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He won Olympic gold for Pakistan. He got $1 million. And ... a buffalo!?!
2024 Paris Olympics (NOT the 2024 Paralympics)
August 21, 2024 3:43 PM ET
By Benazir Samad
Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan competes during the men's javelin throw at the Olympics in Paris. He won gold, set an Olympic record — and reaped lots of prizes, including a buffalo from his father-in-law. It's all about the milk!
From left: Patrick Smith/Getty Images; G A Chandio/Getty Images
Arshad Nadeem made history at the Paris Olympics.
A strapping 6 feet 4 inches tall, he set a new Olympic record for the longest javelin throw – 92.97 meters or 305.02 feet.
The 27-year-old became the first Pakistani to secure an individual gold medal.
And oh, one more historic thing: He is undoubtedly the first Olympic champion to be given a buffalo as a reward for his prowess.
Nadeem grew up in a rural community in the Punjab province of Pakistan, the third oldest of eight children. He was a gifted athlete who gravitated to cricket. Then his dad, who worked as a mason, suggested he try a javelin.
Nadeem says he did not get support from the Pakistani government in his training. But his gold medal triggered a gold rush: $50,000 from World Athletics, around half a million dollars from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and $350,000 from Punjab’s Chief Minister Mariam Nawaz. He also got a couple of cars, including a Honda Civic whose license plate bears the number 92.97 as a tribute to his javelin distance.
Then there’s the lifetime supply of free fuel, an apartment, even a gold crown (!).
And from his father-in-law: a buffalo.
Jokes were made – including by Nadeem. On a morning TV show, an anchor asked about the buffalo. Arshad said he had been hoping for a large tract of land since his father-in-law is wealthy. Then he added, “Okay, a buffalo will suffice, too.”
Actually that’s an understatement. The buffalo holds deep cultural significance in Nadeem’s home province of Punjab. “In rural communities, a buffalo is considered one of the most honorable and valuable gifts, much like camels in desert regions like Saudi Arabia,” says Rashad Bukhari, a writer and cultural commentator born and raised in Punjab.
The gift that keeps on giving ... milk
Buffalo are valued for their milk –- called the “black gold’ of Pakistan. With a higher fat and protein content than cow’s milk, buffalo milk makes up 72% of the nation’s milk supply. Their milk is also well-suited to turn into ghee, a clarified butter that is a staple of the Pakistani diet,
So for farmers in the agricultural province of Punjab, a female buffalo is … um … a cash cow.
And it’s a gift that keeps on giving … milk. The average lifespan of a buffalo is 20 years. A female usually starts producing milk after birthing a first calf at 3 years old. The animal will continue giving milk for the rest of its life, according to Dr. Burhan-e- Azam, a veterinarian who works for Punjab’s livestock dept as a farm manager and an animal nutritionist at a buffalo research institute. He notes that most buffalo will yield milk if the udders are massaged – even if the calf is not around.
If you have a buffalo and need some money, you’re in luck. “You can sell it whenever you want and get good money right away,” says Azam. The price of a buffalo typically ranges from $1,500 to $3,600.
That’s why Pakistanis call a buffalo “a poor man’s bank.”
“Buffalo is a blessing for our region,” he adds. “It does not even require too much care like other high maintenance animals.” After letting the animal graze during the day, he says, “mostly people would tie their buffalo with a tree” in their compound at night. He adds that buffalo are well-suited for both hot and cold climates.”
The importance of a buffalo for Punjab can be gauged from the fact that in ancient times there was a profession called khoji, an Urdu word that can mean “detective.” A khoji could study the footprints left by a buffalo thief and follow trails for days, even weeks, until the buffalo rustler was discovered. (The advent of security cameras and modern roads have brought an end to the profession.)
Buffalo are also a part of the traditional dowry in Punjab. And when a family buffalo dies, Bukhari says that to this day, neighbors visit to offer condolences.
nd you may wonder – is it a little odd to have just one buffalo? That’s often the case for families in Punjab, says Azam. Many households have a sole buffalo — and benefit from free door-to-door vaccination services and medical care provided by the government.
For javelin king Nadeem, the buffalo is not just symbolic. Buffalo milk and homemade ghee were a staple in his diet while training. His father-in-law’s gift ensures that the Olympic medalist will have fresh milk as he trains for his next competition.
