The latest on the Paris Olympics | CNN (2024)

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We were treated to a truly stunning few hours of the Olympic Games on Thursday night in Paris.

From LetsileTebogo’s historic upset of Noah Lyles in the 200-meter final to the US men’s basketball 17-point comeback against Serbia, here are some of the standout moments from a historic evening in Paris:

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo celebrates afterwinning the 200 meterson August 8. His time of 19.46 seconds was the fifth-fastest in history.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo made history in more ways than one with his gold medal performance tonight in the men’s 200-meter race, and the emotional sprinter dedicated the win to his late mother.

Tebogo’s mother, Elizabeth Seratiwa, passed away last May, according to Olympics.com. On the track tonight, Letsile showed the camera that his racing spikes were marked with her birth date, and had her initials painted on his fingernails.

Tebogo’s victorious dash marks Botswana’s first ever Olympic gold and made him the first African in history to win the Olympic 200-meter sprint.

Tebogo is one of more than 600 International Olympic Committee scholarship holders at Paris 2024, according to Olympic organizers.

Tebogo’s victorious run was in some ways overshadowed tonight by the shocking revelation that American sprinter Noah Lyles, who finished a surprising third in the race, had Covid-19.

But Lyles was quick to turn the spotlight back toward the African sprinter, sharing his congratulations in a message on social media:

Lebron James and Stephen Curry of the United States celebrate after their team's win against Serbia during a the men's basketball semifinals match at Bercy Arena on Thursday.

Team USA has produced a breathtaking comeback to defeat Serbia 95-91 and advance to the men’s basketball gold medal game.

Serbia — led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić — led by 17 points at one stage during the second quarter but saw its lead evaporate against the supercharged offense of the US.

Two of the sport’s biggest names, LeBron James and Steph Curry, led the charge with some clutch buckets down the stretch as the defending Olympic champions avoided what would have been an all-time upset.

Team USA will take on host nation France in the gold medal game.

Serbia's Nikola Jokic and USA's LeBron James fight for the ball.

And just like that, the US has a five-point lead with just over 90 seconds left! What a turn of events here in Paris.

Steph Curry hits a big triple, LeBron James follows up with a powerful drive and lay-up and Curry again comes up big as he takes it to the hole and the US grabs control of the game.

Wow!

USA's LeBron James reacts during the semifinal match against Serbia.

Who else but LeBron James?

The NBA legend just drove to the bucket to level the score at 84 in the final minutes of this thrilling semifinal.

Team USA was down by 17 points at one stage in the second quarter but has battled its way back to eradicate the Serbian lead.

American sprinter Noah Lyles is not at tonight’s news conference for the medalists of the men’s 200-meter race.

Lyles announced after his bronze medal finish that he tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday.

Lyles’ name was on a placard marking where he would sit at the news conference, but it was removed just before it began.

A huge Devin Booker triple has put the US within five points of Serbia.

Steve Kerr’s players were left with a mountain to climb but have battled hard to leave themselves with a fighting chance as the game enters the closing stages.

Serbia’s talisman Nikola Jokić could be in trouble as the matchup winds down – he is on four fouls, one away from fouling out of the game.

USA's Anthony Davis fights for the ball with Serbia's Nikola Jokic.

Team USA has 10 minutes to save its Olympic skin.

Serbia leads by 13 points heading into the fourth quarter and is on track to complete one of the biggest upsets in Olympic basketball history.

The US trimmed the lead to six at one point but couldn’t keep the momentum going. A huge and-one on a three-pointer from guard Marko Gudurić highlighted another strong third period for the Serbs.

Can they hold on to produce an all-time shock?

Noah Lyles was hoping to compete for three gold medals in these Olympics. He’s won one, taken bronze in another and was going to compete in the men’s 4x100-meter relay on Saturday.

It’s not clear now if that’ll happen after his positive Covid-19 test.

Noah Lyles told reporters after his 200-meter race on Thursday that few people were aware of his Covid-19 diagnosis.

“We were trying to keep this close to the chest. The people who knew were the medical staff, coach, my mom,” he said.

Noah Lyles is taken off from the track with a wheelchair.

US sprinter Noah Lyles says he was feeling light-headed, had shortness of breath and experienced chest pain after his race, requiring help from medical personnel.

Lyles could be seen lying down on the track almost immediately after he finished the race and required the use of a wheelchair to get to the locker room area.

Lyles’ surprising loss in the 200-meter sprint was closely followed by revelations that he has Covid-19.

Noah Lyles reacts after competing in the men's 200m final at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

US sprinting star Noah Lyles’ surprise defeat in tonight’s 200-meter race, his signature event, was quickly bumped from the headlines by revelations he tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week.

Kate Hartman, the chief external affairs officer for the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said in a statement that the group supported Lyles’ decision to compete despite his illness.

Lyles was seen wearing a mask before the race and said he “quarantined off” following his diagnosis, but further details were not immediately available on the measures taken to prevent the spread of his illness to others.

“Our primary commitment is to ensure the safety of Team USA athletes while upholding their right to compete. After a thorough medical evaluation, Noah chose to compete tonight. We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely.”

Other positive tests: Covid-19 has made its unfortunate presence known at these Paris Games, as Lyles is far from the only athlete to test positive for the virus during the Olympics.

Five players on Australia’s women’s water polo team and Team GB swimmer Adam Peatytested positive for Covid-19last week.

ArshadNadeemof Pakistan celebrates after winning gold and a new olympic record at Stade de France.

Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan stunned the crowd — and the rest of the field — with an Olympic record throw of 92.97 meters in the second round of the javelin final.

It proved to be an unbeatable mark as Nadeem claimed the gold medal and dethroned India’s Neeraj Chopra as Olympic champion.

Nadeem is now Pakistan’s first Olympic medal winner since 1992 and, just to put on even more of a show, he throws a mammoth 91.79 meters with his last throw to own the two biggest throws of the night.

A truly dominant performance.

Chopra’s mark of 89.45 meters, the second best of his career, was good enough for silver, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters threw 88.54 meters for bronze.

It was Grant Holloway’s turn to be crowned Olympic champion this time around.

The Tokyo silver medalist left no room for doubt as he took over the men’s 110m hurdles final from the start, crossing the finish line in 12.99 seconds.

His teammate Daniel Roberts finished second with 13.09, just ahead of Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell who ran the same time.

This is the third gold medal for Team USA this evening at Stade de France.

Day one of the women’s heptathlon is over as the fourth and final discipline of the day, the 200m sprint, wraps up.

It’s Britain’s Katerina Johnson-Thompson who steals the show with a thunderous run of 23.44 to win her heat and reclaim the overall lead in the standings.

“It’s been a great day one for me, I can’t complain about day one as a whole,” Johnson-Thompson said. “Some ups and down. I got a PB (personal best) in the shot put, to throw 14 meters has been a long time coming.”

Nafissatou Thiam finishes a strong second place in her heat with a season-best time of 24.66.

Johnson-Thompson has 4055 points — a slender 48 point lead over Thiam, who’s on 4007, with USA’s Anna Hall on 3956 points.

