The Olympic mixed relay triathlon competition will be held as scheduled at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) in Paris on Monday, organisers said in a statement after testing the water quality of the River Seine.

Training sessions for the swimming leg of the triathlon were cancelled due to poor water quality in the Seine and the men's event was put back to last Wednesday, taking place on the same day as the women's.

Organisers confirmed late on Sunday that the relay would take place, despite cancelling Sunday's training.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympic-2024-taiwanese-fans-celebrate-badminton-doubles-gold-over-china-but-without-political-symbols-747189">Paris Olympic 2024: Taiwanese fans celebrate badminton doubles gold over China but without political symbols</a>

"A meeting was held... to review the water quality results," World Triathlon and the Paris Games Organising Committee said in a joint statement.

"During this meeting, World Triathlon took the decision to confirm the mixed relay competition..."

Belgium, however, will not take part after one of their athletes, Claire Michel, fell ill.

"Claire Michel, a member of the relay team, is unfortunately ill and must withdraw from the competition," the Belgian Olympic Committee (COIB) said in a statement.

"The COIB and Belgian Triathlon hope that lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games.

The COIB released another statement to clarify that Michel was back in her room at the Olympic Village.

"We have seen various statements in national and international media with incorrect information," the second statement said.

"Please note that Claire Michel has not been in the hospital for four days. Furthermore, she was not hospitalised prior to today.

"It is correct that she was taken to the polyclinic in the Olympic Village earlier today for treatment."

World Triathlon said it had not heard from the Belgium team about withdrawing from the event.

"The team... chose their position on the pontoon this morning and checked-in their bikes ... We have not received any other communication from them," a spokesperson said.

Paris 2024 organisers wished Michel a quick recovery and said the water quality of the Seine on the morning of the women's race, in which she finished 38th, was very good.

"Paris 2024 wishes to remind everyone that the health and wellbeing of athletes is our top priority," the organising committee added in a statement.

"Water samples... on the morning of the individual triathlon events showed the quality to be at a level considered "very good" by World Triathlon's criteria, according to results analysed and released the following day."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Olympic mixed relay triathlon competition will be held as scheduled at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) in Paris on Monday, organisers said in a statement after testing the water quality of the River Seine.

The Olympic mixed relay triathlon competition will be held as scheduled at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) in Paris on Monday, organisers said in a statement after testing the water quality of the River Seine. Training sessions for the swimming leg of the triathlon were cancelled due to poor water quality in the Seine and the men's event was put back to last Wednesday, taking place on the same day as the women's. Organisers confirmed late on Sunday that the relay would take place, despite cancelling Sunday's training. ALSO READ: Paris Olympic 2024: Taiwanese fans celebrate badminton doubles gold over China but without political symbols "A meeting was held... to review the water quality results," World Triathlon and the Paris Games Organising Committee said in a joint statement. "During this meeting, World Triathlon took the decision to confirm the mixed relay competition..." Belgium, however, will not take part after one of their athletes, Claire Michel, fell ill. "Claire Michel, a member of the relay team, is unfortunately ill and must withdraw from the competition," the Belgian Olympic Committee (COIB) said in a statement. "The COIB and Belgian Triathlon hope that lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games. The COIB released another statement to clarify that Michel was back in her room at the Olympic Village. "We have seen various statements in national and international media with incorrect information," the second statement said. "Please note that Claire Michel has not been in the hospital for four days. Furthermore, she was not hospitalised prior to today. "It is correct that she was taken to the polyclinic in the Olympic Village earlier today for treatment." World Triathlon said it had not heard from the Belgium team about withdrawing from the event. "The team... chose their position on the pontoon this morning and checked-in their bikes ... We have not received any other communication from them," a spokesperson said. Paris 2024 organisers wished Michel a quick recovery and said the water quality of the Seine on the morning of the women's race, in which she finished 38th, was very good. "Paris 2024 wishes to remind everyone that the health and wellbeing of athletes is our top priority," the organising committee added in a statement. "Water samples... on the morning of the individual triathlon events showed the quality to be at a level considered "very good" by World Triathlon's criteria, according to results analysed and released the following day." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Mixed relay triathlon go ahead as scheduled on Monday, says organisers

Novak Djokovic described beating Carlos Alcaraz to claim the Olympic singles gold medal at the fifth attempt as the biggest achievement of his career on Sunday.

The 37-year-old Serb ended an eight-month trophy drought with a vintage display to win 7-6(3) 7-6(2) and complete his career Golden Slam in memorable fashion, not dropping a set in six matches at Roland Garros.

He is the oldest man to win the Olympic singles title since tennis returned to the Games in 1988 and remarkably he did it 21 days after being pummelled by Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final and two months after undergoing knee surgery.

"I won the bronze in my first Olympic Games (2008) and ever since then failed to win the medal and played three out of four Olympic Games in semi-finals and couldn't overcome that obstacle," Djokovic, proudly wearing his medal, told reporters.

"And then now at age 37, with a 21-year-old that is probably the best player in the world right now, winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back and playing incredible tennis.

"When I take everything into consideration, this probably is the biggest sporting success I've ever had in my career."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympic-2024-taiwanese-fans-celebrate-badminton-doubles-gold-over-china-but-without-political-symbols-747189">Paris Olympic 2024: Taiwanese fans celebrate badminton doubles gold over China but without political symbols</a>

The 24-time Grand Slam champion produced a level of tennis that has been missing this year to fight off Alcaraz.

After belting away a forehand winner to end a ferocious, near three-hour battle, the emotion poured out of Djokovic as he sobbed on court before climbing into the stands to embrace his family, including wife Jelena and son Stefan, and his team.

"Until today I thought that carrying the Serbian flag at the 2012 opening ceremony in London is the best feeling that an athlete could have," he said.

"This kind of supersedes everything that I imagined, that I hoped that I could experience and that I could feel."

Djokovic did not rule out playing at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but said the realisation that Paris was probably his last swing at gold had motivated him.

"I was ready for this tournament and I didn't drop a set the entire tournament," he said. "I knew in the opening two rounds the way I was playing that this is my chance. If it's ever going to be, it's going to be now.

"When I qualified for the finals, I felt a big relief because that's the hurdle I wasn't able to surpass. I did celebrate like I won the tournament. But of course I wanted gold and I knew that I would have to climb the highest mountain there is at the moment, playing Alcaraz."

Djokovic saved eight break points during a match of stunning quality and intensity -- the Serb describing the duel as like few others he had ever experienced.

"I don't think I've ever played, maybe a few times in my life, such a high level for three hours for only two sets," he said. "Credit to him, congratulations to him for a great tournament, great fighting spirit."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic described beating Carlos Alcaraz to claim the Olympic singles gold medal at the fifth attempt as the biggest achievement of his career on Sunday. The 37-year-old Serb ended an eight-month trophy drought with a vintage display to win 7-6(3) 7-6(2) and complete his career Golden Slam in memorable fashion, not dropping a set in six matches at Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic described beating Carlos Alcaraz to claim the Olympic singles gold medal at the fifth attempt as the biggest achievement of his career on Sunday. The 37-year-old Serb ended an eight-month trophy drought with a vintage display to win 7-6(3) 7-6(2) and complete his career Golden Slam in memorable fashion, not dropping a set in six matches at Roland Garros. He is the oldest man to win the Olympic singles title since tennis returned to the Games in 1988 and remarkably he did it 21 days after being pummelled by Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final and two months after undergoing knee surgery. "I won the bronze in my first Olympic Games (2008) and ever since then failed to win the medal and played three out of four Olympic Games in semi-finals and couldn't overcome that obstacle," Djokovic, proudly wearing his medal, told reporters. "And then now at age 37, with a 21-year-old that is probably the best player in the world right now, winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back and playing incredible tennis. "When I take everything into consideration, this probably is the biggest sporting success I've ever had in my career." ALSO READ: Paris Olympic 2024: Taiwanese fans celebrate badminton doubles gold over China but without political symbols The 24-time Grand Slam champion produced a level of tennis that has been missing this year to fight off Alcaraz. After belting away a forehand winner to end a ferocious, near three-hour battle, the emotion poured out of Djokovic as he sobbed on court before climbing into the stands to embrace his family, including wife Jelena and son Stefan, and his team. "Until today I thought that carrying the Serbian flag at the 2012 opening ceremony in London is the best feeling that an athlete could have," he said. "This kind of supersedes everything that I imagined, that I hoped that I could experience and that I could feel." Djokovic did not rule out playing at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but said the realisation that Paris was probably his last swing at gold had motivated him. "I was ready for this tournament and I didn't drop a set the entire tournament," he said. "I knew in the opening two rounds the way I was playing that this is my chance. If it's ever going to be, it's going to be now. "When I qualified for the finals, I felt a big relief because that's the hurdle I wasn't able to surpass. I did celebrate like I won the tournament. But of course I wanted gold and I knew that I would have to climb the highest mountain there is at the moment, playing Alcaraz." Djokovic saved eight break points during a match of stunning quality and intensity -- the Serb describing the duel as like few others he had ever experienced. "I don't think I've ever played, maybe a few times in my life, such a high level for three hours for only two sets," he said. "Credit to him, congratulations to him for a great tournament, great fighting spirit." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Games 2024: Novak Djokovic calls Olympic gold medal win as biggest sporting success of his career

Taiwan supporters celebrated their country's first gold medal at the Paris Games on Sunday during a badminton doubles final that took place without their national flag, as security staff enforced International Olympic Committee rules. Lee Yang and Wang-Chi-Lin retained their title by beating China's Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in front of euphoric Taiwanese supporters, but some of them saw their banners confiscated and had to rub out their face paint.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-usas-noah-lyles-wins-mens-100m-gold-in-979-sec-watch-747148">Paris Olympics 2024: USA's Noah Lyles wins men's 100m gold in 9.79 seconds - WATCH</a>

"I want to cheer for them," said Mina Syue, a 28-year-old engineer from Taiwan who said her banner had been confiscated after the guards checked the message with translation software.

Syue's banner was in the colours of Taiwan's flag -- a red background with 'Taiwan you're the best!' written in blue and white.

IOC rules prohibit flags or signs that include political messages or support countries that are not participating at the Olympics.

Taiwan competes at the Olympics as Chinese Taipei to avoid objections from China, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory. Taiwan's government rejects Chinese sovereignty claims.

A Taiwanese family of four told Reuters they had painted the Taiwanese flag on their faces but were made to wash it off before they could enter the arena.

During the match spectators cheered 'Taiwan' each time their team scored a point. At least one supporter managed to sneak in the Taiwanese flag and wave it from the stands.

<h2>Uniting Taiwan</h2>

After the match, Taiwan supporters celebrated the gold medal victory chanting "Taiwan Taiwan" and "Taiwan number 1".

Taiwanese freelance artist Peng Cheng-yang had bought a last-minute ticket and travelled from Germany to see the match when he found out Taiwan would be playing China.

"It's a political action to be here, to show we are a country, to support our people. We don't need the flag - it's the people that is important," he said, adding he was "moved".

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Facebook that "the Lin-Yang team faced strong opponents and fought all the way to the end, uniting and inspiring Taiwan!"

When asked about the Taiwanese president's Facebook post, Lee and Wang paused for several seconds looking uncomfortable.

"Very tough question. We thank all the support we have received and will continue to work hard. We will put out better performances in the future," Wang said.

Spectator Christina Chang, a Tawainese education worker living in New York, said that she was very proud of the Taiwan players but that she clapped for the silver medallists too.

"It is not a political symbol. I'm excited as it's our first gold medal but the Chinese deserved the silver too - that's the beautiful thing about the Olympics," she said.

Isa Zhang, a 35-year-old China supporter living in Paris, said that although the team she was rooting for came second she was happy with the result because "China, Chinese Taipei - it's all the same for me."

At Taipei's main train station, supporters held a party to watch the final at 10 p.m. local time where they were able to stridently show their support with Taiwanese flags and political colours.

"It is an honour to have our flag represented in an important event ... I hope one day we can bravely hold our flag in an international event without (it) being snatched away," said Danny Tsai, 36, a local resident in the crowd.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Taiwan supporters celebrated their country's first gold medal at the Paris Games on Sunday during a badminton doubles final that took place without their national flag, as security staff enforced International Olympic Committee rules.

Taiwan supporters celebrated their country's first gold medal at the Paris Games on Sunday during a badminton doubles final that took place without their national flag, as security staff enforced International Olympic Committee rules. Lee Yang and Wang-Chi-Lin retained their title by beating China's Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in front of euphoric Taiwanese supporters, but some of them saw their banners confiscated and had to rub out their face paint. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: USA's Noah Lyles wins men's 100m gold in 9.79 seconds - WATCH "I want to cheer for them," said Mina Syue, a 28-year-old engineer from Taiwan who said her banner had been confiscated after the guards checked the message with translation software. Syue's banner was in the colours of Taiwan's flag -- a red background with 'Taiwan you're the best!' written in blue and white. IOC rules prohibit flags or signs that include political messages or support countries that are not participating at the Olympics. Taiwan competes at the Olympics as Chinese Taipei to avoid objections from China, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory. Taiwan's government rejects Chinese sovereignty claims. A Taiwanese family of four told Reuters they had painted the Taiwanese flag on their faces but were made to wash it off before they could enter the arena. During the match spectators cheered 'Taiwan' each time their team scored a point. At least one supporter managed to sneak in the Taiwanese flag and wave it from the stands. Uniting Taiwan After the match, Taiwan supporters celebrated the gold medal victory chanting "Taiwan Taiwan" and "Taiwan number 1". Taiwanese freelance artist Peng Cheng-yang had bought a last-minute ticket and travelled from Germany to see the match when he found out Taiwan would be playing China. "It's a political action to be here, to show we are a country, to support our people. We don't need the flag - it's the people that is important," he said, adding he was "moved". Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Facebook that "the Lin-Yang team faced strong opponents and fought all the way to the end, uniting and inspiring Taiwan!" When asked about the Taiwanese president's Facebook post, Lee and Wang paused for several seconds looking uncomfortable. "Very tough question. We thank all the support we have received and will continue to work hard. We will put out better performances in the future," Wang said. Spectator Christina Chang, a Tawainese education worker living in New York, said that she was very proud of the Taiwan players but that she clapped for the silver medallists too. "It is not a political symbol. I'm excited as it's our first gold medal but the Chinese deserved the silver too - that's the beautiful thing about the Olympics," she said. Isa Zhang, a 35-year-old China supporter living in Paris, said that although the team she was rooting for came second she was happy with the result because "China, Chinese Taipei - it's all the same for me." At Taipei's main train station, supporters held a party to watch the final at 10 p.m. local time where they were able to stridently show their support with Taiwanese flags and political colours. "It is an honour to have our flag represented in an important event ... I hope one day we can bravely hold our flag in an international event without (it) being snatched away," said Danny Tsai, 36, a local resident in the crowd. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympic 2024: Taiwanese fans celebrate badminton doubles gold over China but without political symbols

Viktor Axelsen praised Lakshya Sen despite the Indian shuttler's loss in men's singles badminton semi-final on Sunday (Aug 4) at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024.

Lakshya lost the match 20-22, 14-21 in straight games and will now play for the bronze medal. Axelsen, the reigning world champion, however said that the India shuttler will be a gold medal contender during the next Olympics.

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“These rings do strange things to you. I know what they do to you mentally. Lakshya is the first Indian men’s singles player in the Olympic semifinals. No man in India has done what he has done. He’s already thinking of what is ahead. I could see that he was tensed. I knew he was getting nervous and It’s at that point that I have to be ready to take advantage of his mistake. I just have to keep the shuttle on court and wait for his mistake,” Axelsen said after win against Sen.

“I’ve gone through what he had before. But he’s going to be a real contender for the 2028 Olympics. I think the difference in experience made a difference today,” he added.

The Indian shuttler clearly showed inexperience as he failed to close the first game despite having three game points. In the second game, Lakshya was leading 7-0 before unraveling and losing 14-21.

Sen acknowledged his shortcoming in the match and vowed to give his 100 per cent in the bronze medal match.

"It was a big match. In the first game, I should have been more alert. If I could close the first game I had more chances to bring (the match) to three games and still win. In the second game, I started well but I couldn’t keep the lead and he started playing well, then it became hard to score against him," Lakshya said.

“I’ll try to be at my 100 per cent in the next match,” he said about the bronze medal match against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia on Monday (Aug 5).

Viktor Axelsen praised Lakshya Sen despite the Indian shuttler's loss in men's singles badminton semi-final on Sunday (Aug 4) at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024.

Viktor Axelsen praised Lakshya Sen despite the Indian shuttler's loss in men's singles badminton semi-final on Sunday (Aug 4) at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. Lakshya lost the match 20-22, 14-21 in straight games and will now play for the bronze medal. Axelsen, the reigning world champion, however said that the India shuttler will be a gold medal contender during the next Olympics. Also Watch: Paris Olympics 2024: India beat 'not-so' Great Britain in shootout to reach men's hockey semis “These rings do strange things to you. I know what they do to you mentally. Lakshya is the first Indian men’s singles player in the Olympic semifinals. No man in India has done what he has done. He’s already thinking of what is ahead. I could see that he was tensed. I knew he was getting nervous and It’s at that point that I have to be ready to take advantage of his mistake. I just have to keep the shuttle on court and wait for his mistake,” Axelsen said after win against Sen. “I’ve gone through what he had before. But he’s going to be a real contender for the 2028 Olympics. I think the difference in experience made a difference today,” he added. The Indian shuttler clearly showed inexperience as he failed to close the first game despite having three game points. In the second game, Lakshya was leading 7-0 before unraveling and losing 14-21. Sen acknowledged his shortcoming in the match and vowed to give his 100 per cent in the bronze medal match. "It was a big match. In the first game, I should have been more alert. If I could close the first game I had more chances to bring (the match) to three games and still win. In the second game, I started well but I couldn’t keep the lead and he started playing well, then it became hard to score against him," Lakshya said. “I’ll try to be at my 100 per cent in the next match,” he said about the bronze medal match against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia on Monday (Aug 5).

Paris Olympics 2024: 'No man in India...,' Viktor Axelsen after beating Lakshya Sen in badminton singles semis

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger saved two penalties in the shoot-out and scored the winning kick to knock holders Canada of the Olympic women's football on Saturday, taking Germany into the semi-finals along with Spain, the United States and Brazil.

The quarter-final in Marseille finished 0-0 after extra time before 2016 gold medallists Germany prevailed 4-2 on penalties thanks to Berger's heroics and they will face the Americans next.

The Canadians won gold three years ago in Tokyo but just making it to the last eight this time was a remarkable achievement after they were docked six points in the group stage.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-st-lucias-julien-alfred-pips-shacarri-richardson-to-win-womens-100m-gold-746949">Paris Olympics 2024: St Lucia's Julien Alfred pips Sha'Carri Richardson to win women's 100m gold</a>

They were hit with the points deduction and a fine of 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) by FIFA as a punishment after a staff member used a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session ahead of their opening match at the tournament.

Canada coach Bev Priestman was given a one-year ban, leaving assistant Andy Spence to take interim charge.

They failed in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the points deduction, but won all three group games to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Germany go through to a last-four tie on Tuesday in Lyon against the United States, who edged out Japan 1-0 after extra time in Paris.

USA, Spain and Brazil all through

Trinity Rodman scored the only goal of the game in stunning style just before half-time in extra time to settle a tense contest.

The USA remain on track under new English coach Emma Hayes to win a record-extending fifth women's football gold, and a first since defeating Japan in the London Olympic final in 2012.

