Sunday. Still, despite a troubling back injury this season, she recorded her highest Olympic finish ever (fifth place). The daughter of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham cleared the bar at 1.86, 1.91 and 1.95 meters, but failed on three attempts to clear 1.98 to fall out of medal contention.

The gold medal went to Ukrainian Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who cleared 2.0 meters in fewer attempts than silver medalist Nicola Olyslagers of Australia. Ukrainian Iryna Gerashchenko and Australia’s Eleanor Patterson tied for the bronze.

Cunningham narrowly qualified for the Paris Olympics, but entered ranked No. 7 in the world. She recorded finishes of 13th at the Rio Games in 2016 and sixth at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

“I felt good about my performance. I was happy when I made the bar and when I missed the bar, I knew what I was doing wrong,” Cunningham said. “I just need to go back to the drawing board and work on a few things.”

Asked if she’s committed to making a run at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, Cunningham said, “Absolutely. I’m only going to be 30 years old, guys.” – Chase Goodbread

Weather forecast for 100 final

There is no rain in the forecast for the men’s 100 final. It’s expected to be slightly cloudy and 71 degrees at the start of the race. The women’s sprinters in Saturday’s 100 final had to deal with rainy conditions. 

All three American sprinters advance to 100 final

Noah Lyles, Fred Kerley and Kenny Bednarek all advanced to the 100 showdown Sunday night. Lyles and Kerley placed second in their respective heats. Bednarek qualified on time.

Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson (9.80) and Oblique Seville (9.81) have the top times entering the final.

Lyles (9.83) has the third fastest time. 

Kishane Thompson looks ready for final

Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson won his third and final heat at 9.80 in what was a quick semifinal. Fred Kerley placed second at 9.84 to get the second automatic qualifying spot.

Noah Lyles second in heat, qualifies for 100 final

SAINT-DENIS, France — Noah Lyles is going to have to make some adjustments ahead of the 100 final.

Lyles placed second his first semifinal heat, running a 9.83. Jamaica’s Oblique Seville won the heat and looked at Lyles as he crossed the finish line in a personal-best time of 9.81.

Lyles lost to Great Britain’s Louie Hinchliffe in the opening round. But all that matters is he qualified for Sunday’s final.

The top two from each heat plus the next two fastest times advance to the final. 

How many events is Noah Lyles going to run at Paris Olympics?

Noah Lyles is slated to run the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay.

Quincy Hall, Michael Norman, Christopher Bailey advance to 400 semis

SAINT-DENIS, France — All three Team USA runners advanced in the men’s 400.

Christopher Bailey took second in the first heat of the men’s 400 to move on to the semifinal. Heat No. 1 also featured Great Britian’s Matthew Hudson-Smith who has the fastest time in the world this year (43.74). Hudson-Smith won the first heat timing at 44.78.

Michael Norman ran a fast 44.10 to win the second heat.

Quincy Hall, the U.S. Olympic track and field trials gold medalist, sped by Australia’s Reece Holder down the home stretch and crossed the line with a first-place time of 44.28 in the fourth heat.

The top three in each heat automatically advanced to Tuesday’s semifinal round. Norman qualified to the semifinal with the fastest time. 

What time does Noah Lyles run the 100 semifinals?

The semifinal in the 100 is at 2:05 p.m. ET. Lyles is in the first heat and will run in lane No. 4.

What time does the 100 final start?

The 100 final begins at 3:50 p.m. ET.

Top contenders in men’s 100

There are multiple podium contenders in the 100.

Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson is the fastest man in the world this year with a world-leading time of 9.77. Thompson eased up in the opening round in Paris and still ran a 10.00 to finish first in his heat. Thompson’s Jamaican teammate, Oblique Seville, has defeated Lyles before and can make the podium.

Lyles’ American teammates, Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley, are threats to reach the podium. Bednarek and Kerley both ran 9.97 to advance to the semis.

The defending Olympic champ, Marcell Jacobs of Italy, can’t be counted out, either.

What is world record in 100?

The world record in the 100 is 9.58 set by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in 2009.

What is Olympic record in the 100?

Usain Bolt ran 9.63 to win a gold medal and set the Olympic record at the 2012 London Games.

Last time American won gold medal in men’s 100 at Olympics

Justin Gatlin was the last American male to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100. Gatlin won gold at the 2004 Athens Games. Team USA’s best medal in the 100 since then has been silver medals won at the 2016 Olympics (Gatlin) and 2020 Games (Fred Kerley).

It was a historic and record-setting day – at the track, in the pool and on the streets of Paris – for Team USA Sunday at the 2024 Olympics.

The American gold rush ended with one of the U.S. biggest stars, Noah Lyles, cementing himself as the world’s fastest man by running to gold in the 100 meters in a photo finish.

The U.S. swim team capped off the last day of competition in the pool with two more gold medals and two world records. Bobby Finke won the 1,500 freestyle for the second consecutive Olympics, and Team USA ended a thrilling week of swimming with gold in the women’s 4×100 medley relay.

But the day began with U.S. cycling history when Kristen Faulkner stunned the field – and everybody watching – to win the women’s road race, becoming just the second American woman and the first in 40 years to race to gold in the Olympic cycling event.

Catch up on everything that went down Sunday with USA TODAY Sports’ highlights and more from throughout the day.

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

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

US women’s beach volleyball duo advance to Olympic quarterfinals

Americans Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng defeated Italy 2-1 in the final women’s beach volleyball match of the day. The team of Hughes/Cheng won the first set of the Round of 16 match 21-18, before the Italian duo of Valentina Gottardi and Marta Menegatti rallied to win the second set 21-17. Hughes and Cheng prevailed in the decisive third set 15-12.

Hughes and Cheng now move onto the quarterfinals for a Tuesday afternoon match against Switzerland. The other American women’s team of Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth face Canada in their Round of 16 match on Monday.

NCAA champion advances to women’s 800-meter final

Juliette Whittaker will be the only American woman in the 800-meter final after squeaking through the semifinals Sunday night. Whittaker, a sophomore at Stanford, won the NCAA championship at the beginning of the summer.

Whittaker, 20, nabbed the third and final 800-meter spot on Team USA at the Olympic trials but is now the only one of them left. Allie Wilson did not make it out of the first round, and Nia Akins fell short in the semifinals.

After making the final and running a personal best of 1 minute, 57.76 seconds, Whittaker said she feels like she’s playing with house money now.

