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The nine swimmers to watch at Paris Olympics who could beat Team USA

While Team USA has a stacked roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics there are, of course, other competing nations fans will want to keep an eye on. 

As usual, many of the big-time swimmers to watch are Australians, whose rivalry with the U.S. seems to be strong as ever. But there is an abundance of others to follow during the Games. Here are nine swimmers from outside the United States you need to know ahead of swimming at the 2024 Paris Games. 

1. Léon Marchand, France

Poised to be a huge star for Team France, the 22-year-old is definitely one swimmer to keep an eye on. He didn’t medal in his Olympic debut in Tokyo, but since, he’s been on the podium in multiple world championship events and compiled ten NCAA titles. Most notably, Marchand lowered Michael Phelps’ 15-year-old last-standing individual world record to 4:02.50 when he won the 400-meter IM at world championships in 2023. He also won a world title last summer in the 200-meter IM, setting a European record (1:54.82). 

After the Tokyo Games, Marchand swam for Arizona State for three seasons and is a three-time, Pac-12 Men’s Swimmer of the Year. He turned pro several months ago and now trains with Bob Bowman, Phelps’ longtime coach who recently left the Sun Devils for Texas.

Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from

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2. Ariarne Titmus, Australia 

You may remember four-time Olympic medalist Titmus from the 2021 Tokyo Games when she won gold in the 200 free and 400 free — topping Katie Ledecky in the latter — and silver behind Ledecky in the 800 free. As the 400 free world record holder, the 23-year-old and Ledecky own nine of the 10 fastest times ever (Canada’s Summer McIntosh has the remaining one). Titmus broke the 200 free world record at Australia’s Olympic trials in June, swimming 1:52.23 and out-touching former world-record holder Mollie O’Callaghan by just .25 seconds. Expect Titmus to swim the 800 freestyle in Paris as well, adding more layers to her rivalry with Ledecky. 

3. Summer McIntosh, Canada

Back for her second Olympics, 17-year-old McIntosh heads to Paris with one of the newest world records. The two-time world champion first captured the 400 IM world record in 2023, breaking the 7-year-old mark from Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszú. At the Canadian trials in May, she lowered it again to 4:24.38. One of the most versatile swimmers in the world, McIntosh qualified in five individual events for Paris — 200 IM, 400 IM, 400 freestyle and 200 butterfly — but she dropped the 200 free. 

She has eight world championship medals, four of them gold, and she has the potential to medal in all four individual events at the Olympics. She’ll face Katie Ledecky and world-record holder Titmus in the 400 freestyle — McIntosh topped Ledecky in the event last year — and as the two-time world champ in the 200 fly, she’ll likely have to beat Team USA’s Regan Smith to claim gold.

4. Kaylee McKeown, Australia 

Another Australian swimmer with an American rival, the 23-year-old surely wants her 100 backstroke world record back from Regan Smith, who broke McKeown’s mark at the U.S. trials. Since 2019, both swimmers have broken the 100 back world record twice with McKeown setting it in 2021 and lowering it in 2023. They’ve also each had the 200 world record in that time, but McKeown is the current holder. A four-time Olympic medalist, McKeown was the 100 and 200 backstroke champion at the 2021 Tokyo Games, and she and Smith make both backstroke races must-watch events at the Paris Olympics. 

McKeown is also expected to swim the 200 IM in Paris. McKeown, American Kate Douglass and McIntosh each have two of the top-6 fastest times this year in the event, and they’re all within .53 seconds of each other, making this another hyped-up Olympic event.

5. Zhang Yufei, China

Now a three-time Olympian at age 26, Zhang is expected to compete in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly in Paris. After not medaling at the 2016 Rio Games, Zhang was the 200 butterfly Olympic champion and 100 butterfly silver medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Games, along with winning gold and silver medals in relays. The 100 butterfly world champ in 2023, she has two of the ten fastest times ever in the event, along with the third-fastest in history in the 200. 

But she’s also one of 11 Chinese swimmers involved in a doping scandal from 2021 going to Paris. Publicly unknown until this year, the controversy involved 23 Chinese swimmers testing positive for banned heart drug trimetazidine, but the World Anti-Doping Agency cleared them of any wrongdoing, allowing them to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.

6. David Popovici, Romania

The 19-year-old sprinter has the potential to shock the swimming world in Paris, despite not having his best performances in 2023. Popovici is the 2022 100 and 200 freestyle world champion and claimed the 100 free world record in 2022 before China’s Zhanle Pan broke it in February. Popovici is looking for his first Olympic medal at his second Games, and it seems like he’s trending in the right direction. In June, he posted the third-fastest 100 free time in history at 46.88 — just .08 shy of tying Zhanle’s world record. In the 200, he also swam a 1:43.13, which is the fastest time in 2024 and the fifth-fastest ever. So with some solid Olympic prep, Popovici could be a medal contender in two events.

