PARIS — It was closer than expected, but the final result was no surprise.

Simone Biles cemented her legacy as the world’s most dominant gymnast Thursday night, narrowly defeating Rebeca Andrade of Brazil in the 2024 Paris Olympics all-around final to become the oldest all-around Olympic champion since 1952. Biles, 27, is also just the third woman in history to win multiple golds in the all-around, and the first to win all-around titles eight years apart. Andrade finished silver and Suni Lee took bronze.

Biles, who hasn’t lost an all-around competition in more than a decade, gave herself a bit of work to do after a major mistake on uneven bars, which left her sitting third at the midway point behind both Andrade and Kaylia Nemour of Algeria. But she responded by hitting a big routine on the sport’s trickiest apparatus, balance beam, and then put the competition to bed with a typically brilliant performance on floor.

‘I’m getting uncomfortable guys!’ says of how close she was to Andrade. ‘I was stressing. But I knew if I did my work it’d all be fine.’ 

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Thursday’s victory gave Biles her second Olympic gold of these Games, after the U.S. women’s squad captured gold in the team final on Tuesday, and her ninth Olympic medal overall, the most ever won by an American gymnast. In the coming days, Biles could add as many as three more golds as she is due to compete in the apparatus finals for balance beam, floor exercise and vault.

Biles, who has also won 30 medals at world championships, has said she is on a bit of a redemption tour in Paris after her experience at the 2021 Tokyo Games. Biles withdrew midway through the team final with a bout of the ‘twisties,’ which caused her to lose a sense of where she was in the air on twisting elements. She proceeded to withdraw from most of her other remaining events and take a two-year hiatus from competitive gymnastics.

Biles has proven to be perhaps even more dominant upon her return last year. She cruised to the all-around world title last fall and has continued to push the boundaries of the sport with new skills, including her now-famous Yurchenko double pike vault – which helped carry her to gold Thursday night.

‘It is crazy I am in the conversation of the greatest of all time,’ Biles said. ‘I just think I’m still Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, who loves to flip.’

USA TODAY Sports brought you live results, scores and highlights throughout the team final. Check out the highlights.

Simone Biles is now GOAT of all GOATs

Simone Biles is the best to ever do it and it’s not even close. In her sport. And in all others. Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Serena Williams and anyone else you want to throw in the mix — they all take a backseat to Biles. With her second Olympic all-around title Thursday night, Biles surpassed all the other GOATs. She’s now, as teammate Jordan Chiles put it earlier this week, the greatest of the greats. Read Nancy Armour’s full column on Biles being the greatest of all time.

Simone Biles’ goat necklace

After Biles won all-around gold — again — she pulled out a necklace with a very blingy goat.

Simone Biles vault all-around

Simone Biles got some serious height off the table on her Yurchenko double pike — the famous (and incredibly dangerous) vault that is now among her many eponymous skills. And even with a significant hop backwards on the landing, she has already established a commanding lead.

Biles’ score of 15.766 puts her more than six-tenths ahead of Rebeca Andrade Andrade through one rotation. While Andrade had a better execution score on her vault, the starting value of the Yurchenko double pike (6.40) dwarfs that of the Cheng vault that Andrade hit (5.60). 

Simone Biles’ floor routine

Simone Biles held a .166 lead over Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade with one rotation left, floor exercise, and she scored a 15.066 to win the gold medal.

Simone Biles’ beam routine

Ice. Cold. In the trickiest event in women’s gymnastics, balance beam, Simone Biles put up a big-time score under big-time pressure. Despite two small wobbles, she nailed her aerial series and had a relatively clean landing on the dismount to earn a 14.566.

Simone Biles bars routine

Simone Biles winced as she walked away from the uneven bars after a nervy moment as she transitioned from the higher bar to the lower. It appeared that she got a bit too much power on the release and got a bit too far away from the low bar, raising her knees to avoid touching the ground.

‘The fact that she did not come off the bar, it’s just another thing to be in awe about for Simone,’ NBC analyst Laurie Hernandez said on Peacock’s broadcast.

Biles didn’t fall, but the sequence forced her to take an additional unplanned swing and significantly hurt her execution score, resulting in a 13.733 that move her into third place (29.499) behind Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade (29.766) and Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour (29.566) after two turns.

Suni Lee’s floor routine

Suni Lee, who sat in fourth entering the final rotation, scored a 13.666 on floor, moving her into the bronze medal position. It’s her second Olympic medal in the all-around final.

Suni Lee’s beam routine

Suni Lee had a few small wobbles — but no fall — in her beam routine to score an even 14.000.

Suni Lee’s bars score

Suni Lee was smiling before she even stuck the landing on her uneven bars routine — a stellar showing that earned a score of 14.866.

Suni Lee’s vault score

Suni Lee got things started on vault with a double-twisting Yurchenko, taking a hop on the landing but notching a solid 13.933. Vault is not Lee’s strongest event, but her performance there should put her in good position heading into uneven bars.

Rebeca Andrade Olympic all-around final performance

Rebeca Andrade couldn’t have asked for a much better start in the all-around final. On vault, she stuck the landing on a Cheng — the second-hardest vault being done today — and notched a big-time score of 15.100, with a 9.500 execution score (out of 10).

Trailing Simone Biles by almost seventh-tenths of a point after their first rotation, she needed to be pretty much impeccable over the remaining three events to catch up. And she certainly as on uneven bars. Andrade and Biles both had the same difficulty score on their uneven bars routines, but Andrade’s execution was significantly better — resulting in a score of 14.766 that was almost a full point better than Biles’.

She then turned in an impressive performance on beam, especially under the circumstances. Going last in the rotation, and having just seen Simone Biles hit her routine, Andrade managed to block out the pressure and register a score of 14.133. Despite a few balance checks and minor issues, it was a strong showing. She closed out on floor, scoring a 14.033.

Steph Curry at gymnastics all-around final

The NBA’s greatest shooter of all time, Steph Curry, is the stands to watch the women’s gymnastics all-around final.

Simone Biles, Suni Lee introduced at all-around final

Biles and Lee were introcued to the crowd here to huge cheers.

How high can Simone Biles jump?

During her floor routine at Olympic gymnastics trials, Simone Biles reached 12 feet in the air at one point.

Artistic individual gymnastics schedule

Here are the Olympic gymnastics individual finals.

Thursday, Aug. 1: The women’s all-around final is at 12:15 p.m. ET. Simone Biles and Suni Lee are competing in the all-around final for the Americans.
Saturday, Aug. 3: The vault final is at 10:20 a.m. ET.
Sunday, Aug. 4: The uneven bars final is at 9:40 a.m. ET.
Monday, Aug. 5: The balance beam is at 6:36 a.m. ET, and floor final 8:20 a.m. ET.

