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Paris Olympics Day 16: US Tops Medal Tally; Closing Ceremony Is Underway

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Paris Olympics Day 16: US Tops Medal Tally; Closing Ceremony Is Underway
A general view of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Cauldron, air ballon prior to the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France, in Paris, on Aug. 11, 2024. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Here is the latest
Paris Olympics Games Set to Close
USOPC to Appeal Stripping of Medal from Chiles
US Women’s Basketball Team Wins Gold
US Men’s Water Polo Team Wins Bronze
Eiffel Tower Evacuated
Paris Olympics Games Set to Close
Crowd before the takeoff of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games cauldron attached to a balloon carrying the Olympic flame in the Tuileries garden in Paris, on Aug. 8, 2024. (Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images)
Crowd before the takeoff of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games cauldron attached to a balloon carrying the Olympic flame in the Tuileries garden in Paris, on Aug. 8, 2024. (Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images)

While the opening ceremony was held on the river Seine, the closing ceremony will be staged in the 80,000-capacity Stade de France which hosted athletics events after rugby sevens.

The Olympic flame will be extinguished and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo will give the flag to her Los Angeles counterpart Karen Bass, a symbolic handover to the next hosts for the 2028 Games.

USOPC to Appeal Stripping of Medal from Chiles
Jordan Chiles of Team United States competes in the artistic gymnastics women's floor exercise final on day 10 of the Olympic Games at Bercy Arena in Paris on Aug. 5, 2024. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Jordan Chiles of Team United States competes in the artistic gymnastics women's floor exercise final on day 10 of the Olympic Games at Bercy Arena in Paris on Aug. 5, 2024. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is planning to appeal the decision to strip American gymnast Jordan Chiles of her bronze medal. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Chiles’s coach missed the deadline by four seconds to challenge her initial score, resulting in the reinstatement of the original results.

The USOPC contends that the initial scoring error by FIG was compounded by procedural issues during the appeal process, preventing them from adequately defending her position.

US Women’s Basketball Team Wins Gold
USA's Napheesa Collier takes a shot over France's Valeriane Ayayi in the women's gold medal basketball match between France and the USA during the Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on Aug. 11, 2024. (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
USA's Napheesa Collier takes a shot over France's Valeriane Ayayi in the women's gold medal basketball match between France and the USA during the Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on Aug. 11, 2024. (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)

The game was a rollercoaster, with both teams trading the lead throughout the match on France's home court.

US Men’s Water Polo Team Wins Bronze
Alex Bowen of Team United States reacts after victory whilst draped in a flag of the United States in the bronze medal match between Team United States and Team Hungary on day 16 of the Olympic Games at Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France on Aug. 11, 2024 (Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Alex Bowen of Team United States reacts after victory whilst draped in a flag of the United States in the bronze medal match between Team United States and Team Hungary on day 16 of the Olympic Games at Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France on Aug. 11, 2024 (Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Team USA has won the bronze medal in water polo, ending a 16-year drought since winning silver in 2008. The Americans battled to an eight-all draw with water polo powerhouse Hungary before emerging victorious in a dramatic shootout.

Hungary missed all three of their penalty shots, while the United States converted all three to secure the bronze. Serbia took the gold.

Eiffel Tower Evacuated

Just hours before the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony, a shirtless man was seen ascending the Parisian landmark, prompting an evacuation of the tower and surrounding areas. Some visitors were briefly locked in on the second floor before being escorted out.

The man was able to reach the point just above the Olympic rings on the second level. The tower played a central role in the opening ceremony, during which Celine Dion performed her set. However, the Eiffel Tower was not scheduled to be part of the closing ceremony, which will be held at the Stade de France.

On Sunday, more than 30,000 police officers were deployed around Paris, with at least 3,000 officers focused on the Stade de France.

Blades Takes Silver in Olympic Debut

Kennedy Blades has won the silver medal in her first olympic appearance, finishing second in the women’s freestyle 76 kg division.

The 20-year-old faced off against reigning world champion Yuka Kagami of Japan in the gold medal match. After a tightly contested first period, Kagami managed to secure a crucial takedown in the second, ultimately securing the gold medal.