‘I think I’m just so excited now just to see what I can do tomorrow, without any expectation,’ she said. ‘Even if I get last in the final, I will be overjoyed just to make it that far. So yeah, I’m just excited.’ — Tom Schad

Three Americans qualify for men’s 1,500-meter final

There will be plenty of red, white and blue in the men’s 1500-meter final.

All three Americans left in the field qualified for the final, with Yared Nuguse and Hobbs Kessler finishing first and second in one of the two semifinals to advance. Both ran under 3 minutes, 32 seconds.

Cole Hocker also cruised into the final after placing third in his semi and spending most of the race shadowing two of the medal favorites: Jacob Ingebrigsten of Norway and Josh Kerr of Great Britain.

‘That was just the very last bit of confidence that I needed, heading into the final,’ said Hocker, who ran collegiately at Oregon. — Tom Schad

NBC broadcaster jumps the gun, incorrectly calls 100 for Jamaican sprinter

If you thought Noah Lyles missed out on the gold medal in the 100-meter dash, you weren’t the only one. Just be thankful you don’t have a microphone in front of your mouth.

NBC broadcaster Leigh Diffey was into the moment like the rest of the audience taking in the 100m, but he seemed a bit more decisive with his call than what the eye told. As the sprinters crossed the line, the cameras panned to Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson and Diffey declared Thompson the winner, not Lyles.

‘Jamaica’s gonna do it, Kishane Thompson is a gold medalist, on debut,’ Diffey declared, before going silent.

The competitors were all huddled waiting for photo evidence of the finish. When the photo did come in, it was Lyles who was the winner of the race, by just thousandths of a second over Thompson. 

Lyles’ victory secures the U.S.’s first gold medal in the 100 meter in 20 years, and solidifies his standing as the fastest man in the world.

No harm, no foul. But someone get @OldTakesExposed on the line.

World’s fastest man! Noah Lyles wins gold in 100 meters in photo finish

SAINT-DENIS, France — Noah Lyles is the fastest man in the world.

The U.S. sprinter won the 100 at the Paris Olympics. Lyles crossed the finish line with a gold-medal winning time of 9.79 in a photo finish to win track and field’s marquee sprint event.

Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson ran a 9.79 to finish second and American Fred Kerley came in third, posting a time of 9.81 to get bronze.

The runners had to wait for photo review moments after the race and didn’t know who won seconds after the race.

But the moment belonged to Lyles inside a packed house at Stade de France. Lyles is the first American sprinter to win an Olympic gold medal in the men’s 100 since Justin Gatlin won gold at the 2004 Athens Games. — Tyler Dragon

Team USA’s Vashti Cunningham finishes fifth in women’s high jump

SAINT-DENIS, France – Team USA women’s high jumper Vashti Cunningham missed out on a medal for the third consecutive Olympics Sunday. Still, despite a troubling back injury this season, she recorded her highest Olympic finish ever (fifth place). The daughter of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham cleared the bar at 1.86, 1.91 and 1.95 meters, but failed on three attempts to clear 1.98 to fall out of medal contention. The gold medal went to Ukranian Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who cleared 2.0 meters in fewer attempts than silver medalist Nicola Olyslagers of Australia. Ukranian Iryna Gerashchenko and Australia’s Eleanor Patterson tied for the bronze.

Cunningham narrowly qualified to reach the Games, but entered the Olympics ranked No.7 in the world. She recorded finishes of 13th at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016, and sixth at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

“I felt good about my performance. I was happy when I made the bar and when I missed the bar, I knew what I was doing wrong,” Cunningham said. “I just need to go back to the drawing board and work on a few things.”Asked if she’s committed to a run at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, Cunningham said “Absolutely. I’m only going to be 30 years old, guys.” — Charles Goodbread

Belgian triathlete gets sick after competing in Seine river

The Belgian triathlon team pulled out of Monday’s planned mixed relay event in the Seine river because one of its athletes, Claire Michel, got sick, according to the country’s national Olympic committee.

The Belgian team shared the news in a statement on the same day that Olympic organizers canceled a training session for the swimming leg of the race because the Seine failed to meet water-quality tests. It also comes as a report surfaced in Belgian media claiming Michel is hospitalized with an E. coli infection.

Michel competed in Wednesday’s women’s triathlon. 

USA TODAY could not confirm the report about Michel’s alleged hospitalization or the E. coli infection. It appeared in Belgian newspaper De Standaard. The Belgian Olympic Committee would not comment directly on the claims. World Triathlon, the sport’s international body, said it was not aware of the report. Nor was the International Olympic Committee, according to spokesman Mark Adams, which said it was looking into the report. — Kim Hjelmgaard

US women’s basketball team beats Germany, cruises into quarterfinals

The U.S. women’s basketball team crushed German 87-68 to close out group play with an undefeated mark.

The clash determined the winner of Group C, with both teams entering the game unbeaten. Both Team USA and Germany had already clinched berths in the quarterfinals, but the U.S. will now receive a theoretically easier assignment ahead of knockout play as the group winner.

Las Vegas Aces star Jackie Young, who won gold in Tokyo as a member of the U.S. 3×3 basketball team, led all scorers with 19 points.

Team USA started its quest for an eighth straight gold medal with a 27-point win over Japan on July 29, and followed it up by beating Belgium by 13 on Thursday. They finished off group-stage competition with a 19-point win over Germany.

Team USA squanders team foil fence lead, lose out on bronze

The Team USA men’s foil squad had a big lead in the early legs of the team foil bronze medal match. The operating word is ‘had.’

From the start of the fourth leg on, France controlled the match, resulting in a bronze medal victory.

Midway through the match, Miles Chalmey-Watson had a small injury scare, but would stay in to finish. France would hit the 45-touch threshold for the medal win in the ninth leg.

Noah Lyles second in heat, qualifies for 100 final

SAINT-DENIS, France — Noah Lyles is going to have to make some adjustments ahead of the 100 final.

Lyles placed second his first semifinal heat, running a 9.83. Jamaica’s Oblique Seville won the heat and looked at Lyles as he crossed the finish line in a personal-best time of 9.81.

Lyles lost to Great Britain’s Louie Hinchliffe in the opening round. But all that matters is he qualified for Sunday’s final.

