SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — That stoic, subdued, unflappable Scottie Scheffler is more emotional than you’d think. Did you know he cried when he won the Masters, too?

Took a “bathroom break” in Augusta to get a moment alone, and “I cried pretty good,” he admitted.

He said he got emotional earlier this week, too, from the seats while watching the U.S. women’s gymnastics team receive their gold medals. So the significance of what Scheffler accomplished Sunday at Le Golf National has never been lost on him, before or after he had a gold medal around his neck. That reality was illustrated by the incomparable sight of the world’s No. 1 golfer shedding tears and wiping his face on the podium while wearing a gold medal and hearing “The Star-Spangled Banner” resonate around the 18th green.

‘I take tremendous pride in coming over here and representing my country,” Scheffler said. “… It was just very emotional being up on stage there as the flag was being raised, singing the national anthem.”

Not a golf moment, this one. It was an Olympic moment that happened to take place on a golf course.

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This sport isn’t accustomed to those yet. We won’t consider Scheffler an Olympic hero in the United States, because we already know him as a top professional golfer.

What Scheffler did Sunday, however, was a heroically Olympian performance. For him to be standing atop that podium Sunday felt improbable all afternoon. He showed up four shots behind the leaders. He needed to start fast, and he did, with three birdies. Seemed like everyone atop the leaderboard, though, had it going on the front nine.

Then two things happened. Scheffler started playing a little better, and everyone else contending for a medal started playing a lot worse. Scheffler shot a 6-under-par 29 on the back nine, scoring birdies on four consecutive holes.

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About five more things, however, had to happen in addition to Scheffler’s course-record 62 for him to snatch the gold medal at 19 under.

And they all did.

Spain’s Jon Rahm, who led by four shots at one point, made a mess of things, ending up 4 over on the back nine and out of the medals at 15 under. Ireland’s Rory McIlroy had to ease up and make a few key mistakes, and he did. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama didn’t birdie any of the final six holes, keeping him at 17 under.

Scheffler’s American teammate Xander Schauffele, too, had to not do Xander things he’d been doing lately in this final round. Uncharacteristically, Schauffele fell apart at the end and out of contention. Then, finally, Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood had to flub a chip shot on No. 17, bogeying the hole that moved him back to 18 under and provided the difference between gold and silver at the Paris Games while Scheffler was on the driving range.

That’s the Olympics. The pressure of this final round was tangible among the fairways and greens and crowded galleries on the course. Scheffler won because he stepped up in that moment while others shrunk in it.

Doesn’t get much more Olympic than that, right?

It’s similar to what Scheffler marveled about after watching the U.S. women’s gymnastics team.

“They compete for years and years and years,” he said earlier this week. “For some of them, that may be their only time on the Olympics team. For one tournament to have such an emphasis every four years is really challenging. If I had a bad week this week, I could take a week off and I’d still have another great chance to kind of prove it to myself that I could do it under the biggest lights.”

Golf is in that category of Olympic sports like basketball or tennis, where success on this stage can boost an athletes’ profile. But typically, that profile has already been built elsewhere.

You’d never think first of Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant or LeBron James or Andy Murray or even Schauffele as Olympic heroes, even though each has been. It’s different with sports that wouldn’t otherwise get their due. Every four years, we’ll celebrate a Mark Spitz or Mary Lou Retton or Carl Lewis or Michael Phelps or Simone Biles or Katie Ledecky and then do it again four years later. Those are the heroes we associate with the Olympics in our country.

And it’s never going to be the golfers we see on television every weekend.

The Olympics, however, is good for golf. I’m not sure how much that was recognized by the insular traveling circus of pro golf until this week. The Rio tournament in 2016 was too new. The Tokyo tournament was during COVID.

This week, however, hit the sweet spot. It was in a desirable location – Paris, am I right? – and on a respected course that recently welcomed a Ryder Cup. No good excuses for top players not to be here, and a stellar field of players was placed in front of a packed, enthusiastic, wonderful crowd that waved flags and chanted and cheered for four days.