It’s all to play for on Friday with the javelin, long jump and concluding 800m left to decide who will be crowned the heptathlon queen in Paris.

This post has been updated with quotes from Great Britain’s Katerina Johnson-Thompson.

Serbia's Vasilije Micic challenges USA's LeBron James in the men's semifinal basketball at the Bercy Arena.

Who saw this one coming?

In the men’s basketball semifinal, the all-conquering Team USA is being easily handled by Serbia, who are led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić.

The Serbs hold a 54-43 advantage at the half, having made 10 triples across the first two quarters. The US has a mountain to climb in the second half if it is to avoid what would be a stunning upset.

The Americans will be hoping that Steph Curry can rediscover some of his hot three-point shooting from the first quarter and help lead the comeback attempt.

Bronze medallistNoahLylesof the United States is pictured in a protective face mask after receiving medical attention.

American sprinter Noah Lyles woke up feeling “horrible” on Tuesday and tested positive for Covid-19, but he never considered dropping out of tonight’s highly anticipated 200-meter sprint, he told US Olympic broadcaster NBC.

Lyles — who fell short of his second sprinting win at the Paris Games, earning bronze while Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo took gold — wore a mask during an interview with the network just a short time after he received attention from medical personnel on the track following the race’s conclusion.

Lyles said he woke up “feeling really horrible” early Tuesday morning and “knew it was more than just being sore from the 100-(meter sprint).”

After receiving the positive test, Lyles said he didn’t want to panic, and that he’s been in “worse situations” for races before. He said he “quarantined off” and focused on trying to hydrate and rest.

He told the broadcaster he never considered not running the 200-meter final, but said his status is unclear for participating in future Team USA events at the Olympics.

“At the moment, I don’t know,” Lyles said, of whether he’ll run in the men’s 4x100-meter relay. “I’m feeling more on the side of, you know, letting Team USA do their thing. They’ve proven with great certainty that they can handle it without me.”

This post has been updated with additional quotes from Lyles.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the women's 400m hurdles final at Stade de France.

Team USA superstar and defending 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone put on a spectacular show at the Stade de France to defend her crown and retain her gold medal.

The 25-year-old smashed her own world record to take the win in 50.37 seconds.

As if that weren’t enough, McLaughlin-Levrone becomes the first woman to ever win two 400m hurdles Olympic crowns.

She runs around the Stade de France celebrating with a US flag and a crown on her head.

Anna co*ckrell from the US took silver running a big personal best of 51.87.

Bronze went to the Netherlands’ Femke Bol, who was tipped as the one athlete who could potentially beat McLaughlin-Levrone, with 52.15.

Bol and McLaughlin-Levrone were going head-to-head for much of the race, but the American pulled away as they entered the final 100 meters.

McLaughlin-Levrone is currently in a league of her own and will have her eyes set on becoming the first woman to go under 50 seconds.

She still has one race left at these Olympics as the USA aims to defend its 4x400m relay title.

Anthony Davis of the United States is seen in action with Filip Petrusevand Nikola Jokic ofSerbia.

Is there a massive upset brewing inside the Bercy Arena?

The Serbian offense has caught fire to expand the lead to double digits in the middle of the second quarter to leave LeBron James and Co. reeling.

Team USA’s defense has not exactly been airtight throughout the tournament, but its supercharged offense has been enough to blow every team in its path so far.

However, Steve Kerr’s side is struggling to find clean looks anywhere on the court and incapable of shutting down Serbia inside the paint and from beyond the arc.

This is must-watch stuff.

Gold medallist Tara Davis-Woodhall celebrates winning the women's long jump final at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

The USA’s Tara Davis-Woodhall has dethroned defending Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo to win the gold medal in the women’s long jump.

Davis-Woodhall put together a brilliant set of jumps in a high quality final, winning with a mark of 7.10 meters.

It was her second jump over the seven-meter mark, also posting 7.05m during the final.

Mihambo had to make do with silver after jumping 6.98 meters, with Jasmine Moore of the US taking bronze.

Davis-Woodhall has become one of track and field’s most entertaining athletes, known for her joyous and effervescent celebrations.

The 25-year-old cements her place as the world’s best jumper and improves on the silver medal she picked up at the World Championships last year.

“I’ve been saying this, I’ve dreamed of this moment my entire life, four years old when I started track and field,” Davis-Woodhall said afterwards. “I’ve been telling myself all year – 8-0-8, that’s the day we win the Olympics. 8-0-8, that’s the day.”

Davis-Woodhall later ran over the stands following her win to celebrate with her husband Hunter Woodhall, a three-time Paralympic medalist, and said it was extra special to have him there with her.

“It’s everything. We’ve worked so hard this season. I’m so excited to come back for the Paralympics, I’ll be here supporting him just like he’s here supporting me. I just can’t wait, it’ll be very special.

“I got to go find my husband, we’ll have some tequila shots or something [to celebrate].”

This post has been updated with quotes from Team USA’s Tara Davis-Woodhall.

USA plays Serbia at the Bercy Arena in Paris on Thursday.

Both teams are letting it fly from beyond the arc, but it is Serbia that leads 31-23 at the end of the first quarter.

The US’ Steph Curry has struggled at times in his first ever Olympics, but the two-time MVP has showcased the ability that makes him arguably the greatest shooter of all time. He has a game-high 17 points and made five triples in the opening period.

Curry’s scoring has been necessary to even keep pace with this dangerous Serbia squad, which has made five three-pointers and shot a red-hot 65% from the field as a team.

Team USA’s loaded offense has been forced to settle for deep attempts by the swarming Serbian defense.

And in case you were wondering, Joel Embiid is still receiving loud boos from the French crowd.

TaraDavis-Woodhallof the United States competes in the women's long jump final.

The USA’s Tara Davis-Woodhall, one of track and field’s most entertaining athletes, is putting together a brilliant set of jumps in the women’s long jump final.

She currently leads the field with a jump of 7.10 meters, her second effort over the 7-meter mark in this final.

Germany’s Malaika Mihambo is in second with 6.98 meters, with Jasmine Moore of the US in third place.

Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem competes in the men's javelin throw final.

Defending champion Neeraj Chopra has never broken 90 meters before, but he’s going to have to do that and then some if he’s to surpass Arshad Nadeem at the top of the javelin standings.

Chopra throws a season best 89.45m which is still a good three or so meters behind Nadeem who earlier threw the sixth-longest throw of all time. Chopra’s winning throw in Tokyo was 87.58m.

Incidentally, Pakistan has won 10 medals at the Olympics since 1948. Their last was in 1992 when the men’s hockey team claimed bronze.

Right now, it’s a showdown between Pakistan and India for the coveted gold medal.

NoahLylesis seen after the 200m men's final.

American sprinter Noah Lyles has Covid-19, according to reporting from NBC.

Lyles finished the 200-meter race at the Stade de France in third place, a shocking result that stunned the crowd in Saint-Denis. He laid down on the track after finishing the race and medical personnel tended to him.

Lyles’ mother told NBC, which holds the US broadcasting rights for the Olympics, that Lyles tested positive for the virus two days ago.

