Paris Olympics day 14 highlights: Algerian Khelif wins women’s welterweight gold amid gender dispute

Algeria’s Imane Khelif beat China’s Yang Liu to claim the gold medal in the women’s welterweight boxing at the Olympics on Friday.

Khelif, a silver medallist at the 2022 world championships, and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting have been in the spotlight at the Paris Games amid a gender dispute that has dominated headlines.

Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand and Taiwan’s Chen Nien-chin were awarded bronze.

-Reuters

Sergio Camello struck twice in extra time as Spain took gold in the Olympic men’s soccer final after a 5-3 win against France here on Friday.

The thrilling win at Parc des Princes completed a golden summer for Spanish soccer — following the senior team’s European Championship triumph last month.

Spain, which lost the final to Brazil at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, became the first European gold medalist in men’s soccer since it last won the tournament at the Barcelona Games in 1992.

France came back from 3-1 down to send the game to extra time when Jean-Phillipe Mateta equalized from the penalty spot in the third minute of time added on.

-AP

Spain’s Jordan Diaz won gold in the men’s triple jump at the Paris Olympics on Friday with a jump of 17.86m.

Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo took silver with 17.84m while Andy Diaz representing Italy took the bronze with 17.64m.

-Reuters

The urban sport of breaking spun its way onto the Olympic stage on Friday for the first and possibly last time, with Japan’s B-Girl Ami winning the inaugural women’s gold.

Breaking, better known as breakdancing, made its debut amid the grand elegance of Paris’ Place de la Concorde, with 17 dancers known as B-Girls going head-to-head in a series of battles.

Ami, whose name is Ami Yuasa, beat Lithuania’s Dominika “Nicka” Banevic in the final, with China’s Liu “671” Qingyi taking bronze.

-AFP

Spain’s Jordan Diaz won gold in the men’s triple jump on Friday, securing his country’s first ever Olympic medal in the event by defeating defending champion Pedro Pichardo of Portugal who had to settle for silver.

Pichardo and Diaz were neck-and-neck after two attempts, with Diaz jumping 17.86 metres, two centimetres ahead his rival.

Pichardo thought he had beaten the Spaniard with his last attempt, but when the result came out - 17.81m - he threw himself to the ground in disappointment.

It was a stunning Olympic debut for the 23-year-old Diaz who shook the sport this year by leaping 18.18 metres in June, the third best jump of all time and only 11cm short of the world record.

Italy’s Andy Diaz Hernandez took bronze with 17.64 metres.

-Reuters

Bulgarian Karlos Nasar became the lightest man to lift 400 kilogrammes in competition as he shattered the men’s 89kg weightlifting world record at the Olympics on Friday.

“The Olympic Games are like going into space for me and I feel like I’m on Mars,” said the 20-year-old Nasar.

In the women’s 71kg competition, 21-year-old American Olivia Reeves lifted a total 262kg to win by 5kg. Colombian Mari Sanchez took second with her last lift, edging past Ecuadorian Angie Palacios by 1kg.

Nasar was tied for first after lifting 180kg in the opening snatch round. The 20-year-old then delayed his entry in the clean and jerk until most of his rivals had used their three attempts at lower weights.

With his first lift he flipped 213 kilogrammes over his head to secure the gold.

-AFP

Japan’s B-Girl Ami won the inaugural Olympic women’s breaking gold on Friday, beating Lithuania’s B-Girl Nicka in the final.

China’s B-Girl 671 took the bronze in the sport’s first ever appearance at the Olympics.

-AFP

Rai Benjamin of the United States won the Olympic men’s 400 metres hurdles gold medal on Friday.

Norway’s Karsten Warholm took silver and Brazilian Alison dos Santos the bronze.

-Reuters

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday congratulated wrestler Aman Sehrawat for winning the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

“Wrestler Aman Sehrawat won the bronze medal by performing brilliantly in the Paris Olympics 2024. Many congratulations and best wishes to you for this achievement. This is a proud moment for all of us,” Saini said.

