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US Wins First Gold at Paris Olympics in Men’s Freestyle Relay

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US Wins First Gold at Paris Olympics in Men’s Freestyle Relay
Gold Medalists, Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong and Caeleb Dressel of Team United States pose with their medals during the Medal Ceremony after the Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France, on July 27, 2024. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
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Team USA’s Nic Fink to Advance
First Gold for US in Men’s Freestyle Relay
USA’s Silver Lining in Australia’s Streak
Nadal and Alcaraz Cruise to Victory in Paris Olympics Debut
Lukas Martens Wins Gold in Men’s 400-Meter Freestyle
Team USA’s Nic Fink to Advance
Jessamyn Dodd

Nic Fink secures a spot in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke final, coming in second at a time of 59.16, the fourth highest time after the semi-finals.

Charlie Swanson, the other American, failed to advance.

Fink, a five-time world champion in the breaststroke, first competed in the Olympic trials in 2012, narrowly missing out. He finished fifth in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Team USA’s Nic Fink competes in a heat of the men's 100m breaststroke swimming event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on July 27, 2024. (Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP via Getty Images)
Team USA’s Nic Fink competes in a heat of the men's 100m breaststroke swimming event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on July 27, 2024. Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP via Getty Images
First Gold for US in Men’s Freestyle Relay
Jessamyn Dodd

The United States brings in the gold medal in the men’s 4x100-meter freestyle relay, marking its first Olympic gold on French soil.

Coming in at 3:09.28, American swimmers Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong, and Caeleb Dressel finished 1.07 seconds ahead of Australia, who claimed silver. Italy earned the bronze medal. This is Team USA’s third swimming medal on day one in Paris.

The United States has won 11 gold medals in the last 13 Olympic Games in this event. This also marks Dressel’s eighth gold medal.

USA’s Silver Lining in Australia’s Streak
Jessamyn Dodd

Team USA’s bid to dethrone the Australian juggernaut in the women’s 4x100 meter freestyle relay fell just short. Australia set an Olympic record with 3:28.92 starting off with Mollie O’Callaghan.

The American quartet of Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske, and Simone Manuel clinched the silver as Australia extended its dominance in the event to a fourth consecutive gold.

China took home the bronze.

Nadal and Alcaraz Cruise to Victory in Paris Olympics Debut
Jessamyn Dodd

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz kick off their Olympic games with a 7-6 and 6-4 win over Argentina’s Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez.

Their partnership, dubbed “Nadalcaraz” by fans, generated excitement in the stands for Nadal, a seasoned player with gold medals in both singles and doubles, and Alcaraz, the young gun who shared the court with his idol.

Rafael Nadal takes a forehand in front of partner Carlos Alcaraz of Team Spain against Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez of Team Argentina during the Men's Doubles first round match on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Roland Garros in Paris on July 27, 2024. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal takes a forehand in front of partner Carlos Alcaraz of Team Spain against Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez of Team Argentina during the Men's Doubles first round match on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Roland Garros in Paris on July 27, 2024. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Lukas Martens Wins Gold in Men’s 400-Meter Freestyle
Jessamyn Dodd

German swimmer Lucas Martens crosses the finish line with a time of 3:41.78 in the men’s 400-meter freestyle, outpacing Australia’s Elijah Winnington and South Korea’s Kim Woo-min.

The last time Germany took home a medal for this event was in 1988 with Uwe Daßler representing East Germany.

Winnington’s silver medal continues Australia’s tradition in the men’s 400-meter freestyle following Jack McLoughlin’s silver medal three years ago in Tokyo.

Katie Ledecky Wins Bronze For Team USA in Women’s 400-meter Freestyle
Jessamyn Dodd

Katie Ledecky wins the bronze medal in the women’s 400-meter free event. Her time of 4:00.86 placed her third while Australia’s Ariane Titmus secured the gold with a remarkable 3:57.39. Canadian Summer McIntosh took home the silver.

Ledecky has previously won seven gold medals and three silvers across three Olympic games.

Ariarne Titmus of Team Australia and Katie Ledecky of Team United States compete in the Women's 400m Freestyle Heats on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France on July 27, 2024. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Ariarne Titmus of Team Australia and Katie Ledecky of Team United States compete in the Women's 400m Freestyle Heats on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France on July 27, 2024. Adam Pretty/Getty Images
Gretchen Walsh Sets New Record: Advances to Finals
Jessamyn Dodd

Team USA’s Gretchen Walsh recently made headlines by setting a world record in the women’s 100-meter butterfly. The University of Virginia alum clocked in at 55.18 seconds during the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, an achievement that earned her a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

During her time at UVA she dominated at the NCAA level, winning seven NCAA titles and helping lead UVA to a fourth consecutive national swimming championship during the 2023–2024 season.