He was seen wearing a mask in the holding area ahead of the race.

Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan reacts at Stade de France on Thursday.

We have our first Olympic record of the night!

Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan just threw his javelin 92.97 meters, good enough for first place in this competition and well-past the Olympic record of 90.57 meters set in 2008.

It’s hard to put into words just how confident Noah Lyles was about this 200-meter race.

He was the top-ranked runner in this particular distance and had won the world championships in the 200m two years in a row. After he won the 100-meter race on Sunday, he said no one could touch him in the race.

“I’ll be winning,” he said.

“None of them are winning,” he added of the 200-meter field. “When I come off the turn, they will be depressed.”

Lyles could be seen lying down on the track immediately after the race finished and appeared to require medical attention. CNN has reached out to USA Track and Field for comment.

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo celebrates after winning the men's 200m final at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Thursday.

It’s time for the men’s 200-meter race and Noah Lyles is hoping to add another gold to his collection here in Paris. This is his signature race, and he was supremely confident in his chances after winning the 100 meters on Sunday.

He enters for introductions by bouncing around the track and pumping up the fans in the southwestern corner of the stadium. He takes his place in the starting blocks and the crowd starts to fall silent save for chants of “U-S-A!”

The gun sounds and a wave of noise goes around the Stade de France as the runners take off. Lyles is off like a shot and flying around the track — but he’s being passed by Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo!

Tebogo flies past Lyles and American Kenneth Bednarek to take the gold in 19.46!

And in the final steps of the race, Bednarek gets past his USA teammate to take the silver! Lyles, shockingly, has to settle for bronze — the same result he had in this race in Tokyo three years ago. That was a result that bothered him so much that he carried that 2021 bronze all the way to Paris to motivate him even more for his races at these Games.

Tebogo rings the victory bell as he celebrates winning the gold medal with the fifth fastest 200m time in history.

The men’s javelin is about to get underway and all eyes are on India’s Neeraj Chopra.

He earned India its first Olympic gold medal in athletics in Tokyo with the win earning him hero status back home.

And you’d be hard pressed to bet against him in Paris. Chopra heads into the Games not only as the defending champion but also as the reigning world champion.

Huge cheers ring around the Stade de France as he’s announced to the packed ground who are expectant of another stunning performance.

Czech Jakub Vadlejch may though have something to say about that as he aims to win a global title. Anderson Peters from Grenada is also one to watch.

Noah Lyles looks on before competing in the Men's 200m Final at Stade de France on Thursday.

The men’s 200-meter competitors are warming up for their race in just a few minutes and Noah Lyles is already a bounding ball of energy.

He concludes his warm-up by cupping his hand to his ears and waving his arms, urging the fans to make some noise. He’s greeted by American flags and massive cheers.

Lyles is going for the sprint double, having won the 100 meters on Sunday. No one’s done that in the Olympics since Usain Bolt accomplished it three times in 2008, 2012 and 2016.

French fans inside the velodrome were given a scare when home favorite Benjamin Thomas fell during the points race of the men’s omnium, but the 28-year-old recovered to rejoin the pack and secure France’s first track cycling gold.

The omnium is a multi-race event that concludes with the 100-lap points race, where riders are awarded points based on their positions in laps and in intermediate sprints.

Thomas was in gold medal position when he collided with another competitor and fell off his bike, but swiftly bounced back to get back into the race and finish with 26 sprint points and 40 lap points. He finished with a total of 164, good enough for gold.

Portugal’s Iúri Leitão took silver on 153 points with Fabio Van den Bossche of Belgium taking bronze on 131.

The night’s marquee track and field events have clearly taken center stage at the Paris Olympics — just look at the crowd.

The NBC broadcast panned around the stands to find, among others, rock and roll legend Mick Jagger, gymnastics “GOAT” Simone Biles, French swimming prodigy Léon Marchand, and hip-hop luminary-turned-Olympics ambassador Snoop Dogg.

The tension is only building in Stade de France as American Noah Lyles’ highly anticipated 200-meter final approaches.

Belgian athlete Nafi Thiam celebrates after her third and last attempt at the third event of the women's heptathlon.

Thethird leg of thewomen’s heptathlon— shot put — has just concludedinside the Stade de Franceand a familiar face sits at the top of the overall standings.

Belgium’s defending champion Nafi Thiam, chasing a record three consecutive Olympic gold medals, throws a personal best 15 meters 44 centimeters,which is good enough to take her into the overall leadsurpassingBritain’s Katerina Johnson-Thompson.

Johnson-Thompson,a two-time world champion chasing a first Olympic medal of her own,also throws apersonal best of her own of 14 meters 44 centimetersto keep up the pace with the Belgian.

Thiam’s lead is 50 points over the Brit - Thiam on 3070 points, Johnson-Thompson on 3020 withUSA’s Anna Hall on 2965.

There’s a brief pause now before the fourth discipline — the 200 meters — begins in just under an hour’s time.

We’ve got a battle between Americans at the top of the leaderboard in the women’s long jump after the first round of attempts.

Jasmine Moore just out-jumped her Team USA compatriot Tara Davis-Woodhall, going 6.96 meters to Davis-Woodhall’s 6.93 meters.

Davis-Woodhall is the favorite in the event as the top-ranked long jumper in the word, but she’ll have to answer Moore now.

Each competitor gets six attempts; longest jump wins the gold.

Noor Vidts of Belgium in action during the shot put event of the women's heptathlon on Thursday.

The women’s heptathlon is back underway inside the Stade de France with the third discipline, shot put, and Belgium’s defending champion Nafissatou Thiam is on a mission.

Thiam, chasing a record three consecutive Olympic gold medals, throws a personal best of 15 meters, 44 centimeters.

It’s currently good enough for the shot put lead as she aims to surpass Britain’s Katerina Johnson-Thompson in the overall standings. Johnson-Thompson, though, hits back with a personal best of her own: 14 meters, 44 centimeters.

The Brit, a two-time world champion chasing a first Olympic medal, leads the competition after the morning’s two disciplines: 100-meter hurdles and high jump. Johnson-Thompson currently has 2197 points, with Thiam second at 2173 — ahead of Team USA’s Anna Hall at 2164.

Remember: The heptathlon is made up of seven events, including hurdles, races of varying distances, the high jump, shot put and javelin throw.

Iran's Saeid Esmaeili celebrates after beating Ukraine's Parviz Nasibov on Thursday.

In a nail-biting contest, Iran’s Saeid Esmaeili narrowly beat Parviz Nasibovof Ukraine 6-5 to take the gold medal in the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling 67kg class.

It’s Nasibov’s second straight silver medal in the event.

Hasrat Jafarovof Azerbaijan and Cuba’s world champion Luis Alberto Ortawon the bronze medals.

Frank Ntilikina, center, and Victor Wembanyama of France celebrate with fans after their team's win against Germany on Thursday.

France is through to the men’s basketball final after a thrilling and close game against Germany. An incredible match for this neutral fan – one who usually watches the snooker at that. Wow, basketball is fast!

