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Tag: Paris Olympics

  • Aussie Bassett claims slalom medal at world titles as Fox falls short

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    Australia’s Kaylen Bassett has collected the bronze medal in the men’s C1 event at the ICF Slalom World Championships at Penrith’s Whitewater Stadium.

    But star paddler Noémie Fox was in tears after a ninth-placed finish in the women’s C1 final on Thursday afternoon.

    French heavyweight Nicolas Gestin clocked 97.13 seconds to claim the men’s C1 gold, followed by Great Britain’s Ryan Westley (98.03).

    Competing in windy conditions, Bassett trailed Gestin by 1.61 seconds to be third out of the final 12 competitors.

    The 28-year-old was the fifth paddler to set a time and endured a nervous wait to find out if he had finished on the podium.

    It is Australia’s first medal of the world titles.

    “The conditions were pretty rough today and outside of rain, there’s not much else you really want to be happening on the water with the wind,” Bassett said.

    “But [on] the home course, I just felt comfortable. I was at home on the water to feel like I could just paddle my run.”

    Competing in front of family and friends, Bassett said he was “lost for words”.

    He felt vindicated after making the decision to move interstate from Melbourne to Penrith to further his career.

    “The medal today is awesome, but to have even just been racing here at home in the final, that was validation for the move enough,” said Bassett, who came to the sport in his late teens.

    “[You] Make a lot of sacrifices, things people don’t see, things people do see and that medal is just the cherry on top of it all. “

    Having competed internationally since 2021, Bassett’s bronze medal is his best finish at a world championship.

    Fox out of the medals

    Fox managed a clean run in the women’s final but finished adrift of the medals.

    Poland’s Klaudia Zwolińska won gold ahead of Russian Alsu Minazova (silver) and Brazil’s Ana Sátila (bronze).

    Noémie Fox was more than eight seconds off the pace in the women’s C1 final. (Getty Images: Andy Cheung)

    Fox, who claimed the gold medal in the kayak cross event at last year’s Paris Olympics, said it was an “amazing” experience to be competing in a world championship final in front of a home crowd.

    But despite avoiding time penalties, the Penrith local said she did not deliver a polished performance in the final, finishing more than eight seconds behind Zwolińska.

    “It’s incredibly frustrating because I was feeling great,” Fox said.

    “It’s a missed opportunity, but that’s the sport as well. And the wind was very hard to manage, for sure.”

    Fox’s campaign will continue when she contests the kayak and kayak cross events on Friday and Saturday respectively.

    “[I’m] Excited that’s two other opportunities I get,” Fox said.

    “I’m not just finishing on a frustrated low.”

    AAP/ABC

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  • After winning Olympic gold with Team USA, Ashburn, Va. native Emily Fox wants more success with Arsenal – WTOP News

    After winning Olympic gold with Team USA, Ashburn, Va. native Emily Fox wants more success with Arsenal – WTOP News

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    After winning gold in the Paris Olympics, Virginia native Emily Fox explains how the U.S. women’s soccer team improved during the tournament and how she looks forward to her club season.

    U.S. women’s national team defender and Arsenal’s Emily Fox interacts with elementary-age students from DC Scores at George Mason University on Aug. 20, 2024, in Fairfax, Virginia.
    (Courtesy David Price/Arsenal FC)

    Courtesy David Price/Arsenal FC

    PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 11: U.S. Olympian Emily Fox poses for a photo at the USA House at Paris 2024 on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOPC)
    U.S. Olympian Emily Fox poses for a photo at the USA House at Paris 2024 on Aug. 11, 2024 in Paris, France.
    (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOPC)

    Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOPC

    U.S. defender Emily Fox
    U.S. defender Emily Fox in action during of the women’s soccer semifinal match between United States and Germany during the Olympic Games at Stade de Lyon on August 06, 2024 in Lyon, France.
    (Getty Images/Claudio Villa)

    Getty Images/Claudio Villa

    United States defender Emily Fox fights for the ball with Germany’s Nicole Anyomi during a women’s semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France.
    (AP/Silvia Izquierdo)

    AP/Silvia Izquierdo

    Emily Fox DC Scores students
    U.S. women’s national team defender and Arsenal’s Emily Fox interacts with elementary-age students from DC Scores at George Mason University on Aug. 20, 2024, in Fairfax, Virginia.
    (Courtesy David Price/Arsenal FC)

    Courtesy David Price/Arsenal FC

    PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 03: Trinity Rodman #5 of the United States celebrates scoring with Emily Fox #2 during extra time against Japan during the Women's Quarterfinal match during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Parc des Princes on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI/Getty Images)
    Trinity Rodman #5 of the United States celebrates scoring with Emily Fox #2 during extra time against Japan during the Women’s Quarterfinal match during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Parc des Princes on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France.
    (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI/Getty Images)

    Photo by Brad Smith/ISI/Getty Images

    As the final whistle blew in Paris on Aug. 13, the U.S. women’s national soccer team rejoiced as it defeated Brazil to win its first Olympic medal in 12 years.

    The victory was a mission accomplished for Ashburn, Virginia, native Emily Fox, who wrote a paper in elementary school about her dream of playing in the Olympics. After all the celebrating, Fox planned to take the gold medal back to England with her when she resumed her club career with London side Arsenal.

    However, once she arrived home to Ashburn, the 26-year-old elected to leave it behind with her parents. While one of her teammates exposed how fragile the medal was played a factor in her decision, Fox said moving forward with her career was the biggest factor.

    “I was like, ‘this is too much stress and responsibility,’ so I didn’t even need see that,” Fox said.

    Fox returned home to the D.C. region in late August to take part of Arsenal’s preseason preparations while enjoying some downtime with her family in Virginia. Coming back to the region was a full-circle moment for the defender, who, before the games, spent over a month at home in Ashburn, the longest break she experienced in over a year.

    “It’s a lot, but it’s a privilege in many ways is how I think about it,” Fox said, adding that she is “grateful” to representing the United States.

    Winning Olympic gold

    Fox was featured in all six Olympic matches for the U.S. as a key cog in the defense playing as an outside back. She played the second-most minutes in the back line (572), focused on limiting right-sided attacks by their opponents.

    The U.S. “were just clicking” throughout the two weeks, Fox said, in implementing new head coach Emma Hayes’ strategies while handling the demands of playing a match every three days.

    A scary moment occurred during the second extra time period in the quarterfinal match against Japan as Fox collided with striker Riko Ueki, who attempted a shot off a corner kick. The defender was pulled for the remainder of the match and needed help to walk off the field. Fox’s injury history — tearing her left ACL twice during her collegiate career — weighed heavily on fans’ minds.

    But she returned to play both the semifinals and finals without an issue. The defender said the collision was a “suck it up and just do it” moment that each player faced as part of the demands of winning the goal medal.

    “I feel like for all of us, no matter what, we want to learn, we want to grow, and we embraced it,” Fox said. “I just feel like (after) each game during the Olympics, we got better and better.”

    Moving forward with Arsenal

    After completing a childhood dream, Fox said she likes to remain active and busy. Less than two weeks after standing on the Olympic podium, the defender joined Arsenal in its preseason training at George Mason University in Fairfax. Despite not playing in the actual match, she participated in warm-ups during the Gunners’ preseason finale against Chelsea on Aug. 25 on D.C.’s Audi Field.

    But it hasn’t only been work on the field: She also joined several of her teammates for a poetry master class with students from Bancroft Elementary School in a partnership with DC Scores, a community-based nonprofit that blends soccer and community service for D.C. Public School students.

    Fox also admitted seeing a sports psychologist following the Olympics to help with the process of moving on.

    “I think that’s really important, just in terms of having a closing chapter on a huge event, and then being ready for a whole another year,” Fox said. “That’s been very helpful of navigating my feelings for the rest of the season.”

    With the Olympics in the rearview and the next Women’s World Cup two years away, Fox’s attention shifts to accomplishing a new career goal: competing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. After finishing third in league-play last season, Arsenal must win a two-game mini-tournament to qualify for Europe’s largest women’s soccer club competition.

    Fox called the prospect of playing two must-win matches “nerve-racking,” but, like the Olympics, she welcomes the challenge.

    “I’ve always wanted to play in the Champions League, so I think we’re really excited for the opportunity. I think we’re doing everything we can to be the most prepared to start strong and fast for that game,” Fox said. “Every game we want to win, so I really feel like the mentality shouldn’t change. It is win or lose, but if we treat every game like that, we’re doing good.”

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    Jose Umana

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  • Mo’ Money: Snoop Dogg Hints He Made An Astonishing $9 Million For His Olympics Quests & Coverage

    Mo’ Money: Snoop Dogg Hints He Made An Astonishing $9 Million For His Olympics Quests & Coverage

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    Snoop Dogg – Source: Emma McIntyre / Getty

    Snoop Dogg was the most visible American public figure during the 2024 Olympics and he may have earned a whopping $9M for the fun he had in Paris.

    Now that the 2024 Olympics are over, the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has begun where Snoop Dogg will likely return to be the unofficial Team USA mascot.

     

    During this year’s events, Snoop Dogg was visibly present and even carried the Olympic torch into Paris ahead of the Opening Ceremony. From what we saw, Snoop deserved a gold medal for his time in the City of Light where he closed things out with Dr. Dre for the handover to LA ’28 as part of the Closing Ceremony.

    During the Olympics, a rumor surfaced Snoop was banking $500K a day to participate, and on Friday, Snoop seemingly hinted that he made a whopping $9 million overall for his Olympic side quests.

    On Instagram, Snoop reposted a creator who broke down his possible earnings.

    “This is the main star of the Paris Olympics. Snoop Dogg, a top rapper, gets over $40M rubles daily for his presence at the Paris Olympic Games,” the video says. “Snoop also lives and parties in Paris for free, all to bring more attention to the Olympics. Almost every top broadcast features Snoop, he attends all major Olympic events. For 17 Olympic days, he’ll earn nearly $9 million.”

    Snoop didn’t comment on the video but his reposting of it has fans convinced that it’s true.

    While $9M is a hefty price tag, it was well worth it and hopefully NBC execs will pay him that much again for the 2028 games.

    You can watch the breakdown Snoop Dogg shared on Instagram below.

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    Noah Williams

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  • You Need Simone Biles’ Go-To Makeup Products

    You Need Simone Biles’ Go-To Makeup Products

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    With the wrap up of the 2024 Paris Olympics, no more
    Love Island USA, and last year’s Writers’ Strike finally catching up to us, there’s quite literally nothing left to watch on television these days. I’ve rewatched all the reality TV shows we know and love, I’m caught up on everything, and I’m fresh out of fresh content.


    Which means I still have my eye on
    the Olympics…because it hasn’t been that long, right? With the closing ceremonies on Sunday, August 11, it’s only been a few, endless days without a meme-able moment from our favorite world-class athletes.

    And at the forefront of Olympic stardom is Team USA Gymnastics. Headed by one-of-one Simone Biles, the gymnastics team is generationally talented. They’re always a favorite to watch, especially when GOAT Biles is performing.

    But it’s not just Biles who has stolen the world’s hearts…Olympic athletes like Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey are all beloved names. Let’s not forget Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade who rose into view as she killed her routines.

    The women gymnasts are a marvel who have overcome countless hurdles (literally) to get here…so it’s no wonder why we’re thrilled by them. But there’s something else I noticed: their makeup is always flawless.

    Being an athletic performer, you need a makeup routine that will keep your face in place regardless of what you’re doing…even if it’s excelling on the balance beam or during a vault routine.

    And forget about Simone Biles’ iconic floor routine…I want to talk about her makeup routine. It looks like something that Patrick Ta crafted. And, thanks to the live coverage of the Olympics, we now have an idea of what magical potions Simone Biles uses to keep her makeup firmly in place…no matter what.

    Fenty Invisi-Matte Instant Setting + Blotting Powder

    @mangomoniica Simone Biles touching up her olympic makeup ✨❤️ @Fenty Beauty @Rihanna #fentybeauty #fentybeautyinvisimatte #transluscentpowder ♬ original sound – Monica

    What tipped me off immediately was a photo of Simone standing on the sideline before her routine using the Fenty Invisi-Matte powder. And while it most likely wasn’t a sponsored ad, the product placement couldn’t have been more efficacious.

