Paris 2024 Olympics Day 13 Recap and Highlights – August 8

Basketball

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games have been filled with exciting moments, especially for Team USA. In men’s basketball, the United States faced their biggest challenge yet against Serbia in the semifinals. Despite trailing by as much as 17 points, Team USA staged a furious comeback to win 95-91 and advance to the gold medal match. The team was led by:

• Stephen Curry with 36 points (second-most by a U.S. men’s player at the Olympics)
• LeBron James with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists (his second Olympic triple-double)

The U.S. will face France in the gold medal match on Saturday, marking the fourth time these two countries have met in the men’s basketball final.

Track and Field

In track and field, several American athletes shined:

• Grant Holloway won gold in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 12.99 seconds
• Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, winning gold with a time of 50.37 seconds
• Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek won bronze and silver, respectively, in the men’s 200-meter final

It was revealed that Lyles had been diagnosed with COVID-19 on Tuesday, making his performance even more impressive.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Breaks 400m Hurdles World Record at Paris Olympics

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the 25-year-old American track star, has done it again. At the Paris Olympics, she broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking an astonishing time of 50.37 seconds. This marks the sixth time McLaughlin-Levrone has lowered the world record in this event.

A Dominant Performance

In the highly anticipated race at the Stade de France, McLaughlin-Levrone faced off against her main rival, Femke Bol of the Netherlands. However, it was her teammate Anna Cockrell who surprised everyone by finishing second, while Bol settled for third place.

McLaughlin-Levrone’s performance was nothing short of spectacular:

• She led the race from the start, powering through the hurdles with incredible speed and precision.
• Her focus remained on the barriers in front of her, ensuring she was as efficient as possible over each of the 10 hurdles.
• Despite the pressure from her competitors, McLaughlin-Levrone maintained her composure and finished strong, leaving everyone in awe of her achievement.

The Road to Success

McLaughlin-Levrone’s journey to this moment has been a result of hard work and dedication. Under the guidance of her coach, Bobby Kersee, she has been training in various events to improve her speed, technique, and overall performance:

This diverse training regimen has clearly paid off, as evidenced by her record-breaking run in Paris.

A Bright Future Ahead

With her latest achievement, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has solidified her position as one of the greatest hurdlers of all time. At just 25 years old, she has already:

1. Won gold medals in the 400m hurdles at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics
2. Lowered the world record in the event six times
3. Contributed to the U.S. women’s 4×400 relay gold medal in Tokyo

As she continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the 400m hurdles, fans and experts alike are eagerly anticipating her next race. Will she break into the 49-second territory? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is a force to be reckoned with on the track.

Other Sports

In other Olympic events:

• The U.S. women’s water polo team fell to Australia 14-13 in a sudden-death shootout in the semifinals, ending their quest for a fourth straight gold medal
• The U.S. women’s volleyball team advanced to the final with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Brazil
• Roje Stona of Jamaica, who had brief NFL ties, won gold in the men’s discus throw with an Olympic record of 70.00 meters

Looking Ahead

As the Paris Games near their conclusion, there are still several exciting events to watch:

The closing ceremony will take place on Sunday, with Katie Ledecky (swimming) and Nick Mead (rowing) serving as flag bearers for Team USA.