U.S. Olympic runner Nikki Hiltz became the first transgender and non-binary person to run in an Olympic track and field final after securing a third-place finish in the second semifinal of the 1500-meter. Hiltz clocked in at 3:56.17. Vermont’s Elle St. Pierre joined Hiltz in the Saturday final.

But both came up short with Hiltz finishing seventh and St. Pierre at eighth.

Hiltz is one of three transgender athletes competing in Paris – Canadian soccer player Quinn and New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard are the other two athletes who participated in the games. U.S. Olympic skateboarder Alana Smith competed at the Tokyo Olympics as an openly non-binary athlete.

Aligning with Olympic guidelines, Hiltz, who was born a female, isn’t taking hormone treatments, but they said that taking testosterone is a “dream” of theirs. The Olympian revealed Monday that they were deleting their X account until the end of the competition before sending a message to fans.

“Respect people’s pronouns and if someone has a different lived experience than you, try educating yourself instead of hating on them,” Hiltz wrote. Hiltz told the Washington Post that their participation in the Olympics was a chance to “change someone’s mind about something.”

Controversy loomed over boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting as both were disqualified from the 2023 Women’s World Championships since they didn’t clear gender eligibility tests. Despite facing accusations that they were biological males, both were approved to compete in Paris.

Hiltz admired the support at the Olympics by pointing and waving at every American flag in the crowd. Their partner and family were in attendance for the second semifinal. “I just feel the love,” Hiltz remarked.

Hiltz hosts a charity run, “Pride 5K,” that has donated over $172,000 to the Trevor Project – this year’s run will give its donations to Point of Pride, a non-profit advocating for financial aid for people seeking gender-affirming care.

In one of Olympic history’s most thrilling tennis matches, Serbian star Novak Djokovic won gold over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, a battle of the second and third-ranked players in the world. Djokovic took the match in straight sets, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2), that lasted over two hours. The final occurred at Paris’ Roland Garros, the sight of the French Open, and the court Alcaraz finished victoriously in June this year.

After winning one of the only tournaments Djokovic had not one before, he became visibly emotional and spoke candidly to Peacock after the round.

“I’m telling myself, always, that I’m enough. Because I can be very self-critical, that’s one of my biggest battles, internal battles that I keep fighting myself,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’ve done enough, I haven’t been enough on the court, off the court.”

While Djokovic boasts one of the most impressive resumes of any player in the sport, 2024 has not treated him kindly. He tore his meniscus at the French Open just six weeks ago and underwent surgery. The Serbian did not know if he would be healthy enough to compete and sustained more alignments during the Olympics and gave a dark update to reporters after the quarterfinal.

“I am very worried, to be honest. I don’t know what to say. The pain was very strong for two games after it happened. I don’t know if I slipped or what happened.”

But he found a way during the semifinal and final and became the first Serbian to win a gold medal in tennis. The 37-year-old completed the ‘golden slam,’ winning all four tennis majors and first place at the Olympic games, one of only four people, male or female, to accomplish this feat.

Conversely, Alcaraz will want to flush these two weeks in Paris as quickly as possible. He bowed out in the quarterfinals during doubles play with Rafael Nadal and lost in straight sets when favored to win the match over Djokovic.

Olympic hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone put on a masterclass to add consecutive gold medals to her collection and keep her winning streak alive in global events. McLaughlin-Levrone finished at 50.37, lowering her record of 50.65 set in June during the U.S. Trials in Oregon. Anna Cockrell came in second at 51.87, while Femke Bol finished third, clocking in at 52.15.

McLaughlin-Levrone and Cockrell’s outings were part of the contribution to eight medals in four events – Tara Davis-Woodhall and Jasmine Moore won gold and bronze in the women’s long jump, Grant Holloway and Daniel Roberts placed first and second in the men’s 110-meter hurdles while Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles placed second and third in the 200-meter.

“A blessing, honestly,” the American hurdler said. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity, grateful to be healthy and to come out of it in one piece. There was a lot of anticipation leading up to this race, and I’m just grateful for all that has taken place.”

A rivalry between Bol and McLaughlin-Levrone is starting to emerge as the Dutch hurdler made things interesting.

Before the Paris final, the two squared off at the 2020 Olympic Final and 2022 World Championships, in which the American hurdler won convincingly. Bol won the 2023 World Championships in McLaughlin-Levrone’s absence while closing in on her record before the 2024 Olympics. In Paris, Bol won the Netherlands a gold medal after showing off her flat speed with a 47.93 anchor leg to stun the Americans.