    Fenty Invisi-Matte powder went viral during
    Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance, where she quickly flashed the product and went right on singing. It was an effortless ad, but effective nonetheless.

    But beyond the celeb endorsements, the Invisi-Matte powder is terrific for on-the-go sweat control and keeping your makeup in place. One of my favorites for summer and vacation, the Fenty powder is compact and packs a punch.

    Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Sticks

    @westmanatelier Hello cheekbones! Undetectable contour 101 starring Face Trace with @maryphillips 💖 #westmanatelier #contour #maryphillips ♬ original sound – Westman-Atelier

    Westman Atelier is worth the price, even if it is a titch pricier. It’s a beloved brand by makeup artists and professionals everywhere. With celeb MUA’s like Mary Phillips often using their stunning sticks.

    Simone Biles is no different. Although she uses a lot of
    Fenty products — including their foundation and mascara — she leans towards Westman when it comes to blush.

    While Simone combines two of the shades for a customizable shade, every hue is packed with pigment and a light shimmer.

    Pat McGrath Labs Mothership V: Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow Palette

    In her video with
    Vogue, Biles gravitates towards this Pat McGrath palette riddled with bronzy shades that complement any eye color. I’ve tried hundreds of eyeshadow palettes over the span of my lifetime and I have to give Pat McGrath her flowers.

    The formula is luxurious, the palette is pigmented, and there’s a good mix of matte and shimmer shades for customizable eyes. It’s everything you need in one palette, with shades that make for both daytime and nighttime looks.

    I prefer Pat McGrath over most makeup brands despite the extra cost…we all know how frustrating it can be to spend money on an eyeshadow palette and then it barely shows — or stays — on your lid. Investing in a rich palette that’s backed by rave reviews is worth it.

    Not One…Not Two..But Three Setting Sprays

    You
    had to know that Simone Biles-Owens makeup was set in stone. After intense demand celebrity makeup artist Alayza Casey revealed Biles’ makeup routine…and to no one’s surprise, there’s a lot of setting spray involved.

    Casey used three sprays on Biles’ face: the emblematic
    Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Spray, Skindinavia The Makeup Finishing Spray, and Kryolan Fixing Spray.

    Biles is doing a lot of movement and definitely breaking a sweat, so the makeup simply must stay in place…and instead of championing the setting powder, Casey opts for multiple long-lasting setting sprays that hold your makeup in place all day (no matter what.)

    Hourglass Airbrush Concealer

    @cleangirlhacks Flawless skin 101. #skincare101 #skintok#beautysecrets #selfcareroutine #cleangirl #cleangirlmakeup #haileybieber #clearskin #clearskincheck #clearskinroutine #clearskinhacks #antiaging #antiagingskincare ♬ original sound – Clean Girl Hacks

    This is a fan favorite. Everyone who has used this concealer —
    moi aussi — has fallen in love with it. I adore how creamy the formula is while still remaining dewy and hydrating.

    It gives your under eyes the recharge and lift you need without catching up on all that sleep you’re missing out on. It’s high coverage and easily blendable, with minimal creasing throughout the application.

    Seriously, one of the best concealers on the market. Hourglass gets it right every time.

    Huda Beauty Lip Contour 2.0 Automatic Lip Pencil

    Huda Beauty is known for their lip products, and Casey loves to use the “Rich Brown” shade on Biles. These lip liners are no joke — locking in your lips all day long and never budging.

    Yes, these liners withstand sit-down dinners, nights out grabbing drinks with your friends — even dabbing your lips with a napkin won’t budge your liner. It may sound too good to be true, but I’m not being paid to say this — promise.

    The Huda Beauty lip products have been tested by millions of people who absolutely love it just the same…But if it’s good enough for Simone, it’s good enough for us.

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    Jai Phillips

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  • Live updates: Paris 2024 closing ceremony

    Live updates: Paris 2024 closing ceremony

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    The 2024 Olympics are drawing to a close Sunday with an elaborate closing ceremony at the Stade de France just north of Paris.It’s a more traditional setting after the Seine River was used for the audacious opening ceremony, but don’t expect it to be dull. There’ll be over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists, the organizers say. French indie band “Phoenix” performsWith an artistic show that celebrated Olympic themes, golden fireworks and thousands of athletes partying into the night, the closing ceremony put a final flourish to Paris’ first Games in a century.In their enthusiasm, crowds of athletes rushed the stage during the ceremony’s artistic portion, and stadium announcements in French and English urged them to double back. Some of them stayed, surrounding Grammy-winning French pop-rock band Phoenix as they played, as security and volunteers worked to clear the stage. Time for a light showThe lights are going down. The orchestra is tuning in. A light show is going on on the roof of the Stade de France.Last medals awardedThe closing ceremony saw the awarding of the last medals — each embedded with a chunk of the Eiffel Tower. Fittingly for the first Olympics that aimed for gender parity, they all went to women — the gold, silver and bronze medalists from the women’s marathon earlier Sunday.Bach hung them around the necks of race winner Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, silver’s Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia and bronze’s Hellen Obiri of Kenya.Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead carry American flagAs night fell, athletes marched into the stadium waving the flags of their 205 countries and territories — a display of global unity in a world gripped by global tensions and conflicts, including in Ukraine and Gaza. The stadium screens carried the words, “Together, united for peace.” With the 329 medal events finished, the expected 9,000 athletes — many wearing their shiny medals — and team staffers who filled the arena danced and cheered to the thumping beats.Léon Marchand carries the Olympic flameFrench swimmer Léon Marchand, wearing a black suit and tie, walks around the Olympic cauldron.He picked up a lantern carrying the Olympic flame. At the same time, the Stade de France was roaring as Marchand was shown on the giant screens. Marchand was perhaps the most celebrated athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics with 4 gold medals and 1 bronze medal.Zaho de Sagazan belts ‘Sous le ciel de Paris’The show is under way. French singer Zaho de Sagazan is singing the famous French song “Sous le ciel de Paris” in the Jardin des Tuileries, next to the Olympic cauldron, in the heart of Paris.”The Last Supper” opening ceremony scenes were left out of a video montageThe video montage from the opening ceremony showed boats, cyclists and more. But it omitted the scenes with drag performers and others that were criticized for perceived references to “The Last Supper.”The closing ceremony is underwayWhistles and chants of “Allez!” are the soundtrack at Stade de France, and a few sections of fans did the wave. It has been popular at this Olympics.Video highlights of the opening ceremony are being shown on video screens, a reminder of the dazzling show on the Seine from July 26..Macron, Bach enter Stade de FranceFrench President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron arrived in the Stade de France as fans cheered.They were joined by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, IOC chief Thomas Bach, Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet and five-time Olympic Champion Martin Fourcade, who passed on the Olympic torch to kick off the 2024 Games.Security clears the way for performersSecurity has lined the perimeter around the stage, and musicians with their instruments are walking out onto the field. A few minutes from getting this show underway.Fans have started a slow clap with a couple of minutes before show time.Paris “waves” goodbyeThe crowd is doing the wave 10 minutes ahead of the closing ceremony.Who’s performing at the closing ceremony?H.E.R., the five-time Grammy winner, is expected to sing the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France as part of the closing ceremony.Other performances remain a mystery. Organizers said “the participation of world-renowned singers will complete the picture,” but didn’t elaborate on who those singers could be.They added: “Part of the show will take place in the air, while the giant sets, costumes and spectacular lighting effects will take spectators on a journey through time, both past and future.”Sunset in Paris has been a special moment during these OlympicsThe sun is setting on the Paris Olympics for the last time. By day, Paris shines. But at night, it sparkles.And perhaps rarely so noticeably as during these past two and a half weeks.Exhibit 1: the Eiffel Tower, of course. As the sun sets each night, the lights come on, enhancing the beauty of the iron latticework. But the “ooh” moment at beach volleyball, played in an epically photogenic stadium under the tower, would come at 10 p.m. when the music would stop and announcers would ask the crowd to turn to the Eiffel (were they looking anywhere else?) and light their phones.Exhibit 2: The gleaming orb that seemed to float in the night sky above the Tuileries gardens – the Olympic cauldron, a 7-meter (23-feet) diameter ring of fire (not a real flame) supported by a giant air balloon.Large crowds formed each night in the gardens and in the neighboring courtyard of the Louvre museum — also stunningly floodlit — and wait for the launch, sometimes watching groups of breakers dance.A wave of gasps rose up from an appreciative crowd of not just tourists, but also hardened Parisians, awed by the nightly light show in their hometown.No rain for the closing ceremonyThe rain that soaked athletes and observers at the opening ceremony is a distant memory. It’s sunny and warm at 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius). Sunset in Saint-Denis is 9:12 p.m. — 10 minutes or so into the show.Workers are still finishing the stage at Stade de FranceWith less than 30 minutes left before the closing ceremony, workers are still on hands and knees finishing the stage in the middle of the stadium. The stands are roughly half full, with more than 70,000 fans expected to be in attendance.A helicopter is circling overhead. Officials have said security is a priority as the Olympics reach the finish line.

    The 2024 Olympics are drawing to a close Sunday with an elaborate closing ceremony at the Stade de France just north of Paris.

    It’s a more traditional setting after the Seine River was used for the audacious opening ceremony, but don’t expect it to be dull. There’ll be over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists, the organizers say.

    French indie band “Phoenix” performs

    With an artistic show that celebrated Olympic themes, golden fireworks and thousands of athletes partying into the night, the closing ceremony put a final flourish to Paris’ first Games in a century.

    In their enthusiasm, crowds of athletes rushed the stage during the ceremony’s artistic portion, and stadium announcements in French and English urged them to double back. Some of them stayed, surrounding Grammy-winning French pop-rock band Phoenix as they played, as security and volunteers worked to clear the stage.

    Time for a light show

    The lights are going down. The orchestra is tuning in. A light show is going on on the roof of the Stade de France.

    PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 11: The Golden Voyager descends into the Stadium as a light show takes place during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

    Last medals awarded

    The closing ceremony saw the awarding of the last medals — each embedded with a chunk of the Eiffel Tower. Fittingly for the first Olympics that aimed for gender parity, they all went to women — the gold, silver and bronze medalists from the women’s marathon earlier Sunday.

    Bach hung them around the necks of race winner Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, silver’s Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia and bronze’s Hellen Obiri of Kenya.

    PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 11: Gold medalist Sifan Hassan of Team Netherlands (C), Silver medalist Tigst Assefa of Team Ethiopia (L) and Bronze medalist Hellen Obiri of Team Kenya (R) pose on the podium during the Women's Marathon Medal ceremony during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

    Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead carry American flag

    As night fell, athletes marched into the stadium waving the flags of their 205 countries and territories — a display of global unity in a world gripped by global tensions and conflicts, including in Ukraine and Gaza. The stadium screens carried the words, “Together, united for peace.” With the 329 medal events finished, the expected 9,000 athletes — many wearing their shiny medals — and team staffers who filled the arena danced and cheered to the thumping beats.

    PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 11: Flagbearers Nick Mead and Katie Ledecky of Team United States of America hold their nation's flag during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

    Léon Marchand carries the Olympic flame

    French swimmer Léon Marchand, wearing a black suit and tie, walks around the Olympic cauldron.

    He picked up a lantern carrying the Olympic flame. At the same time, the Stade de France was roaring as Marchand was shown on the giant screens. Marchand was perhaps the most celebrated athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics with 4 gold medals and 1 bronze medal.

    PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 11: Leon Marchand of Team France carries the Olympic flame during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

    Zaho de Sagazan belts ‘Sous le ciel de Paris’

    The show is under way. French singer Zaho de Sagazan is singing the famous French song “Sous le ciel de Paris” in the Jardin des Tuileries, next to the Olympic cauldron, in the heart of Paris.

    “The Last Supper” opening ceremony scenes were left out of a video montage

    The video montage from the opening ceremony showed boats, cyclists and more. But it omitted the scenes with drag performers and others that were criticized for perceived references to “The Last Supper.”

    The closing ceremony is underway

    Whistles and chants of “Allez!” are the soundtrack at Stade de France, and a few sections of fans did the wave. It has been popular at this Olympics.