7. Zhanle Pan, China

If anyone was wondering who’s the swimmer to beat in the men’s 100 freestyle, it’s 19-year-old Zhanle Pan, who lowered the world record to 46.80 in February to make him the world’s fastest swimmer going into the Olympics. A rising star with five world championship medals — four of them gold in the 100 free and three relays — Pan will likely contend for his first Olympic medals. Expect him to compete in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events in Paris, along with surely a couple relays. While medaling in the 50 and 200 is probably a stretch — he’s ranked outside the top 25 in both this year — he owns two of the three fastest 100 free times this year. His world record is about half a second faster than Americans Jack Alexy’s and Chris Guiliano’s best times from U.S. trials.

8. Sarah Sjöström, Sweden

A swimming legend, the 30-year-old has nothing to prove to anyone, especially with 25 world championship medals. But she’s back for her fifth Games and looking to add to her four Olympic medals. She was the 2016 Olympic champ in the 100 butterfly and won silver and bronze in the 200 free and 100 free, respectively. Until American Gretchen Walsh’s 100 butterfly at U.S. trials in June, Sjöström’s world record had stood since 2016. She also won silver in the 50 free at the 2021 Tokyo Games.

Sjöström is entered in the 50 free and 100 free as the world record holder in the latter. In the 50, she has the top-5 fastest times ever — including her 23.61 world record from 2023 and a 23.69 swim in February — and eight of the 10 best times this year.

9. Kristóf Milák, Hungary

An all-star butterflier, 24-year-old Milák is the current 200 butterfly world record holder with seven of the 10 fastest times in history. The other three belong to Michael Phelps. But all of Milák’s top times were notched during or before 2022. At the Tokyo Olympics, he was the 200 butterfly gold medalist and 100 butterfly silver medalist behind American Caeleb Dressel. For Paris, Milák hit the qualifying standard in both butterfly events, along with the 50 freestyle, and won gold in the 100 and 200 butterfly at European championships in June. But he’ll likely have to drop some time all around to medal in Paris.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Doctors react after Biden’s live address to the nation: A concerning ‘lack of emotion’

After President Joe Biden’s address to the nation Wednesday night, multiple doctors shared their opinions with Fox News Digital about his perceived health status based on his live speech.

Seated in the Oval Office, the president spoke relatively briefly about his withdrawal from the 2024 race and his commitment to continuing to serve the country for the next few months. 

He did not mention his recent COVID-19 infection, ongoing concerns about his cognitive health, or the recent assassination attempt on the life of former President Donald Trump.

Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor — who has never treated the president — noted that Biden seemed to be reading from a teleprompter on Wednesday night, as he often does, making it difficult for those watching to gauge his medical fitness.

Although Biden stumbled over his words a few times, Siegel was more concerned about the president’s apparent ‘lack of emotion.’

‘It is a very emotional time for him and he isn’t showing it,’ the doctor told Fox News Digital after the speech. ‘He seems to lack conviction.’

Siegel expressed concern that Biden ‘could be depressed and shocked by the current reality.’

‘I feel compassion for him,’ Siegel went on. ‘How can he quote from the Declaration [of Independence] without much conviction? I feel bad for him and for us.’

‘It is a very emotional time for him and he isn’t showing it.’

Dr. Robert Lufkin, a California-based physician and medical school professor at UCLA and USC, also weighed in on Biden.

Lufkin noted that he has never examined Biden, but offered his observations based on Wednesday’s speech and recent media events.

In previous appearances, Biden has shown signs of ‘cognitive deterioration,’ the doctor told Fox News Digital.

‘The findings in his previous presentations could have a variety of causes, including sleep deprivation, sedation, metabolic abnormalities or even neurodegenerative diseases.’

Tonight’s short presentation appeared to be read from a teleprompter, Lufkin agreed — ‘which is less demanding than the more spontaneous Q&A debate format of some of his previous events.’

In previous appearances, such as the June 27 debate, Biden has shown ‘confused rambling, sudden loss of train of thought in the middle of a sentence, halting speech, and the repeated use of the word ‘anyway’ when lost in a sentence,’ Lufkin noted.

‘Tonight, we did not see these in his presentation,’ he said. ‘His delivery was fairly uniform without interruptions.’

The fact that these findings were less apparent tonight could be due to the speech format of the presentation and use of a teleprompter, according to Lufkin.

‘That format is much less challenging and less likely to uncover pathology than a more rigorous Q&A exchange or debate format,’ he went on.

He said he hoped that ‘continued interactions with Mr. Biden in various presentation formats will allow us to understand his situation in more detail.’

Dr. Earnest Lee Murray, a board-certified neurologist at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee, said the speech from the Oval Office was ‘clearly better’ for Biden than the debate, but also noted that the president struggled at times with reading from the teleprompter. 

Murray has not treated or examined Biden.

‘Reading simple passages do become difficult in patients with dementia,’ he told Fox News Digital, expressing a professional opinion in general about such cases. 

The president struggled at times with reading from the teleprompter. 

‘Patients with a dementing process have significant difficulties with multitasking,’ said Murray, again speaking generally.

‘President Biden seemed more rested and relaxed tonight,’ Murray said. 

‘I suspect the stress of trying to run for office and be president was leading to even worse daily cognitive performance,’ he also said. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health

In response to earlier outreach from Fox News Digital, the White House press office said that ‘health was not a factor’ in the president’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 race. 