“If you’re not going to enjoy those times,” Fleetwood said, “then you’re not going to get much happiness from the game of golf.”

“You don’t earn anything this week,’ said Australia’s Jason Day, who played in his first Olympics here. ‘You’re earning a medal. I think that brings out something deep. … That it means something more than just the money at the of the day for us. It’s definitely opened my eyes. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed representing something bigger than myself.”

Scheffler did, too. His play Sunday reflected it. His tears demonstrated it.

Reach Gentry Estes at gestes@gannett.com and on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) @Gentry_Estes.

Every four years we witness Olympic athletes stretching the bounds of human ability, but these feats are not achieved overnight. Standing on the podium requires years of training, specialized skills, excellent coaching, significant resources, and luck. We, mere mortals, can take inspiration from these greats, but it is important to approach sports and exercise in a healthy and sustainable way and to avoid comparing ourselves too closely with elite athletes.

As the excitement of the Olympic Games continues to reverberate around the world, let’s take a look at the bodies and minds of top performers, and ways that we can push our own limits responsibly. You will learn from two experts: Dr. Michael Joyner of Mayo Clinic shares his perspective on the physiology of elite athletes, and Dr. Ulrick Vieux of Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center speaks from his experience as a sports psychiatrist.

First, let’s take a look at some of the most apparent athletic attributes: height and mass. Adjust the sliders below to see Olympic athletes with different body types, but remember, size isn’t everything.

Joyner says that those with certain observable characteristics often gravitate toward certain sports. ‘Bigger people tend to go to sports that require absolute power. And smaller people tend to go to sports that require aerobic power, or muscular power to body weight ratio. And over the years the sizes have converged and the variability amongst elite athletes is less.’

Joyner says that generally the best laboratory studies involve endurance athletes, especially runners, cyclists, rowers, and to some extent swimmers. ‘What you see is very high aerobic capacity in all of those people, but very different sizes. And you see that the swimmers are big and the rowers are even bigger, but the distance runners are tiny.’ Body shape, weight and composition change throughout an athlete’s career and they are not the only factors that contribute to Olympic success. Focusing too much on these attributes can stunt your progress and negatively affect your physical and mental health.

Up to 45% of female athletes and 19% of male athletes struggle with an eating disorder, according to a study in the European Journal of Sport Science. Vieux adds that 16.7 percent of the athletes had symptoms of OCD with 5 percent meeting the full criteria. Vieux urges empathy when you or someone you know may be dealing with an eating disorder. He also suggests that we should shift the way we think about weight loss. ‘Sometimes as lay people, we’ll look at these Olympic athletes, we’ll look at these professional athletes and then we’ll get motivated to lose weight. And then we’ll say, well, I’m going to go on a diet.’

‘Never use the word diet,’ says Vieux. ‘You want to use the word lifestyle change. Why? Because a diet can be temporary, but if you change your lifestyle, that is how you get the full benefits.’

Now, let’s explore the ways that innate physical characteristics like height, arm span, and leg length can play a role in an athlete’s success in various sports. We will also suggest ways that you can incorporate key aspects of these sports into your own exercise routine. While competing in the Olympics or following an athlete’s training routine is beyond reach for most, we can still allow Olympians to inspire us to try out the planche and front lever, to channel an inner gymnast, or to increase stamina and endurance at the swimming pool or track.

Gymnastics

According to Joyner, gymnastics often favors smaller, shorter people because of the ratio of their strength to body weight and the increased ability to tuck and curl. He also noted that Olympic gymnasts seem to have gotten shorter and more muscular over the years. ‘If you look at women gymnasts from the 1950s and 60s, they’re much bigger than the women competing today.’

While gymnasts can be shorter than other athletes, research shows that it’s not related to their training. Gymnastics routines require a tremendous amount of upper body strength for movements such as swinging, balancing, and holding various poses. These athletes often have muscular torsos that are V-shaped with a wide upper back and a developed chest and shoulders. However, while many gymnasts do tend to have a similar physique, research shows that these characteristics are not predictive of success.