McLaughlin-Levrone has an opportunity to snag another gold in Saturday’s 4×400 relay. The next time that the hurdler will get another opportunity for distance at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Miami native Daniella Ramirez talked with uSports about her preparation for artistic swimming competitions at the Paris Olympics. Artistic swimming has been an Olympic sport since 1984, a form of swimming that mixes water acrobatics in a 30-meter by 20-meter pool. There are two events: a duet and a team competition; judges score routines based on how advanced the routine is and whether it was executed correctly.

Roster depth didn’t make a difference. If not for Steph Curry and Steph Curry alone, Team USA would be competing for a bronze medal this weekend.

The United States survived a torrid upset bid from Serbia to win 95-91 In the men’s basketball semifinals Thursday. Curry scored 36 points in the contest, carrying an otherwise-lethargic American team to a gold-medal match with France this Saturday.

Down 13 points going into the fourth quarter, the United States outscored Serbia 32-15 in the final 10 minutes. Every second of the sudden and devastating offensive onslaught was necessary for the team to complete the comeback. At any point before the fourth quarter, the gold-medal favorites seemed woefully outmatched.

Despite defeating Serbia twice in the past month, Team USA was completely unprepared to take on the Eastern European nation at its best. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was a problem all game, finishing with 17 points and 11 assists. Team USA coach Steve Kerr tried everything to contain him, eventually giving the assignment to LeBron James in the final stages.

Around Jokic, Serbian players shot with elite accuracy for most of the game; Bogdan Bogdanovic led the way in a spirited 20-point showing. The United States’ offense never stalled, and yet, the team was constantly on the back foot because of Serbia’s accuracy on the other end.

While Serbia shot the lights out of the Bercy Arena in Paris, Curry was the one who kept Team USA in the hunt. During the team’s fourth-quarter comeback, he was also the one who hit the go-ahead three-pointer and game-clinching free throws.

Curry was not the only American player who performed well by the end. Joel Embiid, who has been on and off the bench in the Olympics, finished with 19 points. James has been consistently excellent for the entire tournament and sustained the run with a triple-double, scoring 16 points with 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

“Gotta get in the hard way. We was preaching that the whole fourth quarter,” James said on the court after the game. “Beating a team three times in the last three weeks, we know it was gonna be difficult. We knew Serbia was gonna give us everything they had. Kudos to Serbia, but we came through.”

Losing this game would have been disastrous for Team USA, which was more or less stymied by a Serbian team that it had defeated convincingly in both exhibition and group stage play. The gold-medal game against France this weekend will require more from nearly everyone — Victor Wembanyama and company are unlikely to fall to singlehanded heroics.

U.S. distance runner Cole Hocker flipped in the script inside the Stade De France Tuesday night as he surpassed Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Britain’s Josh Kerr to take home gold in the Men’s 1500-meter final. Hocker completed the race in 3:27.65, surpassing his personal best while Kerr settled for silver with a time of 3:27.79.

Tuesday night’s race was anticipated to be a duel between Ingebrigtsen and Kerr as the two are rivals, exchanging in back-and-forth jabs.

In February, the Norwegian distance runner claimed that he would beat Kerr blindfolded while referring to the 2023 World Title winner as “the Brit who never competes” before the Olympics.

Things were going as planned as Ingebrigtsen got off to a hot start with Kerr right behind, but Kerr dashed in front of the Norwegian in the last 100 meters. Due to a perfectly timed surge, the underdog American runner came out of nowhere to stun Kerr to win another gold for the U.S.

The U.S. had two podium finishers for the first time in 112 years as Yared Nuguse took third place since Ingebrigtsen stumbled to fourth place.

Kerr remained positive despite the heartbreaking defeat to Hocker. “I’m proud of the performance I put out there today,” the 2023 World Title winner said. “Of course, I was looking for that gold medal, but it was a better medal than I got three years ago.”

Kerr took home bronze in the 2020 Olympics. The Brit praised Hocker’s performance, calling it “the best the Olympics has ever seen.”

“They’ve had all this added pressure and all that noise,” Hocker remarked. “I think that’s part of this. The job is blocking out that noise and it gets harder and harder the more you excel.”

Hobbs Kessler finished in fifth place for Team USA, clocking in a personal best of 3:29.45.

U.S. sprinter Gabby Thomas won a gold medal in the women’s 200-meter race, clocking in at 21.83 seconds. She bested St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred while Brittany Brown claimed bronze.