The top two from each heat plus the next two fastest times advance to the final. – Tyler Dragon

Team USA 3×3 men’s basketball eliminated

It was an Olympics to forget for Team USA 3×3 hoops.

Their quest for an Olympic medal ended on Sunday with a 21-6 loss to the Netherlands. Without Jimmer Fredette on the floor, the team of Canyon Barry, Kareem Maddox and Dylan Travis combined for just six points.

Fredette suffered an injury in their matchup vs. Poland. The U.S. finished the competition with a 2-5 record.

Team USA secures gold in women’s medley relay, set world record

NANTERRE, France — Team USA ended swimming at the Paris Olympics on Sunday with a standout relay, winning gold and breaking the world record in the women’s 4×100-meter medley relay at Paris La Défense Arena.

In the final event in the pool of these Games, the team of Regan Smith (backstroke), Lilly King (breaststroke), Gretchen Walsh (butterfly) and Torri Huske (freestyle) swam a spectacular race obliterating the field by nearly four seconds. Their time of 3:49.63 broke the Olympic record set by Australia at the Tokyo Games (3:51.60) and the Americans’ own world record of 3:50.40, set in 2019. – Michelle R. Martinelli

Bobby Finke wins gold, sets world record in 1500-meter freestyle

NANTERRE, France — American distance swimmer Bobby Finke successfully defended his Olympic title in Sunday’s men’s 1,500-meter freestyle, winning his second consecutive gold in the event and setting a new world at the Paris Olympics.

Finke won gold with a time of 14:30.67, besting the world record set by China’s Sun Yang in 2012 (14.31.02) by nearly a half a second. Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri took silver with a time of 14.34.55, and Ireland’s Daniel Wiffin, who won the 800 meters in Paris, got bronze in 14.39.63. – Michelle R. Martinelli

Sarah Sjöström sweeps women’s freestyle swimming sprint events

NANTERRE, France — Swedish superstar Sarah Sjöström swept the women’s sprint freestyle events at the Paris Olympics, winning gold in the 50-meter freestyle final Sunday at Paris La Défense Arena.

Sjöström powered through the fastest event in the pool with an Olympic record time of 23.66 to win gold, after previously winning Olympic gold in the women’s 100-meter freestyle at Paris La Défense Arena. The 30-year-old five-time Olympian is the world record holder in both. – Michelle R. Martinelli

American Kristen Faulkner wins women’s road race gold

Kristen Faulkner used a late charge to pull away from the field and win a shocking gold in the women’s cycling road race Sunday.

Faulkner, 31, is the first U.S. woman to win gold in the race since Connie Carpenter in 1984.

Faulkner was competing in her first Olympics, in a sport she began doing competitively only seven years ago, and she carved her name into American cycling history by winning a gold medal in breakaway fashion.

She covered the 158-km course in 3:59.23, pulling away from a four-racer pack in the final three kilometers.

Marianna Vos of the Netherlands took silver and Lotte Kopecky of Belgium took bronze in a photo finish, 58 seconds behind Faulkner. – Dave Birkett

Scottie Scheffler wins gold medal in Olympic golf

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — The legend of Scottie Scheffler keeps growing, and the latest addition is golden.

World No. 1 Scheffler caught fire on the back nine at Le Golf National, coming from off the pace to swipe the gold medal for Team USA from a group of elite contenders in the final holes of a enthralling Paris Olympics competition.

Opening the final round four shots back of the leaders, Scheffler tied a course record by firing a 9-under-par 62 on Sunday. He birdied his first three holes of the afternoon and then six of nine after the turn, including a pivotal run of four in a row to seize a place atop the leaderboard that he wouldn’t lose.

Scheffler’s tournament total of 19 under beat silver-medalist Tommy Fleetwood of Great Britain by one shot. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (17 under) won the bronze medal. – Gentry Estes

Novak Djokovic defeats Carlos Alcaraz to win tennis singles gold

PARIS — Novak Djokovic finally has an Olympic gold medal around his neck.

After chasing this last prize his entire career – the only major accomplishment in tennis he hadn’t been able to check off – the 37-year old Djokovic was down to his last chance here in Paris.

Summoning every bit of energy he had left in the tank Sunday, against the 21-year old who has taken his place on top of the sport, Djokovic managed to play one of the best matches of his career to beat Carlos Alcaraz 7-6, 7-6 inside Court Philippe Chatrier.

When it was over after 2 hours, 37 minutes and one monster down-the-line forehand on match point, Djokovic dropped his racket and put his hands over his mouth. Then, after an embrace with Alcaraz, he dropped to his knees in exhaustion and emotion and stayed down for nearly a minute. Then he went into the stands, embracing his team and family.

Even for a man with 24 Grand Slam titles and nearly every significant record in the sport, this is the crowning achievement that he has long sought. Because this one wasn’t just for himself, it was for his beloved Serbia.

After gutting defeats in Rio and Tokyo, Djokovic wanted this badly. Even built his year around it. But after injuring his knee during the French Open and having meniscus surgery, it was unclear whether he would even be healthy enough to play the Olympics.

But Djokovic managed to return in time for Wimbledon, getting to the finals before Alcaraz crushed him in three sets.

This one was tightly played throughout, with no breaks of serve on either side. In the end, Djokovic was better in both tiebreakers. – Dan Wolken

Olympic golf: Scottie Scheffler blazes to top of leaderboard

Thanks to three straight birdies, American golfer Scottie Scheffler is 8-under on the day and now has a share of the lead in the Olympic golf tournament. Both he and Tommy Fleetwood sit at 18-under for the tournament.

Spain’s Jon Rahm has dropped a number of strokes on the day, falling off the podium for the time being.

American Austen Smith takes bronze medal in skeet shooting

Austen Smith took bronze in women’s skeet shooting Sunday, when she qualified for the six-person final and hit 45 out of 50 targets.

In her second Olympics experience, Smith, 23, survived stage 1 and the elimination stage of finals to stand on the podium.

The gold medal came down to a shoot-off between Francisca Crovetto Chadid of Chile and Great Britain’s Amber Rutter. That sudden-death format went five rounds with both shooters matching each other until Crovetto Chadid finally bested Rutter.

Chile had never won an Olympic shooting gold medal.  – Chris Bumbaca

Suni Lee wins bronze medal in thrilling uneven bars final

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

Novak Djokovic takes first set from Carlos Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz went back and forth during the first set of their men’s singles gold medal match, but Djokovic earned the 7-6 win.