Try it yourself: Heading to adult gymnastics classes could be a great way to improve strength, flexibility and agility at any age. A study that tracked women with an average age of 62 found that those who participated in recreational gymnastics weekly had greater bone density, bone strength, and muscular agility than those who remained relatively sedentary. You could also try calisthenics where exercises often involve horizontal bars or rings. Practicing calisthenics can help improve posture, strength and body composition without the need for major training equipment, according to a study published in Isokinetics and Exercise Science.

Weightlifting

Shorter weightlifters gain an advantage due to the way their bodies are structured, according to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Our bodies use bones as levers during lifting, and when our limbs are shorter, it’s easier to lift weights because the muscles don’t have to work as hard. In contrast, taller lifters with longer bones need to exert more effort and do more work to lift the same weights because their muscles have to move the weights over a longer distance. Weightlifters generally need more muscle mass than athletes in other sports to generate power and explosiveness during lifts.

Try it yourself: Incorporating weightlifting into your exercise routine could be a great way to develop power and gain muscle mass. Weightlifting involves high-force and high-speed movements, making you better at lifting, pushing, and pulling, which are all necessary for daily activities. It might also lead to better development of the nervous system’s ability to control muscles effectively.

Running

Athletes running at different distances need different training regimes. Those racing distances of 100, 200, and 400 meters are often heavier because muscles play a crucial role in sprinting, according to research in Scientific Reports. It’s particularly important for sprinters to have strong core muscles, as they activate before the legs and help to stabilize the trunk. Athletes running 5,000-meter, 10,000-meter and marathon tend to be more slender.

Try it yourself: You could improve both mood and the brain’s executive processing with as little as a 10-minute running session, according to a study in Scientific Reports. Exercising at a moderate to vigorous intensity for 60 minutes or less, like running, swimming or cycling will also give your immune system a boost. By doing it nearly every day, these benefits add up over time, making your immune system stronger and enhancing your overall health.

Swimming

Top swimmers do not need to be slim to succeed. A study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B showed that athletes swimming the 50-meter freestyle shared a similar body mass with those competing in the two-hour, 10,000-meter open-water marathon. Core muscles also play a crucial role for swimmers. Strong trunk muscles can lead to faster starts with less splash and resistance, and make it easier to maintain a streamlined position.

According to Joyner, ‘While some sports require a big engine – the engine meaning the heart and the lungs and so forth – relative to body size, with rowing, you’re in a boat, and if you are a bigger person, you add drag to the boat, but the power you add is greater than the drag you add. The same is true in swimming.’

Try it yourself: Aside from taking to the pool for a few laps, a strong core is critical to almost all movements in sports, and everybody can benefit from regular core muscle workouts. Planks, bicycle crunches and similar exercises can improve your balance and stability and stabilize your lower back, preventing or reducing lower back pain.

Tennis

Taller tennis players can benefit from a stronger serve because longer arms help create a more powerful movement and their height allows them to strike the ball from a higher point, according to a study published in PLOS ONE. Upper body strength can also contribute to a more effective serve. But speed, agility and endurance are crucial for success in tennis making it possible for shorter players to excel.

Try it yourself: Taking up tennis as a hobby can improve and maintain bone health, increase stamina and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It’s also a great way to meet new people and make friends. One study reported that people playing tennis feel a sense of community. Following quick and random movements of a ball and positioning yourself requires quick reflexes, good eyesight and hand-eye coordination, and quick processing of information, so it’s no wonder that playing tennis can lead to improvement in cognitive processing abilities.

Volleyball

Volleyball is another sport where successful athletes are taller on average. High-ranking players often have more lean body mass, bigger arm spans and can jump higher, according to a study in the Journal of Human Kinetics.

Try it yourself: Like tennis, volleyball requires constant decision-making and adaptation, which can really boost these brain functions. The mental demands of volleyball also activate important brain areas involved in planning and problem-solving. When playing volleyball you are also a part of a team, providing you with social support that might also enhance these cognitive skills. So joining volleyball games can not only get you moving but also get you more social engagement, and help feeling more connected and supported.

