2024 Olympics: Team USA edges out Serbia for shot at basketball gold; Noah Lyles proud of bronze with Covid (2024)

Olympic events tomorrow

The U.S. added three more gold medals to its count on Day 13 of competition at the Paris Games, thanks to strong performances in track and field.

Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women’s long jump, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won gold and set a world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, and Grant Holloway won the men’s 110-meter hurdles.

The U.S. has 30 gold medals, with China right behind with 29.

Overall, the U.S. continues to lead other nations and groups with 103 medals. It has 30 gold, 38 silver and 35 bronze.

Team USA's Daniel Roberts celebrated his second-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles with his loved ones on a video call.

On a large screen next to the track, four of Roberts' loved ones were ready to share the moment with him from the U.S.

It was almost 10 p.m. in Paris, but in the U.S. it was only midafternoon. One of his relatives Zoomed in from a classroom where his students were finishing up the school day and filing out of class.

"Great job, bro; I love you, bro," his relative said.

Grant Hollowayof Team USA hasn't lost a race all year — he's won all 20 hurdle races he has participated in (indoors and outdoors) — so it wasn't really a surprise when he crossed the line first today.

With his win in the 110-meter hurdles, Holloway claimed his first Olympic gold. He was upset in Tokyo, where he took silver.

The U.S. has won 20 gold medals in the history of this event, twice as many as the rest of the world combined (10).

Daniel Robertsof Team USA grabbed his first Olympic medal, finishing second for a silver. He hit an early hurdle but stayed on his feet throughout the race.

Anna co*ckrell will be coming home with silver around her neck.

She finished second in the 400-meter hurdles behind U.S. teammate Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

It's redemption for co*ckrell. This is her second Games and her first Olympic medal. She made the final in this event in Tokyo but was disqualified for a lane violation.

The U.S. has 13 medals in the history of this event. No other country has more than four.

co*ckrell's time, 51.87, makes her the fourth-fastest woman in this event on record, behind McLaughin-Levrone, of course, and the Netherlands' Femke Bol and American Dalilah Muhammed.

But today, co*ckrell bested Bol, who took home bronze.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone turned 25 yesterday and got herself a gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles as a present today.

McLaughin-Levrone is so dominant she hasn't lost a single 400 hurdles race since October 2019, when she was 20.

She is the first woman ever to win multiple gold medals in the event.

She has set world records in her last six global or U.S. championships. Starting with the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021, McLaughin-Levrone set the record with a time of 51.90 seconds. She has only cut it down since, setting a 51.46 record in Tokyo, then 50.68 at the 2022 worlds, then 50.65 at the U.S. trials in Eugene, Oregon, this year and now Paris, with 50.37.

Woodhall, of Team USA, claimed gold in the long jump today, keeping her fourth-round best length of 7.10 meters.

"I just couldn’t keep it together; I was screaming in my head,” Davis-Woodhall told Reuters about what was going through her head on her final jump. "I had the crowd in my hands, and that’s what I dreamed of. I made people watch long jump."

According to Reuters, Davis-Woodhall choked back tears before she sprinted down the runway one final time. After she landed, she stood up before she fell back into the sand with a big smile on her face.

She donned her trademark cowboy hat and boots to celebrate her first Olympic gold.

Reporting from Stade de France, Paris

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo said becoming the first African to win the men’s 200-meter gold “means a lot to the African continent.”

He said not being among the favorites for the race gave him “courage.”

“I didn’t look for the gold medal; I just thought maybe if I could be on the mix, I’ll be happy," he said.

Asked whether he would have beaten Noah Lyles if he didn't have Covid, Tebogo rejected the premise.

Lykes “was in his best form” this Olympics, Tebogo said. “Hopefully you will recover and then help the team win the gold medal tomorrow in the 4x100 meters.”

Being a wife and partner has made Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone a better athlete, she says.

Marriage has changed her life for the better and helped her become stronger on and off the track, the hurdler says.

Reporting from Paris

Two-time gold medalist Kristen Faulkner on her shocking win in the road race and race in the women’s team pursuit and her journey from college athlete to cyclist.

Team USA's Elle St. Pierre definitively earned her place in the 1,500-meter final, placing a tight third in her semifinal behind Kenya's Faith Kipyegon and Britain's Georgia Bell.

She will join teammate Nikki Hiltz and medal favorite Kipyegon in Saturday's final.

Noah Lyles was determined to capture gold in both the 100-meter and 200-meter races in Paris. That dream was alive after a photo finish in the 100 meters this week.

He bested Kishane Thompson of Jamaica by just 0.005 seconds, the fraction of a second leading Lyles to the first-place Olympic finish he was hungry for.

Today, he came in third in the 200-meter event and was taken off the track in a wheelchair. He later revealed that he tested positive for Covid earlier in the week and would miss out on the rest of the Games.

Reporting from Paris

After Team USA staged an epic comeback today against Serbia to advance to the gold medal game Saturday, it is guaranteed to medal.

The U.S. has won a men’s basketball medal in every Olympics in which it has competed (it boycotted Moscow in 1980), and it is seeking its 17th gold medal in men’s basketball.

It will play France on Saturday in a rematch of the gold medal game at the Tokyo Olympics. The U.S. won that game 87-82.

Steph Curry delivered a vintage performance against Serbia in the U.S. men’s basketball semifinal today, pouring in a game-high 36 points on 12-of-19 shooting to lead Team USA to a comeback win.

Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky and rower Nick Mead will be the U.S. flag bearers for the closing ceremony.

Women’s gymnastics star Jordan Chiles and Team USA teammate Simone Biles are close. How close?

“Simone is like a big sister to me,” Chiles says.

Dwyane Wade’s second act is off to a great start.

Wade is in Paris working as amen’s basketballanalyst for NBC during the Summer Olympics. The three-time NBA champion, who won gold with Team USA in 2008 in Beijing, says his wife,Gabrielle Union,has been providing him with tips to up his game.

