In the Paris Olympics, the United States’ stars shone bright with excellent performances by Simone Biles, LeBron James, and the U.S. women’s soccer team, among others. Biles’s comeback to the Olympics resulted in her leading the women’s gymnastics team into the finals. She herself, Suni Lee, and Jordan Chiles held the 1-2-3 positions in the all-around qualifications. Even though Biles had to leave temporarily due to a minor calf injury, she returned to perform in front of stars like Tom Cruise and Lady Gaga in the audience who enthusiastically supported her.
The men’s basketball team was led by LeBron James and Kevin Durant to the team’s quest for their fifth consecutive gold medal. Their initial performance against Serbia resulted in a 110-84 win for the U.S. team. Players Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, and Stephen Curry also contributed significantly to the game. Durant and James’s near-flawless game maintained the U.S.’s dominance over the reigning World Cup silver medalists.
Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh secured podium finishes for the U.S in the women’s 100 Butterfly swimming event. Despite Walsh setting a world record in the trials, Huske managed to surpass her during the final Olympic competition and secured the gold medal. French swimmer Léon Marchand received much appreciation from his home crowd as he clinched the gold medal in the men’s 400 meter individual medley by setting an Olympic Record.
The U.S women’s soccer team won their match against Germany with a score of 4-1 after Sophia Smith scored two of the team’s goals. This win aids in their advancement from their group at the Olympics. Their fate in the knockout round will only be known after the final Group B matches. However, they have placed themselves in a good position with their current performance.
In another achievement for the U.S team, Haley Batten bagged a silver medal in the mountain biking event, setting a record for the best finish by an American in this event. Despite breaking a rule by passing through a restricted lane during the race, Batten was not disqualified but was fined by the organization.
In the realm of tennis, Rafael Nadal progressed to the next round and is set to clash against storied rival Novak Djokovic. Andy Murray managed to extend his career after winning a seemingly losing doubles match with partner Dan Evans. The win helped them pass through the Japanese pair Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori in the first round of the doubles.
