Simone Biles now has 11 Olympic medals after stellar Paris Games
Simone Biles won four medals to finish her time at the Paris Olympics. She won a silver in the Games on Monday and is the most decorated American female gymnast.
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Michael Phelps wants no-tolerance policy for those who test for banned substances
Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympic athlete of all time who dominated the pool during the prime of his career, made his stance on the punishment for those caught doping very clear.
He wants them out.
"If you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again, cut and dry," Phelps said. "I believe one-and-done."
Phelps’ comments on Monday came as the swimming world is still reeling from the Chinese doping scandal that bubbled up before the Paris Olympics.
The World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics acknowledged that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and were allowed to compete anyway. The positive test was allegedly because of tainted food.
"If everybody is not going through that same testing, I have a serious problem because it means the level of sport is not fair and it’s not even," Phelps added. "If you’re taking that risk, then you don’t belong in here."
"People called me a cheater throughout my career," Phelps said. "I subjected myself to do more testing — blood and urine — weekly. Why? For the reason that I could say I’m not cheating and I am clean and here are the results.
"I did it the clean way," he added. "I won 23 Olympic gold medals the clean way. It can be done."
This is an excerpt from a report by Ryan Gaydos.
USA shot putter went through 'nightmare' with competition uniforms
The Olympics did not get off to a good start for one Olympic athlete, even way before she even competed.
Chase Jackson will make her Olympic debut in Paris this week after winning back-to-back world championships in the women's shot put.
However, when she arrived in Paris for the Games, she said that none of her competition uniforms fit her.
Jackson ultimately pointed the mishap to an "admin error on the system that recorded all of [her] sizes incorrectly."
"Just to be clear, all brands do have my size, it just wasn’t given to me originally but I have it now, so it’s all good," she added. "There was no exclusion or anything just a super unfortunate logistical nightmare!"
Jackson will get in the Olympic shot put circle for the first time on Thursday to qualify for Friday's final.
This is an excerpt from a report by Ryan Morik.
Noah Lyles coasts to 200m semifinals 1 day after winning first Olympic gold
After Noah Lyles took home an epic 100m on Sunday, he's already moving on to his "dream goal."
The 27-year-old has been adamant that he wants to break Usain Bolt's world record of 19.19 in the 200m - it's his best event, which makes Sunday's gold that much more impressive.
Well, he's off to a good start.
Lyles ran in a 200m heat on Monday in Paris, qualifying for Thursday's semifinal with a run of 20.19 seconds.
His best is 19.31 seconds, which is the American record and trails only Bolt and Yohan Blake for the all-time record.
Lyles is a three-time world champion in the event (2019, 2022, 2023). The final will take place on Friday.
Lyles will likely take part in the men's 4x100 meter relay, and he has said he wants to run the 4x400, as well.
Olympic legend slams judges over Jordan Chiles' controversial score change
Jubilation turned to anguish in a split second for Romania’s Ana Barbosu on Monday at the Paris Olympics.
Barbosu thought she had won a bronze medal in the women’s floor exercise after Jordan Chiles initially received a score of 13.666. It would have been enough to give Barbosu the first Olympic medal of her career.
She began to celebrate when officials announced that Chiles’ score changed following an inquiry. Chiles received a news core of 13.766, solidifying her spot on the podium.
Barbosu was shocked after picking up her country’s flag to celebrate. She left the floor in tears.
Gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci slammed the score change.
"I can’t believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this… let’s protect them," the nine-time Olympics medalist wrote on X.
Barbosu, 18, was in her first Olympics since starting her senior career. She was a decorated junior champion as she won six gold medals in the 2020 Junior European Championships.
This is an excerpt from a report by Ryan Gaydos.
Katie Ledecky 'dreading' break after latest Olympic dominance
Katie Ledecky doesn’t appear to be one for taking too long of a vacation.
Ledecky put in work at the Paris Olympics over the last week, winning four medals at the Summer Games. She won gold medals in the 800- and 1500-meter freestyle, a silver in the 4x200-meter freestyle and bronze in the 400-meter freestyle.
"I've kind of been dreading this break," she said on Sunday, per Yahoo Sports.
"I have no idea how long it's going to be. I'm sure I'll find my way back to the pool pretty soon."
Ledecky’s focus will turn toward the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, where she’ll most likely have a chance to win her fifth consecutive 800-meter freestyle event.
She has nine gold medals and 14 total medals. She surpassed Dara Torres, Jenny Thompson and Natalie Coughlin, who each had 12 total medals during their Olympic careers.
This is an excerpt from a report by Ryan Gaydos.
Sportsmanship from Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles irks NFL player
Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles put on an epic display of sportsmanship at the Paris Olympics on Monday after their silver and bronze medal performances in the floor exercise.
It was Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade who took home the gold medal to solidify her Olympics comeback. She suffered three ACL tears during her career and a win in the floor exercise was only the second gold medal of her career.
Biles and Chiles decided to bow to the 25-year-old gymnast. Andrade has six Olympic medals in her career.