“She texts me during halftime. I get to look at my phone and be like, certain things she’s like, ‘Ooh, OK, that was good,’ or ‘Ah, that may be a little problematic.’ I get real-time feedback,” he said today.

Reporting from Paris

Serbia proved to be anything but a walkover today for Team USA and its roster full of NBA superstars. It took Steph Curry’s 36-point heroics to keep the game as close as it was before America caught fire late.

“It was only a matter of time before he had one of these games,” said LeBron James. “You could see it every day — he puts too much work in not to have a game like this. We wouldn’t want it any other way, and it was the perfect time for Steph to come out and do what he did.”

After a third-place finish in the 200-meter race and the announcement that he tested positive for Covid on Tuesday, Lyles said his Paris Olympics are over.

"I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics," he wrote on Instagram. "It is not the Olympic I dreamed of but it has left me with so much Joy in my heart."

He continued: "I hope everyone enjoyed the show. Whether you were rooting for me or against me, you have to admit you watched, didn’t you?" A winky-face emoji was in place at the end of the caption.

Lyles was poised to compete in relay teams, namely the 4x100 final, but will now sit that race out. His individual events have been completed.

Team USA’s 86-kg freestyle wrestler Aaron Brooks lost a heartbreaker of a semifinal in the very last moments to Magomed Ramazanov of Bulgaria.

The Paris prosecutor’s office has confirmed to NBC News that Kirsty Burrows, the head of the IOC’s Safe Sport Unit, filed a complaint Sunday after she got online hate messages. Burrows said she was targeted "following the press conference she gave as part of her duties in defense of Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer targeted by a wave of transphobic online hate," the Paris prosecutor's office added.

Those responsible for the messages risk sentences of up to five years in prison and a 45,000-euro fine (around $49,000). The IOC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu‑ting of Taiwan have been at the center of a controversy over gender after it was revealed that they had been disqualified at last year’s Women’s World Boxing Championships by the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) for allegedly failing an unspecified gender test.

The IOC defended the two female athletes, saying in a statement they had been "victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA" and "disqualified without any due process." IOC President Thomas Bach also said at a news conference Aug. 1 that "this is not a transgender issue."

Khelif advanced to the women’s welterweight final and will face China’s Yang Liu tomorrow, and Lin Yu-ting will face Poland’s Julia Szeremeta in the women’s featherweight final Saturday.

U.S. star Grant Holloway completed his quest and secured the Olympic crown in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, storming across the line first to win his first gold medal.

The U.S. men's basketball team defeated Serbia, 95-91, avoiding an upset in a thrilling semifinal.

Facing its biggest test of the Olympics, Team USA trailed by as much as 17 points. But the Americans gained momentum in the closing stages, taking their first lead with just 4 minutes left, thanks to big shots from Steph Curry, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

Curry led all scorers with 36 points, including two clutch free throws to seal the win in the game's closing moments. James notched the second triple-double of his Olympic career with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Serbia was led by Bogdan Bogdanović, who scored 20 points. It also received a boost from reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokić's 17 points and 11 assists.

The U.S. now advances to the final, taking on France in its quest to win a fifth consecutive gold medal.

Reporting from Stade de France, Paris

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone said of her new world record in the 400-meter hurdlesthat she was "hoping it was a little faster" after crossing the finish line."I wasn't looking at the clock to be honest with you," she told reporters after the race. "Yeah, I mean, across the line I was definitely grateful for that time. I was hoping it was a little faster, but like I said, I'm sure there's some things in the middle there we can clean up."

She added, "I'm walking away from this, I'm happy, I'm encouraged and there's always more work to do."

A spirited run by LeBron James and Stephen Curry has given the U.S. its first lead of the game in the closing stages of the fourth quarter.

Key plays from Joel Embiid and LeBron James has the U.S. tied with Serbia in the fourth quarter.

The U.S. has trailed by mostly double digits throughout the game, but Devin Booker's 3-pointer has cut the deficit to 5 points in the fourth quarter.

Reporting from Paris

The United States is one quarter away from the humiliation of playing for the bronze.

Serbia has a 76-63 lead after three periods and is still shooting the lights out, 50% from 3-point range and 52% from inside the arc.

The Americas are still looking for a scoring source that’s not just Steph Curry, who has 27 points.

After he collapsed to the ground following his 200-meter race today, Noah Lyles revealed he tested positive for Covid on Tuesday, the latest in a string of cases since the Olympics began.

Earlier this week, Today.com found that at least 40 athletes had tested positive while at the 2024 Paris Olympics Games. The actual number of Covid-19 cases at the Paris Olympics remains unclear, as testing and reporting varies by team.

The International Olympic Committee did not immediately respond to a request from NBC News today about Covid policies and the number of cases among its athletes.

A spokesperson for the 2024 Paris Games said earlier this week that athletes are regularly reminded "of the good practices to adopt should they experience any respiratory symptoms."

There are no mandatory preventive Covid measures at the Paris Olympics, French newspaper Le Monde reported last month.

Read the full story here.

Although Serbia has NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, his teammates Bogdan Bogdanovic and Aleksa Avramovic are in the spotlight so far tonight, leading scorers with 15 points each.

Team USA's Tara Davis-Woodhall claimed gold in the long jump, beating reigning champ Malaika Mihambo from Germany.

In a dramatic end, Mihambo was preparing to take her last-round leap in the hopes of defending her medal, but ran through the sand, ending her chances and forcing her to keep her fifth-round best length of 6.98 meters.

Davis-Woodhall kept her fourth-round best length of 7.10 meters.

Mihambo goes home silver, and Jasmine Moore of the U.S. claimed bronze at 6.96 meters.

The U.S. is facing its biggest adversity in Paris thus far, trailing Serbia at one point by as much 17 in the first half.

Previously, the largest gap Team USA faced was 8 points.

Grant Holloway had the 110-meter hurdles field handled from the first hurdle, finishing first in 12.99 seconds.

Though not his fastest time this season, Holloway still brought it home and rang the bell on the Paris track.

U.S. took a 1-2 podium, with Daniel Roberts taking silver in a photo finish with Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell.