    Video highlights of the opening ceremony are being shown on video screens, a reminder of the dazzling show on the Seine from July 26..

    Macron, Bach enter Stade de France

    French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron arrived in the Stade de France as fans cheered.

    They were joined by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, IOC chief Thomas Bach, Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet and five-time Olympic Champion Martin Fourcade, who passed on the Olympic torch to kick off the 2024 Games.

    Security clears the way for performers

    Security has lined the perimeter around the stage, and musicians with their instruments are walking out onto the field. A few minutes from getting this show underway.

    Fans have started a slow clap with a couple of minutes before show time.

    Paris “waves” goodbye

    The crowd is doing the wave 10 minutes ahead of the closing ceremony.

    Who’s performing at the closing ceremony?

    H.E.R., the five-time Grammy winner, is expected to sing the U.S. national anthem live at the Stade de France as part of the closing ceremony.

    Other performances remain a mystery. Organizers said “the participation of world-renowned singers will complete the picture,” but didn’t elaborate on who those singers could be.

    They added: “Part of the show will take place in the air, while the giant sets, costumes and spectacular lighting effects will take spectators on a journey through time, both past and future.”

    Sunset in Paris has been a special moment during these Olympics

    The sun is setting on the Paris Olympics for the last time. By day, Paris shines. But at night, it sparkles.

    And perhaps rarely so noticeably as during these past two and a half weeks.

    Exhibit 1: the Eiffel Tower, of course. As the sun sets each night, the lights come on, enhancing the beauty of the iron latticework. But the “ooh” moment at beach volleyball, played in an epically photogenic stadium under the tower, would come at 10 p.m. when the music would stop and announcers would ask the crowd to turn to the Eiffel (were they looking anywhere else?) and light their phones.

    Exhibit 2: The gleaming orb that seemed to float in the night sky above the Tuileries gardens – the Olympic cauldron, a 7-meter (23-feet) diameter ring of fire (not a real flame) supported by a giant air balloon.

    Large crowds formed each night in the gardens and in the neighboring courtyard of the Louvre museum — also stunningly floodlit — and wait for the launch, sometimes watching groups of breakers dance.

    A wave of gasps rose up from an appreciative crowd of not just tourists, but also hardened Parisians, awed by the nightly light show in their hometown.

    No rain for the closing ceremony

    The rain that soaked athletes and observers at the opening ceremony is a distant memory. It’s sunny and warm at 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius). Sunset in Saint-Denis is 9:12 p.m. — 10 minutes or so into the show.

    Workers are still finishing the stage at Stade de France

    With less than 30 minutes left before the closing ceremony, workers are still on hands and knees finishing the stage in the middle of the stadium. The stands are roughly half full, with more than 70,000 fans expected to be in attendance.

    A helicopter is circling overhead. Officials have said security is a priority as the Olympics reach the finish line.

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  • Team USA House DJ gives a look at what goes on in Paris – WTOP News

    Team USA House DJ gives a look at what goes on in Paris – WTOP News

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    An Arlington, Virginia-based DJ has been pumping up the crowds and American Olympians while they have competed in Paris for the past two weeks.

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    Team USA’s house DJ gives inside look at what goes on in Paris

    An Arlington, Virginia-based DJ has been pumping up the crowds and American Olympians while competing in Paris for the past two weeks.

    James Morrison, also known as TMMPO, is the DJ for Team USA House, the Olympians home away from home.

    “It is humbling. It’s inspiring. … I never thought … for me to land here and to end up here and be supporting in this capacity,” marveled Morrison.

    Morrison is no stranger to pumping up crowds at sporting events. For the past 10 years, he has been the official DJ for athletics at Virginia Tech, his alma mater.

    “I bleed maroon and orange as much as I bleed red, white and blue,” Morrison said.

    Through those experiences, he was tapped to be Team USA’s DJ.

    For nearly 12 hours a day, he is spinning for the fans and athletes who visit the facility set up in an old stock exchange.

    This is the first year that fans have been allowed to buy tickets and attend events and watch parties in the Team USA House.

    “Ninety-five percent of them are all new for that day. So that just brings fresh energy. And it’s really just been a real opportunity,” Morrison said.

    Traditionally, Olympians, their families, Olympic alumni and invited guests came to the previous houses. He said there they find cohesion, cheer on the U.S., but also have that taste of home.

    Morrison described this year’s version as “the wildest home stadium you possibly could have in a completely away country.”

    He said events like fellow Virginian Noah Lyles’ 100 meter victory was one of the most electric moments at the Team USA House. He said everyone ignored the stage with the MC and DJ and focused entirely on the screen showing the race.

    It is also a place for Olympians to support and encourage their countrymen.

    “Men’s rowing really sticks out. … These dudes are a foot taller than me, and they’re all just hyping the moment up. They’re yelling at the top of their lungs for the track event that’s going on.”

    In between events they will have Olympian interviews and even demonstrations.

    “We’ve had a fencing demo,” he said. “It is really cool when you actually understand the mechanics,” Morrison said of the learning experience.

    He told WTOP the most touching behind-the-scenes moment that he witnessed at Team USA House is the presentations of the Order of Ikkos.

    “It’s where they (an Olympic medalist) get to present a medallion to someone special in their journey,” he said.

    “They’re the best in the world at their craft and they get to take that moment and highlight someone else. So that’s been incredibly special.”

    He said being in Paris has shown the very human side of these Games.

    “I used to always say that music is something that like unifies everyone. And the Olympics, it is a single, unifying event for the entire world.”

    He highly encouraged anyone who has not attended the Olympics to head to Los Angeles in 2028.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Team USA’s Sam Watson sets world record in speed climbing, initiates ‘Selfie Olympics’

    Team USA’s Sam Watson sets world record in speed climbing, initiates ‘Selfie Olympics’

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    New Olympic sports are making their debut at the Paris Games, with Team USA climber Sam Watson setting a new world record in speed climbing and initiating a unique “Selfie Olympics.”Watson said, “I was wondering if I could get a person from all of these different delegations to take a selfie with me.”His idea led him to his own, “Selfie Olympics.” Watson admitted, “I don’t think I’ll get to all 203 because there are some delegations that have already left.”There are 204 nations represented in Paris and Watson is quite proud of one pic he secured.Watson explained, “A member from Tuvalu, which is a tiny island nation. I looked at where they were entered and they were only surfing and sailing. Surfing is Tahiti and sailing is Marseille, so there’s almost no one in Paris.”Watson understands the athletes he’s taking selfies with have different cultural and political views. Watson said, “All of these countries are still human, they’re still Olympians, they’re still competitors, and we still share that, so it is really special to get all this.”Watson, just 18 years old, set a new world record in a qualifying round earlier this week.He’ll compete in the speed climbing medal event on Thursday. The climbing events at the Paris Olympics will conclude on Saturday. When asked about the difference between speed climbing and traditional climbing, climbing coaches likened it to the difference between the 100-meter sprint and the marathon in track and field.

    New Olympic sports are making their debut at the Paris Games, with Team USA climber Sam Watson setting a new world record in speed climbing and initiating a unique “Selfie Olympics.”

    Watson said, “I was wondering if I could get a person from all of these different delegations to take a selfie with me.”

    His idea led him to his own, “Selfie Olympics.”

    Watson admitted, “I don’t think I’ll get to all 203 because there are some delegations that have already left.”

    There are 204 nations represented in Paris and Watson is quite proud of one pic he secured.

    Watson explained, “A member from Tuvalu, which is a tiny island nation. I looked at where they were entered and they were only surfing and sailing. Surfing is Tahiti and sailing is Marseille, so there’s almost no one in Paris.”

    Watson understands the athletes he’s taking selfies with have different cultural and political views.

    Watson said, “All of these countries are still human, they’re still Olympians, they’re still competitors, and we still share that, so it is really special to get all this.”

    Watson, just 18 years old, set a new world record in a qualifying round earlier this week.

    He’ll compete in the speed climbing medal event on Thursday. The climbing events at the Paris Olympics will conclude on Saturday.

    When asked about the difference between speed climbing and traditional climbing, climbing coaches likened it to the difference between the 100-meter sprint and the marathon in track and field.

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  • Noah Lyles’ mom shares her Olympic journey as her son makes history

    Noah Lyles’ mom shares her Olympic journey as her son makes history

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    Keisha Caine Bishop, the mother of American sprinter Noah Lyles, is navigating the unique challenge of being an Olympic athlete’s parent. “I told myself I’m not going to be a wreck,” Bishop said, adding, “It’s totally different here. There’s so much on the line. Everybody wants to be an Olympic medalist. Only three that go home with a medal.”Lyles made history as the first American man to win the 100 meters since Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Games. His victory, which came down to a photo finish, was achieved in 9.72 seconds.Bishop shared, “I told him he was born for such a time as this. That this moment was created for him. I told him to have fun. That we love you but he already knows that and to go out and do what you do.”Lyles won the 100 meters by five-thousandths of a second.Bishop said, “So I tell people I want our experience to encourage someone else. Some kid who might have asthma or dyslexia or ADHD or a single mom. We want you to know it’s not where you start; it’s where you finish.”The Lyles family has faced personal tragedies in the weeks leading up to the Paris Olympics, including the death of Noah’s high school coach, the death of Bishop’s aunt, and Bishop contracting COVID-19. Lyles is set to race in the 200-meter final on Thursday night in Paris, where he is predicted to win. The last American man to win the 200 meters was Shawn Crawford at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The last man to win both the 100- and 200-meter races in the same Olympics was Usain Bolt in the 2016 Rio Games.

    Keisha Caine Bishop, the mother of American sprinter Noah Lyles, is navigating the unique challenge of being an Olympic athlete’s parent.

    “I told myself I’m not going to be a wreck,” Bishop said, adding, “It’s totally different here. There’s so much on the line. Everybody wants to be an Olympic medalist. Only three that go home with a medal.”

    Lyles made history as the first American man to win the 100 meters since Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Games. His victory, which came down to a photo finish, was achieved in 9.72 seconds.

    Bishop shared, “I told him he was born for such a time as this. That this moment was created for him. I told him to have fun. That we love you but he already knows that and to go out and do what you do.”

    Lyles won the 100 meters by five-thousandths of a second.

    Bishop said, “So I tell people I want our experience to encourage someone else. Some kid who might have asthma or dyslexia or ADHD or a single mom. We want you to know it’s not where you start; it’s where you finish.”

    The Lyles family has faced personal tragedies in the weeks leading up to the Paris Olympics, including the death of Noah’s high school coach, the death of Bishop’s aunt, and Bishop contracting COVID-19.

    Lyles is set to race in the 200-meter final on Thursday night in Paris, where he is predicted to win. The last American man to win the 200 meters was Shawn Crawford at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The last man to win both the 100- and 200-meter races in the same Olympics was Usain Bolt in the 2016 Rio Games.

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  • Noah Lyles’ mom shares her Olympic journey as her son makes history

    Noah Lyles’ mom shares her Olympic journey as her son makes history

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    Keisha Caine Bishop, the mother of American sprinter Noah Lyles, is navigating the unique challenge of being an Olympic athlete’s parent. “I told myself I’m not going to be a wreck,” Bishop said, adding, “It’s totally different here. There’s so much on the line. Everybody wants to be an Olympic medalist. Only three that go home with a medal.”Lyles made history as the first American man to win the 100 meters since Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Games. His victory, which came down to a photo finish, was achieved in 9.72 seconds.Bishop shared, “I told him he was born for such a time as this. That this moment was created for him. I told him to have fun. That we love you but he already knows that and to go out and do what you do.”Lyles won the 100 meters by five-thousandths of a second.Bishop said, “So I tell people I want our experience to encourage someone else. Some kid who might have asthma or dyslexia or ADHD or a single mom. We want you to know it’s not where you start; it’s where you finish.”The Lyles family has faced personal tragedies in the weeks leading up to the Paris Olympics, including the death of Noah’s high school coach, the death of Bishop’s aunt, and Bishop contracting COVID-19. Lyles is set to race in the 200-meter final on Thursday night in Paris, where he is predicted to win. The last American man to win the 200 meters was Shawn Crawford at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The last man to win both the 100- and 200-meter races in the same Olympics was Usain Bolt in the 2016 Rio Games.