Train safely

Vieux says that one of the most important things to emphasize to aspiring athletes is the difference between performance and longevity. ‘It goes back to the mindset, realizing that longevity is really the key thing. The problem is, for elite athletes in the high school realm, in the college realm, and in the professional realm, this concept of ‘I need to perform maximally and the longevity perspective will take care of itself.” Instead, Vieux advocates healthy, long-term goals and lifestyle-based approaches.

Both experts stress the importance of proper coaching and a supportive community. ‘This is where having a solid team, a coach that you can trust, an agent that you can trust, having family members that you can trust is vital because it’s very easy to get lost,’ says Vieux.

If someone is working out for general fitness, Joyner says that ‘moderately vigorous physical activity, 30 minutes a day is terrific. You get tremendous health benefits, but if you’re trying to get a little bit better, at anything that requires technique, get coaching, especially for tennis, golf, bowling, rowing, and swimming.’

Keep it fun

Both experts also insist that sports should remain fun and enjoyable, no matter what level you are competing at, or how old you are. ‘If you’re doing this for fitness and you are a person in their 20s, 30s, 40s, middle-aged or older, I think the main thing is just find an activity, do it, and then apply the principles that the elite athletes use, which are consistent training, hard day, easy day, what we call progressive overload, and some cross training. And I think the main thing we have to do is help people find an activity they enjoy,’ Joyner says.

Vieux urges parents not to put too much pressure on their children and asks aspiring athletes to avoid comparing themselves with apparent representations of athletic perfection. ‘Focus on yourself, really focus on self-realization. Oftentimes, what we’re seeing is not accurate, whether it is print media or from a television. I would say that when it comes to sports, the point of sports is really to enjoy yourself and to get healthy.’

‘Not every sport will be ideal. You have to find the sport that makes sense for you.’

More Olympics stories:

Paris Olympics live updates: Scottie Scheffler wins gold; Suni Lee medals
Paris Olympics highlights: Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky win more gold for Team USA
Belgian triathlete gets sick after competing in Seine river
USA breaks world record, wins swimming Olympic gold in women’s medley relay
American Bobby Finke defends Olympic gold in swimming’s 1,500M, breaks world record
Scottie Scheffler’s late charge wins golf Olympic gold for Team USA
USA’s Suni Lee won Olympic bronze in a stacked bars final. Why this one means even more
Who is Kristen Faulkner? Cyclist ends 40-year drought for U.S. women at 2024 Paris Olympics
USA Women’s Basketball vs. Germany highlights: US gets big victory to win Group C
Tears of Gold: Scottie Scheffler breaks down during national anthem after Olympic golf win
USA Basketball’s Anthony Edwards threw down a windmill dunk in win, and ‘ignited’ his team

PARIS — Suni Lee won the all-around gold in Tokyo, the biggest prize there is in gymnastics and, if we’re being honest, one of the most coveted titles at the Olympics. 

The medals she’s won at the 2024 Paris Olympics, including a bronze on uneven bars Sunday, mean even more. 

“I’m really proud of myself. This time around, it’s just been so much more amazing,” said Lee, who also has a gold she won with the U.S. women in the team final and her bronze in the all-around final. “I know I keep saying amazing and it’s probably really annoying, but that’s really all the words that I have because it’s just amazing.

“It’s so much fun and I’m so happy with all of my performances.”

That’s the real prize for Lee, that last part.

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Despite her Olympic title, Lee left Tokyo with mixed emotions. She felt, and the internet trolls were only too happy to tell her, that she won the all-around gold by default. Simone Biles had withdrawn from the final because of “the twisties.” Rebeca Andrade of Brazil was expected to leapfrog Lee in the final event, only to step out of bounds twice on floor exercise. 

Lee was particularly disappointed with her bronze on bars, her signature event. Not because of the color of the medal, but because of mistakes she made during her routine. It didn’t matter that everyone else had, too. Lee knew she was capable of better, and was upset with herself for not showing that. 