Roberts and Broadbell both finished in 13.09, but Roberts bested the Jamaican runner by three thousandths of a second.

Reporting from Paris

Aleksa Avramovic scored a team-high 15 points while teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic added 12 to help hot-handed Serbia to a 54-43 halftime lead over the United States.

Serbia is 9-for-16 from up close and a blistering 10-of-16 from long range.

The Americans will need more scoring from someone not named Steph Curry, who has electrified the Bercy Arena crowd with 20 first-half points.

Reporting from Stade de France, Paris

Noah Lyles said he didn’t tell his teammates that he had Covid ahead of the 200-meter final because he didn’t want to give his competitors an “edge.”

"We were trying to keep this as close to the chest as possible," a masked Lyles told a cramped gaggle of journalists in the basem*nt of the Stade de France. "You never want to tell your competitors you’re sick; why would you give them an edge over you?”

The only people who knew were the medical staff, his coach and family, he said, adding that he quickly quarantined to a hotel near the Olympic Village and tried to keep his distance from everyone else.

After being taken away in a wheelchair near the finish line, Lyles said he was "quite lightheaded after that race, and shortness of breath and chest pain was definitely active,” he said. “But after a while, I was able to catch my breath and get my wits about me. So I’m feeling a lot better now.”

But there was never any question he wouldn’t run. “I knew if I wanted to come out here and win, I had to give everything I had from the get-go. I didn’t have any time to save energy, so that was kind of the strategy for today," he added. "This is by far the best day I felt out of the last three days. I still wouldn’t say I’m 100% but I would definitely say I’m closer to like, 90 to 95%."

He said he knew he only had "one shot," but "me and my therapist said this a one-and-done. You know, there’s, there’s no holding back."

Reporting from Paris

Fans wildly cheered for French basketball trailblazer Tony Parker when he waved to cameras at this game.

Parker was the first French basketball player many U.S. fans knew when he started his four-title, 17-season NBA run in 2001 with the San Antonio Spurs.

In a statement to NBC News, USA Track & Field confirmed that Lyles tested positive for Covid and "after a thorough medical evaluation" chose to compete.

"We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely," USA Track & Field said in the statement. "As an organization, we are rigorously adhering to CDC, USOPC, and IOC guidelines for respiratory illnesses to prevent the spread of illness among team members, safeguarding their health and performance."

The current CDC guidelines no longer mandate a quarantine period.

Reporting from Paris

When Nikola Jokic drove to the bucket for an old-school 3-point play, the Bercy Arena crowd erupted into chants of "MVP, MVP, MVP!"

While he is the reigning NBA player of the year, that "MVP" cry can apply to a lot of people on the floor tonight.

In addition to the three-time NBA MVP Jokic (2024, 2022, 2021), other top award winners on hand include Joel Embiid (2023), Steph Curry (2016, 2015), LeBron James (2013, 2012, 2010, 2009) and Kevin Durant (2014).

Lyles, who finished in third place, said he tested positive at 5 a.m. Tuesday.

"I just was feeling really horrible. I knew it was more than just being sore from the 100. ... I woke up the doctors and tested and unfortunately it came up positive. My first thought was not to panic. I've been in worse situations. I've run with worse conditions. We just took it day by day."

Lyles said he never considered not running in the event.

Noah Lyles said he woke up around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning feeling horrible and recognized it was more than just soreness. That led him to the team doctors where he was tested and diagnosed with Covid.

"I definitely say that it's taking its toll, for sure, but I've never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and get a bronze medal," Lyles said.

He said he's been trying to quarantine as much as possible but wanted to give these Games his all after previous disappointment in Tokyo. That said, he does not know if he'll be competing in the 4x100-meter relay as planned.

"I’m feeling more on the side of letting Team USA do their thing," Lyles said. "They’ve proven with a great certainty that they can handle it without me, and if that’s the case, coming off today, then I’m perfectly fine, say, 'Hey, you guys go do your thing.'"

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone defended her Olympic title in Paris in the 400-meter hurdles.

She outran Dutch sensation Femke Bol on her way to gold, posting 50.37 and a new world record. The showdown between the two rivals was not as close as projected, with Bol taking bronze and American Anna co*ckrell flanking her teammate for silver.

McLaughlin-Levrone extended a winning streak that goes back to the 2019 world championships.

Reporting from Paris

Serbia extended its early lead to 39-25 with its red-hot shooting.

The Serbs have made 14 of their 20 field goal attempts and have the neutral crowd on their side here.

Reporting from Paris

Serbia absorbed America’s best opening shot — from all-time perimeter great Steph Curry — and still stood tall.

The Golden State Warriors sharpshooter electrified the Bercy Arena crowd, going 5-for-7 from distance, yet it was the Serbs who held a 31-23lead after one period.

Serbia was just as hot as Curry, going 6-for-8 from up close.

After the 200-meter final, Lyles' mother told NBC Sports that her son was diagnosed with Covid two days ago, but opted to run anyway.

After the race, he lay down on the track and appeared to be breathing heavily. He left the arena in a wheelchair.

Steph Curry is off to a hot start, scoring 14 quick points thus far in the first quarter. The NBA's all-time leading 3-point scorer is 4 for 6 from 3, but USA trails Serbia, 25-19.

Team USA's Kenneth Bednerak spoke to NBC News' Tom Llamas following his silver medal win in today's 200-meter race and said that teammate Noah Lyles was sick.

“I think he has a little sickness going on," Bednerak said when asked about his teammate.

“Does he really?” Llamas asked.

“Yeah, I mean, that’s what I heard," Bednerak said, adding that he did not know the specifics.

Reporting from Paris

Not surprisingly,French fans here at Bercy Arena heartily booed Joel Embiid when he was introduced ahead of the Serbia-U.S. semifinal game.

And then booed every time he touched the ball.

The Philadelphia 76ers big was born in Cameroon and speaks fluent French.

He flirted before with playing for France but opted for America — much to the ongoing chagrin of French fans, who apparently have a long memory.