That silver remains Japan's only medal in the competition and they go home after thwarting the USA for most of the game.

"I honestly think that was the only way we were going to find a goal," Rodman said of her moment of magic after she was set up by Crystal Dunn. "Obviously we had tried all game long to get in between them and it wasn't working, but she played it in behind.

"It just bobbled a little, and then I banged it in the upper 90. I couldn't have asked for anything better. I am very happy about it."

Japan sat back and allowed the USA to have most of the possession, which they did without showing a cutting edge.

Rodman's goal was sensational, as she controlled a long diagonal ball by Dunn on the right, turned Hikaru Kitagawa inside out and fired a shot high into the far corner.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger saved two penalties in the shoot-out and scored the winning kick to knock holders Canada of the Olympic women's football on Saturday, taking Germany into the semi-finals along with Spain, the United States and Brazil.

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger saved two penalties in the shoot-out and scored the winning kick to knock holders Canada of the Olympic women's football on Saturday, taking Germany into the semi-finals along with Spain, the United States and Brazil. The quarter-final in Marseille finished 0-0 after extra time before 2016 gold medallists Germany prevailed 4-2 on penalties thanks to Berger's heroics and they will face the Americans next. The Canadians won gold three years ago in Tokyo but just making it to the last eight this time was a remarkable achievement after they were docked six points in the group stage. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: St Lucia's Julien Alfred pips Sha'Carri Richardson to win women's 100m gold They were hit with the points deduction and a fine of 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) by FIFA as a punishment after a staff member used a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session ahead of their opening match at the tournament. Canada coach Bev Priestman was given a one-year ban, leaving assistant Andy Spence to take interim charge. They failed in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the points deduction, but won all three group games to qualify for the quarter-finals. Germany go through to a last-four tie on Tuesday in Lyon against the United States, who edged out Japan 1-0 after extra time in Paris. USA, Spain and Brazil all through Trinity Rodman scored the only goal of the game in stunning style just before half-time in extra time to settle a tense contest. The USA remain on track under new English coach Emma Hayes to win a record-extending fifth women's football gold, and a first since defeating Japan in the London Olympic final in 2012. That silver remains Japan's only medal in the competition and they go home after thwarting the USA for most of the game. "I honestly think that was the only way we were going to find a goal," Rodman said of her moment of magic after she was set up by Crystal Dunn. "Obviously we had tried all game long to get in between them and it wasn't working, but she played it in behind. "It just bobbled a little, and then I banged it in the upper 90. I couldn't have asked for anything better. I am very happy about it." Japan sat back and allowed the USA to have most of the possession, which they did without showing a cutting edge. Rodman's goal was sensational, as she controlled a long diagonal ball by Dunn on the right, turned Hikaru Kitagawa inside out and fired a shot high into the far corner. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Germany knock out defending champions Canada to reach semis in women’s football

Julien Alfred delivered a brilliant gun-to-tape performance to win the women’s 100 metres final in a rain-sodden Stade de France on Saturday and claim Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal. Alfred, 23, made her usual slick start and remained clear in heavy rain to come home in a national record 10.72 seconds.

World champion and race favourite Sha'Carri Richardson took silver in 10.87 but the American never really threatened and her compatriot Melissa Jefferson claimed bronze in 10.92.

Double Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce, appearing in her fifth Olympics, was listed as 'Did Not Start' shortly before the semi-finals and her lane remained empty.

Social media footage later emerged of her and Jamaican team members arguing with officials who appeared to be refusing to let her in. Richardson was also seen waiting at the same gate.

Fraser-Pryce was heard saying "they've changed the rules, we always come through this gate".

However, Jamaican Chef de Mission Ian Kelly said her absence was due to injury.

"There was an issue but that was not the reason she did not run," he told Reuters. "Mrs Fraser-Pryce was allowed to enter the warm-up track but from another gate from which she was directed to enter from. There is no truth that she was not allowed to enter the stadium. Unfortunately, she was not able to compete due to an injury sustained during her final warm-up."

With Fraser-Pryce missing the semi-final, Richardson was slow out of the blocks and could not overhaul Alfred.

It was almost a repeat of last year’s world championships, when Richardson sneaked into the final as a fast loser and won the title from lane nine.

There was to be no repeat this time, however, as U.S.-based Alfred hit her stride brilliantly and splashed home for a glorious gold.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-swimming-usa%E2%80%99s-katie-ledecky-and-caeleb-dressel-enter-elite-company-with-record-ninth-gold-each-at-olympics-746945">Swimming: USA’s Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel enter elite company with record ninth gold each at Olympics</a>

Alfred broke down in tears as she dedicated her win to her late father.

"He believed that I could do it. He passed away in 2013 - now he couldn’t get to see me on the biggest stage of my career," she told reporters. "He believed that I could be an Olympian.

"Growing up I used to be on the field, struggling with no shoes, running barefoot, running in my school uniform.

"We barely had facilities. I’m really hoping this gold medal helps the youth and helps St Lucian government to also build the new stadium to just keep the sport growing."

The result meant the United States' 28-year gold medal drought in the event goes on. Gail Devers was their last winner in 1996. Marion Jones was stripped of her 2000 Olympic gold for doping.

It also ended Jamaica’s stranglehold on the women's 100m after they won the last four Olympic golds and 10 of the 12 available medals.

Their only finalist on Saturday was 19-year-old Tia Clayton, who was an impressive winner of her semi-final in 10.89 but managed only 11.04 in the final to finish seventh.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Julien Alfred delivered a brilliant gun-to-tape performance to win the women’s 100 metres final in a rain-sodden Stade de France on Saturday and claim Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal.

Julien Alfred delivered a brilliant gun-to-tape performance to win the women’s 100 metres final in a rain-sodden Stade de France on Saturday and claim Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal. Alfred, 23, made her usual slick start and remained clear in heavy rain to come home in a national record 10.72 seconds. World champion and race favourite Sha'Carri Richardson took silver in 10.87 but the American never really threatened and her compatriot Melissa Jefferson claimed bronze in 10.92. Double Olympic champion Fraser-Pryce, appearing in her fifth Olympics, was listed as 'Did Not Start' shortly before the semi-finals and her lane remained empty. Social media footage later emerged of her and Jamaican team members arguing with officials who appeared to be refusing to let her in. Richardson was also seen waiting at the same gate. Fraser-Pryce was heard saying "they've changed the rules, we always come through this gate". However, Jamaican Chef de Mission Ian Kelly said her absence was due to injury. "There was an issue but that was not the reason she did not run," he told Reuters. "Mrs Fraser-Pryce was allowed to enter the warm-up track but from another gate from which she was directed to enter from. There is no truth that she was not allowed to enter the stadium. Unfortunately, she was not able to compete due to an injury sustained during her final warm-up." With Fraser-Pryce missing the semi-final, Richardson was slow out of the blocks and could not overhaul Alfred. It was almost a repeat of last year’s world championships, when Richardson sneaked into the final as a fast loser and won the title from lane nine. There was to be no repeat this time, however, as U.S.-based Alfred hit her stride brilliantly and splashed home for a glorious gold. ALSO READ: Swimming: USA’s Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel enter elite company with record ninth gold each at Olympics Alfred broke down in tears as she dedicated her win to her late father. "He believed that I could do it. He passed away in 2013 - now he couldn’t get to see me on the biggest stage of my career," she told reporters. "He believed that I could be an Olympian. "Growing up I used to be on the field, struggling with no shoes, running barefoot, running in my school uniform. "We barely had facilities. I’m really hoping this gold medal helps the youth and helps St Lucian government to also build the new stadium to just keep the sport growing." The result meant the United States' 28-year gold medal drought in the event goes on. Gail Devers was their last winner in 1996. Marion Jones was stripped of her 2000 Olympic gold for doping. It also ended Jamaica’s stranglehold on the women's 100m after they won the last four Olympic golds and 10 of the 12 available medals. Their only finalist on Saturday was 19-year-old Tia Clayton, who was an impressive winner of her semi-final in 10.89 but managed only 11.04 in the final to finish seventh. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: St Lucia's Julien Alfred pips Sha'Carri Richardson to win women's 100m gold

Katie Ledecky tore up the record books again at the Paris Games by claiming a ninth career gold medal, while teenager Summer McIntosh put her name among the greats as Canada's first triple champion at a single Olympics.

Caeleb Dressel joined compatriot Ledecky with a ninth gold without diving into the La Defense Arena pool when his United States teammates swept to the mixed medley relay title in world record time.

But home hero Leon Marchand tasted defeat for the first time despite the ear-splitting support of another packed house when France finished fourth in the relay.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vatican-slams-ridiculous-paris-olympics-opening-ceremony-that-mocked-the-last-supper-746930">Vatican slams 'ridiculous' Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked 'The Last Supper'</a>

With four golds, Marchand has been the meet's pre-eminent champion -- but Saturday night belonged to Ledecky as she won an unprecedented fourth 800 metres freestyle title to match former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina's record of nine gold medals for a female Olympian.

Ledecky also joined fellow American great Phelps as the only swimmer to win four or more Olympic golds in the same event.

She won the 800 in 8:11.04, a second clear of Australia's silver medallist Ariarne Titmus in a repeat of their Tokyo 2020 tussle.

Ledecky's teammate Paige Madden took bronze.

Ledecky's victory was exactly 12 years on from her first 800 title at the 2012 London Games at the age of 15.

"I knew that August 3rd is the day I won in 2012, and I didn't want August 3rd to be a day that I didn't move forward, so I kind of felt like I put a lot of pressure on myself," Ledecky told reporters.

"But I'm just really happy that I could get the job done."

At the tender age of 17, McIntosh knows all about getting it done. She became Canada's first triple gold-medallist at the same Games when she won the 200m individual medley(IM), having already won the 400 IM and 200m butterfly.

"I'm always wanting more," said McIntosh, who will swim in the women's 4x100m medley relay on the final day on Sunday. "I'm never satisfied, and I think that's one of my strengths."

American Kate Douglass took the 200 IM silver and Australian Kaylee McKeown was awarded the bronze after U.S. swimmer Alex Walsh, the 2021 silver medallist, was disqualified for an illegal turn.

McIntosh finished her individual events at Paris with three golds and a silver, joining Michelle Smith, Katinka Hosszu and Kristin Otto with four individual medals from a single Games.

Only Australia's Shane Gould, who took five at Munich 1972, has more among women swimmers.

Deployed as a heat swimmer on Friday, Dressel was benched for the mixed medley final but will celebrate the gold anyway. His ninth puts him level with Mark Spitz, second on the all-time list for men's swimming, with only Michael Phelps above them.

The U.S. final quartet of Ryan Murphy, Nic Fink, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske won the medley in three minutes 37.43 seconds, smashing the previous world record of 3:37.58 set by Britain during their gold-winning swim at Tokyo.

Hungary earlier celebrated a second gold of the meet as Kristof Milak took the men's 100m butterfly title in 49.90, 0.09 seconds ahead of Canadian runner-up Josh Liendo.

Ilya Kharun grabbed a second bronze for Canada, having also taken one in the 200m butterfly in Paris.

The Paris pool has been the throw-back Olympics in many ways, with evergreen Swede Sarah Sjostrom claiming a stunning 100m freestyle gold after deciding very late to enter the event.

She will be strong favourite to add the 50m title on the final night on Sunday after resetting the Olympic record and falling only 0.05 of a second short of her world record (23.61) in a stunning semi-final swim.

Ireland's first Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen, the men's 800m freestyle gold medallist, will bid for the 1,500m crown to complete the distance double.

The meet will close with finals for the men's and women's 4x100m medley relays.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Katie Ledecky tore up the record books again at the Paris Games by claiming a ninth career gold medal, while teenager Summer McIntosh put her name among the greats as Canada's first triple champion at a single Olympics.

Katie Ledecky tore up the record books again at the Paris Games by claiming a ninth career gold medal, while teenager Summer McIntosh put her name among the greats as Canada's first triple champion at a single Olympics. Caeleb Dressel joined compatriot Ledecky with a ninth gold without diving into the La Defense Arena pool when his United States teammates swept to the mixed medley relay title in world record time. But home hero Leon Marchand tasted defeat for the first time despite the ear-splitting support of another packed house when France finished fourth in the relay. ALSO READ: Vatican slams 'ridiculous' Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked 'The Last Supper' With four golds, Marchand has been the meet's pre-eminent champion -- but Saturday night belonged to Ledecky as she won an unprecedented fourth 800 metres freestyle title to match former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina's record of nine gold medals for a female Olympian. Ledecky also joined fellow American great Phelps as the only swimmer to win four or more Olympic golds in the same event. She won the 800 in 8:11.04, a second clear of Australia's silver medallist Ariarne Titmus in a repeat of their Tokyo 2020 tussle. Ledecky's teammate Paige Madden took bronze. Ledecky's victory was exactly 12 years on from her first 800 title at the 2012 London Games at the age of 15. "I knew that August 3rd is the day I won in 2012, and I didn't want August 3rd to be a day that I didn't move forward, so I kind of felt like I put a lot of pressure on myself," Ledecky told reporters. "But I'm just really happy that I could get the job done." At the tender age of 17, McIntosh knows all about getting it done. She became Canada's first triple gold-medallist at the same Games when she won the 200m individual medley(IM), having already won the 400 IM and 200m butterfly. "I'm always wanting more," said McIntosh, who will swim in the women's 4x100m medley relay on the final day on Sunday. "I'm never satisfied, and I think that's one of my strengths." American Kate Douglass took the 200 IM silver and Australian Kaylee McKeown was awarded the bronze after U.S. swimmer Alex Walsh, the 2021 silver medallist, was disqualified for an illegal turn. McIntosh finished her individual events at Paris with three golds and a silver, joining Michelle Smith, Katinka Hosszu and Kristin Otto with four individual medals from a single Games. Only Australia's Shane Gould, who took five at Munich 1972, has more among women swimmers. Deployed as a heat swimmer on Friday, Dressel was benched for the mixed medley final but will celebrate the gold anyway. His ninth puts him level with Mark Spitz, second on the all-time list for men's swimming, with only Michael Phelps above them. The U.S. final quartet of Ryan Murphy, Nic Fink, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske won the medley in three minutes 37.43 seconds, smashing the previous world record of 3:37.58 set by Britain during their gold-winning swim at Tokyo. Hungary earlier celebrated a second gold of the meet as Kristof Milak took the men's 100m butterfly title in 49.90, 0.09 seconds ahead of Canadian runner-up Josh Liendo. Ilya Kharun grabbed a second bronze for Canada, having also taken one in the 200m butterfly in Paris. The Paris pool has been the throw-back Olympics in many ways, with evergreen Swede Sarah Sjostrom claiming a stunning 100m freestyle gold after deciding very late to enter the event. She will be strong favourite to add the 50m title on the final night on Sunday after resetting the Olympic record and falling only 0.05 of a second short of her world record (23.61) in a stunning semi-final swim. Ireland's first Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen, the men's 800m freestyle gold medallist, will bid for the 1,500m crown to complete the distance double. The meet will close with finals for the men's and women's 4x100m medley relays. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Swimming: USA’s Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel enter elite company with record ninth gold each at Olympics

India men's hockey team beat Great Britain 4-2 in the shootout on Sunday (Jul 4) to reach semis at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. India goalkepper PR Sreejesh displayed exemplary skills to save attempts from the Brits, while the Indians scored on all four attempts.

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🇮🇳🔥 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔 𝗪𝗜𝗡! 
 
Congratulations to the Indian Men's Hockey team for their heart-stopping shoot-out victory, earning a spot in the semi-finals! 🏑 
 
You're now just one win away from claiming your 13th Olympic medal 🏅 in hockey. Your relentless spirit and remarkable… <a href="https://t.co/jByQtmpeJ2">pic.twitter.com/jByQtmpeJ2</a>
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) <a href="https://twitter.com/nitin_gadkari/status/1820041548135899635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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For India, skipper Harmanpreet was first to score, equalising GBR player James Albery's opening goal in the shootout. Zachary Wallace was the next to score&nbsp;for the Brits but India's Sukhjeet Singh scored the equaliser.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-closing-ceremony-ace-shooter-manu-bhaker-named-india%E2%80%99s-flag-bearer-746998">Paris Olympics 2024 closing ceremony: Ace shooter Manu Bhaker named India’s flag bearer</a>

With the shootout score being tied at 2-2, Britain's Conor Williamson missed on the third attempt unlike India's Lalit Kumar Upadhyay who gave India&nbsp;a 3-2 lead.

Britain's Phil Roper took the fourth shot but couldn't score, thanks to some brilliant keeping by Sreejesh. India's Raj Kumar Pal then scored on the fourth attempt to hand India a famous win.

The regulation time finished at 1-1 despite India playing with 10 players most of the time in three quarters. India's Amit Rohidas was given a red card in the second quarter of the game. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, however, soon scored a goal to take India in front.

Great Britain's Morton Lee&nbsp;scored the equaliser nearly five minutes later in the same quarter, and the score remained 1-1 for the remainder&nbsp;of the game.

India will next play the winner of Argentina vs Germany in the semi-final on Tuesday (Aug&nbsp;6).

India men's hockey team beat Great Britain 4-2 in the shootout on Sunday (Jul 4) to reach semis at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. India goalkepper PR Sreejesh displayed exemplary skills to save attempts from the Brits, while the Indians scored on all four attempts.

India men's hockey team beat Great Britain 4-2 in the shootout on Sunday (Jul 4) to reach semis at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. India goalkepper PR Sreejesh displayed exemplary skills to save attempts from the Brits, while the Indians scored on all four attempts. 🇮🇳🔥 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔 𝗪𝗜𝗡! Congratulations to the Indian Men's Hockey team for their heart-stopping shoot-out victory, earning a spot in the semi-finals! 🏑 You're now just one win away from claiming your 13th Olympic medal 🏅 in hockey. Your relentless spirit and remarkable… pic.twitter.com/jByQtmpeJ2 — Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) August 4, 2024 × For India, skipper Harmanpreet was first to score, equalising GBR player James Albery's opening goal in the shootout. Zachary Wallace was the next to score for the Brits but India's Sukhjeet Singh scored the equaliser. Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024 closing ceremony: Ace shooter Manu Bhaker named India’s flag bearer With the shootout score being tied at 2-2, Britain's Conor Williamson missed on the third attempt unlike India's Lalit Kumar Upadhyay who gave India a 3-2 lead. Britain's Phil Roper took the fourth shot but couldn't score, thanks to some brilliant keeping by Sreejesh. India's Raj Kumar Pal then scored on the fourth attempt to hand India a famous win. The regulation time finished at 1-1 despite India playing with 10 players most of the time in three quarters. India's Amit Rohidas was given a red card in the second quarter of the game. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, however, soon scored a goal to take India in front. Great Britain's Morton Lee scored the equaliser nearly five minutes later in the same quarter, and the score remained 1-1 for the remainder of the game. India will next play the winner of Argentina vs Germany in the semi-final on Tuesday (Aug 6).

Paris Olympics 2024: India beat 'not-so' Great Britain in shootout to reach men's hockey semis - WATCH

Lin Yu-ting beat Svetlana Kamenova Staneva of Bulgaria by a unanimous decision in a featherweight quarter-final fight on Sunday to ensure Taiwan's third boxing medal at the Paris Olympics.

Lin and Algeria's Imane Khelif have been at the centre of a social media storm at the Paris Games due to them being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after falling foul of unspecified International Boxing Association's gender eligibility rules.

"I know all of Taiwan's people are standing behind me and supporting me, and I will carry this energy to the end," Lin said after her win.

