Shannon Sharpe and Chad ‘OchoCinco’ Johnson said they will each pay U.S. track athletes $25,000 if they win gold at the Paris Olympics. 

Sharpe and Johnson made the pledge during their Nightcap podcast on Monday night after discussing that American athletes would earn $37,000 for winning gold at the Olympics. They considered that figure unfair for four years of hard work. 

“Hey, Noah Lyles, if you win the 100 meter gold, me and Ocho $25,000 apiece,” said Sharpe, an ESPN analyst and Pro Football Hall of Famer. 

“Bet. You know I don’t like to spend money,” said Johnson, a former NFL star receiver. 

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

“Noah Lyles trained four years for nine seconds,” Sharpe added. 

“Noah, we got you,” Johnson said.

Sharpe and Johnson also mentioned U.S. track stars Sha’Carri Richardson and Sydney McLaughlin Levrone during the podcast. 

Sharpe went on to say he would pay $50,000 to any American to break a world record — “I don’t give a damn what the event is — out of my pocket,” he said. 

“You done bust your ass for four years straight to represent our country, and the payout, saying, ‘Thank you for the work you put in is 37 (expletive) thousand,’” Johnson said. “Come on man.”

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PARIS – The Ukrainian fencer wept.

And she beamed.

And she basked in cheers of her countrymen Monday night during the women’s individual saber competition at the Paris Olympics.

Olga Kharlan won a bronze medal. But make no mistake, it was a golden moment.

She gave Ukraine its first Olympic medal of the Paris Games – and first since Russia invaded her country almost 2½ years ago – in a stirring 15-14 victory over Sebin Choi of South Korea.

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

“I’m really happy, and, you know, sad at the same time,’’ Kharlan told reporters later, “because my country goes through this moment, the war.’’

On the fencing strip inside the cavernous Grand Palais, Kharlan, 33, at one point looked destined for defeat.

She trailed 12-7. But as Kharlan began to lose ground and hope, the crowd – which included a large contingent of Ukrainians − came alive with cheers and then chants.

“Ol-ga! Ol-ga!’’

Then Kharlan came alive.

One point after another, she climbed back into the bout. The crowd grew louder. Kharlan fought harder.

She stormed all the way back and, when the referee signaled the final, clinching point was hers, Kharlan dropped to her knees.

She sobbed.

She kissed the strip.

And then she greeted a procession of countrymen and countrywomen who came down from the stands to embrace her.

It was not just Ukrainians cheering in a crowd that included Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee. In the semifinals, pitted against France’s Sara Balzer, the French rooted for their own in Balzer’s 15-7 victory over Kharlan.

But in the bronze medal bout, as Kharlan fell deeper into a hole against Choi, the crowd appeared determined to help lift the Ukrainian back into the contest.

“All the public cheered,’’ she said later, “and it helped.’’

Those who know nothing about fencing may have heard about Kharlan in February. She was disqualified at the world championships for refusing to shake the hand of a Russian opponent after winning the match.

But Monday was more about triumph than statements.

Kharlan is a five-time Olympian, and now she has a fifth medal. There is a a gold, a silver and two other bronze.

But the medal from these Olympics, Kharlan said, is different.

“All the sacrifices, all the tragic moments,’’ she said, referring to 2 ½ years of war. “It’s special because it’s for my country.’’

NANTERRE, France — Ryan Murphy is three-for-three when it comes to Olympic medals in the men’s 100-meter backstroke after winning bronze in Monday night’s final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

So, obviously, he was smiling after the medal presentation while taking a victory lap around the pool deck at Paris La Défense Arena with Italian gold medalist Thomas Ceccon and Chinese silver medalist Xu Jiayu.

But as the 29-year-old American turned toward his family, his smile grew even bigger, and he started to laugh. It was more than simply seeing his wife, Bridget Konttinen, after his bronze medal-winning swim. 