The home crowd at the Paris Olympics has been nothing short of incredible. The shouts that have followed Léon Marchand, Teddy Riner, and now the men’s basketball team must surely make a difference, with this team now guaranteed at least a silver medal.

Bercy Arena was a sea of red, white and blue, packed to the rafters, and full of Olympic spirit. Transformed from hosting the gymnastics last week to the basketball semifinals tonight, it’s another stellar venue in the Paris lineup.

With 30 seconds to go, there were just two points in it, with France eventually coming out on top, 73-69.

Even this inexperienced eye could pick out the standout performances.San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and Guerschon Yabusele both had a great game.

Next up… USA-Serbia, and we’ll find out who will play France here at Bercy on Saturday night.

Ellesse Andrews of New Zealand celebrates after winning gold on Thursday.

New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews stormed to victory in the women’s keirin final, earning her nation’s fifth gold medal of the Games and first in cycling.

The keirin is an event about patience, timing and speed – three laps are carried out behind a motorized bike before an all-out, three-lap sprint ensues.

Andrews took the lead with two laps to go and didn’t look back, holding her nerve to maintain her advantage and take the win ahead of the Netherlands’ Hetty van de Wouw.

The Dutch rider snatched the silver medal from Team GB’s Emma Finucane on the home straight, with the Brit being forced to settle for bronze.

Huge roars from the French fans in attendance as their compatriot Agathe Guillemot qualifies for the finals in the women’s 1,500 meters.

Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia takes the heat with a time of 3:55.10. Rounding out the qualifiers are Jessica Hull of Australia, Nikki Hiltz of the USA, Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia and Susan Lokayo Ejore of Kenya.

Welteji takes the race but Guillemot takes the plaudits as the crowd cheers her across the finish line.

Faith Kipyegon of Kenya competes in the women's 1500m semifinal on Thursday.

And we’re off to the races here in the Stade de France.

In the first semifinal of the women’s 1,500 meters, and it’s no surprise that Faith Kipyegon of Kenya takes the heat. The defending gold medalist set the world record in Paris earlier this year and is the heavy favorite here. She finishes in 3:58.64.

Six racers from this heat will qualify. Also going through to the finals are Georgia Bell of Great Britain, Elle St. Pierre of the USA, Águeda Marqués of Spain, Klaudia Kazimierska of Poland and Laura Muir of Great Britain.

Start the party inside the Bercy Arena.

Host nation France narrowly defeated reigning world champion Germany 73-69 in the men’s basketball semifinals to move on the gold medal game. The Victor Wembanyama-led side will take on either Team USA or Serbia in the final.

Les Bleus led by 13 points at one stage and looked set to cruise down the stretch, but Germany went on a 16-4 run late in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to just two points inside the final 30 seconds.

Despite the spirited comeback, the French squad held on by the skin of its teeth and put the game out of reach with some clutch free-throw shooting.

Guerschon Yabusele led the French in scoring with 17 points while Dennis Schröder posted 18.

Germany still has the chance to take home some hardware in the bronze medal game against the losing semifinalist.

Soufiane Rahimi, right, and Akram Nakach of Morocco celebrate scoring a goal against Egypt on Thursday.

Morocco won the Olympic men’s soccer bronze medal in style, thumping Egypt 6-0 in a one-sided clash.

First-half goals from Abde Ezzalzouli and Soufiane Rahimigave the Moroccans a comfortable lead, before Bilal El Khannoussmade it three early in the second half.

Rahimithen got his second of the game, his eighth goal of an incredible tournament, with Akram Nakach and captain Achraf Hakimiadded gloss to the scoreline late on.

It is the nation’s first ever Olympic soccer medal.

A clutch Franz Wagner triple has cut France’s lead, which was once in double figures, to two points with just over 30 seconds left in the game.

France will be desperate to hold on against the resurgent Germans.

India's Neeraj Chopra competes in the men's javelin throw qualification at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on August 6.

In a lineup of India’s sporting heroes, most of whom have gained celebrity status throughcricket, Neeraj Chopra is an anomaly.

The champion javelin thrower has barely bowled a ball or swung a bat since his childhood, even though he can’t help but notice the similarities between his discipline and his country’s favorite past-time.

The South Asian country is home to more than 125 million cricket fans, according to a 2022reportby Ormax Media, but Chopra’s ability to hurl a javelin close to 300 feet has earned him a sizeable following in his own right.

His stardom has only grown with each passing success. After winningOlympicgold in Tokyo three years ago – the first Asian athlete to do so in the javelin – Chopra was crowned world champion in Budapest last year, becoming the first Indian to win a world title in a track and field event of any kind.

Chopra breezed through to the men’s javelin final yesterday after an impressive qualification round.

Such is the 26-year-old’s popularity that August 7 is now celebrated as National Javelin Day in India, the anniversary of Chopra winning his Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.

And if he wins a second gold medal at the Olympics? “He will be treated like God,” says journalist Norris Pritam, who wrote a book about Chopra.

Prior to Chopra, India had practically no history in track and field, winning most of its Olympic medals in field hockey and wrestling. But now there is excitement each time the superstar athlete competes.

As he jockeys up a runway with a quivering javelin in hand, a nation holds its breath.

Dutch fans out in force on Thursday at the Stade de France to support Femke Bol of the Netherlands.

The Stade de France is absolutely glowing orange today.

In anticipation of Femke Bol’s race in the women’s 400-meter hurdles later on tonight, it appears tens of thousands of Dutch fans have made the trip south to the Stade de France.

While fans from around the world could be seen walking to the stadium located in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis and in the concourses here, it appears the oranje of the Netherlands is easily the most common color in the stands. The French might finally have another nation’s fans that can match their noise tonight.

Bol had an incredible run on Saturday night to lead the Dutch team to a comeback victory in the mixed 400-meter relay, stealing the race in the final meters. She’ll have a tough time keeping up with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone tonight as the defending Olympic gold medalist and world record holder goes for another victory.

Tara Davis-Woodhall of the United States is seen at the Stade de France on August 6.

See Also

Paris Olympics highlights: Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky win more gold for Team USA

Skipping down the running track with a cowboy hat on her head and a grin across her face, Tara Davis-Woodhall hardly has the demeanor of an athlete about to win the biggest title of her career.

However, when the hat comes off, an aura of focus descends upon the American track and field star and she produces a performance that is one of her best to date, a huge jump of more than seven meters to take gold and remain undefeated for the year.

That was back in March, at the indoor world championships in Glasgow, Scotland, and with the gold medal came celebrations which were joyous and effervescent: the cowboy hat returned, so too did the smiling and the dancing along the side of the track.

It’s hard not to be swept up in Davis-Woodhall’s approach to thelong jump, especially when she finds reason to laugh even in the heat of fierce competition.

“My entire M.O. (modus operandi) is have fun,” she tellsCNN Sport. “I kind of just dally around and be free-spirited.”

Davis-Woodhall competes in the women’s long jump final 8 p.m. local (2 p.m. ET).

You can read more about Davis-Woodhall ascent to track stardom here.