In moments, U.S. men's basketball will take on NBA MVP Nikola Jokic's Serbia in the semifinal. (Team USA won the earlier matchup in group play.)

The star-studded Americans, led by LeBron James and Stephen Curry, are looking to continue their dominant run in Paris and take home a fifth consecutive gold medal.

A Paris 2024 spokesperson said Noah Lyles was taken away from the track in a wheelchair becausehe couldn’twalk away on his own.

He is now with the medical team on site.

After taking bronze in the race he was most heavily favored to win, Lyles was gasping for air. Commentators on the NBC broadcast noted that the sprinting all-star looked unusually worn out. He received medical attention and was given a wheelchair.

Lyles has referred to the 100-meter dash as his mistress, while the 200-meter race is his wife.

Team USA will play for the bronze medal on Saturday after losing a penalty shootout against Australia.

The U.S. women's team has won the last three gold medals in water polo and was looking for a fourth. Instead it will play the Netherlands for bronze as the Australians move to the gold medal match.

The women's water polo semifinal is going to a shootout after Australia came back from behind and tied the game in the fourth quarter of the game.

"This is the moment," one of the Australian coaches said in the last 20 seconds of the regulation time. But the women were unable to make any headway before the clock ran out.

The winner of this game goes to the gold medal match, and the loser will fight for bronze.

In defeating reigning world champion Noah Lyles, Letsile Tebogo became the first African man to win Olympic gold in the 200-meter sprint.

He dedicated the race to his mother, who passed away in May.

Reporting from Stade de France, Paris

There were chants of "USA! USA!" before the starting pistol, but neither Noah Lyles nor his two compatriots ever looked like getting the gold. That was won emphatically by Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, who even had time to celebrate before crossing the line. What a moment in the Stade de France.

Noah Lyles was aiming to win the Olympic double, but Paris was not his time.

He claimed bronze in his signature event, the 200-meter, for a second consecutive Games.

Reporting from Stade de France, Paris

The Stade de France is welcoming the finalists for the men's 200-meter final, one by one being introduced onto the track to rapturous applause.

Most of the field walked out onto the track. Not Noah Lyles, who replicated his 100-meter final entrance by bouncing and jumping around wildly around as he came out.

Rachel Fattal scored for Team USA, but that didn't last long before Bronte Halligan returned the play.

Fattal's goal was just after Australian Alice Williams had a third violation in the game with a red card. But Halligan fought back seconds later to keep the U.S. from too large of a lead in the semifinal.

The U.S. leads 8-7.

Every quarter of this water polo game gets more exciting as Australia's women's team came back from behind to close the U.S. lead to 7-6 by the end of the third.

Abby Andrews was the central figure of the Australian offense, scoring four goals in the quarter. She tied the game at 6-6 for just a few moments before the U.S. captain Maggie Steffens caught a pass for a quick shot.

Steffens got the U.S. lead back, entering the fourth quarter just one goal ahead.

It was a tied game for just a quick moment in the women's water polo semifinal as Australia's Abby Andrews scored her third goal in the third quarter.

That brought the game to 5-5 for less than 30 seconds, before American Jenna Flynn hit back. Flynn scored to bring the U.S. back into the lead, 6-5.

Australian Abby Andrews scored the first goal of the third quarter, closing the U.S. lead to 5-3 as Australia's women's team attempts to turn this match around.

She scored again less than a minute later, tightening the match to 5-4 with a failed attempt to return the goal by U.S. player Maggie Steffens.

It was a lively second quarter for the women's water polo semifinal match as the U.S. and Australia went back and forth, determined not to let the other go unchallenged.

The American team scored twice in a single minute to lead the game 5-2 by halftime. JovanaSekulic made a successful center shot, which Australia attempted to retaliate against but was blocked.

This let the U.S. women to go on the counterattack, which allowed Emily Mary Ausmus to score again with just seven seconds left in the quarter.

Australia will not relent and allow the U.S. to have too strong a cushion in this game, immediately returning a goal from Maddie Musselman.

Zoe Arancini scored for Australia in the last few minutes of the second quarter to bring the score to 3-2.

Maddie Musselman showed her muscle with a second goal against Australia, allowing Team USA a 3-1 lead in the women's water polo semifinal.

Australia fought back at the end of the first quarter to score with just 10 seconds left.

The goal from Australian Charlize Andrews did not go unchallenged as American Maddie Musselman attempted another throw at the goal just seconds after, but failed to increase the U.S. lead before the quarter finished.

American Jenna Flynn made up for her missed penalty shot just minutes ago by scoring against Australia, allowing Team USA to lead 2-0 with about two minutes left to go in the first quarter.

The U.S. women's water polo team is playing one of its biggest rivals at the moment in the Olympic semifinal.

Maddie Musselman scored in the first five minutes courtesy of a penalty shot in the first quarter, allowing Team USA to lead 1-0 against Australia. A second penalty shot by American Jenna Flynn was blocked.

It's a battle of pure talent as the Americans take on the Australian women's team for the opportunity to advance into the finals. The winner of this game will go on to play Spain in the gold medal match Saturday, while the loser will take on the Netherlands for bronze.

Reporting from Paris

Isaia Cordinier hit a pair of game-clinching free throws with 7.4 seconds left as France held on for a 73-69 semifinal victory over Germany.

The hosts will wait to find out who they’ll play in Saturday’sgold medal game, Serbia or the United States.

Guerschon Yabusele scored 17 points while teammate Victor Wembanyama added 11 points, 4 assists and 7 rebounds for the victorious French.

Dennis Schröder led Germany with 18 points.

Reporting from Stade de France, Paris

There are a lot of Dutch people in the Stade de France. Orange is by far the most visible color among the sweeping bleachers of this 80,000-capacity arena.

There's a good chance most of them are here to see the sensation that is Femke Bol, who has already stunned once with her remarkable comeback win in the anchor leg of the mixed 4x100-meter relay Saturday.

Tonight, Bol is hunting gold again in the women's 400-meter hurdles final. Trying to stop her are Team USA's Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Jasmine Jones.