‘He looks forward to finishing his term and delivering more historic results for the American people,’ the White House said in its statement. 

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House unanimously votes to create Trump assassination attempt commission

The House of Representatives unanimously voted to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

No lawmakers voted ‘no’ nor ‘present,’ and 416 voted ‘yes.’ Ten Democrats and six Republicans did not vote.

The task force will be comprised of seven Republicans and six Democrats, with the members likely being announced this week.

House GOP leaders raced the bill to the floor after the deadly shooting at Trump’s Butler, Pennsylvania, rally nearly two weeks ago. One attendee died, and two others were injured, with Trump himself getting shot in the ear and evacuated off the stage by the Secret Service.

The vote was bipartisan, as expected — the hours following the shooting prompted a flurry of bipartisan condemnations against political violence, as well as scrutiny of the security situation that allowed a 20-year-old gunman with a rifle onto a rooftop just outside the rally perimeter.

‘The security failures that allowed an assassination attempt on Donald Trump’s life are shocking. In response to bipartisan demands for answers, we are announcing a House Task Force made up of seven Republicans and six Democrats to thoroughly investigate the matter,’ Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement on Tuesday. ‘The task force will be empowered with subpoena authority and will move quickly to find the facts, ensure accountability, and make certain such failures never happen again.’

The resolution was led by Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., whose district the shooting took place in and who was in attendance but unharmed.

Johnson told Fox News Digital in an interview last week that he wanted the panel to reach a conclusion as soon as possible — in part, at least, ‘so that people don’t make up their minds about some conspiracy theory or some sinister plot.’

‘Some of those rumors have begun already, and we have to address that immediately,’ he said ‘The idea of a task force is that we can have sort of a precision group or unit that goes to work on this immediately. It’ll be bipartisan and will have subpoena authority. I think that’s going to be very important to get the answers as quickly as possible.’

The bipartisan scrutiny of the security situation forced U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign on Tuesday.

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Three ways President Biden just helped Kamala Harris close in on Donald Trump

President Joe Biden has just gone from being his own worst enemy to being Kamala Harris’ greatest asset. I say that because the bumbling, unsure Joe Biden of three and a half weeks ago and since the disastrous presidential debate was absent on Wednesday night. 

To be sure, there were a few moments, indeed more than a few moments, where he stumbled over his words and expressions in his Oval Office address to the nation. But far more important was the brief 10-minute or so summary Biden offered Americans of his accomplishments. On Wednesday night, in the absence of a partisan political campaign, they suddenly seemed far more compelling than they did in the course of the now ended Biden-for-President effort. 

I say that because every point that Biden’s approval goes up from here on out will undoubtedly translate into additional support for Vice President Kamala Harris in her race against Donald Trump. 

In his brief address, Biden convincingly made a case for his leadership — both domestically and overseas — without direct partisan attacks or shrill and harsh rhetoric.

Most tellingly, Biden struck a theme that neither he nor the Democrats could have articulated while he was a candidate: ‘Passing the torch to a new generation.’  The president sought to inoculate Harris, perhaps not entirely convincingly, on her greatest liability — the Southern border and unfettered illegal immigration. 

Similarly, Biden made what I thought was a strong case for unity, stability and, most of all, democracy. 

Still, I don’t believe, nor would I mean to imply that this speech in any way changes or fundamentally alters the campaign to come. But it suggests that Joe Biden has been revitalized and can play three important roles for Vice President Harris.

First, as chief advocate for the Biden domestic and foreign policy. Second, as chief advocate for a new, and frankly untested, face on the national stage – the sitting vice president. And third, not to be underestimated, after Wednesday’s speech, there will be a revitalized and resurgent ability to raise vast sums of money to combat Donald Trump and the Republicans.

Make no mistake, Joe Biden, with his brief 10-minute address, has gone from being a pariah among donors to a likely celebrity again. The president, who just one short week ago was shunned by the party’s richest and most influential donors, will undoubtedly be welcomed back into living rooms from the Upper East Side to West Los Angeles as he makes the case simultaneously for his administration and that of his hoped-for successor.

Finally, the president’s speech gives Democrats an asset they frankly lacked until Wednesday night: a sitting president who can make the case for the Party. Biden no doubt will join with former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama to demonstrate newfound Democratic unity both at the convention and beyond. Harris now has an opportunity at that convention, both on her own and with her choice of vice president, to lay out her own vision of the America she hopes to lead.

I still regard Donald Trump as the front-runner in the 2024 election, as the polls narrowly show. But with a newly compelling Joe Biden, a united Democratic Party and three presidents to advocate on her behalf, Kamala Harris has a far better chance of winning this election than anyone thought possible just a few days ago.

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Biden backs Harris, pushes Supreme Court ‘reform’ in ‘pass the torch’ speech about ending 2024 bid

President Biden addressed the nation for the first time on Wednesday since bowing out of the 2024 election on Sunday, saying he is passing the torch to ‘a new generation’ while again throwing his support behind Vice President Harris in her campaign to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination. 

‘I decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation. You know, there is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life. There’s also a time and place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices. And that time and place is now,’ Biden said.