Thomas is the first American track star since Allyson Felix in 2012 to win gold in the 200-meter race, earning the U.S. its fifth gold medal in track and field – Cole Hocker added to the total after his come-from-behind win over Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

“You prepare for this moment and train hard for this moment, but when it actually comes, it’s indescribable,” Thomas said. “I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would become an Olympic gold medalist, and I am one. I’m still wrapping my head around that.”

Thomas has already made a name for herself by winning bronze in the 200-meter in the Tokyo Olympics and silver at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

At her alma mater, Harvard University, Thomas won the 200-meter NCAA title in 2018 while being recruited to also run the 100-meter, in addition to doing the short and long jump. The Northampton, Massachusetts native won the 2024 New York City Grand Prix with a time of 22.42 and the 2024 London Diamond League in 21.82.

Shericka Jackson withdrew from the 100-meter and 200-meter for an unknown reason. The Jamaican track star experienced a hamstring injury affecting her performance. Jackson’s absence from Tuesday’s race made Thomas the clear favorite to win gold.

“I knew what I wanted to do: take the lead and finish strong,” Thomas remarked. “It’s kind of like tunnel vision at that point. I got out of the blocks and I couldn’t tell you where anyone was. But I knew I was ready; I knew I trained for this.”

U.S. Olympic sprinter Kenny Bednarek is more motivated than ever to claim gold. Bednarek, who secured a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and battled through injuries in 2022, reflected on these experiences within his career to chase for gold.

In an interview with uSports in May discussing his preparation and mindset for the upcoming games, Bednarek expressed his drive to reach new heights. “I mean, you know, in 2022, getting silver after injury and then 2021 after a stellar season, I had, like, it just brings a lot of motivation,” he said.

Despite his impressive accomplishments, Bednarek believes he has not yet reached his full potential.

“And I know that I am nowhere close to my peak. I haven’t hit anywhere near my ceiling,” he said.

Staying healthy is a crucial part of his strategy. Bednarek said the importance of maintaining his physical condition to achieve his goals. “So now, it’s just a matter of staying healthy and then bringing all that out, you know, when the time comes,” he stated.

U.S. Olympic archer Casey Kaufhold discussed the key skills necessary in competitive archery with uSports in May.

Scottie Scheffler, the world #1, continued his dominance in 2024 by winning Olympic gold at the games in Paris. The American shot a course record 62 after beginning the day four back of the Spaniard Jon Rahm. Sunday was Scheffler’s seventh win of the year on a record that includes the Masters and Players Championship.

Scheffler did not shoot a bogey in his final round, which started with a bang as the gold medalist sunk three straight birdies. He put the pressure on the rest of the field with four consecutive holes under par from the 14th to the 17th, and his late efforts propelled him to victory. Englishman Tommy Fleetwood finished second, but he went only two under par during the back nine as his Olympic dreams faded away. Fleetwood ended his tournament with a -18, one less than Scheffler’s winning -19. Hideki Matsuyama, from Japan, won bronze with a -17.

No golfer had a more disappointing Sunday than Rahm, who came undone and did not win a medal. During the fourth round, he shot a 39 on the back nine, four over par. After ending Saturday with a -5 round, he looked poised for his first high-quality win since 2023, but it slipped away.

After his victory, Scheffler teared up on the podium as the Star Spangled Banner rang out, a surprise display of emotion for a player frequently found at the top.

“Same thing, like when you go to a sporting event, you hear everybody in the stands singing the National Anthem. It’s a pretty special thing to be a part of, and I think that’s something we take tremendous pride in. It was just very emotional being up there on stage there as the flag is being raised and sitting there singing the National Anthem. Yes, that’s definitely one I’ll remember for a long time.”

Scheffler became the second straight American to win gold as Xander Schauffele came in first at the Tokyo Olympics.

On Sunday, Noah Lyles completed the first leg of his Olympic double with a breathtaking 100-meter victory in Paris.

Lyles defeated Jamacia’s Kishane Thompson by five one-thousandths of a second as a photo finish determined who won the race. American Fred Kerley took the bronze, losing by 0.02 seconds with a tie of 9.81.

After the race, Lyles took to Twitter with an inspiring message.

“I have Asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety and depression. But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why not you!”

Surprisingly, the Virginia native struggled in the preliminary rounds after winning the world championships in the 100 in 2023. He finished second in his first heat and gave reporters a quote for the ages.
“I downplayed my competitors for sure. I was like, ‘There’s no reason to really put any emphasis on it.’ But these guys proved to me that they’re ready to compete. I said, ‘All right, I can’t do that anymore.’ I promise that will not happen again.”

The next day, he came in second place during the semifinal and started in lane seven during the final.