How many gold medals does Simone Biles have all time?

Biles now has won nine Olympic medals after the U.S. women’s gymnastics squad won team gold at the team final in Paris. Six of her medals are gold. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Biles won three individual golds in the all-around, vault and floor exercise and led Team USA’s “Final Five” to the team gold. She also added a bronze medal on the balance beam. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Biles added a silver medal in the team event and an additional bronze medal in the balance beam to her hardware collection. 

Who is competing in women’s individual gymnastics finals?

Here are the individual final events the U.S. women’s gymnasts team will compete in.

Simone Biles: all-around, vault, floor exercise, balance beam.
Suni Lee: all-around, uneven bars, balance beam.
Jordan Chiles: floor exercise.
Jade Carey: vault.

Why is Simone Biles called the GOAT?

Biles is the greatest gymnast of all time. She has consistently dominated the sport for over a decade, which would have been an unimaginable feat just a few years ago as most gymnasts reach their peak in their late teens. Her ability to win is in a class of its own. With 39 Olympic and world championship medals — 28 of which are gold — Biles has won the most of any gymnast in history. She has also not lost an all-around competition since 2013. 

Biles redefines the possibilities of her sport not just in her record-breaking number of wins and medals, but also in the unmatched difficulty of the skills she completes. Biles has no less than five skills named after her — two on the vault and floor and one on the balance beam — because she was the first, and in most cases, the only athlete to complete them in competition. 

Suni Lee kidney illness: How it changed her gymnastics mindset

Suni Lee went to Auburn right after winning gold in Tokyo, wanting to have the college experience and to compete at the NCAA level. She announced in November 2022 that she’d leave Auburn at the end of her sophomore season. Before that season could even end, however, Lee developed a kidney disease that caused her to retain so much fluid there were days she couldn’t even put on her grips. She returned to Minneapolis and began working with doctors at the Mayo Clinic, who discovered she was suffering from a second kidney ailment.

Thus began a nearly yearlong nightmare of tweaking medications and Lee feeling as if she had no control over her body. At one point, she said, she’d gained 40 pounds. There were days she could train and days she could only do certain things. Then there were days she couldn’t even get out of bed. By the end of February, Lee had returned to competition. It was an inauspicious start — she did only uneven bars and balance beam at Winter Cup and fell off both — but it let her know she could still do this.

Has anyone won two Olympic all-around titles before?

Yes, but it’s been a minute. Or a half-century. Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union was the first to win two Olympic all-around titles, winning in 1956 and 1960. Vera Caslavska of then-Czechoslovakia then won the next two, in 1964 and 1968. But it’s been a new champion at every Games since then. 

In fact, there hasn’t been a reigning all-around champion who’s won another medal of any color since Ludmilla Tourischeva of the Soviet Union. After winning gold in the all-around in 1972, she was the bronze medalist in 1976. 

How many Olympics has Simone Biles been to?

The 2024 Paris Olympics are Simone Biles’ third Olympic Games.

How old was Simone Biles at her first Olympics?

Biles was 19 years old at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

What are the twisties in gymnastics?

Biles missed most of the Tokyo Olympics after developing a case of “the twisties,” which caused her to lose her sense of where she was in the air and jeopardized her physical safety.

Who is Simone Biles married to?

Simone Biles is married to NFL player Jonathan Owens, who will be at the all-around final today. At the team final on Tuesday, he sat with Biles’ parents and wearing a T-shirt with ‘BILES’ on it and a huge photo of his wife in action on it. He landed in Paris on Tuesday morning.

During the first rotation of Monday’s team final, Owens was seen with a pen in hand, possibly recording scores, as Biles performed her vault routine. Mic’ed up on NBC’s broadcast, Owens let out a healthy “let’s go!” after Biles recorded a 14.900 on the vault, the highest score among the three U.S. gymnasts.

Simone Biles’ Instagram caption deservedly put MyKayla Skinner on blast

The scorch marks on MyKayla Skinner are going to be visible for a while after Simone Biles put her on blast Wednesday. Deservedly so, mind you. The Tokyo Olympian had the audacity earlier this summer to criticize the women who eventually made the team for the Paris Games, saying they weren’t as talented and didn’t have the same work ethic as in Skinner’s day.

“Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions,” Biles captioned an Instagram post of her and her teammates — Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee and Hezly Rivera — celebrating their gold medal Tuesday night.

Simone Biles’ moves named after her: What to know

Simone Biles has left her mark on the sport of gymnastics, in addition to her combined 28 world championship and Olympic medals. Biles has five skills named after her: Two on vault, two on floor exercise and one on balance beam. Here’s are the Simone Biles moves named after her.

Simone Biles’ Yurchenko double pike: What to know

The Biles II is also known as the Yurchenko double pike, one of five moves named after Simone Biles. Vaults are categorized by “families,” which are based on the entry. On Yurchenko vaults, a gymnast does a roundoff onto the takeoff board and a back handspring onto the table. Biles then follows it with a double somersault in the piked position.

Few men even try this vault, which is so difficult because of the power it takes to get two somersaults as well as its lack of a bailout. If something goes awry, more likely to land on her head or neck than her knees.

Biles began doing this vault in 2021 but didn’t do it at a worlds or Olympics until the 2023 world championships. With a 6.4 difficulty value, it is the hardest vault in the women’s code.

When Biles did the vault last year, she took a half-point deduction for having coach Laurent Landi standing on the landing mat, ready to step in and redirect her into a safe position if it looked as if she was headed for a scary landing. But neither Biles nor Landi feel the need for him to do that anymore.

The most difficult vault commonly executed by other gymnasts is valued at 5.6, eight-tenths lower than the Biles II, so doing it gives Biles a huge scoring advantage.

Where Simone Biles trains and what it’s like to train with her

Simone Biles trains at Champions Centre World, which is owned by Biles’ parents Nellie and Ron and is just outside Houston, has become one of the premier gyms in the country. WCC has two gymnasts on the five-woman US team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles and Jordan Chiles, with Joscelyn Roberson a traveling alternate and Tiana Sumanasekera a non-traveling alternate. It also sent the most gymnasts, five, to the Olympic trials, and had three more at the US championships.

‘Training with Simone is, like, once in a lifetime,’ said Roberson, who moved to WCC after the US championships in 2022. ‘She’s always so bubbly in the gym. Plus, she can hit. All the time. Like, she never has a bad day, which is insane to me.’