Team USA's Valente Defends Olympic Omnium Title
Team USA's Jennifer Valente celebrates her gold medal victory on the podium of the women's track cycling omnium event of the Olympic Games at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, south-west of Paris, on Aug. 11, 2024. (Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images)
Team USA's Jennifer Valente celebrates her gold medal victory on the podium of the women's track cycling omnium event of the Olympic Games at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, south-west of Paris, on Aug. 11, 2024. (Emmanuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images)

San Diego’s Jennifer Valente has successfully defended her Olympic title, securing gold for Team USA.

Dominating the four-discipline event, Valente entered the final points race with a commanding 10-point lead. Her opponent, Australia’s Georgia Baker, was unable to score in the final race, solidifying Valente’s victory by a comfortable 5-point margin.

Italy beat Team USA to Win Gold in Women's Volleyball
Team USA's members react after Italy won the women's volleyball gold medal match between USA and Italy during the Olympic Games at the South Paris Arena 1 in Paris on Aug. 11, 2024. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images)
Team USA's members react after Italy won the women's volleyball gold medal match between USA and Italy during the Olympic Games at the South Paris Arena 1 in Paris on Aug. 11, 2024. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images)

Italy beat the United States 3–0 to win the women's volleyball gold on Sunday.

Brazil beat Turkey 3–1 on Saturday to take the bronze medal.

Flying Dutchman Lavreysen Wins Gold in Men's Keirin
Gold medalist Harrie Lavreysen of Team Netherlands celebrates on the podium after the men's keirin, final on day 16 of the Olympic Games at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome in Paris, on Aug. 11, 2024. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Harrie Lavreysen of Team Netherlands celebrates on the podium after the men's keirin, final on day 16 of the Olympic Games at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome in Paris, on Aug. 11, 2024. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Flying Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen confirmed his status as the king of men's sprinting by winning the Olympic keirin on Sunday to complete a remarkable hat-trick at the National Velodrome.

Lavreysen flew around the final corner to beat Australia's Matthew Richardson, who took the silver.

Japan's Kiyooka Wins Wrestling Gold
Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan and Rahman Amouzadkhalili of Iran compete during the men’s freestyle 65 kg final on day 16 of the Olympic Games at Champs-de-Mars Arena in Paris on Aug. 11, 2024. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan and Rahman Amouzadkhalili of Iran compete during the men’s freestyle 65 kg final on day 16 of the Olympic Games at Champs-de-Mars Arena in Paris on Aug. 11, 2024. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan won the men's 65 kg freestyle gold, while Iran's Rahman Amouzadkhalili took silver.

Sebastian Rivera of Puerto Rico and Albania's Islam Dudaev took bronze.

Hungary Wins Gold in Women’s Modern Pentathlon
Gold medallist Hungary's Michelle Gulyas poses with her medal on the podium of the women's modern pentathlon during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Chateau de Versailles in Versailles, France, on Aug. 11, 2024. (Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images)
Gold medallist Hungary's Michelle Gulyas poses with her medal on the podium of the women's modern pentathlon during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Chateau de Versailles in Versailles, France, on Aug. 11, 2024. (Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images)

Hungary's Michelle Gulyas showed the steady eye and hand of a sharpshooter to win the women's Modern Pentathlon gold medal with a world record points haul at the Paris Olympics on Sunday.

France's Elodie Clouvel took the silver, after starting the final laser run with a 13-second advantage but losing it with a series of agonizing misses in the target shooting, in front of her home crowd.

IOC Orders US Gymnast Jordan Chiles to Return Bronze Medal
Romania's Ana Barbosu competes in the artistic gymnastics women's floor exercise final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on Aug. 5, 2024. (Loic Venance/AFP via Getty Images)
Romania's Ana Barbosu competes in the artistic gymnastics women's floor exercise final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on Aug. 5, 2024. (Loic Venance/AFP via Getty Images)

The IOC announced early Sunday it was reallocating the bronze from last Monday's women's floor final to Romanian Ana Barbosu after the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Saturday night it would respect the court's decision and elevate Barbosu to third.