    Keisha Caine Bishop, the mother of American sprinter Noah Lyles, is navigating the unique challenge of being an Olympic athlete’s parent.

    “I told myself I’m not going to be a wreck,” Bishop said, adding, “It’s totally different here. There’s so much on the line. Everybody wants to be an Olympic medalist. Only three that go home with a medal.”

    Lyles made history as the first American man to win the 100 meters since Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Games. His victory, which came down to a photo finish, was achieved in 9.72 seconds.

    Bishop shared, “I told him he was born for such a time as this. That this moment was created for him. I told him to have fun. That we love you but he already knows that and to go out and do what you do.”

    Lyles won the 100 meters by five-thousandths of a second.

    Bishop said, “So I tell people I want our experience to encourage someone else. Some kid who might have asthma or dyslexia or ADHD or a single mom. We want you to know it’s not where you start; it’s where you finish.”

    The Lyles family has faced personal tragedies in the weeks leading up to the Paris Olympics, including the death of Noah’s high school coach, the death of Bishop’s aunt, and Bishop contracting COVID-19.

    Lyles is set to race in the 200-meter final on Thursday night in Paris, where he is predicted to win. The last American man to win the 200 meters was Shawn Crawford at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The last man to win both the 100- and 200-meter races in the same Olympics was Usain Bolt in the 2016 Rio Games.

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  • When to watch the DC-area athletes competing in the Paris Olympics – WTOP News

    When to watch the DC-area athletes competing in the Paris Olympics – WTOP News

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    Phoebe Bacon — Swimming

    Phoebe Bacon is a 21-year-old swimmer from Chevy Chase, Maryland, who will be competing in the women’s 200 backstroke during the Paris Games.

    Bacon graduated from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda and went on to swim collegiately for the University of Wisconsin, where she won national championships in the 200 backstroke in 2021 and 2024.

    Even at the young age of 21, this isn’t Bacon’s first rodeo at the Olympics. She competed in the Tokyo Games, coming in fifth place in the 200 backstroke. In 2022, she won a silver medal in the same event during the World Championships. She’s looking to add her first Olympic medal to her trophy case this summer.

    Competition: Women’s 200-meter backstroke

    • Prelims: Aug. 1 — finished second, 2:09
    • Semifinals: Aug. 1 — finished first, 2:07.32
    • Finals: Aug. 2 — finished fourth, 2:05.61

    Aaron Brooks — Wrestling

    Aaron Brooks is a 23-year-old rising wrestling star from Hagerstown, Maryland, who made a statement this spring when he took down the reigning Olympic gold medalist to qualify for his first Summer Games.

    A four-time collegiate national champion at Penn State, Brooks defeated 2020 Tokyo gold medalist David Taylor not once, but twice in the U.S. Olympics Trials 190 lb. category to secure his spot on the Paris roster.

    Brooks did his high school wrestling at North Hagerstown High School, winning four national titles, four Maryland state titles and compiling a 163-2 record over four years.

    Brooks looks to continue his dominance during his debut at the Olympics in Paris.

    Competition: Freestyle 86-kilogram

    • Semifinals, Aug. 8, 12:30 p.m.
    • Finals, Aug. 8, 2:30 p.m.

    Claire Collins — Rowing

    Claire Collins is a 27-year-old rower from McLean, Virginia. She attended Washington Episcopal School in Bethesda, Maryland, before moving to the Deerfield, Massachusetts, area and attending Deerfield High School. Taking her rowing talents to Princeton University, Collins became a decorated collegiate athlete. In 2019, her senior year, she was a First Team All-American, First-Team All-Ivy League and received the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award, which is awarded annually to a Princeton senior woman, “of high scholastic rank who has demonstrated general proficiency in athletics and the qualities of a true sportswoman.”

    On the international stage, Collins finished fourth in the four (a boat with four athletes each rowing with one oar) at the 2023 World Rowing Championships and won gold in the four at the 2023 World Rowing Cup II.

    She’s also no stranger to the Olympics. Collins competed in the 2020 Tokyo Games, coming in seventh in the four. This summer, she’ll compete in the women’s four or eight.

    Competition: Women’s Eight

    • Preliminary Heats — July 29, 6 a.m. (2nd in their heat. Heads to repechage)
    • Repêchages — Aug. 1., 4 a.m. (1st in Repechage 1. Heads to the finals)
    • Finals — Aug. 3, 4:50 a.m.

    Greg Duncan — Diving

    Diver Greg Duncan, 25, hails from Oakton, Virginia, and is representing Team USA in the Men’s Synchronized 3-meter Springboard diving competition.

    Duncan is making his Olympic debut in Paris after a fourth-place finish in the 2023 World Championships in the same event.

    A James Madison High School graduate, Duncan went on to compete for and graduate from Purdue University. Duncan is competing in the synchronized diving competition with his former college teammate Tyler Downs.

    Competition: Men’s Synchronized 3-meter Springboard

    • Final — Aug. 2 (Finished 8th)

    Kevin Durant — Basketball

    For D.C.-area sports fans, Kevin Durant needs no introduction.

    The 35-year-old basketball superstar played high school ball at National Christian Academy, Oak Hill Academy and Montrose Christian School. Durant is a two-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and has racked up a lengthy list of accolades throughout his collegiate and NBA career.

    Durant has also enjoyed tremendous success at the international level as the highest-scoring player in men’s Olympic basketball history.

    In Paris, Durant will be looking to become the only men’s basketball player with four gold medals.

    Competition: Men’s Basketball

    • 110-84 win vs. Serbia (group play) — July 28
    • 103-86 win vs. South Sudan (group play) — July 31
    • 104-83 win vs. Puerto Rico (group play) — Aug. 3
    • vs. Brazil (Quarterfinals) — Aug. 6, 3:30 p.m.

    Emily Fox — Soccer

    Emily Fox is a 25-year-old defender for the U.S. women’s national soccer team from Ashburn, Virginia.

    Fox attended Stone Bridge High School and ended up taking her talents to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she was a first-team All-ACC selection her junior year. After recovering from an ACL tear during her college career, she was taken No. 1 overall in the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League Draft.

    The outside back is making her first Olympic appearance in Paris, and made her World Cup debut in 2023. According to U.S. Soccer, she has elite speed and one-on-one abilities.

    Competition: Women’s Soccer

    • 3-0 win vs. Zambia (group play) — July 25
    • 4-1 win vs. Germany (group play) — July 28
    • 2-1 win vs. Australia (group play) — July 31
    • 1-0 win vs. Japan (Quarterfinals) —  Aug. 3
    • vs. Germany (Semifinals) — Aug. 6, 12 p.m.

    Erin Gemmell — Swimming

    Erin Gemmell is a 19-year-old swimmer from Potomac, Maryland, and will be competing in her first Olympic Games in Paris in the women’s 200-meter freestyle as well as part of the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay team.

    Gemmell attended Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and swam for the Nation’s Capital Swim Club. Now a rising sophomore at the University of Texas, she’s already a two-time individual Big 12 champion and an All-American.

    While she’ll be looking to add an Olympic medal to her list of accolades, Gemmell’s trophy case already includes two gold medals from the 2019 World Junior Championships and a silver medal from the 2023 World Championships in the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay, the same event she’ll be competing in at the Summer Games.

    Competition:

    • 200-meter freestyle prelims: July 28 — finished sixth
    • 4×200 freestyle prelims: Aug. 1 — Finished first, 7:52.720
    • 4×200 freestyle finals: Aug. 1 — Finished second, 7:40.86 (Silver Medal)

    Jahmal Harvey — Boxing

    Jahmal Harvey is a 21-year-old boxer from Oxon Hill, Maryland. Harvey grew up playing football and was introduced to boxing by his youth football coach, who also coached boxing. At the age of just 18, Harvey became the first American man to win an elite world title since 2007, according to USA Boxing. Harvey has also racked up multiple gold medals at USA Boxing National Championships at the junior, youth and elite levels.

    Harvey qualified for the 2024 Games by winning gold at the Pan American Games Santiago 2023. This summer, he will represent his country and Prince George’s County in the Olympics for the first time.

    Competition: Men’s Boxing (57-kilogram)

    • Round of 16 vs. Luiz Gabriel Oliveira (Brazil) — July 31 (Harvey wins by split decision)
    • Quarterfinals vs. Munarbek Seitbek uulu (Kyrgyzstan) — Aug. 3 (Seitbek uulu wins by split decision)

    Kat Holmes — Fencing

    Kat Holmes is a 30-year-old fencer from D.C. and a graduate of, you guessed it, Princeton University.

    Holmes graduated from National Cathedral School in D.C. and is considered the veteran of the D.C.-area’s trio of Olympic fencers, as this summer will mark her third Olympic Games.

    At Princeton, Holmes was a four-time All-American and finished second at the NCAA Championships her senior year in épée fencing. In 2018, Holmes was part of the history-making U.S. women’s épée team that won both the Senior World Championship and Senior World Cup gold medal.

    Holmes will serve as a reserve on this summer’s women’s épée team.

    Competition: Women’s Épée Team (U.S. finished 7th)

    • Table of 8 vs. Poland — July 30
    • Classification rounds —  July 30 (Placement 5-8)
    • Semifinals — July 30 (Placement 7-8, eliminated)

    Hadley Husisian — Fencing

    Hadley Husisian is a fencer from Oakton, Virginia, and attends Princeton University.

    Husisian was inspired to start fencing by the Nickelodeon show iCarly and eventually began training at the Elite Fencing Academy in Springfield.

    An épée fencer, Husisian obtained the world No. 1 ranking as a junior women’s fencer in 2022 and won the Junior Women’s Épée World Championship that year.

    During her first year at Princeton, Husisian earned All-American recognition, winning a 2023 NCAA Regional Champion and placing third at the NCAA Championships.

    Husisian will make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games.

    Competition:

    • Women’s Épée Individual — July 27, 5:15 a.m.
      • Table of 32 vs. Paulia Brunner (Switzerland) — 12-11, 19:33
      • Table of 16 vs. Kong Man Wai Vivian (Hong Kong) — 12-15, 14:17 (eliminated)
    • Women’s Épée Team (U.S. finished 7th)
      • Table of 8 vs. Poland — July 30, 7:30 a.m.
      • Classification rounds —  July 30, 9 a.m. (Placement 5-8)
      • Semifinals — July 30, 9:50 a.m. (Placement 7-8)

    Torri Huske — Swimming

    Torri Huske is a 21-year-old swimmer from Arlington, Virginia, who punched her ticket to Paris during swimming trials in the women’s 100 butterfly, an event in which she’s the former American record holder.

    Huske began swimming around age 5 and swam for the Arlington Aquatic Club and Yorktown High School.

    Even though she’s just 21, Huske will be competing in her second Olympics this summer, having taken home a silver medal during the Tokyo Games in the women’s 4×100 medley relay.

    She’s also a six-time World Junior Championships medalist and swims for Stanford University.

    Having qualified second in the final of women’s 100 fly trials, Huske will be a favorite to take home her first Olympic gold.

    Competition:

    • Women’s 100m butterfly: July 27 — finished first, 55.59 (Gold Medal)
    • Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay final: July 27 — finished second, 3:30.20 (Silver Medal)
    • Women’s 100m freestyle prelims: July 30 — finished third, 53.53
    • Women’s 100m freestyle finals: July 31 — finished second, 52.29 (Silver Medal)

    Weini Kelati — Track

    Weini Kelati won a national title in the 10,000 meter dash, and will represent the United States at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

    Kelati, an Eritrean-born runner, achieved multiple victories in state and national-level competitions while attending Heritage High School in Leesburg, Virginia.

    The 27-year-old ran for the University of New Mexico’s Lobos, where she became an NCAA champion for the outdoor track and field contests finishing the 10,000 meter in 33 minutes 10 seconds.

    Competition:

    • Women’s 10,000 meter dash finals: Aug. 9, 2:57 p.m.

    Taylor Knibb — Triathlon, Road Cycling

    Qualifying in the triathlon for the 2024 Olympics apparently wasn’t enough for 26-year-old Taylor Knibb.

