Two of Team USA’s biggest names compete again in Paris on Saturday — Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky — while the U.S. women’s soccer team has a key quarterfinal match.
Biles will already leave Paris with gold medals in the individual all-around and team all-around finals. But she could earn another in the women’s vault Saturday, the event where she can pull off the Yurchenko Double Pike, making her the favorite to win.
Ledecky swims in the women’s 800m freestyle with a chance to add to her record 13 Olympic medals. She’s won the 800m freestyle in three straight Olympics — making her the fourth swimmer to win the same event at three straight Olympics. But a gold on Saturday would make Ledecky only the second swimmer man or woman to win the same event at four straight Games, Michael Phelps being the other in the 200m medley, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
The U.S. women’s soccer team faces Japan in the quarterfinals, looking to stay alive for their first gold medal since 2012. The last time the U.S. faced Japan in women’s soccer at the Olympics was in the gold medal match in London.
On the track, Sha’Carri Richardson has a chance at earning her first Olympic medal if she advances past the women’s 100m semifinal. The finals will be held later in the day. Noah Lyles makes his Paris debut in the men’s 100m preliminary round.
The U.S. men’s basketball team also returns to action with a matchup against Puerto Rico. Though they’ve already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals, Team USA is adamant on clinching the top seed.
Here’s what to look for on Saturday.
12:38 p.m. ET — U.S. men’s basketball rolling against Puerto Rico
Team USA dealt with a slow start and found themselves trailing Puerto Rico 29-24 come the end of the first quarter. The squad found a spark to the tune of a 39-point second frame, though, and have now expanded their lead to 28 points at the end of the third quarter. Anthony Edwards has a team-high 17 points, on a 7-9 shooting day from the field.
LeBron James and Anthony Edwards connect for a sweet alley-oop layup. 😤
📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/08snaaWT29
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 3, 2024
12:29 p.m. ET — Qinwen Zheng wins China’s first gold in tennis singles
China’s 21-year-old Qinwen Zheng won the gold medal in the women’s tennis tournament after defeating Croatia’s Donna Vekic (6-2, 6-3) on Saturday. After Zheng’s final point, she slid into her back and laid on the clay looking up to the sky – then after the handshake, blew kisses to the crowd, which was filled with fans waving Chinese flags. No Chinese man or woman has ever won Olympic gold in tennis singles.
Both women had incredible tournaments of upsets. In the semifinals Zheng beat world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who was riding a 25-match win streak at Roland Garros. Swiatek went on to win the bronze. Meanwhile. Vekic knocked out world No. 2 Coco Gauff. In the end, Zheng was the final woman in the Top 10 standing. Zheng had a ton of support in the crowd on Saturday, and is playing with serious confidence. Zheng hasn’t won a major yet, but has been building a case this year as one of the next big names in the sport. — Emily Kaplan
12:24 p.m. ET — Nedoroscik wins bronze on pommel horse
Stephen Nedoroscik, who rose to viral fame earlier this week by helping the U.S. team win its first bronze since 2008, also earned the only individual medal for the U.S. men with a bronze on pommel horse on Saturday. He scored a 15.300, one tenth of a point higher than his score in qualifying.
Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan took first with a 15.533 and Kazakhstan’s Nariman Kurbanov was second with a 15.433.
Stephen Nedoroscik finishes his pommel horse routine in the final and the crowd goes WILD! 👏 #ParisOlympics
📺 E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/JbCPmqNJA7
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
11:48 a.m. — Biles wins gold on vault, with Carey in bronze
Simone Biles added to her record-setting medal haul Saturday, earning gold in the vault final by .344 over Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who earned silver. Jade Carey earned bronze. This is Biles’ seventh Olympic gold and Carey’s second individual Olympic medal.
Biles won the vault, floor and all-around titles in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and is now two-thirds of the way to doing the same here in Paris, where she also has an opportunity to add a balance beam title to her haul.
Carey, who made the Tokyo vault final and was a medal favorite before tripping on the runway on her Cheng, wanted redemption on Saturday. She was the final competitor of the meet and needed greater than a 14.216 for bronze. She earned a 14.433 during qualifying, so a medal was within her reach.
There were no mistakes or missteps this time. She landed one of the best Chengs of the competition — redemption complete! — and then stuck a double twisting Yurchenko. When her combined score of 14.466 appeared, she and Biles celebrated together, hugging and jumping up and down.
Jade Carey STICKS IT. 😤
What a performance in the vault final to secure bronze! #ParisOlympics
📺 NBC, E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/YXsUrvxG0w
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
Biles was the fourth athlete to compete and opened with the Yurchenko double pike, otherwise known as the Biles II — the most difficult vault in women’s gymnastics. Her form was exquisite, and she took only a small hop back on the landing.