"Even though I won this match doesn't mean I can relax, I still need to work hard."

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Saturday there "was never any doubt" that Lin and Khelif were women who had every right to compete at the Paris Olympics.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-closing-ceremony-ace-shooter-manu-bhaker-named-india%E2%80%99s-flag-bearer-746998">Paris Olympics 2024 closing ceremony: Ace shooter Manu Bhaker named India’s flag bearer</a>

The boxing tournament in Paris is being organised by the IOC, which stripped the IBA of international recognition in 2023 over governance and finance issues.

On Friday, the Bulgarian Olympic Committee said it had voiced its concerns over the two boxers' presence at the tournament during a meeting with the IOC's Medical and Scientific Commission on July 27.

In Saturday's bout, the taller Lin attempted to sit back and let her opponent come to her in the first round, a strategy which had mixed results as she was struck with a few big shots.

In the second round, double world champion Lin was more direct and took the fight to Staneva, who showcased her frustration by grappling with Lin and pushing her onto the canvas.

With a 3-0 lead heading into the final round, Lin once again tried to be evasive and found herself on the floor when she was accidentally tripped by Staneva, who held the ropes open for the Taiwanese boxer to exit the ring at the end of the fight.

Lin, who will face Turkey's Esra Yildiz in the semi-finals, is assured of a medal, adding to compatriots Wu Shih-yi and Chen Nien-chin efforts from Saturday.

Algerian Khelif is also assured at least bronze after winning her welterweight quarterfinal against Hungary's Luca Anna Hamori by unanimous decision on Saturday.

The debate over Khelif and Lin's participation in the tournament rocketed after the Algerian won her round-of-16 bout in 46 seconds on Thursday, when her Italian opponent Angela Carini pulled out of the fight.

Carini was hit with multiple punches in the first 30 seconds, before raising her hand and returning to her corner to withdraw from the fight, saying she had felt intense pain and was worried about her own safety.

After the bout, Carini said she did not harbour any ill feelings towards the Algerian.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lin Yu-ting beat Svetlana Kamenova Staneva of Bulgaria by a unanimous decision in a featherweight quarter-final fight on Sunday to ensure Taiwan's third boxing medal at the Paris Olympics.

Lin Yu-ting beat Svetlana Kamenova Staneva of Bulgaria by a unanimous decision in a featherweight quarter-final fight on Sunday to ensure Taiwan's third boxing medal at the Paris Olympics. Lin and Algeria's Imane Khelif have been at the centre of a social media storm at the Paris Games due to them being disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after falling foul of unspecified International Boxing Association's gender eligibility rules. "I know all of Taiwan's people are standing behind me and supporting me, and I will carry this energy to the end," Lin said after her win. "Even though I won this match doesn't mean I can relax, I still need to work hard." International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Saturday there "was never any doubt" that Lin and Khelif were women who had every right to compete at the Paris Olympics. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024 closing ceremony: Ace shooter Manu Bhaker named India’s flag bearer The boxing tournament in Paris is being organised by the IOC, which stripped the IBA of international recognition in 2023 over governance and finance issues. On Friday, the Bulgarian Olympic Committee said it had voiced its concerns over the two boxers' presence at the tournament during a meeting with the IOC's Medical and Scientific Commission on July 27. In Saturday's bout, the taller Lin attempted to sit back and let her opponent come to her in the first round, a strategy which had mixed results as she was struck with a few big shots. In the second round, double world champion Lin was more direct and took the fight to Staneva, who showcased her frustration by grappling with Lin and pushing her onto the canvas. With a 3-0 lead heading into the final round, Lin once again tried to be evasive and found herself on the floor when she was accidentally tripped by Staneva, who held the ropes open for the Taiwanese boxer to exit the ring at the end of the fight. Lin, who will face Turkey's Esra Yildiz in the semi-finals, is assured of a medal, adding to compatriots Wu Shih-yi and Chen Nien-chin efforts from Saturday. Algerian Khelif is also assured at least bronze after winning her welterweight quarterfinal against Hungary's Luca Anna Hamori by unanimous decision on Saturday. The debate over Khelif and Lin's participation in the tournament rocketed after the Algerian won her round-of-16 bout in 46 seconds on Thursday, when her Italian opponent Angela Carini pulled out of the fight. Carini was hit with multiple punches in the first 30 seconds, before raising her hand and returning to her corner to withdraw from the fight, saying she had felt intense pain and was worried about her own safety. After the bout, Carini said she did not harbour any ill feelings towards the Algerian. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Medal assured for boxer Lin Yu-ting amid growing debate over gender row

Novak Djokovic snapped his Olympic semi-final jinx with a 6-4 6-2 defeat of Italy's Lorenzo Musetti on Friday to set up a blockbuster battle for gold against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz.

The 37-year-old Serb had lost his three previous Olympic singles semi-finals but was in no mood to suffer more heartache as he dominated a high-quality duel at Roland Garros.

Earlier on Court Philippe Chatrier, the 21-year-old Alcaraz thrashed Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-1.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-ugly-scenes-unfold-in-men%E2%80%99s-football-as-france-beat-argentina-to-reach-semis-746744">Paris Olympics 2024: Ugly scenes unfold in men’s football as France beat Argentina to reach semis</a>

Djokovic needs only the Olympic gold to complete the full set of achievements in a career that has earned him 24 Grand Slam titles and the relief of reaching the final was clear as he laid on his back, arms outstretched, after match point.

"Three of the (previous) four Olympic Games I played I made semi-finals but failed to overcome that hurdle," Djokovic, whose only medal was a singles bronze in 2008, told reporters. "Just to secure a higher medal for my country, whatever happens on Sunday, is a huge pride and honour. I'm going for gold, but this is a big deal."

Djokovic lost to Rafa Nadal in the semi-final in Beijing, Andy Murray in the 2012 last four in London and in Tokyo it was Alexander Zverev who blocked his path.

Musetti, bidding to emulate the Italian duo of Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani who reached the women's doubles final, started superbly but Djokovic found another gear to break serve in the 10th game from 40-0 down and take the first set.

Djokovic, who had concerns over his strapped-up knee ahead of the match, lost his cool in the second after twice dropping his serve, and was raging after a code violation. But he responded like the warrior he is, reeling off five games to became the oldest Olympic men's singles finalist since tennis returned to the Games in 1988.

<h2>Formidable obstacle</h2>

Second seed Alcaraz is the youngest and judging by his demolition of Auger-Aliassime he will be a formidable obstacle. The 21-year-old, who outplayed Djokovic to win his second Wimbledon title last month, was in devastating form and needed little more than an hour to earn his shot at gold.

"It means a lot to me being in a final at the Olympic Games and giving myself the chance to fight for a gold medal for my country. It is a special moment for my career and my life," Alcaraz, who like Djokovic has not dropped a set, said. "I'm really happy to bring a medal to my country, and hopefully, it's going to be the gold one."

Auger-Aliassime, bidding to become the first Canadian to reach an Olympic singles final, was outclassed.

"In every aspect, I was dominated, there's not much more to say," the 23-year-old said.

Realistically, Sunday's final is Djokovic's last chance to scratch his Olympic itch but he said he has nothing to lose.

"Alcaraz has proved the best player in the world at the moment," he said. "He's definitely favourite, but it's the Olympics, it's anybody's game."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Novak Djokovic snapped his Olympic semi-final jinx with a 6-4 6-2 defeat of Italy's Lorenzo Musetti on Friday to set up a blockbuster battle for gold against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz.

Novak Djokovic snapped his Olympic semi-final jinx with a 6-4 6-2 defeat of Italy's Lorenzo Musetti on Friday to set up a blockbuster battle for gold against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. The 37-year-old Serb had lost his three previous Olympic singles semi-finals but was in no mood to suffer more heartache as he dominated a high-quality duel at Roland Garros. Earlier on Court Philippe Chatrier, the 21-year-old Alcaraz thrashed Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1 6-1. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: Ugly scenes unfold in men’s football as France beat Argentina to reach semis Djokovic needs only the Olympic gold to complete the full set of achievements in a career that has earned him 24 Grand Slam titles and the relief of reaching the final was clear as he laid on his back, arms outstretched, after match point. "Three of the (previous) four Olympic Games I played I made semi-finals but failed to overcome that hurdle," Djokovic, whose only medal was a singles bronze in 2008, told reporters. "Just to secure a higher medal for my country, whatever happens on Sunday, is a huge pride and honour. I'm going for gold, but this is a big deal." Djokovic lost to Rafa Nadal in the semi-final in Beijing, Andy Murray in the 2012 last four in London and in Tokyo it was Alexander Zverev who blocked his path. Musetti, bidding to emulate the Italian duo of Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani who reached the women's doubles final, started superbly but Djokovic found another gear to break serve in the 10th game from 40-0 down and take the first set. Djokovic, who had concerns over his strapped-up knee ahead of the match, lost his cool in the second after twice dropping his serve, and was raging after a code violation. But he responded like the warrior he is, reeling off five games to became the oldest Olympic men's singles finalist since tennis returned to the Games in 1988. Formidable obstacle Second seed Alcaraz is the youngest and judging by his demolition of Auger-Aliassime he will be a formidable obstacle. The 21-year-old, who outplayed Djokovic to win his second Wimbledon title last month, was in devastating form and needed little more than an hour to earn his shot at gold. "It means a lot to me being in a final at the Olympic Games and giving myself the chance to fight for a gold medal for my country. It is a special moment for my career and my life," Alcaraz, who like Djokovic has not dropped a set, said. "I'm really happy to bring a medal to my country, and hopefully, it's going to be the gold one." Auger-Aliassime, bidding to become the first Canadian to reach an Olympic singles final, was outclassed. "In every aspect, I was dominated, there's not much more to say," the 23-year-old said. Realistically, Sunday's final is Djokovic's last chance to scratch his Olympic itch but he said he has nothing to lose. "Alcaraz has proved the best player in the world at the moment," he said. "He's definitely favourite, but it's the Olympics, it's anybody's game." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Games 2024: Novak Djokovic to face Carlos Alcaraz in dream gold medal showdown

Italy's woman boxer Angela Carini will be getting prize money of $50,000 from the International Boxing Association (IBA) despite losing her welterweight Paris Olympics 2024 bout against Algeria's Imane Khelif.

The bout, played on Thursday (Aug 1) lasted only 46 seconds before Carini quit while in tears and it sparked a gender debate in the ongoing games.&nbsp;Watch the fight below:

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Normal world would call this abuse😡 
 
Born a man, Algeria's Imane Khelif is allowed to fight Italy’s Angela Carini in 66kg women's boxing prelims at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics2024Paris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics2024Paris</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AngelaCarini?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AngelaCarini</a> couldn't handle Khelif's opening punches &amp; gave up in mere 45 seconds<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImaneKhelif?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ImaneKhelif</a> has already… <a href="https://t.co/SMyBoQE85L">pic.twitter.com/SMyBoQE85L</a>
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) <a href="https://twitter.com/nabilajamal_/status/1819016884399817041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"I couldn’t look at her tears," IBA President Umar Kremlev said in a press release. "I am not indifferent to such situations, and I can assure that we will protect each boxer. I do not understand why they kill women’s boxing. Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics-2024-india-shooter-manu-bhaker-reveals-this-is-why-she-lost-on-third-medal-at-paris-games-746824">Olympics 2024: India shooter Manu Bhaker reveals THIS IS WHY she lost on third medal at Paris Games</a>

It is to be noted that the IBA isn't a sanctioned body by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Russia-backed organisation had disqualified Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting at the 2023 World Championships for failing to clear gender eligibility tests.

The IOC, however, called the move arbitrary in a joint statement issued with the Paris Olympics.

"These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process," read the statement.

"The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years," it further added.

Carini, meanwhile, said that the controversy has made her feel 'sad' and she wants to apologise to Khelif.

"All this controversy makes me sad," Carini told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'm sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision.

"It wasn't something I intended to do. Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke," she added.

Italy's woman boxer Angela Carini will be getting prize money of $50,000 from the International Boxing Association (IBA) despite losing her welterweight Paris Olympics 2024 bout against Algeria's Imane Khelif.

Italy's woman boxer Angela Carini will be getting prize money of $50,000 from the International Boxing Association (IBA) despite losing her welterweight Paris Olympics 2024 bout against Algeria's Imane Khelif. The bout, played on Thursday (Aug 1) lasted only 46 seconds before Carini quit while in tears and it sparked a gender debate in the ongoing games. Watch the fight below: Normal world would call this abuse😡 Born a man, Algeria's Imane Khelif is allowed to fight Italy’s Angela Carini in 66kg women's boxing prelims at #Olympics2024Paris #AngelaCarini couldn't handle Khelif's opening punches & gave up in mere 45 seconds#ImaneKhelif has already… pic.twitter.com/SMyBoQE85L — Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) August 1, 2024 × "I couldn’t look at her tears," IBA President Umar Kremlev said in a press release. "I am not indifferent to such situations, and I can assure that we will protect each boxer. I do not understand why they kill women’s boxing. Only eligible athletes should compete in the ring for the sake of safety." Also Read: Olympics 2024: India shooter Manu Bhaker reveals THIS IS WHY she lost on third medal at Paris Games It is to be noted that the IBA isn't a sanctioned body by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Russia-backed organisation had disqualified Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-Ting at the 2023 World Championships for failing to clear gender eligibility tests. The IOC, however, called the move arbitrary in a joint statement issued with the Paris Olympics. "These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA. Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process," read the statement. "The current aggression against these two athletes is based entirely on this arbitrary decision, which was taken without any proper procedure – especially considering that these athletes had been competing in top-level competition for many years," it further added. Carini, meanwhile, said that the controversy has made her feel 'sad' and she wants to apologise to Khelif. "All this controversy makes me sad," Carini told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. "I'm sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision. "It wasn't something I intended to do. Actually, I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke," she added.

Paris Games, Carini vs Khelif Fight Controversy: IBA to award Italian Angela Carini $50k despite losing fight

Leon Marchand called it a "perfect week" after winning his fourth gold of the Paris Olympics with an emphatic victory in the 200m individual medley on Friday in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

The Frenchman becomes the first male swimmer since American record-breaker Michael Phelps at Beijing 2008 to win four individual golds in single Games.

Marchand won in 1min 54.06sec, the second-fastest time in history and an Olympic record, with Britain's Duncan Scott taking silver and China's Wang Shun third.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-fermin-lopez-fires-spain-into-football-semi-finals-morocco-march-on-746712">Paris Olympics 2024: Fermin Lopez fires Spain into football semi-finals, Morocco march on</a>

It was another memorable night for the host nation at La Defense Arena with French President Emmanuel Macron among those in the crowd celebrating the latest night of glory for the 22-year-old poster boy.

"I don't think anything went wrong this week. It was just perfect," said a beaming Marchand after fans sang La Marseillaise.

Marchand had already pocketed golds in the 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke, along with the 400m individual medley, making him the clear favourite in Friday's race.

China's Wang, the defending champion, led after the opening butterfly leg&nbsp; but Marchand got himself in front during the backstroke.

He extended his lead with a strong breaststroke 50 before holding on to his advantage in the final, freestyle, leg as the crowd roared him towards the wall.

Marchand is trained by Phelps' former coach, Bob Bowman, and the American was searching for superlatives to describe the week's work from his swimmer.

"It was just a complete success in terms of the way I see things. He's just 100% successful. I'm so very proud of him. It takes a lot to be perfect," he said.

For Britain's Scott it was another silver to add to his collection -- he finished second to Wang in Tokyo and now has eight Olympic medals.

He said Marchand's impact on the sport was immeasurable.

"He's becoming a sort of global superstar now and he kind of runs France now, which is what we're hearing in the crowd," he said. "It's amazing, and the kid, he's loved it. You can see he's doing it with a smile on his face and the crowd's giving him so much energy, it's been amazing to witness it," he said.

The bad news for any rivals hoping that this is a one-off burst of glory in a home pool is that Marchand is already thinking towards 2028.

"It's not over for me. It's only the beginning. I'm really excited.... my next goal is LA."

He will also swim in Paris in two relays.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Leon Marchand called it a "perfect week" after winning his fourth gold of the Paris Olympics with an emphatic victory in the 200m individual medley on Friday in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

Leon Marchand called it a "perfect week" after winning his fourth gold of the Paris Olympics with an emphatic victory in the 200m individual medley on Friday in front of an ecstatic home crowd. The Frenchman becomes the first male swimmer since American record-breaker Michael Phelps at Beijing 2008 to win four individual golds in single Games. Marchand won in 1min 54.06sec, the second-fastest time in history and an Olympic record, with Britain's Duncan Scott taking silver and China's Wang Shun third. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: Fermin Lopez fires Spain into football semi-finals, Morocco march on It was another memorable night for the host nation at La Defense Arena with French President Emmanuel Macron among those in the crowd celebrating the latest night of glory for the 22-year-old poster boy. "I don't think anything went wrong this week. It was just perfect," said a beaming Marchand after fans sang La Marseillaise. Marchand had already pocketed golds in the 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke, along with the 400m individual medley, making him the clear favourite in Friday's race. China's Wang, the defending champion, led after the opening butterfly leg but Marchand got himself in front during the backstroke. He extended his lead with a strong breaststroke 50 before holding on to his advantage in the final, freestyle, leg as the crowd roared him towards the wall. Marchand is trained by Phelps' former coach, Bob Bowman, and the American was searching for superlatives to describe the week's work from his swimmer. "It was just a complete success in terms of the way I see things. He's just 100% successful. I'm so very proud of him. It takes a lot to be perfect," he said. For Britain's Scott it was another silver to add to his collection -- he finished second to Wang in Tokyo and now has eight Olympic medals. He said Marchand's impact on the sport was immeasurable. "He's becoming a sort of global superstar now and he kind of runs France now, which is what we're hearing in the crowd," he said. "It's amazing, and the kid, he's loved it. You can see he's doing it with a smile on his face and the crowd's giving him so much energy, it's been amazing to witness it," he said. The bad news for any rivals hoping that this is a one-off burst of glory in a home pool is that Marchand is already thinking towards 2028. "It's not over for me. It's only the beginning. I'm really excited.... my next goal is LA." He will also swim in Paris in two relays. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Swimming: Poster boy Leon Marchand imitates Phelps with record fourth gold at Paris Olympics 2024

India shooter Manu Bhaker revealed that nervousness cost her third medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 but she's already looking forward to the next edition.

Bhaker finished fourth in the women's 25m pistol final after losing the elimination shootout. She, however, already has created history by winning two bronze medals at the event - the first Indian athlete to do so (winning two medals in&nbsp;a single Olympics).

"I got like really nervous about it, but again, I was trying my best to keep calm and to just try to do my best. But that was not enough," Manu said after the event, reported news agency PTI.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-games-2024-sports-ministry-sends-40-portable-ac-units-for-indian-athletes-at-olympic-village-746799">Paris Games 2024: Sports Ministry sends 40 portable AC units for Indian athletes at Olympic Village</a>

"It (Olympics) turned out to be very good for me, but well, there's always a next time so I'm already looking forward to the next one," she said.

"I'm glad that I got two medals, but right now, I'm not very... well, fourth place is not a very good place," said the shooter with tears.

On being asked if the expectations weighed heavy on her, the shooter said: “Honestly, I've been off the social media and I have not been checking my phone, so I don't know what's going on. But I just know that I was trying my best and I was trying to deliver a good performance."

"In most of the events I was able to (give a good performance), and in this one, I was not able to do as good. The moment my match was over, I was like, 'okay, the next time'," she added.