    The D.C. native pulled off a stunning result on May 15 at the USA Cycling Pro Road Championships, winning the women’s time trial and securing a spot in a second sport in the Paris Olympics.

    According to Team USA, Knibb was inspired to become a triathlete as a child after she watched her mom, Leslie Knibb, compete in an IRONMAN race. Taylor Knibb attended Sidwell Friends School in D.C., where she competed on the cross-country team. She also swam for Nation’s Capital Swim Club, while continuing to compete in triathlons. Knibb was named D.C. Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year and the D.C. State Athletic Association Runner of the Year in both 2014 and 2015.

    At 23, Knibb was the youngest woman ever to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, according to Team USA. During the 2020 Olympics, she placed 16th overall in the individual event and earned the silver medal at the debut Mixed Relay event.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Competition:

    • Cycling, road : July 27 — 19, 43:03.46.
    • Triathlon: July 31 — Finished 19th, 1:58:37

    Katie Ledecky — Swimming

    Katie Ledecky, is a 27-year-old swimmer from Bethesda, Maryland.

    Already one of the greatest swimmers ever, Ledecky is heading to her fourth Olympics where she’s looking to add to her six individual gold medals.

    Ledecky, who cruised to victory in the 400-meter freestyle at the U.S. swimming trials on June 15, is off to Paris where the 800- and 1,500-meter freestyle swimming events are considered her best shots at victory.

    Competition:

    • 400 freestyle prelims:  July 27 — finished first, 4:02.19
    • 400 freestyle finals: July 27 — finished third, 4:00.86 (Bronze Medal)
    • 800 freestyle prelims: Aug. 2 — finished second, 8:16.62
    • 800 freestyle finals — Aug. 3 —
    • 1,500 freestyle prelims: July 30. — finished first, 15:47.43
    • 1,500 freestyle finals: July 31 — finished first, 15:30.02 (Gold Medal)
    • 4×200 freestyle relay finals: Aug. 1 — finished second, 7:40.86 (Silver Medal)

    Noah Lyles — Track

    The blazing fast Noah Lyles is looking to make a statement performance in Paris.

    Lyles is a 26-year-old sprinter from Alexandria, Virginia, and a graduate of then-T. C. Williams High School, which has since been renamed to Alexandria City High School. He was ranked No. 1 in both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter in 2023, and is currently still tops in the 200-meter and is No. 2 in the 100-meter.

    In Tokyo, Lyles took home a bronze medal in the 200-meter but is considered a favorite in that event, and in the marquee 100-meter event.

    Lyles will be eying history in Paris, with the rare chance to a triple crown of gold medals in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4×100-meter races. No American has done that since Carl Lewis.

    Competition:

    • 100-meter Round 1 Heat: Aug. 3 — Finished second, 10.04
    • 100-meter Semifinals: Aug. 4 — Finished second, 9.83
    • 100-meter Finals: Aug. 4 — Finished first, 9.784 (Gold Medal)
    • 200-meter Round 1 Heat 6: Aug. 5, 1:55 p.m.
    • 200-meter Repechage Round: Aug. 6, 6:30 a.m.
    • 200-meter Semifinals: Aug. 7, 2 p.m.
    • 200-meter Finals: Aug. 8, 2:30 p.m.
    • 4×100-meter relay Round 1: Aug. 8, 5:35 a.m.
    • 4×100-meter relay Finals: Aug. 9, 1:47 p.m.

    Helen Maroulis — Wrestling

    Helen Maroulis is a 32-year-old wrestler from Rockville, Maryland, who will be competing in her third consecutive Olympics this summer.

    Maroulis started wrestling at age 7 and went on to compete for Magruder High School in Derwood, finishing with a record of 99-26, often wrestling against boys.

    During her first Olympics in 2016, Maroulis made history, becoming the first U.S. woman to win gold in wrestling. She followed that up with a bronze medal in the 2020 games.

    Maroulis is also a three-time Senior World Championships gold medalist.

    On top of her competitive schedule, Maroulis, who still lives in Rockville, works to train the next generation of young wrestlers by holding clinics for all ages.

    Competition: Women’s freestyle wrestling (57 kg)

    • Quarterfinals and Semifinals: Aug. 8, 5 a.m.-1 p.m.
    • Repechage Round: Aug. 9, 5 p.m.
    • Bronze Medal and Finals: Aug. 9, 2:50-3:15 p.m.

    Tatiana Nazlymov — Fencing

    Tatiana Nazlymov is from Bethesda, Maryland, where her father and grandfather (also fencers) got her involved in the sport at a young age.

    Nazlymov attended Georgetown Day School in D.C. and held the No. 11 world junior ranking before going to Princeton, where she just completed her freshman year.

    This summer will be Nazlymov’s first Olympic Games, but she’s already had success on the international level. She won gold at the 2023 Pan-American Senior Championships, and racked up silver medals at the 2023 World University Games and the Plovdiv Junior Women’s Saber World Cup.

    Competition:

    • Women’s saber individual, Round of 32 vs. South Korea’s Choi Se-bin: July 29 — 14-15 (eliminated)

    Kevin Paredes — Soccer

    Kevin Paredes is a 21-year-old soccer player from South Riding, Virginia, and was just named to the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team.

    The defender played for D.C. United from 2020-2021, making 41 appearances for the club and scoring three goals. He signed with a German club called VfL Wolfburg, appearing in 52 matches and scoring three goals.

    Paredes appeared in three matches for the senior national team.

    Competition: Men’s Soccer

    • 3-0 loss vs. France (group play) — July 24
    • 4-1 win vs. New Zealand (group play) — July 27
    • 3-0 win vs. Guinea (group play) — July 30
    • 4-0 loss vs. Morocco (Quarterfinals) —  Aug. 2 (Eliminated)

    Aaron Russell — Volleyball

    Aaron Russell is a 30-year-old, 6’9″ volleyball player from Ellicott City, Maryland, who plays outside hitter for Team USA.

    Russell attended Centennial High School in Ellicott City, where he trained with the girls volleyball team, since they didn’t have a boys team. He also played for the Maryland Volleyball Program in Rockville and was a member of the 2010 and 2011 Youth National Team.

    Russell’s talents extend beyond the court, having been a two-year team captain in soccer at Centennial. Russell followed his older brother to Penn State to play collegiate volleyball, and was a two-time All American and one of two team captains his senior year.

    In Paris, Russell will be looking to pick up more Olympic hardware. He was a part of USA’s bronze-medal winning team at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and was named to the Olympic Dream Team.

    Competition:

    • Men’s volleyball, prelims vs. Argentina: July 27 — U.S. wins 3-0
    • Men’s volleyball, prelims vs. Germany: July 30 — U.S. wins 3-2
    • Men’s volleyball, prelims vs. Japan: Aug. 2 — U.S. wins 3-1
    • Men’s volleyball, Quarterfinals vs. Brazil — Aug. 5, 2 p.m.
    • Men’s volleyball, Semifinals – Aug. 7
    • Men’s volleyball, Finals – Aug. 10

    Kyle Snyder — Wrestling

    Kyle Snyder is a 28-year-old wrestler from Woodbine, Maryland, who looks to add to his vast collection of hardware during the 2024 Summer Games.

    Snyder took home the freestyle wrestling gold medal at 97 kg in 2016 and came away with silver in the 2020 games. He also won the world championship in 2015, 2017 and 2022.

    Those who watched Snyder wrestle in high school for Our Lady of Good Counsel won’t be surprised by his success. During his three years there, Snyder amassed a perfect, 179-0 record on his way to three prep national titles while only giving up a single takedown in his entire high school career.

    His dominance continued at the collegiate level wrestling for Ohio State, where he won three consecutive national titles.

    Competition: Men’s freestyle wrestling (97 kg)

    • Quarterfinals and Semifinals: Aug. 6, 5:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m.
    • Repechage Round: Aug. 7, 5 p.m.
    • Bronze Medal and Finals: Aug. 9, 2:05 p.m.

    Jessica Stevens — Trampoline gymnastics

    Jessica Stevens is a 24-year-old from Ellicott City, Maryland, representing Team USA gymnastics on the trampoline team.

    Stevens trains at Fairland Gymnastics in Laurel and is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Howard Community College.

    While she’s making her Olympic debut in Paris, Stevens has amassed plenty of hardware in international competition, including a 2023 World Championships gold medal in mixed team competition and a bronze in women’s individual trampoline at the same event.

    Competition: Women’s trampoline gymnastics

    • Qualification: Aug. 2 — Finished 13th (Eliminated)

    Juliette Whittaker — Track

    Juliette Whittaker is a 20-year-old middle-distance runner from Laurel, Maryland, and attended Mount de Sales Academy in Catonsville, where she won numerous state and national titles.

    Whittaker qualified for the U.S. team in the women’s 800-meter, placing third at the Olympic Trials with a time of 1:58.45. She’ll be making her Olympic debut in Paris.

    Now attending Stanford University, Whittaker is a Pac-12 champion in the 800-meter and a four-time All-American.

    Competition: Women’s 800-meter

    • Round 1: Aug. 2 — Finished third, 2:00.45
    • Semifinals: Aug. 4 — Finished third, 1:57.76
    • Finals: Aug. 5, 3:45 p.m.

    Quincy Wilson — Track

    Quincy Wilson is a 16-year-old track superstar and the youngest male U.S. track and field Olympian in history.

    He set the under-18 world record for the outdoor version of the 400-meter dash. Wilson broke his own record in the 400 m at 44.66 seconds by running it in 44.59 seconds.

    Born in 2008, Wilson has quickly established himself as one of the most promising rising stars in track and field.

    Off the track, he’s a student at the Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland.

    Competition: 4x400m mixed relay

    • Round 1: Aug. 2 — Finished 1st, 3:07.41 (Did not participate)
    • Final: Aug. 3 — Finished 2nd (Did not participate)

    Khoi Young — Gymnastics

    Bowie, Maryland-raised Khoi Young placed 15th in the all-around at the Olympic trials and went on to be named as an alternate to the U.S. Olympic Team.

    Young posted the top score on the vault of 30.05.

    The 21-year-old NCAA champion exploded onto the international scene, winning multiple medals at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics Championships and for Team USA.

    He’s a rising senior at Stanford University where he studies product design and is on track to graduate in 2025.

    Competition:

    • Men’s gymnastics, team (Bronze Medal)

    Griffin Yow — Soccer

    Griffin Yow is a 21-year-old soccer player from Clifton, Virginia, and was named to the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team.

    He attended Centreville High School before withdrawing from high school and to play for D.C. United and before that, its reserve team called Loudoun United FC. After spending four years for the Black and Red, Yow was transferred Belgium’s K.V.C. Westerlo in 2022.

    The forward has never played for the senior national team.

    Competition: Men’s Soccer

    • 3-0 loss vs. France (group play) — July 24
    • 4-1 win vs. New Zealand (group play) — July 27
    • 3-0 win vs. Guinea (group play) — July 30
    • 4-0 loss vs. Morocco (Quarterfinals) —  Aug. 2 (Eliminated)

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

    Thomas Robertson is an Associate Producer and Web Writer/Editor at WTOP. After graduating in 2019 from James Madison University, Thomas moved away from Virginia for the first time in his life to cover the local government beat for a small daily newspaper in Zanesville, Ohio.

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  • US rider Kristen Faulkner sprints clear to win women’s road race at Paris Olympics

    US rider Kristen Faulkner sprints clear to win women’s road race at Paris Olympics

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    Kristen Faulkner timed her attack to perfection to win the women’s road race at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, becoming the first American rider in 40 years to win a medal in the event.Related video above: Paris Olympics volunteers are the unsung heroes behind the gamesThe 158-kilometer (98-mile) route started and finished in Paris, with Faulkner crossing the line at the Trocadéro in a fraction under four hours.Faulkner finished 58 seconds clear of Dutch rider Marianne Vos, Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and Blanka Vas of Hungary, who were separated by a photo finish with Vos taking silver and Kopecky clinching the bronze.Faulkner and Kopecky caught up with Vos and Vas with about three kilometers left. As Faulkner attacked, the other three hesitated and then could not catch her.She only had the Eiffel Tower and glory ahead of her.The 31-year-old Alaska native is the first American to win a road race medal of any color since the 1984 Los Angeles Games when Connie Carpenter and Alexi Grewal swept the gold medals.