How Simone Biles shattered gymnastics age stereotype

Simone Biles, 27, is seeking to become the oldest all-around Olympic champion in women’s gymnastics in 72 years, and she is one of four athletes on the U.S. team who fit what used to be a rare mold, as repeat Olympians in their 20s. The other three − Jade Carey (24), Jordan Chiles (23) and Suni Lee (21) − all competed in college between their two Olympic appearances, which also used to be uncommon. (Hezly Rivera, 16, rounds out the team.)

With an average age north of 22 years old, it will be the oldest U.S. women’s gymnastics team to compete at the Olympics since 1952, according to USA Gymnastics.

‘The longevity of this sport has been totally changed. Simone has changed that,’ Chiles said. not to control everything that I can’t control anymore,” Biles said.

Thursday is perhaps the biggest day of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Simone Biles and some her of U.S. teammates competed in the women’s gymnastics all-around final, leading to Biles securing the gold medal. Teammate Suni Lee earned a bronze.

Elsewhere, the Olympic swimming schedule features four finals, including Katie Ledecky in the 4×200-meter free relay. Track and field gets underway with the men’s and women’s race walk. Olympic men’s golf begins with their first round of play. And the U.S. women’s basketball team continues group play against Belgium. (Follow live coverage of USA vs. Belgium.)

At least eight U.S. squads are competing across five team sports, 25 sports in total are in action, and USA TODAY Sports will bring you live results, the medal count, highlights, and more throughout the day. Follow along.

U.S. men’s 3×3 basketball team stunned, still seeking first win

The American men’s 3×3 basketball team has hit a new low.

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

The U.S. team was two points away from victory against 2020 Olympics gold winner Latvia, but the defending gold medalist went on a 6-0 run to win 21-19 and provide another devastating loss to Team USA. The U.S. team was up 19-15 with two minutes left, but Latvia completed the comeback in the next 100 seconds as Team USA missed its final four shot attempts.

It was a golden chance for the team to pick up momentum as it has an uphill battle to make the knockout round. The loss keeps the U.S. as the only winless team at 0-4. In last place out of eight teams, the top six teams advance to knockout play, and Team USA will likely need to win its final three games to advance. Meanwhile, Latvia is the only undefeated team at 4-0. — Jordan Mendoza

Olympic beach volleyball: U.S. women’s team of Nuss and Kloth stay undefeated

PARIS – Nothing has been able to stop the United States women’s beach volleyball tandem of Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Not the rain or lightning that filled the skies around them Thursday night at Eiffel Tower Stadium. Not the 75-minute delay at the most pivotal point in the match when they had battled back from one set down. And definitely not any of the three teams they played during pool play to open the Games. 

Nuss and Kloth are now off to the Round of 16 unblemished following an eventful three-set victory over China’s Xinyi Xia and Chen Xue – a gritty, come-from-behind victory for the young Americans with LeBron James in the stands. (“King James” did indeed wait out the weather.) 

After dropping the first set 21-15, the U.S. won the last two sets, 21-16, 15-12.

Officials called the match temporarily at 3-2 in the third. The teams traded points to 9-9 when a Chinese error gave the Americans a 10-9 lead. Nuss put it away for the final point of the game to complete the comeback. 

Kloth had 21 attack points and recorded two blocks. Nuss had 11 digs and 14 attack points. 

In the first set, the Americans could not find their footing and trailed 13-8 at the first timeout. China went on another 3-1 run to up the lead. An ace to make it 18-13 sealed the set and China took it 21-15. f

In the second, Nuss started running around like a Tasmanian devil in human form and mostly refused to let the ball hit the ground. She started feeling herself with the celebrations as the U.S. raced out to a 17-12 lead and secured the set, 21-16 – but not before China cut the deficit to two. Nuss drilled an ace to thwart any threat of a Chinese comeback in the frame.

The crowd began reacting with screams of “U” on the first hit, “S” on the second bump and “A” on the knock over the net. 

Then the rain started to fall. Lightning struck in the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. Play continued. Nuss and Kloth only became stronger with the elements. 

That was until the match was postponed. But it didn’t matter. — Chris Bumbaca

Olympic golf: Tokyo gold medalist Xander Schauffele remains in winning form

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France – The last time Xander Schauffele teed it up in an Olympics, he won a gold medal for Team USA. But it says something about how special Thursday was that Schauffele walked of the golf course saying, “It feels like I’m here (in the Olympics) for the first time.”

“For me, Tokyo was really special, obviously. But there were no fans,” said Schauffele, referencing the games of three years ago defined by COVID-19 restrictions. “The city was closed. I was stuck in my hotel room. … (This) was an awesome atmosphere.”

Schauffele, fresh off major victories at The PGA Championship and The Open Championship, is enjoying a bit of a moment right now. When those happen, you can shoot a 6-under-par 65 in the opening round of the Paris Olympics – and be 5 under at the turn – and then afterward bemoan your “clanky start.”

You could say that Schauffele stole the show Thursday, along with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (8 under), the lone player ahead of him entering Round 2. — Gentry Estes

Olympic beach volleyball: Thunderstorms halt U.S. pair’s match as crowds seek sheleter

PARIS – The USA women’s beach volleyball team of Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth were in the beginning of the third set of their match against China’s Xinyi Xia and Chen Xue when severe weather forced everybody to shelter. 

Leading 3-2 in the decisive game (to 15 points), officials called the match despite the players forging through rain and lightning in the distance – the lightning as the background, the Eiffel Tower being the foreground for the Thursday evening, pro-U.S. crowd. 

But as the storm approached over Eiffel Tower Stadium, heavy, cold rain, along with continued lightning and booms of thunder, sent the masses scattering. 

The match is expected to resume at some point but that might be a while. China took the first set, 21-15, while Nuss and Kloth stormed back in the second to take it 21-16.

The start of the U.S. men’s 3×3 basketball match vs. Latvia was also delayed because of the storm. — Chris Bumbaca

U.S. women’s basketball team wins again, unbeaten in Olympic Games since 1992

The U.S. women’s basketball team continued their road to another Olympic gold medal today against Belgium in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games group stage. The United States won 87-74, backed by Breanna Stewart’s game-high 26 points.

Two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson was a massive factor in Thursday’s win as well, racking up 23 points and 13 rebounds. Wilson could very well be on pace for tournament MVP, should the United States win their eighth straight gold medal.

Belgium entered the Olympics as Team USA’s biggest threat in Group C as FIBA ranks Belgium No. 6 in the world. But they lost the first matchup of group play to Germany 83-69. Emma Meesseman had a game-high 25 points in the loss and Washington Mystics guard Julie Vanloo had 18 points and six assists.