Benazir Samad is an international journalist at Voice of America in Washington, D.C. She tweets @benazirmirsamad
https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/08/21/g-s1-17578/olympics-gold-javelin-pakistan-arshad-nadeem-buffalo
Highlights from the first week of the Paralympic Games in Paris
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated 12:11 PM CDT, September 2, 2024
1 of 35 | Beatriz Hatz, of the U.S., competes at Women’s Long Jump -T64 final at the Stade de France stadium, during the 2024 Paralympics, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Belgium’s Maxime Carabin leads the men’s 400m T52 race at the 2024 Paralympics, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Jayci Simon, 19, left, and Miles Krajewski, 19, from the U.S., compete in their first doubles badminton match in the SH6 classification at Porte La Chapelle Arena during the Paralympic Games, on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/Samantha Hurley)
Brazil’s Jeferson da Conceicao Goncalves, left, clears the ball past Turkey’s Semih Deniz and Muhammed Ali Oktem during the blind football preliminary match between Brazil and Turkey, at the Paralympic Games in Paris, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Scheyer)
Archer Sheetal Devi from India prepares to fire during the Paralympic Games in Paris on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Scheyer)
Blind soccer players from France and China compete in a Preliminary Round Group A - Match 4, at the Eiffel Tower Stadium, during the 2024 Paralympics, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
[...]
https://apnews.com/article/sports-paralympics-paris-photo-gallery-68bdad2e45ff47e9ffe22430a15e0c7e
Paris Paralympics Day 1 Preview (Aug. 29): Sarah Adam to make wheelchair rugby history
Eric Goodman
Aug. 28, 2024 6:05 pm ET
(Updated: Aug. 28, 2024 6:31 pm ET)
VIDEO- Sarah Adam 4m 15s
Sarah Adam: Professor Paralympian
Each day of the 2024 Paris Paralympics, NBC Olympics will run down the major sports in action, highlighting top athletes and marquee events. Watch live streaming coverage on NBCOlympics.com, Peacock, NBC.com and the NBC Sports app, and TV coverage on the networks of NBC, USA Network and CNBC. Visit the schedule page for full listings.
After another rousing Opening Ceremony from the Champs-Elysees brought a ceremonial start to the 2024 Paris Paralympics, the action kicks off in earnest Thursday when 11 sports begin play.
Some of Team USA's biggest names get their Games started on Day 1 in wheelchair basketball, para swimming, wheelchair rugby and more.
Below is a full breakdown of the top events and athletes to watch on Day 1.
Wheelchair rugby
Though the United States has never failed to win a medal in wheelchair rugby at the Paralympics, it's been 16 years since the Americans topped the podium. Their attempt at ending that drought begins on Day 1 when the United States takes on Canada at 7:30 a.m. ET.
Continued - https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/paris-paralympics-day-1-preview-aug-29-sarah-adam-make-wheelchair-rugby-history
Let the games begin! 
Paris 2024: First Paralympics in France open with stunning ceremony
The Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games takes place in the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysees,
kicking off 11 days of Para sport excitement 28 Aug 2024
French athletes taking part in the Paris 2024 Parade of Nations. A male athlete is waving the French flag.
The French entered to cheers
The French entered to cheers from the crowd to the music of "Champs-Elysees" ?Steph Chambers/Getty Images
By Ayano Shimizu, Lisa Martin & Ruth Faulkner for the IPC
The first-ever Paris 2024 Paralympic Games has opened in the French capital, with a stunning Opening Ceremony taking place outdoors for the first time in history. About 4,400 athletes from around the world will compete across 22 sports, sharing the excitement of Para sport with spectators for the first time in eight years.
Athletes from a record 168 delegations paraded in the iconic Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysees, in front of thousands of fans who cheered, clapped and waved flags when the athletes took to the stage. Athletes danced, waved at the crowd and posed for photos as they made a lap around the most beautiful public square in the world.
Fans and athletes became one when the French delegation entered the Place de la Concorde to the music of "Champs-Elysees". Led by flagbearers Nantenin Keita and Alexis Hanquinquant, French athletes embraced the love from the spectators, who turned their phone torches to support the hosts.
Big party in Paris
Indonesia's Para powerlifter Nengah Widiasih was decked out in a ceremonial crown and excited to enter the ceremony.
"I want to see an amazing ceremony tonight. It's my first time going to a ceremony. It's my first experience. Fourth Paralympics but I never went to the opening, usually my competition is the next day."
Another athlete with high hopes for the ceremony is South Africa’s flagbearer Mpumelelo Mhlongo. “I just expect that there’s going to be a massive crowd out there welcoming the Paralympians from around the world, and a lot of countries creating a good vibe just to show France how grateful we are that they are hosting us and they’ve created such an amazing event for us to showcase our talent,” said Mhlongo, who will compete in Para athletics.
In the first minutes of the Opening Ceremony, French Paralympic hero Theo Curin drove a Phryge taxi – a red car decorated with hundreds of the Paralympic mascot. The Paralympic swimmer, who competed at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, takes French athletes on a ride, while speaking about what it is like to compete at a home Games.
As the countdown ended, the Paralympic swimmer yelled “Welcome to Paris” as fireworks exploded lighting up the sky in red, white and blue, the colours of the French flag. Eyes kept being drawn upwards, as the Patrouille acrobatique de France also performed a flyby, releasing smoke matching flag.
The Ceremony featured music and dance routines, setting the stage for 11 days of exciting Paralympic competition. It included a grand choreographed show, in which many dancers used crutches to showcase the theme of overcoming physical differences, creating a new, inclusive competition where unity and equality succeed.
In the final performance of the evening, Christine and the Queens took to the stage, singing to a display by dancers in wheelchairs. They were spinning on the floor, a performance inspired by and pays tribute to Sue Austin, a British artist with a disability, who used the wheels of her wheelchair to paint.