Celebrations erupted at the grappler’s native village, Birohar, in Haryana’s Jhajjar district.

-PTI

Water quality data used by Paris Olympics organizers shows that bacteria levels in the Seine River were within acceptable levels on the days that athletes swam in the famed waterway, according to their tests and established thresholds.

The Associated Press obtained the results of daily tests for fecal bacteria on water samples taken at four points in the river two or three times daily. The data spans a period from July 19, a week before the opening ceremony, through Thursday, when the women’s marathon swim was held and a day before the men’s marathon swim.

Officials have been sharing some water quality data at briefings during the Games, but the new information is a more complete set of numbers, including the results from at least two tests each day for all four sampling sites.

-AP

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday congratulated wrestler Aman Sehrawat on his winning Bronze at the Paris Olympics and said his triumph is a testament to his dedication, perseverance, and sporting prowess.

Living up to the expectations, Sehrawat bagged the men’s 57kg free-style bronze medal at the Olympics with a commanding win over Darian Toi Cruz from Puerto Rico.

The 21-year-old U-23 world champion was the lone Indian male wrestler to qualify for the Paris Games and he did not disappoint, winning 13-5 in the bronze play-off at Champ de Mars Arena.

In a post on X, Kharge said, “Many Congratulations, Aman Sehrawat, on winning the Bronze medal in Men’s Freestyle 57 kg wrestling event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.” “Your triumph is a testament to your dedication, perseverance, and sporting prowess,” he said.

-PTI

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet won the gold medal in the Olympic women’s 10,000 metres on Friday.

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti took silver and Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan claimed bronze.

-Reuters

Ma Long became the Chinese athlete with the most gold medals in the history of the Olympics when he helped China win the men’s table tennis team final at the Paris Games on Friday.

China defeated Sweden for its fifth straight Olympic victory in the team event, and Ma secured his sixth gold to become the most decorated table tennis Olympian.

The 35-year-old Ma won at least one gold medal in every Summer Games since London in 2012.

-AP

Andre de Grasse anchored Canada to victory in the Olympic men’s 4x100m relay in Paris on Friday.

The Canadian quartet, also comprising Aaron Brown, Jerome Blake and Brendon Rodney, clocked 37.50 seconds for gold.

The gold was a seventh Olympic medal for De Grasse, the 29-year-old having already one gold (200m Tokyo), two silvers (200m, Rio; 4x100m relay, Tokyo) and three bronzes (100m Rio and Tokyo; 4x100m relay Tokyo).

-AFP

Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye won the gold medal in the Olympic women’s shot put on Friday.

New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche took silver and China’s Song Jiayuan claimed bronze.

-Reuters

Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam became the first woman in history to win three consecutive Olympic heptathlon crowns on Friday, sealing victory ahead of Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

Thiam, the 2016 and 2020 Olympic champion, finished with 6,880 points after the 800 metres, the final event in the seven-discipline test of endurance.

-AFP

Flying Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen cemented his status as the king of sprint cycling Friday with the defence of his Olympic crown, while Italy upset Britain to win the women’s madison.

On another thrilling day at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome, Germany’s Lea Friedrich was also firing, blitzing to a new world record 10.029secs in the women’s sprint qualifying.

Lavreysen, who has won the last five world titles, showed tremendous poise and power to outgun Australia’s Matthew Richardson and clinch the best-of-three gold medal series 2-0.

Britain’s Jack Carlin beat the Netherlands’ Jeffery Hoogland to win bronze and match his performance from Tokyo three years ago.

-AFP

Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic stormed to victory in the Olympic women’s 400m on Friday in a new Games record time.

Paulino, the reigning world champion, surged home in 48.17sec with Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser taking silver in 48.53sec and Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek bronze in 48.98sec.

The 27-year-old Paulino’s time bettered the previous Olympic record of 48.25sec set by France’s Marie-Jose Perec at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

-AFP

The hearing into Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification from the Olympic finals concluded at the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Paris with the IOA insisting that it is hopeful of a “positive resolution”.

