Team USA won the women’s 4×100-meter relay gold as anchor Sha’Carri Richardson gave a stunning finish to the race. Team USA’s Olivia Reeves won a gold in 76 kg women’s weightlifting, the first time an American woman has taken the gold. USA’s Helen Maroulis won bronze in women’s wrestling, her third consecutive medal in three Olympics.
Here is the latest:
Algerian Boxer Khelif Wins Women’s Welterweight Gold
Algeria’s Imane Khelif beat China’s Yang Liu to claim the gold medal in the women’s welterweight boxing at the Olympics on Friday.
Khelif, a silver medallist at the 2022 world championships, and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting have been in the spotlight at the Paris Games amid a gender dispute that has dominated headlines.
Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand and Taiwan’s Chen Nien-chin were awarded bronze.
USA’s Rai Benjamin Wins Hurdles Gold
Team USA’s Rai Benjamin outran defending champion Karsten Warholm of Norway, winning gold in the 400-meter hurdles.
Benjamin had won silver in Tokyo, where Warholm took the gold, but has remained undefeated this year.
Warholm took the silver and Alison dos Santos of Brazil took the bronze.
US Wins Women’s Sprint Relay Gold
The United States won the gold medal in the Olympic women’s 4×100-meter relay on Friday, their 12th title in the event, after Britain botched their final exchange.
The U.S. team of Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry, Paris Olympic 200-meter champion Gabby Thomas, and Sha’Carri Richardson clocked 41.78 seconds after getting the baton around the track with no major mishaps.
Britain were not so lucky.
Leading the United States through three legs, Amy Hunt struggled to get the baton into Daryll Neita’s hand in pouring rain at Stade de France. Neita lost all her momentum, but still brought Britain home in 41.85 for silver.
Germany claimed bronze in 41.97.
The United States have dominated the event with 12 Olympic titles, but lost to their great rivals Jamaica at the Tokyo Games.
Youngest Track and Field Athlete Makes Debut
Quincy Wilson is officially an Olympian. At age 16, USA’s Wilson is the youngest-ever athlete to compete in the Olympics track and field events, a title last claimed by Team USA’s Jim Ryun at age 17 back in 1964.
Wilson ran the first leg of the 4×400-meter men’s relay and helped advance the team to the final round.
Women’s Sprint Cycling Record Broken 6 Times
Germany’s Lea Friedrich broke the women’s 200-meter sprint cycling Olympic and world record with a time of 10.029, but not before that record was smashed by five other cyclists first, and all in the qualifying round.
New Zealand’s Shaane Fulton rode a speed of 10.281, then Hetty van de Wouw of the Netherlands 10.263, Sato Mina of Japan 10.257, and Mathilde Gros of France 10.182, all breaking the Olympic record. Ellesse Andrews of New Zealand rode a time of 10.108, breaking both the Olympics and world record before Friedrich came out on top of the qualifying heat.
Botswana Declares Holiday After First-Ever Gold
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi declared a half-day holiday to celebrate sprinter Letsile Tebogo bringing Botswana its first-ever Olympics gold medal.
Tebogo, 21, outran Team USA’s Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles in the men’s 400-meter, and did it in spikes bearing his mother’s date of birth.
Tebogo’s mother passed away in May, and he told reporters he carried her “through every stride that I take.” He said his mother believed in him even when he doubted himself, and honoring her memory gave his athletics journey more meaning.
Masisi gave thanks to Tebogo’s late mother as well.
“His Excellency President Masisi wishes to state that, on behalf of all of the citizenry, he applauds Letsile and gives thanks unceasingly to his late mother,” he stated.
New Zealand Wins Gold in Women’s Kayak Double 500m Final
New Zealand won Olympic gold in the women’s kayak double 500 meters at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
Hungary came in second to secure the silver medal, with Germany originally declared third. After a lengthy review, they were found to have tied with the second Hungarian crew, who also received a bronze medal.
Team USA Dominates Women’s 4×400 Relay Qualifiers
The United States dominated the 4×400 meters women’s relay qualifiers, while France also booked a place in the final thanks to Amandine Brossier sneaking past Belgium’s Helena Ponette on the home straight.
Team USA has won every women’s 4×400-meter relay since 1996 and look set to win their eighth straight title as the team brought it home in three minutes 21.44 seconds, more than three seconds ahead of Britain and the fastest time of the morning.
Jamaica also appeared in top form, winning their heat in 3:24.92 thanks to a standout last lap by Stephenie Ann McPherson that successfully shook off the Netherlands and Ireland.
Shamier Little gave the United States a strong lead in the second lap with a rapid 49.22 seconds, and Aaliyah Butler and Kaylyn Brown followed it up, ceding no ground to challengers Britain and Belgium.
“The word of the day for our group was ‘poised’ and I think we all did a very good job of executing that,” said Little, who was part of the U.S. team that won silver in last week’s mixed 4×400 relay.
Hungary’s Rasovszky Claims Men’s 10km Marathon Gold
Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky won the men’s 10km marathon swimming gold, holding off German silver medallist Oliver Klemet in a grueling slog along the final length of the Seine River.
David Betlehem won bronze for Hungary.
Algeria’s Khelif Aims for Gold
Four gold medals are on offer in boxing on Friday: the men’s welterweight and heavyweight divisions as well as the women’s welterweight and flyweight classes.
In the women’s welterweight final, Algeria’s Imane Khelif, one of two fighters in the spotlight after a gender dispute over their eligibility for the Paris Games, meets China’s Yang Liu.
Breaking Debut
The first and potentially only Olympic medals for women’s breaking—a sport that blends urban dance with acrobatic moves set to the grooves of hip-hop music—debuts with B-Girl rounds.
The sport is making its Olympic debut in Paris but will not be part of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Catherine Yang, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.