Ready, set...
There will be around 4,400 athletes from a record 168 delegations, including the largest ever Refugee Paralympic Team. Three National Paralympic Committees – Eritrea, Kiribati and Kosovo – will make their Paralympic debut in the French capital. There will be a record number of female athletes.
Athletes were welcomed by thousands of spectators - and 15 Phryge mascots that danced, jumped around, and even read newspapers on the stage. With a beautiful sunset and the Eiffel Tower also in the background, athletes celebrated the opening of the Games.
“I’m very excited. It’s my first time. Can’t wait. I watched the Olympic Ceremony and it was so cool. There is so much to do and everything is so amazing, I’m so happy to be here,” said Finland’s Lida Lounela, who will make her Paralympic debut in the French capital.
There was a huge roar from crowd when the Refugee Paralympic Team entered the Place de la Concord. Led by flagbearer Guillaume Junior Atangana, the RPT will feature eight athletes who will compete across six sports – Para athletics, Para powerlifting, Para table tennis, Para taekwondo, Para triathlon and wheelchair fencing.
With a DJ playing electronic music, the Place de la Concorde turned into a dance floor or what even seemed like a big fashion show. From athletes from Indonesia, Ghana to Solomon Islands, athletes from many countries wore traditional costumes to showcase their cultures.
Henry Kwaku Nyanteh Lorbi, Ghana’s chef de mission, explained the idea behind having a traditional costume at the Opening Ceremony.
“Our uniform is traditional, hand woven, we have different colours and different designs expressing a story. Every one you see is a different fabric which has a different story, showing we're using our individual differences and bringing them together."
Tahiru Haruna, who will represent Ghana in Para powerlifting, said, “I want to see the flags of all the world, Africa, Asia, I want to see everyone smiling. This unites everybody together. That's sports. That's why it's called Paralympic - we move together, we love ourselves.”
A family affair
South Africa's Mhlongo said, “I think it’s everything (to have a crowd). We know from covid that our sport is nothing without having a community so without the crowd we also don’t exist. You don’t get the performances out of the athletes. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”
“Lucky number three. I’ve always been in mixed classed events, so always had the Paralympic record and world record but always ended up 5th, so this is the first year we have our own 100m in our class so just looking to showcase the T44 class and how much talent we have there.”
It was also a family moment for Mhlongo. His wife Monique Atouguia , who was wearing the colours of the South African flag, cheered as she watched her husband carry the flag at his third Paralympics, with her brother and her mother. Her husband's family will be arriving tomorrow to complete the family celebrations.
"I'm so excited, so emotional. This is his third Paralympics and he's retiring, so it's a big deal. It's a big one (with him carrying the flag), and of course it's beautiful to have a moment to celebrate the athletes without them having even competed, that's amazing," Monique Atouguia told the IPC at the Opening Ceremony.
"It's unity, it's diversity, it's the power of what we can achieve together. All of that it's a night to celebrate." she said.
The inclusion revolution starts here
The Opening Ceremony, directed by Thomas Jolly, put disability and the joy of life at centre stage. A black and white film after the Parade of Nations followed individuals on their journeys of reflection, from the initial difficulties of accepting differences to finding confidence. As people opened up about their feelings, the crowd reacted and clapped.
“Here at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, we will celebrate what makes us different, show there is strength in difference, beauty in difference, and that difference serves as a powerful force for good,” International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said in his speech.
“The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will show what persons with disabilities can achieve at the highest level when the barriers to succeed are removed.
“The fact these opportunities largely exist only in sport in the year 2024 is shocking. It is proof we can and must do more to advance disability inclusion - whether on the field of play, in the classroom, concert hall or in the boardroom.
“That is why 225 years on from when Place de la Concorde was central to the French Revolution, I hope Paris 2024 starts a Paralympic revolution, the inclusion revolution.”
Story to be updated...
https://www.paralympic.org/paris-2024/news/opening-ceremony-review
Paris 2024 Paralympic Games
"Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023"
28 August - 8 September
Markus Rehm: 🇩🇪 One Of The World's Greatest Paralympic Long Jumper
AP photographers pick their favorite Paris Olympics images
PARIS (AP) — Associated Press photographers have shot hundreds of thousands of amazing photos during the Paris Olympics.
The Games featured a little something for everyone, and AP was there to capture it all with photos of iconic landmarks, remarkable athletic feats, emotional highs and lows, frenzied fans and much more.
The photographers assigned to the Games combed through hordes of photos they shot and were asked to select their favorite. Here’s a look at those magical moments.