Lyles started slow and was not in a medal position at the 50-meter mark. But he never panicked and pressed on the gas to create the most competitive 100-meter race in recent memory.

The Parisian crowd sat in nervous silence after the sprint ended, staring at the video board to find out the winner after judges examined the video record. Suddenly, Lyles took off his nameplate, held it to the sky, looked at the nearest camera, and shouted, “America, I told you!”

He became the first American man to win the 100 since Justin Gatlin took gold in 2004.

Lyles did not have a chance to rest on his laurels as 200-meter qualifying began Monday. He won his heat and is advancing to the semifinals tomorrow.

Competing at the highest level of any sport requires not just physical struggle but mental fortitude as well. For U.S. Olympic canoeist Evy Leibfarth, visualization and stress management techniques are essential tools when facing adversity in the Olympics.

Olympic runner Gabby Thomas took the time to recall the period when she recovered from a hamstring injury that she suffered at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The injury sidelined Thomas from competing in the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships last year.

Four-time NBA Champion LeBron James will make history Friday in Paris by being chosen as the U.S. Olympic flag bearer, the first male basketball player in American history. Female basketball players Sue Bird and Dawn Staley previously earned flag bearer honors as the women’s holder.

After being chosen, James released a statement:

“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” James said. “For a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only myself but to my family, all the kids in my hometown, my teammates, fellow Olympians, and so many people across the country with big aspirations. Sports have the power to bring us all together, and I’m proud to be a part of this important moment.”

Members of the U.S. Olympic team chose the flag-bearer, and James’ countrymen gave him the honor in what should be his fourth and final Olympics, capping off an illustrious international career. The Los Angeles Laker will compete in his fourth international games in Paris, attempting to win his third gold medal and first since 2012. With 373 points, he is third in all-time scoring in U.S.A. basketball, behind Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.

James joined this iteration of the Olympic team due to his age, 39, but also to put American basketball back at the top of the world. Although the Americans won gold in Tokyo, the rest of the world has made up ground on the U.S. in the last three years. In 2023, the Yanks did not reach the podium at the FIBA World Basketball championship, losing to Germany in the semi-finals and Canada in the third place game.

The United States brings a star-studded group to France and is the odds-on favorite to win gold for the fifth Olympics in a row, sitting at -500 according to Hard Rock Bet.

Scottish tennis great Andy Murray confirmed that the 2024 Summer Olympics will be his final tournament to cap off his career. “Competing for Great Britain has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career, and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time,” Murray tweeted on X.

A series of injuries resulted in the three-time Grand Slam champion vocalizing his retirement plans. “This year’s been tough with the ankle, then the back surgery and the hip. I’m ready to be finished playing because I can’t play to the level that I would want to anymore,” Murray told the Wimbledon crowd. “Even though it was a doubles match where it’s not as demanding, it’s still really hard for me.”

Murray could have had a farewell at Wimbledon, but a back injury robbed him of the opportunity.

The Scottish native has had quite the career as he is the only player to win two Olympic gold medals in singles – he won these at the 2012 and 2016 summer Olympic games while reaching the Grand Slam eleven times, winning three times. Murray prevailed over Roger Federer in London and Juan Martin del Potro in Rio de Janeiro. He also won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016 while winning the U.S. Open in 2012. In addition, the Scot led Great Britain to a 2015 Davis Cup victory and became the world’s top tennis player for 41 weeks in 2016.

U.S. Olympic rhythmic gymnast Evita Griskenas is heading for the Paris Olympics after suffering a broken foot at her latest competition prior to qualifying for the Paris Olympics.

Kevin Durant, the highest-scoring player in USA basketball history and two-time NBA champion, will miss the beginning portion of pre-Olympics camp with a calf injury. The injury does not appear serious, but the national team does not want to take risks. Durant has a history of calf issues. However, the 35-year-old played 75 out of 82 regular season games this season.

On Tuesday, USA Basketball released the dates and matchups for its group stage. The Americans take on Serbia on July 28 in their opening game, and three days later, they play South Sudan on July 31. The group stage rounds out with a matchup against Puerto Rico on August 3.

Durant’s Olympic resume may be the best in world history. Most recently, the former NBA MVP has won three gold medals in Tokyo. He led the team in Japan in points per game and minutes while starting all six games.

According to DraftKings, the United States is -390 to win the gold medal in France, which would be five in a row for the red, white and blue. However, the United States should not expect a coronation right to the podium. Canada and France are +900 and +1000, respectively, and each boasts NBA-level talent, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray leading the Canadians and Victor Wembenyama, the star on the French side. Last summer, during the FIBA World Basketball Championships, the USA finished fourth and did not receive a medal as the rest of the world catches up to the Americans on the hardwood.