Bhaker also acknowledged the support staff for her success and said: "There has been a lot of hard work going on backstage. Like I'm here -- what you see -- but like so many people have been working hard so that I can make it to the podium and so that India can win a medal.”

The next Olympics will be held in Los Angeles (USA) in 2028.

India shooter Manu Bhaker revealed that nervousness cost her third medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 but she's already looking forward to the next edition.

India shooter Manu Bhaker revealed that nervousness cost her third medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 but she's already looking forward to the next edition. Bhaker finished fourth in the women's 25m pistol final after losing the elimination shootout. She, however, already has created history by winning two bronze medals at the event - the first Indian athlete to do so (winning two medals in a single Olympics). "I got like really nervous about it, but again, I was trying my best to keep calm and to just try to do my best. But that was not enough," Manu said after the event, reported news agency PTI. Also Read: Paris Games 2024: Sports Ministry sends 40 portable AC units for Indian athletes at Olympic Village "It (Olympics) turned out to be very good for me, but well, there's always a next time so I'm already looking forward to the next one," she said. "I'm glad that I got two medals, but right now, I'm not very... well, fourth place is not a very good place," said the shooter with tears. On being asked if the expectations weighed heavy on her, the shooter said: “Honestly, I've been off the social media and I have not been checking my phone, so I don't know what's going on. But I just know that I was trying my best and I was trying to deliver a good performance." "In most of the events I was able to (give a good performance), and in this one, I was not able to do as good. The moment my match was over, I was like, 'okay, the next time'," she added. Bhaker also acknowledged the support staff for her success and said: "There has been a lot of hard work going on backstage. Like I'm here -- what you see -- but like so many people have been working hard so that I can make it to the podium and so that India can win a medal.” The next Olympics will be held in Los Angeles (USA) in 2028.

Olympics 2024: India shooter Manu Bhaker reveals THIS IS WHY she lost on third medal at Paris Games

The rising temperatures in the French capital city had everyone struggling during the Paris Olympics 2024, with the Indian contingent present at the Olympic Village being no different. Considering the unavailability of air-conditioning service there, the Indian Sports Ministry sent 40 portable AC units for the athletes to be at ease, bearing the cost from their pocket.

The sources close to the information revealed the Sports Ministry made the ACs available to athletes inside the Games Village only after discussions with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the French Embassy.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-games-2024-novak-djokovic-to-face-carlos-alcaraz-in-dream-gold-medal-showdown-746749">Paris Games 2024: Novak Djokovic to face Carlos Alcaraz in dream gold medal showdown</a>

“Taking into consideration the issues faced by athletes at the Olympic Games village because of the temperature and humidity in Paris, the Ministry of Sports decided to provide 40 ACs in the Games Village rooms where the Indian athletes are staying,” the source said during a chat with PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Paris and Chateauroux - the two main venues for the Olympics 2024, have witnessed temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius. Even during the Men’s 50m Rifle 3-Positions final, all eight contesting finalists, including India’s Swapnil Kusale, who won the bronze medal, were sweating at the Chateauroux shooting range.

<h2>Own arrangements</h2>

Even before the Paris Games began, the organisers decided against providing AC services to the athletes to cut the carbon footprint at the event, leading to several contingents raising&nbsp;concerns about the weather here during the Olympics 2024.

Although the organising committee unveiled an underfloor cooling mechanism and built-in insulation to curb the rising temperatures inside the Village, the American contingent, unconvinced with the measures, travelled with their portable ACs.&nbsp;

The report also suggested that other contingents had acquired the AC services inside the Games Village, with the Indian contingent being the latest.

“The decision was taken early on Friday and the cost is being funded by the Ministry,” the unnamed source in the Sports Ministry said. “The ACs are plug-and-play units, and athletes have already started using them. It is expected that with this, they will have a more comfortable stay and get better rest, which is much needed for a good performance.”

(With inputs from agencies)

The rising temperatures in the French capital city had everyone struggling during the Paris Olympics 2024, with the Indian contingent present at the Olympic Village being no different.

The rising temperatures in the French capital city had everyone struggling during the Paris Olympics 2024, with the Indian contingent present at the Olympic Village being no different. Considering the unavailability of air-conditioning service there, the Indian Sports Ministry sent 40 portable AC units for the athletes to be at ease, bearing the cost from their pocket. The sources close to the information revealed the Sports Ministry made the ACs available to athletes inside the Games Village only after discussions with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the French Embassy. ALSO READ: Paris Games 2024: Novak Djokovic to face Carlos Alcaraz in dream gold medal showdown “Taking into consideration the issues faced by athletes at the Olympic Games village because of the temperature and humidity in Paris, the Ministry of Sports decided to provide 40 ACs in the Games Village rooms where the Indian athletes are staying,” the source said during a chat with PTI on conditions of anonymity. Paris and Chateauroux - the two main venues for the Olympics 2024, have witnessed temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius. Even during the Men’s 50m Rifle 3-Positions final, all eight contesting finalists, including India’s Swapnil Kusale, who won the bronze medal, were sweating at the Chateauroux shooting range. Own arrangements Even before the Paris Games began, the organisers decided against providing AC services to the athletes to cut the carbon footprint at the event, leading to several contingents raising concerns about the weather here during the Olympics 2024. Although the organising committee unveiled an underfloor cooling mechanism and built-in insulation to curb the rising temperatures inside the Village, the American contingent, unconvinced with the measures, travelled with their portable ACs. The report also suggested that other contingents had acquired the AC services inside the Games Village, with the Indian contingent being the latest. “The decision was taken early on Friday and the cost is being funded by the Ministry,” the unnamed source in the Sports Ministry said. “The ACs are plug-and-play units, and athletes have already started using them. It is expected that with this, they will have a more comfortable stay and get better rest, which is much needed for a good performance.” (With inputs from agencies)

Paris Games 2024: Sports Ministry sends 40 portable AC units for Indian athletes at Olympic Village

Taiwan's double world champion Lin Yu-ting, one of two boxers at the heart of a gender row, won her featherweight round of 16 bout against Uzbekistan's Sidora Turdibekova on points by unanimous decision at the Paris Olympics on Friday.

The 28-year-old Taiwanese, along with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif who won her round of 16 welterweight fight on Thursday against Italy's Angela Cariniin 46 seconds, have been in the spotlight of the gender row after being cleared to compete in the Olympics.

Both had been disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing International Boxing Association eligibility rules that prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes competing in women's events.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-hockey-%E2%80%98chak-de-moment%E2%80%99-for-india-at-paris-olympics-2024-as-they-stun-australia-for-first-time-in-52-years-746650">Paris Olympics 2024: India beat Australia for first time in 52 years in men's hockey, finish second in Group B</a>

The boxing competition in Paris is run by the International Olympic Committee after it stripped the IBA's international recognition in 2023 over governance and finance issues, and the IOC has said the women have every right to compete in Paris.

The IOC said the IBA decision to disqualify the boxers last year was arbitrary and the main cause for the furore that has seen people like J&nbsp;K&nbsp;Rowling and Elon Musk voice their opposition to them competing in the Games.

Following Khelif's quick win on Thursday that had drawn the ire of Italian Primer Minister Giorgia Meloni, who said it was not a fight among equals given the Algerian's physical advantage, hundreds of media had gathered for Lin's fight.

But the Uzbek was not prepared to be easy prey to her opponent, only narrowly losing the first round and with one of judges even scoring the round in her favour.

The taller Lin, however, was never really threatened, and landed a big right in the second round that rattled Turdibekova.&nbsp;

With chants of "Uzbekistan" echoing through the North Paris Arena the Uzbek fighter tried to come back in the third but it was Lin who had the upper hand and got her Games' opening win.

Both fighters refused to talk to the press following their bout with the Uzbek passing past reporters in tears.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Taiwan's double world champion Lin Yu-ting, one of two boxers at the heart of a gender row, won her featherweight round of 16 bout against Uzbekistan's Sidora Turdibekova on points by unanimous decision at the Paris Olympics on Friday.

Taiwan's double world champion Lin Yu-ting, one of two boxers at the heart of a gender row, won her featherweight round of 16 bout against Uzbekistan's Sidora Turdibekova on points by unanimous decision at the Paris Olympics on Friday. The 28-year-old Taiwanese, along with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif who won her round of 16 welterweight fight on Thursday against Italy's Angela Cariniin 46 seconds, have been in the spotlight of the gender row after being cleared to compete in the Olympics. Both had been disqualified at the 2023 World Championships after failing International Boxing Association eligibility rules that prevent athletes with male XY chromosomes competing in women's events. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: India beat Australia for first time in 52 years in men's hockey, finish second in Group B The boxing competition in Paris is run by the International Olympic Committee after it stripped the IBA's international recognition in 2023 over governance and finance issues, and the IOC has said the women have every right to compete in Paris. The IOC said the IBA decision to disqualify the boxers last year was arbitrary and the main cause for the furore that has seen people like J K Rowling and Elon Musk voice their opposition to them competing in the Games. Following Khelif's quick win on Thursday that had drawn the ire of Italian Primer Minister Giorgia Meloni, who said it was not a fight among equals given the Algerian's physical advantage, hundreds of media had gathered for Lin's fight. But the Uzbek was not prepared to be easy prey to her opponent, only narrowly losing the first round and with one of judges even scoring the round in her favour. The taller Lin, however, was never really threatened, and landed a big right in the second round that rattled Turdibekova. With chants of "Uzbekistan" echoing through the North Paris Arena the Uzbek fighter tried to come back in the third but it was Lin who had the upper hand and got her Games' opening win. Both fighters refused to talk to the press following their bout with the Uzbek passing past reporters in tears. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Taiwan boxer Lin Yu-ting's pre-quarter win ignites gender row talks

India’s men’s hockey team had their ‘Chak de moment’ at the Paris Olympics 2024 after&nbsp;they beat Australia (3-2) for the first time in 52 years in the Summer Games. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace, including the second and the third goal, to lead India to a second-place finish in their Group B with ten points from five contested matches.&nbsp;

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A 3-2 win to end our 52 year wait as we beat Australia for the first time since 1972 at the Olympics in Hockey. A spectacular match with an all round team effort! 
With the group stage matches done and having qualified, we will next be in action in the Quarter Finals on the 4th… <a href="https://t.co/OiHF7kiWsP">pic.twitter.com/OiHF7kiWsP</a>
— Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreTeamIndia/status/1819361580381098258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Team India’s last win over the mighty Aussies came during the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 – more than half a century ago.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-ankita-dhiraj-crash-out-in-semis-as-indian-archers-fail-to-qualify-for-gold-medal-match-746639">Paris Olympics 2024: Ankita, Dhiraj crash out in semis as Indian archers fail to qualify for gold medal match</a>

India, 7, opened the account with a goal in the 12th minute via Abhishek, while Harmanpreet was on the score sheet in the next minute from the penalty corner to give his team a massive 2-0 lead.

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Stop everything! Watch Harmanpreet Singh's penalty corner magic! 
 
India 2-0 against Australia, Watch 🇮🇳 🆚 🇦🇺 LIVE NOW on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sports18</a> &amp; stream FREE on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinema</a><a href="https://t.co/gSEsPeomjp">https://t.co/gSEsPeomjp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympicsOnJioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympicsOnJioCinema</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympicsOnSports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympicsOnSports18</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinemaSports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinemaSports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cheer4Bharat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cheer4Bharat</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hockey</a> <a href="https://t.co/dRrpE0IjUb">pic.twitter.com/dRrpE0IjUb</a>
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Though India maintained their momentum for some time, Australia cracked open it with a goal in the 25th minute through Thomas Craig.&nbsp;

Veteran keeper PR Sreejesh made some stunning saves in the second half; however, the Aussies didn’t drop their guard and came back stronger after Harmanpreet made it 3-1 (via penalty shot in the 33rd minute) with a goal in the 55th minute. Blake Glovers made the most of his chance as Australia fought back in the game.

Abhishek got another massive chance in the final quarter but failed to convert it as India finished with three crucial points to stay ahead of Australia in the Group Standings.&nbsp;

It is also the first time India has beaten Australia on turf in men’s hockey.

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The last time the Indian Hockey team beat Australia at the Olympics was 5️⃣2️⃣ years ago! 🤯 
 
Catch all the action from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sports18</a>, plus stream for FREE on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinema</a>! 👈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympicsOnJioCinema?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympicsOnJioCinema</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympicsOnSports18?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympicsOnSports18</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JioCinemaSports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JioCinemaSports</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cheer4Bharat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cheer4Bharat</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hockey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZAzc6gJh6c">pic.twitter.com/ZAzc6gJh6c</a>
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Meanwhile, India finished Group B with three wins, a loss against the defending champions Belgium and a draw against heavyweights Argentina.&nbsp;

The Men in Blue will play their quarterfinal clash on Sunday (August 4).

Table-toppers Belgium will top Group B irrespective of their result against Argentina later on Friday.

(With inputs from agencies)

India’s men’s hockey team had their ‘Chak de moment’ at the Paris Olympics 2024 after they beat Australia (3-2) for the first time in 52 years in the Summer Games.

India’s men’s hockey team had their ‘Chak de moment’ at the Paris Olympics 2024 after they beat Australia (3-2) for the first time in 52 years in the Summer Games. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored a brace, including the second and the third goal, to lead India to a second-place finish in their Group B with ten points from five contested matches. A 3-2 win to end our 52 year wait as we beat Australia for the first time since 1972 at the Olympics in Hockey. A spectacular match with an all round team effort! With the group stage matches done and having qualified, we will next be in action in the Quarter Finals on the 4th… pic.twitter.com/OiHF7kiWsP — Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) August 2, 2024 × Team India’s last win over the mighty Aussies came during the Munich Olympic Games in 1972 – more than half a century ago. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: Ankita, Dhiraj crash out in semis as Indian archers fail to qualify for gold medal match India, 7, opened the account with a goal in the 12th minute via Abhishek, while Harmanpreet was on the score sheet in the next minute from the penalty corner to give his team a massive 2-0 lead. Stop everything! Watch Harmanpreet Singh's penalty corner magic! India 2-0 against Australia, Watch 🇮🇳 🆚 🇦🇺 LIVE NOW on #Sports18 & stream FREE on #JioCinemahttps://t.co/gSEsPeomjp #OlympicsOnJioCinema #OlympicsOnSports18 #JioCinemaSports #Cheer4Bharat #Hockey pic.twitter.com/dRrpE0IjUb — JioCinema (@JioCinema) August 2, 2024 × Though India maintained their momentum for some time, Australia cracked open it with a goal in the 25th minute through Thomas Craig. Veteran keeper PR Sreejesh made some stunning saves in the second half; however, the Aussies didn’t drop their guard and came back stronger after Harmanpreet made it 3-1 (via penalty shot in the 33rd minute) with a goal in the 55th minute. Blake Glovers made the most of his chance as Australia fought back in the game. Abhishek got another massive chance in the final quarter but failed to convert it as India finished with three crucial points to stay ahead of Australia in the Group Standings. It is also the first time India has beaten Australia on turf in men’s hockey. The last time the Indian Hockey team beat Australia at the Olympics was 5️⃣2️⃣ years ago! 🤯 Catch all the action from #Paris2024 on #Sports18, plus stream for FREE on #JioCinema! 👈#OlympicsOnJioCinema #OlympicsOnSports18 #JioCinemaSports #Cheer4Bharat #Hockey #Olympics pic.twitter.com/ZAzc6gJh6c — JioCinema (@JioCinema) August 2, 2024 × Meanwhile, India finished Group B with three wins, a loss against the defending champions Belgium and a draw against heavyweights Argentina. The Men in Blue will play their quarterfinal clash on Sunday (August 4). Table-toppers Belgium will top Group B irrespective of their result against Argentina later on Friday. (With inputs from agencies)

Paris Olympics 2024: India beat Australia for first time in 52 years in men's hockey, finish second in Group B

Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to reach the Olympic Games men's tennis final on Friday when he thrashed Felix Auger-Aliassime.&nbsp;

Alcaraz, 21, swept to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over the Canadian in just 75 minutes and will meet Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final if the top-seeded Serb overcomes a knee injury and Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the second semi-final.&nbsp;

"It has been an objective since the start of the year to try and win the gold medal and now we have one match left to try and get it done," said Alcaraz.&nbsp;

"I want to have fun in the final and do the business."&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-pv-sindhu-clears-air-on-future-after-paris-olympics-exit-calls-r16-loss-%E2%80%98hardest-of-her-career%E2%80%99-746613">PV Sindhu clears air on future after Paris Olympics exit, calls R16 loss ‘hardest of her career’</a>

Spanish star Alcaraz, playing on the same Roland Garros court where he won the French Open in June, broke the 19th-ranked Auger-Aliassime three times in the first set, racing away with six consecutive games.&nbsp;

Alcaraz broke again in the fourth and sixth games of the second set on his way to claiming a fourth successive win over the Canadian having lost the first three of the pair's series.&nbsp;

"It was a very complete performance and I played at a very high level from start to finish," said Alcaraz.&nbsp;

"I had very good feelings and sensations, I'm so happy."&nbsp;

He added: "The final is very important for me and the Spanish people but I try not to think about how important it is and will focus on the match."&nbsp;

Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is the third Spanish man to reach the Olympic men's final after Jordi Arrese at Barcelona in 1992, Sergi Bruguera in Atlanta four years later and Rafael Nadal who won gold at Beijing in 2008.

He now has the chance to become the youngest men's champion since tennis returned to the Olympics at&nbsp;Seoul in 1988.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to reach the Olympic Games men's tennis final on Friday when he thrashed Felix Auger-Aliassime. Alcaraz, 21, swept to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over the Canadian in just 75 minutes and will meet Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final if the top-seeded Serb overcomes a knee injury and Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the second semi-final.

Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to reach the Olympic Games men's tennis final on Friday when he thrashed Felix Auger-Aliassime. Alcaraz, 21, swept to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over the Canadian in just 75 minutes and will meet Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final if the top-seeded Serb overcomes a knee injury and Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the second semi-final. "It has been an objective since the start of the year to try and win the gold medal and now we have one match left to try and get it done," said Alcaraz. "I want to have fun in the final and do the business." ALSO READ: PV Sindhu clears air on future after Paris Olympics exit, calls R16 loss ‘hardest of her career’ Spanish star Alcaraz, playing on the same Roland Garros court where he won the French Open in June, broke the 19th-ranked Auger-Aliassime three times in the first set, racing away with six consecutive games. Alcaraz broke again in the fourth and sixth games of the second set on his way to claiming a fourth successive win over the Canadian having lost the first three of the pair's series. "It was a very complete performance and I played at a very high level from start to finish," said Alcaraz. "I had very good feelings and sensations, I'm so happy." He added: "The final is very important for me and the Spanish people but I try not to think about how important it is and will focus on the match." Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is the third Spanish man to reach the Olympic men's final after Jordi Arrese at Barcelona in 1992, Sergi Bruguera in Atlanta four years later and Rafael Nadal who won gold at Beijing in 2008. He now has the chance to become the youngest men's champion since tennis returned to the Olympics at Seoul in 1988. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz creates history in thumping semis win over Felix Auger-Aliassime

For the first time in her Olympic career, ace India shuttler PV Sindhu returned home without a medal. Having already won two in the past two editions (bronze in Tokyo 2020 and silver in Rio 2016), Sindhu suffered a shocking defeat in the pre-quarters at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, going down in straight games (21-19, 21-14) to China’s He Bingjiao.

With her exit, India’s hopes of clinching a medal in the women’s singles came down crashing; however, Sindhu is not ending her glorious&nbsp;career here, as she vows to return but after a ‘much-needed’ break.