The speech lasted roughly 11 minutes, with the president sitting at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office while touting his years in political office and decision to bow out. Members of the president’s family were in attendance for the speech, including first lady Jill Biden, daughter Ashley Biden, son Hunter Biden and others. 

The president said he looks forward to the work before him in his final six months in office, including pushing for Supreme Court reforms. 

‘I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform because this is critical to our democracy,’ he said. Media reports recently surfaced that Biden is considering supporting legislation that would attempt to impose term limits on Supreme Court justices and a new enforceable ethics code.

Biden announced his exit from the presidential race on Sunday in an X post while self-isolating in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, after a COVID-19 diagnosis last Wednesday. After suffering ‘mild symptoms’ and ‘general malaise’ after his diagnosis, he received a negative diagnosis on Tuesday this week and returned to the White House.

His trip to the nation’s capital on Tuesday marked the first time Biden was seen in public since suspending his re-election bid on Sunday and the first time since being diagnosed with COVID-19 on July 17. 

His speech Wednesday evening included citing American forefathers and political leaders while arguing that ‘democracy is at stake’ this election cycle as the Democratic Party squares up against former President Donald Trump.

‘Thomas Jefferson wrote the immortal words that guide this nation. George Washington showed us presidents are not kings. Abraham Lincoln implored us to reject malice. Franklin Roosevelt, who inspired us to reject fear. I revere this office, but I love my country more,’ he said. 

‘It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president, but in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think is more important than any title. I draw strength and I find joy in working for the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our union, it’s not about me. It’s about you.’

Members of the Biden family were seen tearing up and hugging the president after he wrapped up his speech. 

Trump responded to the speech on Truth Social, saying it was ‘was barely understandable, and sooo bad!’

The 46th president had faced mounting pressure from his Democrat allies and legacy media outlets to bow out of the race since June 27, when he delivered a botched debate performance against Trump that was riddled with garbled remarks and where the president lost his train of thought and appeared more subdued than during other recent public events. 

The debate reignited concern among conservatives and critics that Biden’s mental acuity had slipped, while it marked the beginning of a pressure campaign among Democrats to oust Biden in favor of a candidate they believed is better suited to take on Trump.

Dozens of members of Congress began publicly thanking Biden for his work in the White House and decades in public office while calling on him to pass the torch to another candidate. 

Shortly after his announcement on Sunday afternoon, Biden endorsed Harris to pick up the mantle and make a run for the party’s nomination. As of Tuesday, Harris had enough delegates to lock up the nomination, which will be certified by the DNC next month.

He added in his speech on Wednesday that Harris is ‘tough’ and ‘capable’ while touting her as the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee. 

‘I’d like to thank our great Vice President Kamala Harris. She’s experienced. She’s tough. She’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now the choice is up to you, the American people,’ he said. 

Now that the president has dropped out of the election cycle, conservative lawmakers and others have called on Biden to resign from the White House, arguing that if he is unable to run for re-election, he’s unfit to run the nation for the roughly six months left of his tenure. 

‘If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough,’ House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement on Sunday.

Others have called on Harris to invoke the 25th Amendment while concerns mount over Biden’s health. Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles sent a letter to Harris on Thursday requesting that she invoke the 25th Amendment, exclusively telling Fox News Digital that Biden left the race ‘because he isn’t up for the job of president, and everyone in America knows it.’ 

‘I’ve said for over a year that Biden’s ever-declining health has rendered him incapable of leading the nation. With his recent reclusion following a supposed COVID diagnosis, it is now more apparent than ever that he must resign or be forced out. Since Biden has made it clear he will not resign, it is imperative that Vice President Harris move forward with invoking the provisions of the 25th Amendment to remove him forcibly. The safety and well-being of the American people and our nation depend upon it,’ Ogles said.

Biden’s announcement on dropping out was made just more than a week after an assassination attempt on Trump’s life during a rally in Pennsylvania and just days after the Republican National Convention wrapped up in Milwaukee, where Trump was officially declared to be the Republican Party’s nominee.

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NHL offseason tracker: Sabres sign goalie, Oilers hire GM

NHL general managers had money to spend this offseason with the salary cap rising from $83.5 million to $88 million.

That led to a busy free agency season in which USA TODAY Sports’ top 25 players moved within three days.

Though things are calming down and the Columbus Blue Jackets filled the final coach opening, there are more transactions to come.

Stars Leon Draisaitl, Sidney Crosby, Mitch Marner and Igor Shesterkin are eligible to receive contract extensions. Jeremy Swayman, Lucas Raymond, Seth Jarvis and Moritz Seider are among restricted free agents needing new contracts.

Here are the top NHL transactions that have occurred during the 2024 offseason:

July 24: Sabres agree to terms with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

The Buffalo Sabres avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to terms with goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on a five-year deal with a $4.75 million cap hit. The restricted free agent gets a big bump from last season’s $837,500 after setting career highs with 54 appearances, 27 wins and a 2.57 goals-against average. The Sabres will go with a young goaltending duo of Luukkonen, 25, and Devon Levi, 22, next season as they try to end a 13-season playoff drought.