55 PHOTOS-- only a few shown here
Simone Biles of the United States competes on the balance beam during a women’s artistic gymnastics qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
on Rahm, of Spain, plays off the 11th tee during the final round of the men’s golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Spain’s Alex Baena, right, celebrates after scoring his goal during the men’s soccer gold medal match between France and Spain at the Parc des Princes during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Official doctors prohibit Algeria’s Chaimaa Fouzia Aouissi to fight in the round of 16 of the women’s freestyle 57kg wrestling match against Nigeria’s Odunayo Folasade Adekuoroye, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Belgium’s Emma Puvrez celebrates after scoring her side’s first goal during the women’s semi-final field hockey match between Belgium and China at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Colombes, France. (AP Photo/ Anjum Naveed)
The Archery venue can be seen from atop Les Invalides at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
The United States women’s gymnastics team celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women’s artistic gymnastics team finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Noah Lyles, of the United States, jumps ahead of the men’s 100-meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
[...]
https://apnews.com/article/paris-olympics-2024-photos-f5c2333961278f897b15df21ab2a4a31
Golden Steph: Curry’s late barrage seals another Olympic men’s basketball title, as US beats France
By TIM REYNOLDS
Updated 9:29 AM GMT+10, August 11, 2024
PARIS (AP) — Stephen Curry was thinking about this two years ago, after winning his fourth NBA title with the Golden State Warriors. The only thing left for him to win was Olympic gold.
And in the ultimate moment, he made sure that medal would be his.
The U.S. is atop the international men’s basketball world once again, after Curry scored 24 points — all on 3-pointers — and led the way to a 98-87 win over France in the final at the Paris Games on Saturday night. It was the fifth consecutive gold medal for the U.S. and the 17th in 20 all-time appearances for the Americans at the games.
“You just stay confident, stay present and don’t get rattled by the moment,” said Curry, who had 17 3-pointers in his last two games, starting with nine against Serbia to get to the gold-medal game.
Added U.S. coach Steve Kerr: “Steph earned this.”
Curry made four 3-pointers in the final 2:43, including the one that just sealed the win with 1:19 remaining. It put the U.S. up 93-84 and he skipped down the court letting out a yell, shaking his jersey so everyone could see the “USA” across the front.
If that wasn’t enough, one more followed with about 30 seconds left — with the “go to sleep” move where he puts his hands on the side of his face.
Good night. Game over. Gold won. Again.
“For me to get a gold medal is insane, and I thank God for the opportunity to experience it,” Curry said.
Kevin Durant — the first four-time men’s gold medalist in Olympic basketball history — scored 15 for the Americans, as did Devin Booker. LeBron James, wearing metallic gold shoes that needed no explanation, scored 14 for the U.S. as he won his fourth Olympic medal and third gold.
“Super humbled that I can still play this game,” James said. “Played at a high level, played with 11 other great players and a great coaching staff and went on and did it for our country. It was a great moment around.”
For the second consecutive Olympics, the French had to watch the Americans hold up U.S. flags in celebration after the title game. The French lost to the U.S. 87-82 in Tokyo three years ago, and this one was down to the final minutes.
That is, until Curry took over.
“I think we might be the only team in the world whose fans are ashamed of them if they get a silver medal,” said Kerr, the Golden State coach whose two-summer run with the U.S. ends with a 21-3 record and Olympic gold — 11-0 this summer. “That’s the pressure that we face. But our players, and you saw Steph, they love the pressure. They appreciate this atmosphere and they were fantastic.”
Victor Wembanyama, the NBA Rookie of the Year for San Antonio in his first Olympic final, was brilliant for France, scoring 26 points — the second-most ever against the U.S. in a gold-medal game, one behind the 27 that Drazen Dalipagic scored for Yugoslavia in 1976.
“I’m learning,” Wembanyama said. “And I’m worried for the opponents in a couple of years.”
Wembanyama covered his face in a towel afterward as the Americans celebrated. Guerschon Yabusele scored 20 for the hosts.
“For sure, it’s a disappointment because we expected we could do it,” France coach Vincent Collet said. “But we have to recognize at the end that they are better. We are very close ... When they make fantastic shots, that’s the difference.”
The U.S. lead was 14 early in the third, looking poised to pull away. But the offense quickly went cold and when Evan Fournier connected on a 3-pointer with 3:05 left in the quarter the lead was down to 65-59 after a 12-4 run by the hosts.
And with a chance to go up double digits headed to the fourth, a big U.S. blunder gave France another jolt of momentum. Anthony Edwards and Durant got their signals crossed on a pass that led to a turnover, Nando De Colo scored to beat the buzzer and the U.S. lead was only 72-66 going into the final 10 minutes.
It got as close as three. No closer, thanks to Curry. He hit four 3-pointers in a span of 2:12, the last one of them a bit of the circus variety, and they all immediately went into Olympic lore.
“A big shot to put us up six. That kind of settled everything,” Curry said. “And then the rhythm, the avalanche came, and thankfully the other three went in. That was an unbelievable moment. I’ve been blessed to play basketball at a high level for a very long time. This ranks very high in terms of excitement and the sense of relief, getting to the finish line.”
It was the eighth time in Olympic history — and Sunday’s women’s final between the U.S. and France will mark the ninth — that the home team got to play for basketball gold.