Reflecting on a painful and the ‘hardest loss of her career’, Sindhu took to the social media platform X, clearing the air on her future.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-reliving-andy-murrays-glorious-career-highs-post-retirement-following-paris-olympics-exit-746466">Reliving Andy Murray's glorious career highs post retirement following Paris Olympics exit</a>

"Paris 2024: A Beautiful Journey but a Difficult Loss. This loss is one of the hardest of my career. It will take time to accept, but as life moves forward, I know I will come to terms with it," Sindhu wrote in her post on X.

Meanwhile, Sindhu entered this sporting spectacle overcoming a couple of tough years, where several injuries kept her grounded; however, despite all the challenges, she stood tall and made it to the R16 at her third straight Olympic Games.&nbsp;

She feels grateful for doing what she loves and takes immense pride in inspiring a generation watching her play at the Summer Games.

"The journey to Paris 2024 was a battle, marked by two years of injuries and long periods away from the game. Despite these challenges, standing here and representing my wonderful country at a third Olympics makes me feel truly blessed," Sindhu said.

"I'm incredibly fortunate to compete at this level and, even more importantly, to inspire a generation. Your messages have been a tremendous source of comfort during this time. My team and I gave everything we had for Paris 2024, leaving it all on the court with no regrets.

"Regarding my future, I want to be clear: I will continue, albeit after a small break. My body, and more importantly, my mind need it. However, I plan to carefully evaluate the journey ahead, finding more joy in playing the sport I love so very much,” she noted.

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Paris 2024: A Beautiful Journey but a Difficult Loss ❤️ 
 
This loss is one of the hardest of my career. It will take time to accept, but as life moves forward, I know I will come to terms with it. 
 
The journey to Paris 2024 was a battle, marked by two years of injuries and long… <a href="https://t.co/IKAKu0dOk5">pic.twitter.com/IKAKu0dOk5</a>
— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pvsindhu1/status/1819307459191656655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Sindhu’s tough run</h2>

After winning the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022, Sindhu suffered a knee injury a week later, which kept her away from competitive badminton for several months.&nbsp;

She then failed to reach a tournament final for over a year before she ended her dry run at the Malaysian Open early in 2024.

Meanwhile, at the LA28 Summer Games, Sindhu will be 33.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

For the first time in her Olympic career, ace India shuttler PV Sindhu returned home without a medal. Having already won two in the past two editions (bronze in Tokyo 2020 and silver in Rio 2016), Sindhu suffered a shocking defeat in the pre-quarters at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, going down in straight games (21-19, 21-14) to China’s He Bingjiao.

For the first time in her Olympic career, ace India shuttler PV Sindhu returned home without a medal. Having already won two in the past two editions (bronze in Tokyo 2020 and silver in Rio 2016), Sindhu suffered a shocking defeat in the pre-quarters at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, going down in straight games (21-19, 21-14) to China’s He Bingjiao. With her exit, India’s hopes of clinching a medal in the women’s singles came down crashing; however, Sindhu is not ending her glorious career here, as she vows to return but after a ‘much-needed’ break. Reflecting on a painful and the ‘hardest loss of her career’, Sindhu took to the social media platform X, clearing the air on her future. ALSO READ: Reliving Andy Murray's glorious career highs post retirement following Paris Olympics exit "Paris 2024: A Beautiful Journey but a Difficult Loss. This loss is one of the hardest of my career. It will take time to accept, but as life moves forward, I know I will come to terms with it," Sindhu wrote in her post on X. Meanwhile, Sindhu entered this sporting spectacle overcoming a couple of tough years, where several injuries kept her grounded; however, despite all the challenges, she stood tall and made it to the R16 at her third straight Olympic Games. She feels grateful for doing what she loves and takes immense pride in inspiring a generation watching her play at the Summer Games. "The journey to Paris 2024 was a battle, marked by two years of injuries and long periods away from the game. Despite these challenges, standing here and representing my wonderful country at a third Olympics makes me feel truly blessed," Sindhu said. "I'm incredibly fortunate to compete at this level and, even more importantly, to inspire a generation. Your messages have been a tremendous source of comfort during this time. My team and I gave everything we had for Paris 2024, leaving it all on the court with no regrets. "Regarding my future, I want to be clear: I will continue, albeit after a small break. My body, and more importantly, my mind need it. However, I plan to carefully evaluate the journey ahead, finding more joy in playing the sport I love so very much,” she noted. Paris 2024: A Beautiful Journey but a Difficult Loss ❤️ This loss is one of the hardest of my career. It will take time to accept, but as life moves forward, I know I will come to terms with it. The journey to Paris 2024 was a battle, marked by two years of injuries and long… pic.twitter.com/IKAKu0dOk5 — Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) August 2, 2024 × Sindhu’s tough run After winning the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022, Sindhu suffered a knee injury a week later, which kept her away from competitive badminton for several months. She then failed to reach a tournament final for over a year before she ended her dry run at the Malaysian Open early in 2024. Meanwhile, at the LA28 Summer Games, Sindhu will be 33. (With inputs from agencies)

PV Sindhu clears air on future after Paris Olympics exit, calls R16 loss ‘hardest of her career’

France's Leon Marchand produced a dazzling double gold-medal winning performance to electrify the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, powering to victories in the 200m breaststroke and 200m butterfly to send the host nation into ecstatic celebrations.

The 22-year-old bagged his first gold of the night after summoning a lung-bursting late charge to claim the 200m fly, and then just under two hours later showed incredible reserves of stamina to motor home in the 200m breaststroke.

The back-to-back golds made Marchand -- who won gold in the 400 individual medley earlier in the Games -- the first swimmer to win the 200 fly and breaststroke in the same Olympics.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-netizens-in-frenzy-over-turkish-shooters-non-gear-swagger-act-dub-him-as-hitman-746139">Paris Olympics: Netizens in frenzy over Turkish shooter's non-gear, swagger act; dub him as 'hitman'</a>

The five-time world champion, little known outside the world of swimming before the Olympics, has become a national hero in the space of a week with his trio of golds.

"I've fulfilled a lot of dreams since I've been here. Doing this double was something I felt I could do. But to really do it, that's something else," he said. "Of course, I had a lot of doubts. Because everyone told me it wasn't possible," he said of the unprecedented double.

While the 15,000 crowd at the La Defense Arena belted out a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise during the medal ceremonies, a smiling Marchand looked calm as he soaked up the adulation.

"I'm just trying to keep going. I really enjoyed every moment of those two finals. It was really amazing for me to swim those," he said, after dethroning two defending champions.

<h2>'Tonight was amazing'</h2>

For as powerful, focused and technically gifted as he is when racing, the prodigy from Toulouse is a relaxed, chilled, individual out of the pool, a winning combination that has earned him the hearts of a nation.

In the breaststroke, the 22-year-old touched the wall in a time of 2min 5.85sec, a new Olympic record and the second fastest time of all-time.

Australia's Zac Stubblety-Cook, the defending champion from Tokyo, finished with silver 0.94 seconds behind with Caspar Corbeau of the Netherlands claiming bronze.

Remarkably the race was the first time Marchand has swum the 200 breaststroke in a major international competition but in his current form and with a deafening home crowd behind him, there was simply no stopping him as he led from start to finish.

But it was his astonishing victory in the butterfly which will live longest in the memory.

World record holder and defending champion Kristof Milak of Hungary led until the final lap when Marchand hunted him down.

The Frenchman produced a perfect turn, coming out of it with the momentum he needed to catch Milak and he did just that -- the moment he passed the Hungarian, midway through the final greeted with a guttural roar from the crowd.

Milak had no answer and the arena was on its feet as Marchand finished with a new Olympic record time of 1min 51.21sec.

"The 200 butterfly was crazy. I had a really good race strategy. I managed to stay fairly close to the favourite and I really managed to catch him...with the pool on fire. It was pretty crazy to experience that as a French swimmer. I'm so happy," he said.

Could he really follow up all that exertion with another individual medal later in the same evening?

Marchand is trained by Michael Phelps' former coach Bob Bowman and not even his former charge had managed this particular double gold haul in the same Games.

Nothing seems to faze France's newest sporting superstar though as he raced to victory with not the slightest sign of fatigue.

"It's wonderful. That tonight was amazing. It's a night he'll never forget," said a purring Bowman. "The way he handled it. His attitude about it was amazing. The way that he put different parts of it and lands how to swim each race were just exactly why I'm so proud," he added.

Marchand could add further to his historic Olympic performance when he competes in the 200m individual medley starting Thursday.

Even amidst the joy of his remarkable triumphs, Marchand's thoughts were turning to that next challenge.

"Now I'm going to have to realise what happened, appreciate every moment -- and above all, refocus for the 200 IM."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

France's Leon Marchand produced a dazzling double gold-medal winning performance to electrify the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, powering to victories in the 200m breaststroke and 200m butterfly to send the host nation into ecstatic celebrations.

France's Leon Marchand produced a dazzling double gold-medal winning performance to electrify the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, powering to victories in the 200m breaststroke and 200m butterfly to send the host nation into ecstatic celebrations. The 22-year-old bagged his first gold of the night after summoning a lung-bursting late charge to claim the 200m fly, and then just under two hours later showed incredible reserves of stamina to motor home in the 200m breaststroke. The back-to-back golds made Marchand -- who won gold in the 400 individual medley earlier in the Games -- the first swimmer to win the 200 fly and breaststroke in the same Olympics. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics: Netizens in frenzy over Turkish shooter's non-gear, swagger act; dub him as 'hitman' The five-time world champion, little known outside the world of swimming before the Olympics, has become a national hero in the space of a week with his trio of golds. "I've fulfilled a lot of dreams since I've been here. Doing this double was something I felt I could do. But to really do it, that's something else," he said. "Of course, I had a lot of doubts. Because everyone told me it wasn't possible," he said of the unprecedented double. While the 15,000 crowd at the La Defense Arena belted out a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise during the medal ceremonies, a smiling Marchand looked calm as he soaked up the adulation. "I'm just trying to keep going. I really enjoyed every moment of those two finals. It was really amazing for me to swim those," he said, after dethroning two defending champions. 'Tonight was amazing' For as powerful, focused and technically gifted as he is when racing, the prodigy from Toulouse is a relaxed, chilled, individual out of the pool, a winning combination that has earned him the hearts of a nation. In the breaststroke, the 22-year-old touched the wall in a time of 2min 5.85sec, a new Olympic record and the second fastest time of all-time. Australia's Zac Stubblety-Cook, the defending champion from Tokyo, finished with silver 0.94 seconds behind with Caspar Corbeau of the Netherlands claiming bronze. Remarkably the race was the first time Marchand has swum the 200 breaststroke in a major international competition but in his current form and with a deafening home crowd behind him, there was simply no stopping him as he led from start to finish. But it was his astonishing victory in the butterfly which will live longest in the memory. World record holder and defending champion Kristof Milak of Hungary led until the final lap when Marchand hunted him down. The Frenchman produced a perfect turn, coming out of it with the momentum he needed to catch Milak and he did just that -- the moment he passed the Hungarian, midway through the final greeted with a guttural roar from the crowd. Milak had no answer and the arena was on its feet as Marchand finished with a new Olympic record time of 1min 51.21sec. "The 200 butterfly was crazy. I had a really good race strategy. I managed to stay fairly close to the favourite and I really managed to catch him...with the pool on fire. It was pretty crazy to experience that as a French swimmer. I'm so happy," he said. Could he really follow up all that exertion with another individual medal later in the same evening? Marchand is trained by Michael Phelps' former coach Bob Bowman and not even his former charge had managed this particular double gold haul in the same Games. Nothing seems to faze France's newest sporting superstar though as he raced to victory with not the slightest sign of fatigue. "It's wonderful. That tonight was amazing. It's a night he'll never forget," said a purring Bowman. "The way he handled it. His attitude about it was amazing. The way that he put different parts of it and lands how to swim each race were just exactly why I'm so proud," he added. Marchand could add further to his historic Olympic performance when he competes in the 200m individual medley starting Thursday. Even amidst the joy of his remarkable triumphs, Marchand's thoughts were turning to that next challenge. "Now I'm going to have to realise what happened, appreciate every moment -- and above all, refocus for the 200 IM." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Swim hero Leon Marchand creates history with two gold medal wins on single day

It’s only Day 6 at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, and a few things have begun taking uglier turns. Shockingly, a women’s Boxing match (in the 66 kg category) between Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who failed a sex test at last year’s World Championships, and Italy’s Angela Carini ended in absolute disgrace.

Khelif's one punch almost broke Carini's nose, with the Italian later admitting to 'never been hit that hard before'. Not only did she decide against continuing, but she also broke down into tears after the result declaration.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) faced severe criticism for their failure to ensure fairness in an Olympic sport, with questions raised over a female boxer facing an opponent whose matter of sexuality is under dispute.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gender-row-hits-paris-olympics-after-algeria-boxer-wins-bout-in-46-seconds-italian-pm-hits-back-746343">Gender row hits Paris Olympics after Algeria boxer wins bout in 46 seconds; Italian PM hits back</a>

Earlier, Khelif was banned from competing in a gold medal match in Delhi by the International Boxing Association for failing biochemical tests for two straight years; despite that, the IOC cleared Khelif to compete at the Paris Games.

Such was the difference between the two athletes that just one punch from Khelif broke Carini’s nose, after which she immediately signalled at her corner to abandon right away.

It only took 46 seconds before the referee declared Khelif the winner, and social media went into a frenzy, with celebrities and journalists worldwide bashing this outrageous result, with many calling it a ‘scandal’.

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The Olympics allowed a biological man, Imane Khelif, to fight as a woman despite his XY chromosomes. The end result? 
 
“I have never been hit so hard in my life.” 
 
Italian Olympian Angela Carini lasted 46 seconds before quitting due to how painful it was. It’s just shameful that… <a href="https://t.co/OWhKggM7qe">pic.twitter.com/OWhKggM7qe</a>
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Algeria‘s biological man Imane Khelif has beat Italy’s Angela Carini after only 45 sec in 66 kg boxing preliminaries at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a>. 
What a disgrace! 
What about the rights of biological female athletes? 
Where are all the feminists when you need them?<a href="https://t.co/KOV9rLKZ2K">pic.twitter.com/KOV9rLKZ2K</a>
— Velina Tchakarova (@vtchakarova) <a href="https://twitter.com/vtchakarova/status/1818966029558513926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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This is Angela Carini. 
 
Today she had her Olympic dreams crushed after being beaten by a MALE during a WOMENS boxing match. 
 
This is the daily reality for female athletes across the world, as they are forced to compete against trans men in the name of ‘Diversity and Inclusion.’ <a href="https://t.co/I8KkIgOeOW">pic.twitter.com/I8KkIgOeOW</a>
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/OliLondonTV/status/1818990048479473694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Algeria's Imane Khelif is a biological male. He was disqualified from World Championships for possessing XY chromosomes. But the IOC admitted him. Here he lands horrific blows on Italy's Angela Carini. Bout lasted 46 seconds. 
 
Angela said this is unfair. Wrong. This is criminal. <a href="https://t.co/u662hjyocx">pic.twitter.com/u662hjyocx</a>
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) <a href="https://twitter.com/ARanganathan72/status/1819005487184326659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Algeria's Imane Khelif is a biological male. He was disqualified from World Championships for possessing XY chromosomes. But the IOC admitted him. Here he lands horrific blows on Italy's Angela Carini. Bout lasted 46 seconds. 
 
Angela said this is unfair. Wrong. This is criminal. <a href="https://t.co/u662hjyocx">pic.twitter.com/u662hjyocx</a>
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) <a href="https://twitter.com/ARanganathan72/status/1819005487184326659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Algeria's Imane Khelif is a biological male. He was disqualified from World Championships for possessing XY chromosomes. But the IOC admitted him. Here he lands horrific blows on Italy's Angela Carini. Bout lasted 46 seconds. 
 
Angela said this is unfair. Wrong. This is criminal. <a href="https://t.co/u662hjyocx">pic.twitter.com/u662hjyocx</a>
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) <a href="https://twitter.com/ARanganathan72/status/1819005487184326659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)

It’s only Day 6 at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, and a few things have begun taking uglier turns. Shockingly, a women’s Boxing match (in the 66 kg category) between Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who failed a sex test at last year’s World Championships, and Italy’s Angela Carini ended in absolute disgrace.

It’s only Day 6 at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, and a few things have begun taking uglier turns. Shockingly, a women’s Boxing match (in the 66 kg category) between Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who failed a sex test at last year’s World Championships, and Italy’s Angela Carini ended in absolute disgrace. Khelif's one punch almost broke Carini's nose, with the Italian later admitting to 'never been hit that hard before'. Not only did she decide against continuing, but she also broke down into tears after the result declaration. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) faced severe criticism for their failure to ensure fairness in an Olympic sport, with questions raised over a female boxer facing an opponent whose matter of sexuality is under dispute. ALSO READ: Gender row hits Paris Olympics after Algeria boxer wins bout in 46 seconds; Italian PM hits back Earlier, Khelif was banned from competing in a gold medal match in Delhi by the International Boxing Association for failing biochemical tests for two straight years; despite that, the IOC cleared Khelif to compete at the Paris Games. Such was the difference between the two athletes that just one punch from Khelif broke Carini’s nose, after which she immediately signalled at her corner to abandon right away. It only took 46 seconds before the referee declared Khelif the winner, and social media went into a frenzy, with celebrities and journalists worldwide bashing this outrageous result, with many calling it a ‘scandal’. The Olympics allowed a biological man, Imane Khelif, to fight as a woman despite his XY chromosomes. The end result? “I have never been hit so hard in my life.” Italian Olympian Angela Carini lasted 46 seconds before quitting due to how painful it was. It’s just shameful that… pic.twitter.com/OWhKggM7qe — Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 1, 2024 × Algeria‘s biological man Imane Khelif has beat Italy’s Angela Carini after only 45 sec in 66 kg boxing preliminaries at the #Olympics. What a disgrace! What about the rights of biological female athletes? Where are all the feminists when you need them?pic.twitter.com/KOV9rLKZ2K — Velina Tchakarova (@vtchakarova) August 1, 2024 × This is Angela Carini. Today she had her Olympic dreams crushed after being beaten by a MALE during a WOMENS boxing match. This is the daily reality for female athletes across the world, as they are forced to compete against trans men in the name of ‘Diversity and Inclusion.’ pic.twitter.com/I8KkIgOeOW — Oli London (@OliLondonTV) August 1, 2024 × Algeria's Imane Khelif is a biological male. He was disqualified from World Championships for possessing XY chromosomes. But the IOC admitted him. Here he lands horrific blows on Italy's Angela Carini. Bout lasted 46 seconds. Angela said this is unfair. Wrong. This is criminal. pic.twitter.com/u662hjyocx — Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) August 1, 2024 × Algeria's Imane Khelif is a biological male. He was disqualified from World Championships for possessing XY chromosomes. But the IOC admitted him. Here he lands horrific blows on Italy's Angela Carini. Bout lasted 46 seconds. Angela said this is unfair. Wrong. This is criminal. pic.twitter.com/u662hjyocx — Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) August 1, 2024 × Algeria's Imane Khelif is a biological male. He was disqualified from World Championships for possessing XY chromosomes. But the IOC admitted him. Here he lands horrific blows on Italy's Angela Carini. Bout lasted 46 seconds. Angela said this is unfair. Wrong. This is criminal. pic.twitter.com/u662hjyocx — Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) August 1, 2024 × (With inputs from agencies)

Paris Olympics 2024: Social media in shock as Angela Carini breaks down after ‘disgraceful’ Wo-MEN’s bout

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who failed a gender eligibility test last year, pummelled her Italian opponent in 46 seconds at the Paris Olympics on Thursday as the controversy threatened to overshadow the sixth day of the Games.&nbsp;It will also renew the debate about the inclusion of competitors in other sports at the Olympics and beyond who have undergone similar eligibility testing.