“I told myself I was coming back to redeem myself on bars,” she said. “I really wanted to just put a good, clean routine together.” 

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Not only did she do that, but she also did it in a bars final that was the gymnastics equivalent of a heavyweight bout. The eight-woman field included the Tokyo gold medalist, the reigning world champion and the current European champion. All but three of the women had a medal from either the Olympics or world championships – and two of those three are new to the senior level internationally this year.

“That was incredible,” said Jess Graba, Lee’s longtime coach. “It’s probably the best bars final I’ve seen in I don’t know long.” 

Nina Derwael, the Tokyo bars champion, was the first of the top contenders to go and she was dazzling. Her only flaw was a small step on her landing, followed by another sliding step that she tried to cover with her salute to the judges. A minor error, but enough to change the color of a medal. 

Or mean no medal at all. 

Qiu Qiyuan, the world champion, and Kaylia Nemour, the silver medalist last year, were both simply sublime. Qiyuan’s pirouettes on the high bar would make ballerinas jealous, and she held her handstands so perfectly she could have been a statue. The arena erupted when her score, a 15.5, was announced. 

Nemour heard the roar when she was waiting to go but if it flustered her, she didn’t show it. Her routine is jam-packed with difficulty – she has a 7.2 difficulty score, one of the few above 7 in the entire women’s competition – but she floats above the bars. “Like a feather,” said Lee, who was hopping up and down and cheering throughout Nemour’s routine, and was one of the first to congratulate her when she finished. 

With Nemour scoring a 15.7, the gold and silver medals were secure. But there was still a chance for Lee to get back on the podium if she’d “go for broke,” as Graba said.

Lee did, performing the hardest routine she’s been competing this year and nailed it. Her score, a 14.8, put her in third place. When Lee heard it, her mouth dropped open and her eyes popped. 

“I watched everyone go up there and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I have to have the best routine of my life.’ And that’s what I did!” Lee said. 

Asked his reaction, Graba said, “Relief.”

When Lee told Graba she wanted to try for Paris, and why, he wasn’t so sure. She was already the Olympic champion, with a full set of medals. Why run the risk of doing worse here and tainting her legacy? 

And that was before two kidney ailments completely upended Lee’s life. 

She had to cut her last season at Auburn short. She was only able to do two events at last year’s national championships. Training was a crapshoot as doctors tried to first figure out what was wrong with her and then find a treatment that would work. By December, just getting out of bed was an achievement. 

To see her here, and on the podium yet again, is nothing short of a triumph. 

“She had everything to lose coming back,” Graba said. “There was nothing really for her to prove, except to herself. So I felt relieved because I wanted her to feel proud. … I could care less about everybody else’s opinion of how she did. It’s more about peace of mind. And that’s what she had today.”

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PARIS − 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.

The Belgian Olympic Committee and Belgian Triathlon, the nation’s domestic governing body, said they hope ‘to learn lessons for future triathlon competitions. These include training days that can be guaranteed, race days and formats that are clear in advance and conditions that do not create uncertainty for athletes, entourage and fans.’

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The water-quality tests monitor the Seine river’s E. coli levels. Those levels have fluctuated during the Paris Olympics − increasing after days of rainfall, then falling back during drier spells. E. coli bacteria can cause stomach and intestinal problems that can be short-lived, or longer-term more serious and debilitating infections.

Concerns about the Seine river’s cleanliness have dogged Olympic organizers. Despite much public skepticism they have sought to portray a swimmable Seine as one of the Paris Games’ potential defining legacies. After 100 years of being closed off to the public, there are plans to open three Seine bathing sites to the public in 2025.

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Kristen Faulkner ended a 40-year drought for the U.S. in the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday.

The 31-year-old became the first U.S. woman to win gold in the road race since Connie Carpenter did so in 1984 in Los Angeles. Faulkner won the race on the 158-kilometer course with a time of 3:59:23. Faulkner pulled away late from the competition, including the Netherlands’ Marianne Vos, who took silver with a time of 4:00:21.

Here’s what you need to know about Faulkner, including how she got into the race and where she is from:

Who is Kristen Faulkner?