Victor Wembanyama of France looks to pass during the semifinal between France and Germany on Thursday.

After being closely matched throughout the game, some excellent three-point shooting has put France ahead in its semifinal clash against Germany as the match-up enters its closing stages.

Victor Wembanyama finally made a triple after missing 12 straight across two games and came up with a huge block on Dennis Schröder that resulted in a Frank Ntilikina three on the fast break.

The host nation is being roared on by an adoring home crowd in the Bercy Arena – can Les Bleus hold on to make the gold medal game?

The men's 4x100m relay heat takes place at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Thursday.

It’s a massive night at the Stade de France, with five gold medals on the line, including one of the most high-profile races of the athletics competitions here outside Paris.

Here’s what we’re watching tonight in the track and field competitions at the Olympics:

Dennis Schroder of Germany defends Guerschon Yabusele of France during their semifinal match on Thursday.

It’s level at 33-33 between France and Germany in the men’s basketball semifinals.

There’s been plenty of effort from both sides but defense has reigned supreme so far with it being a low-scoring affair.

With a spot in the final on the line, things might open up in the third quarter.

Chiaka Ogbogu of the United States hits the ball past Brazil's Thaisa Daher during their semifinal on Thursday.

In a rematch of their Tokyo final, the USA emerge victorious over Brazil once again.

Brazil fought off the first match point, but the Americans would not be held off. The Americans took the hard-fought win in five sets, 3-2.

Ultimately Brazil were unable to overcome their American demons, and the USA hope to win their second ever gold medal.

They’ll have to wait to see who wins Türkiye and Italy’s semifinal at 2 p.m. ET while they prepare for the gold medal game Sunday at 7 a.m. ET.

Eleanor Aldridge of Great Britain competes in the women's kite final on Thursday.

Team Great Britain’s Eleanor Aldridge made history by becoming the first athlete – man or woman – to win an Olympic kite event.

After winning the first race of the women’s final earlier in the day, she took race two in impressive fashion, finishing nine seconds clear of the Netherlands’ Annelous Lammerts.

Aldridge’s gold gives Great Britain its 50th medal of the Games and she celebrated the moment by leaping into the waters of Marseille.

Lauriane Nolot of France had fallen into the water earlier in the race but was awarded silver as a result of her two wins in the opening series.

Lammerts claimed bronze due to her combined points in the final.

This post has been updated with quotes from Great Britain’s Eleanor Aldridge.

France against Germany has just tipped off at the Bercy Arena with a spot in the final on the line.

Home favorites France will be cheered on by a vociferous crowd, but it’ll need to be on its best to beat world champions Germany.

Later on Thursday, the USA faces Serbia in the other semifinal.

Luo Shifang of Team People's Republic of China performs a clean & jerk to set new Olympic Record of 134kg during the Weightlifting Women's 59kg at South Paris Arena on August 8.

Luo Shifang won gold in the women’s 59kg weightlifting event on Thursday in a competition where multiple Olympic records fell at different points.

Shifang’s total over both portions was an Olympic record of 241kg – she also holds the world record – with Olympic record lifts in both the snatch, and clean and jerk elements; she lifted 107kg in the former and 134kg in the latter.

It began as an enthralling encounter in South Paris during the snatch portion with multiple lifters breaking the Olympic record.

Luo as well as Canada’s Maude Charron and Taiwan’s Kuo Hsing-Chun all breaking the previous record. In the end, it was Luo who lifted the most.

And with the competition heading to the clean and jerk part, Luo set down the benchmark with her record 134kg lift – the previous record was 133kg.

And no other competitors could quite match her, with Kuo and Anyelin Venegas Valera of Venezuela both attempting to outlift her but failing in doing so.

In the end, it was a gold medal for reigning world champion Luo while Charron picked up silver and Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Kuo picked up bronze.

Luo admitted afterwards that she was “super, super nervous” ahead of the final.

There was heartbreak for Ukraine’s Kamila Konotop who in an attempt to set a new Olympic record in the snatch portion of the competition with her second lift, appeared to pull a hamstring. She attempted to come back out for the third attempt but was clearly bothered by her injury and instead hobbled backstage. Although she did successfully complete a lift in the clean and jerk part, she failed to complete her three attempts.

This post has been updated with quotes from China’s Luo Shifang.

Morgane Metraux of Switzerland hits her shot from the 4th tee during the second round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, on August 8, at Le Golf National, in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.

A hot start from Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux have given her the lead in the women’s golf competition as the second round nears an end.

The 27-year-old from Lausanne had four birdies and two eagles in an excellent front nine to race up the leaderboard before a more erratic back nine – three bogeys and a birdie – to card a six-under-par 66 to end her second round on eight-under and in sole possession of the lead.

She is just two shots ahead of the chasing pack though, thanks to late charges from world No. 1 Nelly Korda and China’s Yin Ruoning.

Both have three holes left of the second round but are already six-under on day two and, having begun level par, sit just behind Metraux.

Lydia Ko, bronze medalist from three years ago in Tokyo, carded a five-under round to finish her second round three-shots off the lead.

Teddy Riner of Team France competes during the judo mixed team final at Champs-de-Mars Arena on August 3.

Teddy Riner isn’t done yet.

After adding to his Olympic medal collection with two golds in Paris, the legendary French judoka told CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies that he plans to return for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

“Yes, of course,” he responded when asked if he wanted to compete in the US. “Because I have a lot of pleasure continuing the competition. And the Olympic Games is just an amazing event for me, for the sports. And when you have a beautiful opportunity like this in Paris, I know Los Angeles is too big.”

The 35-year-old is a three-time Olympic champion in the men’s +100kg class, winning his most recent gold in Paris by defeating world champion Kim Min-jong in the final. He followed that up by sealing the win for France in the mixed team event. Riner also claimed individual bronze in Beijing and Tokyo.

Alongside former sprinter Marie-José Pérec, he also lit the Olympic cauldron to wrap up the opening ceremony.

Riner is one of France’s biggest sporting stars, but these Olympics have seen the emergence of another home hero in swimmer Léon Marchand, with Riner praising his accomplishments.

“We now have a match with the big man, the king of the swimming pool, Michael Phelps,” he said. “It’s a great moment for France.”

China's Xie Siyi competes in the men's 3m springboard diving final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, on August 8.

China has taken another step towards a clean sweep of the diving gold medals in Paris.

This time, Xie Siyi became the men’s 3m springboard champion, beating compatriot Wang Zongyuan with the last attempt of the final – a repeat of the result at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

Mexico’s Osmar Olvera finished with the bronze medal.

Xie then praised Olvera for his bronze, as well as the atmosphere in Paris: “The Mexican diver did well today. I needed to enjoy the diving and the crowd. I hope I can keep going in the sport.”

China now has six diving golds at this year’s Olympics and needs to win two more to complete the set.

This post has been updated with quotes from China’s Xie Siyi.

Italy's Sofia Raffaeli performs with the ball in the rhytmic gymnastics' individual all-around qualification during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris, on August 8.

Try wrapping your head around this incredible image from the rhythmic gymnastics competition.