A distraught and hurt Angela Carini shrugged off attempts by Khelif to shake her hand afterwards and the Italian collapsed to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably in the middle of the ring.

Khelif advanced to the quarter-finals of the women's 66kg category after unloading two strong punches on Carini, who had blood on her shorts and was unable to carry on because of a badly hurt nose.

The one-sided bout sparked an immediate reaction from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who said the fight was "not on an equal footing".

"I have a big pain in my nose and I said, 'Stop'. It's better to avoid keeping going. My nose started dripping (with blood) from the first hit," said the distressed Carini, who also broke down in tears when talking to reporters.

The 25-year-old sobbed: "I fought very often in the national team. I train with my brother. I've always fought against men, but I felt too much pain today."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-satwik-chirag-miss-out-on-medal-as-indian-pairing-bows-out-in-qf-746291">Paris Olympics 2024: Satwik-Chirag miss out on medal as Indian pairing bows out in QF</a>

Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, who fights on Friday at 57kg, were disqualified from the world championships last year but deemed eligible to box in the women's competition in Paris.

The IOC website for accredited media in Paris said that the 25-year-old Khelif was disqualified after "elevated levels of testosterone failed to meet the eligibility criteria".&nbsp;

Both boxed in the women's event at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

"I do not agree with the IOC," said Meloni, during a meeting with Italian athletes in Paris. "I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women's competitions."

Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, wrote on X that Carini "and other female athletes should not have been exposed to this physical and psychological violence based on their sex".

Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the 2023 world championships in New Delhi, which was run by the International Boxing Association (IBA).

Lin was stripped of her bronze medal after undergoing "biochemical" tests mandated by the IBA.

However, the International Olympic Committee is running the boxing in the French capital because of governance, financial, and ethical issues at the IBA.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters this week: "Everyone competing in the women's category... is complying with competition eligibility rules.

"They are women in their passports, and it's stated in there that they are female."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who failed a gender eligibility test last year, pummelled her Italian opponent in 46 seconds at the Paris Olympics on Thursday as the controversy threatened to overshadow the sixth day of the Games.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who failed a gender eligibility test last year, pummelled her Italian opponent in 46 seconds at the Paris Olympics on Thursday as the controversy threatened to overshadow the sixth day of the Games. It will also renew the debate about the inclusion of competitors in other sports at the Olympics and beyond who have undergone similar eligibility testing. A distraught and hurt Angela Carini shrugged off attempts by Khelif to shake her hand afterwards and the Italian collapsed to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably in the middle of the ring. Khelif advanced to the quarter-finals of the women's 66kg category after unloading two strong punches on Carini, who had blood on her shorts and was unable to carry on because of a badly hurt nose. The one-sided bout sparked an immediate reaction from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who said the fight was "not on an equal footing". "I have a big pain in my nose and I said, 'Stop'. It's better to avoid keeping going. My nose started dripping (with blood) from the first hit," said the distressed Carini, who also broke down in tears when talking to reporters. The 25-year-old sobbed: "I fought very often in the national team. I train with my brother. I've always fought against men, but I felt too much pain today." ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: Satwik-Chirag miss out on medal as Indian pairing bows out in QF Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, who fights on Friday at 57kg, were disqualified from the world championships last year but deemed eligible to box in the women's competition in Paris. The IOC website for accredited media in Paris said that the 25-year-old Khelif was disqualified after "elevated levels of testosterone failed to meet the eligibility criteria". Both boxed in the women's event at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago. "I do not agree with the IOC," said Meloni, during a meeting with Italian athletes in Paris. "I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women's competitions." Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, wrote on X that Carini "and other female athletes should not have been exposed to this physical and psychological violence based on their sex". Khelif and Lin were disqualified from the 2023 world championships in New Delhi, which was run by the International Boxing Association (IBA). Lin was stripped of her bronze medal after undergoing "biochemical" tests mandated by the IBA. However, the International Olympic Committee is running the boxing in the French capital because of governance, financial, and ethical issues at the IBA. IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters this week: "Everyone competing in the women's category... is complying with competition eligibility rules. "They are women in their passports, and it's stated in there that they are female." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Gender row hits Paris Olympics after Algeria boxer wins bout in 46 seconds; Italian PM hits back

Swapnil Kusale is the latest Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal at the Paris Games 2024. In the Men’s 50m air rifle 3 positions event final, Swapnil stood third with a score of 451.4. He became the third Indian, after ace shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh, to bag a bronze medal in Shooting at the 2024 Olympics.

Although Swapnil began positively during the finale, he ended up in the sixth position with a score of 153.3 after the first stage – the kneeling stage.&nbsp;

He upped his game in the second stage – the prone stage, where he climbed one spot to the fifth position with a score of 310.1. At that stage, a tiny margin of 0.6 separated him and third-placed Ukraine’s Kulish.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-2024-swapnil-kusale-wins-third-medal-for-india-in-50m-rifle-3-positions-746203">Paris Olympics 2024: Swapnil Kusale wins bronze medal in Men's 50m Rifle 3 Position event</a>

However, during the standing stage, the final one, Swapnil displayed his best game, scoring 51.1 to get into the medal tally rankings. His final four shots of 10.5, 9.4, 9.9 and 10.0 ensured he stayed ahead of Czech Republic’s Jiri Privratsky, finishing third and winning the bronze medal for his country.

Meanwhile, from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country's first individual gold medal winner, Abhinav Bindra, everyone congratulated Swapnil for this historic feat.&nbsp;

Check out the posts -&nbsp;

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Exceptional performance by Swapnil Kusale! Congrats to him for winning the Bronze medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParisOlympics2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParisOlympics2024</a>. 
 
His performance is special because he’s shown great resilience and skills. He is also the first Indian athlete to win a medal in… <a href="https://t.co/9zvCQBr29y">pic.twitter.com/9zvCQBr29y</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1818929861135573032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST SWAPNIL KUSALE. What an incredible performance. Consistent from start to end bringing us our 3rd Bronze Medal in shooting and at <a href="https://twitter.com/Paris2024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@paris2024</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JeetKaJashn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JeetKaJashn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cheer4Bharat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cheer4Bharat</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaAtParis24?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaAtParis24</a> <a href="https://t.co/57B0bYCyRb">pic.twitter.com/57B0bYCyRb</a>
— Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeAreTeamIndia/status/1818925390125027721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Many congratulations to Swapnil Kusale on winning the bronze medal 🥉for India 🇮🇳in men's 50m rifle shooting event in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> 
 
Your precision, focus, and determination have earned you a place on the podium and in our hearts. India is proud of your outstanding… <a href="https://t.co/eC2vE0J4G2">pic.twitter.com/eC2vE0J4G2</a>
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge/status/1818928956206150073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Proud of you, Swapnil Kusale, for winning the bronze medal in the 50 M Rifle 3 Positions Men's Final event at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParisOlympics2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParisOlympics2024</a>. You have set an example of triumph that will inspire millions to take on the challenges in the field of sports. Keep winning and continue to make… <a href="https://t.co/XcqYFillsa">pic.twitter.com/XcqYFillsa</a>
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1818929751391949061?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Absolutely thrilled for Swapnil’s epic bronze medal win in shooting at the Paris Olympics! 🥉 Your hard work, grit, and passion have truly paid off. Competing at the highest level and coming away with a medal in shooting is a testament to your dedication and talent. You’ve made… <a href="https://t.co/7jxchc5WCX">pic.twitter.com/7jxchc5WCX</a>
— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) <a href="https://twitter.com/Abhinav_Bindra/status/1818927054756495705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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More to follow...

Swapnil Kusale is the latest Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal at the Paris Games 2024. In the Men’s 50m air rifle 3 positions event final, Swapnil stood third with a score of 451.

Swapnil Kusale is the latest Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal at the Paris Games 2024. In the Men’s 50m air rifle 3 positions event final, Swapnil stood third with a score of 451.4. He became the third Indian, after ace shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh, to bag a bronze medal in Shooting at the 2024 Olympics. Although Swapnil began positively during the finale, he ended up in the sixth position with a score of 153.3 after the first stage – the kneeling stage. He upped his game in the second stage – the prone stage, where he climbed one spot to the fifth position with a score of 310.1. At that stage, a tiny margin of 0.6 separated him and third-placed Ukraine’s Kulish. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: Swapnil Kusale wins bronze medal in Men's 50m Rifle 3 Position event However, during the standing stage, the final one, Swapnil displayed his best game, scoring 51.1 to get into the medal tally rankings. His final four shots of 10.5, 9.4, 9.9 and 10.0 ensured he stayed ahead of Czech Republic’s Jiri Privratsky, finishing third and winning the bronze medal for his country. Meanwhile, from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country's first individual gold medal winner, Abhinav Bindra, everyone congratulated Swapnil for this historic feat. Check out the posts - Exceptional performance by Swapnil Kusale! Congrats to him for winning the Bronze medal in the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions at the #ParisOlympics2024. His performance is special because he’s shown great resilience and skills. He is also the first Indian athlete to win a medal in… pic.twitter.com/9zvCQBr29y — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 1, 2024 × OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST SWAPNIL KUSALE. What an incredible performance. Consistent from start to end bringing us our 3rd Bronze Medal in shooting and at @paris2024. #JeetKaJashn #Cheer4Bharat #IndiaAtParis24 pic.twitter.com/57B0bYCyRb — Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) August 1, 2024 × Many congratulations to Swapnil Kusale on winning the bronze medal 🥉for India 🇮🇳in men's 50m rifle shooting event in #Paris2024 #Olympics Your precision, focus, and determination have earned you a place on the podium and in our hearts. India is proud of your outstanding… pic.twitter.com/eC2vE0J4G2 — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 1, 2024 × Proud of you, Swapnil Kusale, for winning the bronze medal in the 50 M Rifle 3 Positions Men's Final event at the #ParisOlympics2024. You have set an example of triumph that will inspire millions to take on the challenges in the field of sports. Keep winning and continue to make… pic.twitter.com/XcqYFillsa — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 1, 2024 × Absolutely thrilled for Swapnil’s epic bronze medal win in shooting at the Paris Olympics! 🥉 Your hard work, grit, and passion have truly paid off. Competing at the highest level and coming away with a medal in shooting is a testament to your dedication and talent. You’ve made… pic.twitter.com/7jxchc5WCX — Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) August 1, 2024 × More to follow...

Social media reacts to Swapnil Kusale’s maiden bronze medal win as shooters shine at Paris Olympics 2024

North Korea said they could learn from China after winning their first Olympic medal in eight years on Tuesday in Paris, settling for silver after a mixed-doubles defeat to the table tennis superpower.&nbsp;

China arrived in Paris as the world's undisputed table tennis kings, having won 32 of the 37 available golds since it became an Olympic sport.

They failed to claim the mixed doubles title when it was introduced three years ago in Tokyo but Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha set the record straight with an 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8 win over North Korea's Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong.&nbsp;

It was the first gold of what China hope will be a clean sweep of table tennis in the French capital.

For North Korea, they skipped the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 over coronavirus concerns.&nbsp;

Kim said she and Ri had trained with the Chinese team to prepare for Paris and vowed to come back stronger.&nbsp;

"We had some time with the Chinese team, which is the world's best," said the 22-year-old.&nbsp;

"Of course it wasn't enough in the end. We had a good performance but there are some regrets. We learned a lot from them."

Ri and Kim were on the medals podium with the South Korean duo Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin, who won bronze.&nbsp;

When asked if they saw the South Korean pair as their rivals, Kim and Ri both shook their heads.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-brazil-swimmer-reprimanded-for-breaking-rule-sent-back-home-from-games-know-more-745669">Paris Olympics: Brazil swimmer reprimanded for breaking rule, sent back home from Games | Know More</a>

Kim said they had not yet been able to speak to their family to tell them about the match.

"We hope to do better next time and win the gold," she said.

<h2>- Unknown quantity -</h2>

Wang and Sun have not lost outside China for four years and they are the world's number one-ranked pair.&nbsp;

They had overwhelming support from the red-clad fans inside the standing room-only South Paris Arena, cheering and chanting throughout the match.&nbsp;

But Sun admitted that the element of the unknown made it difficult to face the North Korean pair.

"It's quite rare to have a North Korean pair in international competition," she said.&nbsp;

"We had never played them before. They have strengths and they have been able to beat a lot of opponents.&nbsp;

"They have a distinctive style," she added.

Wang and Sun took control by winning the first game, but North Korea battled back to even things up.

China took the next two games to put themselves on the brink of gold but North Korea again pulled one back to stay in the match.

The Chinese pair closed out the match after a nervy ending, and Sun said losing the inaugural Olympic mixed doubles final to Japan in Tokyo had fuelled their fire.&nbsp;

"All of us were so devoted, we invested a lot," she said.

"Every match we had certain difficulties but we backed each other up and we got to the final and beat such a good team."

(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

North Korea said they could learn from China after winning their first Olympic medal in eight years on Tuesday in Paris, settling for silver after a mixed-doubles defeat to the table tennis superpower.

North Korea said they could learn from China after winning their first Olympic medal in eight years on Tuesday in Paris, settling for silver after a mixed-doubles defeat to the table tennis superpower. China arrived in Paris as the world's undisputed table tennis kings, having won 32 of the 37 available golds since it became an Olympic sport. They failed to claim the mixed doubles title when it was introduced three years ago in Tokyo but Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha set the record straight with an 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8 win over North Korea's Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong. It was the first gold of what China hope will be a clean sweep of table tennis in the French capital. For North Korea, they skipped the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 over coronavirus concerns. Kim said she and Ri had trained with the Chinese team to prepare for Paris and vowed to come back stronger. "We had some time with the Chinese team, which is the world's best," said the 22-year-old. "Of course it wasn't enough in the end. We had a good performance but there are some regrets. We learned a lot from them." Ri and Kim were on the medals podium with the South Korean duo Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin, who won bronze. When asked if they saw the South Korean pair as their rivals, Kim and Ri both shook their heads. Also Read: Paris Olympics: Brazil swimmer reprimanded for breaking rule, sent back home from Games | Know More Kim said they had not yet been able to speak to their family to tell them about the match. "We hope to do better next time and win the gold," she said. - Unknown quantity - Wang and Sun have not lost outside China for four years and they are the world's number one-ranked pair. They had overwhelming support from the red-clad fans inside the standing room-only South Paris Arena, cheering and chanting throughout the match. But Sun admitted that the element of the unknown made it difficult to face the North Korean pair. "It's quite rare to have a North Korean pair in international competition," she said. "We had never played them before. They have strengths and they have been able to beat a lot of opponents. "They have a distinctive style," she added. Wang and Sun took control by winning the first game, but North Korea battled back to even things up. China took the next two games to put themselves on the brink of gold but North Korea again pulled one back to stay in the match. The Chinese pair closed out the match after a nervy ending, and Sun said losing the inaugural Olympic mixed doubles final to Japan in Tokyo had fuelled their fire. "All of us were so devoted, we invested a lot," she said. "Every match we had certain difficulties but we backed each other up and we got to the final and beat such a good team." (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

Paris Games: North Korea wins silver in mixed-doubles table tennis for maiden Olympics medal

The official Olympics broadcaster has urged camera operators to film men and women athletes in the same way to avoid "stereotypes and sexism" creeping into the coverage, its CEO said Sunday.&nbsp;

The Paris Olympics are the first in the 128-year history of the modern Games to reach gender parity among athletes, with women's sport also given more prime-time broadcast spots to help raise its profile.

With the Games now into full swing, the head of Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) said his organisation had updated its guidelines for camera operators, most of whom are men.

OBS is responsible for the TV coverage of the Olympics, with its images shared with rights holders around the world.

"Unfortunately, in some events they (women) are still being filmed in a way that you can identify that stereotypes and sexism remains, even from the way in which some camera operators are framing differently men and women athletes," chief executive Yiannis Exarchos told reporters in Paris.

"Women athletes are not there because they are more attractive or sexy or whatever. They are there because they are elite athletes."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gymnast-queen-simone-biles-makes-long-awaited-olympic-return-in-paris-745110">Gymnast queen Simone Biles makes long-awaited Olympic return in Paris</a>

He said the problem was mainly down to "unconscious bias", with camera operators and TV editors tending to show more close-up shots of women than men.

A number of scheduling changes have been made by Olympics organisers in Paris to boost women's sport. The women's marathon is set to be the final event of the Games instead of the men's race.

"The schedules of sporting events have traditionally been biased towards highlighting men's events," Exarchos said. "Traditionally, in team sports, you have first women's finals, and then the men's final... In strength and combat sports, traditionally you have women's competitions in the morning and men's competitions in the afternoon."

Marie Sallois, director in charge of gender equality at the International Olympic Committee, said the Paris Games were "de facto the world's largest platform to promote gender equality in and through sport".

She pointed to "symbolic moments" in the opening ceremony on Friday which saw almost all delegations have a man and a woman flag carrier, while the artistic show paid tribute to influential women in French history.

When the ancient Greek Olympics concept was revived by French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin in the late 19th century he saw it as a celebration of gentlemanly athleticism "with female applause as its reward".

In 1924, the last time the Olympics were held in Paris, just four percent of competitors were women and they were restricted to sports considered "suitable" for them, such as swimming, tennis and croquet.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The official Olympics broadcaster has urged camera operators to film men and women athletes in the same way to avoid "stereotypes and sexism" creeping into the coverage, its CEO said Sunday.

The official Olympics broadcaster has urged camera operators to film men and women athletes in the same way to avoid "stereotypes and sexism" creeping into the coverage, its CEO said Sunday. The Paris Olympics are the first in the 128-year history of the modern Games to reach gender parity among athletes, with women's sport also given more prime-time broadcast spots to help raise its profile. With the Games now into full swing, the head of Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) said his organisation had updated its guidelines for camera operators, most of whom are men. OBS is responsible for the TV coverage of the Olympics, with its images shared with rights holders around the world. "Unfortunately, in some events they (women) are still being filmed in a way that you can identify that stereotypes and sexism remains, even from the way in which some camera operators are framing differently men and women athletes," chief executive Yiannis Exarchos told reporters in Paris. "Women athletes are not there because they are more attractive or sexy or whatever. They are there because they are elite athletes." ALSO READ: Gymnast queen Simone Biles makes long-awaited Olympic return in Paris He said the problem was mainly down to "unconscious bias", with camera operators and TV editors tending to show more close-up shots of women than men. A number of scheduling changes have been made by Olympics organisers in Paris to boost women's sport. The women's marathon is set to be the final event of the Games instead of the men's race. "The schedules of sporting events have traditionally been biased towards highlighting men's events," Exarchos said. "Traditionally, in team sports, you have first women's finals, and then the men's final... In strength and combat sports, traditionally you have women's competitions in the morning and men's competitions in the afternoon." Marie Sallois, director in charge of gender equality at the International Olympic Committee, said the Paris Games were "de facto the world's largest platform to promote gender equality in and through sport". She pointed to "symbolic moments" in the opening ceremony on Friday which saw almost all delegations have a man and a woman flag carrier, while the artistic show paid tribute to influential women in French history. When the ancient Greek Olympics concept was revived by French aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin in the late 19th century he saw it as a celebration of gentlemanly athleticism "with female applause as its reward". In 1924, the last time the Olympics were held in Paris, just four percent of competitors were women and they were restricted to sports considered "suitable" for them, such as swimming, tennis and croquet. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Broadcasters urge male camera operators to avoid ‘sexist filming of women’

A radiant Simone Biles made her long-awaited Olympic return at the Paris Games on Sunday, drawing boisterous cheers and applause from an ecstatic, star-studded crowd in a performance that gave U.S. gymnasts the lead in women's qualifying.