As the photo of Biles and Chiles bowing to Andrade went viral, Baltimore Ravens star cornerback Marlon Humphrey offered a critical take.
"This is literally disgusting," the three-time Pro Bowler wrote on X.
Andrade finished with four medals at the Paris Olympics. She won silver in the all-around and vault competitions. She also won a bronze as part of the team final with Brazil.
This is an excerpt from a report by Ryan Gaydos.
American Sam Kendricks gets silver in pole vault, watches world record get broken
Sam Kendricks won a silver medal for the United States on Monday at the Paris Olympics in the men’s pole vault event.
He won the bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 in pole vault and came back to the event eight years later to get second place. He missed out on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 due to a positive coronavirus test.
Kendricks joined Valarie Allman as American athletes to medal in athletics event.
However, all eyes were on Sweden’s Armand Duplantis. The Swedish-American pole vaulter won the gold medal for the second consecutive time and set a world record in the process.
He cleared 6.25 meters for the mark. He rushed over to his girlfriend and teammates to celebrate the new accolade on his resume.
US women's 3x3 basketball salvages bronze medal
The U.S. women’s 3x3 basketball team saved a podium spot on Monday night as they defeated Canada, 16-13, to win a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
The Americans were eliminated from gold medal contention earlier in the day after a loss to Spain and their only hope to make it to the podium was to top Canada.
Hailey Van Lith scored six points to lead the Americans. Dearica Hamby added three points and grabbed six rebounds in the win. Rhyne Howard had four points and Cierra Burdick had three.
The United States was hoping to get the gold medal for the second straight year.
The U.S. defeated the Russian Olympic Committee for the gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021. China defeated France for bronze.
The Americans will be the only team to medal in both Olympics. The 2024 gold medal came down to Germany and Spain.
American Valarie Allman captures 2nd gold in discus
Valarie Allman is the latest American to score a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Allman defended her women’s discus throne on Monday with a score of 69.50. She held off China’s Feng Bin and Croatia’s Sandra Elkasevic for the top spot on the podium.
Allman’s throw was better than the mark she hit at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Then, Allman scored a 68.98 to win gold. Elkasevic, who was known as Sandra Perkovic then, finished just outside the podium with a 65.01.
Elkasevic had previously won gold medals in discus at the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Allman is a decorated discus thrower with a silver and a bronze in the World Championships. She won first place in the Diamond League in 2022 and 2023 as well.
French swimmer Léon Marchand reveals plans after successful Olympics
French swimmer Léon Marchand was the shining light on the country’s Olympic team last week as he won five medals at the Summer Games, including four gold.
Now, Marchand wants to just kick back and relax as he takes in the rest of the Paris Olympics.
“I’ll try to watch some sports,” Marchand said. “It’s not easy because I have to do business now. And I have a new life, so it won’t be easy to be in the stands with everyone else. But yes, I’m at the Games and I want to enjoy it..”
Marchand received a congratulatory message from French President Emmanuel Marcon poolside. He said trying to deal with the newfound fame may prove difficult.
“This new stardom will be weird for me. This is coming down on me in less than a week,” he said. “I’m very reserved, I’m very shy, I’m not very good at speaking in public. I’d rather be at home with my parents than on the podium in front of 15,000 people.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Polish speed climber breaks her own world record twice
Poland’s Aleksandra Miroslaw broke her own world record twice on Monday in the women’s speed event of sport climbing at the Paris Olympics.
Miroslaw set a time of 6.21 seconds in her first qualification run, which was faster than the time she set at the European qualifier in Rome in 2023. Then, she was even better on her second run with a time of 6.06.
She set an Olympic record during the 2020 Tokyo Games but ended up in fourth place and failed to medal.
Miroslaw appears to be the woman to be at the Olympics in the event. She won the 2022 European Championships in Munich, received a silver medal for the 2023 European Games and finished with a bronze in the World Championships in 2023.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
US women's 3x3 basketball team loses out on gold medal game
The United States women’s 3x3 basketball team will not be able to defend its gold medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after falling to Spain, 18-16, in overtime.
Hailey Van Lith scored eight points for the Americans while Dearica Hamby added five in the Paris Olympics semifinal matchup. Rhyne Howard scored three points. The score was tied 16-16 after time in regulation had expired.
The U.S. won gold over the Russian Olympic Committee in the Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021. Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young were on the team.
Now, The U.S. may have to settle for a bronze medal.
The team will play the loser between Germany and Canada later today.
Ex-NBA star Chase Budinger's beach volleyball medal dreams dashed
Chase Budinger and Miles Evans’ pursuit of men’s beach volleyball gold at the Paris Olympics came to an end on Monday as they fell to the defending Norwegian gold medal duo of Anders Mol and Christian Sorum.
Budinger had broken from his dreams of being an NBA superstar to pursue a medal in a totally different sport. He and Evans rose high enough in the pre-Olympic standings to make the U.S. team.
Budinger said he was just grateful for the opportunity.
“Playing in the Olympics, playing in this venue, will definitely be up there with some of my greatest basketball moments, for sure,” he said.