What else would you expect from the finalists from last month’s Wimbledon?

Djokovic won the first-set tiebreaker, which happened after 13 unsuccessful break points. The second set is underway.

USA women’s volleyball sweeps France

The Team USA women’s volleyball team held off France in three sets, 29-27, 29-27, 25-20, during a preliminary round match.

Andrea Drews led the way for the Americans with 15 points, while Chiaka Ogbogu added 13 and Haleigh Washington and Kathryn Plummer each had 11. Ogbogu and Plummer also combined for six blocks.

The U.S. improved its record to 2-1 at these Olympics and officially qualified for the quarterfinals. 

Women’s uneven bars about to begin

Gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics continues with two more individual event finals: uneven bars and men’s vault. Suni Lee, who won bronze on bars in Tokyo and has so far won team gold and all-around bronze at these Games, is the only American competing today.

The still rings final was the first event of the day, China’s Liu Yang and Zou Jingyuan winning gold and silver, respectively, with Greece’s Eleftherios Petrouinas rounding out the podium.

Simone Biles, who won gold in the vault final Saturday, returns to the competition floor on Monday with the balance beam and floor exercise finals.

Follow along for live results, scores and highlights throughout today’s individual finals. — Nancy Armour

Brady Ellison loses shootoff by 5 millimeters

In the gold medal match of men’s individual archery, American Brady Ellison fell to South Korea’s Kim Woo-Jin in a shootoff – losing by a mere five millimeters.

Ellison will have to settle for silver, the third of his Olympics career to go with two bronze, one of which came earlier in these Olympics in mixed doubles with American Casey Kaufhold.

Woo-Jin made it three gold medals in these Paris Games by narrowly winning a one-arrow shootoff to edge Ellison 6-5 on Sunday in one of the most dramatic gold-medal finishes in these Games.

Each of the two archers shot a perfect score of 30 in the match’s final set to force the one-arrow shootoff. Ellison went second, and his arrow was only slightly outside of his opponent’s arrow, which had landed on the line to score a 10.

Ellison, a 35-year-old from Arizona who’s a world-record holder and considered one of the sport’s all-time best, won three consecutive matches Sunday to reach the gold medal final. — Gentry Estes

Jon Rahm gets to 20 under in Olympic men’s golf final

Spain’s Jon Rahm is threatening to rush for gold in Paris, opening up a four-stroke lead at 20-under par.

Rahm has shot 6 under for the day and his closest competitors at the moment are Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood at 16 under. Team USA’s Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, the gold medal winner in Tokyo, are tied for fourth at 15 under.

USA women’s hoops prepares for Germany

Team USA started its quest for an eighth consecutive gold medal with a 27-point win over Japan on July 29, and followed it up by beating Belgium by 13 on Thursday. Germany has had similar results, besting Belgium by 14 to open the tournament and then claiming an 11-point win over Japan in its second Group C game.

Follow along for updates and highlights. — Jack McKessy

Djokovic vs. Alcaraz in Olympics men’s tennis

The first set is all tied up at 3-3 in the men’s singles gold medal match between Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic earned the first point and jumped out to a 2-1 lead before Alcaraz battled back to even the score.

Brady Ellison will play for gold in Olympics archery

Brady Ellison of the United States has moved on to the gold medal match in men’s individual archery.

Ellison defeated Germany’s Florian Unruh 7-3 in the semifinals to unofficially clinch his fifth career Olympics medal, but he’s still searching for his first gold.

Ellison will take on No. 1 seed Kim Woojin of South Korea at around 8:45 a.m. ET.

Olympics skeet shooting: Austen Smith moves on to final

Austen Smith advanced to the women’s skeet final by finishing first in qualifying with 122 points. Smith turned in three perfect rounds and missed three clay disks out of 125 total – two in the second round and one in the fifth. She and five others advanced to the final, meaning she’ll have to do better than three competitors to make the podium.

Fellow American Dania Vizzi, the silver-medalist at last year’s world championships, did not qualify for the finals.  

Jon Rahm takes lead in Olympics men’s golf final

Spain’s Jon Rahm moved to 3 under for the day and has taken a one-shot lead over the Paris Olympics field in search of a gold medal.

At 17 under par, Rahm leads USA’s Xander Schauffele by one stroke, while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood lurk at two shots back. Matsuyama has been especially good so far Sunday, shooting 4 under through six holes.

Novak Djokovic vs. Carlos Alcaraz for Olympic gold medal

In a rematch of the men’s final at Wimbledon, staged less than a month ago, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic will get a chance at revenge against Spain’s Carlos Alcarez.

Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, is taking aim at winning the ‘Golden Slam,’ which encompasses all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal. Steffi Graff, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams are in the exclusive club.

Freddie Crittenden jogs through preliminary heat for 110m hurdles

Team USA’s Freddie Crittenden jogged through a preliminary men’s 110-meter hurdles round Sunday to finish with a time of 18.27 at the Paris Olympics, nearly five full seconds behind heat winner Louis Francois Mendy of Senegal.

Why? Strategy. And misfortune.

Crittenden came up with a minor physical issue Saturday – so minor, in fact, he wouldn’t even describe it as an injury – but it was enough to give him concern that it might cause an injury. So in order to save his body and give himself the best chance of recovery, he willfully finished last with a plan of taking the next two days to rest, then hopefully rebound to medal contention in Tuesday’s repechage round. — Chase Goodbread

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone opens up with easy victory in 400 hurdles

SAINT-DENIS, France — Sunday was just another day at the park for 400-meter hurdles world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

McLaughlin-Levrone ran a 53.60 like it was an afternoon stroll. She won her fifth and final heat by nearly three seconds. Morocco’s Noura Ennadi placed second at 55.26.

‘It’s good to shake the rust off. I haven’t raced since U.S. trials,’ McLaughlin-Levrone said. ‘I feel good. The track is pretty fast … It feels good to get back out there and compete.’

McLaughlin-Levrone is defending her Olympic title in Paris. Her main competitor is expected to be Netherlands’ Femke Bol who won her third heat, running a 53.38.

The world-record holder and defending Olympic champ was voted a U.S. track and field co-captain before the start of the track and field competition.

‘Honor to have that role. I know Allyson (Felix) had that last time,’ McLaughlin-Levrone said. ‘It’s just great that my peers respect me as a competitor. I’m just hoping to represent Team USA the best I can.’