With America’s win, Team USA has clinched a spot in the quarterfinals and continue their journey to another gold. The U.S. women’s team has not lost since the semifinals of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. — Jack McKessy

Read more here from Lindsay Schnell: Why US women’s basketball welcomed close, tough battle with Belgium

Olympic golf: American Wyndham Clark struggles in opening round

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France – The thing about Wyndham Clark is he’s a streaky golfer.

When he’s right, he’s as good as anybody. You remember, right? He won the 2023 U.S. Open. Earlier this year, he shot a 60 to win a shortened event at Pebble Beach. He was second at Bay Hill, tied for second at The Players.

Clark has demonstrated why he deserved to be one of only four Americans who qualified for these Paris Olympics.

He just hasn’t shown it lately.

And that includes Thursday’s Olympics first round at Le Golf National. While most of the 60-player field took advantage of ideal scoring conditions on Day 1, Clark opened with a 4-over 75. His first three holes: bogey, double bogey, bogey. Though he stabilized from there, he closed with another double on No. 15.

Clark is tied for 56th, one stroke above dead last. He’s one of only 13 players over par. Were there a cut in this tournament, he’d surely miss it. Unless Clark gets real hot, real fast – Pebble Beach-style – the number of Americans golfers in realistic medal contention at these Olympics is already down from four to three. — Gentry Estes

USA women’s 3×3 basketball team finally wins after opening 0-3

Finally, a Team USA 3×3 basketball team won at the Paris Olympics.

In its fourth game in Paris, the U.S. women became the first to snap a streak of six total winless efforts between themselves and the equally floundering men’s team. They defeated Spain, 17-11, on Thursday.

Hailey van Lith and Rhyne Howard each scored five points (and one two-pointer apiece) in the victory. The team has two more games in pool play before the knockout stage begins. And if they don’t figure it out soon, they won’t last long once that begins. 

Howard finally showed some of her shooting capabilities by drilling four two-pointers on  six attempts from deep to keep the U.S. in the game. The Americans pulled away in the final minute to secure the all-important first win with one more game to play before the knockout round begins. — Chris Bumbaca

Katie Ledecky makes history as Team USA 4×200 relay squad secures silver

History in the pool: Australia wins gold in the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay. USA, with Katie Ledecky, gets silver.

That’s Ledecky’s 13th Olympic medal. She has now won the most medals by a female American Olympian, in any sport, ever. China finished out the podium, finishing third. – Christine Brennan

Team USA men’s doubles tennis team ends Andy Murray’s career

PARIS — The great Andy Murray’s tennis career ended on Suzanne Lenglen Court on Thursday evening, as Americans Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul took out Murray and his partner Dan Evans, 6-2, 6-4.

Murray, arguably the greatest British sportsman in history, announced he would be leaving tennis after the Olympics due to the cumulative toll of numerous injuries.

Murray will best be remembered for twice winning Wimbledon, ending a 77-year drought of British men winning the event. But in many ways, his career is uniquely linked with the Olympics. – Dan Wolken

Olympic fencing: Team USA women’s foil team wins gold

PARIS — The United States is fast becoming a world power in women’s team foil, and now it has the hardware to prove it.

The U.S. beat top-seeded Italy for its first-ever gold medal in the event Thursday at the Grand Palais, 45-39, capping a brilliant Olympics that also saw fencers Lee Kiefer and Lauren Scruggs win individual gold and silver.

Three years after losing to the Italians, 45-23, in a lopsided bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympics, the American women were the early aggressors on their way to their second medal in women’s team foil’s 64-year Olympic history.

The U.S. won silver in the event in 2008, but with less individual success than the team enjoyed this summer. Kiefer beat Scruggs in the individual final, 15-6, marking the first time the country has gone 1-2 in the sport in the Olympics. – Dave Birkett

Kate Douglass wins 200-meter breastsroke final, sets American record

NANTERRE, France — Team USA’s Kate Douglass is officially an Olympic champion, winning the women’s 200-meter breaststroke final Thursday with a time of 2:19. 24 – a new American record. 

It’s the 22-year-old two-time Olympian’s third medal overall and second at the Paris Olympics after winning silver in the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay.

Douglass out-touched defending Olympic champion Tatjana Smith of South Africa, who won silver with a time of 2:19.60. Smith won the gold in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke. The Netherlands’ Tes Schouten took bronze in 2:21.05. Team USA three-time Olympian Lilly King finished eighth in 2:25.91. – Michelle R. Martinelli

Team USA women’s basketball tips off against Belgium: Follow live

The U.S. women’s basketball squad looks to stay hot against Belgium in group play. USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the matchup.

Kevin Durant gives props to Simone Biles for her ‘bounce’

Whenever Simone Biles decides to leave gymnastics behind, she may have a future career as a stretch-4 in the NBA.

‘I really believe Goat Biles can catch a lob and finish. #bounce,’ Durant posted on Thursday.

Biles can certainly finish: She took home the all-around gold medal, beating out Brazil’s Rebecca Andrade and Team USA partner Suni Lee.

Regan Smith takes home silver medal in 200-meter butterfly

NANTERRE, France — Teenage Canadian star Summer McIntosh added to her already impressive Olympic haul Thursday by winning the women’s 200-meter butterfly final with a time of 2:03.03, edging defending Olympic champ Zhang Yukei and American Regan Smith.

At Paris La Défense Arena, Smith won silver with a time of 2:03.84, and Zhang of China took the bronze and a time of 2:05.09.

Through the first half of the Paris Olympics, 17-year-old McIntosh already won gold in the women’s 400-meter individual medley and silver in the women’s 400-meter freestyle. – Michelle R. Martinelli

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American downed in badminton

American badminton player Beiwen Zhang looked to be cruising early in the round of 16 women’s singles Thursday – especially if you didn’t know her opponent.

Zhang won the first set against Spain’s Carolina Marin – the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, non-badminton enthusiasts! – before succumbing 12-21, 21-9, 21-18.

Born in China, Zhang became a naturalized American citizen in 2021 and made her Olympic debut that same year at the Tokyo Games. She suffered an Achilles injury during her round of 16 match in Tokyo, but was healthy as she took the court Thursday.

Moreover, she entered the Paris Olympics with the hope of becoming the first American to win an Olympic medal in badminton. The dream still was alive with the score in the third set against Marin locked at 15-15.

Alas, Zhang she noted Marin’s experience in high-stakes matches when asked about the final outcome of their badminton battle. – Josh Peter

Novak Djokovic dealing with knee injury in matchup vs. Tsitsipas

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic is aiming to win his second Olympic medal, but he may have to fight through an injury to get there.