Faulkner is a 2016 graduate of Harvard, where she competed as a varsity rower. She holds the program record for the fastest 2-kilometer indoor rowing time for lightweight women. Prior to attending Harvard, she went to high school at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.

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

According to her USA Cycling profile, Faulkner got into cycling while living in New York in 2016 and began racing for the TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank team in San Francisco after moving to the area in 2018.

On May 19, Faulkner won the national road racing title, 55 seconds ahead of former champion Ruth Edwards in West Virginia.

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Women’s road race results at 2024 Paris Olympics

First-, second- and third-place finishers win gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Kristen Faulkner (USA): 3:59:23
Marianne Vos (Netherlands): 4:00:21
Lotte Kopecky (Belgium): 4:00:21
Blanka Vas (Hungary): 4:00:21
Pfeiffer Georgi (Great Britain): 4:00:21

How old is Kristen Faulkner?

Faulkner, born on Dec. 18, 1992, in Homer, Alaska, is 31 years old.

Kristen Faulkner was replacement on Team USA road race team

Four hours and 158 kilometers later, the move paid off with a historic gold medal for Faulkner Team USA.

Team USA women’s basketball was intent on keeping the good times rolling at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday as the team concluded group-stage play undefeated with a win over Germany.

The clash determined the winner of Group C, with both teams entering the game unbeaten. Both teams had assured themselves of a place in the quarterfinal round, but the U.S. will now receive a theoretically easier assignment ahead of knockout play as the group winner.

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.

Before today, Germany had similar success in the group, besting Belgium by 14 to open the tournament and then claiming an 11-point win over Japan in its second Group C game.

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

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

USA vs. Germany highlights

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When does Team USA play next?

Team USA advances to the quarterfinals after going undefeated in Group C. All four quarterfinals games will take place Wednesday, Aug. 7. Game times and seeding are still to be determined.

Team USA defeats Germany, 87-68

The U.S. finishes group-stage play undefeated after putting away Germany thanks to strong second- and third-quarter play. Jackie Young led all scorers with 19 points.

Copper heating up from 3

The Phoenix Mercury guard nails back-to-back 3-pointers as Team USA continues to knock down shots from beyond the arc. Copper and Young have combined for eight of the U.S.’s nine made 3s. The Americans hold an 87-66 lead with one minute remaining.

Young staying hot from beyond the arc

The Aces’ guard knocks down another couple of 3-pointers early in the fourth and becomes the Americans’ top scorer with 17 points. She’s 5-of-8 from 3-point range as Team USA leads, 77-52.

Team USA’s lead continues to grow through three quarters

Jackie Young ended the third quarter with a bang. Her buzzer-beater 3-pointer pulled the U.S. even further ahead in the final game of group-stage play. The Americans lead, 69-46.

Alyssa Thomas hits spin move, jumper

Team USA is firing on all cylinders late in the third quarter. Thomas drove to the hoop and spun around a defender to hit a 2-pointer and bring the U.S. lead to 20 points.

Fiebich down with injury

German guard Leonie Fiebich seemed to take an Alyssa Thomas knee to the back while the ball was loose. She stayed down on the floor, holding her side, before exiting with a trainer.

Aces’ connections continue to benefit Team USA

Wilson continues her strong defensive effort with another steal, then finds Plum, her Las Vegas teammate, with an outlet pass. The guard drives to the hoop for a tough layup and draws the foul for a three-point play opportunity. She converts to bring the score to 55-41, the U.S.’s largest lead of the day.

Plum, Young enter for Team USA

Five minutes into the third quarter, the two guards enter for Ionescu and Loyd. A couple of possessions later, Young finds Plum with a pass to the right corner, and Plum drains the 3-pointer to extend the U.S. lead to 11 points. The Americans lead, 52-41.

Wilson playing tough defense

Wilson went coast-to-coast for a layup after snatching a steal from Alexis Peterson. On the ensuing defensive possession, she drew an offensive foul and another German turnover after taking an elbow to the face.