Home teams are now 5-3 in those games, 2-1 on the men’s side. The U.S. men and women both won in 1984 and 1996; the women of the Soviet Union won in 1980, while Australia’s women lost to the U.S. in 2000 and Japan’s women also lost to the U.S. at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
For James, it was one more thing for the neverending list that is his legacy. For Durant, it was history with four golds. For Booker, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Bam Adebayo, it was a second gold. For Jrue Holiday, it was a second gold to match his wife — soccer great Lauren Cheney Holiday — for the family lead. For Derrick White, Tyrese Haliburton, Joel Embiid and Edwards, it was the first Olympic title.
“This has been an amazing experience, a beautiful experience,” Durant said.
And for Curry, it was a long time coming after he wasn’t available for previous Olympics. The Americans couldn’t have been more thrilled that he was there for this one.
“I was smilin’, cheesin’, having the best time of my life,” Curry said.
He likened it to a Game 7 on the road, which it basically was. He’s had enormous success in those moments: a 50-point outburst to lead Golden State past Sacramento in 2023, and a 27-point, 10-assist, nine-rebound performance to win a do-or-die game in Houston in 2018.
And now, this.
“It’s right up there with all of the greatest games of his career,” Kerr said. “The shot-making was just incredible. But under the circumstances, on the road, in Paris, against France for a gold medal, this is storybook stuff. But that’s what Steph does. He likes to be in storybooks.
TIM REYNOLDS
Reynolds is an Associated Press sports writer, based in South Florida.
https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-france-usa-basketball-11c95e9b6dfdb25f77c122cd1abe58e5
From your - https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Tamirat Tola, one guy who loves running! Has loved it for 10-12-15 years likely, as won his 1st Olympic
medal in 2016, and a 2nd in 2024. It's kind of amazing that they can run so well, and so far, for so long.
"Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola won the men’s marathon at the Paris Olympics on Saturday to end Kenya’s dominance of the race.
P - Tola finished in an Olympic record time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, 26 seconds, with Belgium’s Bashir Abdi finishing 21 seconds behind and Benson Kipruto taking bronze for Kenya, 34 seconds back.
P - The 32-year-old Tola looked back as he neared the line, but he was well clear and had time to soak up the applause. Two weeks ago, he entered the Olympic marathon as a substitute for injured teammate Sisay Lemma.
P - It was Tola’s second Olympic medal, with the other coming in the 10,000 meters at the 2016 Rio Games."
Your - https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-marathon-men-93beb97da6dd3537bf8d6246df516692
Olympic highlights from Day 14 of the Paris Games
Updated 6:31 AM CDT, August 10, 2024
Paris (AP) — A gallery of highlights on Day 14 of the Olympics captured by AP photographers at the Paris Games.
Sha’carri Richardson, of the United States, celebrates after winning the women’s 4 x 100-meter relay final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Valentin Bontus, of Austria, screams with joy after winning the gold, during a men’s kite final race, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Onofriichuk Taisiia, of Ukraine, performs clubs exercise in the rhythmic gymnastics individuals all-round final at La Chapelle Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
France’s Sya Dembele, known as B-Girl Syssy, competes during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Italy’s Chiara Pellacani competes in the women’s 3m springboard diving final, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
...
https://apnews.com/article/paris-olympics-photos-2024-82a604987aabdb4f1705e9f85d939363
Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola wins men’s marathon at Paris Olympics to end Kenya dominance
1 of 11 | Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the gold medal at the end of the men’s marathon competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
By JEROME PUGMIRE
Updated 5:04 AM CDT, August 10, 2024
Follow along for the latest updates from today’s Olympic action.
PARIS (AP) — Ethiopian runner Tamirat Tola won the men’s marathon at the Paris Olympics on Saturday to end Kenya’s dominance of the race.
Tola finished in an Olympic record time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, 26 seconds, with Belgium’s Bashir Abdi finishing 21 seconds behind and Benson Kipruto taking bronze for Kenya, 34 seconds back.
The 32-year-old Tola looked back as he neared the line, but he was well clear and had time to soak up the applause. Two weeks ago, he entered the Olympic marathon as a substitute for injured teammate Sisay Lemma.
It was Tola’s second Olympic medal, with the other coming in the 10,000 meters at the 2016 Rio Games.
“After I came from track I achieved a lot in marathon,” said Tola, who broke a 12-year course record when he won last year’s New York marathon.
It was a second Olympic medal for the 35-year-old Abdi, too, and the Somalia-born athlete went one better than his bronze medal at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
Tola again got the better of Abdi in marathon at a major race. He beat him in the 2022 world championships, where Abdi finished third.
Britain’s Emile Cairess placed fourth on Saturday and even had enough energy for a sprint finish — of sorts — after 42 kilometers (26 miles) in the sun.
Two-time defending champion Eliud Kipchoge struggled throughout. He was more than eight minutes behind Tola at the 30-kilometer mark and did not finish.
The last non-Kenyan to win was Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich at the London Games in 2012.
The 39-year-old Kipchoge was looking to become the first man to win the race three times but stays stuck on two. Ethiopian Abebe Bikila won it consecutively in 1960 and 1964 and Waldemar Cierpinski did the same in 1976 and 1980 representing then-East Germany.