“When I was walking back around, Bridget was holding up a sign, and it said, ‘Ryan, it’s a girl!’ ” Murphy explained later. “So I’m having a baby girl in January, so that was Bridget’s gender reveal to me.”

He, of course, knew they were expecting, but the sign was a surprise. 

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

“We honestly both thought it was going to be a boy, and everyone we were talking to thought it was going to be a boy,” he said. “So that’s really, really exciting.”

“And I think we’re only a couple of weeks behind Trevor Lawrence, too,” the Florida native and Jacksonville Jaguars fan joked.

In a tight 100 backstroke race that was really anyone’s to win, Murphy finished with a time of 52.39 behind Ceccon’s 52-flat and Xu’s 52.32. All eight finalists’ finished within .84 seconds of each other.

Murphy — a three-time Olympian and now seven-time medalist — started off strong and was in second at the 50-meter mark behind Xu before surging to the lead on the back half. But he lost a little steam in the final few meters and was out-touched.

“What I’ve really improved on over the years is being able to frame things really quickly,” Murphy said. “So immediately, you hit the wall, you’re hoping to win. And that was obviously my initial notion. [It’s], ‘Yeah, I want to win.’

“But getting third behind Thomas and Xu — they’re both really, really talented guys. They’ve been really good at this sport for a long time. They deal well with pressure. So being third in the world behind them, no, I’m really not disappointed in that.”

Despite the close finish, Murphy’s 100 backstroke Olympic record of 51.85 from the 2016 Rio Olympics remained intact, along with Ceccon’s 51.60 world record from 2022.

Entering the Paris Games with six medals, four gold, Murphy was the 2016 Olympic champion in the 100 and 200 backstroke at the Rio Olympics. Three years ago at the Tokyo Games, he won a bronze and silver medal in those respective events. He also was part of the gold medal-winning men’s medley relay teams in Rio and Tokyo.

Murphy has one more individual event; he will swim the 200 backstroke — prelims are Wednesday with the final Thursday — at the Paris Olympics. He’ll also likely be part of Team USA’s men’s 4×100-meter medley relay and have a shot at more Olympic hardware with that final scheduled for Aug. 4.

When asked if he’s dedicating his latest Olympic medal to his unborn daughter, Murphy had an easy answer: “Absolutely. Everything is going to be dedicated to that little girl.”

Follow Michelle Martinelli on social media @MMartinelli4

Fresh off a star-making run to the 2024 Western Conference Finals with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards has been soaking in everything the 2024 Paris Olympics have had to offer thus far.

For the Team USA guard, there have been few aspects of the experience more enjoyable than table tennis.

On Monday, one day after he scored 11 points and pulled down five rebounds in Team USA’s 110-84 victory against Serbia in its Olympic opener, Edwards was spotted in the crowd enthusiastically cheering on American Lily Zhang against Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi in the round of 32 of the women’s table tennis singles tournament.

Zhang went on to win her match 4-2 and advance to the round of 16.

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

It’s not the first time Edwards has engaged with the sport since arriving in Paris.

On the boat carrying the United States delegation before Friday’s opening ceremony on the Seine River, Edwards met the members of the American table tennis team and insisted that he would score at least one point against them in a game, with Olympic teammate Steph Curry prodding him by saying “They said they can smack you 21 nothing.”

“I don’t believe it. I’m not having it,” Edwards said. “Eleven to zero? I’m scoring one point.”

The sight of an NBA superstar, particularly one with Edwards’ magnetic personality, taking in and very obviously enjoying a sport much different and less high-profile than his own drew amused reaction on social media.

The St. Louis Cardinals get their veteran starter and outfielder for their playoff run, the Los Angeles Dodgers get their utility infielder and veteran reliever for their World Series championship run, and the Chicago White Sox get an infielder and valued prospects for the future.

Just like that, a rare three-way trade was consummated Monday with the Dodgers still trying to make more moves before MLB’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline on Tuesday.