Germany cuts into U.S. lead to start second half

Team USA turned the ball over on their first possession of the third quarter, and Germany has since taken advantage with five unanswered points to chip away at its deficit. The U.S. still leads, 41-34.

U.S. leads Germany at the half

Wilson and Stewart lead Team USA with eight and 11 points, respectively. The Americans lead the Germans at the half, 41-29.

Germany snaps cold streak

After nearly four minutes without a point for Germany and an 11-0 U.S. run, Peterson drains a 3-pointer to put her team back on the board.

Wilson nails fadeaway

The Americans have constructed a double-digit lead after Wilson knocked down a nice fadeaway jumper over a defender despite some contact. Team USA leads 34-24.

Stewart layup punctuates 8-2 U.S. run

Team USA’s defense has picked up as the game has continued. The team has forced more turnovers and snagged more defensive rebounds. At the same time, the offense has created more good scoring opportunities. The Americans have built their lead to eight points as they lead, 32-24.

Consecutive steals lead to more points for Thomas

After Team USA loses the ball on a steal, Plum takes the ball back before Germany crosses halfcourt. She once again finds Thomas, who drives to the hoop for another two points. The U.S. extends their lead to 26-22.

Alyssa Thomas gives U.S. first lead

Thomas secures a defensive rebound, then goes coast-to-coast for an easy layup and the lead for Team USA. The Americans now lead for the first time, 24-22.

Kahleah Copper hits another 3 for Team USA

A three-point play by the Germans gave them the lead. A couple of possessions later, Kelsey Plum finds Copper in the right corner for another 3-pointer for the U.S. that once again evens the score at 22.

Jackie Young hits Americans’ first 3-pointer

The Las Vegas Aces’ guard cashes the first 3 by Team USA after three misses beyond the arc to open the game. It ties the game at 19.

U.S. trails Germany after first quarter

Germany holds a 19-16 edge over Team USA after 10 minutes of play.

Team USA makes first substitutions

Six minutes into the first quarter, Jewell Loyd, Sabrina Ionescu, Alyssa Thomas and Brittney Griner enter the game for the first time. Griner and Ionescu each hit their first shot attempts to cut into the Americans’ deficit. Germany still leads, 19-14.

Stewart carrying Team USA’s scoring early

The two-time WNBA MVP has all six points for the U.S., which has opened up the game with a rough 3-of-10 mark on field goal attempts. Germany leads 15-6 after five minutes.

Breanna Stewart gets U.S. on the board

After Germany opened the game with five unanswered points, Stewart pulled up from the free throw line for a 2-point jumper. It gave the Americans their first points of the contest after an 0-of-5 start from the field.

United States get first possession

A’ja Wilson won the jump ball to give Team USA the ball first. She missed her first shot of the game, and Germany scored a 3-pointer two possessions later for the first points of the game.

USA vs. Germany: Time, TV, streaming and how to watch

Date: Sunday, Aug. 4
Time: 11:15 a.m. ET | 8:15 a.m. PT
Location: Lille, France
TV: USA Network
Streaming: Peacock, Fubo (free trial) 

Latest Olympic highlights and results

Keep up with all of Sunday’s results and highlights with USA TODAY’s live blog.

What time is the Team USA women’s game?

The game will broadcast on USA Network at 11:15 p.m. ET.

How can I watch Team USA women play Germany?

The game will be broadcasted on USA Network and stream across Peacock and fubo TV.

Paris 2024 Olympics women’s 5×5 basketball groups

Group A:

China
Puerto Rico
Serbia
Spain

Group B:

Australia
Canada
France
Nigeria

Group C:

Belgium
Germany
Japan
United States

Team USA women’s basketball roster

Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury
Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces
Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces
Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces

Germany roster

Satou Sabally
Alexis Peterson
Alexandra Wilke
Nyara Sabally
Marie Guelich
Leonie Fiebich
Luisa Geiselsoder
Alina Hartmann
Frieda Buhner
Emily Bessoir
Lina Sontag
Romy Bar

Paris Olympics 2024: How to watch the Summer Games across TV and streaming

Every event at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be aired live across NBC, USA Network, E!, CNBC, GOLF Channel, and there will be a Spanish broadcast on Universo and Telemundo. All events will be available to stream live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.