During his matchup with Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, trainers took a look at Djokovic’s surgically repaired knee. Djokovic did not withdraw, and headed to a third set vs. Tsitsipas.

How high can Simone Biles jump?

Simone Biles, Team USA gymnastics draws record viewership for NBC

Just like Simone Biles flying through the air on vault, NBC’s viewership numbers for the women’s gymnastics team final at the Paris Olympics were through the roof.

NBC’s live daytime broadcast of the women’s gymnastics team final averaged 12.7 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, marking the event as one of the network’s top weekday daytime events in Olympic history.

This meant that more people tuned in live to watch Team USA’s gold medal-winning performance than for any single game of the 2024 NBA Finals or the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.  – Carrie McDonald

Pair of U.S. boxers defeated

American boxers Jennifer Lozano and Morelle McCane both missed out on opportunities to advance for medals on Thursday.

Lozano (50kg) fell to Finnish fighter Pihla Kaivo-Oja, who won the fight on judge’s scorecards in all three rounds.

In the women’s 66kg division, McCane faced Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova. Judges awarded the fight to Khamidova on a 3-2 split decision.

Team USA men’s 3×3 basketball loses third straight to open group play

PARIS — The U.S. men’s basketball 3×3 team cannot get off the schneid. 

Without Jimmer Fredette, who is dealing with a right leg injury that prevented him from playing, the U.S. lost its third straight game to open pool play of the Olympics, as Lithuania pulled away late from the U.S. to win 20-18.

Canyon Barry picked up the slack in Fredette’s stead and had nine points. Kareem Maddox finished with five. Barry had a chance to tie it at the buzzer following a defensive stop but his attempt from 2-point land clanked off the front rim.

Fans clapped for Fredette as the in-house emcees noted his absence from the contest.  – Chris Bumbaca

Team USA women’s field hockey squad remains winless

It’s not the trip to Paris that the U.S. women’s field hockey team envisioned.

Through four matches in Pool B, Team USA is still search for its first victory after losing 5-2 to Great Britain on Thursday.

The Americans were tight at the half, trailing a goal to Great Britain, but a dominant second half by the Brits put the game away.

The U.S. is in fifth place in Pool B and close out group play on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 1:15 p.m. vs. South Africa, who is also winless.

Jake Paul rips Olympic boxing match sparking controversy over gender eligibility criteria

Jake Paul, an honorary coach of the U.S. Olympic boxing team, sounded off on Thursday.

Paul, the social media influencer and pro boxer, joined a chorus of objectors following an Olympic women’s boxing match that included an Algerian fighter whose gender eligibility has come under question.

The Algerian, Imane Khelif, won her opening bout Thursday after landing a single punch – on the nose of Italy’s Angela Carini.

Soon after, Carini quit − 46 seconds into the bout. She wept in the ring and during interviews with reporters.

“This is sickening,’’ Paul wrote on his verified X account. ‘This is a travesty. Doesn’t matter what you believe. This is wrong and dangerous.’’ – Josh Peter

Team USA men’s beach volleyball squad makes coaching change

Amidst their quest for a medal, the men’s beach volleyball squad of Miles Partain and Andy Benesh have decided to make a coaching change, dismissing bench boss Mike Plasek on Thursday.

The decision was somewhat surprising.

“There was a team meeting and a team decision to not move forward with their coach,” NBC beach volleyball broadcaster Dain Blanton reported during the opening set of the match. – Mark Giannotto

Simone Biles goes for gold in women’s gymnastics all-around final

Simone Biles is looking to extend her Olympic gymnastics record medal count on Thursday when she competes in the gymnastics all-around final. USA TODAY Sports is providing live updates, highlights and more from the events.

Olympic golf: Play again suspended due to lightning

After a brief restart of play in Round 1, the Olympic golf tournament was again halted due to lightning in the area. Rain has played into the blueprint for Thursday’s Games, with drizzles expected to hit the area until early evening.

Olympic golf: Play resumes after brief weather stoppage

After lightning halted Round 1 of the Olympic golf tourney, play resumed at 11:05 a.m. ET (5:05 p.m. local). Xander Schauffele looks to finish his round strong as the top American on the leaderboard.

Olympic golf: Lightning suspends first round of play

The threat of lightning has suspended the first round of play in the 2024 Olympic golf tournament. At the time of suspension, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama sat at the top of the heap at 8-under. American Xander Schauffele and Mexican Carlos Ortiz are tied at 2-under.

U.S. men’s doubles tennis to play for gold

Despite the quick turnaround from their men’s doubles win over Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal, the American team of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek cruised through their semifinal Thursday afternoon and will play for a gold medal. 

Ram/Krajicek defeated Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-2, needing only 61 minutes to get the job done. 

Ram and Krajicek are two of the most accomplished doubles players in the world, who prepared for the Paris Olympics by playing together in Davis Cup competitions the last two years.

Ram, 40, won a silver medal in Rio eight years ago in the mixed doubles alongside Venus Williams. He has won four Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles. 

Krajicek, 34, was ranked No. 1 for a time last year after winning the French Open doubles, his first major. 

Interestingly, it could be an All-American final if Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul beat Andy Murray and Dan Evans of Great Britain later Thursday afternoon.

This is the last professional tournament for Murray, a two-time gold medalist in singles and three-time Grand Slam champion, who has struggled with injuries for several years. – Dan Wolken

Americans off to strong start in Olympic golf

Americans Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler are off to good starts in the first round of Olympic golf at Golf National in Paris. Schauffle, who won the 2024 PGA Championship and 2024 British Open, trails Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (-8) by one stroke through 14 holes.

Meanwhile, Scheffler, the World’s No. 1 golfer and 2024 Masters champion, carded a -4 and currently sits tied for 10th place.

The 60 contenders will all play four rounds in a stroke play format, with the medalists taking the fewest number of shots to complete the 72 holes.

Four-time French Open champion stunned in semis

PARIS — The queen of Roland Garros was dethroned Thursday in the Olympic semifinals – by a different kind of queen.

No. 6 Qinwen Zheng – or QUEEN-wen, as she enjoys being called around the WTA Tour – took out No. 1 Iga Swiatek, 6-2, 7-5, in a stunner that will give China a chance to win its first gold medal in tennis on Saturday.

Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion at this venue, hadn’t lost a match at Roland Garros since the 2021 quarterfinals. She came into the Olympics as a massive favorite, but perhaps felt a different kind of pressure trying to win gold for Poland, her home country.

Instead, she’ll have to settle at best for the bronze medal.