The Cardinals, who have been seeking another veteran starter for months, land White Sox No. 2 starter Erick Fedde and White Sox outfielder Tommy Pham, who was originally drafted by St. Louis in 2006.

The Dodgers get Cardinals utilityman Tommy Edman, who has not played yet this season because of offseason wrist surgery and a sprained ankle, along with struggling reliever Michael Kopech. And the White Sox receive Dodgers infielder Miguel Vargas and Dodger prospects Alexander Albertus and Jeral Perez.

What trade means for Cardinals, Dodgers, White Sox

The trade should provide an immediate impact for the Cardinals, who can slot Fedde into the middle of their rotation. Fedde (7-4, 3.11 ERA) has struck out 108 batters in 121 2/3 innings, and is under contract next season as well for $7.5 million. This is the fifth time Pham has been traded, and the third time Cardinals special assistant Chaim Bloom has acquired him. Bloom traded for Pham as the GM with the Red Sox in 2022 and as vice president of the Rays in 2018.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

The Dodgers badly needed another infielder with third baseman Max Muncy, shortstop Miguel Rojas and infielder Mookie Betts all on the injured list. Edman is currently rehabbing at Class AA and should be joining the Dodgers in mid-August. Kopech, a former starter, has struggled in the closer’s role with the White Sox, going 2-8 with a 4.74 ERA and 1.351 WHIP (walks and hits per inning), but he throws 100 mph and has 59 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings.

The White Sox, meanwhile, are shedding salary and looking for the future. They are 27-81 and on pace to finish with the worst record in baseball history. They received the Dodgers’ 16th- and 18th-best prospects, according to Baseball America.

The White Sox are still are shopping at least five players, including ace Garrett Crochet. They have had trade talks with 15 teams about Crochet, including the Dodgers and New York Yankees.

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Only Stephen Nedoroscik truly knows what he was thinking as he sat back and closed his eyes during the men’s gymnastics team final Monday at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

For all the thoughts that could have been flowing through his head, it’s unlikely that the American gymnast was pondering how he was about to become a meme.

The 25-year-old Worcester, Massachusetts native had the unenviable, pressure-filled task Monday of competing in just a single rotation — the pommel horse — that wouldn’t take place until the end of the team final.

After the long, mentally taxing wait, he rose to the occasion, scoring a 14.866 on his routine to secure a medal (ultimately, a bronze) for his team. It was the first time the American men medaled in the team final since 2008.

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

Though it took the United States several brilliantly executed moves and routines to earn that place on the podium, social media users fixated primarily on Nedoroscik, the bespeckled pommel horse specialist whose moment of contemplation and focus captured by the NBC cameras became a source of inspiration, admiration and, of course, some jokes.

Here’s a sampling of how social media reacted to Nedoroscik and, specifically, the image of him sitting intently with his eyes shut:

Social media reaction to Stephen Nedoroscik and his pommel horse gymnastics routine

Chatter about Nedoroscik went beyond just that television screenshot.

The former Penn State standout and his outstanding pommel horse routine earned the affection of many Americans watching the competition. In that way, Nedoroscik embodied what’s so captivating about the Olympics — a previously little-known athlete is now a viral internet sensation and a national hero.

Blood rushed so quickly and incessantly from James McCann’s nose that it rendered his jersey unusable.

But taking a 94 mph fastball in his face could not knock McCann from the game.

The Baltimore Orioles catcher was struck by a Yariel Rodriguez pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning of Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays. It struck his nose and the bill of his helmet, spinning him facedown in the dirt at Camden Yards, and Orioles head athletic trainer Brian Abel raced out to administer aid, pressing a towel to his face.

The wayward fastball ended Rodriguez’s Monday after a grim 43-pitch outing in which he recorded two outs, walked four and struck McCann with a pitch. Yet McCann seemed determined to avoid a worst-case scenario.