The semifinals in the women’s 400 hurdles are on Tuesday. — Tyler Dragon

Olympics men’s golf: Scottie Scheffler charging

Sundays always bring out the best golf in the world’s best golfers. That’s no different at the Olympics.

American star and Masters winner Scottie Scheffler is at 3-under par after five holes to get to 13 under for the tournament and within three shots of the lead — which is held by Spain’s Jon Rahm and Team USA teammate and defending Olympics gold medalist Xander Schauffele.

Grant Holloway dominates first round of 110 hurdles

SAINT-DENIS, France — Grant Holloway looks destined for a gold medal in Paris.

Holloway ran smooth over 10 hurdles in the opening round and crossed the finish line at 13.01 to win the fifth heat in the 110-meter hurdles. He won by at least three meters. The next fastest in the race was 13.42 by Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell.

‘I love the consistency that I’m having and how everybody recognizes how consistent I am,’ Holloway said prior to the race.

The semifinals in the men’s 110-meter hurdles are on Wednesday. Holloway has the fastest qualifying time entering the semis.

Holloway was voted a USA track and field team co-captain before the start of the Olympic track and field action.  − Tyler Dragon

Three American women advance to 200 semis

SAINT-DENIS, France — Gabby Thomas, McKenzie Long and Brittany Brown all won their opening round heats in the women’s 200.

Thomas won with relative ease, running a 22.20. Long ran out of lane No. 9 but it didn’t phase her as she crossed the line first at 22.55. In heat five, Brown clocked a 22.38 to win her opening-round race. − Tyler Dragon

Gabby Thomas advances to women’s 200m semifinals

SAINT-DENIS, France — Gabby Thomas had a relatively easy time halfway around the track in the women’s 200.

Thomas easily won her first-round heat in the women’s 200, running a time of 22.20. Thomas was in heat two and ran out of lane No. 5.

Jamaica’s Niesha Burgher ran a 22.54 to finish second and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji took third, running a 22.75.

Thomas is part of USA TODAY Sports’ 10 athletes to watch series.

The 27-year-old sprinter owns the fastest 200 time in the world this year at 21.78. She won the 200 at the USA Olympic track and field trials in June.

‘Team USA is really deep. Getting to represent Team USA at the Olympics is incredibly special,’ Thomas said. ‘I’m so glad that I have the opportunity to represent Team USA.’

The top three in each round advance to the semifinals. All others have a chance to advance in the repechage round. − Tyler Dragon

Shericka Jackson scratches from women’s 200

The Jamaican women sprinters are having a forgettable Olympics.

Shericka Jackson, the two-time world champion in the 200, withdrew from her signature event Sunday. Jackson was the favorite in the women’s 200, but suffered an apparent injury last month. She scratched from the women’s 100 before the start of Olympic track and field competition.

Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce scratched from the 100 semifinals on Saturday.

Elaine Thompson-Herah suffered a season-ending Achilles’ injury earlier this season. − Tyler Dragon

USA athletes qualify for women’s 3000m steeplechase final

Team USA’s Valerie Constien and Courtney Wayment qualified for the final of the women’s 3000m steeplechase Sunday morning at the Stade de France. 

Wayment finished fourth in heat one with a time of 9:10.72.  Constien finished third in heat two with a time of 9:16.33. 

Team USA’s Marisa Howard finished sixth in heat three with a time of 9:24.78 and did advance to the final. 

The steeplechase final will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

Olympics schedule today

Here are some Olympic schedule highlights. Peacock is streaming every sport and event live as it unfolds in Paris. 

(All times Eastern)

Gymnastics has individual events finals for men’s rings (9 a.m.), women’s uneven bars (9:40 a.m.) and men’s vault (10:24 a.m.). NBC is airing.
Swimming has only finals today: men’s 100m fly (2:30 p.m.), women’s 200m IM (5:01 p.m.), women’s 800m free (5:08 p.m.), mixed 4x100m medley relay (3:34 p.m.). NBC is airing.
Track and field prelims and qualifying rounds start at 4:05 a.m. The evening session opens with round 1 for the men’s 100m at 1:05 p.m. The finals include the women’s high jump, men’s hammer throw and men’s 100m (3:50 p.m.) NBC is airing the evening session, USA Network is airing the morning session.
The 3×3 basketball slate has four pool play games starting at 11:30 a.m. and running through 1:05 p.m. Play-in games are later in the afternoon.
Other sports in action:Archery, badminton, beach volleyball, boxing, canoe slalom, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, handball, sailing, shooting, table tennis, volleyball and water polo.

How to watch Olympics today

NBC is airing and streaming the Paris Olympics from all angles: Peacock is streaming every sport and event live as it unfolds; NBC, USA Network, CNBC and E! are carrying various live events and replays throughout the day. Here are six tips and tricks for getting the most out of Peacock during the Olympics.

Medal count today

Our 2024 Paris Olympics medal count tracker updates after every single medal event.

Tallying up gold, silver, bronze for each country in Paris
How many medals has Team USA won?
Which country has won the most golds?
How many gold medals does Team USA have so far?

What Olympic medals can be won today?

(All times Eastern)

Track & field: men’s 100m final (3:50 p.m.), men’s hammer throw (2:30 p.m.), women’s high jump (1:50 p.m.). NBC is airing.
Swimming: women’s 50m free (12:30 p.m.), men’s 1,500m free (12:36 p.m.), men’s 4x100m medley relay (1:12 p.m.), women’s 4x100m medley relay (1:35 p.m.). NBC is airing.
Gymnastics: men’s rings final (9 a.m.), women’s bars final (9:40 a.m.), men’s vault final (10:25 a.m.). NBC is airing.
Tennis: women’s doubles bronze, men’s singles gold, women’s doubles gold (all times TBD)
Boxing: 10 semifinals across weight classes (6:04 a.m. start, runs just past noon)
Table tennis: men’s singles bronze (7:30 a.m., CNBC), men’s singles gold (8:30 a.m., USA Network)
Shooting: skeet women’s final (9:30 a.m.)
Fencing: men’s foil team bronze (1:10 p.m., CNBC), men’s foil team gold (2:30 p.m, CNBC.)
Equestrian: dressage individual grand prix freestyle (4 a.m.)
Cycling road: women’s road race (8 a.m., NBC, CBNC)
Badminton: men’s doubles bronze medal match (9 a.m.), men’s doubles gold (10:10 a.m.)
Archery: men’s individual bronze (8:33 a.m.), men’s individual goal (8:46 a.m., USA Network)

Which U.S. teams are playing at the Olympics today?