Breaking from tradition, the men’s Olympic marathon was not held on the final day and instead the women will run on Sunday.
Starting out from Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), the route passed through the parks and forests dotted along the way, with one climb of 436 meters and a slightly longer descent.
“Going down for me was the most challenging,” Abdi said. “It was hurting your knees, your back.”
Kipruto found it less troublesome, saying “I did some preparations and so I knew what to expect.”
Under blue skies, runners took in landmarks such as Opéra Garnier and the Louvre museum. About halfway through, they passed near the regal grounds of the Palace of Versailles — once the home of French royalty — before doubling back through Meudon forest toward Paris and past the Eiffel Tower.
Tola was up front with Italian Eyob Faniel and American Conner Mantz approaching halfway, but they were caught as a big group formed again. Kipchoge was trailing by over a minute at this point and fell back.
Tola then pulled away and after 35 kilometers he was 18 seconds ahead of countryman Deresa Geleta, who finished fifth.
After two hours, runners approached the the gold-domed Invalides monument, site of French emperor Napoleon’s tomb.
Last year, hundreds of disgruntled French farmers drove up to Invalides monument to protest to be allowed to use banned pesticides on sugar beets and other crops.
No social tensions this time, just loud ovations and warm applause as each runner crossed the line, with the crowd hanging around to cheer the backmarkers.
The memory of Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum hovered over the race. The world record holder would’ve been a gold-medal favorite. He was killed along with his coach, Gervais Hakizimana, in a Feb. 11 crash that happened near the town of Kaptagat in western Kenya.
___
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-marathon-men-93beb97da6dd3537bf8d6246df516692
Photographer steps outside of the box
Day 10, your - https://apnews.com/article/paris-olympics-photos-2024-2389cb1d82759d8233a09db0d49550ab
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Youngest Australian gold medal winner ever:
Aged 14 years and 86 days, Trew eclipses the milestone achieved by Australia's previous youngest medallist, swimmer Sandra Morgan.
Morgan was 14 years and 184 days old when she won gold in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
"I got told by a few people that I'm Australia's youngest gold medallist, which is, like, pretty insane," Trew said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-07/paris-olympics-arisa-trew-gold-medal-skateboarding-australia/104192674
Arisa Trew of Australia competes during the women’s skateboarding park final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Day 11, your - https://apnews.com/article/paris-olympics-photo-2024-b1b23e281907713e842f7be5f42d29f1
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Ukraine’s Parviz Nasibov celebrates after defeating Azerbaijan’s Hasrat Jafarov during their men’s Greco-Roman 67kg semifinal wrestling match, at Champ-de-Mars Arena, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
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Raven Saunders, of the United States, competes during the women’s shot put qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Brazil’s Roberta Ratzke (9), Ana da Silva (15) and Rosamaria Montibeller (7) celebrate a point during a semifinal women’s volleyball match against the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalokov, left, fights Australia’s Charlie Senior in their men’s 57 kg semifinal boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Taisiia Onofriichuk, of Ukraine, performs her hoop exercise in the rhythmic gymnastics individuals all-round qualification round at La Chapelle Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, of the United States, celebrates wining the gold medal in the women’s 400-meters hurdles final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
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With their nation under siege, Ukrainian athletes shine at Paris Olympics
August 6, 20248:27 AM ET
Gold medalist Yaroslava Mahuchikh celebrates her win in the women's high jump final at the Paris Olympic Games, on a day when Ukraine won three medals. Ukrainian athletes are dedicating their victories to the Ukrainian people who face a grinding invasion by Russia.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
(NPR is in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics. For more of our coverage from the Games, head to our latest updates
https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-12714/2024-paris-olympics)
PARIS — As Russia's invading army grinds forward in eastern Ukraine, carving a path of destruction, Ukrainian athletes say they're using the Summer Games in Paris to show their country's strength and resilience.
“It is all about winning medals for our country, for Ukraine, for our defenders," said Yaroslava Mahuchikh, from Dnipro, Ukraine, after winning Olympic gold in the women's high jump final.
"Thanks to them, we have the opportunity to be here, to protect our titles and to protect our country on track and to show the best of us all," she said.
Ukrainians competing in the Paris Games have already won two gold, two silver, and three bronze medals.
It's an astonishing performance given the savage fighting on the front lines and regular Russian rocket attacks that strike across Ukraine.
Mykhaylo Kokhan, also from Dnipro, won bronze in the hammer throw Sunday, a day when Ukrainians scored three of their Olympic medals.
Olga Kharlan, Yuliia Bakastova, Olena Kravatska and Alina Komashchuk of Ukraine celebrate following their gold medal win in the women's saber finals.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
“What a great night for Ukraine, for Ukrainian people, for our team," Kokhan said. "Our people finally have happy time, they can cheer us, and they can celebrate this with us. Not to think about the war for one day.”
[Olympic medals a symbol of hope in wartime
A survey by the British government concluded that nearly five hundred Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russian forces since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Another 4,000 Ukrainian athletes are unable to compete in sport because they're taking part in the war effort.