Reporting from Paris

All of France is shaking and basketball fans can feel it: The hosts might be 6 minutes away from playing for the gold medal.

France leads Germany, 66-53, and seems to have all the momentum.

The United States' artistic swimming team failed to qualify for the Olympics by only two-thirds of a point last year. But after winning worlds, the team earned its ticket to Paris.

Now, the artistic swimming team has ended a longtime drought, bringing home the silver. The swimmers — now viral for their routine that included an underwater moonwalk to Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" — talk to "TODAY."

Reporting from Paris

The rafters are shaking at Bercy Arena after France nailed a trio of 3-pointers in the third period while surging to a 56-50 lead with one quarter to play.

Guerschon Yabusele leads France with 15 points, while German Dennis Schröder has also scored 15 points.

The Morocco men's national team will return home with its head held high after securing the country's first-ever Olympic medal in soccer as its men defeated Egypt 6-0.

This was a historic match not just for Morocco, but also for North Africa as it marks the first soccer medal for a country from the region. Egypt gets to walk away with enormous pride as well, given this is the furthest the country has advanced at the Olympic tournament since 1964, when its men's team played the East Germany team.

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi played the tournament of his life, scoring two goals today in addition to six other goals throughout the 2024 Paris Games. Rahimi is the leading scorer at this year's Olympics.

It's particularly special to have accomplished such a milestone in France, where an estimated 1.5 million members of the Moroccan diaspora live. The North African country was under French control from 1912 to 1956 before achieving independence.

Some of the team's own players live and play in France, including captain Achraf Hakimi, who plays defense for Paris St. Germain.

Morocco is almost certain to win the bronze after captain Achraf Hakimi scored the team's sixth unanswered goal in the 87th minute of the match.

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi assisted with yet another goal against Egypt, allowing Akram Nakach to score in the 73rd minute.

Rahimi is currently the top scorer for the Olympic men's soccer tournament. Morocco leads Egypt 5-0.

Katie Ledecky teared up as teammate Bobby Finke delivered the news that she had been chosen as the United States' flag bearer for the Olympic closing ceremony.

The most decorated female Olympian of all time will carry the flag along with gold medalist rower Nick Mead.

Mead said he wants to represent the U.S. and the rowing team as best as he can. The first step to do so?

"Get a haircut," he said.

Soufiane Rahimi outmaneuvered Egypt's goalkeeper, Hamza Alaa, to score into open net, allowing Morocco to lead 4-0 with less than 30 minutes of regulation left.

Reporting from Paris

The French have to be the happier side at intermission, with the score tied at 33.

France has fought back to even, despite 1-for-12 shooting from downtown.

NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama has to worry about three personal fouls.

But when he was on the floor, Wembanyama was a difference maker in the second quarter. He scored 7 points and improved his plus/minus from -11 after one periodto -4 at halftime.

The U.S. defeated the Brazil in five sets, fighting tooth and nail to take the win 3-2 and advance into the finals.

Brazil put up a strong fight. It was not clear who would be in contention for one of the top two podium spots until near the end of the deciding fifth set, where the U.S. held on to its lead after scoring 11 points, getting four more after that to win the tiebreaker 15-11.

The U.S. — the reigning gold champion — is guaranteed a medal for the fifth Olympics in a row, and the team will play the winner of the Turkey-Italy match Sunday at 7 a.m. ET.

Bilal El Khannous just increased the Moroccan team's cushion against Egypt with a goal just minutes in the second half, scoring the team's third goal of the game.

It's not impossible for Egypt to make a comeback, but the players will need to make a dramatic turnaround to have a viable chance at a medal.

Reporting from Paris

Germany and France trade significant body shots before Deutschland settled for a 25-18 lead after one quarter.

A 12-2 German burst out of the gate forced France to call this semifinal game's first timeout before the French punched back, prompting a Deutschland TO when its lead was cut to 18-16.

At this early stage, France is probably fortunate to be this close despite 1-for-7 shooting from distance and NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama with no points and a -11 plus/minus.

Morocco has dominated Egypt in the first half, leading 2-0 as the Egyptian men's squad failed to capitalize on its opportunities.

It's a game of national and regional pride as both teams compete for not only a first medal in men's soccer for either country, but also the first Olympic medal in men's soccer for North Africa. Though possession of the ball has been roughly equal between the countries, Morocco has been able to make the most of its time with the ball.

Morocco's Abde Ezzalzouli was the first to score, with a kick in the 23rd minute that sailed beautifully across the box and into the top right corner of the net.

Just three minutes later, Soufiane Rahimi hit a header to double Morocco's lead in the first half.

Brazil is holding on to this match. After the U.S. took the lead in the last set, Brazil takes the fourth set, tying the game 2-2.

The fourth score set was 25-23, Brazil.

The match will now enter a deciding fifth set, a tiebreaker to 15 points. The winner will advance to the final.

After Nathan Chen and the 2022 U.S. figure skating team received their gold medals Wednesday in Paris, Adam Rippon told Kathryn Tappen why this moment proves that "clean sport will always prevail."

The U.S. took the third set of the semifinal match against Brazil, now leading the game 2-1.

If the U.S. wins this next set, it will advance to the final gold medal match.

The Canadian artistic swimmers included the song “The Next Episode” during their routine at the 2024 Paris Olympics — and Snoop Dogg jammed along while providing commentary!

Brazil is fighting for this game. After the U.S. took the first set, Brazil came back and won the first set 25-18.

The teams are now tied, 1-1.

Raven Saunders' purple and green hair dye was only the second most eye-catching style choice when they lined up for shot put qualification today. Viewers might have been surprised to see Saunders, who goes by they-their pronouns, wearing a black mask that covered them from hairline to jawline, topped off with bronze sunglasses.

But it’s not a first for the American athlete who is known for masks and colorful hairstyles. Saunders, who has been seen wearing masks of "The Hulk" at previous events, has said they can relate to the hero who had difficulty balancing his two sides.