(All times Eastern)

The U.S. women’s volleyball team faces France in pool play at 7 a.m. NBC is airing.
The U.S. men’s beach volleyball team of Chase Budinger and Miles Evans plays against Norway at 8 a.m. USA Network is airing.
The U.S. women’s basketball team takes on Germany in group play at 11:15 a.m. USA Network is airing.
The U.S. 3×3 men’s basketball team plays Netherlands in pool play at 1:05 p.m. CNBC is airing.
The U.S. women’s beach volleyball team of Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes plays against Italy at 4 p.m. USA Network is airing.

Olympic swimming schedule today

Today’s finals: women’s 50m fly (12:30 p.m.), men’s 1,500m free (12:37 p.m.), men’s 4×100 medley relay (1:10 p.m.), women’s 4×100 medley relay (1:32 p.m.)

Olympic track and field schedule today

(All times Eastern)

Qualifications: women’s hammer throw group a (4:20 a.m.), men’s long jump (5 a.m.), women’s hammer throw group b (5:45 a.m.), 
Round 1s: women’s 3,000m steeplechase (4:05 a.m.), women’s 200m (4:55 a.m.), men’s 110m hurdles (5:50 a.m.), women’s 400m hurdles (6:35 a.m.), men’s 400m (1:05 p.m.) 
Semifinals: men’s 100m (2 p.m.), women’s 800m (2:35 p.m.), men’s 1,500m (3:10 p.m.)
Finals: women’s high jump (1:50 p.m.), men’s hammer throw (2:30 p.m.), men’s 100m (3:50 p.m.)

Olympics track and field today: What to watch

Medals in the men’s 100 will be decided with Noah Lyles expected to be a favorite. Lyles won gold in the individual 100 and 200 at the 2023 world championships in Budapest. Jamaican sprinter Oblique Seville could be a challenger. In June he ran a personal-best 9.82 seconds to beat Lyles.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce issues statement about late scratch from 100m

Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a two-time gold medalist in the 100-meter dash, unexpectedly missed the semifinal of the race on Saturday.

On Sunday, Fraser-Pryce issued a statement on social media regarding her late scratch from the race due to an injury she sustained during warm-ups.

‘It is difficult for me to find the words to describe the depth of my disappointment,’ she wrote. ‘I know that my supporters share and should this disappointment with me.’

Fraser-Pryce won gold in the 100m at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, and then silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The 100 was going to be Fraser-Pryce’s only individual event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as she did not qualify in the 200.

Olympic basketball today: What to watch

In women’s hoops, the USA plays Germany in a group game. Forward Satou Sabally is expected to return for Germany after hurting her shoulder during Olympic qualifying and undergoing surgery. Sabally, who plays for the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, sat out early in the season while recovering.

Olympic shooting today: What to watch

The women’s skeet finals will be held Sunday, an event in which the Americans have excelled. In Tokyo, Amber English won gold in her first Olympic appearance. In Paris keep an eye on American Dania Vizzi, the 2022 world champion.

Olympic sailing today: What to watch

Women’s kiteboarding begins and the USA’s medal hopes rest on six-time world champion Daniela Moroz. The 23-year-old from Lafayette, California, competed in her first international event at age 14 and won her first world championship at 15.

Olympic Muffin Man’s fame not from swimming

NANTERRE, France — Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen is one of the stars of the Paris Olympics, just maybe not in the way he imagined or hoped. 

The three-time Olympian wishes he would make headlines for his distance swimming performances. But instead, Christiansen is the unofficial Muffin Man of the Paris Games, thanks to his numerous TikToks showcasing his love for the chocolate muffins in the Olympic Village. — Michelle R. Martinelli

Athletes can’t stop talking about food at Olympic Village

PARIS — The food being served athletes at the Paris Games has remained a popular topic through the first week of competition. It all goes back to criticism — ‘Muffin Man’ notwithstanding — that made headlines prior to the opening ceremony.

Simone Biles was even asked about the food after the U.S. women’s gymnastics team’s gold medal victory Tuesday night. And Biles gave a thumbs down, saying it wasn’t ‘proper French cuisine.’ — Gentry Estes

Paris street artists express their feelings about Olympics

PARIS — It’s hard to visit Paris and not be inspired − or at least appreciative − of the rich history that lives throughout the city. With the Olympics underway in Paris, street artists have used their art to express their feelings on the Games. ‘Javelin is with bread,’ says Eludut, ‘Swimming is swimming through trash.’ — Mackenzie Salmon

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NANTERRE, France — Team USA ended swimming at the Paris Olympics on Sunday with a standout relay, winning gold and breaking the world record in the women’s 4×100-meter medley relay at Paris La Défense Arena.

In the final event in the pool of these Games, the team of Regan Smith (backstroke), Lilly King (breaststroke), Gretchen Walsh (butterfly) and Torri Huske (freestyle) swam a spectacular race obliterating the field by nearly four seconds. Their time of 3:49.63 broke the Olympic record set by Australia at the Tokyo Games (3:51.60) and the Americans’ own world record of 3:50.40, set in 2019.

Australia came home with a silver with a time of 3:53.11, while China took bronze 3:53.23. 

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

The men’s medley — featuring Ryan Murphy (backstroke), Nic Fink (breaststroke), Caeleb Dressel (butterfly) and Hunter Armstrong (freestyle) — finished with a time of 3:28.01. China won the gold medal with a time of 3:27.46, while France took bronze in 3:28.38.

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

This marks the first time the U.S. men failed to capture gold in the medley relay event in a non-boycotted Olympics.

The Americans’ world and Olympic record of 3:26.78 from the 2021 Tokyo Games still stands.

Heat races for both relays were on Saturday — there are no semifinals for relays — and the men’s medley relay qualified third, 0.26 seconds behind top qualifier France and China in second. The prelim lineup consisted of Hunter Armstrong (backstroke), Charlie Swanson (breaststroke), Thomas Heilman (butterfly) and Jack Alexy (freestyle), who combined for a time of 3:31.62.