"With only 140 athletes from Ukraine competing at this year’s Olympic Games in Paris, this marks the smallest representation ever in Ukraine’s summer Olympic history," the British statement said.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in desperate need of good news as the war drags on, has trumpeted the medal victories for his country. "We are very proud!" Zelensky posted on social media. "Ukrainians know how to be strong and how to win."
Ukrainians back home say they're watching. Alla Kostyuk, an English teacher, said he went to a big-screen broadcast of the competition in a park in Kyiv. "It was very cool. The children watched, we watched. It was such a unity of Ukrainians," he said.
"It really takes my breath away when I see Ukrainian flags on big screens," said Svitlana Sapunovska, who studies architecture. "The whole world still sees Ukraine, sees that we are very strong."
Russia's Olympic role collapses
Russian athletes, meanwhile, have almost no presence here in Paris. While some ethnic Russians have won Olympic medals competing for other nations, no competitors representing Moscow have won gold, silver or bronze.
Ukrainian athletes take three more medals at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh wins gold and Iryna Gerashchenko wins bronze in high jump. Mykhaylo Kokhan earns bronze in hammer throw.
We are very proud! Thank you for this result. Ukrainians know how to be strong… pic.twitter.com/k7ackVxn5P
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / ????????? ?????????? (@ZelenskyyUa) August 4, 2024]
The flying of the Russian flag and the playing of Russia's national anthem are banned at these Summer Games, in part because of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Russian athletes who publicly supported the war were denied eligibility by the International Olympic committee.
That outcome represents a stunning humiliation for President Vladimir Putin, who once made Russian involvement in the Olympic Games a national priority. A decade ago, his regime spent billions to host the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Ukrainian Svetlana Sapunovska said it's proper that Russians are pariahs at the Olympics: "It is karma that they do not achieve anything."
Mykhaylo Kokhan, the bronze medal-winner in hammer throw, said victories in Paris for Ukraine are sweet, but he added that celebrations will be different this year. Before the war, Kokhan had a reputation for partying after big wins.
"Not this time, not during this tough time for Ukraine," he said. "I'll answer to the messages [of congratulations] which I received, and that’s it.”
https://www.npr.org/2024/08/06/nx-s1-5065453/ukraine-athletes-paris-olympics-russia
American Cole Hocker pulls Olympic shocker in men’s 1,500, leaving Kerr and Ingebrigtsen behind
1 of 15 | Cole Hocker, of the United States, crosses the finish line ahead of Josh Kerr, of Britain, and fourth placed Jakob Ingebrigtsen, of Norway, to win the men’s 1500 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
By EDDIE PELLS
Updated 5:01 PM CDT, August 6, 2024
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — The race was billed as a bar brawl between the two baddest 1,500-meter runners in the world.
Nobody figured the little-known American guy would sneak up on both of them, steal the show and take the Olympic gold medal with him.
Cole Hocker threw a jolt into track Tuesday night, first catching up to -- then slipping his way past -- fierce rivals Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr to pull the upset of the Games with an unexpected victory in a much-hyped showdown that wasn’t supposed to involve him.
Hocker bettered his personal best by nearly 3 seconds to win in an Olympic-record 3 minutes, 27.65 seconds.
“If you’ve been following my season, you knew I was capable of it,” Hocker said. “But still, things had to go my way today.”
Taking advantage of a blistering early pace set by Ingebrigtsen, the 23-year-old product of University of Oregon pulled from fifth, to third, then finally to first, over the final 300 meters to pass the gassed-out favorites.
This was supposed to be all about a chance for the defending Olympic champion (Ingebrigtsen) and the reigning world champion (Kerr) to finally settle a feud that’s been brewing for over a year. Kerr said the race would be “one of the most vicious and hardest 1,500s the sport’s seen in a very long time.”
Instead, the guy taking home the $50,000 winner’s check was an up-and-comer who was listed as much as a 30-1 long shot. Kerr finished second by .14 seconds. Another American, Yared Nuguse, was third, and Ingebrigtsen faded to fourth.
“It was a deafening noise. I’ve never heard that in a stadium before,” Hocker said of the 80,000 screaming fans in the Stade de France. “I kind of lost feeling in my body and it didn’t feel like the Olympics anymore until it did.”
Gabby Thomas wins gold as expected
About an hour after that surprise came an American victory most people saw coming when Gabby Thomas powered through the curve to win the 200-meter title in 21.83 seconds.
Her .25-second margin over 100 champ Julien Alfred was .11-second bigger than Hocker’s, even though Thomas raced half a lap and Hocker nearly four.
Hocker, who recorded his previous personal best of 3:30.59 at Olympic trials this summer, is only the second U.S. man to win the metric mile at the Olympics over the last 112 years. Matt Centrowitz took gold in 2016.
While all eyes were on Ingebrigtsen and Kerr, Hocker slid by
All eyes for this one were trained on Ingebrigtsen, the defending champion out of Norway who came in with a point to prove, and Kerr, the Scotsman who beat him last year at world championships.