    Kristen Faulkner timed her attack to perfection to win the women’s road race at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, becoming the first American rider in 40 years to win a medal in the event.

    Related video above: Paris Olympics volunteers are the unsung heroes behind the games

    The 158-kilometer (98-mile) route started and finished in Paris, with Faulkner crossing the line at the Trocadéro in a fraction under four hours.

    Faulkner finished 58 seconds clear of Dutch rider Marianne Vos, Lotte Kopecky of Belgium and Blanka Vas of Hungary, who were separated by a photo finish with Vos taking silver and Kopecky clinching the bronze.

    Faulkner and Kopecky caught up with Vos and Vas with about three kilometers left. As Faulkner attacked, the other three hesitated and then could not catch her.

    Thibault Camus

    Kristen Faulkner, of the United States, celebrates winning the women’s road cycling event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

    She only had the Eiffel Tower and glory ahead of her.

    The 31-year-old Alaska native is the first American to win a road race medal of any color since the 1984 Los Angeles Games when Connie Carpenter and Alexi Grewal swept the gold medals.

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  • Montgomery Co. woman wins Dominica’s first Olympic medal – WTOP News

    Montgomery Co. woman wins Dominica’s first Olympic medal – WTOP News

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    Thea LaFond left Dominica for the United States when she was 5 and now lives in Maryland. But she’s still ambassador for her birth nation.

    SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Sometimes, all it takes is one athlete.

    In March, triple jumper Thea LaFond was the only representative of her tiny Caribbean nation, Dominica, at world indoors.

    She won the gold medal.

    Now at the Paris Olympics, LaFond is the only woman from her country competing in track and field.

    Again, she won gold.

    Only it was more than gold. It was the very first Olympic medal for Dominica.

    “It’s an understatement to say it’s a really big deal,” LaFond said after her victory Saturday night at the Stade de France. “Sometimes you wonder if being from a small country means that you have less accessibility to resources. … But we’ve been really big on (prioritizing) quality and just executing it.”

    LaFond left Dominica for the United States when she was 5 and now lives in Maryland. But she’s still ambassador for her birth nation.

    “My country’s name is Dominica (dah-min-EE-ka). We’re not Dominican Republic, so it’s pronounced differently,” LaFond said. “We are about roughly 70,000 people. Not 7 million. Not 70 million. Seventy thousand. And it is a gorgeous, gorgeous gem in the Caribbean near to Martinique and Guadeloupe. … Our neighbors also include St. Lucia, Barbados and, further south, Trinidad and Tobago. Our primary language is English. And now they have a gold medal.”

    Dominica wasn’t the only Caribbean island to earn its first Olympic medal on Saturday. Julien Alfred of St. Lucia won the 100-meter title.

    In 2017, 90% of the homes on Dominica were damaged by Hurricane Maria and 31 people died.

    There are virtually no facilities for track and field on the island. Plans to build a track have been stalled for years, LaFond said.

    “The biggest issue has been getting the land allocation for this track. Give us the land and there will be a track,” LaFond said. “I’m really hoping this medal kind of lights a fire under all government officials to get that done. I want a place where the next generation doesn’t necessarily have to go overseas.”

    After her move to the U.S., LaFond developed into a classically trained dancer. She gave up dance at 13 when her family couldn’t afford lessons anymore and discovered track and field at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, and went on to compete at the University of Maryland.

    When she made her Olympic debut in 2016, she was introduced to Aaron Gadson, who became her coach and then her husband. Gadson’s first big advice for LaFond involved a big change to her jumping technique.

    LaFond had leaped off her right leg since she was a teenager. Gadson thought she was stronger jumping off her left leg, though, so they made the change.

    “It’s basically teaching your body how to jump again,” LaFond said. “There were some very frustrating days.”

    Gadson had some more invaluable advice in Paris after LaFond leaped 14.32 meters on her first jump: “He came to me and he said, ’Listen, there is torrential downpour coming in 20 minutes. You have to do something big now because the weather is not going to be on your side.’”

    LaFond leaped 15.02 on her second attempt, which was the winning jump. As Gadson predicted, the storm then came and nobody else could come close in the wet conditions.

    “We had to put it together right then and there,” LaFond said.

    Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica took silver at 14.87 and Jasmine Moore of the U.S. got bronze at 14.67.

    Missing from the competition was world-record holder and defending Olympic champion Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela, who was out with an Achilles tendon injury.

    Besides celebrations on Dominica, LaFond’s victory sparked jubilation at a Navy football preseason practice session when the news was communicated to Chreign LaFond, Thea’s younger brother and a junior defensive end with the Midshipmen.

    Navy shared on social media a video of his teammates jumping all over Chreign.

    ___

    AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

    Copyright
    © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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  • What is 3×3 basketball? Here’s how it’s different from the traditional game

    What is 3×3 basketball? Here’s how it’s different from the traditional game

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    Team USA is currently leading the medal count at the Paris Olympics, with athletes winning in a diverse range of sports.They’re hoping to win a medal in a new version of an old game, 3×3 basketball.It’s similar to traditional basketball, but the rules are a little different. The first team to 21 points, or whoever is leading at the end of 10 minutes, wins.College star and influencer Hailey Van Lith, a 3×3 player, said, “This has been something that just came out of nowhere.”The ball is about 2 centimeters smaller than a traditional basketball, and there’s no coach on the court. “It’s a great opportunity for us to learn, to think the game,” Van Lith added.The popularity of basketball is growing around the following of France superstar Victor Wembenyama. Four French players were also selected in the first round of the most recent NBA draft.Areas of Paris that were once parking lots have been turned into basketball courts. The medal games for 3×3 are scheduled for this Monday.

    Team USA is currently leading the medal count at the Paris Olympics, with athletes winning in a diverse range of sports.

    They’re hoping to win a medal in a new version of an old game, 3×3 basketball.

    It’s similar to traditional basketball, but the rules are a little different. The first team to 21 points, or whoever is leading at the end of 10 minutes, wins.

    College star and influencer Hailey Van Lith, a 3×3 player, said, “This has been something that just came out of nowhere.”

    The ball is about 2 centimeters smaller than a traditional basketball, and there’s no coach on the court.

    “It’s a great opportunity for us to learn, to think the game,” Van Lith added.

    The popularity of basketball is growing around the following of France superstar Victor Wembenyama. Four French players were also selected in the first round of the most recent NBA draft.

    Areas of Paris that were once parking lots have been turned into basketball courts.

    The medal games for 3×3 are scheduled for this Monday.

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  • Four takeaways from a thrilling night of Olympic swimming

    Four takeaways from a thrilling night of Olympic swimming

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    One of the most exciting swimming nights of these Olympics is in the books after Wednesday night’s record-setting races.The evening saw a new world record, multiple new Olympic records set, an American legend put her stamp on these Games, a French hero turned into a legend and exciting editions of swimming’s most electric race.Here are four takeaways from a big night in the pool:Ledecky dominates once againAmerican legend Katie Ledecky once again created another iconic Olympic image of her just absolutely destroying her competition.It’s a sight that has now become familiar but is nevertheless awe-inspiring. The sight of Ledecky pulling away from her competition over the 15-minute race, gradually and then seemingly all at once, can’t help making one shake their head and chuckle. She is simply on a different planet than the rest of the competitors in this race.Ledecky broke her own Olympic record set three years ago in Tokyo by more than five seconds and finished 10 seconds ahead of France’s Anastasiia Kirpichnikova, whose finish had the home nation fans in full voice.After a disappointing start to the Games with a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle, Ledecky was clearly thrilled with her performance. She splashed the water in joy upon finishing, raised her fist in the air while still in the pool and put both arms above her head in exultation when she exited.The American swimming superstar now owns the 20 fastest times in history in the 1500m freestyle – an astounding feat which demonstrates her utter dominance of the distance.”I did have fun, I felt really good, I just tried to hold steady the whole time… just swim a time I could feel happy with. I’m really proud of that swim,” Ledecky said afterwards. “I’m excited for the rest of the week, I have the relay tomorrow and that’s next on the docket.”Ledecky competes next in the 4×200 freestyle relay on Thursday.Marchand, a new French legendLéon Marchand entered these Olympics with high expectations and the hopes of a nation on his shoulders whenever he got in the water.Suffice to say, he’s carrying that weight pretty well.In his first race of the night, the 200-meter butterfly, Marchand trailed for about three-quarters of the race. But, urged on by tens of thousands of boisterous French compatriots, he exploded out of the final turn and entered the last 50 meters of the race in first, bringing whatever portions of the crowd that weren’t already standing to their feet.Kristóf Milák had led the entire way to that point, but Marchand rode a wave of French cheers to take the lead and set a new Olympic record in the race.During the medal ceremony, the noise for Marchand was close to overwhelming and the sound of the French crowd singing “La Marseillaise” induced goosebumps.But he wasn’t done yet.He never looked bothered in the 200-meter breaststroke, setting yet another Olympic record as he cruised to victory. The atmosphere in La Défense Arena was again electric as shouts of “Allez!” came up from the crowd every time Marchand surfaced during the breaststroke.He also completed a feat that hadn’t been done in decades: winning two individual gold medals in one night. That feat had not been accomplished since the 1976 Games in Montreal.The final singing of “La Marseillaise” of the night came with massive smiles and chants of the new French legend’s name rang around the arena during his victory lap.First world record set in the Paris poolThe pool at La Défense Arena has been described as slow by some of the swimmers in Paris. It’s shallower than most Olympic pools, causing a bit more drag on the swimmers as they go through the water.Multiple Olympic records had been broken at these Games, but the world records had remained intact.Until China’s swimming superman Pan Zhanle took to the water.Pan had already set the world record earlier this year in Doha, Qatar. But his swim on Wednesday night in Paris shattered that mark, taking almost a half-second off that time.In the end, it was Pan’s race against himself that was most exciting. The distance between him and his nearest competitor was more than a second – an incredible distance in such a short race.Incredible women’s 100-meter freestyle race goes down to the wireThe first race of the night was one of the quickest races on the Olympic docket and it packed a lot of drama into less than a minute.American Torri Huske made the turn at the halfway point in the lead. Swimming in Lane 1, Huske looked set to pull off an unlikely gold medal win and was heading toward the wall with aplomb.But in the last 25 meters of the race, Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström made her charge. As the crowd roared – plenty of American fans were in La Défense Arena, even if it was mainly French – Sjöström simply could not be denied as the 30-year-old turned back the clock in spectacular fashion.Sjöström hit the wall .13 seconds ahead of Huske to take home the gold, with the American having to settle for silver. She beat out bronze medalist Hong Kong’s Siobhan Bernadette Haughey by .04 seconds.”I have no more words,” Sjöström said post-race. “This is unbelievable. My reaction said everything. I didn’t know where I was when I finished. It took a few seconds before I saw that I won.”I didn’t think I would swim the 100 free. After the freestyle relay the first day, I told my coach straight away, ‘I don’t think the 100 free is for me. No, I want to do the 50. I will rest until the 50.’ He was like, ‘No way. You need to go out there and see what you can do, no matter the outcome.’ The staff made my mind.”I didn’t know exactly what I could do, and I definitely didn’t know what everyone else could do. I am proud of myself that I tried this,” she added.

    One of the most exciting swimming nights of these Olympics is in the books after Wednesday night’s record-setting races.

    The evening saw a new world record, multiple new Olympic records set, an American legend put her stamp on these Games, a French hero turned into a legend and exciting editions of swimming’s most electric race.

    Here are four takeaways from a big night in the pool:

    Ledecky dominates once again

    American legend Katie Ledecky once again created another iconic Olympic image of her just absolutely destroying her competition.

    It’s a sight that has now become familiar but is nevertheless awe-inspiring. The sight of Ledecky pulling away from her competition over the 15-minute race, gradually and then seemingly all at once, can’t help making one shake their head and chuckle. She is simply on a different planet than the rest of the competitors in this race.

    Ledecky broke her own Olympic record set three years ago in Tokyo by more than five seconds and finished 10 seconds ahead of France’s Anastasiia Kirpichnikova, whose finish had the home nation fans in full voice.