The decision came less than 24 hours after the Court of Arbitration for Sport voided a scoring appeal made by Team USA coach Cecile Landi during the competition that placed Chiles on the podium.

US Looks to Defend Women’s Volleyball Title

The U.S. women look to defend their gold against Italy, which is appearing in its first final and is guaranteed a first medal. Its previous best finish was fifth. Outside hitters Myriam Sylla and Loveth Omoruyi will look to cause an upset. The match starts at 1 p.m. CEST (7 a.m. ET).

Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan Wins Gold in Women’s Marathon
Sifan Hassan of Team Netherlands competes during the women's marathon on day 16 of the Olympic Games at Esplanade Des Invalides In Paris on Aug. 11, 2024. (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Sifan Hassan of Team Netherlands competes during the women's marathon on day 16 of the Olympic Games at Esplanade Des Invalides In Paris on Aug. 11, 2024. (Michael Steele/Getty Images)

The Netherlands' Sifan Hassan deployed her famous late kick to win the women's marathon at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, adding the gold to her bronze medals in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters earlier in the week.

Hassan battled with Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia and managed to shake her in the last stretch, crossing the finish line in an Olympic record time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, and 55 seconds.

Team USA Looking for Another Gold in Basketball

The French women face a tall order to win their first Olympic gold medal in basketball at 3:30 p.m. local time (9:30 a.m. ET). They must beat Breanna Stewart and the seven-time defending champion United States at Bercy Arena. Team USA is looking to win their 10th gold since the women’s competition started at the 1976 Games. The final is a rematch from the London 2012 title showdown, which France lost. In the bronze-medal game, Belgium faces Australia.

In Photos: Top Moments From Paris Olympics Day 15

The United States showcased its dominance on the track by winning both the men's and women's 4x400 meters relays on Saturday evening. Elsewhere, the U.S. men's basketball team triumphed over France with a hard-fought 98–87 victory, securing their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal. The U.S. women's soccer team earned a record fifth gold medal with a narrow 1–0 victory against Brazil.

Naomi Girma (4) of Team United States celebrates victory in the women's gold medal match between Brazil and USA  during the Olympic Games at Parc des Princes in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Naomi Girma (4) of Team United States celebrates victory in the women's gold medal match between Brazil and USA  during the Olympic Games at Parc des Princes in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
France's Earvin Ngapeth (9) passes the ball over the net in front of Poland's Marcin Janusz (19) and Poland's (99) Norbert Huber in the men's volleyball gold medal match between France and Poland at the South Paris Arena 1 in Paris during the Olympic Games on Aug. 10, 2024. (Mauro Pimentel /AFP via Getty Images)
France's Earvin Ngapeth (9) passes the ball over the net in front of Poland's Marcin Janusz (19) and Poland's (99) Norbert Huber in the men's volleyball gold medal match between France and Poland at the South Paris Arena 1 in Paris during the Olympic Games on Aug. 10, 2024. (Mauro Pimentel /AFP via Getty Images)
USA's (6) LeBron James dunks the ball in the men's gold medal basketball match between France and USA during the Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Mark Terrill/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
USA's (6) LeBron James dunks the ball in the men's gold medal basketball match between France and USA during the Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Mark Terrill/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Alexis Holmes of Team United States celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 4x400-meter relay final on day 15 of the Olympic Games at Stade de France in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Alexis Holmes of Team United States celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's 4x400-meter relay final on day 15 of the Olympic Games at Stade de France in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Lindsey Horan (10) of Team United States and teammates celebrate in the podium during the women's football medal ceremony during the Olympic Games at Parc des Princes in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Lindsey Horan (10) of Team United States and teammates celebrate in the podium during the women's football medal ceremony during the Olympic Games at Parc des Princes in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Olympic cauldron as it rises high near the Eiffel Tower on day fifteen of the Olympic Games in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Olympic cauldron as it rises high near the Eiffel Tower on day fifteen of the Olympic Games in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.