As she competes in Paris, she’ll be aiming for gold in the butterfly, freestyle, and relay events, along with her teammate, seven time Olympic gold medal winner Katie Ledecky.

France Secures Win Over Brazil in Its Opening Olympic Basketball Game
Jessamyn Dodd

In the opening game on Saturday, France secured a 78–66 victory over Brazil, marking the beginning of their pursuit for the gold medal in men’s basketball. This win positions France alongside Germany at the top of the Group B standings.

France’s Victor Wembayama scored 19 points, while Rudy Gobert made his presence known with two crucial blocks. Despite Brazil’s strong start where they led after the first quarter and expanded their advantage to 12 points in the second, France mounted a fierce comeback. Wembayama was particularly dominant in the second quarter, scoring 11 points.

An overview shows France's #32 Victor Wembanyama and Brazil's #06 Cristiano Felicio (R) go to the basket in the men's preliminary round group B basketball match between France and Brazil during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, northern France, on July 27, 2024. (-/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
An overview shows France's #32 Victor Wembanyama and Brazil's #06 Cristiano Felicio (R) go to the basket in the men's preliminary round group B basketball match between France and Brazil during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, northern France, on July 27, 2024. -/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
France Claims First Medals at Olympic Games for Judo
Jessamyn Dodd

The host nation was rewarded as Shirine Boulki and Luka Mkhzeide ascended the podium in their respective extra lightweight judo divisions. Boulki’s bronze medal in the women’s division marked a triumphant beginning, while Mkhzeide's silver medal put France on the scoreboard.

Boulki first represented France at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This year marks her first Olympic medal and Mkhzeide’s second time at the podium. He previously won the bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Nadal And Alcaraz: Spain’s Tennis Dream Team
Jessamyn Dodd

A doubles match featuring two-time gold medalist Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz from Spain is set to be one of the most anticipated games of the opening day. The duo have joined forces for the Spanish tennis team to play at Roland Garros.

This follows Nadal’s role in last night’s Olympic torch ceremony. Nadal’s partnership with the 20-year-old sensation, Alcaraz, is highly anticipated, especially since Alcaraz just clinched his first French Open title at Roland Garros last month, followed by a second win at Wimbledon.

Nadal returns to competitive sport following an injury in 2023. The Spanish duo will compete against the tournament's sixth-seeded pair, Argentines Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni, at 1 p.m. ET.

Hungarian Fencing Great's Gold Streak Ends
Jessamyn Dodd

Three-time Olympic champion Aron Szilagyi of Hungary was denied a four-peat in the men’s individual sabre fencing round of 32. He fell to Canadian Fares Arfa, who secured a remarkable victory. Mr. Szilagy lost the match 8–15. Mr. Szilagy previously took home the gold medal at the Olympics in 2012, 2016, and 2021.

Reigning world champion Eli Dershowitz of the United States suffered a 15–10 defeat to Csanad Gemesi in round 32. Likewise, women’s epee defending Olympic champion Sun Yiwen from China was ousted in the first round by Japan’s Miho Yoshimura.

Stanford Gymnast Asher Hong Explosive on Vault in Qualifying
Jen Krausz

Stanford gymnast Asher Hong was unusually calm but explosive on the vault in the Men’s Gymnastics qualifying, completing two impressive passes with his family cheering wildly for him on the sidelines.

Asher Hong of Team United States competes on the parallel bars during the Artistic Gymnastics Men's Qualification on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Paris, France, on July 27, 2024. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Asher Hong of Team United States competes on the parallel bars during the Artistic Gymnastics Men's Qualification on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Paris, France, on July 27, 2024. Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Mr. Hong scored a 14.700 on the first vault and 14.433 on the second for a combined score of 14.566. The qualifying round is not yet complete, but Mr. Hong is expected to qualify for the vault final.

U.S. Women’s Water Polo Team Dominates Greece in Quest for 4th Gold Medal
Jen Krausz

The U.S. Women’s Water Polo Team won an easy 15–6 victory over Greece on Saturday to move on toward a 4th consecutive gold medal, a feat that no team in the sport—men’s or women’s—has ever been able to do.

