The great rivalry on water: USA vs. Australia
If there’s going to be any bad blood in the waters of Paris, it’ll likely come during races between the perennial powerhouse Americans and the Dolphins from Down Under.
Long-dominant Team USA is looking over its shoulder to see the Australians fast approaching and taking glee in American discomfort.
The rivalry jumped to another level when Australian legend Cate Campbell blasted the Americans as “sore losers” at last year’s World Championships. Campbell explained the joy she feels not hearing the “Star Spangled Banner” and the next time she listens to that song will be too soon.
The U.S. and Australian teams will face each other in the pool in events including today's 4x100 men’s and women’s freestyle relays; the 100 backstroke, which could see American Regan Smith and Australia’s Kaylee McKeown on top of the podium (July 30); the 800 free the same day featuring Bobby Finke and Sam Short; and the 50 free (Aug. 2), which is expected to be an explosive battle between American Caeleb Dressel and Australian Cameron McEvoy.
All of this Paris drama will unfold, oddly enough, without Campbell poolside. The four-time gold medalist narrowly missed qualifying for Paris, likely ending her glorious Olympics career that dates back to London 2012.
After upset in men’s saber, it’s anyone match
American and Hungarian dreams were dashed earlier today when men’s saber favorites Eli Dershwitz and Aron Szilagyi were eliminated in the round of 32.
Advancing to the semifinals are Tunisia’s Fares Ferjani, Egypt’s Ziad Elsissy, South Korea’s Oh Sang-uk and Italy’s Luigi Samele.
Three-time reigning Olympic champ Szilagyi was angling for a historic four-peat, which would have put him along the likes of Michael Phelps and only a select few other athletes to achieve gold in the same event over four different Olympics.
Reigning Worlds champ Dershwitz, meanwhile, was hoping to make history for the U.S. and bring home the country’s first ever gold for men’s saber.
Now that the two favorites are out, it’s anyone’s match.
Egypt’s Elsissy, who trains alongside Dershwitz in Connecticut, made history by becoming the first Egyptian fencer to reach the No. 1 ranked saber fencer in the world.
If victorious, Elsissy would become the first Egyptian to win gold for this event. South Korea’s Oh, meanwhile, has every possible gold medal for men’s saber — individual and team — except for individual Olympic gold. Could this be the year he completes his collection?
The other two semifinalists, Ferjani and Samele, are each on their third Olympic appearance.
Soccer: Fernandez stunner caps off build-up play in Argentina's win over Iraq
After a flashy set-up by his teammates, Ezequiel Fernandez scored a long-range shot from the edge of the box in the 84th minute.
Argentina's 3-1 win over Iraq followed Wednesday's shocking 2-1 loss to Morocco, when fans rushed the field in protest over a late Argentinian goal.
Rugby: Match between France and Fiji set to kick off in deafening arena
SAINT-DENIS, France — The rugby sevens final between France and Fiji is about to kick off and noise levels in the Stade de France have become utterly deafening.
It more resembles an open air night club rather than the Olympic stadium. DJs are rumbling the bleachers with electro bangers, and the crowd is responding in kind ahead of what could be a first gold medal for the hosts.
The main protagonist, they hope, will be French rugby star Antione DuPont, widely seen as the best rugby player in the world. Fiji on the other hand are the holders and will be looking to defend their gold medal from 2021.
Liz Halliday-Sharp leads the U.S. eventing team
In the dressage portion of the equestrian eventing competition, Liz Halliday-Sharp recorded a score of 28.0, raising Team USA into sixth place after the first day of competition.
Dressage is where the horse and rider perform a choreographed series of movements set to music, with judges assessing fluidity and difficulty. The two other equestrian disciplines - cross country and show jumping - will be showcased in the team eventing competition over the next two days.
La Defense Arena transformed from Eras Tour to Olympic swimming venue
Back in May, Taylor Swift opened the European leg of her Eras Tour at the La Defense Arena in the Nanterre suburb of Paris. Tonight, it hosts the first swimming finals of these Games.
Usually a rugby stadium, the arena, where the likes of Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel will hope to strike gold, has been converted into a temporary aquatics centre for the Games.
The company behind that transformation, Myrtha Pools, shared an epic timelapse of how they did it all in just 60 days.
France trains should be back to normal by Monday, transport minister says
A day after arson attacks disrupted part of France's rail network, Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete told reporters today that trains in the country will be back to normal after the weekend.
“There will still be disruptions tomorrow,” Vergriete said, according to Reuters. “From Monday, there is no need to worry.”
Soccer: USA scores third goal of first half vs. New Zealand
The USMNT is pouring it on vs. New Zealand.
The United States took a 3-0 lead in the 30th minute off a score by Gianluca Busio, who collected his own rebound off a shot just outside the penalty box, then connected with his right foot for a score on his second attempt.
It’s the first time USA has scored three goals in a match at the Olympics since the 2000 games in Sydney.
Soccer: USA takes 2-0 lead over New Zealand
The USMNT is on a mission.
USA took a 2-0 lead over New Zealand only 10 minutes into their critical match on Saturday. Walker Zimmerman followed up a Djordje Mihailovic penalty score in the eighth minute with a score of his own in the 10th. Zimmerman connected off a pass from Mihailovic with a right-footed strike into the middle of the net.
The United States is in desperate need of a win after losing to France 3-0 on Wednesday.
France holds on to beat Brazil in its Olympic opener
France defeated Brazil 78-66 Saturday to tip off its quest for a gold medal in men’s basketball.
Victor Wembanyama scored 19 points while Rudy Gobert blocked two shots in the victory. France now joins Germany at the top of the Group B standings.
Brazil started strong, leading after the first quarter and then building its lead to 12 points in the second. But France stormed back, with Wemby dominating the second quarter with 11 points. In the second half, the hosts extended their own lead to double digits, getting contributions from the whole roster, awakening an excited home crowd.
Nicolas Batum scored 19 points, while Frank Ntilikina added nine of his own, converting three threes.
Brazil was led in scoring by Leonardo Meindl and Felicio, who each had 14. Brazil threatened to tie multiple times in the second half, at one point cutting the French lead to four points in the fourth quarter. It couldn’t get any closer, though, and France eventually pulled away.
A key stretch late in the fourth proved costly. Trailing 64-58, Vitor Alves Benite missed a wide-open three for Brazil that would have cut the lead to only three. Instead, France scooped up the miss and Batum hit a three of his own on the ensuing trip down the floor.
France next plays Tuesday vs. Japan.