Ledecky has a shot at history, Biles back in action on vault and more Saturday at the Paris Games
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.
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 the event. In securing third place in the final they nudged their way past Germany, who had made the podium each of the last 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
SAINT-DENIS, France – 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 on Saturday afternoon. 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 round.
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 boast only four gold medals among that tally. The U.S. is currently 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 semi-finals, finishing in 18th place in her heat. Manuel had previously taken home silver at the event at the 2016 Rio games.
Manuel isn’t the only high-profile American swimmer to struggle this summer. Caeleb Dressel, who left Tokyo in 2021 with three individual gold medals to his name, has been unable to defend any of those crowns in Paris.