This was after the CAS ad-hoc division, set up especially for dispute resolution during the Games, accepted Vinesh’s appeal against her ouster for being 100gm overweight on the morning of her final against eventual gold-winner Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the U.S.

Read the full story here

The head of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee said she was “100% comfortable” with Noah Lyles’ decision to compete in the 200 meters after testing positive for COVID-19 two days before the event.

Lyles didn’t publicly reveal he’d tested positive for the virus until after he won bronze Thursday night at the Paris Olympics. It was the first loss in three years for the American favorite in that event, who was trying to become the first sprinter since Usain Bolt to sweep the 100 and 200 meters.

Sarah Hirshland, the CEO of USOPC, told The Associated Press on Friday that protocols were put in place for Lyles after he tested positive and he was closely monitored by USA Track. She said whether or not Lyles raced was left for him to decide.

“I feel 100% comfortable, largely because I understand the caliber and quality of medical personnel that were paying attention to what was going on,” Hirshland told AP.

She said the medical staff followed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and relied on previous experience in treating athletes with the virus.

“We gave Noah as much flexibility in his own choices as we could,” she said. “He had every opportunity to say, I don’t want to compete. I don’t feel good enough to compete, or, I don’t want to compete.’” Once he decided to move ahead with competing, USOPC and USATF set procedures to ensure the safety of both Lyles and those around him.

-AP

The hearing on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification from the Olympic gold medal match came to a close at the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Before the ad-hoc committee, the Indian Olympic Association remained hopeful of a positive resolution.

Vinesh Phogat was replaced in the finals by Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Phogat in the semi-finals. Phogat’s appeal included the demand to give her a joint silver with Lopez, as she was within her prescribed weight limits for the bout

Read the whole story here

India’s Aman Sehrawat wins the bronze at the Mens Freestyle 57kg wrestling tournament at the Paris Olympics 2024. He beat Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz, who was trailing with a score of (India) 13-5 (Puerto Rico).

Read the whole story here

The much-awaited bronze medal match between India’s Aman Sehrawat versus Puerto Rica’s Darian Cruz has begun.

The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, shared his views on Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the women’s 50 kg wrestling final at the Paris Olympics. He said that they (IOC) will “follow the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) decision”.

- ANI

China’s Chen Yiwen snagged the gold in the women’s 3-metre springboard event on Friday (August 9, 2024) at the Paris Olympics.

Australia’s Maddison Keeney and China’s Chang Yani won the silver and bronze medals respectively.

- Reuters

China is 7 for 7 in diving golds at the Paris Olympics. Just one to go for an unprecedented sweep of all eight diving golds in the Games. 

Chen Yiwen won the women’s 3-meter springboard on Friday for China’s seventh gold medal. Maddison Keeney of Australia took silver, with bronze going to Chang Yani of China. 

It was Chen’s second gold in Paris after winning earlier in the 3-meter synchronized with partner Chang. Both divers were cheered on by a large Chinese crowd waving China’s red-and-yellow flag and shouting “jiayou, jiayou” — roughly translated as “let’s go” — each time they prepared to dive. 

Chen won with 376.00 points from five dives, followed by Keeney (343.10) and Chang (318.75). Chiara Pellacani of Italy was fourth with 309.60. 

No Americans qualified for the final 12. 

The sweep could happen Saturday in the final diving session of the Olympics with the men’s 10-meter platform. 

China dominates all phases of diving but none more than the women’s 3-meter springboard. China has won the event in 10 straight Olympics. 

The last time it didn’t win was the 1984 Los Angeles Games, which is where China won its first gold medal in diving. 

Chen and Chang set off joyous celebrations earlier in the Games after their synchronized gold. Chen carried Chang — many described it as a “bridal carry”— in her arms to celebrate. They are both making their Olympic debut and have a strong friendship. 