July 24: Oilers name Stan Bowman general manager

New Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is known both for his three Stanley Cup titles and for stepping down after a 2021 report criticized how the Chicago Blackhawks handled a sexual-assault complaint during their 2010 championship run. He was recently reinstated by the league. Bowman detailed the steps he took during his absence from the NHL and said, ‘I can tell you without a doubt that those things will never happen on my watch again.’

OILERS: What Stan Bowman, others said about Blackhawks scandal

July 23: Sabres agree to terms with Beck Malenstyn

Forward Beck Malenstyn, acquired from the Washington Capitals in an offseason trade, agreed to terms with the Buffalo Sabres on a two-year contract with a $1.35 million cap hit. He had filed for salary arbitration. Malenstyn is known for his defensive work, penalty killing and physical play. He led the Capitals last season with 241 hits while recording career highs with six goals, 15 assists and 21 points.

Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen also has filed for arbitration.

Also: The Toronto Maple Leafs and forward Connor Dewar agreed to a one-year, $1.18 million deal. He had filed for salary arbitration.

July 22: Blue Jackets hire Dean Evason as coach

The Columbus Blue Jackets have settled on a new head coach.

Dean Evason will run the Blue Jackets’ bench after agreeing to a multi-year contract to fill a void created by the June 17 firing of Pascal Vincent. Not counting interims, Evason, 59, becomes the 11th coach in the franchise’s 24-year history.

Evason steps into the role after veteran Todd McLellan removed himself from the search process earlier this month. Evason doesn’t have as much experience as an NHL head coach as McLellan, but handled that role with the Minnesota Wild for five years before he was fired in November. Evason went 147-77-27 in 251 games with the Wild, including four trips to the playoffs.

– Brian Hedger, Columbus Dispatch

July 22: Joe Pavelski announces retirement

Joe Pavelski, who said in June he would take next season off, is retiring, he and the Dallas Stars announced. Pavelski, 40, finishes with 476 goals and 1,068 points in 1,332 career regular-season games between the San Jose Sharks and Stars. He’s the NHL’s leading U.S.-born playoff goal scorer with 74 and helped lead the Stars to back-to-back trips to the Western Conference final. Pavelski never won a Stanley Cup but he went to the Final in 2016 with the Sharks, scoring a playoff-leading 14 goals and four game-winners, and in 2020 with the Stars. He had been captain of the Sharks.

July 20: Canucks sign free agent forward Daniel Sprong

Winger Daniel Sprong’s deal with the Vancouver Canucks is for one year at a reported $975,000. He’s coming off back-to-back 40-point seasons despite averaging 11 to 12 minutes a night. He’ll add secondary scoring to a team that ranked sixth in goals per game last season. Sprong will get another chance to prove himself after the Seattle Kraken didn’t give him a qualifying offer in 2023 and the Detroit Red Wings let him go to free agency.

July 19: Red Wings, Joe Veleno reach deal, avoid arbitration

The Detroit Red Wings and forward Joe Veleno agreed to a two-year, $4.55 million contract, according to Sportsnet. He had filed for salary arbitration after getting a career-best 12 goals and 28 points in a bottom six role.

July 17: Hurricanes, Evgeny Kuznetsov agree to terminate contract

The Carolina Hurricanes placed forward Evgeny Kuznetsov on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract. He cleared waivers and the contract was terminated, which will allow Kuznetsov to play in Russia. He had one year, at a $7.8 million cap hit, left on his contract. The Washington Capitals, who traded him to the Hurricanes last season, retained half of that, and both teams are now free of that cap hit.

The mutual decision brings another offseason change to the Hurricanes roster. They weren’t able to re-sign trade deadline acquisition Jake Guentzel and traded his rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he signed. Defensemen Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce and forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Stefan Noesen left in free agency. Defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Matt Walker and forwards Jack Roslovic and William Carrier are among the offseason additions.

Kuznetsov spent time last season in the NHL/NHL Players’ Association assistance program and finished with only 24 points in 63 games. He scored a league-best 32 points during the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup run. He also was known for his goal celebration of flapping his arms like a bird.

The Hurricanes announced later in the day that they had re-signed forward Jack Drury to a two-year contract with a $1.725 million cap hit.

July 16: Kings re-sign Quinton Byfield

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft will get five years at a $6.25 million average. The Los Angeles Kings forward was a restricted free agent. The deal follows a breakthrough last season with a jump from three goals and 22 points to 20 goals and 55 points while being moved into a top six role. If he continues that progress, the deal will look good years from now.

Also: The St. Louis Blues said defenseman Torey Krug has been diagnosed with pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle and will be evaluated in six to eight weeks. If he needs surgery, he will miss the 2024-25 season. The team said the injury is a cumulative result of a bone fracture from earlier in his career. … Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs signed a two-year contract. He was pressed into action in the playoffs after an injury to Thatcher Demko.

July 13: Rangers, Blue Jackets sign players

The New York Rangers re-signed defenseman Braden Schneider to a two-year contract with a reported $2.2 million cap hit. The Columbus Blue Jackets and goalie Jet Greaves settled on a two-year deal and avoided arbitration. It’s a two-way deal the first year that pays him less in the American Hockey League, but the second year is a one-way deal.