Starting catcher Adley Rutschman was out of the Game 1 lineup and expected to catch Game 2. McCann leaving the game and leaving Rutschman with 17 innings to catch was a suboptimal option, unless the Orioles activated a catcher between games of the doubleheader.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

So after McCann got up, touched first base and drove in the Orioles’ fourth run with the hit-by-pitch, the Blue Jays summoned reliever Brandon Eisert. McCann repaired to the Baltimore dugout, where he continued receiving treatment and changed jerseys.

And then, nostrils stuffed with gauze, he came back in the game.

The 34-year-old catcher has a .590 OPS and 15 RBI this season, but is well-regarded for his handling of pitchers. And, as we saw Monday, his toughness.

He ended up catching all nine innings of the 11-5 victory and told reporters between games of the doubleheader that he prides himself on ‘grinding things out.’

The shiner and the still-bloody nostrils were more than enough proof of that.

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The United States women’s basketball team opened play at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a rematch of the gold medal game from the previous Summer Games.

Once again, it was Team USA that emerged victorious over Japan in the rematch on Monday in each team’s first group stage clash, three years after the U.S. came out on top to win the gold medal.

Brittney Griner pushed the Americans to the gold medal that day with 30 points in the 90-75 win. On Monday, it was A’ja Wilson and her 24 points that helped propel the U.S. to a 102-76 win.

Monday was just the start of the Americans’ attempt to repeat as gold medalists. Next, the Americans will contend with Belgium, then Germany, in their group for a spot in the quarterfinals.

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

USA TODAY Sports has updates, highlights, results and more from throughout the game. See them here:

Team USA women vs. Japan highlights

When does Team USA women’s basketball play next?

The Americans face Belgium for their second group stage matchup on Thursday, Aug. 1. The game starts at 3 p.m. ET and will air on USA Network and stream on Peacock.

U.S. defeats Japan, 102-76

Team USA dominated from close-range all game to open group play with a win. A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart combined for 46 points, and three others — Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum and Brittney Griner — got to double digits. Every player on the U.S. roster scored.

Team USA hits century mark

The U.S. reaches 100 points for the game after Ionescu grabs a defensive rebound then finds Copper with a deep outlet pass. Copper finishes with the easy score, and Team USA leads, 100-68.

Ionescu shows off with her own no-look pass

Stewart continues to be the benefactor of great passing. This time, it’s Ionescu who uses a no-look pass to find the power forward cutting to the basket for an easy layup.

Sabrina Ionescu hits second American 3-pointer

While Japan has relied mostly on the deeper shots, Team USA has had the opposite emphasis: the paint. Ionescu ends the Americans’ drought from beyond the arc with a deep 3 from the right wing. It’s the first made 3-point attempt by the U.S. since Plum made her first attempt in the first quarter. Team USA leads, 86-64.

U.S. leads after third quarter; Japan still relying on 3-point shooting

Through three quarters, the Japanese team has more 3-point attempts (32) than 2-point attempts (26). They’re also making those 3s at a better rate than they are from inside the arc — they’re shooting 38% from 3-point range and 35% from 2.

That’s a testament to the efforts Team USA has made as they continue to dominate the scoring inside. The Americans are defending tightly on one end and scoring from inside the paint on the other. The U.S. still leads, 79-57, with 10 minutes to go.

Gray continues to find open shooters

Gray followed up her earlier no-look pass with another one just a few offensive possessions later. Stewart once again finished with the score. Gray heads to the bench with 13 assists and four minutes left in the third quarter. Team USA has built a 20-point lead and is ahead 69-49.

Wilson consistently beating defenders on glass

Despite several double-teams and tough defense from Japan, Wilson has managed to grab rebounds on both sides of the floor. On a recent offensive possession, she grabbed an offensive board while sandwiched between two defenders before dishing an assist to Stewart for the score.

Chelsea Gray dishes no-look assist

Gray found Stewart cutting to the basket and sent her the ball with a no-look pass. Stewart finished with an easy layup as the U.S. continues to impress down low. Team USA leads, 59-42.