During warmup, Biles launched the YDP so high, she over-rotated the skill to her back and her coach, Laurent Landi, motioned for her to dial back her power. She listened and earned a massive 15.700 for her first effort. On her second, she launched a beautiful Cheng, traveling so far, she landed near the back of the landing mat. She took another small hop back and scored a 14.800. Her combined score of 15.300 put gold out of reach for the rest of the field. — Alyssa Roenigk
“League of her own.”
Simone Biles comes out HOT in the women’s vault final! #ParisOlympics
📺 NBC, E! and Peacockpic.twitter.com/vrWq8gMa8U
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 3, 2024
11:27 a.m. ET — Trinity Rodman goes top bins to give USWNT the lead
22-year-old Trinity Rodman’s third goal of the Olympics was a stunner, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the United States. Cutting inside after receiving a diagonal ball, Rodman opted to go for goal rather than play a pass. Her choice proved to be a wise one, as her shot arced into the far corner of the net, beating Japanese goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita. The goal gave the USWNT a precious 1-0 extra-time lead, as the team continues their quest for their first gold medal since the 2012 London games.
TRINITY RODMAN TAKE A BOW. 👏
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. THE USWNT LEADS IN EXTRA TIME.#ParisOlympics | 📺 USA and Peacock pic.twitter.com/rNlebzAyOo
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
11:09 a.m. ET — Biles nails her signature move
Though she fell in a warmup vault, Simone Biles didn’t let it get to her head. Her Yurchenko double pike “Biles II” was a thing of beauty, and she looks like she’s still the favorite to win gold in the women’s vault.
SHOOK 🔥@Simone_Biles just nailed the Biles II on vault!
📺: @NBCOlympics & @peacock #ParisOlympics
pic.twitter.com/RkL89htBiP— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 3, 2024
11:01 a.m. ET — Extra time for the USWNT
Team USA and Japan are locked in a tense quarterfinal matchup in women’s soccer. Lots of shots through two halves, but zero goals, and the two teams head into extra time.
We go to extra time. #USWNT x @Visa pic.twitter.com/5CiWtuuvX6
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 3, 2024
10:54 a.m. ET — Yulo earns Philippines’ second-ever Olympic gold
The Philippines waited almost 100 years for its first Olympic gold medal before Hidilyn Diaz became a weightlifting champion in Tokyo. They didn’t have to wait too long for their second.
Gymnast Carlos Yulo won gold in the men’s floor event in Paris, performing an impeccable routine, the highlight of which was a 3½-twist dismount. Now the Philippines can celebrate being Olympic champions once again. — Connor O’Halloran
10:52 a.m. ET — Khelif fights again amid controversy
The women’s boxing tournament in Paris captured headlines Thursday when Algerian Imane Khelif advanced to the quarterfinals after her opponent, Italian Angela Carini, withdrew after a strike to the face. A social media firestorm followed the bout, with a number of celebrities and pundits decrying the inclusion of Khelif, referring to her as a “biological male” and, in some cases, as a “man.”
Khelif, 25, had been disqualified from the IBA World Championships in 2023 because of a failed gender verification test. The IOC, however, characterized IBA’s decision as “sudden and arbitrary.” Khelif, who was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Olympics, has a 37-9 career record. One of those defeats came to Ireland’s Amy Broadhurst, who spoke out in support of Khelif on social media.
“Personally I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat’,” Broadhurst posted on X shortly before Khelif defeated Carini at the Olympics. “I thinks it’s the way she was born & that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been [beaten] by 9 females before says it all.”
For more on Khelif (who fights again today) and the decisions regarding her inclusion in the Games, Katie Barnes has a full breakdown. — READ MORE
10:32 a.m. ET — Fritz, Paul secure doubles bronze
Moments after Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek left the court after falling to Matthew Ebden and John Peers, their American teammates Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul did what they could to join them on the podium.
And they needed just 70 minutes to do it.
Facing Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek, longtime friends Fritz and Paul cruised to a 6-3, 6-4 victory. Their win marked the first occasion since tennis was reintroduced in 1988 — and the first time since 1904 — that multiple American pairs won a medal in men’s doubles.
On Friday, Fritz and Paul had been eliminated from gold medal contention by Ebden and Peers in the semifinals but Fritz said they were determined to regroup for Saturday and had a new goal to play for.
“It sucks to lose, it hurts, we wanted to win a gold medal,” Fritz said. “But it’s going to hurt a lot more if we spend too long thinking about that and then leave here with absolutely nothing.” — D’Arcy Maine
10:11 a.m. ET — Unlikely hero Ebden helps Australia to gold in men’s tennis doubles
Matthew Ebden’s Olympic debut started with a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Novak Djokovic.
After he walked off the court last Saturday after just 53 minutes, few could picture the 36-year-old Australian leaving Paris with a gold medal a week later.
But Ebden believed.
He knew how lopsided the match had been, but simply wasn’t fazed. It had been his first singles match in two years after switching to become a doubles specialist and he played only because of a quirk in Olympic rules about doubles players getting tapped to replace singles players in the event of a withdrawal.