After Biles' brilliance the U.S. qualified with ease in first place, far ahead of second-placed Italy while China, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Britain, and Romania all booked their spots in Tuesday's final.

Biles, the world's most decorated gymnast, returned for her third Olympics after she abruptly pulled out from the team final at the Tokyo Games suffering from the "twisties", a term used to describe the temporary loss of spatial awareness while performing high-difficulty elements.

Biles also withdrew from the all-around and a number of apparatus finals in Tokyo, raising questions about whether she would ever set foot in an Olympic arena again.

But after a two-year hiatus and with the help of her teammates and a therapist, she made a glorious return in Paris in front of a crowd at the Bercy Arena that included celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga and Snoop Dogg, reinforcing her status of one of the greatest athletes of all-time.

The 27-year-old Biles showed she was back to earn some more glittering gold medals as she laid down the marker in the all-around competition, topping the qualifying standings with a score of 59.566.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-indias-day-3-event-schedule-timings-medal-games-athletes-and-all-you-need-to-know-745058">Paris Olympics 2024: India's day 3 event schedule, timings, medal games, athletes and all you need to know</a>

She finished 1.866 points ahead of Brazil's Rebeca Andrade with reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee of the U.S. in third.

Biles began on the balance beam, arguably the most difficult apparatus to start on, receiving 14.733 points, scoring just 0.133 less than Zhou Yaqin of China.

Wearing a shimmering leotard featuring thousands of Swarovski crystals, Biles smiled and exhaled as she looked up to the scoreboard, seemingly relieved after completing an impressive performance on the first of four apparatus.

She seemed less pleased, however, with her floor routine, which had a few hiccups but still earned her a score of 14.600, finishing 0.700 ahead of Andrade.

Biles shook off her sullen expression following the floor exercise, landing a stunning 15.800 on her signature double-piked Yurchenko vault, the Biles II.

The gravity-defying vault is so difficult that its start value is several tenths of a point higher than any other vault that will be performed by female gymnasts at the Paris Games.

"I think she just competes by herself," British gymnast Ruby Evans said of Biles. "We've never had anyone like her before and I don't think we ever will, ever again."

On Sunday Biles did not perform the original skill on the uneven bars she had submitted for ratification, but she will have another chance to attempt it during Tuesday's final.

After nailing her dismount, a beaming Biles high-fived her coach Laurent Landi and rushed towards the edge of the mat to wave and blow kisses to the euphoric crowd.

"Simone was outstanding," Chellsie Memmel, the U.S. team's technical lead, told reporters.

"That's how she trains. She comes into the gym and she does her job."

Biles re-aggravated a left calf injury during Sunday's competition and Memmel said it was too soon to say how serious the injury was.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A radiant Simone Biles made her long-awaited Olympic return at the Paris Games on Sunday, drawing boisterous cheers and applause from an ecstatic, star-studded crowd in a performance that gave U.

A radiant Simone Biles made her long-awaited Olympic return at the Paris Games on Sunday, drawing boisterous cheers and applause from an ecstatic, star-studded crowd in a performance that gave U.S. gymnasts the lead in women's qualifying. After Biles' brilliance the U.S. qualified with ease in first place, far ahead of second-placed Italy while China, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Britain, and Romania all booked their spots in Tuesday's final. Biles, the world's most decorated gymnast, returned for her third Olympics after she abruptly pulled out from the team final at the Tokyo Games suffering from the "twisties", a term used to describe the temporary loss of spatial awareness while performing high-difficulty elements. Biles also withdrew from the all-around and a number of apparatus finals in Tokyo, raising questions about whether she would ever set foot in an Olympic arena again. But after a two-year hiatus and with the help of her teammates and a therapist, she made a glorious return in Paris in front of a crowd at the Bercy Arena that included celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga and Snoop Dogg, reinforcing her status of one of the greatest athletes of all-time. The 27-year-old Biles showed she was back to earn some more glittering gold medals as she laid down the marker in the all-around competition, topping the qualifying standings with a score of 59.566. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: India's day 3 event schedule, timings, medal games, athletes and all you need to know She finished 1.866 points ahead of Brazil's Rebeca Andrade with reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee of the U.S. in third. Biles began on the balance beam, arguably the most difficult apparatus to start on, receiving 14.733 points, scoring just 0.133 less than Zhou Yaqin of China. Wearing a shimmering leotard featuring thousands of Swarovski crystals, Biles smiled and exhaled as she looked up to the scoreboard, seemingly relieved after completing an impressive performance on the first of four apparatus. She seemed less pleased, however, with her floor routine, which had a few hiccups but still earned her a score of 14.600, finishing 0.700 ahead of Andrade. Biles shook off her sullen expression following the floor exercise, landing a stunning 15.800 on her signature double-piked Yurchenko vault, the Biles II. The gravity-defying vault is so difficult that its start value is several tenths of a point higher than any other vault that will be performed by female gymnasts at the Paris Games. "I think she just competes by herself," British gymnast Ruby Evans said of Biles. "We've never had anyone like her before and I don't think we ever will, ever again." On Sunday Biles did not perform the original skill on the uneven bars she had submitted for ratification, but she will have another chance to attempt it during Tuesday's final. After nailing her dismount, a beaming Biles high-fived her coach Laurent Landi and rushed towards the edge of the mat to wave and blow kisses to the euphoric crowd. "Simone was outstanding," Chellsie Memmel, the U.S. team's technical lead, told reporters. "That's how she trains. She comes into the gym and she does her job." Biles re-aggravated a left calf injury during Sunday's competition and Memmel said it was too soon to say how serious the injury was. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Gymnast queen Simone Biles makes long-awaited Olympic return in Paris

India's Paris Olympic Games 2024 Day 3 schedule has three medals up for grabs including one subject to qualification for the medal round. Two of these medals are in shooting while the third is in archery if the team qualifies for it.

<h1>Here's India's Complete Schedule at Paris Olympic Games Day 3</h1>

<h2>What time India's participation starts at Paris Olympics Games Day 3?</h2>

India's games start at 12 pm IST on Paris Olympic Games Day 3.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-games-2024-priority-is-health-triathlon-swimming-training-session-cancelled-at-olympics-read-why-745019">Paris Games 2024: 'Priority is health..,' Triathlon swimming training session cancelled at Olympics | Read Why</a>

<h2>How many medal matches India will play on Paris Olympic Games Day 3?</h2>

India will be playing two medal matches in shooting and one in archery (subject to qualification) on Paris Olympic Games Day 3.

<h2>What are the medal events for India on Paris Olympic Games Day 3?</h2>

India will have a chance to win a medal at men's and women's 10m air rifle event and men's archery (subject to qualification) on Paris Olympic Games Day 3.

<h2>Which Indian athletes are playing in medal events on Paris Olympic Games Day 3?</h2>

Ramita Jindal - Women's 10m air rifle event 
Arjun Babuta - Men's 10m air rifle event 
Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara &amp; Pravin Jadhav - Men's archery (subject to qualification)

<h2>What time are India's medal event on Paris Olympic Games Day 3?</h2>

Women's 10m air rifle event featuring Ramita Jindal starts at 1 pm IST. 
Men's 10m air rifle event featuring Arjun Babuta starts at 3:30 pm IST. 
Men's Archery quarterfinal starts at 6:31 pm IST, semifinal (if qualified) starts at 7:17 pm IST, bronze medal match (if qualified) starts at 8:18 pm IST and gold medal match (if qualified) starts at 8:41 pm IST.

<h2>What are the other events and athletes for India on Paris Olympic Games Day 3?</h2>

Badminton - Men's Doubles (group stage) - Satwiksairaj Rankireddy &amp; Chirag Shetty - 12 pm IST.

Shooting - Mixed 10m air pistol team (qualification round) - Sarabjot Singh &amp; Manu Bhaker and Arjun Singh and Rhythm Sangwan - 12:45 pm IST

Badminton - Women's Doubles (group stage) - Ashwini Ponnappa &amp; Tanisha Crasto - 12:50 pm IST onwards

Shooting - Men's Trap (qualification round) - Prithviraj Tondaiman - 1 pm IST

Tennis - Men's Doubles (Second Round) - Rohan Bopanna &amp; Sriram Balaji - 3:30 pm IST onwards

Hockey - Men's Team (Group Stage) - India vs Argentina - 4:15 pm IST

Badminton - Men's Singles (Group Stage) - Lakshya Sen - 5:30 pm IST

Table Tennis - Women's Singles (Round of 32) - Sreeja Akula - 11:30 pm IST onwards

India's Paris Olympic Games 2024 Day 3 schedule has three medals up for grabs including one subject to qualification for the medal round. Two of these medals are in shooting while the third is in archery if the team qualifies for it.

India's Paris Olympic Games 2024 Day 3 schedule has three medals up for grabs including one subject to qualification for the medal round. Two of these medals are in shooting while the third is in archery if the team qualifies for it. Here's India's Complete Schedule at Paris Olympic Games Day 3 What time India's participation starts at Paris Olympics Games Day 3? India's games start at 12 pm IST on Paris Olympic Games Day 3. Also Read: Paris Games 2024: 'Priority is health..,' Triathlon swimming training session cancelled at Olympics | Read Why How many medal matches India will play on Paris Olympic Games Day 3? India will be playing two medal matches in shooting and one in archery (subject to qualification) on Paris Olympic Games Day 3. What are the medal events for India on Paris Olympic Games Day 3? India will have a chance to win a medal at men's and women's 10m air rifle event and men's archery (subject to qualification) on Paris Olympic Games Day 3. Which Indian athletes are playing in medal events on Paris Olympic Games Day 3? Ramita Jindal - Women's 10m air rifle event Arjun Babuta - Men's 10m air rifle event Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara & Pravin Jadhav - Men's archery (subject to qualification) What time are India's medal event on Paris Olympic Games Day 3? Women's 10m air rifle event featuring Ramita Jindal starts at 1 pm IST. Men's 10m air rifle event featuring Arjun Babuta starts at 3:30 pm IST. Men's Archery quarterfinal starts at 6:31 pm IST, semifinal (if qualified) starts at 7:17 pm IST, bronze medal match (if qualified) starts at 8:18 pm IST and gold medal match (if qualified) starts at 8:41 pm IST. What are the other events and athletes for India on Paris Olympic Games Day 3? Badminton - Men's Doubles (group stage) - Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty - 12 pm IST. Shooting - Mixed 10m air pistol team (qualification round) - Sarabjot Singh & Manu Bhaker and Arjun Singh and Rhythm Sangwan - 12:45 pm IST Badminton - Women's Doubles (group stage) - Ashwini Ponnappa & Tanisha Crasto - 12:50 pm IST onwards Shooting - Men's Trap (qualification round) - Prithviraj Tondaiman - 1 pm IST Tennis - Men's Doubles (Second Round) - Rohan Bopanna & Sriram Balaji - 3:30 pm IST onwards Hockey - Men's Team (Group Stage) - India vs Argentina - 4:15 pm IST Badminton - Men's Singles (Group Stage) - Lakshya Sen - 5:30 pm IST Table Tennis - Women's Singles (Round of 32) - Sreeja Akula - 11:30 pm IST onwards

Paris Olympics 2024: India's day 3 event schedule, timings, medal games, athletes and all you need to know

Nigerian boxer Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore has been suspended from the Paris Olympics for violating an anti-doping rule, the International Testing Agency said Saturday.

A sample collected from the boxer "has returned an adverse analytical finding for the specified prohibited substance furosemide," the ITA said in a statement.

Furosemide is classified under "diuretics and masking agents" by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the ITA added.

The sample was collected in Paris on Thursday, a day before the Olympics opening ceremony, and reported by a WADA-accredited laboratory on Saturday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympic-games-2024-palestine-athlete-wears-shirt-depicting-attack-on-children-during-opening-ceremony-744827">Paris Olympics 2024: Palestinian athlete wears shirt depicting 'attack on children' during opening ceremony</a>

"The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter" the agency said.

"This means that the athlete is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity, during the Olympic Games Paris 2024," the ITA said.

Ogunsemilore has the right to challenge her provisional suspension at the Court of Arbitration and can also request an analysis of the B sample.

A boxer in the under 60 kg category, the 22-year-old was due to debut at the Olympics on Monday.

Two other athletes have been suspended since the start of the Games.

The ITA announced Friday Iraqi judoka Sajjad Sehen has tested positive for banned anabolic steroids.

Dominican volleyball player Lisvel Eve Mejia, meanwhile, tested positive for furosemide.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Nigerian boxer Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore has been suspended from the Paris Olympics for violating an anti-doping rule, the International Testing Agency said Saturday.

Nigerian boxer Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore has been suspended from the Paris Olympics for violating an anti-doping rule, the International Testing Agency said Saturday. A sample collected from the boxer "has returned an adverse analytical finding for the specified prohibited substance furosemide," the ITA said in a statement. Furosemide is classified under "diuretics and masking agents" by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the ITA added. The sample was collected in Paris on Thursday, a day before the Olympics opening ceremony, and reported by a WADA-accredited laboratory on Saturday. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: Palestinian athlete wears shirt depicting 'attack on children' during opening ceremony "The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter" the agency said. "This means that the athlete is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity, during the Olympic Games Paris 2024," the ITA said. Ogunsemilore has the right to challenge her provisional suspension at the Court of Arbitration and can also request an analysis of the B sample. A boxer in the under 60 kg category, the 22-year-old was due to debut at the Olympics on Monday. Two other athletes have been suspended since the start of the Games. The ITA announced Friday Iraqi judoka Sajjad Sehen has tested positive for banned anabolic steroids. Dominican volleyball player Lisvel Eve Mejia, meanwhile, tested positive for furosemide. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024 - Nigerian boxer Ogunsemilore suspended for doping violation, ITA confirms

Paris Olympic Games 2024 Triathlon swimming practice session was cancelled on Sunday (Jul 28) due to poor water quality of Seine river. Paris has been witnessing constant rain since opening ceremony of Olympic Games on Friday (Jul 26) which also led to river water getting polluted.

The race, due to start on Tuesday (Jul 30) for men and a day after for women, is still on schedule with the organisers hoping for water pollution levels to come down in next 48 hours.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-fans-boo-convicted-dutch-rapist-on-beach-volleyball-debut-744983">Paris Olympics 2024: Fans boo convicted Dutch child rapist on beach volleyball debut</a>

“Following a meeting on water quality held this morning attended by Paris 2024, representatives of World Triathlon and their technical and medical delegates, Météo France, Drieat, the City of Paris and the prefecture of the Île-de-France region involved in carrying out water quality tests, a joint decision was taken to cancel the swim leg of the triathlon familiarisation which was due to be held on 28 July at 8am,” said the Paris games organisers and World Triathlon said in a statement.&nbsp;

“Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterates that the priority is the health of the athletes,” the statement further added.&nbsp;

“The tests carried out in the Seine revealed water quality levels that in the view of the international federation, World Triathlon, did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held. This is due to rain that has fallen on Paris on 26 and 27 July.”

Swimming in the iconic French river has been banned for nearly a century now and the Olympic games organisers have invested around $1 billion to ensure a safe river for the athletes.

The river water pollution has been a cause of concern even before the Olympic Games. The tests done by Paris mayor's office a month ago before the games showed levels of the E.Coli bacteria -- an indicator of faecal matter -- were far above the upper limits.

Paris Olympic Games 2024 Triathlon swimming practice session was cancelled on Sunday (Jul 28) due to poor water quality of Seine river. Paris has been witnessing constant rain since opening ceremony of Olympic Games on Friday (Jul 26) which also led to river water getting polluted.

Paris Olympic Games 2024 Triathlon swimming practice session was cancelled on Sunday (Jul 28) due to poor water quality of Seine river. Paris has been witnessing constant rain since opening ceremony of Olympic Games on Friday (Jul 26) which also led to river water getting polluted. The race, due to start on Tuesday (Jul 30) for men and a day after for women, is still on schedule with the organisers hoping for water pollution levels to come down in next 48 hours. Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Fans boo convicted Dutch child rapist on beach volleyball debut “Following a meeting on water quality held this morning attended by Paris 2024, representatives of World Triathlon and their technical and medical delegates, Météo France, Drieat, the City of Paris and the prefecture of the Île-de-France region involved in carrying out water quality tests, a joint decision was taken to cancel the swim leg of the triathlon familiarisation which was due to be held on 28 July at 8am,” said the Paris games organisers and World Triathlon said in a statement. “Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterates that the priority is the health of the athletes,” the statement further added. “The tests carried out in the Seine revealed water quality levels that in the view of the international federation, World Triathlon, did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held. This is due to rain that has fallen on Paris on 26 and 27 July.” Swimming in the iconic French river has been banned for nearly a century now and the Olympic games organisers have invested around $1 billion to ensure a safe river for the athletes. The river water pollution has been a cause of concern even before the Olympic Games. The tests done by Paris mayor's office a month ago before the games showed levels of the E.Coli bacteria -- an indicator of faecal matter -- were far above the upper limits.

Paris Games 2024: 'Priority is health..,' Triathlon swimming training session cancelled at Olympics | Read Why

There were boos, and mixed feelings amongst the crowd, as Netherlands beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, a convicted rapist, made his Paris 2024 debut for a game in bright sunshine at the feet of the Eiffel tower on Sunday. His team, however, were unapologetic about van de Velde taking part in the Olympics, saying "the past is in the past" and that the matter should not be brought up at the Games.

Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in Britain in 2016 following the rape of a 12-year-old girl two years earlier when he was 19.

He spent 13 months in prison - one year in Britain and one month in the Netherlands - before being freed there after what he did was re-classified under Dutch law as a lesser offence of "committing indecent acts" and his sentence was reduced.

Van de Velde has been competing in beach volleyball again since 2017.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-social-media-bursts-into-joy-as-manu-bhaker-scripts-history-for-india-744971">Paris Olympics 2024: Social media bursts into joy as Manu Bhaker scripts history for India</a>

He was booed several times during Sunday's match, though there was also applause from other members of the crowd.

Among the spectators, Melissa Gautier, a 23-year-old health worker, said she thought van de Velde should not be there.

"Being an athlete shouldn't give you a free pass," she said.

Andrea Syslos, a 47-year-old lawyer from Italy, did not know about the case, but when told about it said: "It's not a good thing. Sporting justice should be harsher than civil justice."

"Maybe he shouldn't still be in prison but it's not normal that he is playing in the Olympics where he should be an example for other people," he said.

But van de Velde's teammate Matthew Immers brushed away the criticism over the now 29-year-old taking part in the Olympics.

"What's in the past is in the past. He had his punishment and now he is really kind. For me it is an example that (he) grew and learnt a lot from it," Immers told reporters.

"I'm enjoying playing with him," he said.

John van Vliet, a press officer for the Netherlands team, said: "It's something that shouldn't be brought up through sports in a tournament that he qualified for.

"The general matter of sex convictions or sex-related crime is a much bigger issue than sport but in his case we have a person who has been convicted, who did his sentence and did everything afterwards that he can do to compete again."

<h2>IOC Satisfied</h2>

Amongst the crowd watching the match, some agreed.