    After a disappointing start to the Games with a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle, Ledecky was clearly thrilled with her performance. She splashed the water in joy upon finishing, raised her fist in the air while still in the pool and put both arms above her head in exultation when she exited.

    The American swimming superstar now owns the 20 fastest times in history in the 1500m freestyle – an astounding feat which demonstrates her utter dominance of the distance.

    “I did have fun, I felt really good, I just tried to hold steady the whole time… just swim a time I could feel happy with. I’m really proud of that swim,” Ledecky said afterwards. “I’m excited for the rest of the week, I have the relay tomorrow and that’s next on the docket.”

    Ledecky competes next in the 4×200 freestyle relay on Thursday.

    Marchand, a new French legend

    Léon Marchand entered these Olympics with high expectations and the hopes of a nation on his shoulders whenever he got in the water.

    Suffice to say, he’s carrying that weight pretty well.

    In his first race of the night, the 200-meter butterfly, Marchand trailed for about three-quarters of the race. But, urged on by tens of thousands of boisterous French compatriots, he exploded out of the final turn and entered the last 50 meters of the race in first, bringing whatever portions of the crowd that weren’t already standing to their feet.

    Kristóf Milák had led the entire way to that point, but Marchand rode a wave of French cheers to take the lead and set a new Olympic record in the race.

    During the medal ceremony, the noise for Marchand was close to overwhelming and the sound of the French crowd singing “La Marseillaise” induced goosebumps.

    But he wasn’t done yet.

    He never looked bothered in the 200-meter breaststroke, setting yet another Olympic record as he cruised to victory. The atmosphere in La Défense Arena was again electric as shouts of “Allez!” came up from the crowd every time Marchand surfaced during the breaststroke.

    He also completed a feat that hadn’t been done in decades: winning two individual gold medals in one night. That feat had not been accomplished since the 1976 Games in Montreal.

    The final singing of “La Marseillaise” of the night came with massive smiles and chants of the new French legend’s name rang around the arena during his victory lap.

    First world record set in the Paris pool

    The pool at La Défense Arena has been described as slow by some of the swimmers in Paris. It’s shallower than most Olympic pools, causing a bit more drag on the swimmers as they go through the water.

    Multiple Olympic records had been broken at these Games, but the world records had remained intact.

    Until China’s swimming superman Pan Zhanle took to the water.

    Pan had already set the world record earlier this year in Doha, Qatar. But his swim on Wednesday night in Paris shattered that mark, taking almost a half-second off that time.

    In the end, it was Pan’s race against himself that was most exciting. The distance between him and his nearest competitor was more than a second – an incredible distance in such a short race.

    Incredible women’s 100-meter freestyle race goes down to the wire

    The first race of the night was one of the quickest races on the Olympic docket and it packed a lot of drama into less than a minute.

    American Torri Huske made the turn at the halfway point in the lead. Swimming in Lane 1, Huske looked set to pull off an unlikely gold medal win and was heading toward the wall with aplomb.

    But in the last 25 meters of the race, Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström made her charge.

    As the crowd roared – plenty of American fans were in La Défense Arena, even if it was mainly French – Sjöström simply could not be denied as the 30-year-old turned back the clock in spectacular fashion.

    Sjöström hit the wall .13 seconds ahead of Huske to take home the gold, with the American having to settle for silver. She beat out bronze medalist Hong Kong’s Siobhan Bernadette Haughey by .04 seconds.

    “I have no more words,” Sjöström said post-race. “This is unbelievable. My reaction said everything. I didn’t know where I was when I finished. It took a few seconds before I saw that I won.

    “I didn’t think I would swim the 100 free. After the freestyle relay the first day, I told my coach straight away, ‘I don’t think the 100 free is for me. No, I want to do the 50. I will rest until the 50.’ He was like, ‘No way. You need to go out there and see what you can do, no matter the outcome.’ The staff made my mind.

    “I didn’t know exactly what I could do, and I definitely didn’t know what everyone else could do. I am proud of myself that I tried this,” she added.

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  • Olympic moment of the day: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, tennis’ new favorite double act

    Olympic moment of the day: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, tennis’ new favorite double act

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    Roland Garros, Paris (CNN) — After all these years, Rafael Nadal is still finding new ways to win matches on his favorite tennis court.

    His latest victory on the French clay came alongside Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics, and together they formed a dream pairing – a two-for-the-price-of-one ticket for tennis fans and a moment that could only really happen at the Olympics.

    For close to two hours on Court Philippe-Chatrier – the site of Nadal’s 14 French Open titles and Alcaraz’s first just last month – the crowd fell hard for “Nadalcaraz,” providing frenzied support during the Spanish duo’s 7-6(7-4) 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Máximo González and Andrés Molteni.

    Saturday’s match was a rare opportunity to see two of the game’s biggest names, each at opposite ends of their career, on the same side of the net: Nadal with all the experience and sparkle of his 22 grand slam titles, and Alcaraz with his flourishing career and high-octane style of play.

    The victory against two seasoned doubles players was by no means easy, likely a sign of the limited time that Nadal and Alcaraz have spent training and playing together. But it was nonetheless an entertaining introduction to tennis’ new favorite double act.

    “It’s been an emotional night, an electrifying night, an amazing crowd,” Nadal told reporters. “Playing with Carlos on this court has been so special. We’re just super happy about the victory, that it’s given us the chance to keep going.”

    Nadal had already taken center stage at this year’s Olympics, chosen as one of the final torchbearers for Friday night’s opening ceremony.

    Less than 24 hours later, he was out on court putting on a different kind of show alongside Alcaraz, displaying sharpness and a deft touch at the net. The crowd in Philippe-Chatrier chanted his name throughout the contest, and one of the loudest roars came when he celebrated winning match point by pumping a ball into the stands.

    “Yesterday was a super emotional moment for me too and I can’t thank Paris and France enough for giving me that honor,” said Nadal. “The emotion’s still very high, so just enjoying every single moment.”

    The teams traded breaks of serve at the start of the Saturday’s match before becoming locked in a tight and lengthy first set. It wasn’t until midway through the first-set tie-break, following chants of “allez Les Blues” with the news that France had won gold in the rugby seven, that Nadal and Alcaraz edged ahead.

    Three straight points gave them a 6-3 lead, and Nadal seized the opening with a powerful backhand return down the line to conclude the set.

    That advantage looked to be disappearing as González and Molteni broke Nadal’s serve to take a 3-0 lead, but the Spaniards responded in style, reeling off the next 12 points in a row to get back on level terms at 3-3.

    Another break of serve followed two games later, which Alcaraz had engineered with a cross-court backhand, before Nadal was able to serve out for the match.

    The 21-year-old Alcaraz, playing alongside one of his childhood idols, is on a stunning run of form having won titles at the French Open and Wimbledon in the past two months. He kicked off his Olympics singles campaign by defeating Lebanon’s Hady Habib 6-3 6-1 earlier on Saturday.

    That was his first taste of competing at the Olympics, while Nadal is hoping to add to the two golds he has won previously – singles in 2008 and doubles in 2016. Now entering the final stage of his career, it’s as much about enjoying the experience as it is winning titles for the 38-year-old.

    His all-star partnership with Alcaraz has only been a couple of weeks in the making, while González and Molteni, who have played and won titles together multiple times in their long careers, provided a difficult early test.

    “You see Rafa with his experience and charisma,” Nadal’s coach, Carlos Moyá, said before Saturday’s match. “And then you see Carlos, kind of like Rafa was aged 20 or 21, very expressive and effusive … hopefully they can keep going because it’s a partnership that tennis fans can fall in love with.”

    Nadal is still scheduled to play against Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics on Sunday, despite uncertainty around whether he will compete in the singles draw. If he does, he could face Novak Djokovic in the second round, and had a quick response when asked if he was ready for a last dance against his great rival.

    “Who said last dance?” he shot back. And who can blame him when he’s still winning on his favorite court, all to the applause of thousands of fans?

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  • It’s All Coming Back to the Audience Now, Or: Céline Dion: The Ultimate Athlete at the Olympics

    It’s All Coming Back to the Audience Now, Or: Céline Dion: The Ultimate Athlete at the Olympics

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    During the opening of I Am: Céline Dion, the gut-wrenching, Irene Taylor-directed documentary about the singer’s rare medical condition, Stiff Person Syndrome, an interview with “vintage” Dion is shown. She’s still in her early career and therefore still more versed in (Canadian) French when she says with a heavy accent, “My dream is to be international star and to be able to sing all my life.” It’s an immediately bittersweet introduction, for viewers already know that Dion has been felled by her condition for the past four years, not performing live since 2020, when she managed to round out her Courage World Tour in New Jersey (a tour plagued—pun intended—by Covid-19 shutdowns and, then, her illness). So maybe, if nothing else, Dion decided she needed to perform again so that the last place she sang wouldn’t be in New Jersey, but a milieu more befitting of her glamor and caliber.

    Thus, as she put it, if she was going to perform again, it ought to be at the Olympics in Paris. The symbolism is clear, of course. This is the woman who has been a “vocal athlete” (as Kelly Clarkson called her) for her entire life. And training to perform again for this particular appearance was nothing if not a marathon. One that has been dogged by so many physical setbacks that have, in turn, caused emotional lows that then feed those physical setbacks anew in a proverbial vicious cycle.

    For someone like Dion to be unable to use her voice—as though the Sea Witch (a.k.a. Ursula) ripped it out of her like a soul—is unimaginable. For it is the entire essence of her being, her literal raison d’être. As she also remarked in I Am: Céline Dion, “Music. I miss it a lot. But also…the people. I miss them, you know?” In another “vintage” interview clip in the documentary, Dion is shown saying that performing is like a drug, complete with the rush of the audience and the energy that they give her. The life that they literally breathe into her with their presence and energy. She also adds, “When you have the soul of an artist…artist one day, artist always. You can’t live without it.” I Am: Céline Dion gives a snapshot of how challenging and, yes, depressing it is for her to do just that—taking a break from her usual career rigors to focus on improving her health. Plus, spending more time with her twins, Eddy and Nelson. While she seems to enjoy the latter, it doesn’t do much to mitigate the physical and emotional pain caused by her condition. A disorder so rare it only happens to one in a million people. And while Dion is a one in a million talent, she certainly never wanted that to extend into a health condition.

    In the documentary, she gives a sample of what her voice sounds like with the drawbacks of SPS, breaking down crying after hearing it go all out of control. Not being able to make her vocals do what she wants them to. “I don’t want people to hear that,” she wails. Which is another large part of why she stopped singing. Anything less than perfection, to Dion, is not worth delivering to the public. As Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) said to her at the end of the “Ashes” music video, “You’re at an eleven. We need to get you down to a five, five and a half, tops. Just phone it in.” Dion ripostes, “Listen, this thing only goes to eleven. So beat it, Spider-Man.”

    And she was definitely “at eleven” for her rendition of Édith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour,” dramatically delivered from the Eiffel Tower, just beneath the five signature Olympic rings that have been placed on the structure in honor of the games. Wearing a sparkling white evening gown (Dior, naturally) suited for a Vegas residency, Dion proved what she said (and then some) in I Am: Céline Dion: “I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again.” Her drive to perform is part of what has helped her combat, as much as possible, being totally debilitated by her condition, declaring, “All I know is singing, it’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.”

    Audiences could see that love on full display the night of July 26th, a rain-soaked evening that was dogged by other behind-the-scenes issues (including a bomb threat near Parc des Princes ahead of a soccer match between Israel and Mali and a strategic, widespread arson attack on high-speed French rail lines). But as Dion delivered Piaf’s powerful words in French (e.g., “Mon amour, puisque tu m’aimes/J’irais jusqu’au bout du monde,” or, in English, “My love, since you love me/I would go to the ends of the Earth”), it was difficult to focus on anything else but the reminder of how much the world has been missing this voice from its frequency.