Saunders' long fingernails on their left hand were bedazzled and in Team USA colors and the letters H-U-L-K. Saunders told The Associated Press that turning into "The Hulk" helps them feel like a superhero getting ready to hurl a 8.8-pound hunk of metal. "I had to remind the people, I am who I am," they said.

The 28-year-old American athlete had been vocal about their mental health and LGBTQ rights. After winning silver at the Tokyo Games Saunders crossed their arms in an X shape, which they explained stood for "the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet." Saunders will take part in the women's shot put on Friday.

The U.S. takes the first set in its semifinal match against Brazil.

The Americans took the tight first set by only two points.

Kathryn Plummer might be having a "Jordan-flu game." Despite battling flu-like symptoms and a fever, Plummer delivered the winning point for the U.S. in its first set.

The game is the best three sets out of five. The winner will advance to the finals, playing the winner of the Turkey vs. Italy match.

While visiting "TODAY," Olympian Jordan Chiles shared heartwarming words of encouragement with a young aspiring athlete on the plaza. “Always believe in the power of your dreams.”

China's mission to sweep the golds in diving at these Olympics has continued with their divers taking both gold and silver in the 3-meter springboard event.

The gold, which draws China level with Team USA's gold medal tally of 27, was won by Xie Siyi with silver taken by teammate Wang Zongyuan. An error from Wang in which he slightly over-rotated during the fifth round of dives saw him lose the lead to Xie, who went on to successfully defend his title from the Tokyo Games.

China is now just two events away from sweeping the gold medals in diving. Tomorrow is the women's 3-meter springboard final, while Saturday is the men's 10-meter platform final.

Team USA's Carson Tyler finished 4th with a score of 429.25, though he was some way off Mexico's Osmar Olivera Ibarra, who took bronze with a score of 500.40.

German canoeist Max Rendschmidt has now won every Olympic race he’s competed in since Rio 2016, including heats, according to Paris 2024. Now he has a fourth gold medal to go with the two he won in Rio and the gold he won in Tokyo.

Rendschmidt and the rest of his team crossed the line first in the men’s kayak four. NewZealand won the women’s kayak four, with silver going to Germany, and Hungary taking bronze.

Hao Liu and Bowen Ji of China took gold in the men’s canoe double final. The silver went to Gabriele Casadei and Carlo Tacchini of Italy, with Spain’s Joan Antoni Moreno and Diego Dominguez winning bronze.

A shot of "Triple Espresso" has been just what theU.S. women’s national soccer teamneeded to put them within one win of their first Olympic gold medal in 12 years.

Star forwardsTrinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson andSophia Smithhave combined for nine of Team USA’s 10 goals during their run to the Olympic final, where they will face Brazil on Saturday.

"We also have a name for ourselves. We have an announcement," Smith told Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb. "Trinity, take it away."

"We have a proposal for our trio name to be 'Triple Espresso.' So we’re going to put that out into the air and let people run with that, because we like that as well," Rodman said.

No word on whether it has anything to do with one of the songs of the summer,Sabrina Carpenter’s "Espresso," but the trio has provided a jolt of energy and youth to a team that won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.

Read the full article here

Team USA's Nelly Korda has found her form in the second round of the women's golf competition and now finds herself toward the top of the leaderboard.

After a dismal round saw the defending gold medalist just about par yesterday, she is tied for second at five under par through 12 holes, three shots behind current leader Morgane Metraux of Switzerland.

With Korda's fortunes changing course, overnight leader Celine Boutier's hopes have gone the other way. The French golfer carded a brilliant round of seven under yesterday, but a nightmare round of four-over saw her drop down the leaderboard as she returned to the clubhouse.

Team USA's Lilia Vu has also carded an over-par day. She is now one-under for the tournament and will need a strong performance over the weekend to have any chance of medaling.

The men’s kite semifinals have been delayed again because of a lack of wind in Marseille, a familiar problem for anyone following the sailing events this week.

Earlier today, Austrians Lara Vadlau and Lukas Maehr took gold in the mixed dinghy after the medal race was inevitably postponed until wind conditions improved. Okada Keiju and Yoshioka Miho of Japan won silver, and Sweden’s Anton Dahlberg and Lovisa Karlsson won bronze.

In the mixed multihull event, which was rescheduled from yesterday,Italy’s Ruggero Tita and Caterina Marianna Bantio are back-to-back Olympic champions. Silver went to the Argentine crew of Mateo Majdalani and Eugenia Bosco, while Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson of New Zealand won the bronze.

Team USA athlete Sunny Choi is about to make her big debut in Paris for the first-ever Olympics to feature breaking as a sport and shares a look into how she tests out the space.

Fourteen-year-old Arisa Trew became Australia's youngest-ever Olympic gold medalist on Wednesday as she wowed crowds, including skating icon Tony Hawk, in taking down the women's skateboard park. The way Trew picked to celebrate her win will quack you up: She asked her parents for a pet duck.

"My parents promised if I won the gold medal I would get a pet duck," the teenage Olympian told Australia's Channel Nine. "They are really cute. I can take it on walks and take it to the skate park."

"My parents definitely wouldn’t let me get a dog or a cat because we are traveling so much right now. But I feel like a duck might be a little bit easier, and ... I don’t know, I just want a duck."

Reporting from Paris

Even if Israel Madaye had skewed all of his arrows way off target and scored zero points, the archer from Chad in central Africa wouldn’t have cared.

Though he came last in his event, just gettingto the 2024 Paris Gameswas a colossal achievement. He will always be one of the 10,500 athletes competing here who can call themselves Olympians, able for the rest of their lives to sign the honorific OLY after their names.

“My dream was to qualify for Paris,” said Madaye, 36, who lives in the Chadian capital of N’Djamena. “I always said that even if I scored zero points, I would still be pleased with my achievements because I worked very hard to get here.”

Read the full story here.

One of the oldest sports in the Olympic Games, Greco-Roman wrestling was one of the nine sports featured in the first modern Olympiad in 1896, but what exactly is it and how does it differ from freestyle wrestling?