"I read about this and I think everyone deserves a second chance. He's (legally) allowed to be here and so he can be here," 46-year-old German architect Alexandra Bertram said.

Van de Velde and Immers lost 22-20 19-21 15-13 to Italy's Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Ignacio Carambula Raurich in their men's Pool B match.

The International Olympic Committee said on Saturday it was satisfied with explanations given by the Netherlands Olympic team regarding the participation of van de Velde.

IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said the committee was not totally comfortable with the situation but that "a crime occurred 10 years ago, a great deal of rehabilitation has taken place and strong safeguarding is in place."

The Netherlands team took&nbsp;steps to mitigate the impact of van de Velde's participation by moving him to alternative accommodation in Paris and not the athletes' village and asking him not to speak to the media.

Alienor Laurent, co-president of French feminist collective "Osez le feminisme!" (Dare to be Feminist), mobilised against van de Velde's participation, was outraged that he was allowed to compete in the Olympics.

"What is the message to victims? That sporting talent has more value than their dignity," she told Reuters last week. "And what is the message to aggressors? Assaulting (a young girl) will have no impact on your life or your career, you will be celebrated and may have medals."

The case has resonated more widely, including in Britain and the United States, where some women's rights groups have campaigned against van de Velde's participation in the Games.

"An athlete convicted of child sexual abuse, no matter in what country, should not be awarded the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games," said Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran, executive director of The Army of Survivors NGO.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

There were boos, and mixed feelings amongst the crowd, as Netherlands beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, a convicted rapist, made his Paris 2024 debut for a game in bright sunshine at the feet of the Eiffel tower on Sunday.

There were boos, and mixed feelings amongst the crowd, as Netherlands beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, a convicted rapist, made his Paris 2024 debut for a game in bright sunshine at the feet of the Eiffel tower on Sunday. His team, however, were unapologetic about van de Velde taking part in the Olympics, saying "the past is in the past" and that the matter should not be brought up at the Games. Van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison in Britain in 2016 following the rape of a 12-year-old girl two years earlier when he was 19. He spent 13 months in prison - one year in Britain and one month in the Netherlands - before being freed there after what he did was re-classified under Dutch law as a lesser offence of "committing indecent acts" and his sentence was reduced. Van de Velde has been competing in beach volleyball again since 2017. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics 2024: Social media bursts into joy as Manu Bhaker scripts history for India He was booed several times during Sunday's match, though there was also applause from other members of the crowd. Among the spectators, Melissa Gautier, a 23-year-old health worker, said she thought van de Velde should not be there. "Being an athlete shouldn't give you a free pass," she said. Andrea Syslos, a 47-year-old lawyer from Italy, did not know about the case, but when told about it said: "It's not a good thing. Sporting justice should be harsher than civil justice." "Maybe he shouldn't still be in prison but it's not normal that he is playing in the Olympics where he should be an example for other people," he said. But van de Velde's teammate Matthew Immers brushed away the criticism over the now 29-year-old taking part in the Olympics. "What's in the past is in the past. He had his punishment and now he is really kind. For me it is an example that (he) grew and learnt a lot from it," Immers told reporters. "I'm enjoying playing with him," he said. John van Vliet, a press officer for the Netherlands team, said: "It's something that shouldn't be brought up through sports in a tournament that he qualified for. "The general matter of sex convictions or sex-related crime is a much bigger issue than sport but in his case we have a person who has been convicted, who did his sentence and did everything afterwards that he can do to compete again." IOC Satisfied Amongst the crowd watching the match, some agreed. "I read about this and I think everyone deserves a second chance. He's (legally) allowed to be here and so he can be here," 46-year-old German architect Alexandra Bertram said. Van de Velde and Immers lost 22-20 19-21 15-13 to Italy's Alex Ranghieri and Adrian Ignacio Carambula Raurich in their men's Pool B match. The International Olympic Committee said on Saturday it was satisfied with explanations given by the Netherlands Olympic team regarding the participation of van de Velde. IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said the committee was not totally comfortable with the situation but that "a crime occurred 10 years ago, a great deal of rehabilitation has taken place and strong safeguarding is in place." The Netherlands team took steps to mitigate the impact of van de Velde's participation by moving him to alternative accommodation in Paris and not the athletes' village and asking him not to speak to the media. Alienor Laurent, co-president of French feminist collective "Osez le feminisme!" (Dare to be Feminist), mobilised against van de Velde's participation, was outraged that he was allowed to compete in the Olympics. "What is the message to victims? That sporting talent has more value than their dignity," she told Reuters last week. "And what is the message to aggressors? Assaulting (a young girl) will have no impact on your life or your career, you will be celebrated and may have medals." The case has resonated more widely, including in Britain and the United States, where some women's rights groups have campaigned against van de Velde's participation in the Games. "An athlete convicted of child sexual abuse, no matter in what country, should not be awarded the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games," said Julie Ann Rivers-Cochran, executive director of The Army of Survivors NGO. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olympics 2024: Fans boo convicted Dutch child rapist on beach volleyball debut

France's capital city is set to rock to a sporting beat on Saturday as the Olympic Games get under way in earnest on the back of an opening ceremony as dazzling as it was rainswept.

After a tumultuous Friday, which started with a pre-dawn attack by saboteurs on France's high-speed train network, the focus now turns to gold medals and sporting excellence.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/a-historic-river-parade-celine-dion-performance-and-eiffel-tower-light-show-embark-paris-olympics-2024-744634">A historic river parade, Celine Dion performance and Eiffel Tower light show embark Paris Olympics 2024</a>

No fewer than 14 medals will be 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.

<h2>Flying start for swimming</h2>

The swimming gets off to a flying start at La Defense Arena where Australia's Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus bids to retain her 400 metres freestyle title against American Katie Ledecky, the 2016 Rio champion, and Canadian wunderkind Summer McIntosh.

Coming three years after Titmus beat Ledecky in a thriller at the Tokyo Games, the final could be Paris's candidate for "race of the century" if all three qualify.

With former world champions Sam Short and Elijah Winnington in the men's 400 freestyle and a peerless women's 4x100 freestyle relay team, Australia could emerge with three out of four gold medals in the pool on day one.

With Caeleb Dressel in the driving seat, the United States will bid for a third successive gold in the men's 4x100 relay against strong challenges from the Australians and the Pan Zhanle-powered China team.

<h3>Road Cycling rolls into Paris</h3>

Over at the cycling, Italy's Filippo Ganna will go head-to-head with Belgium's prodigy Remco Evenepoel in a much-anticipated individual time trial, with Britain's Joshua Tarling the other top contender.

In the women's event, American Chloe Dygert is among the main favourites, having shown with her 2023 world title that she has recovered from Epstein-Barr virus diagnosed in early 2022, which was followed by heart surgery to treat accelerating beats.

Her main rivals will be Australia's Grace Brown and Britain's Anna Henderson, with the Netherlands' triple world champion Ellen van Dijk's form a big question mark after she broke her ankle in June.

<h3>Shooting to deliver first gold</h3>

The first gold medal of the Games is likely to be at the shooting range in the 10 metre Air Pistol Mixed Team event.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-korea-express-regret-over-introduction-blunder-at-paris-olympics-2024-opening-ceremony-744628">South Korea express regret over 'introduction blunder’ at Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony</a>

Shooting powerhouse China will look to make an early statement at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre through their sharpshooters, who have made a habit of winning the first gold of the Olympics.

Over the next week or so, the United States will fancy their chances, with three-times gold medallist Vincent Hancock leading their charge.

<h3>All eyes on Fiji at Rugby seven</h3>

Fiji will hope to extend their stranglehold on the men's rugby sevens as they seek their third successive title, but there is an otherwise fresh look to the semi-final lineup at the Stade de France on Saturday.

The Fijians have won every match they have played since the sport was added to the Olympics in 2016 and will start as strong favourites to extend that remarkable streak against Australia, who are in the semis for the first time.

It is also new territory for France, who failed to even make the Tokyo event but came into their own Games on a high having won the new end-of-season Grand Final.

They play 2016 bronze medallists South Africa, who shocked New Zealand in the quarter-finals having sneaked into the competition as the final qualifiers by winning the repechage. The final will take place later on Saturday.

<h3>China headline diving</h3>

China are strong favourites in the diving, having bagged seven out of eight gold medals at the last two Olympics.

The Chinese duo of Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani, best friends and both first-time Olympians, have won the 3m synchronised event, the first diving gold up for grabs in Paris, in most world tournaments over the last couple of years.

<h3>Skateboarding gets underway</h3>

Relative Olympics newcomer skateboarding will mark its return to the Games with the men's street event being held at the Place de la Concorde.

Yuto Horigome will attempt to retain his title as he faces competition from the likes of U.S. skateboarder Njjah Huston and French hope Aurelien Giraud.

<h3>Other sports</h3>

Apart from the medal events, action will also get underway in artistic gymnastics, badminton, basketball, tennis, handball and a host of other sports, including surfing, which gets under way in Tahiti, 15,895 km away in the South Pacific.

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

France's capital city is set to rock to a sporting beat on Saturday as the Olympic Games get under way in earnest on the back of an opening ceremony as dazzling as it was rainswept. After a tumultuous Friday, which started with a pre-dawn attack by saboteurs on France's high-speed train network, the focus now turns to gold medals and sporting excellence. ALSO READ: A historic river parade, Celine Dion performance and Eiffel Tower light show embark Paris Olympics 2024 No fewer than 14 medals will be 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. Flying start for swimming The swimming gets off to a flying start at La Defense Arena where Australia's Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus bids to retain her 400 metres freestyle title against American Katie Ledecky, the 2016 Rio champion, and Canadian wunderkind Summer McIntosh. Coming three years after Titmus beat Ledecky in a thriller at the Tokyo Games, the final could be Paris's candidate for "race of the century" if all three qualify. With former world champions Sam Short and Elijah Winnington in the men's 400 freestyle and a peerless women's 4x100 freestyle relay team, Australia could emerge with three out of four gold medals in the pool on day one. With Caeleb Dressel in the driving seat, the United States will bid for a third successive gold in the men's 4x100 relay against strong challenges from the Australians and the Pan Zhanle-powered China team. Road Cycling rolls into Paris Over at the cycling, Italy's Filippo Ganna will go head-to-head with Belgium's prodigy Remco Evenepoel in a much-anticipated individual time trial, with Britain's Joshua Tarling the other top contender. In the women's event, American Chloe Dygert is among the main favourites, having shown with her 2023 world title that she has recovered from Epstein-Barr virus diagnosed in early 2022, which was followed by heart surgery to treat accelerating beats. Her main rivals will be Australia's Grace Brown and Britain's Anna Henderson, with the Netherlands' triple world champion Ellen van Dijk's form a big question mark after she broke her ankle in June. Shooting to deliver first gold The first gold medal of the Games is likely to be at the shooting range in the 10 metre Air Pistol Mixed Team event. ALSO READ: South Korea express regret over 'introduction blunder’ at Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony Shooting powerhouse China will look to make an early statement at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre through their sharpshooters, who have made a habit of winning the first gold of the Olympics. Over the next week or so, the United States will fancy their chances, with three-times gold medallist Vincent Hancock leading their charge. All eyes on Fiji at Rugby seven Fiji will hope to extend their stranglehold on the men's rugby sevens as they seek their third successive title, but there is an otherwise fresh look to the semi-final lineup at the Stade de France on Saturday. The Fijians have won every match they have played since the sport was added to the Olympics in 2016 and will start as strong favourites to extend that remarkable streak against Australia, who are in the semis for the first time. It is also new territory for France, who failed to even make the Tokyo event but came into their own Games on a high having won the new end-of-season Grand Final. They play 2016 bronze medallists South Africa, who shocked New Zealand in the quarter-finals having sneaked into the competition as the final qualifiers by winning the repechage. The final will take place later on Saturday. China headline diving China are strong favourites in the diving, having bagged seven out of eight gold medals at the last two Olympics. The Chinese duo of Chen Yiwen and Chang Yani, best friends and both first-time Olympians, have won the 3m synchronised event, the first diving gold up for grabs in Paris, in most world tournaments over the last couple of years. Skateboarding gets underway Relative Olympics newcomer skateboarding will mark its return to the Games with the men's street event being held at the Place de la Concorde. Yuto Horigome will attempt to retain his title as he faces competition from the likes of U.S. skateboarder Njjah Huston and French hope Aurelien Giraud. Other sports Apart from the medal events, action will also get underway in artistic gymnastics, badminton, basketball, tennis, handball and a host of other sports, including surfing, which gets under way in Tahiti, 15,895 km away in the South Pacific.

Paris Olympics 2024: 14 gold medals up for grabs on Day 1 as Summer Games get underway

A historic boat parade down the River Seine launched the Paris Olympics with spectacular French flair Friday, as the City of Light welcomed the world's greatest athletes for a sporting extravaganza.

A show-stopping performance by Celine Dion, a flaming Olympic cauldron lifted into the night sky by hot-air balloon, and a dazzling Eiffel Tower light show brought the curtain down on a four-hour celebration of French culture, history and art.

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💙💛🖤💚❤️ 
 
The Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpeningCeremony?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpeningCeremony</a> <a href="https://t.co/XNoJYAM2NF">pic.twitter.com/XNoJYAM2NF</a>
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1816944825163198525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Braving torrential rain, some 300,000 people had lined the river banks to cheer on the armada carrying competitors past the city's iconic sights: the Eiffel Tower bearing the five Olympic rings, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral.

The wildly ambitious display was the first time the Olympic opening ceremony has been staged outside the main stadium, making it the biggest-ever launch for the "Greatest Show on Earth".

But that gamble also made the ceremony hostage to the weather, with spectators, VIPs, and athletes alike drenched or huddling in transparent ponchos.

Some spectators refused to let the downpour get them down. "I've got such an adrenaline rush. It's very exciting," said Selene Martinez, 42, who had travelled from Mexico for the ceremony.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/south-korea-express-regret-over-introduction-blunder-at-paris-olympics-2024-opening-ceremony-744628">South Korea express regret over 'introduction blunder’ at Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony</a>

But others were less stoic about the heavy rain on the parade, with some leaving the ceremony early to seek shelter.

"It's a great idea. The performances are awesome. I just wish it wasn't raining," said Pauline Brett, 69, who had come from Chicago with her family.

In the City of Love, the ceremony stressed togetherness and unity in a world that has suffered wars, massacres, and political upheaval since the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Four jets from the French air force display team drew a large pink heart in the Paris sky to set the tone.

For just over a fortnight, organisers hope the superhuman performances of stars like gymnast Simone Biles, tennis champion Novak Djokovic or sprinter Noah Lyles will provide the world with much-needed distraction.

Beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower, breakdancing in Place de la Concorde, equestrian sport at the Palace of Versailles: 100 years since Paris last staged the Olympics, the city will provide a stunning backdrop to the sport.

"I declare open the Games of Paris celebrating the 33rd Olympiad of the modern era," said President Emmanuel Macron.

In a symbol of the Games' message of gender parity, French track legend Marie-Jose Perec and three-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner lit the Olympic cauldron together.

Dion closed the show from the first level of the Eiffel Tower, with her first public performance since revealing she was suffering from a rare illness.

<h2>'Push the limits'</h2>

Paris 2024 organiser Tony Estanguet had said the opening ceremony needed to "push the limits as far as possible", showing from the start France's ambition for the Games.

And from Moulin Rouge performers doing the cancan to a video showing dancers on the scaffolding of fire-damaged Notre Dame, it was a colourful festival of all things French.

Led out by Greece through jets of water cascading from a bridge, accompanied by an accordion player, around 7,000 athletes cruised down a six-kilometre (four-mile) stretch of the Seine to the Eiffel Tower on 85 boats.

The unprecedented ceremony sparked a colossal security operation in a city where memories of the November 2015 Islamist attacks are still raw.

Around 45,000 police and paramilitary officers were on duty to protect the ceremony, along with 10,000 soldiers and 22,000 private security guards.

Snipers, specialist frogmen, and AI-augmented cameras were deployed, with airspace closed and the area around the Seine virtually locked down.

To everyone's relief, the ceremony passed off without major incident.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A historic boat parade down the River Seine launched the Paris Olympics with spectacular French flair Friday, as the City of Light welcomed the world's greatest athletes for a sporting extravaganza.

A historic boat parade down the River Seine launched the Paris Olympics with spectacular French flair Friday, as the City of Light welcomed the world's greatest athletes for a sporting extravaganza. A show-stopping performance by Celine Dion, a flaming Olympic cauldron lifted into the night sky by hot-air balloon, and a dazzling Eiffel Tower light show brought the curtain down on a four-hour celebration of French culture, history and art. 💙💛🖤💚❤️ The Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower!#Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/XNoJYAM2NF — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024 × Braving torrential rain, some 300,000 people had lined the river banks to cheer on the armada carrying competitors past the city's iconic sights: the Eiffel Tower bearing the five Olympic rings, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. The wildly ambitious display was the first time the Olympic opening ceremony has been staged outside the main stadium, making it the biggest-ever launch for the "Greatest Show on Earth". But that gamble also made the ceremony hostage to the weather, with spectators, VIPs, and athletes alike drenched or huddling in transparent ponchos. Some spectators refused to let the downpour get them down. "I've got such an adrenaline rush. It's very exciting," said Selene Martinez, 42, who had travelled from Mexico for the ceremony. ALSO READ: South Korea express regret over 'introduction blunder’ at Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony But others were less stoic about the heavy rain on the parade, with some leaving the ceremony early to seek shelter. "It's a great idea. The performances are awesome. I just wish it wasn't raining," said Pauline Brett, 69, who had come from Chicago with her family. In the City of Love, the ceremony stressed togetherness and unity in a world that has suffered wars, massacres, and political upheaval since the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics. Four jets from the French air force display team drew a large pink heart in the Paris sky to set the tone. For just over a fortnight, organisers hope the superhuman performances of stars like gymnast Simone Biles, tennis champion Novak Djokovic or sprinter Noah Lyles will provide the world with much-needed distraction. Beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower, breakdancing in Place de la Concorde, equestrian sport at the Palace of Versailles: 100 years since Paris last staged the Olympics, the city will provide a stunning backdrop to the sport. "I declare open the Games of Paris celebrating the 33rd Olympiad of the modern era," said President Emmanuel Macron. In a symbol of the Games' message of gender parity, French track legend Marie-Jose Perec and three-time Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner lit the Olympic cauldron together. Dion closed the show from the first level of the Eiffel Tower, with her first public performance since revealing she was suffering from a rare illness. 'Push the limits' Paris 2024 organiser Tony Estanguet had said the opening ceremony needed to "push the limits as far as possible", showing from the start France's ambition for the Games. And from Moulin Rouge performers doing the cancan to a video showing dancers on the scaffolding of fire-damaged Notre Dame, it was a colourful festival of all things French. Led out by Greece through jets of water cascading from a bridge, accompanied by an accordion player, around 7,000 athletes cruised down a six-kilometre (four-mile) stretch of the Seine to the Eiffel Tower on 85 boats. The unprecedented ceremony sparked a colossal security operation in a city where memories of the November 2015 Islamist attacks are still raw. Around 45,000 police and paramilitary officers were on duty to protect the ceremony, along with 10,000 soldiers and 22,000 private security guards. Snipers, specialist frogmen, and AI-augmented cameras were deployed, with airspace closed and the area around the Seine virtually locked down. To everyone's relief, the ceremony passed off without major incident. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

A historic river parade, Celine Dion performance and Eiffel Tower light show embark Paris Olympics 2024

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