In the women’s medley relay heat, the Americans qualified fourth and 1.59 seconds behind top qualifier Australia, along with Canada and China. Katharine Berkoff (backstroke), Emma Weber (breaststroke), Alex Shackell (butterfly) and Kate Douglass (freestyle) finished with a 3:56.40 prelims swim. 

Team USA relay results at Paris Olympics

Here’s a look at how the U.S. men’s, women’s and mixed relay teams performed in Paris:

Women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay: Silver
Men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay: Gold
Men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay: Silver
Women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay: Silver
Mixed 4×100-meter medley relay: Gold (world record)
Men’s 4×100-meter medley relay: Silver
Women’s 4×100-meter medley relay: TBD

Follow Michelle R. Martinelli on X (fomerly Twitter) at @MMartinelli4.

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Noah Lyles on Sunday broke a 20-year drought for Team USA in the men’s 100-meter final, breaking Jamaica’s historical stranglehold on the event and bringing home the gold.

But it wasn’t without the race of his life — and a photo finish that showed the American edge his competitors by literal thousandths of a second. According to the NBC broadcast of the event, Lyles beat out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by five thousandths of a second to claim a victory in the biggest event of his life.

Here’s Lyles’ run to the gold in the men’s 100-meter final, which — to the naked eye — revealed no obvious winner at the Stade de France at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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

Here are the full results of the men’s 100-meter finals:

Men’s 100m final results

First-, second- and third-place finishes win the gold, silver and bronze, respectively.

Noah Lyles (USA): 9.79 (.784)
Kishane Thompson (Jamaica): 9.79 (.789)
Fred Kerley (USA): 9.81
Akani Simbine (South Africa): 9.82
Lamont Marcell Jacobs (Italy): 9.85
Letsile Tebogo (Botswana): 9.86
Kenneth Bednarek (USA): 9.88
Oblique Seville (Jamaica): 9.91

According to World Athletics, it’s the first time in history that eight men have broken 10 seconds in a wind-legal race.

United States sprinter Noah Lyles solidified his stance as the fastest man in the world on Sunday, narrowly outrunning the field for the 100-meter sprint at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Lyles, who became the first U.S. man to win a gold medal in the Olympic event since Justin Gatlin in 2004, beat out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson in a photo finish. Lyles won the race by five thousandths of a second, running a 9.784 to Thompson’s 9.789.

The 27-year-old Lyles earned his first Olympic gold medal with the win, nabbing his second medal overall at the Olympics in the process.

Adding to the already-impressive nature of his accomplishment is the fact he was able to achieve it with a respiratory condition — one that would presumably make sprinting at the highest level the world can offer that much harder.

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

Here’s everything to know about Lyles’ asthma condition:

Does Noah Lyles have asthma?

Yes, Lyles experiences asthma — a respiratory condition that affects the airways in the lungs, causing a difficulty to breathe. He noted the condition on Sunday after his gold medal win.

Shortly after the win, Lyles posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, a message on what he has overcome to reach this moment.

I have Asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and Depression,’ Lyles wrote. ‘But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You!’

Lyles has suffered from the condition since he was a child, which even caused him to be homeschooled, he told CNN in 2020.

“Asthma definitely affects kind of everything I do in terms of health, physical fitness, sometimes even emotional because if you’re emotionally fatigued, that can bring your immune system down,” Lyles told CNN at the time.

According to a July 31 report from ESPN, Lyles first experienced symptoms related to asthma at 3 years old, when he had coughing fits.

‘He couldn’t eat without coughing. He couldn’t play,’ Keisha Caine Bishop, Lyles’ mother, told ESPN. ‘His quality of life went down.’

ESPN reports that a doctor determined Lyles had reactive airway disease. It wasn’t until Lyles was 5 years old that he was diagnosed with asthma, which led his mother to make changes around their home and in his diet to reduce the risk of attack. Lyles had surgery to remove his tonsils and adenoids when he was 7 years old, significantly improving his quality of breath — and letting him play tag with his friends.

‘Everybody starts scattering, because they know that somebody’s about to be it, and it could be them at any moment that I choose,’ Lyles told ESPN.

Even as Lyles’ condition improved as he got older, asthma still adversely affected him, particularly after races. ESPN notes that, as a freshman in high school, Lyles would return home from competition exhausted, often causing him to miss school on Mondays to recover from races run over the weekend. In response, Lyles took vitamins and supplements to build up his lungs, following advice doctors gave his mother.

ESPN reports that, in 2016, Lyles’ asthma attacks ‘largely subsided’ due to supplements and USATF-approved medication.

What is asthma?

According to the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute, asthma is defined as ‘a chronic (long-term) condition that affects the airways in the lungs. The airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, your airways can become inflamed and narrowed at times. This makes it harder for air to flow out of your airways when you breathe out.’

The condition affects 1 in 13 people in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and can affect people of all ages. As noted by the CDC, it often starts in childhood.

It has no cure, but can be mitigated with monitoring, trigger avoidance and medication.

Noah Lyles photo finish

Lyles won the 100-meter at the 2024 Paris Olympics in a photo finish on Sunday, narrowly beating Jamaica’s Thompson (silver medal) and the United States’ Fred Kerley (bronze).

Here’s the photo-finish result and the times by each runner:

1. Noah Lyles (9.784 seconds)
2. Kishane Thompson (9.789 seconds)
3. Fred Kerley (9.81 seconds)

PARIS – He has won longer matches, but none he had to wait this long to achieve. He’s improbably won more tournaments, but none that seemed this improbable. And he’s collected bigger pieces of metal, but the medal may be the one he loves the most.

Once the gold was finally around his neck Sunday, after 2 hours and 50 minutes of grueling tennis against the current best player on the planet, Novak Djokovic kept kissing it. Once, twice, a third time. Then he let it hang over his chest for a few seconds before picking it up again and smiling.

At age 37, in the midst of a season where he has been in a race against the clock of his tennis mortality, it’s possible that even the most accomplished player in history started to lose a little belief that his Olympic dream would come true. That he could win something not just for his trophy case, but for all of Serbia. That he could complete the last piece of the puzzle before the compounding realities of age and injury made this career-long chase impossible.

“Bringing the gold medal to Serbia, this may be the greatest sports achievement in my life,” Djokovic said on Serbian television moments after a 7-6, 7-6 victory over Carlos Alcaraz that will go down as one of the most impressive of his career.

