Gymnastics: Here's who is leading halfway through
Two rotations down, two rotations to go.
Currently, at the top of the leaderboard:
- Rebeca Andrade (Brazil)
- Kaylia Nemour (Algeria)
- Simone Biles (USA)
Biles and Lee — along with Andrade — head to the ever-difficult beam next.
Fencing: Japan and Canada square off for bronze medal
In just moments, Japan and Canada will face off in the women's foil team fencing match for bronze.
Canada is coming off a strong performance against the United States earlier today, while Japan enters the match after narrowly losing to Italy.
Gymnastics: After Rotation 1, here are the top 3
After the first rotation, the current standings are:
- Simone Biles (USA)
- Rebeca Andrade (Brazil)
- Elsabeth Black (Canada)
Don’t pay too much attention to where everyone stands right now, though. These gymnasts each have three more chances to prove they’re worthy of a gold medal.
Table tennis: China's Fan Zhendong advances to semifinals
China’s Fan Zhendong, 27, advanced to the men’s singles semifinals after mounting an impressive comeback against Tomokazu Harimoto, 21, of Japan.
Zhendong, who lost the first two games, won the next two before falling short again in Game 6. The final Game 7 offered a tense back-and-forth, which Zhendong ultimately pulled away to win 11-7.
Zhendong, nicknamed Xiao Pang or “Little Fatty,” plays an attacking style with a shakehand grip. He won the silver medal in men’s singles, as well as team gold, at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
His semifinals appearance will be Aug. 2 at either 5:00 p.m. ET or 8:30 p.m. ET.
The women’s gymnastics all-around final starts now
And we’re live! It’s officially go time for Biles and Lee, who will face each other — and the 22 other top gymnasts — for the gold in the individual all-around final.
Aside from our Team USA reigning champs (Biles won gold in this event in Rio and Lee won it in Tokyo), keep an eye on Rebeca Andrade (Brazil), Kaylia Nemour (Algeria) and Qiu Qiyuan (China), who are all in contention to medal as well.
The real showdown will be between Biles and Andrade, who will be battling for the top spot in today’s meet.
Temperatures in Paris have been a ‘hot’ topic for days at the Olympic Games
For archers competing at the famed gardens of Les Invalides, the searing conditions weren’t only impacting their performance. Several broadcasters at the top of the stands were taking cover — quite literally — under umbrellas as they shielded themselves from the sun. Sounds of play-by-play commentary wafted above the cheers … leading us to turn our heads and find the broadcasters hard at work.
Struggles continue for Team USA 3x3 basketball teams
Team USA's 3x3 women's basketball team fell to 0-3 after a 17-15 loss to Australia on Thursday morning. The U.S., which previously lost to Azerbaijan and Germany, now sits dead last in its group of eight teams.
It will have to get in the winner's circle soon, because only the top two teams qualify for the semifinals and the next four qualify for the play-in games. The women will face Spain later Thursday.
Meanwhile, the men's 3x3 team isn't faring too well either. Jimmer Fredette and Co. are 0-2 and take on Lithuania in a must-win matchup later today.
Australian swimmer says he's tested positive for Covid
Australian swimmer Zac Stubblety-Cook revealed Wednesday shortly after winning silver in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke that he had tested positive for Covid.
Cook is the latest to join a growing number of athletes who’ve tested positive, including British swimming star Adam Peaty, who announced his diagnosis less than 24 hours after winning silver in the 100-meter breaststroke on Monday.
Australia’s Lani Pallister withdrew just hours before the Women’s 1500 freestyle on Tuesday, opting to “save her energy” for Thursday’s 4x200 freestyle relay instead, according to the Australian Olympic Committee. As of now, Pallister is expected to compete in today’s relay this afternoon.
This brings the total number of athletes confirmed with Covid to nine, including at least five Australian water polo players who tested positive prior to the Games’ kickoff.
Despite the apparent surge in infections, the Paris Olympics have no stringent protocols or preventive measures in place, according to French newspaper Le Monde.
American men win beach volleyball
American duo Miles Partain and Andy Benesh won their match today against Brazil to close out preliminaries in men's beach volleyball.
Partain and Benesh will now await the results of later matches on Thursday to learn if they've advanced to the round of 16.
Partain, 22, is the USA’s youngest beach volleyball player to ever compete at an Olympic Games. Benesh, 28, is among the tallest, standing 6-foot-8.
Why table tennis is exploding in popularity at 2024 Olympics
Table tennis has provided viewers with dramatic moments and nail-biting matches throughout the Paris Games, and it’s continuing to explode in popularity. Willie Geist joins "TODAY" to take his shot with Team USA’s Rachel Sung.