United States up at halftime

Team USA leads Japan, 50-39. Wilson still leads scoring with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting.

Wilson, Stewart leading the way for Team USA

The two have combined for 28 points — 14 each. As the first half winds down, the U.S. leads Japan, 47-35.

Americans dominating the paint

Team USA is outscoring Japan 22-4 from inside the paint. They lead, 37-27.

Kahleah Copper banged up

Copper went down hard and appeared to be in some pain after a collision while attempting a defensive rebound. She walked off by herself, but the broadcast showed her holding her hip/side on the bench.

Japan hot from 3-point range

Japanese shooters are 6-of-16 from beyond the arc, which has helped keep them in the game. Team USA still leads, 32-24, but the Americans still only have one made 3.

Griner grabs a one-handed rebound

A missed shot by Saki Hayashi bounces right to Griner’s outstretched hand, and she pulls in the rebound without needing the other. The ensuing offensive possession by the U.S. results in a made layup from Stewart to extend Team USA’s scoring run to 8-0. The Americans lead, 30-18.

Team USA leads after first quarter

The U.S. leads Japan, 22-15. Wilson leads all scorers with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Stewart, Griner and Wilson have combined for 12 of the Americans’ 16 rebounds. Himawari Akaho has five points for Japan, and the Japanese team has eight total rebounds.

United States dominating the glass early

Team USA has 12 rebounds to Japan’s six through eight minutes. Stewart leads the Americans with five of her own. Griner and Wilson are taking advantage of their height to find easy shots under the basket and pull down offensive boards.

Plum drills 3-pointer

Kelsey Plum hits the first 3 for the United States after Griner picks up an offensive rebound. Team USA leads 17-9.

Wilson re-enters

After Napheesa Collier picks up a second foul early, Wilson returns to action.

Team USA makes first substitutions

Brittney Griner, Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Plum all enter the game for the first time with five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Wilson, Taurasi and Chelsea Gray head to the bench.

Diana Taurasi gets her first assist

Taurasi finds Wilson under the basket with an excellent pass to tally her first assist of the contest. Wilson is up to eight points as Team USA leads, 12-7.

Rui Machida enters for Japan

Machida, who played for the Washington Mystics in 2022, entered for Miyazaki three minutes into the game.

Wilson rejects Evelyn Mawuli at the rim

Wilson tallies the first block of the game by stuffing a close shot attempt from Mawuli. She had previously recorded her first assist with a pass to Breanna Stewart on the previous offensive possession.

A’ja Wilson wins the tip

The American center got Team USA the first possession and immediately got the scoring started with an easy layup.

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

Date: Monday, July 29
Time: 3 p.m. ET | noon PT
Location: Lille, France
TV: USA Network
Streaming: Peacock, Fubo (free trial) 

Catch the Summer Olympics in Paris with a Peacock subscription

What time is the Team USA women’s game?

The game will broadcast on USA Network at 3 p.m. ET.

How can I watch Team USA women play Japan?

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

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

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 Cooper, 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

Japan roster

Himawari Akaho
Saki Hayashi
Rui Machida
Evelyn Mawuli
Stephanie Mawuli
Saori Miyazaki
Yuki Miyazawa
Nako Motohashi
Maki Takada
Nanako Todo
Mai Yamamoto
Asami Yoshida

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: 1 p.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
August 1 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: Belgium vs. United States: 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
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 early games shake out.

July 28 vs. Serbia, 110-84 W
July 31 vs. South Sudan, 3 p.m. ET
August 3 vs. Puerto Rico, 11:15 a.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 — nine 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, 2 points (1-0)
United States, 2 points (1-0)
Belgium, 1 point (0-1)
Japan, 1 point (0-1)

Team USA women’s lineup

Japan lineup

Stephanie Mawuli
Mai Yamamoto
Saki Hayashi
Evelyn Mawuli
Saori Miyazaki

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