Lleyton Hewitt, the captain of the Australian team, didn’t even want him to do it. When Ebden told him he thought playing the 24-time major champion on Court Philippe-Chatrier sounded like the perfect official retirement to his singles career, a reluctant Hewitt made him promise he wouldn’t get injured.
So the rout wasn’t exactly a surprise — and it made Ebden more committed to his goal of winning an Olympic medal in doubles.
“I did come off that singles match, fully focused on the doubles,” Ebden said Saturday. “That [match against Djokovic] was a nice little miracle that happened to say goodbye to my singles career. But then, yeah, we knew that was just preparation and [I] got to hit some balls out there for the next day, which [was when] we started the doubles. It’s been great ever since.”
Since then, Ebden and his partner John Peers have won five matches including Saturday’s gold medal match, again on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Fueled by frequent “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie” chants, Ebden and Peers rallied back to defeat Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the United States in a hard-fought match tiebreak 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1), 10-8 to claim both of their first gold medals and just the second-ever Olympic gold for Australia in tennis.
Before receiving his medal, Ebden said it hadn’t fully sunk in yet but called the accomplishment “more than a dream.” And while he knew he and Peers had been capable of doing it, and said he believed all week they could ultimately stand atop the podium, even he was struck by how his week began and how it ended.
“Last night I did think about it [and] I was actually dreaming of an Instagram post, like ‘How it started, how it’s going,'” Ebden said. “I was thinking of my score eight days ago, winning one game and then I was thinking swipe right and there’s a gold medal photo. Maybe I’ll have to make that post at some point. But yeah, it’s trippy.” — D’Arcy Maine
8:24 a.m. ET — A star-studded semifinal heat in the women’s 100M
Between two of the top young names in track and field and a legend competing in her fifth games, the field for one of Saturday’s semifinal heats in the women’s 100M is loaded with talent.
Sha’Carri Richardson, 24, is searching for her first Olympic medal after missing out on the 2020 Tokyo games. Julien Alfred, 23, is just behind her with similar aspirations. And then there’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who competed in her first Olympics at Beijing 2008 when Richardson and Alfred were 8 and 7, respectively. Fraser-Pryce boasts eight career Olympic medals — including three golds — and has finished on the podium in the 100-meters in four of her five Olympic outings.
Sha’Carri Richardson is in a FAST semifinal heat on Saturday! #ParisOlympics
📺: 1:10p ET on NBC, USA Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/g5sPgHLOml
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
7:29 a.m. ET — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s dominance, broken down
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s star has risen higher with each Olympics she has competed in. First she was the youngest athlete to compete at the Games for Team USA in track and field in over 40 years when she made her debut in 2016 at age 17. In 2020 she won two gold medals, setting records in the process. Now, she’s back to defend her crown. McLaughlin-Levrone’s excellence is a convincing mix of athletic IQ and raw speed. — READ MORE
7:08 a.m. ET — A major accomplishment for Team USA in men’s eight rowing
For three consecutive summer Games, the U.S. was unable to get out of fourth place in men’s eight rowing. On Saturday, the squad finally got back on the podium for the first time since 2008, taking the bronze medal. In securing third place in the final they nudged past Germany, which had made the podium each of the past three Games.
For the first time since 2008, Team USA finishes on the podium with a BRONZE in men’s eight rowing! 🥉🚣#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/bbxvvbyZwB
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
6:42 a.m. ET — Noah Lyles takes second in opening heat
Noah Lyles’ Olympic Games have officially begun, and with a little less dazzle than anticipated.
The American sprinter came in second place in his opening 100-meter heat at the Stade de France. His 10.04-second time was outpaced by the heat’s leader, Louie Hinchcliffe of Great Britain. Hinchcliffe ran in 9.98 seconds.
Even with the second-place finish, Lyles qualifies for Saturday night’s semifinal.
Lyles, who is expected to compete for a medal in the event, didn’t pull off the dominant early-round victory that had been expected. He was running in the middle of the pack for much of the race, until bursting forward for the last 30 meters.
Lyles said he wasn’t expecting the other runners to push the pace so quickly in the early round, but that he’ll avoid making that mistake again. — Coley Harvey
Louie Hinchliffe and Noah Lyles fight to the line in a thrilling 100m heat! #ParisOlympics
📺 NBC, E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/FhJjmyrKnk
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
6:31 a.m. ET — U.S. swimming’s struggles continue
Team USA leads all nations in total swimming medal count, but boasts only four gold medals. The U.S. is on pace to finish second — or worse — in the final gold medal tally for the first time since the 1988 Games. The squad’s frustrations continued into Saturday morning, as Simone Manuel failed to qualify for the 50M freestyle semifinals, finishing in 18th place in her heat. Manuel had taken home silver at the event at the 2016 Rio games.
Manuel isn’t the only high-profile American swimmer to struggle. Caeleb Dressel, who left Tokyo in 2021 with three individual gold medals, has been unable to defend any of those crowns in Paris.
