Exciting Night at Paris Olympics: Gold Medals, Controversy, and Drama
PARIS – It was a dramatic Friday night for the United States in track and field at the Paris Olympics. Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won gold after facing scrutiny over misconceptions about her sex.
Sha’Carri Richardson got her first gold medal, while a U.S. men’s relay team fumbled away another chance to be champions.
Not long after they were disqualified for botching the first handoff of the 4×100 relay on a wet night at Stade de France, Carl Lewis angrily criticized USA Track. Lewis, who won nine Olympic gold medals for the U.S., called for a change in leadership of America’s track and field program.
The U.S. team still posted two more victories thanks to Richardson’s stellar anchor lap in the women’s 4×100 relay and Rai Benjamin, who won the 400 hurdles.
Highlights of what happened on Day 14 of the Paris Olympics:
Khelif emerged as a champion from a tumultuous run at the Games where she was the subject of online abuse from around the world over misconceptions about her womanhood.
Khelif beat Yang Liu of China 5:0 in the final of the women’s welterweight division, wrapping up the best series of fights of her boxing career with a victory at Roland Garros, where crowds chanted her name, waved Algerian flags and roared every time she landed a punch.
After her unanimous win, Khelif jumped into her coaches’ arms, one of them putting her on his shoulders and carrying her around the arena in a victory lap as she pumped her fists and grabbed an Algerian flag from someone in the crowd.
In other Olympic events, the U.S. women’s basketball team moved into the gold-medal game, while Spain emerged victorious in men’s soccer, and Germany clinched the women’s bronze.
Ma Long made history for China with his sixth Olympic gold medal in table tennis, and Karlos Nasar of Bulgaria won gold in weightlifting after overcoming a freak accident.
It was truly a night filled with triumphs, setbacks, and unforgettable moments at the Paris Olympics.
AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
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