PARIS — Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky led a strong showing for the United States at the Paris Olympics as both Americans added to their gold-medal collection on Saturday, the eighth day of the 2024 Summer Games.
Biles nailed her eponymous Yurchenko double pike vault to win the gold medal, the seventh of her Olympic career. The gymnastics legend has 10 total medals so far, and she has won gold in Paris in the team final, the all-around competition and the vault.
After another winning performance, the 27-year-old Texan would not rule out a return to the Olympics at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Ledecky joined Michael Phelps, the former American star, as the only swimmers to win an event at four straight Summer Games.
Taking the 800-meter freestyle for the fourth time, Ledecky won her ninth Olympic race to match four others for second in any Games. Summer or Winter. Phelps holds the record with 23 gold medals.
U.S. swimmers also set a world record in the 4×100-meter mixed medley relay. Ryan Murphy, Nic Fink, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske held off China for a winning time of 3 minutes, 37.43 seconds, breaking the mark of 3:37.58 set by Britain when it won gold in the event’s Olympic debut three years ago at the Tokyo Games.
It wasn’t such a golden night for the U.S. in track and field at rain-soaked Stade de France, where American sprinter Sha’carri Silver won silver in the women’s 100-meter dash.
Richardson was beat by Julien Alfred, who gave Saint Lucia its first-ever Olympic medal with her victory. Alfred got off to a fantastic start, then powered through the rain and beat Richardson by .15 second — about three body lengths. It was the biggest margin in the women’s 100 at any Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games.
The Americans settled for silver for Richardson and bronze for Melissa Jefferson.
Earlier in the day, U.S. sprinter Noah Lyles finished second in a sluggish first-round qualifying heat to make the semifinals in the men’s 100. The semifinals and finals for that race are set for Sunday.
In another defeat, the Americans’ 4×400 mixed relay was beat by the Netherlands a day after it set a world record in qualifying. Kaylyn Brown was chased down over the final 10 meters of the anchor leg by Dutch runner Femke Bol in the mild upset.
There was still one American victory in track and field: Ryan Crouser won his third straight gold in shot put by once again holding off countryman Joe Kovacs, who took silver.
AP photo by Francisco Seco / U.S. gymnast Simone Biles competes in the women’s vault final on Saturday at the Paris Olympics.Extra thrilling
The U.S advanced to the semifinals of the women’s soccer tournament after beating Japan 1-0 on Trinity Rodman’s goal in extra time. The Americans will next face Germany on Tuesday with a spot in the final on the line.
The U.S. is guaranteed two more matches in France: Get through the semis with a win and it’s on to the gold medal match; lose and there’s still the bronze up for grabs.
Germany, which lost 4-1 to the U.S. in the group stage, advanced to the semifinals via penalty kick shootout after a scoreless draw with Canada.
The U.S. went into Saturday’s knockout match undefeated and outscoring opponents 9-2 at the Paris Games under new coach Emma Hayes, but Japan foiled the Americans with steady defense.
Rodman’s goal to the top of the far post came as time in stoppage time in the first extra period. She fell to the field as she was embraced by her teammates in celebration after her third goal of the tourney.
Hoop, there it is
The U.S. has the No. 1 seed for men’s basketball going into the medal round.
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points, and the Americans wrapped up the top spot coming out of group play with a 104-83 win over Puerto Rico. They improved to 3-0 in these Olympics and 8-0 this summer. Next up is an elimination quarterfinal against Brazil on Tuesday.
It was the first Olympic matchup between the U.S. and Puerto Rico since the Athens Games in 2004, when Puerto Rico ran away in the second quarter and went on to embarrass the Americans, winning 92-73.
Teacher rules
U.S. shooter Vincent Hancock beat Conner Prince, his student, to capture his fourth Olympic gold medal in men’s skeet.
Hancock coaches Prince, a first-time Olympian, and turned around to share a hug with his silver medal-winning student after making his last two shots to ensure the gold. He hit 58 out of 60 shots to Prince’s 57.
Hancock won skeet gold at the Olympics in 2008, 2012 and 2021 and is the only skeet shooter to take the Olympic gold more than once.
Golf stars shine
A rowdy crowd at Le Golf National watched U.S. player Xander Schauffele, a two-time major winner this year, and Spain’s Jon Rahm, a two-time major winner in his career, move into a tie at the top of the 54-hold leaderboard in the men’s tournament.
Schauffele had a 68 and Rahm a 66 to share the lead at 14-under 199 with 18 holes — at least — to go. They were one shot ahead of Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood (69).
Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard tied the course record with a 62 and was three behind the co-leaders, along with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (71).
Not to be overlooked were two other multiple major winners. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (66) and U.S. star Scottie Scheffler (67) were four back, part of a four-way tie for sixth.
Germany’s Stephan Jaeger, a Chattanooga resident who plays on the PGA Tour and previously starred at Baylor School and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, shot a 72 and slid down the leaderboard. He was tied for 21st at 6 under.
First for China
Zheng Qinwen won China’s first Olympic tennis singles gold medal with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the women’s final on the red clay of Roland Garros.
It is the biggest win of the 21-year-old’s career. Zheng is ranked No. 7 on the WTA Tour and was the runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka at the hard-court Australian Open in January.
International Tennis Hall of Fame member Li Na is the only Chinese player to win a Grand Slam singles title — at the 2011 French Open and the 2014 Australian Open — and served as an inspiration for Zheng when she was a kid learning the sport.
Khelif clinches medal
Algeria’s Imane Khelif clinched a medal in boxing after days of sharp scrutiny and online abuse as misconceptions about her gender have exploded into a larger clash about identity in sports.
Khelif defeated Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary 5:0 in the quarterfinals of the women’s 66-kilogram bout.
Khelif will win at least a bronze after defeating Hamori for the second victory of her tumultuous second trip to the Olympics.
Last time around
Pistol shooter Nino Salukvadze has competed at the Olympics a record 10 times over 36 years but said Saturday she is retiring.
The 55-year-old from the country of Georgia participated in the Paris Olympics to honor her late father, who was also her coach, and died at the age of 93 this year after seeing his daughter qualify for her 10th Olympics.
Salukvadze has three Olympic medals: one gold, one silver and one bronze. In Paris, she placed 38th in the 10-meter air pistol event and 40th in the 25-meter pistol.
Salukvadze’s last Olympic medal — and her first for an independent Georgia — was in Beijing in 2008.