Because this is no longer the Djokovic who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, who could glide around the court for five hours and contort his joints in ways that didn’t seem humanly possible and then do it again 48 hours later. This is a player who began the year with flagging motivation and poor fitness, a player who rushed back from surgery after tearing his meniscus at the French Open and a player who looked a little helpless just a few weeks ago against the very same opponent in a Wimbledon final. This is a player who hadn’t even won a tournament this year.

And it also, for all intents and purposes, is Alcaraz’s sport now. He’s already won four Grand Slams, including the rare French Open-Wimbledon double. He’s only 21 and already almost complete, whizzing around the court with speed and creativity and competitive fire that evokes the best traits of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all in one.

Watching him now is a little bit like what it felt like a quarter-century ago when Tiger Woods would play majors: The numbers aren’t there yet, and the historical conversations are years away, but you know you’re seeing somebody do things you’ve never quite seen before.

When you have those kind of rare athletes in your sport, their path is marked by pivot points. We saw the first a year ago at Wimbledon, when Alcaraz did what many thought was impossible by beating Djokovic in five seats. We saw another on the same court a few weeks ago, when Alcaraz was so thoroughly dominant that it seemed a legitimate question whether Djokovic could beat him again.

And here in Paris, when he wasn’t taking selfies at the athletes’ village and soaking in the pageantry of his first Olympics, Alcaraz was crushing everyone in his wake.

“I knew it was going to be the highest mountain to climb,” Djokovic said.

Djokovic’s prospects of beating Alcaraz in a final never looked particularly promising. Though he had easily handled a clearly diminished Nadal in the second round, perhaps delivering the final loss at Roland Garros to his 15-year rival, the knee was becoming a problem again. In the quarterfinals, Djokovic’s mobility seemed so limited at one point that it was questionable whether he could even finish the match against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Down two breaks in the second set, Djokovic somehow managed to claw back and escape without even having to play a third.

And so he arrived in the final guaranteed the silver – his best ever finish at the Summer Games, and there was some relief in that. But in a sport where the Grand Slams are clearly the pinnacle and there’s no real consensus on how much an Olympic gold really means, Djokovic went completely the other direction.

After four brutal Olympics – a third-set disappointment to Nadal in Beijing, a razor-thin loss to Andy Murray in London, a first-round upset to Juan Martin del Potro in Rio and an inexplicably flat performance in Tokyo against Alexander Zverev – this was Djokovic’s last chance.

He knew it. He said it. He embraced it. He built his entire year around it, and suddenly it was right in front of him.

“I didn’t need too much motivation,” he said. “I knew in the opening two rounds, the way I was playing, that this is my chance. If it’s ever going to be, it’s going to be now.”

And as only the all-time greats can do, he made it happen.

“I heard many, many times that Novak wanted to win the gold medal,” Alcaraz said. “Every Olympic Games he had played, at the end he said it. And I knew that before the match. I had a hungry Novak in front of me.”

It is hard, at this point in Djokovic’s career after so many big matches and Grand Slam finals, to still be wowed at the amount of willpower, concentration and competitive endurance he is capable of summoning. And yet, perhaps because of the player he had in front of him, Djokovic managed to play one of the most impressive matches of his career.

At times, his movement labored. After a few of their more demanding rallies, he hunched over and gasped for oxygen. When he decided to chase something down, the pain and fatigue was written all over his face. And when he had a chance to end a point, he went for it – particularly in the tiebreaks when Djokovic played bolder tennis and Alcaraz was more content to counterpunch well behind the baseline.

Those little moments, those micro decisions, were all that separated them. Djokovic said he had never played a three-hour match packed with so much intensity, where the margins were so thin at every turn. But whereas Djokovic felt unburdened to go for dramatic angles and pick his moments to play high-risk tennis, Alcaraz felt something that was foreign to him in the four Grand Slam finals he has won in the last 24 months.

“In the difficult moments, in the tough situations, I increased my level and pulled out really great tennis,” he said. “Today, probably, I felt more pressure. I don’t know. Maybe other players aren’t feeling the same way about playing for the flag, but I felt the pressure in those situations that I couldn’t play my best tennis.”

Perhaps there has never been more of a validating moment for Olympic tennis itself. No, it’s not a Grand Slam. There will always be top players who skip it for one reason or another, be it surface changes, inconvenient travel between Wimbledon and the US Open or the lack of prize money and ranking points that go to the winner.

But here you had the best ever who put together Djokovic’s masterpiece, with a prize he desperately wanted on the line, on the only day remaining in his career that he could possibly do it. And on the other side of the court, you had the current best player in the game, unable to meet the moment in a way that had become routine on the biggest stages in the sport.

Then, a moment after the match ended on an inside-in forehand Djokovic slapped through the court, he dropped his racket and covered his mouth in disbelief. He went across the net to embrace Alcaraz and dropped to his knees, looking at the ground for nearly a minute. And then, he charged into the stands to embrace his family in a more emotional moment than we have seen from Djokovic in years as the winning of Grand Slams became almost routine.

“The intensity of emotions I felt at that moment was something I never felt on the tennis court before,” Djokovic said.

Meanwhile, as the Spanish television cameras swarmed him, Alcaraz sobbed in a way he’s never shown publicly after losses − not that there have been too many of them. But to this point in Alcaraz’s career, every setback has been a lesson, even a blessing to help him maintain humility and sharpen his focus on his inevitable path to the top.

Alcaraz, like Djokovic, is eventually going to win every big prize this sport has to offer. But the realization that he has to wait four more years for this one hit differently for a young man in a big hurry.

“I thought that I let all the Spanish people down a little bit in some way,” Alcaraz said. “I know that the Spanish people were waiting for my gold medal and myself, I worked for it, I went for it and it could have happened. That’s why I got emotional at the end. I couldn’t make the Spanish people proud. But right now, thinking, more relaxed, I think I made them proud and made them believe in a certain way, and I’m proud about the way I represented my flag.”

Even for superstars who have all the money, all the trophies, all the adulation they’ll ever want around the world, there’s something unique about that little piece of gold. Alcaraz will have more years to chase it. Djokovic just had one shot. And as the Serbian flag went up over Roland Garros, it meant everything.

“It supersedes everything that I’ve ever felt on the tennis court after winning big trophies,” Djokovic said. “When I take everything in consideration, this is probably the biggest sporting success I’ve ever had in my career.”