Including Friday’s results, China has won 54 of 71 gold medals in diving since 1984. Since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the country has won 34 of 39 gold medals in the discipline.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed a protest by the Italian Swimming Federation (Federazione Italiana Nuoto or FIN) regarding the ejection of Francesco Condemi from France’s quarterfinal match against Hungary in the mens Water Polo tournament. 

Condemi was ejected following a violent action from his side, with 2:22 left in the second quarter of the match.

- AP

Austria’s Valentin Bontus won the gold in the men’s kiteboarding, while Slovenia’s Toni Vodisek secured the silver and Singapore’s Max Maeder took the bronze.

- Reuters

The U.S. is all set to face France at the finals of the Mens Basketball on Saturday night. This highly anticipated match is going to be a “rematch” of sorts after France bagged the gold against the U.S. team at the Tokyo Olympics.

- AP

Jacob Schopf gets redemption after missing out on the gold at the Tokyo Olympics by winning the finals of the men’s kayak double 500 m along with his newly paired partner, Max Lemke. Bence Nadas and Sandor Totka of Hungary managed to bag the silver with Jean van der Westhuyzen and Tom Green of Australia trailing behind to win the bronze.

- Reuters

Germany’s Lea Friedrich set the new women’s sprint world record at 10.029 s, just moments after New Zealand’s Ellesse Andrews broke the world record in 10.108 s, becoming the gold medalist at the Keirin event.

- AFP

To fight Vinesh Phogat’s appeal regarding her disqualification from the 50 kg wrestling finals, senior counsels Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania have been chosen to represent her before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Through a media release, the CAS ad hoc division officially registered the application. The matter has been referred to Dr. Annabelle Bennett, a Sole Arbitrator, who will give the verdict soon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (August 9, 2024) congratulated Indian javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra for securing his second Olympic medal, despite battling an injury.

In a telephonic conversation, the Prime Minister also lauded Chopra’s mother, Saroj Devi, for her comments about Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who set a new Olympic record to win the gold medal. Saroj Devi expressed happiness for Nadeem, describing him as “like her child”.

“You have achieved this feat despite your injury, which is incredible. It will surprise our younger generation. This spirit of doing something for the country drives us,” PM Modi said.

- PTI

The sport climbing competition is coming to a close at the Paris Games with athletes celebrating the decision to separate the speed discipline from boulder and lead.

The sport made its Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago and awarded only one medal each for the men and women, combining the results from all three disciplines in an unpopular decision.

It was like having a “sprinter only competing in the decathlon,” said Austrian climber Jakob Schubert, a lead and boulder specialist. It’s “almost like different sports,” he added.

- AP

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is one victory away from wrapping up her tumultuous Paris Olympics with a gold medal around her neck — a potential prize that she has called the best response to a cascade of online abuse she has endured over misconceptions about her sex.

Khelif fights Yang Liu of China on Friday (August 9, 2024)night in the final of the women’s welterweight division at Roland Garros.

Khelif told The Associated Press that the wave of hateful scrutiny she has received “harms human dignity,” and she called for an end to bullying athletes. She also said a gold medal would be ”the best response” to the backlash against her.

- AP

Pakistanis are celebrating the country’s first Olympic gold medal in decades after Arshad Nadeem set an Olympic record in javelin to beat defending champion Neeraj Chopra of India on Thursday (August 8, 2024) night.

Nadeem’s throw of 92.97m easily surpassed the previous mark of 90.57 set by Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway in 2008.

- AP

The women’s 4x400m relay team failed to qualify for the final round after finishing 15th overall out of 16 countries that competed in the round one heats.

The quartet of Vithya Ramraj, Jyothika Sri Dandi, M.R. Poovamma and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3:32.51 to finish eighth and last in heat number two and 15th overall.

- PTI

The Indian men’s 4x400m relay team failed to live up to expectations as it finished 10th overall in the heat race to miss a final round spot in the Paris Olympics here on Friday (August 9, 2024).

The Indian quartet of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob and Rajesh Ramesh clocked a season’s best of 3 minutes and 0.58 seconds, but that was enough only for a seventh-place finish in heat number 2 and 10th overall out of 16 teams.