July 11: Utah’s Tij Iginla signs entry-level contract

Igina, the son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, was the Utah Hockey Club’s first draft pick, taken sixth overall in June. He had 84 points in 64 games last season with Kelowna of the Western Hockey League. Iginla and Detroit Red Wings selection are the 13th and 14th of June’s 32 first-round picks to sign a three-year, entry-level contract.

Also: The Lightning and defenseman J.J. Moser reached a two-year, $6.75 million contract, avoiding arbitration. He was acquired from Utah in the Mikhail Sergachev trade.

July 10: Ryan Suter signs with Blues

Defenseman Ryan Suter, 39, who was bought out for the second time in his career, signed a one-year, $775,000 contract. He can earn another $2.225 million in performance bonuses. The Dallas Stars bought out the final year of his three-year contract. He was bought out by the Minnesota Wild in 2021.

July 8: Capitals name Chris Patrick general manager

Chris Patrick becomes the seventh general manager in Capitals history after being promoted from associate GM. Brian MacLellan was promoted to president of hockey operations. Patrick is the son of Capitals chairman Dick Patrick.

The Capitals were one of the busier teams this offseason, trading for Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Jakob Chychrun and Logan Thompson and signing Matt Roy, Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh.

July 6: Top two NHL draft picks sign

No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini (Sharks) and No. 2 pick Artyom Levshunov (Blackhawks) signed three-year, entry-level deals rather than return for another season at college. They could end up at different levels. Celebrini, who was the clear-cut No. 1 pick, is expected to open the season with the Sharks. Levshunov, depending on what happens in training camp, could start in the American Hockey League.

July 5: 14 players file for salary arbitration

Fourteen restricted free agents have filed for salary arbitration, the NHL Players’ Association announced.

They are (in alphabetical order): Jake Christiansen (Blue Jackets), Connor Dewar (Maple Leafs), Jack Drury (Hurricanes), Ty Emberson (Sharks), Jet Greaves (Blue Jackets), Ryan Lindgren (Rangers), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sabres), Beck Malenstyn (Sabres), Kirill Marchenko (Blue Jackets), J.J. Moser (Lightning), Martin Necas (Hurricanes), Spencer Stastney (Predators), Joe Veleno (Red Wings) and Oliver Wahlstrom (Islanders).

The key one is Necas, who has been linked to trade rumors. Moser and Malenstyn were acquired in offseason trades.

Hearings will be held from July 20 to Aug. 4, though nearly all players reach a settlement beforehand.

July 3: Kraken hires Jessica Campbell as assistant coach

Jessica Campbell made history when she was hired to join Dan Bylsma’s coaching staff on the Seattle Kraken.

She becomes the first female full-time assistant coach in NHL history to work behind the bench

Campbell, 32, made similar history in the American Hockey League when Bylsma hired her as an assistant coach with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in 2022. Bylsma, a former Stanley Cup winner, is bringing Campbell with him to the NHL after being named Kraken coach in May.

‘I just know that if the team has success and my impact is a good one, it could potentially open the doors for others,’ she said.

July 1-4: Early days of free agency

The Nashville Predators were among the winners by signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights lost key players early but have added back. On Day 3, the Detroit Red Wings signed two-time Stanley Cup winner Vladimir Tarasenko.

A look at the opening days of 2024 NHL free agency

June 24-July 1: Who was traded before free agency?

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were busy on the trade front. The Lightning moved out Mikhail Sergachev and Tanner Jeannot, then acquired the rights to Jake Guentzel and signed him to a seven-year, $63 million contract. The Capitals traded for forwards Dubois and Mangiapane, defenseman Chychrun and goalie Thompson, moving out goalie Darcy Kuemper and Beck Malenstyn.

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora receives lucrative extension

The Boston Red Sox announced Wednesday that they signed manager Alex Cora to a three-year contract extension through the 2027 season.

The deal is worth $21.75 million, ESPN reported. That would mark the second-highest salary for an MLB skipper behind Craig Counsell’s five-year, $40 million contract with the Chicago Cubs.

The Red Sox (54-46) entered Wednesday’s road game against the Colorado Rockies six games out of first place in the American League East and one game out of a wild-card spot.

Cora, 48, has a 494-416 record with Boston. The Red Sox won the World Series in his first season in 2018, but he was fired before the 2020 season in a fallout from the Houston Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. He returned to the Boston bench in 2021.

Cora’s current contract was set to expire after this season.

All things Red Sox: Latest Boston Red Sox news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

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Sports

Powerhouse Fiji dominates USA in rugby sevens. Here’s where US stands

PARIS – Fiji won the first two Olympic gold medals in rugby sevens after the sport was introduced at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics — and the island country in the South Pacific displayed its dominance once again at the outset in Paris.

After a 40-12 victory over Uruguay in its Paris Olympics opener, Fiji made easy work of Team USA. The United States got out to an early 5-0 lead after Orrin Bizer scored a try, but it was all Fiji after that.

Fiji put on an impressive display of superior speed, athleticism and strength and scored 38 unanswered points to rout the Americans 38-12. Team USA’s Perry Baker scored another try late in the second half with the match already out of hand.