Ever since, Kerr and Ingebrigtsen poked at each other. Among the salvos that stuck was Kerr’s assertion that Ingebrigtsen only wins races with pacesetters, which are not allowed at major events like the Olympics.
Against that backdrop, Ingebrigtsen darted to the front quickly and ran there for the first 3 1/2 laps, while Kerr traded between second and third, getting ready for his typical windup and a potential slingshot past the Norwegian over the closing stretch, much the way he did last year.
“Of course, it’s a tactical error that I’m not able to reduce my pace the first 800,” Ingebrigtsen said.
While he and Kerr were wearing each other out, Hocker, his long hair pulled back in a bun and standing at 5-foot-9 1/2, more than 3 1/2 inches shorter than the top two contenders, almost looked like he was trying to photo bomb them at the end of the race.
As they entered the homestretch, Hocker snuck up on the inside once, only to have Ingebrigtsen block that move.
So, Hocker fell back and wound up for another try with about 50 meters left.
Both he and Kerr, who was racing on the outside, passed Ingebrigtsen, then Hocker — his back arched, his chest out and his arms pumping faster than anyone else — beat the Scot to the finish line and raised his hands as he crossed.
“I gathered myself and I attacked again. Just incredible,” Hocker said.
A few paces after the line, Hocker thumped his chest twice, a little celebration in the spotlight for a guy whose own steady success got overshadowed by the all the hype.
“They’ve had all this added pressure and all that and noise,” Hocker said. “I think that’s part of this. This job is blocking out that noise and it gets harder and harder the more you excel.”
Showdown set between Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol
The next meeting in another of track’s best rivalries — this one between Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol — will come in the Olympic final.
The two best at the 400-meter hurdles won their semifinals easily.
McLaughlin-Levrone, who clipped a hurdle in her opening round, went cleanly around the track this time and finished in 52.13. Bol did the lap in 52.57.
The two have only faced off twice. McLaughlin set world records at both races, with Bol finishing third at the last Olympics and second at the 2022 world championships.
“Iron sharpens iron,” McLaughlin said. “It’s always fun racing the best and I know we’re going to push each other.”
Kirani James runs best time in men’s 400 semifinals
Kirani James, the 2012 Olympic champion, had the best time in the men’s 400-meter semifinals, winning his heat in 43.78.
The runners with the two best times this year, America’s Quincy Hall and Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, won their semifinals and will be joined by American Michael Norman to set up one of the more wide-open finals.
Defending champion Steven Gardiner, struggling with injuries this year, pulled out before the first round.
Tentoglou wins long jump and Rogers takes hammer throw
Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece won his second gold in a row in a men’s long jump final that was missing an American for only the second time in a non-boycott Games since the Summer Olympics started in 1896.
Canada’s Camryn Rogers added an Olympic gold in hammer throw to the gold she won at world championships last year. Annette Echikunwoke of the U.S. won silver.
__
AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-track-hocker-kerr-ingebrigtsen-db9c2c2ce8c15801b29fb7c6e1b13e6f
Olympic highlights from Day 8 of the Paris Games
Updated 2:59 PM CDT, August 3, 2024
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A gallery of highlights on Day 8 of the Olympics captured by AP photographers at the Paris Games.
Cyclists ride past the Sacre Coeur basilica, during the men’s road cycling event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere celebrates as she rides Hermes during the dressage team Grand Prix final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Versailles, France. (AP Photo/Mosa’ab Elshamy)
Emmanouil Karalis, of Greece, competes in the men’s pole vault qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Simone Biles, of the United States, competes during the women’s artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Ukraine’s Olga Kharlan, left, celebrates with her teammates after winning the women’s team sabre final match against South Korea during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
China’s Zheng Qinwen kisses her gold medal after defeating Croatia’s Donna Vekic during the Women’s Singles tennis final at the Roland Garros stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Noah Lyles, of the United States, prepares for a heat in the men’s 100-meter at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
[...]
🔗 https://apnews.com/article/paris-olympics-photos-2024-addbc29837601ba2e4c53e7b4a96061a
Noah Lyles, of course
More than 24 hours have passed since the 27-year-old’s shocking victory in the 100-meter dash yesterday, and you could still convince me he maybe didn’t win. That’s how close this race was, with the top four runners finishing within one-tenth of a second of each other. Just look at this:
Rodolfo Buhrer / Eurasia Sport Images/ Getty Images
Lyles’ win — the first for an American in this event in 20 years — was even more impressive, considering his poor start. He didn’t lead a second of this race until he crossed the finish line, and that’s after weeks’ worth of his bravado. As Marcus Thompson III wrote, Lyles’ mouth wrote the check before the Olympics — and his feet cashed it.
Scottie Scheffler’s incredible back nine
It has been a dumbfounding year for Scheffler, who won the Masters, welcomed his first child, got arrested before a major tournament and still played … and is now an Olympic gold medalist, posting a 29 on the home stretch to win after Jon Rahm collapsed. It was touching to see Scheffler, famously stoic, get emotional on the podium.
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