Zheng will play either Donna Vekic of Croatia or Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia for the gold medal. − Dan Wolken

Michael Phelps leading Team U-S-A chants at Olympic golf

Michael Phelps, who is serving as a commentator for NBC during the Games, is taking in the first round of Olympic golf at Golf National in Paris. The a 23-time gold medalist is at the first tee cheering on the Americans in front of a raucous crowd.

Smith, Bacon advance to semis in women’s 200m backstroke

PARIS – American swimmers Regan Smith and Phoebe Bacon advanced to the semifinals of the women’s 200-meter backstroke early Thursday morning at Paris La Defense Arena.

Bacon, in her first race of the Paris 2024 Olympics, finished fourth in a time of 2:09. Smith (2:09.61) was sixth.

The top 16 racers move on to the semis. − Dave Birkett

World No. 1 women’s archer upset

World No. 1 archer Casey Kaufhold of the United States was upset 7-3 by Lei Chien-Ying of Taiwan on Thursday, knocking Kaufhold out of the women’s individual archery competition in the second round.

Kaufhold’s opponent shot three perfect 10s in the final set to slam the door on Kaufhold’s individual medal hopes in the 20-year-old’s second Olympics.

She still has a shot for a medal alongside Team USA’s Brady Ellison in the mixed competition on Friday. − Gentry Estes

3×3 USA women’s hoop team loses third straight

PARIS – So far, not a good start for the reigning champion 3×3 women’s basketball team. Not good at all. 

The Americans dropped their third straight game to open pool play at the tournament, this one a 17-15 loss to Australia on Thursday. The team has two more games in pool play before the knockout stage begins. And if they don’t figure it out soon, they won’t last long once that begins. 

Now it’s back to the drawing board – again – for the USA. Frustrations are mounting. 

“Everybody’s got the same refs,” Cierra Burdick said. “I don’t worry about things that are out of my control. Some people get good calls, some people get bad calls, that’s basketball.” 

After the opening loss to Germany two days ago, Hailey van Lith said the team’s intensity needed to improve. 

“I think the effort was a little bit better,” Burdick said. “But we got to find another gear to tap into. Because we’re not getting it done.” 

The improvement would come during group play, the Americans have been saying. But for Burdick, it hasn’t come quickly enough. 

“I think we’re getting a little bit better, but not at the pace that I’d like,” she said. “But we gotta find our way.” − Chris Bumbaca

Boxer who faced gender questions wins in bizarre fashion

PARIS – Algeria’s Imane Khelif, one of two female Olympic boxers disqualified from the 2023 world championships after failing gender eligibility tests, entered the ring Thursday at the Paris Games.

It ended in abrupt and bizarre fashion.

Khelif prevailed when Italy’s Angela Carini stopped fighting 46 seconds into the bout.  The fight in the welterweight division at 66 kg (146 pounds) was scheduled for three three-minute rounds.

The issue of gender eligibility criteria surfaced at the 2023 world championships when Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting of Taiwan both won medals in the women’s competition before tournament officials announced the boxers had failed gender eligibility tests. They were stripped of their medals. − Josh Peter

Team USA advances to the semis in women’s team foil

PARIS – Lee Kiefer is going for gold again, and this time she’s bringing the rest of the U.S. women’s foil team with her.

Kiefer, who beat teammate Lauren Scruggs for gold in individual foil on Sunday, and Team USA advanced to the semifinals in women’s team foil Thursday with a 45-37 win over China in its table of eight match.

The U.S. women will face the winner of Canada-France in its semifinal match. Italy and Japan meet in the other semifinal.

Kiefer has won gold in individual foil at the past two Olympics, while Scruggs, a 21-year-old student at Harvard, won her first Olympic medal Sunday.

Jacqueline Dubrovich, a two-time Olympian, is the third member of the foil team. −Dave Birkett

Team USA rowers win gold medal

VAIRES-SUR-MARNE, France − Team USA rowers Nick Mead, Justin Best, Michael Grady and Liam Corrigan won a gold medal Thursday at the Paris Olympics in the finals of the men’s four competition. With Mead in the bow position and Corrigan at the stroke, the group recorded a time of 5:49:03.

The gold is the first for the USA in the men’s fours since the Olympic Games Rome 1960. − Chase Goodbread

USA’s Brady Ellison advances to archery round of 16

A five-time Olympian, Ellison has long been considered one of the world’s best. He has three medals in his past − but no gold medals.

Men’s 50-meter rifle results

Liu Yukun extended China’s gold medal lead by winning the men’s 50-meter rifle 3 positions event, with a total score of 463.6. Serhiy Kulish secured Ukraine’s second medal of these Games, claiming silver with a score of 461.3. India’s Swapnil Kusale took the bronze with a score of 451.4.

Olympic track predictions

Who will be the big winners in track and field at the Paris Olympics? USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon predicts the podium for every event.

Men’s race walk results

It’s quite early in the United States, but medals are already being awarded in Paris.

Brian Daniel Pintado of Ecuador won the gold medal in the men’s 20K race walk, crossing the line first with a time of 1:18:55. Caio Bonfim of Brazil took second (1:19:09) and Spain’s Alvaro Martin placed third (1:19:11).

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

The women’s gymnastics all-around final is at 12:15 p.m. NBC is airing.
Swimming heats start at 5 a.m. The finals for the women’s 200m fly and men’s 200m backstroke are back to back (2:30 p.m.) before the women’s 200m breaststroke final (3:03 p.m.) and the women’s 4x200m free relay (3:48 p.m.). Katie Ledecky swims a leg of the 4x200m free relay for the U.S. NBC is airing the finals. USA Network is airing the heats.
Women’s basketball has four group stage games: Japan vs. Germany (5 a.m.), Australia vs. Canada (7:30 a.m.), France vs. Nigeria (11:15 a.m.), U.S. vs. Belgium (3 p.m.).
Men’s golf starts with Round 1 of play starting at 3 a.m.
The 3×3 basketball slate has 16 games starting at 3 a.m. and running through 5:05 p.m.
Other sports in action: Archery, badminton, beach volleyball, BMX racing, boxing, canoe slalom, equestrian, fencing, field hockey, golf, handball, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, table tennis, tennis, track & field, volleyball, 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.

What Olympic medals can be won today?

