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The final Friday of the 2024 Olympics brings key knockout rounds for some of Team USA’s top squads, while Sha’Carri Richardson takes the track for the last time in Paris.
U.S. women’s basketball faces Australia in its semifinal, looking for a chance to move on to the gold medal match for the eighth straight time. The team has dominated at the Olympics so far, winning each game by at least double digits.
In the pool, the U.S. men’s water polo team faces Serbia in the semifinal. It is the first time the U.S. is in the men’s water polo semifinal of an Olympic Games since 2008. The Serbians have won back-to-back gold medals in the event and are looking to become just the third men’s team to win three in a row.
On the track, the men’s and women’s 4×100 relay teams will compete in the finals. It marks the last opportunity for Richardson to add another medal to her tally at the 2024 Paris Games. Later in the day, Rai Benjamin will look for his first Olympic gold medal in the 400m men’s hurdles.
A full list of Friday’s schedule can be found here.
10:08 a.m. ET — Sha’Carri Richardson’s sprint starts with her press-on nails
American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson is an Olympic silver medalist in the 100-meter dash. Richardson’s showing on the track is different from most athletes, though. Her hair, jewelry and tattoos display Richardson’s creativity and transfer over to the track. A big part of Richardson’s physical appearance is her press-on nails. Meet the nail tech behind the sprinter’s nail art. — READ MORE
9:28 a.m. ET — Was using the Seine at the Olympics worth it?
Paris spent $1.4 billion to clean the River Seine through four events that included the triathlon and marathon swim. However, any type of rainfall could result in the levels of E. coli and bacteria in the river to increase. During the opening ceremony over a month’s worth of rain fell into the river within 36 hours.
A test run that would’ve let Olympians familiarize themselves with the course was canceled due to the high concern over the quality of the water, after multiple athletes became sick. Was it ever a great idea to have the athletes swim in the Seine? — READ MORE
8:47 a.m. ET — Letsile Tebogo makes comments about Noah Lyles after 200m final
After winning the men’s 100-meter dash in a photo finish, Noah Lyles was expected to win a second gold in the 200-meter dash. However, Lyles earned a bronze medal in the 200 with a time of 19.70 seconds. Letsile Tebogo won gold, clocking 19.46. In the postrace news conference, Tebogo was asked about becoming the new face of track and field — and he had some criticism for Lyles.
1:06
Tebogo: I’m not arrogant or loud like Noah Lyles
Olympic gold medalist Letsile Tebogo says he will never be the face of athletics because he’s not “arrogant or loud” like Noah Lyles.
7:13 a.m. ET — Team USA women’s 100-meter hurdlers 3-for-3 into finals
The Americans have always been dominant when it comes to the 100-meter hurdles. Grace Stark set the standard for the U.S. women with a perfect three-step technique to finish first in her heat with a time of 12.39 seconds.
Grace Stark leads wire-to-wire to beat Devynne Charlton and go through to the 100m hurdles final. 😲 #ParisOlympics
📺 USA Network & Peacock pic.twitter.com/JI1cFooKX3
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
Spring, Texas native Alaysha Johnson made things look easy with a 12.34 to automatically qualify for the finals.
No catching Alaysha Johnson. 🔥
USA Lay jumps into her first Olympic 100m hurdles final. #ParisOlympics
📺 USA Network & Peacock pic.twitter.com/fxE5rbu519
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
U.S. Olympic Trials champion Masai Russell had a bit of work to do, however. After coming off the tenth and final hurdle, Russell was in position to finish third in her heat. Russell used all of her power to lean her torso across the line to stretch over Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, finishing second with a time of 12.42 seconds to move on to the final.
Masai Russell finishes STRONG to hold off the pack and win the last auto qualification into the 100m hurdles final.👏 #ParisOlympics
📺 USA Network & Peacock pic.twitter.com/VsfvHWlFM2
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
6:44 a.m. ET — Bryce Hoppel powers his way into 800m final
Bryce Hoppel’s strategy to make his way to the final of the men’s 800 meters was spot on. Staying with the pack was the name of the game for Hoppel, as he kicked just enough in the final stretch to hold off for second place in his heat and to be an automatic qualifier with a time of 1:43.41.
Bryce Hoppel takes it all the way to the line to secure a spot in his first Olympic 800m final. 💪 #ParisOlympics
📺 USA Network & Peacock pic.twitter.com/JNzIzi9998
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
6:40 a.m. ET — Team USA men’s 4×400 gets the stick onto the finals
16-year-old Quincy Wilson wouldn’t just make history as the youngest American male to compete in the Olympics, he had the honor come out of the blocks as the first leg.
16-year-old Quincy Wilson makes his Olympic debut and becomes the youngest male track & field athlete to compete for the United States at the Olympics. 🇺🇸 #ParisOlympics
📺 USA Network & Peacock pic.twitter.com/XJ4HudX0Dx
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
Wilson ran a 47.27-second split, handing off the baton seventh to Vernon Norwood. His 43.54 caught Team USA up with the pack. Bryce Deadmon ran 44.20 seconds to pass off the baton to Chris Bailey, who was in the men’s 400m final, to pull through for the U.S. The top three move onto finals, and Bailey’s 44.14 anchor leg split moved Team USA into qualifying position to finish third with a 2:59.15 to advance to the finals.