“My first couple of matches, stepping onto the court with 12,000 people cheering … it was just an incredible atmosphere. Playing underneath the lights, underneath the Eiffel Tower, which was sparkling -- you can’t replicate these type of memories that we’ll have.”
Mol praised Budinger for the effort of switching careers and making the Games in the first place.
“So much respect for Chase, who was able to play the NBA for many years and was a great player there,” Mol said. “And now he manages to play an Olympic sport for USA, beach volleyball. Those two sports are so different. He is a really athletic guy. And it’s really cool. I have so much respect for that journey.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Simone Biles solidifies spot on top of American Olympic gymnastics
Simone Biles added to her legacy in the sport she’s dominated for the last eight years.
Biles wrapped up the Paris Olympics with a silver medal in the floor exercise and may have been able to win a gold medal if it wasn’t for a lingering misstep. She missed out on a podium spot on the balance beam following a fall, which ultimately cost her points.
Regardless, Biles’ impressive run at the Summer Games finished with four medals in total. She won golds in the team final, all-around and vault competitions and it was a completely different Biles than what fans saw at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“I can’t be more proud of how I’ve done,” Biles said. “I’m 27 years old walking away from this Games with four medals to add to my collection. Not mad about it.
“I’ve accomplished way (more than I thought I would),” Biles added. “A couple years ago, I didn’t think I’d be back here.”
She now has 11 Olympic medals – the most among American female gymnasts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Team USA picks up silver in skeet shooting mixed team finals
The United States won a silver medal in the skeet shooting mixed team final on Monday, adding to the impressive tally at the Paris Olympics.
The team of Austen Jewell Smith and Vincent Hancock were defeated 45-44 at the hands of Italy’s Diana Bacosi and Gabriele Rossetti. The Americans’ misstep on the fourth-round of targets appeared to be the deciding factor in the loss.
It was the second medals each for Smith and Hancock. Smith won a bronze medal in women’s skeet shooting on Sunday and Hancock won the fourth gold medal of his Olympic career in men’s skeet shooting. It is his first medal in a men’s team event.
Bacosi and Rosetti won the second gold medals of their career. Both of them won gold medals in the individual skeet shooting events at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Neither had won team medals before the event.
Suni Lee admits she was 'feeling the pressure' during balance beam routine
Suni Lee’s balance beam fall cost her a podium spot at the Paris Olympics on Monday but she said there were factors that played into it.
Lee nor Simone Biles had memorable performances. Biles also fell during her routine.
But Lee, who won a bronze on the uneven bars earlier in the Games, pointed out to the quiet and pressure-packed atmosphere.
“We were just talking about how annoying it was to be shushed,” Lee said as she noted how the atmosphere changed with the crowd quieting down to focus their attention on the gymnasts.
“The pressure was definitely on,” Lee added. “I don’t know if you could tell, but a lot of people were definitely feeling it. I think it was the crowd but also just knowing that we’re so close to being done and just adding that extra stress of wanting to end it off the right way.”
Lee said the lack of sound added to the pressure.
“It adds to the stress, just because it’s like you, yes, you’re the only one up there,” Lee said. “So I was feeling the pressure.”
It was the first time the Americans were left off the podium in the balance beam since 2000.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jordan Chiles steals bronze, Simone Biles picks up silver in controversial end to gymnastics
Jordan Chiles picked up a bronze medal after an inquiry following her floor exercise routine changed her score to a 13.766 and helped her get a spot on the podium.
The score knocked two Romanian gymnasts off the podium.
Simone Biles won a silver medal with a 14.133.Rebecca Andrade won gold with a 14.166 score.
Simone Biles battles through calf injury for epic floor exercise performance
Simone Biles once again battled through a tweaked calf and delivered an epic performance in the floor exercise.
Biles stuck her patented move and received a round of applause from the crowd in Paris for her performance. She received a score of 14.133.
Brazil's Rebeca Andrade scored a 14.166 and was able to keep the top spot after the performance.
Biles was ahead of Belgium’s Ana Barbosu.
She appeared to re-tweak her calf during warmups. She fell during it and hobbled over to the sidelines.
Simone Biles falls during floor warmups, gets injured calf re-taped
Simone Biles fell during her warmup for the floor exercise at the Paris Olympics on Monday. Biles got up and appeared to be favoring the calf she tweaked during qualifications.
Biles ran and did a few flips in the air before falling backward. She stood up and hobbled off of the floor. She was favoring her left leg again.
Medical trainers taped up her calf again.
Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles prepare for floor exercise final
Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles will compete for a medal on the floor exercise at the Paris Olympics.
Biles lost a shot at a podium spot after slipping off of the balance beam. She and Suni Lee were unable to get a bronze. Lee fell from the beam as well.
Biles is on a quest for her eighth gold medal of her Olympics career and fourth of the Paris Games alone.
Chiles is in search of her first individual gold. She was a part of the gold-medal winning team that won first place in the final last week. She also won a silver in the team final in Tokyo.