Date: July 24-Aug. 11

TV: Games broadcast across NBC, USA Network, E!, Telemundo, Universo, CNBC and Golf Channel

Streaming: Peacock, nbcolympics.com, fuboTV

USA women’s basketball Olympics schedule: Time and TV

July 29 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: United States vs. Japan: United States 102 – 76 Japan
August 1 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: Belgium vs. United States: United States 87 – 74 Belgium
August 4 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: Germany vs. United States: 11:15 a.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 7 – Women’s Quarterfinals: Games start between 5 a.m. ET – 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 9 – Women’s Semifinal: 11:30 p.m. ET or 3 p.m. on NBC, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 11 – Women’s Bronze Medal Game: 5:30 a.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 11 – Women’s Gold Medal Game: 9:30 a.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.

Team USA men’s 2024 Paris Olympic Games schedule

For the men, here is how the tournament has gone so far:

July 28: United States 110 – 84 Serbia
July 31: United States 103 – 86 South Sudan
Aug. 3: United States 104 – 83 Puerto Rico
Aug. 6: Brazil vs. United States, 3:30 p.m. ET

How many medals does Team USA women’s basketball have?

The United States has dominated at the Summer Games and has medaled in every Olympics they have competed in (they didn’t compete in 1980 due to a nationwide Olympic boycott).

In total, the U.S. women’s basketball team has won eleven medals – 9 gold, one silver (1976), and one bronze (1992). The U.S. women have won seven straight gold medals dating back to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Is Caitlin Clark on the USA women’s basketball Olympic team?

Indiana Fever star guard and Rookie of the Year frontrunner Caitlin Clark is not on the U.S. women’s basketball team.

This might be interesting to those who have heard her name countless times over the last year, but it makes a great deal of sense. Team USA favors experience for a squad that has been very successful over the years, and Clark has no time on the international stage.

The other is that Clark, who was competing for a national title, was not able to attend U.S. training camp. Her absence likely played a large role in the selection committee’s decision to not choose her for the team.

Dawn Staley comments on Clark snub

On Sunday, South Carolina women’s basketball head coach and selection committee member Dawn Staley added some additional insight into the decision.

“Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA and wasn’t playing bad, but wasn’t playing like she’s playing now,’ she said. ‘If we had to do it all over again, with the way she’s playing, she would be in really high consideration of making the team because she’s playing head and shoulders above a lot of people. She’s shooting the ball extremely well. She’s an elite passer. She’s just got a great basketball IQ. And she’s a little more seasoned in the pro game than she was two months ago.”

Olympics women’s basketball Group C standings

Germany, 4 points (2-0)
United States, 4 points (2-0)
Belgium, 4 points (1-2)
Japan, 3 points (0-3)

Team USA women’s lineup

Germany lineup

Satou Sabally
Alexis Peterson
Marie Guelich
Leonie Fiebich
Luisa Geiselsoder

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PARIS — This isn’t a game of inches. In archery, a gold medal can get decided by millimeters.

Five of them, actually.

That distance – five millimeters – was all that separated the first gold medal for Brady Ellison in his fifth Olympics for the United States from a silver medal.

Sadly for Ellison, his arrow was the one farthest from the center of the target.

South Korean star and Ellison’s long-time rival Kim 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 Olympics.

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

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.

‘This is the match I’ve been dreaming of since we first shot against each other in 2009 or 2010. It’s the match I’ve always wanted,’ Ellison said after the match. ‘I think world archery and the fans across the world have always wanted it, and the way we finished that match – to go four 10s in a row, both of us – I’m not upset that he barely beat me. … We shot like champions, and that’s what it’s all about.’

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. He now has five career Olympic medals in five Olympics: Three silvers and two bronze, one of which came earlier in these Games in mixed doubles with American Casey Kaufhold.