Botswana (2:57.76), Great Britain (2:58.88) and USA (2:59.15) were the top three while Japan was fourth with a time of 2:59.48.

The Athletics Federation of India had pinned a lot of hope on the men’s 4x400m relay team to make it to the final round, but it failed to do so ultimately.

- PTI

Olympic medalists Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh on Friday (August 9, 2024) met Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini who hailed their performance in the Paris Olympics.

At his official residence here, Haryana CM Saini congratulated both the sportspersons, who were from Haryana, for their performances at the Paris Olympics.

- PTI

When they compete at the Paris Games, they’re just athletes at their peak. The emphasis is not that they’re coming from regions ravaged by war.

The Olympics — focused on celebrating peace — has brought together 10,500 athletes, including those from countries where 110 armed conflicts are raging. These are conflicts that often do not grab attention as the wars in Gaza and Ukraine dominate headlines.

Wars — from Yemen to Syria and beyond — have indelibly shaped athletes from those places who think of the 2024 Olympics beyond sports.

For some, it’s a chance to highlight forgotten human rights violations. For others, it’s a declaration of hope for peace or a chance to reinvent themselves and leave a war-torn past behind.

- AP

The United States dominated the 4x400 metres women’s relay qualifiers on Friday (August 8, 2024), while France also booked a place in the final thanks to Amandine Brossier sneaking past Belgium’s Helena Ponette on the home straight.

The U.S have won every women’s 4x400m relay since 1996 and look set to win their eighth straight title as the team brought it home in three minutes 21.44 seconds, more than three seconds ahead of Britain and the fastest time of the morning.

- Reuters

​

Lok Sabha on Friday (August 9, 2024) lauded the Indian hockey team and Neeraj Chopra for winning medals at the Paris Olympics and said their victories will inspire young players.

On Thursday(August 8, 2024), Chopra became the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two successive Olympic medals with a silver in the men’s javelin throw and the Indian hockey team won the bronze medal by defeating Spain 2-1 in an exciting third-place match.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said it is a big achievement that the hockey team and Chopra won at the games.

- PTI

India javelin throw star Neeraj Chopra opened up about his injury woes after clinching a silver medal in the Olympics, revealing that he might have to undergo a surgery soon after having pushed himself extremely hard to compete here while battling a constant fear of breaking down.

Chopra was dealing with a nagging adductor niggle (a problem related to muscles in the thigh) in the run up to the Paris Games. But he managed a season’s best effort of 89.45m to secure a silver medal, making him the first track-and-field athlete from India to have two Olympic medals, the first being an unprecedented gold in Tokyo. 

“I have a lot on my mind. When I am throwing, 60-70% focus of my is on the injury. I don’t want to get injured. Whenever I go for a throw, you will see that my speed is low. I am pushing myself,” he said.

Harish Salve, senior Advocate, will represent the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing on Friday, regarding the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the Paris Olympics.

Mr. Salve’s expertise will be crucial in addressing the legal and procedural aspects of the dispute. 

Mr. Salve, former Solicitor General of India and King’s Counsel confirmed to ANI that he has been engaged by the IOA to represent Phogat at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). 

History-making Pakistan javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem is quite pleased that his rivalry with Indian superstar Neeraj Chopra is becoming as talked about as the cricketing battles between the two feuding neighbours as he believes it will fuel the sporting ambition of youngsters in both the nations.

Nadeem bested Chopra for the first time in their 11 face-offs to claim the Olympic gold medal with a sensational Games record of 92.97m on Thursday night. Chopra took the silver with a season’s best effort of 89.45m, adding another chapter to their storied rivalry.

“The rivalry is there when it comes to cricket matches and other sports, definitely. But at the same time, it is a good thing for youngsters in both countries who are pursuing a sport to follow us and follow their sports icons and bring laurels to their countries,” the 27-year-old Nadeem told reporters after becoming the first Pakistani to clinch an individual Olympic gold medal.

PTI