A big day on the track is only the start for Team USA on Friday as it looks to maintain a slim lead in the gold medal count at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. The Americans hold 30 gold medals (and an Olympics-best 103 total medals) entering Friday, one ahead of China’s 29.
Eight gold medals are up for grabs in the penultimate full day at Stade de France, with the men’s and women’s 4 x 100-meter relays standing out as the Americans’ best chance to continue a strong overall performance. The men will have to pull it off by shaking off both history — the team hasn’t medaled since 2008 due to persistent baton issues — and the loss of Noah Lyles, who was announced to have COVID after taking bronze in the 100-meter dash.
Team USA’s Rai Benjamin will also be looking to take down defending Olympic champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm in the men’s 400-meter hurdles.
The women’s basketball team will be facing Australia in the semifinal, with a 59-game Olympic winning streak on the line, as well as an opportunity to face France or Belgium in the gold medal game.
Elsewhere in Paris, France and Spain will face off in the gold medal match for soccer, Brazil and Canada will play the gold medal match in beach volleyball and breaking (i.e. breakdancing) will make its Olympic debut.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for all the action and medals in Paris on Friday at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Live16 updates
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U.S. breaker Logistx won her preliminary battle against Australia’s Raygun!
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Two sets down, one to go for U.S. men’s volleyball
The American men took the second set against Italy in the bronze medal volleyball match, 30-28. It would be their first medal since they won bronze at Rio 2016.
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Breaking is making its Olympic debut — and Snoop is loving it
Breaking debuted at the Olympics on Friday with the start of the women’s competition, with American Logistx taking an early lead with a unanimous win to start the Round Robin. Sunny Choi, the other American, will compete shortly.
It’s a packed audience at the arena, with Snoop Dogg in attention for the much-anticipated debut of the event.
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USA men take first set in bronze medal volleyball match
The U.S. took the opening set of the men’s bronze medal volleyball match 25-23 over Italy. Matthew Anderson, Aaron Russell and Max Holt each contributed four points.
The Americans are seeking their first men’s volleyball medal since earning bronze at Rio 2016.
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Discover the wonder that is the Olympic modern pentathlon
The Olympics does a fine job of identifying the finest athletes in individual sports. But there’s only one event — a strange little outlier of an event — that identifies the best athletes in multiple sports. Where else can you see the world’s best try their hands at swordplay, horse jumping, shooting, running and swimming, all in 90 minutes’ time?
There’s a purity to the modern pentathlon. Like the heptathlon and the decathlon, it uses a combo platter of skills to assess the greatest athletes. But it’s also a determinedly out-of-step competition, designed to crown the 19th century’s definition of a well-rounded athlete. The five disciplines that comprise the modern pentathlon carry a certain elegance to them; a truly modern pentathlon would probably include competitive eating, Wordle and Power Slap.
Because of its archaic nature — and because the use of horses in athletic competition has gone very much out of style — the Paris Olympics mark the last time that the modern pentathlon will exist in its current format. The horse element of the pentathlon will be removed, to be replaced with an “American Ninja Warrior”-style obstacle course. And even that might not be enough to save the sport’s Olympic fortunes; modern pentathlon is not yet guaranteed a spot on the 2032 Brisbane slate.
Read more here.
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USA men going for bronze in volleyball
The U.S. last medaled in men’s volleyball in 2016 when they won bronze. Italy also last medaled at Rio 2016 when they took the silver.
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USA water polo falls to Serbia, will play for bronze
Serbia’s power play was too much for the U.S. men’s water polo team on Friday. They were 7-for-10 with the extra man during their 10-6 win.
Serbia will now play for gold against Croatia or Hungary for a third-straight gold medal. The U.S. will play the loser of the other semifinal for a chance at bronze on Sunday.
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The power play is hurting the U.S. men’s water polo team against Serbia with a 5-for-13 conversion rate through three quarters. Serbia, meanwhile, is 5-for-7 with the extra man.
Serbia, the defending back-to-back gold medalists, holds an 8-6 lead as the Americans are running out of time to advance to the final.
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USA water polo trails Serbia at halftime in men’s semifinal
Serbia is up 6-4 at the half. Nikola Dedović and Nikola Jakšić each have two goals for Serbia.
Serbia is 4-for-4 on the power play, while the U.S. is 3-for-9.
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How did Stanford’s marching band mascot, The Tree, made it to Paris? Thank Andrew Luck and his wife, Nicole.
Former Colts QB Andrew Luck and his wife, Nicole Pechanec, have long been supporters of Stanford athletics. The Cardinal alums traveled to Paris, along with The Tree, to root on the 59 current, former and future athletes to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Read the full story here.
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USA men battling Serbia in men’s water polo semifinal
A victory would ensure a medal. The teams are tied 2-2 after the first quarter. The winner will play Croatia or Hungary for gold.
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India’s Vinesh Phogat files appeal for shared silver medal after DQ in women’s 50kg wrestling
Vinesh Phogat, the Indian Olympic wrestler who was disqualified from the women’s 50kg gold medal match after failing the weigh-in, has filed an appeal for a shared silver medal.
Phogat retired on Thursday and a decision from a Paris Judge is expected to be announced before Sunday’s Closing Ceremony.
Phogat’s appeal was filed on Wednesday seeking a new weigh-in and to allow her to compete in the final, but there was not enough time to hold a hearing ahead of the gold medal match.
Read the full story here.
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NBC making Snoop work
He’s really doing everything and going everywhere in Paris.
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Defending women’s gold medalist Nelly Korda trying to make a move up the leaderboard during Friday’s third round of competition.
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Get to know new Olympic sport Breaking
Breaking is a type of dance with four main elements:
Toprock or Uprock: Breakers begin upright, then transition to the floor.
Downrock: The flashiest, quickest part of the dance. Breakers, connecting to the ground with both hands and feet, spin and twist and contort their body.
Power moves: The highlight. Emphatic, athletic, eye-catching moves that require significant strength.
Freezes: Sometimes, though not always, at the end of a performance, a breaker holds a pose — sometimes upside down — that the average human often can’t even comprehend.
Read more here as the sport makes its Olympic debut on Friday.
A brand new Olympic sport makes its debut. 👀
Don’t miss the first breaking competition in Olympics HISTORY. 📺 10A ET on E! and Peacock pic.twitter.com/A3pmiQkSDi
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024