Memorable moments of the Paris Olympics: Simone Biles was the star, but the spotlight hit many faces
PARIS: Simone Biles stole the show at the Paris Olympics with a stunning comeback that had everyone watching everything she did in and out of the gym.
All eyes were on Biles as she won four medals, but the spotlight was bright enough to highlight new names, new faces and some unlikely new stars. The Paris Games will be remembered for breathtaking venues, unprecedented accessibility and Snoop Dogg starring in NBC's record-breaking coverage.
Paris introduced the world to “The Pommel Horse Guy” and “The Real John Wick” and the introduction of an Australian meme-making professor in breaking's Olympic debut.
French swimmer Leon Marchand put on a Michael Phelps-like performance at his home Olympics, winning five medals, four of them gold. Ilona Maher stormed into the shot on reality TV show “Love Island” after leading the USA to a heart-stopping late victory that gave the USA its first ever medal, a bronze, in rugby sevens.
Noah Lyles was crowned the fastest man in the world for winning the 100m but after finishing third in the 200m – his first loss in his favorite event since the Tokyo Olympics three years ago – revealed he had tested positive for COVID -19. . Sha'Carri Richardson chased down two runners in the rain to end her first Olympics with gold in the relay after settling for silver in the 100.
The U.S. won the medal count — 121 heading into Sunday's final day of competition, including 37 gold — and the Americans won again in men's basketball and women's soccer.
Here's a look at some of the best moments from the Paris Olympics:
Bile flew into gold
Biles returned to the Olympics three years after withdrawing from several events at the Tokyo Games for mental health reasons and won four medals, including three golds.
She was the most popular attraction in Paris, competing in front of crowds of celebrities. Those who couldn't sit in the stands with Tom Cruise, Spike Lee, Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga tuned in from afar as NBC said 34.7 million viewers on its platforms watched Biles lead the United States to team gold.
Next up for the greatest gymnast in Olympic history is the 30-stop “Gold Over America Tour” for the GOAT.
Swimming matches
With nine days of competition over, the Americans were barely out of the lead in the swimming gold medal standings, needing a win in the final event of the Olympics.
The United States finished with just eight golds, the fewest since the 1988 Seoul Games and one ahead of arch-rival Australia.
“It's one of the worst performances in the history of the American team,” said Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time.
The Rest of the World has more victories (20) than the USA and Australia combined, the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Track issues
The 34 medals and 14 golds for the Americans was their best showing in athletics at a non-boycotted Games since the early 20th century, when there were more events and fewer countries.
And that came despite the disappointment of Richardson not winning gold in the 100, Lyles losing the 200 after being diagnosed with COVID-19, and the men's 4×100 meter relay struggling to disqualify.
The relay's performance was so poor that Carl Lewis, a nine-time gold medalist, called for top-to-bottom changes in the U.S. track and field program.
But the U.S. finished strong: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set another world record in a repeat victory in the 400 hurdles, then was part of the 4×400 relay team that she and Gabby Thomas led to a runaway victory on final night at the Stade de France. .
The American men won gold in the same event in a much closer finish about 15 minutes earlier.
The USA's 14 golds are the most in a non-boycotted Olympics since 1968.
USA hoops wins another gold
Stephen Curry added more hardware to his legacy when he finally won an Olympic gold medal.
Curry scored 24 points to lead the USA to a 98-87 win over France in the men's basketball final. It was the U.S.'s fifth consecutive gold medal — and 17th in 20 total appearances by the Americans at the Games.
Kevin Durant, the first four-time men's gold medalist in Olympic basketball history, scored 15 for the Americans, as did Devin Booker. And LeBron James, wearing metallic gold sneakers, scored 14 points for the U.S. as he won his fourth Olympic medal and third gold.
Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points for France in his first Olympic final and was in tears after the game.
US women's soccer team back on top
The U.S. women's soccer team won its fifth Olympic gold medal, defeating Brazil 1-0 in the final. The Americans haven't won gold since the 2012 London Olympics.
Gold completed an unbeaten run to the title in their first international campaign under new coach Emma Hayes.
At the final whistle, the American players hailed Bruce Springsteen as “Born in the USA”. he played in the stadium.
Boxing controversy
Women's boxing has been drawn into the culture wars due to the gender misconceptions of two competitors.
Algeria's Imane Khelif and Taiwan's Li Yu-ting have come under intense scrutiny over the decision by the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association to disqualify them from last year's world championships, claiming they both failed an eligibility test for the women's competition, which IBA officials refused to answer. questions about
Khelif endured intense in-ring scrutiny and online abuse from around the world for misconceptions about her femininity and still won gold in the women's welterweight division.
Lin won the women's featherweight gold medal one night later to complete her unbeaten quadruple run through Paris by winning Taiwan's first Olympic gold medal in boxing.
“I am a woman like any other.” I was born a woman, I live as a woman and I am qualified,” Khelif said after her win.
Last year, the International Olympic Committee took the unprecedented step of permanently banning the IBA from the Olympics after years of concerns about its governance, competitive fairness and financial transparency. The IOC has called the sex tests imposed by the sport's governing body on two boxers irretrievably flawed.