Ashleigh Johnson of Team United States makes a pass during the Women's Preliminary Round - Group B match between Team Greece and Team United States on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Paris, France, on July 27, 2024. (Clive Rose/2024 Getty Images)
Ashleigh Johnson of Team United States makes a pass during the Women's Preliminary Round - Group B match between Team Greece and Team United States on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Paris, France, on July 27, 2024. Clive Rose/2024 Getty Images

Jenna Flynn had four goals during the match, goalkeeper Asheigh Johnson saved 10 of 14 shots on goal.

Samoa Boxing Coach Dies at Paris Olympics After Cardiac Arrest
Jen Krausz

The national boxing coach of Samoa, Lionel Fatu Elika, died Friday at the 2024 Paris Olympics while in the Olympic village.

The International Boxing Association (IBA) confirmed Mr. Elika's death in a statement on Saturday.

"We at the International Boxing Association (IBA) extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Lionel Elika Fatupaito, the national boxing coach of Samoa, who tragically passed away during the Paris 2024," the statement read.

Chloe Dygert Wins Bronze in Women’s Road Cycling After Wiping Out
Jen Krausz

Chloe Dygert celebrates with her bronze medal during the medal ceremony for the women's road cycling individual time trial during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, on July 27, 2024. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images)
Chloe Dygert celebrates with her bronze medal during the medal ceremony for the women's road cycling individual time trial during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, on July 27, 2024. Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images

Grace Brown of Australia won the gold in the race with a time of 39:38.24. Anna Henderson of Great Britain won silver with +1:31.59 and Ms. Dygert’s time was less than a second behind at +1:32.46.

Katie Ledecky Sets Top Mark in Women 400M Freestyle Preliminary Heat
Jen Krausz

Team USA's former world record holder and 2016 gold medalist finished at the top of the preliminary heat in the Women’s 400 meter freestyle with a time of 4:02.19 on Saturday morning at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Ms. Ledecky overtook Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, the current world record holder and Tokyo gold medalist, in the last 100 meters of the third and final heat, setting up what is sure to be an exciting showdown when the two compete in the event later Saturday afternoon.

The top four swimmers in the heat were separated by only 0.46 and were well shy of their personal bests in the preliminaries.

Pouring Rain Disrupts Games After Drenched Opening Ceremony

Pouring rain in Paris on Saturday forced the postponement of the men's Olympics street skateboarding competition, and tennis matches were also delayed, while athletes had mixed feelings about how to cope with the unexpectedly wet weather.

On Friday, a dazzling but soaked opening ceremony for the Summer Games saw thousands of athletes parade on a flotilla of barges on the Seine, at the heart of the French capital, waving to the crowd despite the downpour.

The rain continued on Saturday, forcing some events to be rescheduled and umbrellas were more in evidence than sunglasses at the beach volleyball at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.

Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Swiatek Start Gold Chase With Wins

Men's top seed Novak Djokovic began his fifth Olympic Games with an emphatic victory over Australia's Matthew Ebden after women's favourite Iga Swiatek launched her bid for gold with a straight sets win at a rain-drenched Roland Garros on Saturday.

Serbia's Djokovic, chasing the Olympic title that has proved so elusive during a career that has earned him 24 Grand Slam titles, sauntered to a 6–0, 6–1 win against a player only handed a spot in the draw as a late alternate.

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz was also presented with a comfortable first-round draw against Lebanese alternate Hady Habib, but was at least given a workout in a 6–3 6–1 win.

14 Gold Medals Up for Grabs on Day 1 of Paris Games

France's capital city is set to rock to a sporting beat on Saturday as the Olympic Games get underway in earnest on the back of an opening ceremony as dazzling as it was rainswept.

No fewer than 14 gold medals are up for grabs as day one promises action across multiple sports: four golds in swimming, two each in cycling, fencing, and judo, and one each in diving, skateboarding, shooting, and rugby sevens.

Cook and Bacon Win First Team USA Medal With Synchronized Diving Silver
Jen Krausz

Cook‘N Bacon, as the synchronized 3-meter springboard duo of Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook are known, became the first members of Team USA to win a medal in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics on Saturday. The duo won a silver medal in their event, which involves five synchronized dives. Their score was 324.64.

Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook of Team United States compete in the Women's Synchronised 3m Springboard Final on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Paris, France, on July 27, 2024. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook of Team United States compete in the Women's Synchronised 3m Springboard Final on day one of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Paris, France, on July 27, 2024. Sarah Stier/Getty Images

China’s Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani won the gold medal in the event with a score of 337.68, while Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen of Great Britain won the bronze with a score of 302.28. It was Great Britain’s first-ever medal in the event.

Reuters contributed to this report.