The first full day of competition at the Paris Olympics saw Team USA secure its first gold medal of the 2024 Games by winning the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay. This victory set the stage for an exciting day in the pool.
Katie Defeated
Australia’s Ariarne Titmus triumphed over US legend Katie Ledecky to win gold in a highly anticipated women’s 400-meter freestyle final. Australia continued to showcase its swimming prowess by setting an Olympic record in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Air Rifle
China also made headlines by claiming the first gold medal of the Games in the shooting 10m air rifle team event.
Rugby
Meanwhile, the host country, France celebrated important victories. In rugby sevens, the French team thrilled a packed home crowd by defeating Fiji to win their first gold medal of the Games. This victory was especially poignant as Fiji had previously dominated the men’s rugby sevens tournament without losing a match.
Basketball
Additionally, 20-year-old basketball phenom Victor Wembanyama led France to a 78-66 victory over Brazil in his Olympic debut, adding to the host nation’s celebrations.
Tennis
In tennis, Spanish icons Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz debuted as an Olympics-only doubles team, living up to the hype and winning their first match.
Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, advanced to the next round by defeating Australian player Matthew Ebden in straight sets. Djokovic is determined to secure his first Olympic gold.
Football
The day also saw Ukraine’s men’s soccer team secure its first-ever Olympic victory with a stoppage-time winner against Morocco, ending the match 2-1.
Springboard
Meanwhile, American divers Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook won the USA’s first medal of the Paris Olympics, a silver in the women’s synchronized 3m springboard event. American swimmer Gretchen Walsh set an Olympic record in the 100-meter butterfly, finishing her semi-final heat in a blistering 55.38 seconds.
Pictures of the Day
Rains Disruptions
Outside the competition venues, the Games faced dreary weather, which caused delays. Skateboarding competitions were postponed until Monday, and outdoor tennis events were canceled, although indoor matches continued.
Organizers expressed concern that heavy rain in Paris could impact the quality of the Seine’s water over the next 24 to 36 hours but remained confident that the swimming portion of the triathlon would proceed as planned on Tuesday.
Sabotage
Additionally, travel disruptions persisted due to a “coordinated sabotage” targeting France’s high-speed train lines, which delayed attendees. Authorities are investigating the incidents involving arson and other malicious acts and have increased surveillance efforts across the rail network.
North/South Korea Mixup
The International Olympic Committee had to apologize to South Korea after incorrectly introducing Seoul’s delegation as from North Korea during the athletes’ parade.
Notwithstanding these challenges, the first full day of the Paris Olympics was marked by memorable performances and significant achievements, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting and eventful Games.
Follow us on this website for reports on the Olympic Games Paris 2024 from 24 July to 11 August, including summaries of events event and updating of the medals table.
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