Qualification for the individual all-around event got underway earlier today, with gymnasts performing with all four apparatus – ribbon, clubs, hoop and ball.

Italian competitor Sofia Raffaeli performed with the ball in her second rotation and produced this stunning picture, with her head appearing to be replaced by the sphere during a dramatic feat of flexibility.

For those concerned, don’t worry, it was just a dramatic optical illusion. Raffaeli had the ball placed on her upper chest while she threw her head back during the routine.

She scored 34.450for the run, the 5th highest result for that apparatus. The top 10 gymnasts advance to the all-around final.

SofiaRaffaeliof Italy in action.

Nina Kennedy won gold for Australia on Wednesday in an epic pole vault final at the Stade de France.

The 27-year-old recorded a best jump of 5.90 meters, beating defending Olympic champion Katie Moon by 5 centimeters.

Kennedy and Moon shared gold at the World Championships in Budapest last year, something that gave the Aussie extra motivation to go out and be the sole winner of gold in Paris.

Kennedy says she hasn’t “had a second to chill out is yet” since winning gold and is yet to watch back the entire pole vault final, only catching bits and pieces as she’s been doing the media rounds.

She says it’s been “so emotional” to see clips of her victory and can’t wait to rewatch it.

Kennedy also gave an insight into just how perfect Olympic preparations need to be in order for athletes to win gold medals.

As we’ve seen on numerous occasions during these Games, anything can happen and even the overwhelming favorites are never guaranteed a gold medal.

Michael Phelps and his family attend the women's basketball quarterfinal between Team USA and Nigeria at Bercy Arena on August 7.

Michael Phelps knows about excellence. With 28 Olympic medals to his name, the former US swimmer is winning personified.

So when Phelps speaks his mind about the action in the pool, it holds significant weight.

In an interview with USA Today, the most decorated Olympian of all time admitted he was “pretty disappointed” with Team USA’s results in the swimming at the Paris Games.

Phelps pointed toward Bobby Finke’s gold medal in the 1500m freestyle as a noteworthy performance, saying that he had “chills” talking about what he called “one of the greatest swims” of the Paris Games.

Team USA won 28 swimming medals in Paris, including eight golds, 13 silvers and seven bronzes.

The American swimming icon himself won 28 Olympic medals across five Games, made up of 23 golds, three silvers and two bronzes.

And Phelps explained that the US standing still and its competition evolving in recent years are the main reasons American swimming results have dipped.

“For me, one of the things that I’ve always said over the last couple of years is the rest of the world is catching up,” Phelps said. “I think a lot of the things that we’ve done as a country for so long, the other people are catching up. They’re doing the same thing.

“So hopefully, we’re able to make that transition heading into 2028 [when the Games will be held in Los Angeles].”

Germany's Max Lemke, Tom Liebscher-Lucz, Max Rendschmidt and Jacob Schopf reacts to winning gold in the men's kayak four 500-meter finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics on August 8.

It’s back-to-back Olympic titles for Germany in men’s kayak four 500m, edging out Australia in a photo finish.

The Germans, the reigning world champions, posted a time of 1:19.80, with the Aussies only four hundredths of a second behind.

Max Rendschmidt is now a four-time Olympic champion and has exemplified dominance in the event for several years. He has won every single race at the Olympics, including heats since the Rio Games in 2016.

Spain took bronze and wasn’t far behind with a time of 1:20.05.

This post has been updated with quotes from Germany’s Max Lemke.

Lisa Carrington, Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan of Team New Zealand celebrate winning the gold medal following the women's kayak four 500m finals on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Vaires-Sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on August 8.

New Zealand edged Germany in a thrilling women’s kayak four 500m final to take the gold medal by just 0.42 seconds.

The team of Lisa Carrington, Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan has now added the Olympic title to the world title from last year.

Carrington now has seven Olympic medals – six golds and a bronze – to become New Zealand’s most decorated Olympian in history.

“To do it with these girls, the amount of work that we have all put in is pretty special,” Carrington said.

“It’s such a privilege to be out there with the best in the world and they bring out the best in us.”

Brett said being part of the team to win Carrington’s sixth gold medal is “pretty epic.”

Hungary, defending champion from Tokyo, finished with the bronze medal.

This post has been updated with quotes from New Zealand’s Lisa Carrington and Olivia Brett.

China’s pairing of Liu Hao and Ji Bowen raced to victory and a gold medal in the men’s canoe double 500m after the final on Thursday.

Liu and Ji finished with a time of 1:39.48, completing a successful outing in Paris for the Chinese team having set an Olympic best time in the event during the qualification rounds.

It was a photo finish for the silver medal, with the Italian duo of Gabriele Casadei and Carlo Tacchini just pipping Spain’s Joan Antoni Moreno and Diego Domínguez by a margin of just 0.10 seconds.

This post has been updated with quotes from China’s Liu Hao.

Gold Medalist Sharon van Rouwendaal of Team Netherlands poses following the Marathon Swimming medal ceremony after the marathon swimming women's 10k at Pont Alexandre III on August 8.

While the River Seine has come under fire for its water quality during this year’s Olympics, it didn’t put off the women’s 10k marathon swim champion from using it to fuel her gold medal push.

Sharon van Rouwendaal spent more than two hours in the river this morning and said she drank some river water to stay hydrated.

The Dutch swimmer admitted she’d already been sick on Thursday through nerves, so didn’t mind facing some of the potential consequences.

“I already vomited two times this morning before the race. Of stress, not of the water, so if I vomit today, it’s all fine.”

Australia’s Moesha Johnson and Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci, who rounded off the podium, seemed less enthused by the idea of drinking from the river as the trio attended a news conference after the final.

Italy has claimed gold in the mixed multihull racing at the Marseille Marina, followed by Argentina, who won silver, and New Zealand with bronze.

The duo, comprised of Ruggero Tita at the helm, andCaterina Marianna Banti as crew, continued their winning streak after success at Tokyo 2020. This makes them the first athletes to win two golds in this event, which premiered at Rio 2016.

“Yesterday, I was so tired, it was very hot, we waited for two hours in the water. I think we recovered well and this morning we were ready to go out and do our best medal race,” Banti said after the race.

Tita added: “We are very happy, we knew before starting this cycle the first thing was to win again the Games. We did it with purpose, we made it.”

This post has been updated with quotes from Italy’s Caterina Marianna Banti and Ruggero Tita.

US swim star Katie Ledecky and rower Nick Mead have been selected as Team USA’s flag bearers for the closing ceremony, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced Thursday.

Ledecky, who won four medals in the Paris Olympics, became the most decorated US women’s Olympian of all time and fifth-most decorated Olympian in history with 14 medals. This was her fourth Olympics.

With her win in the 800-meter freestyle race in Paris, Ledecky became the seventh Olympian to win four consecutive gold medals in the same event and the second swimmer to do so after Michael Phelps. Her nine Olympic gold medals tie her for the most Olympic gold medals won by a woman from any nation.

Mead, a two-time Olympian,was part of the team of Justin Best, Michael Grady and Liam Corrigan that won the gold medal in men’s four rowing at the Nautical Stadium flatwater course. The gold was the first for Team USA in the event since the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.