The main difference is that, unlike in freestyle, wrestlers are not allowed to grab their opponent below the beltline, so UFC-style grabs for the legs to take down an opponent are off the table and throwing opponents by pulling their upper body is key. Competitors also cannot use their legs against their opponents, either as a part of an offensive move or defensively to block their opponents.

Beyond that, the rules are the same as in freestyle. Wrestlers aim to earn points either by pushing their opponent out of the ring or by taking their opponent down to the mat. Matches consist of two periods of three minutes.

Wrestlers can also win instantaneously by pinning their opponent's shoulders to the mat, or by achieving "technical superiority," which means having a lead of 8 points or more (a slight tweak to freestyle wrestling, where this threshold is 10 points). There are two finals later today, both taking place after 1:30 p.m. ET.

Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead have been picked as flag bearers to lead the U.S. Olympic team into the closing ceremony on Sunday, after a vote by their fellow Team USA athletes.

Four-time Olympic swimmer Ledecky is the most decorated U.S. women’s Olympian ever, with her four medals at the Paris Games taking her all-time haul to 14. Two-time Olympic rower Mead won gold medal in the men’s four rowing at Paris 2024.

"Congratulations to our Closing Ceremony flag bearers, Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead, who exemplify the spirit of sport and the pride of Team USA,"said Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

"Katie and Nick have significantly contributed to the joyous and celebratory atmosphere. We are thrilled and proud to follow them into Sunday’s closing festivities,” Hirshland added.

Jamaica’s men’s 4x100-meter relay stunningly failed to qualify for the Olympic final. The group of Ackeem Blake, Jelani Walker, Jehlani Gordon and Kishane Thompson ran just 38.45 seconds and missed out by .06 seconds after bungling a handover.

Sam Watson has claimed bronze in the men's speed climbing, breaking his own world record for a third time in a week in the bronze medal climb.

Texas native Watson narrowly missed out on making the final after being edged out by 0.07 seconds by China's Wu Peng in the semifinals. Peng scaled the wall in 4.85 seconds, a personal best for the Chinese climber, to consign Watson, who had been dominant all week, to the bronze medal climb.

With Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" ringing out across the Le Bourget arena in the very short turnaround between the semifinals and finals, Watson quickly recovered to secure bronze, beating his own world record once again in a time of 4.74 seconds to best Iran's Reza Alipour for the third spot on the podium.

The final was won by Indonesia's Veddriq Leonardo in 4.75 seconds, scraping out the win against Peng by just 0.02 seconds to secure a sensational gold medal win.

Hosts France put up a fight but were overcome by China 3-0 in the best-of-five format. Favorites China will now play Sweden in tomorrow’s final, with France playing Japan in the bronze medal match.

China has won all four Olympic titles in this event since it was introduced at Beijing 2008.

Home favorites Félix Lebrun and older brother Alexis Lebrun were both beaten 3-1 in their respective matches. Bronze medalistFélix saved five match points in a second match full of exciting rallies but was eventually beaten 3-1 by Fan Zhendong.

Fresh from flying up the speed climbing wall in a staggering 4.75 seconds in qualifying on Tuesday, beating his own world record in the process, Team USA's Sam Watson now has his sights set on Olympic gold.

The final bracket of the men's speed climbing has just gotten underway at Le Bourget, with 18-year-old Watson through to the semifinals and the favorite to take away gold.

Reporting from Paris

Men’s basketball takes center stage this evening in Paris, with NBA standouts on all four squads playing in the semifinals at Bercy Arena.

First at 11:30 a.m. ET and 5:30 p.m. local time, host France — with NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama — takes on Germany and its Brooklyn Nets point guard Dennis Schröder.

Then in the nightcap at 3:00 p.m. ET and 9:00 p.m. local time, the United States meets Serbia in a contest that includes players who've collectively won nearly a dozenNBAMVP awards — Nikola Jokic (2024, 2022, 2021), Joel Embiid (2023), Steph Curry (2016, 2015), LeBron James (2013, 2012, 2010, 2009) and Kevin Durant (2014).

Germany is a 6-point favorite while bettors like America by about 16.5 points.

The history of sports is littered with legendary curses — the Chicago Cubs' 108-year World Series hoodoo, only broken in 2016, is one particularly famous example. This morning, the Team USA men's 4x100-meter relay team made it past the first challenge, winning its heat with ease to progress to tomorrow night’s final. But the bad luck surrounding the team is starting to look like a hex.

Since taking silver in Athens back in 2004, Team USA has failed to win a single Olympic medal in this event, and in the last 20 years, the team has been its own worst enemy, with a litany of mistakes and a doping scandal putting pay to its chances of an Olympic medal.

In 2008, the baton was dropped during the exchange between Doc Patton and Tyson Gay in the heats. A silver medal for the team in London in 2012 was retracted after Gay returned a positive drug test after the Games. Another botched baton exchange in Rio in 2016 — this time the baton passed outside of the legal area — again saw Team USA disqualified. And it was more of the same in Tokyo, with a bungled exchange between Fred Kerley and Ronnie Baker seeing the team failing to progress to the final.

While the team made it to tomorrow's final, it did so without individual 100-meter champion Noah Lyles, rested ahead of tonight's 200-meter final — he will almost certainly come onto the team for tomorrow night. With Jamaica surprisingly failing to qualify, could Team USA be about to end its 20-year drought? Find out at 1:47 p.m. ET tomorrow.

U.S. boxer Jennifer Lozano started thinking about how far the sport could take her at 9 years old in Laredo, Texas. When she secured her spot inthe 2024 Paris Olympicsat October’s Pan American Games, she finally realized a dream years in the making.

“That was surreal. I just couldn’t believe what was right in my hand,” she told NBC News. “Something I was working so hard for. Something I had dreamt of for so long for years since I was a kid and everything I had to go through just to be here.”

But getting to this point wasn’t easy. Lozano was often teased in school for her weight and her Spanish accent, even though she lived in a city where about 90% of the population speaks Spanish at home. When she sought advice about how to handle bullying, she turned to the person she trusted the most: her grandmother.