“To play Fiji is an absolute nightmare because they are predictably unpredictable. They are the kings of (rugby) sevens,” Team USA coach Mike Friday said. “They controlled the kickoffs and were able to exert pressure. As much as it was against us, it was beautiful to watch. I don’t mean this in a derogatory way, they are like ballerinas. They are so graceful and agile.”

Fiji earned six points to lead Pool C after session one.

Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from

Team USA earned three total points and is in third place in Pool C behind Fiji and France (five points) going into session two of the rugby sevens competition. They will need a win against Uruguay for a chance to advance to the next round.

When is Team USA’s next rugby match?

Team USA will face Uruguay on Thursday at 9 a.m. ET.

USA rugby plays spoiler, gets draw versus host country France in Paris Olympics opener

The U.S. men’s rugby team was in a hostile environment for its opening match of the 2024 Paris Olympics versus host France.

The near-capacity crowd did the wave around the Stade de France and roared as the French team was introduced. But Team USA kept its composure and came away with a 12-12 draw and two points.

“We definitely fed off it,” Team USA’s Steve Tomasin answered when asked about the frenzied French crowd. “I always say, there’s nothing better than playing a team in their own country. To be able to quiet a crowd is just as fun as being able to hear a full roar. Even though we’re playing against them, it was still great to hear. We definitely fed off it. We knew what we were coming into.”

Lucas Lacamp scored a try (five points) midway through the first half and Tomasin converted a conversion to give Team USA a 7-5 lead in the first half. France’s Rayan Rebbadj scored a try early in the second half and was followed by a successful conversion by Jean-Pascal Barraque as the Frenchmen regained momentum, taking a 12-7 advantage.

However, Marcus Tupuola scored a game-tying try with 5:08 remaining but Madison Hughes missed the conversion that would’ve given Team USA a lead late in the second half.

Despite the missed conversion and the French crowd trying to will a victory for the home club, Team USA held on for the draw.

“It’s not many chances you get to play in a packed Stade de France. This is one of the most iconic rugby stadium’s in the world,” Tomasin said. “To open up a tournament against the host — this is what you dream about. A packed stadium in an Olympic opener. It doesn’t get much better than this.”

Team USA has never won a rugby sevens Olympic medal since the sport was introduced at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

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Who is Charlotte Dujardin? British rider accused of whipping horse

PARIS − Charlotte Dujardin, a six-time Olympic medalist in dressage who was expected to compete for gold at this year’s Games, withdrew from competition late Tuesday after she made what she called ‘an error in judgement during a coaching session’ in her treatment of a horse.

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports announced later Tuesday it had accepted Dujardin’s request for a provisional suspension while it investigates the incident. The suspension covers competition in the Olympics, which begins Saturday with team dressage.

Who is Charlotte Dujardin?

Dujardin, 39, is Britain’s co-most decorated female Olympian ever having won team and individual medals in the past three Olympics. She won team and individual gold at the 2012 London Games, an individual gold and team silver at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, and team and individual bronze in the pandemic-delayed Games in Tokyo in 2021.

Dujardin began riding horses at the age of 2, according to her website, and began competing a year later, but did not train in dressage until her teens. According to a 2016 profile in New Yorker Magazine, Dujardin’s father once spent $50,000 on a show pony for his daughters, but had to sell the pony years later amid financial difficulties.

Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from

Dujardin set world records in all three dressage disciplines, Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle, and took silver at the European Championships in 2023. She wears a crash helmet rather than the customary top hat during competitions, and once guest starred on the Netflix show ‘Free Rein.’

What did Dujardin do?

The television show ‘Good Morning Britain’ posted a video on social media Wednesday that reportedly shows Dujardin repeatedly whipping a horse during a training session.

Dujardin said in her social media statement Tuesday that a video ‘from four years ago’ showed her making an error of judgement she is ‘deeply ashamed’ of.

The international federation, in its statement, said it received a video Monday ‘depicting Ms. Dujardin engaging in conduct contrary to the principles of horse welfare.’

The video, the FEI said, was submitted by a lawyer representing an undisclosed complainant from a private stable, and that Dujardin ‘confirmed that she is the individual depicted in the video and acknowledged that her conduct was inappropriate.’

A lawyer representing the unidentified 19-year old complainant sent the video to the FEI and told The Guardian that the incident took place several years ago during a training session at a private facility.

“Charlotte Dujardin was in the middle of the arena,” the attorney, Stephan Wensing, told the UK-based publication. “She said to the student: ‘Your horse must lift up the legs more in the canter.’ She took the long whip and she was beating the horse more than 24 times in one minute. It was like an elephant in the circus.’

What they’re saying about the incident

Dujardin apologized for the incident in her statement and vowed to cooperate with the FEI’s investigation.

‘What happened was completely out of character and does not reflect how I train my horses or coach my pupils, however there is no excuse,’ she wrote. ‘I am deeply ashamed and should have set a better example in that moment.

‘I am sincerely sorry for my actions and devastated that I have let everyone down, including Team GB, fans and sponsors.’

FEI president Ingmar De Vos said in a statement the federation is ‘deeply disappointed with this case, especially as we approach the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.