    One can see how much she’s missed it, too. It’s there, in Dion’s eyes, as the song comes to a close, how she’s utterly overwhelmed by being able to perform again, looking out into the black night of Paris and knowing that thousands (plus the millions watching on TV) are taking in her show(wo)manship yet again. As Céline says in I Am: Céline Dion, “It’s the performance that counts, not the song. A performance is way bigger than the song.” And this was a very big performance indeed. Monumental. For so many reasons—not least of which is the fact that Dion stayed true to herself and her fans when she promised, “If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. And I won’t stop. I won’t stop.” And, in returning, she chose a song that has a unifying lyric at a time when the world has never seemed less united: “Dieu réunit ceux qui s’aiment” a.k.a. “God unites those who love each other” (this belted out in a peak “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” manner and composition, complete with Dion’s chignon). While Piaf might have been referring to the love of her life who died in a plane crash, Dion, here, is referring to the audience she’s been separated from for far too long.

    And she’s trained and conditioned herself for these past years, like an Olympic athlete, in order to be with them again. As she pronounced on 1999’s “That’s The Way It Is,” “When you want it the most/There’s no easy way out/When you’re ready to go/And your heart’s left in doubt/Don’t give up on your faith/Love comes to those who believe it/And that’s the way it is.” Indeed, that’s exactly the way it was for her grand return, one that didn’t disappoint. Even if some thought that the weather did.

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Mondo Appropriato #7: Sabrina Carpenter Promoting the Idea That Americans Are Too Flaccid For Espresso to the Point Where Knocking Back a Few Would Cause Them to Hallucinate

    Mondo Appropriato #7: Sabrina Carpenter Promoting the Idea That Americans Are Too Flaccid For Espresso to the Point Where Knocking Back a Few Would Cause Them to Hallucinate

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    In a series called Mondo Appropriato, Culled Culture examines how “on the nose” something is in the pop cultural and/or political landscape.

    As the Olympics kicks of this weekend, it bears noting that, thus far, the most “iconic” thing about it has been Sabrina Carpenter’s somewhat random promotion for the event (sorry, Paris Hilton). While, sure, positioning her in a Parisian café (which is probably just a backlot in Burbank) drinking espresso makes sense because of her hit single of the same name, it really doesn’t have much pertinence apart from that. Nonetheless, the setup is that Carpenter is reading a newspaper (because, apparently, that’s how “quaint” Americans think Paris is) at an outdoor table when an animated blue bird (one that looks not unlike the former Twitter logo) flies to Carpenter’s table and starts chirping at her.

    Rather than being annoyed or frightened, Carpenter is apparently so keyed up on espresso that she now has the ability to speak “Bird,” responding, “Well hello there, handsome.” The bird chirps again. “Why yes, I am Sabrina Carpenter.” Chirp chirp. “Oh thank you, so nice to meet a fan.” Chirp chirp. “Okay, settle down. We just met.” Chirp chirp. “What am I doing in Paris? Isn’t it obvious? The Olympics.” Chirp chirp. “The amazing opening ceremony on the Seine, Simone’s epic comeback, the USA-Australia rivalry in the pool and the world’s fastest man and woman, Noah [Lyles] and Sha’Carri (Richardson), racing for Team USA—I’ve never been more excited for anything in my life.” She’s obviously not counting every time Barry Keoghan drops trou.

    The bird, now standing in between six cups of espresso after listening to her one-woman rant, starts chirping more frenetically than ever, prompting Carpenter to smilingly say, “You need to behave yourself,” laughingly adding, “You’re crazy!” But, of course, the only crazy one in this scenario is her, as she’s having both visual and auditory hallucinations (the latter tends to be more common when it comes to imbibing too much espresso). Thanks to what, a few paltry cups of espresso? Of course, that notion doesn’t help to debunk the stereotype that most Europeans already have about Americans when it comes to coffee: that they’re little bitches who can’t handle their caffeine and wouldn’t know what good café tasted like if Alfonso Bialetti himself poured it down their throats. Their “precious” constitutions apparently limited only to being able to withstand high amounts of processed foods (including, of course, burgers, fries and hot dogs). And beer. But not even the hearty German shit—just the watered-down Millers and Buds they knock back without a second thought (the same goes for American coffee portions, which, although offering more in quantity, are never as effective as the small, undiluted cups that Europeans drink—hence, the American inability to “withstand” them, as they insist they’re getting “high”).

    Watching Carpenter “hallucinate” on this drug—and yes, it is arguably the world’s most socially acceptable one apart from the internet—it’s not as though the premise is totally unbelievable. Especially since people who suffer from stress already are more prone to being affected by some of the more profound side effects of caffeine. And what could be more stressful than being a famous singer?—particularly a famous female singer who has to worry about what she looks like all the time, lest an unflattering image makes the cut for internet immortality. Plus, she also has to work late (therefore, needs the caffeine to stay up, n’est-ce pas?). So, bottom line: stress. And for once, the pay grade actually matches the stress level. Which is why Carpenter taking un petit coffee break is simultaneously healing and hurting. Indeed, a better concept for her would have been to spoof the cardboard beds in the Olympic Village with “Please Please Please,” performing the same kind of “acrobatic” (that’s code for: kama sutra-related) moves that many of the athletes have been testing out for themselves on social media to see if the beds can withstand certain, let’s say, “rigorous” nighttime activities.

    Unfortunately, she went for the less tailored, more random option (if this were an Olympics in Italy, then, sure, playing up the “Espresso” angle would make more sense, but Paris doesn’t exactly have a renowned reputation for the beverage in such a way). And so, as she giggles to herself thinking that she’s giggling with a bird, the camera then pans out to show two waiters, one of whom tells the other in French, “I think she’s had enough espresso.” Additional translation: “Stop giving the dainty American the ‘hard’ stuff she can’t handle.” Unless you want a lawsuit on your hands because they find you responsible for giving too much of what they specifically asked for. After all, that’s that them Americans.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKJwmx7amBI

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • French train lines hit by ‘malicious acts’ disrupting traffic ahead of Olympics

    French train lines hit by ‘malicious acts’ disrupting traffic ahead of Olympics

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    High-speed trains around France were hit by several “malicious acts” Friday that heavily disrupted traffic on the day of the high-risk opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, according to the national rail company SNCF.Travel to and from London beneath the English Channel, to neighboring Belgium, and across the west, north and east of France were affected by what SNCF called a series of coordinated overnight incidents.Government officials denounced the incidents hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, which are happening around France, though there was no immediate sign of a link to the Games.National police said authorities are investigating what happened. French media reported a big fire on a busy western route.Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete said in a post on X that he “firmly condemns these criminal incidents,” and that SNCF is working to restore traffic.Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera said authorities are working to “evaluate the impact on travelers, athletes, and ensure the transport of all delegations to the competition sites” for the Olympics. Speaking on BFM television, she said, “Playing against the Games is playing against France, against your own camp, against your country.” She didn’t identify who was behind the vandalism.Paris police chief Laurent Nunez, speaking on France Info radio, said he would send police reinforcement to overcrowded train stations in relation to the SNCF incidents.Passengers at St. Pancras station in London were warned to expect delays of around an hour to their Eurostar journeys. Announcements in the departure hall at the international terminus informed travelers heading to Paris that there was a problem with overhead power supplies.

    High-speed trains around France were hit by several “malicious acts” Friday that heavily disrupted traffic on the day of the high-risk opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, according to the national rail company SNCF.

    Travel to and from London beneath the English Channel, to neighboring Belgium, and across the west, north and east of France were affected by what SNCF called a series of coordinated overnight incidents.

    Government officials denounced the incidents hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, which are happening around France, though there was no immediate sign of a link to the Games.

    National police said authorities are investigating what happened. French media reported a big fire on a busy western route.

    Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete said in a post on X that he “firmly condemns these criminal incidents,” and that SNCF is working to restore traffic.

    Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera said authorities are working to “evaluate the impact on travelers, athletes, and ensure the transport of all delegations to the competition sites” for the Olympics. Speaking on BFM television, she said, “Playing against the Games is playing against France, against your own camp, against your country.” She didn’t identify who was behind the vandalism.

    Paris police chief Laurent Nunez, speaking on France Info radio, said he would send police reinforcement to overcrowded train stations in relation to the SNCF incidents.

    Passengers at St. Pancras station in London were warned to expect delays of around an hour to their Eurostar journeys. Announcements in the departure hall at the international terminus informed travelers heading to Paris that there was a problem with overhead power supplies.

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  • cozycozy Reports: Thousands of Paris Olympic Accommodations Still Available

    cozycozy Reports: Thousands of Paris Olympic Accommodations Still Available

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    cozycozy reassures visitors: thousands of accommodations are still available in Paris and nearby cities for people traveling to the Olympic Games, with options to suit all budgets.

    As the world awaits the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, many potential visitors are concerned about finding a place to stay. But based on the data of cozycozythere are still thousands of accommodations available for the duration of the Olympic Games, from July 26 to August 11, 2024.

    Despite rumors of scarcity and skyrocketing prices, there is no shortage of places to stay in Paris. From luxury hotels to budget-friendly rentals, cozycozy ensures that travelers can find suitable accommodations to match their needs and budgets. 

    Here’s a snapshot of what’s currently available for the 16 nights of the Olympics for two people:

    Paris is Ready to Welcome the Whole World

    Paris is well-prepared for the influx of visitors. Numerous hotels, short-term rentals, including apartments and houses, are available to provide visitors with a comfortable and convenient stay for the Olympics.

    Based on the data of cozycozy, 5,452 accommodations are still available in Paris between 26 July and 11 August, at the average price of €260 per night for two. Travelers can still find last-minute hotel rooms for as low as €100 per night for two people on cozycozy. For shorter stays, even more options are available.

    Debunking the Myth of the Accommodation Shortage

    Concerns about an accommodation crisis and exorbitant prices have been debunked. cozycozy’s data shows a robust supply that meets the demand, keeping prices reasonable.

    “Many people expected to rent out their apartments at unaffordable rates for the Olympics, but the reality is different. There’s still plenty of accommodation available at reasonable prices,” explains Romain Claudel, co-founder of cozycozy.

    Surfing in Tahiti

    One of the Olympic sports not taking place in Paris is surfing, which will be held in Tahiti. Known for its breathtaking beaches and world-class waves, Tahiti is an ideal spot for surfing enthusiasts. With 71 apartments still available on cozycozy, visitors can enjoy the beauty of Tahiti while staying comfortably. The average price is €176 per night, but for the best deals, some apartments are available for as low as €100 per night.

    About cozycozy

    cozycozy is the first search engine to provide unbiased, transparent, real-time access to all available vacation accommodations. Offering 20 million accommodations worldwide, cozycozy aggregates options from hundreds of specialized sites, ensuring travelers find the best prices and perfect stays. Operating in 50 markets and available in 20 languages, cozycozy simplifies the search for the ideal accommodation.

    Source: cozycozy

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  • Believe That: Anthony Edwards Talks Joining Team USA Puts All The Faith In Himself– ‘I’m The No. 1 Option’

    Believe That: Anthony Edwards Talks Joining Team USA Puts All The Faith In Himself– ‘I’m The No. 1 Option’

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    Anthony Edwards – Source: Ethan Miller / Getty

    Anthony Edwards talks about joining Team USA and believes he’s the No. 1 option despite playing alongside LeBron, Steph, and Kevin Durant.

    We are weeks away from the 2024 Paris Olympics and all eyes are on the USA Men’s Basketball team. The festivities begin on Friday, July 26th and end on Sunday, August 11th. The men’s roaster is stacked with all your fan favorites including Anthony Edwards, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Joel Embid, and more.

    According to ESPN, fan-favorite Anthony Edwards believes he is the “No. 1 option” on the team despite the immense talent around him.

    “I’m still the No. 1 option,” Edwards said. “Y’all might look at it differently, but I don’t.”

    Edwards believes when the action kicks off this summer he will have a prominent role and he isn’t afraid to work for it.

    “I just go out there and be myself. … Shoot my shots, play defense. They’ve got to fit in to play around me. That’s how I feel,” Edwards said.

    Realistically Anthony Edwards is the youngest player on the team with more Olympic appearances ahead of him. With a team heavily filled with players heading out the door he might get a backseat. However, if that happens it’s surely not because he isn’t made for the game or the best option. It’s a team sport and others have more experience than him which could play a factor.

    You can watch AE talk about this year’s summer games below.

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    Noah Williams

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