Veddriq Leonardo of Team Indonesia, right, finishes ahead of Wu Peng of Team People's Republic of China to win the gold medal during the men's speed - big final on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue on August 8.

Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia won gold in the men’s speed climbing event on Thursday after a thrilling final with China’s Wu Peng.

Leonardo raced to the top of the 15-meter wall in a personal-best time of 4.75 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of Wu, to win Indonesia’s first gold of the Paris Games.

Earlier, Sam Watson of the USA continued his record-breaking Paris Games as he broke his own world record to win the bronze medal.

The 18-year-old from Texas had come into the Paris Games as the world record holder in men’s speed climbing with 4.79s, but has since broken his own record twice.

Watson first broke the record on Tuesday with a time of 4.75s. On Thursday though, he went 0.01s better, clocking a time of 4.74s to pip Iran’s Reza Ali Pour to the medal.

This post has been updated with quotes from Indonesia’s Veddriq Leonardo.

Tom Reuveny of Israel wins the gold medal for men's windsurfing during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on August 3 at Marseille Marina in Marseille, France.

Olympic athletes are rarely lacking in motivation, but Israel’s newest gold medalist – windsurfer Tom Reuveny – had no shortage of material to draw on during these Paris Olympics.

Following the carnage of the 1972 Munich Olympics, in which 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were murdered, security has always been tight around the team. Tensions have been heightened further by Hamas’ October 7terror attacks andIsrael’s subsequent war in Gaza.

But as unsettling as the messages were, Reuveny says that he used them as fuel for his fire.

“I actually think that it gave me strength,” he explained. “I didn’t read all of them, but I read some of them and it did give me some motivation. I just wanted to prove to the haters that Israel is a strong country, and those messages are not going to bring me down.”

Up until this summer’s Olympics, Israel had only seen three of its athletes crowned as Olympic champions, but one of them was Reuveny’s windsurfing coach Gal Fridman – who became his nation’s first gold medalist in 2004 in Athens. Reuveny was only 4 years old at the time, but as he grew up, he became aware of the legend.

Read more about Reuveny’s motivation

Sport climbing at Paris has kept us glued to our screens yet again, after making its debut at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

Janja Garnbret, who was the first woman to win a gold medal in sport climbing at Tokyo, and one of Slovenia’s medal hopefuls for this year, closed out the lead semifinals at the top of the pack with 195.7 points – almost 40 points ahead of her nearest rival Jessica Pilz (156.9).

Here’s who made it through to Saturday’s boulder and lead women’s final, based on a combination of their points from today’s lead climbing and Tuesday’s bouldering event.

This post has been updated with quotes from Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret.

Raven Saunders of the United States competes during the women's shot put qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics on August 8.

Raven Saunders has never been shy about standing out and that’s exactly what they did in today’s shot put semifinals.

The US star qualified for the final with a throw of 18.62m, but it was their fashion choice that caused a stir.

Saunders donned a black face mask and a pair of colorful visor sunglasses while competing, and later said the outfit was all about inspiring people to be themselves.

“I feel special trying to get the world more in tune and trying to give us and bring us more in our event,” Saunders said after making the final.

“It limits the showcase that we are shot putters, but we have our own style, we can do things as big and bright as any sprinter, any jumper, whoever. So we deserve that spotlight as well.”

It’s definitely not the first time that Saunders has worn a mask during competition. They have become well-known for their outlandish wardrobe decisions in recent years.

The American athlete will be hoping to better their silver medal won at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

Read more about Saunders’ life and career here.

Australia's forward #02 Thomas Craig (C) is marked by New Zealand's midfielder #24 Sean Findlay and New Zealand's defender #08 Charlie Morrison in the men's pool B field hockey match between New Zealand and Australia at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium in Colombes on August 1.

Australian hockey player Tom Craig apologized on Wednesday after he was detained Tuesday by police for trying to buy cocaine in central Paris.

The 28-year-old Olympian was brought before a French judge Wednesday and was released with a criminal warning, Paris prosecutors told CNN.

“I am glad the matter has been resolved and that Tom has been released. He received a warning, no charges, and no conviction,” Australian team chief Anna Meares said on Wednesday.

Craig has already moved out of the Olympic village and will lose all of his remaining Olympic privileges, according to Meares.

“I cannot condone what Tom has done. He is a good person who made a bad decision. But there are consequences that come with decisions like this,” she said.

Australia hockey team director Bernard Savage said that the team’s priority is Craig’s wellbeing.

“Tom’s with his family where he needs to be at the moment getting support for that. He has made a foolish decision which is not indicative or reflective of Tom’s character and or that of Hockey Australia or the Kookaburras,” he added.

Gold medallists Austria's Lara Vadlau and Lukas Maehr celebrate after the medal race of the mixed 470 double-handed dinghy event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games sailing competition at the Roucas-Blanc Marina in Marseille on August 8.

The Austrian team of Lara Vadlau and Lukas Maehr won gold in the mixed dinghy event on Thursday, claiming the country’s first gold of the Paris Games.

The Austrian pairing finished seventh in Thursday’s medal race, 58 seconds behind the race winners France, but it was enough to ensure them of the gold after a strong showing in previous races.

They finished on 38 net points, three ahead of Japan in second with 41 net points.

It had been a weather-effect event, as has much of the sailing in southern France, due to the lack of wind but Thursday’s race went on without a hitch.

Japan’s team of Keiju Okada and Miho Yoshioka won silver while Anton Dahlberg and Lovisa Karlsson of Sweden won bronze.

USA's Noah Lyles, centER, during the Men's 200m semi final at the Stade de France on the twelfth day of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France on August 7.

Noah Lyles is a charismatic, boisterous athlete who is not afraid to say what’s on his mind in his effort to push track and field’s profile higher in the sporting world. Last year, however, that put him at odds with some of the mosthigh-profile basketball players in the NBA.

At last year’s world championships, Lyles won the 100-meter and 200-meter races – a double he’s trying to repeat in the Olympics on Thursday night after winning the 100m on Sunday – and wasn’t shy about comparing his accomplishments to those of his professional basketball counterparts back in the US.

When speaking to reporters at the World Championships in Budapest, Lyles was asked about what he wanted to do for track and field and what he’d like to see to improve the sport’s profile.

Lyles said the medals he wins are the first step to raising track’s awareness in the public’s eye and that he wants more former world champions to be present at high-profile meets. And then he took a turn into taking a shot at the NBA.

Lyles’ comment hit on something that sports fans in the rest of the world often mock about US sports culture. In almost every major American sport, the champion of the league is referred to as the world champion, even though those teams only play against other franchises that are based in either the US or Canada.

It was not however welcomed by the American NBA players who he had called out.

Read more about the Noah Lyles-NBA beef

A huge shock on the track this morning as Jamaica failed to qualify for the men’s 4x100m relay final, finishing fourth in the heats.

The top three teams from each heat automatically go through to the final and, in truth, Jamaica wasn’t even close to making that mark.