All times Eastern

Gymnastics: women’s all-around final (12:15 p.m., NBC)
Swimming: women’s 200m fly (2:30 p.m.), men’s 200m backstroke (2:37 p.m.), women’s 200m breaststroke (3:03 p.m.), women’s 4x200m relay (4:03 p.m.). NBC is airing the finals.
Track & field: men’s 20km race walk (1:30 a.m.), women’s 20km race walk (3:20 a.m.)
Fencing: women’s foil team bronze (1:10 p.m.), women’s foil team gold (2:30 p.m.). E! is airing the finals.
Shooting: 50m rifle 3 positions men’s final (3:30 a.m.)
Sailing: men’s and women’s skiff medal races (times TBD)
Rowing: women’s double sculls final a (5:18 a.m.), men’s double sculls final a (5:30 a.m.), women’s four final (5:50 a.m.), men’s four final a (6:10 a.m.). E! is airing all the finals.
Judo: Six medal matches (11:18 a.m start)
Canoe slalom: men’s kayak single final (11:30 a.m., E!)

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

All times Eastern

The U.S. men’s golf team begins play with Round 1, which starts at 3 a.m. Golf Channel is airing.
The U.S. men’s water polo team plays Greece in group play at 4:30 a.m. E! is airing.
The U.S. is competing in men’s beach volleyball against Brazil at 9 a.m. NBC is airing. 
The U.S. women’s field hockey team plays Great Britain in pool play at 11 a.m. USA Network is airing.
The U.S. men’s 3×3 basketball team plays two games today: The first is against Lithuania at 1:05 p.m. (USA Network), the second is against Latvia at 5:05 p.m. (NBC).
The U.S. women’s basketball team faces Belgium in group play at 3 p.m. USA Network is airing. 
The U.S. women’s 3×3 basketball team plays two games today: The first is against Australia at 7 a.m., the second is against Spain at 3:30 p.m. E! is airing the second game.
The U.S. is competing in women’s beach volleyball against China at 4:05 p.m. NBC is airing.

Olympic golf today: What to watch

Men’s golf tees off in Round 1 at Le Golf National, which hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup. American Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship and British Open this year, is the defending Olympic champion.

Olympic swimming today: What to watch

Katie Ledecky will try for another medal with the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team. Ledecky won silver as part of the relay in Tokyo. In other events, keep an eye on Ryan Murphy in the 200 backstroke and Kate Douglass and Lilly King in the 200 breaststroke.

Olympic swimming schedule today

All times Eastern

Heats for the following events start at 5 a.m.: women’s 200m backstroke and 4x200m free relay; men’s 50m free and 200m IM.
Semifinals for the following events start in the afternoon: men’s 50m free (2:44 p.m.), women’s 200m backstroke (3:10 p.m.), men’s 200m IM (3:34 p.m.).
Today’s finals: women’s 200m fly (2:30 p.m.), men’s 200m backstroke (2:37 p.m.), women’s 200m breaststroke (3:03 p.m.), women’s 4x200m free relay (4:03 p.m.).

Olympic Gymnastics today: What to watch

In the women’s all-around final, Simone Biles will be the heavy favorite for gold. At last year’s world championships in Antwerp, Belgium, Biles won her sixth world all-around title, erasing any doubts about her ability to compete with the world’s best after withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics. Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and U.S. teammate Shilese Jones shared the podium with Biles at worlds. If she wins the all-around title in Paris, Biles would be only the third female gymnast – and first since 1968 − to win the all-around gold twice.

Olympic fencing today: What to watch

In women’s team foil, the Americans are ranked No. 2 in the world behind Italy. Lee Kiefer is expected to lead the U.S. team, which also includes Lauren Scruggs and Jackie Dubrovich.

PARIS – They were cruising towards the first gold medal in American team fencing history, up 10 comfortable points in the penultimate eighth round.

And as Italy slowly whittled its deficit down to eight points by the end of the round, then in a flash four and then three, Lauren Scruggs – the anchor and breakout star of the U.S. women’s foil program at these Paris Olympics – steeled herself against the walls she felt closing in.

“I think mainly it was like, you don’t want to be the person to lose the bout so I think luckily I had a big lead and it gave me some time to kind of get my bearings together,” Scruggs said. “I was able to buckle down and finish out the bout, but I think a lot of that just came from my pride. I’m a very prideful person and so at the end you really saw me use every last ounce of strength to just battle out and get those touches.”

Scruggs scored three consecutive points to close the match and flipped off her mask in stunned disbelief when she touched Italy’s Arianna Errigo to give the U.S. a historic 45-39 win.

Scruggs, Lee Kiefer, Jacqueline Dubrovich and Maia Weintraub became the second group of American women to medal in the 64-year Olympic history of women’s team foil and the first United States fencing team of any gender or any weapon to win gold.

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

The U.S. women won their only other medal in team foil, a silver, in 2008.

With the win, the U.S. avenged a loss in the bronze-medal match to the top-seeded Italian team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and cemented itself as a new power in foil.

Kiefer beat Scruggs, 15-6, in the individual foil final and is the first American woman to win three fencing medals. Scruggs, 21, gave the U.S. its first ever 1-2 finish in individual foil and leaves Paris with two medals, a silver and gold. Dubrovich, 30, announced her retirement after the match, but both she and Weintraub, an Olympic newcomer, made important contributions Thursday as the U.S. showcased its depth.

Kiefer and Scruggs put the U.S. ahead 10-5 after two rounds, and when Italy tied the match at 12, Dubrovich scored three points in a row for some much-needed breathing room. Weintraub, similarly, staved off an Errigo rally in her first Olympic bout.

“It is still shocking and I think it will be for some time,” Dubrovich said. “We all knew we could do it. We have a very talented team and it’s – yeah, it’s surreal. It’s surreal that it all came together finally in the most important moment and we had glimpses throughout these last three years. But for it to come together at the biggest stage for fencing is very beautiful.”

Dubrovich said Thursday’s match marked the final competition of her career. She’s been engaged for almost five years and plans to get married, start a family and resume her marketing career.

“I put a lot of things on hold and I’m very content with this being my last time,” Dubrovich said. “My soul knows it’s the end of a journey.”

Kiefer, 30, declined to discuss her future plans, but has seen the rise of the U.S. women’s foil team since her first Olympics in 2012.

She lost to eventual silver medalist Errigo in individual foil that year and was part of the U.S. team that was beaten 45-23 by the Italians with a bronze medal on the line in Tokyo.

She attributed the team’s rise to a mix of great coaches, talented fencers and more commitment from USA Fencing.

“I started fencing these level competitions when I was 14 and often we wouldn’t even make the second day of competition,” she said. “And for many years I could never even fathom being on a podium at a World Cup, and slowly we broke through, we got there and then we got to world championships, and then here we are the Olympic Games, so it’s taken many years.”

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

NANTERRE, France — Teenage Canadian star Summer McIntosh added to her already impressive Olympic haul Thursday by winning the women’s 200-meter butterfly final with a time of 2:03.03, edging defending Olympic champ Zhang Yufei and American Regan Smith.