‘However, it is our responsibility and crucial that we address any instances of abuse, as equine welfare cannot be compromised,” De Vos said in his statement. “Charlotte has expressed genuine remorse for her actions, and we recognise and appreciate her willingness to take responsibility. Despite the unfortunate timing, we believe this action reaffirms the FEI’s commitment to welfare as the guardians of our equine partners and the integrity of our sport.”

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Politics

Obama’s inner circle signals 44th president firmly behind Harris despite not saying so publicly

Former President Obama has not yet endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president, though allies in the Obama orbit indicate the 44th president is squarely behind Harris’ campaign. 

President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race Sunday afternoon in a letter posted to his X account, which was shortly followed by him endorsing Harris for president. Democrats nationwide soon united in their calls for Harris to become the party’s nominee as they square up for another election battle against former President Trump. 

Though Democratic leaders such as Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., as well as the Clintons and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have offered Harris their endorsements, Obama has remained mum. 

‘Michelle and I just want to express our love and gratitude to Joe and Jill for leading us so ably and courageously during these perilous times — and for their commitment to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on,’ Obama wrote in his statement following Biden bowing out, which did not including mentioning Harris. 

Since leaving the Oval Office, Obama has typically held his endorsement card close to his chest. He endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in June 2016, while his endorsement of Biden in 2020 was only made days ahead of the Democratic National Convention. 

Obama remained coy for a long while during the 2020 election about whom he would endorse, saying he would not back anyone during the primary. As Democratic contenders such as Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont dropped out of the primary race and cleared a path for Biden, however, Obama finally endorsed his former veep in August of that year. 

Harris was also a contender in the 2020 race, and had long had a friendship with Obama prior to her 2020 run, sparking media speculation that the 44th president could throw his support behind Harris instead of his VP. 

Harris was among the first elected Democrats in the nation to endorse Obama’s first run for president in the 2008 election, snubbing Hillary Clinton in favor of the then-Illinois senator. 

‘I’m told that I was the first elected person in California to endorse [Obama] when he decided to run for president,’ Harris said back in 2019 while she was campaigning for president. ‘I will remind you, and it is important to know, that early in those days Joe Biden was running against him.’

Harris was in attendance when Obama announced his candidacy for president in 2007, after first meeting him in 2004 when he was an Illinois state senator running for the U.S. Senate, the Washington Examiner previously reported. 

‘Barack Obama will be a president who finally ends the era of fear that has been used to divide and demoralize our country,’ Harris said during California’s Democratic convention in 2008. 

As Harris built her political career from San Francisco district attorney to California attorney general and then senator, Harris was even dubbed ‘the female Obama’ by some political analysts. 

Fast-forward to Harris’ 2020 campaign for the presidency — those in Obama’s orbit rallied around Harris’ campaign while the 44th president kept quiet. Public relations executive Michael Kempner and his wife held a fundraiser for Harris in the Hamptons that cycle, after they raised millions for Obama during his 2012 re-election campaign, Politico reported at the time. Eugene Duffy, who served as national finance committee member for Obama in 2008, helped fundraise for Harris that cycle, as did Obama donor and supporter Jeff Shell, the former CEO of NBCUniversal. 

Though Obama is again remaining coy with his endorsement in the 2024 cycle, powerful advisers and allies in his orbit have joined Harris’ campaign. Harris tapped Obama’s former attorney general Eric Holder to lead the vetting process of Harris’ potential running mates, while the campaign also reportedly contacted longtime Obama adviser David Plouffe for a leadership position on the team. Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, who worked as Obama’s 2012 deputy campaign manager and Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign chair, was announced as Harris’ campaign manager. 

Ahead of Biden dropping out of the race on Sunday afternoon, Obama allies notably helped lead the charge in calling for Biden to exit the race in favor of a candidate they believed was more suitable to take on Trump. 

Obama’s former chief campaign strategist David Axelrod declared earlier this month that Biden is ‘not winning this race.’ Actor George Clooney called on Biden to drop out of the race in a bombshell op-ed that was published just weeks after the Hollywood star co-hosted Biden, alongside Obama, for a ritzy campaign event in Los Angeles. Clooney has long had a personal friendship with Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, including vacationing with the first couple in previous years.

Another ally in Obama’s orbit, Jon Favreau, who served as former director of speech writing for Obama, also called on Biden to drop out of the race this month, saying he attended the fundraiser in L.A. with Clooney and Obama and witnessed firsthand Biden’s state of mental acuity. Favreau, alongside former Obama advisers Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor — known collectively as the ‘Obama Bros’ when they worked in the White House — also dedicated the majority of a podcast episode of ‘Pod Save America’ this month to trashing Biden. 

The ‘Obama Bros’ and other former advisers in Obama’s orbit have since taken to social media to celebrate Harris’ run. 

As momentum builds behind Harris’ candidacy, with the DNC anticipated to certify her as the nominee on Aug. 1, Obama’s statement Sunday follows his history of not expeditiously tipping the political scales in favor of one candidate over another. 

​​’We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,’ Obama said in his statement on Sunday. ‘I believe that Joe Biden’s vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond.’

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