This may be the last Olympics for a generation of American NBA stars. LeBron James, Steph Curry and Durant are all on the wrong side of 35, and experts believe they opted to play in 2024 because this could be their final straw. However, with the summer games coming to Los Angeles in 2028, it may motivate more stars to participate in four years.

U.S. field hockey player Abby Tamer has her sights high for the Paris Olympics, intending to secure a gold medal. Tamer and her teammates are determined to demonstrate their worth on the global stage.

Perry Baker, the renowned U.S. Olympic rugby star, is gearing up for the upcoming Paris Olympics with a seasoned approach to both his physical and mental preparation. In a recent statement, Baker highlighted the depth of his experience that comes with years of dedicated training.

On the final day of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials, Simone Biles clinched her place on her third Olympic team, making her just the fourth American woman to achieve this milestone. At age 27, Biles is the oldest women’s gymnast to make an Olympic team in 72 years.

Biles earned her spot by winning the all-around title at the Trials with a score of 117.225. Reflecting on her journey, Biles said to NBC Sports, “I knew I wasn’t done after the performances in Tokyo. So just getting back in the gym, and then working hard and just trusting the process with Cecile and Laurent (Landi) – I knew I’d be back.”

Joining Biles in Paris will be her Tokyo Olympic teammates Suni Lee (111.675), Jordan Chiles (111.425), and Jade Carey (111.350). First-year senior Hezly Rivera (111.150) will also be making her first Olympic appearance.

For the first time in history, an Olympic gymnastics team will feature two Olympic all-around champions: Biles (2016) and Lee (2020).

The selection process was challenging, with several top contenders dropping out due to injuries. Shilese Jones withdrew after competing only on the uneven bars, Skye Blakely sustained an Achilles injury during practice, and Kayla DiCello suffered an Achilles injury on her vault during the competition.

Rotation-by-Rotation Highlights:

Rotation 5:

• Tiana Sumanasekera: Stuck her Yurchenko double twist for a 14.350.
• Hezly Rivera: Scored 14.300 on uneven bars with a clean routine.
• Joscelyn Roberson: Posted a 14.500 for her Cheng vault.
• Jordan Chiles: Scored 14.500 for her Yurchenko double twist and 14.675 for her Lopez vault.
• Jade Carey: Received a 14.675 for her Cheng vault.
• Suni Lee: Earned a 14.875 on uneven bars.
• Simone Biles: Scored 15.500 for her Yurchenko double pike.

Rotation 6:

• Jordan Chiles: Scored 14.200 on uneven bars.
• Leanne Wong: Scored 13.650 on balance beam.
• Jade Carey: Scored 13.075 on uneven bars.
• Simone Biles: Scored 14.200 on uneven bars.
• Suni Lee: Scored 12.825 on balance beam after a rough routine.
• Hezly Rivera: Scored 14.275 on balance beam.

Rotation 7:

• Leanne Wong: Scored 13.625 on floor.
• Jade Carey: Scored 13.625 on balance beam.
• Kaliya Lincoln: Scored 13.650 on floor.
• Simone Biles: Scored 13.900 on balance beam.
• Suni Lee: Scored 13.850 on floor.
• Tiana Sumanasekera: Scored 13.950 on balance beam.
• Hezly Rivera: Scored 13.550 on floor.
• Joscelyn Roberson: Scored 14.050 on balance beam.
• Jordan Chiles: Scored 12.225 on balance beam.

Rotation 8:

• Simone Biles: Scored 14.725 on floor.
• Suni Lee: Scored 14.100 on vault.
• Tiana Sumanasekera: Scored 13.725 on floor.
• Hezly Rivera: Scored 14.200 on vault.
• Joscelyn Roberson: Scored 13.925 on floor.
• Jordan Chiles: Scored 14.100 on floor.
• Leanne Wong: Scored 14.500 on vault.
• Jade Carey: Scored 14.150 on floor.

Final Scores:

1. Simone Biles: 117.225
2. Suni Lee: 111.675
3. Jordan Chiles: 111.425
4. Jade Carey: 111.350
5. Hezly Rivera: 111.150
6. Joscelyn Roberson: 110.975
7. Leanne Wong: 110.425
8. Tiana Sumanasekera: 109.550
9. Kaliya Lincoln: 109.400
10. Simone Rose: 105.200

Biles’ dominant performance and the strength of the team bode well for the U.S. in the upcoming Paris Olympics.