“She just told me, ‘Sweetheart, if someone ever hits you, you hit them back. Don’t allow it,’” Lozano said onNBC’s“My New Favorite Olympian”podcast. “I was like, ‘You’re right.’”

Read the full article here

China’s anti-doping agency called on the International Testing Agency (ITA) to increase testing on U.S. track and field athletes, citing American sprinter Erriyon Knighton’s positive test in March for the steroid trenbolone. Knighton races in the men's 200m final later today.

The Chinese agency, CHINADA, has raised questions about the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s handling of the case, even as the U.S. agency has accused Chinese authorities and the World Anti-Doping Agency of covering up the positive test results of 23 Chinese swimmers ahead of the Tokyo Games.

As in the case of the Chinese athletes, Knighton’s positive test was attributed to the consumption of contaminated meat, and U.S. officials cleared him to compete in Paris.

"If trenbolone is indeed a common contaminant in the United States, CHINADA would like to remind athletes from all over the world, including American athletes, to pay close attention to the meat contamination problem in the country when training and competing there," the agency said in a statement today.

Team USA's women's 4x100-meter squad has cruised to tomorrow night's final after winning their heat well ahead of the rest of the field.

The squad, consisting of Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry, Sha'Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas, ran in 41.94 seconds, well ahead of Germany and Switzerland who also qualified for the final.

The U.S. and Jamaica have dominated this event for the last 15 years, combining to win every world and Olympic title between them since 2009. Jamaica was in the second of the two heats, and came home in third in a time of 42.35 seconds with Great Britain, another medal contender, winning in a time of 42.03 seconds.

Six-time world kitesurfing champion Daniela Moroz is one of today's favorite to win the kitesurfing competition, one of the newest Olympic sports. For Moroz, kitesurfing is in her blood, thanks to her parents who exposed her to windsurfing at an early age.

Australian field hockey player Tom Craig apologized yesterday after being released from custody in Paris, where he was arrested Tuesday for allegedly trying to buy cocaine.

"I made a terrible mistake. I take full responsibility for my actions," Craig, 28, who won silver with the team in Tokyo, told reporters. "My actions are my own and in no way reflect the values of my family, my teammates, my friends, my sport and the Australian Olympic team. I’ve embarrassed you all. I’m truly sorry."

The Australian Olympic committee said Craig, whose team was knocked out of the Olympics in this week’s quarterfinals, had been released with a warning from a French judge but with no charges or conviction. Chef de mission Anna Meares said Craig would "lose all his remaining Olympic privileges," had already moved out of the Olympic village and would not be attending the closing ceremony.

"He is a good person who made a bad decision," she said in a statement. "But there are consequences for decisions like this."

Team USA's Lilia Vu enters the second round of the women's golf tournament in a four-way tie for third, with much of the field struggling on the opening day at Le Golf National.

Only 12 of the 60-strong field were able to break par during yesterday's opening round, with Vu among them. She sits at two-under-par and has just teed off for her second round.

Defending gold medalist Nelly Korda was one of those who initially struggled yesterday. After bogeying on three of the first seven holes, Korda recovered to finish even-par for the day.

Both sit behind home favorite Celine Boutier, who stormed to a seven-under round yesterday. She is three shots ahead of second-placed South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai and five ahead of Vu and the trailing pack.

The Netherlands' Sharon van Rouwendaal has become a two-time Olympic champion, after winning the 10km marathon swim on this sunny Paris morning.

Over two grueling hours in the Seine, van Rouwendaal was able to mount a late pass on Moesha Johnson to claim gold, finishing five seconds ahead of her Australian counterpart.

Van Rouwendaal becomes the first athlete ever to win two Olympic gold medals in marathon swimming, after the event made its debut at the 2008 Beijing Games and she won gold at Rio in 2016. The Dutchwoman also took silver in Tokyo.

Italy's Ginevra Taddeucci claimed bronze to round off the podium.

Good morning! It’s Day 13 of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here’s what you should be looking out for today.

It's another big day for track and field fans, with five more medals on offer. Team USA's Tara Davis-Woodhall takes on the women's long jump at 2:00 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. local time; men's javelin is at 2:25 p.m. ET and 8:25 p.m. local time. Noah Lyles will be in the spotlight again and hoping to add to his 100m gold in the 200m final alongside Erriyon Knighton and Kenny Bednarek at 2:30 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m. local time. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone defends her title in the women's 400m hurdles at 3:25 p.m. ET and 9:25 p.m. local time, before Grant Holloway et al round off the day's track events with men's 110m hurdles at 3:45 p.m. ET and 9:45 p.m. local time.

America's men's basketball team takes on Serbia in the semifinals in its pursuit of a fifth straight gold. The team beat Brazil on Wednesday in a game that saw Kevin Durant becoming the U.S.’s all-time Olympic basketball history top scorer, passing Lisa Leslie. Serbia slipped past Australia in their quarterfinal game and Nicola Jokic and his teammates will be hoping for some Team USA complacency, with the American team winning the two identical matchups in the past month. That game is at 3:00 p.m. ET and 9:00 p.m. local time.

Reporting from Paris

For as long as Daniella Ramirez can remember, she’s been fully submerged in a pool and following in the footsteps of her aquatic family.

“I’m a third-generation artistic swimmer,” Ramirez said recently while preparing for the start of the eight-person team event at the Paris Olympics.

“My grandma did artistic swimming back when it was called ‘Water Ballet,’ and then my mom did artistic swimming as a member of the Venezuelan national team, and that’s how she met my dad, who was a diver for Venezuela.”

Read the full story here.

Day 12 of the Olympics brought us a come-from-behind victory on the track, a historic medal, continued dominance and more.

Among the highlights, Quincy Hall sprinted for his life during the final stretch of the men’s 400-meter race, and it was good enough to win gold.

And Team USA won its first gold medal in team pursuit Wednesday. The U.S.’ cycling program has been consistently great, medaling in every Olympics since 2012. But this is its first time taking the top spot.

Read the full story here.

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