At Paris La Défense Arena, Smith won silver with a time of 2:03.84, and Zhang of China took the bronze and a time of 2:05.09.

Through the first half of the Paris Olympics, 17-year-old McIntosh already won gold in the women’s 400-meter individual medley and silver in the women’s 400-meter freestyle.

Zhang was the 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in the 200 fly ahead of Smith, and her record of 2:03.86 was shattered by McIntosh Thursday. Zhang was also one of 23 Chinese swimmers involved in a doping scandal from 2021, and she’s one of 11 competing in Paris. 

In Wednesay’s semifinals, McIntosh qualified first, followed by Smith and Zhang in second and third, respectively, along with American Alex Shackell in fifth. 

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

PARIS — Jimmer Fredette was the first name introduced for the United States men’s basketball 3×3 team ahead of its matchup Thursday against Lithuania.

When he exited the tunnel, the former BYU star could hardly walk. He moved with a significant limp to his left leg while walking to the free throw line and started on the bench. Fredette coached from his seat past the halfcourt, out-of-bounds line.

Fredette limped through the media mixed zone after the USA’s 20-18 loss to Lithuania, their third consecutive of the tournament, and said he is game-to-game with a lower-left leg injury.

The Americans have one more game Thursday – at 11:05 p.m. ET against Latvia.

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

Fredette’s three teammates found out he’d be unavailable against Lithuania during a team meeting in the afternoon after he received results of medical tests, Dylan Travis said.  

“We all shed some tears. It’s emotional,’ Travis said. ‘He’s worked his whole career, and came out of retirement to do this. He’s been working two years for it. For him not to be able to play, just feel bad for him.”

Fredette, 35, apparently suffered the injury Wednesday against Poland, a 19-17 loss for the Americans. Fredette had three points but missed all four of his attempts from two-point range., 35, The night prior, during his 2024 Paris Olympic debut against Serbia, Fredette had four points.

“He’s put in so much … he’s like family to us. So when one of your family is hurting and down, everyone’s down,’ said Canyon Barry, who led the U.S. with eight points and nearly tied the game at the buzzer with a two-pointer that came up just short. ‘So saying prayers for him. He’s such a good human being.

‘For him not being able to compete in the game today after everything that he’s put into it is really sad. But he’s so supportive on the bench, helping coach us. He’s still a part of the team. He’s still going to be instrumental in our team’s success.”

Indeed, Fredette stayed active throughout the 10-minute game from his courtside perch. He called plays, helped the Americans keep track of the 12-second shot clock and shouted out screens. On-court coaches are not permitted on 3×3, so the U.S. did its best to turn the disadvantage of not having Fredette into the game into an opportunity.

“It’s hard,’ Barry said of Fredette taking on an unfamiliar role. ‘I think he sees the game from a different perspective, when you’re not super tired and fatigued in the heart of it.’

Without Fredette, who has the ball in his hands 80% of the time for the U.S., Travis estimated, the team that is already looking like a quick exit once the knockout round starts now has a severe dropoff in dribbling poise and shot-making ability.

And Fredette’s teammates are hopeful the training staff can work on Fredette enough that he can return at some point in the tournament.

“We got to keep playin,’ Barry said. ‘He’s such a good shooter that we’re going to have to find other ways to score. Haven’t made shots this tournament, and I think that’s been our Achilles heel so far.”

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It came down to the final floor routine for Simone Biles, but her legacy as the greatest American Olympic gymnast has been cemented.

Biles out-dueled Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade to capture another gold medal in a closer-than-expected women’s all-around competition Thursday at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It’s the second gold medal for Biles at these Games after she helped the United States win the team competition earlier this week to give her the most Olympic medals by an American gymnast in history.

In front of another star-studded crowd that included the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Seth Rogen, Biles recovered after a miscue on the uneven bars and captured her second women’s all-around Olympic gold medal. She won gold in the all-around competition during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and now has nine medals over her Olympic career. American teammate Suni Lee, who won the all-around gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after Biles pulled out due to the ‘twisties,’ took home the bronze medal.

Given Biles’ popularity, and all she went through in Tokyo three years ago, Americans everywhere rejoiced at her return to the top of the Olympic podium. Here’s a sampling of the reaction to Biles’ floor routine and Team USA picking up yet another gold medal in the women’s gymnastics team competition at the Olympics:

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

Simone Biles wins all-around gold medal in Paris: Social media reacts

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. —Browns running back D’Onta Foreman sustained an injury during Thursday’s training camp practice that required him to be immobilized on the field and eventually taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital.

The Browns said Foreman ‘had movement in all his extremities’ when he was taken by helicopter to hospital in Roanoke, Va., at roughly 11:25 a.m. Roanoke is about a 90-minute car ride from The Greenbrier in southeastern West Virginia, which necessitated the helicopter flight.

There was no immediate update on Foreman’s condition following the conclusion of practice around 11 a.m. The Browns did say updates would be provided ‘as more information is received.’

‘Yeah, it’s hard, right?,’ linebacker Jordan Hicks said following practice. ‘It’s tough. It’s part of football. It’s probably the worst part of football, but we’ve got a great medical team and praying and hoping for the best.’

Foreman was participating in a punt coverage drill about an hour into Thursday’s practice at The Greenbrier when he was injured by, according to the Browns ‘a direct blow to the head’ on a collision. The blow resulted in, according to the Browns, ‘neck pain.’

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The Browns training staff initially spoke to Foreman while he was seated on the ground. However, they helped lay him back down on the ground and signaled for the cart when it became apparent a potential neck injury was involved.

Foreman was immobilized on a backboard before placed on the cart. He was then taken to a nearby ambulance, which then moved to a gravel lot located above the complex in order to await the helicopter.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski and Browns executive vice president J.W. Johnson were nearby observing the training staff as they worked on Foreman. The Browns continued to go through the remainder of punt coverage drills, moving to a different end of the field, before going on with the remaining half-hour of practice.

At the conclusion of practice, the entire team and staff gathered for a moment of prayer and silent meditation.

‘He just wanted to say, ‘drop to a knee,” offensive line coach Andy Dickerson said of Stefanski’s message at the end of practice. ”Let’s get a quick prayer. So just leave it at that. But our training staff took care of everything, so you feel good.’

Foreman, 28, was signed by the Browns on April 5 to provide depth at running back due to Nick Chubb and Nyheim Hines recovering from knee injuries. The former third-round pick out of the University of Texas in the 2017 draft by the Houston Texans has played in 52 career games with the Texans, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears, rushing for 2,326 yards and 14 touchdowns on 552 carries.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