It was a strong enough start from the team but the final two handovers were clumsy and very costly.

China, France and Canada occupied the top three places in the heat, and will join Team USA, South Africa and Team GB in the final. Japan and Italy also qualify as the fastest losers.

B-Girl Nicka Dominika Banevic of Lithuania competes on her way too winning the gold medal in the WDSF World Breaking Championship 2023 on September 24, in Leuven, Belgium.

Breaking’snew star Dominika Banevič knows all too well the importance of believing in yourself.

At just 17, the Lithuanian is set to make her debut at the Paris Olympics on Friday and will be among the favorites to take away the gold in the B-Girls breaking event.

Banevič – who was exposed to the sport while watching cartoons online – is the current world champion, after beating more than 90 other B-girls in Belgium in 2023.

“But I knew that it was possible – I wasn’t overthinking too much, I was just practicing hard because I knew exactly what I needed to do to achieve my goal.”

The weight of national expectation is on Banevič’s shoulders, and she wants to repay the faith Lithuanians have shown in her on the global stage in Paris.

Read more about Dominika Banevič’s rise to the top of breaking here.

US' Sha'Carri Richardson, center, leads ahead of Germany's Rebekka Haase and Australia's Torrie Lewis in the women's 4x100m relay heat of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on August 8.

Sha’Carri Richardson’s strong finish helped Team USA book its spot in the women’s 4x100m relay final after an impressive showing in its qualification heat.

Richardson, who won silver in the women’s 100m earlier in the Paris Games, ran the final leg of the relay in 9.99 seconds, as the US finished with a time of 41.94 seconds.

Richardson had received the baton for her final-leg 100m in a close contest with Germany and Switzerland, but her late burst help the US qualify in top spot.

Both Germany and Switzerland ran season-best times to also make the final which will be run on Friday.

Morgane Métraux began the second round of the women’s golf event in blistering form to take a share of the lead on day two.

The Swiss golfer opened the action at Le Golf National with a red-hot six-under after the first six holes, including four birdies and an eagle.

It vaulted her up the leaderboard to bring her level with France’s Céline Boutier at the top on eight-under par.

Chase Jackson of Team United States reacts after competing in the women's shot put qualification on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 8.

Team USA’s Chase Jackson will not be advancing to Friday’s women’s shot put final in what is the biggest shock so far this morning in the Stade de France.

The double world champion had two foul throws in the qualification round and only threw 17.60 meters in her third attempt, which was not enough to see her through to the final.

Jackson came to Paris with the fourth-best throw in the world this year and was considered a medal contender.

Yusneylis Guzman Lopez (blue) of Team Cuba competes against Vinesh Phogat of Team India during the wrestling - women's freestyle 50kg semifinal at the Champ de Mars Arena on August 6.

In a heartbreaking statement, Vinesh Phogat, the first Indian woman to qualify for an Olympic wrestling final, said her spirit was broken after she was disqualified from the gold medal match of the women’s 50kg freestyle category.

She appeared to announce her retirement in the post.

The three-time Olympian, who comes from a prominent Indian wrestling family, did not make the weight required to compete Wednesday morning, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said Tuesday.

Some context: A little over a year ago, Phogatwas sleeping on the streets of New Delhi as part of an athlete-led protest calling out sexual harassment allegations within her sport. Before the latest cruel twist of fate, she had appeared guaranteed to come away from the Paris Olympics with either a gold or silver medal in a remarkable tale of overcoming adversity.

CNN’s Lex Harveyand Aishwarya S Iyer contributed to this report.

Netherland's Sharon van Rouwendaal during the Women's 10km marathon swim at Pont Alexandre III on August 8.

It may be early, but we’ve already got our first gold medal moment of the day.

Sharon van Rouwendaal raced away from her rivals in the final stretch of the women’s 10k marathon swim to become an Olympic champion for the second time.

The Dutch swimmer won this event in the Rio Olympics in 2016 and finished with a silver at the Tokyo Games.

Van Rouwendaal spent more than two hours in the River Seine on her way to victory this year in a time of 2:03:34.2. The water quality of the river at the Games has been an ongoing saga, but organizers deemed it fit for athletes to race this morning.

Australia’s Moesha Johnson finished in second with a time of 2:03:39.7, with Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci earned the bronze with a time of 2:03:42.8.

“I won it for him”: Van Rouwendaal said that she swam and won in memory of her pet dog, who died earlier in the year.

The post was updated with Van Rouwendaal’s remarks after winning the gold medal.

The Unites States tug-of-war team in action during the 1908 London Olympics at White City Stadium.

By now, you’ve probably heard that breakingis one of the newest competitive Olympic events at the 2024 Paris Olympics. That’s sparked a lot of debate about what activities should be classified as an Olympic sport.

Here’s a look at some of the stranger Olympic sports in modern history:

Tug of war: For 20 years, tug of war was a fiercely contested Olympic event. It was last featured in the 1920 Antwerp Games, with the UK team — made up of City of London police — claiming gold.

Live pigeon shooting: Shooting targets at the Olympics have historically been inanimate objects, but organizers of the 1900 Paris Games decided to go in another direction. Competitors lined up to shoot as many live pigeons as they could, with around 300 reportedly killed in the event.

Pistol dueling: Organizers came up with pistol dueling – in which two competitors shot at each other – for the 1908 Games in London. Luckily for all involved, the duels weren’t deadly. Competitors were dressed in protective clothing, and the pistols were loaded with wax rounds.

Obstacle course swimming: Thisparticular competition from the 1900 Paris Gamesmight not look out of place at a modern water park. The event, in which swimmers traveled 200 meters down the River Seine while making their way through a series of obstacles, only made one appearance at the Olympics.

Motorboat racing: The Olympics has long banned sporting events that depend on mechanical propulsion, which is why you don’t see auto racing at the Games.

But in 1908, motorboat racing was an Olympic heat. Boaters raced a course at the Games that year, and the heavy seas “made racing an enterprise of some considerable risk and robbed it of all its enjoyment, except to the most confirmed enthusiasts,” according to a Games report.

Art: From 1912 to 1948, Olympic medals were awarded not just for sport, but alsofor artistic endeavors such as literature, architecture, music, sculpture and painting.

Solo synchronized swimming: In what might sound like an oxymoron, solo synchronized swimming was a competitive heat atthree consecutive Games.

Read the full story.

CNN is tracking every country in the race for the most gold medals in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

Below is the medal count, so far:

Team China competes in the team acrobatic routine of the artistic swimming event on August 7. The team went on to win gold.

Yesterday, 21 gold medals were won. Here’s who took them home:

Artistic Swimming

Athletics

Boxing

Cycling Track

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Team USA's Quincy Hall, second from left, crosses the finish line to win the men's 400m final on August 7.

Track and field was on full display in Paris on Wednesday with several nail-biting semifinal races, multiple broken records in one event and thrilling finishes for gold.

Here’s what happened on the track and on the field on Wednesday:

A'Ja Wilson of Team USA shoots over Nigeria's Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah during a women's basketball quarterfinal game on August 7.

And here’s a look at how other events played out: