Paris Olympics memorable moments: Simone Biles was the star but the spotlight reached many faces

Paris Olympics memorable moments: Simone Biles was the star but the spotlight reached many faces
French swimmer Leon Marchand holds the Olympic flame lantern next to IOC President Thomas Bach, with athletes Teddy Riner of France, Mijain Lopez Nunez of Cuba, Yingsha Sun of China, Djankeu Ngamba of Refugee Olympic Team, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya and Emma McKeon of Australia on stage. (Reuters)
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Updated 12 August 2024
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Paris Olympics memorable moments: Simone Biles was the star but the spotlight reached many faces

Paris Olympics memorable moments: Simone Biles was the star but the spotlight reached many faces
  • Paris introduced the world to “The Pommel Horse Guy” and “The Real John Wick” and a meme-making performance by an Australian professor in the Olympic debut of breaking
  • French swimmer Leon Marchand delivered in his home Olympics with a Michael Phelps-like performance, winning five medals, four of them gold

PARIS: Simone Biles stole the show at the Paris Olympics with a captivating comeback that had everyone watching everything she did both in and out of the gymnasium.

All eyes were on Biles as she won four medals, but the spotlight was bright enough to highlight new names, new faces and some unlikely new stars. The Paris Games will be remembered for breathtaking venues, unprecedented accessibility and Snoop Dogg taking a starring role in NBC’s record-smashing coverage.

Paris introduced the world to “The Pommel Horse Guy” and “The Real John Wick” and a meme-making performance by an Australian professor in the Olympic debut of breaking.

French swimmer Leon Marchand delivered in his home Olympics with a Michael Phelps-like performance, winning five medals, four of them gold. Ilona Maher angled for a shot on reality TV show “Love Island” after leading the US to a heart-stopping late victory that gave the US its first ever medal, a bronze, in rugby sevens.

Noah Lyles was crowned the fastest man in the world for winning the 100 meters, but after he finished third in the 200 — his first loss in his favorite event since the Tokyo Olympics three years ago — he revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19. Sha’Carri Richardson chased down two competitors in the rain to end her first Olympics with a relay gold after settling for silver in the 100.

The US won the medal count — 121 of them headed into Sunday’s final day of competition, 37 of them gold — and the Americans again prevailed in men’s basketball and women’s soccer.

Here’s a look at some of the top moments of the Paris Olympics:

Biles soared to gold

Biles returned to the Olympics three years after she pulled out of multiple events at the Tokyo Games for mental health reasons and won four medals, three of them gold.

She was the most popular attraction in Paris and competed in front of celebrity-packed crowds. Those who couldn’t sit in the stands with Tom Cruise, Spike Lee, Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga tuned in from afar as NBC said 34.7 million viewers across its platforms watched Biles lead the United States to team gold.

Next up for the greatest gymnast in Olympic history is a 30-stop “Gold Over America Tour” for the GOAT.

Swimming struggles

Nine days of competition wrapped up with the Americans barely pulling off the lead in the gold-medal standings in swimming, needing a victory in the last race of the Olympics to do so.

The US finished with just eight golds, its fewest since the 1988 Seoul Games and one ahead of its biggest rival, Australia.

“It’s one of the worst performances in history as a US team,” said Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever.

The rest of the world totaled more victories (20) than the US and Australia combined, the first time that’s happened since the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Track troubles

The 34 medals and 14 golds for the Americans were their best showing in track and field in a non-boycotted Games since the early 20th century, when there were more events and fewer countries.

And that came despite the disappointment of Richardson not winning gold in the 100, Lyles losing the 200 after his COVID-19 diagnosis and the men’s 4x100 meter relay fumbling its way to a disqualification.

The relay performance was so bad that Carl Lewis, a nine-time gold medalist, called for top-to-bottom changes within the American track and field program.

But the US closed out strong: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set another world record in again winning the 400 hurdles, and she then was part of the 4x400 relay team that she and Gabby Thomas led to a runaway win on the final night at Stade de France.

The American men won gold in the same race in a much closer finish about 15 minutes earlier.

The 14 golds by the US are the most in a non-boycotted Olympics since 1968.

USA hoops gets another gold

Stephen Curry added more hardware to his legacy as he finally won an Olympic gold medal.

Curry scored 24 points and led the US to a 98-87 win over France in the men’s basketball final. It was the fifth consecutive gold medal for the US — and the 17th in 20 all-time appearances for the Americans at the Games.

Kevin Durant, the first four-time men’s gold medalist in Olympic basketball history, scored 15 for the Americans, as did Devin Booker. And LeBron James, wearing metallic gold sneakers, scored 14 for the US as he won his fourth Olympic medal and third gold.

Victor Wembanyama, in his first Olympic final, scored 26 points for France and was in tears after the game.

American women’s soccer team back on top

The US women’s soccer team won its fifth Olympic gold medal by beating Brazil 1-0 in the final. The Americans had not won gold since the 2012 London Olympics.

The gold closed out an undefeated run to the title in their first international campaign under new coach Emma Hayes.

At the final whistle, the US players celebrated as Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.” played in the stadium.

Boxing controversy

Women’s boxing was dragged into the culture wars over gender misconceptions involving two of the competitors.

Imane Khelif of Algeria and Li Yu-ting of Taiwan were heavily scrutinized because of a Russian-dominated International Boxing Association’s decision to disqualify them from last year’s world championships, claiming both failed an eligibility test for women’s competition that IBA officials have declined to answer basic questions about.

Khelif endured intense scrutiny in the ring and online abuse from around the world over misconceptions about her womanhood and still won gold in the women’s welterweight division.

Lin won a gold medal in the women’s featherweight division one night later to cap her four-fight unbeaten run through Paris by winning Taiwan’s first Olympic boxing gold medal.

“I’m a woman like any other woman. I was born as a woman, I live as a woman and I am qualified,” Khelif said after her victory.

The International Olympic Committee took the unprecedented step last year of permanently banning the IBA from the Olympics following years of concerns about its governance, competitive fairness and financial transparency. The IOC has called the sex tests that the sport’s governing body imposed on the two boxers irretrievably flawed.


Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears

Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears
Updated 20 September 2024
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Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears

Guardiola tells players to lead change over workload fears

LONDON: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has urged players to lead the fight for change in the heated debate over the dangers posed by an increased fixture schedule.
City midfielder Rodri recently suggested players would consider going on strike in a bid to halt the dramatic rise in matches crammed into an already hectic calendar.
With the Champions League first stage now featuring an additional two matches and the expanded Club World Cup at the end of the season, Guardiola’s Premier League champions could play a maximum of 76 matches during the 2024/25 campaign.
Top players also have international fixtures to factor into the gruelling schedule.
Global players’ union FIFPro has said footballers should play a maximum of 50 to 60 games per season, depending on their age.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker joined the row when he said players were not given a voice by the sport’s authorities to express their concerns.
Many leading managers have expressed support for the players’ concerns, with Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany calling for a cap on the number of games a player is allowed to feature in each year.
As the debate intensifies, Guardiola says players have the power to spark change because the sport cannot go on without them.
“I’m pretty sure that if something is going to change, it must come from the players,” he said.
“They are the only ones who can change something about the organization, to take a voice.
“The business can be without managers, sporting directors, media, owners but without players you cannot play. The only ones with the power to do it are them.”
Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea will, like City, take part in the Club World Cup in the United States at a time when the players would otherwise be resting.
The Italian hinted a strike could be a course of action to tackle the problem.
Asked whether there are too many games in the current calendar, Maresca said: “Yes, no doubt. In terms of games, it’s too much.
“I don’t think we protect players. We can say what we think and for me it’s completely wrong the amount of games that we have.
“The only ones that can do something are the players and we can help them. In the last two weeks some of the players have tried to explain what they think. I think it’s a good starting point.
“Some of them have said (they could strike). I think it could be an idea for them.”


Ferrari’s Leclerc sets early pace in Singapore ahead of Norris

Ferrari’s Leclerc sets early pace in Singapore ahead of Norris
Updated 20 September 2024
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Ferrari’s Leclerc sets early pace in Singapore ahead of Norris

Ferrari’s Leclerc sets early pace in Singapore ahead of Norris
  • Leclerc lapped the Marina Bay Circuit in 1min 31.763sec on the hard compound tire with Norris 0.076sec behind on mediums

SINGAPORE: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was quickest in first practice for the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday, less than a tenth of a second ahead of Lando Norris in a McLaren.
Carlos Sainz, who won for Ferrari in Singapore a year ago, was third fastest with championship leader Max Verstappen fourth.
Leclerc lapped the Marina Bay Circuit in 1min 31.763sec on the hard compound tire with Norris 0.076sec behind on mediums.
It was a tentative opening daylight session, unrepresentative of Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race which will be run in different conditions under lights.
Sainz clocked 1:31.952 with Verstappen’s Red Bull going around the 4.94km layout in 1:32.097.
Englishman Norris is hunting down the Dutchman Verstappen at the top of the drivers’ standings.
The triple world champion’s lead is 59 points with seven grands prix and three sprints to go, leaving a maximum of 207 points up for grabs.
Singapore was the only race Red Bull failed to win last year.
They returned 12 months later having lost their lead at the top of the constructors’ standings at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend. McLaren are 20 points ahead after Oscar Piastri won in Baku.
The Australian may have crossed the line first there, but he was last out of the pits in Singapore and could only record the sixth fastest time, on soft tires.
Piastri emerged more than 10 minutes after the rest of the cars because of a problem with his left rear wheel nut becoming stuck during pit-stop practice earlier in the day.
RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo showed promising early pace, lapping fifth and seventh fastest respectively.
Alex Albon’s Williams was eighth with Fernando Alonso in an Aston Martin and Esteban Ocon’s Alpine rounding out the top 10.
Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races this season but he has not triumphed in the last seven as McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes have all taken race wins.
History suggests that Verstappen’s fortunes are unlikely to improve around the unpredictable city center track in Singapore this weekend.
Verstappen failed to make the top 10 in qualifying 12 months ago, eventually finishing fifth, and he has never won on the tight city-center circuit.
Red Bull traditionally struggle in Singapore where tropical storms, intense humidity, concrete barriers, safety cars and red flags are ever-present dangers.
Sergio Perez did win in Singapore in 2022, but that was Red Bull’s only victory here since Sebastian Vettel in 2013.
Mercedes usually fare well in Singapore, even during their recent lean years, but both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell could not get the balance right in the first session and trailed in 12th and 16th respectively.


Deep takes two as Bangladesh totter in reply to India’s 376

Deep takes two as Bangladesh totter in reply to India’s 376
Updated 20 September 2024
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Deep takes two as Bangladesh totter in reply to India’s 376

Deep takes two as Bangladesh totter in reply to India’s 376
  • Bangladesh limped to 26-3 at the break after Jasprit Bumrah bowled left-handed opener Shadman Islam for two and fellow quick Akash Deep struck twice in two deliveries
CHENNAI: Bangladesh lost three quick wickets by lunch in reply to India after a commanding 113 from Ravichandran Ashwin took the hosts to 376 all out on day two of the first Test against Bangladesh on Friday in Chennai.
Bangladesh limped to 26-3 at the break after Jasprit Bumrah bowled left-handed opener Shadman Islam for two and fellow quick Akash Deep struck twice in two deliveries.
After Bumrah’s heroics in the opening over, Deep took centerstage as he bowled the left-handed Zakir Hasan for three and then rattled the stumps of another left-hander Mominul Haque for a duck.
Mushfiqur Rahim played out the hat-trick ball and was batting on four alongside skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, on 15, at the break.
Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud finished with figures of 5-83 after rattling the Indian batting on day one, but a 199-run seventh-wicket stand between Ashwin and Jadeja powered a fightback from the hosts.
The pair resumed with India on 339-6 overnight but pace bowler Taskin Ahmed broke the stand early, with Jadeja caught behind without adding to his overnight score of 86.
Deep hit a quickfire 17 with four boundaries before being dismissed by Taskin, who soon got his third with the wicket of hometown hero Ashwin, caught by Najmul.
The 38-year-old Ashwin was given a standing ovation after a sixth Test ton, which included 10 fours and two sixes.
Hasan wrapped up the innings with his second five-wicket haul in just his fourth Test.
Ashwin had taken to the crease with India in trouble on 144-6 on Thursday and turned the attack on the opposition bowlers with the left-handed Jadeja for company.
Both men — India’s go-to spinners — blunted a Bangladesh bowling onslaught led by Hasan, who had reduced the hosts to 34-3 in the first hour of play.
India are looking to extend their lead at the top of the World Test Championship rankings as they begin a fresh Test season of 10 matches.
Bangladesh have never beaten India in a Test.

LIV golfers get green light for US Ryder Cup team, PGA Championship

LIV golfers get green light for US Ryder Cup team, PGA Championship
Updated 20 September 2024
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LIV golfers get green light for US Ryder Cup team, PGA Championship

LIV golfers get green light for US Ryder Cup team, PGA Championship
  • The PGA of America decision solidifies spots in events although several LIV players had been granted special invitations to certain majors in past seasons and Koepka was welcomed into the Ryder Cup squad
  • The move shows tensions could be easing in golf’s civil war even as talks continue between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, LIV’s backers, and the PGA Tour about a merger agreement

WASHINGTON: LIV Golf players will be eligible for the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship, the PGA of America announced Thursday in a move made to ensure access to top talent.

Since the early days of the Saudi-backed series, the US PGA Tour has banned LIV players from competing in its events, making it hard for LIV players to earn world ranking points and qualify for majors.

But PGA and LIV players have faced each other at major tournaments in recent years, with LIV’s Brooks Koepka winning last year’s PGA Championship for his fifth major crown and receiving a captain’s pick place on last year’s US Ryder Cup team.

“To ensure the PGA Championship will continue to deliver the strongest field in golf and that the US Ryder Cup team will continue to have access to the best American players, the PGA of America board has determined that LIV Golf players will be eligible for both,” the PGA of America statement said.

“Going forward, all LIV Golf players are eligible for the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup on points or is added to the US team as a captain’s pick is eligible to compete.”

The PGA of America decision solidifies spots in events although several LIV players had been granted special invitations to certain majors in past seasons and Koepka was welcomed into the Ryder Cup squad.

Some LIV players have been able to compete in majors thanks largely to wins before LIV began, many competing as past winners of specific majors.

The move shows tensions could be easing in golf’s civil war even as talks continue between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, LIV’s backers, and the PGA Tour about a merger agreement, negotiations that have stretched well beyond their original deadline of the end of last year.

Talks were conducted last week in New York but among the sticking points remains how to punish former PGA players who defected to LIV should they return and what LIV’s future might become.


South Africa’s Buhai grabs LPGA Queen City Championship lead

South Africa’s Buhai grabs LPGA Queen City Championship lead
Updated 20 September 2024
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South Africa’s Buhai grabs LPGA Queen City Championship lead

South Africa’s Buhai grabs LPGA Queen City Championship lead
  • Buhai said her form had been solid, and after two weeks off she was ready to attack the Arnold Palmer-designed TPC River’s Bend course
  • With her two-putt birdie at 18 she had a one-stroke lead over Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and China’s Liu Yan

LOS ANGELES: Ashleigh Buhai carded eight birdies in a 7-under par 65 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the LPGA Queen City Championship as she vies to finish strong in an injury-disrupted year.

“There has been a few things happened to me this year — back injuries, broken toe,” said the South African, who played the Paris Olympics with a piece of one shoe cut away because of her toe injury.

But Buhai, whose two LPGA victories include a major title at the 2022 Women’s British Open, said her form had been solid, and after two weeks off she was ready to attack the Arnold Palmer-designed TPC River’s Bend course, which is hosting the tournament for the first time.

“I think I was smart with when I could attack,” said Buhai, who had four birdies on the front nine and four on the back.

With her two-putt birdie at 18 she had a one-stroke lead over Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and China’s Liu Yan.

Eight players shared fourth on 67, a group that included world No. 1 Nelly Korda and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the Paris Olympics champion.

“There were a few pins out there where you had to still try to be aggressive, and the greens got a little firm and ran through, but I then made some good up and downs to keep me in it,” Buhai said.

“I hit it great, putted well — that tends to add up to what it did.”

Liu, who has missed the cut in her last seven starts and is searching for a first top-10 of the year, started on the 10th and had two eagles — at the 18th and at the eighth — in her 66.

“Today my driver was very good,” said Liu, who played her last two holes in 3-under.