02:58 - Source: CNN
CNN: Reflections from the Paris Olympic Games
Saint-Denis, France CNN  — 

It was a party in the Stade de France as an electric two-and-a-half weeks of the Summer Olympics wrapped up on Sunday with a celebration of the athletes, the people who made the Games happen and a preview of what to expect in four years.

Here are five takeaways from the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics:

Volunteers get huge round of applause that was well deserved

They were everywhere in Paris during these Olympic Games and helped people from around the world find their way around venues, around the city and just generally get themselves sorted out. The volunteers of Paris 2024 deserved a huge thank you and they got one to start off the closing ceremony.

Clad in green shirts and green pants for the last two-plus weeks, they were ever present at all hours of the competition. When they streamed into the Stade de France along with the flagbearers, they received a huge roar from the always vociferous French crowd.

The sports are obviously the central part of the Olympic Games, but they don’t work without an army of volunteers spread throughout the host city, helping fans from around the globe find their way around.

It was a wonderful gesture from Games organizers and an incredible moment for the volunteers to be able to be thanked by tens of thousands of people who they helped during their time in Paris.

Karaoke sets off a party as the athletes are ‘Freed From Desire’

The closing ceremony’s parade of nations was a celebration from the start. Athletes ready to relax and celebrate after completing years of training for these last two weeks were excited to pump up the fans in the stands and mingle with their teammates.

After most of the athletes entered the stadium, it was time for a little karaoke with 80,000 people all singing together.

First, there were a couple of French songs, but then the moment came as it had so many times at venues over the last weeks: Gala Rizzatto’s “Freed From Desire” came on through the loudspeakers.

It might as well have been the unofficial anthem of these Games and was a crowd pleaser at every venue in which it was played. Finally, it was the athletes’ turn to partake in the dancing and singing.

The thousands of competitors danced and jumped right along with the crowd in the stands, everyone letting loose a joyous energy that came from the competition finally being over so athletes and fans alike could come together in celebration of a truly splendid Olympics.

One last fantastic light show at an Olympics full of them

From the opening ceremony’s amazing display on the Eiffel Tower to pre-competition displays, light shows were a hallmark of these Olympics. For the closing ceremony, organizers had one last trick up their sleeves.

As dancers performed on the stage below, the lights at the Stade de France went out and tens of thousands of wristbands lit up all at once, illuminating the stadium as the sun fully set.

From there, the Bluetooth-synced wristbands proceeded to not only flash and blink in time with each other, but individual sections of fans were unwittingly part of the show with their wristbands showing scenes of athletic competition moving across entire ends of the stadium.

It was a truly breathtaking display that ended in the Olympic rings being raised above the stage in the center of the stadium, and the wristbands of the fans on all four sides of the venue being illuminated in their iconic image. It was a performance of synchronization across such a large scale that was truly impressive to see.

Phoenix and other French performers rock and the athletes storm the stage

After the light show and dancers concluded, it was time for the musical performance of the evening. The athletes were released from the assigned areas around the stage and encouraged to get up close to it. Many of them went a little further than that.

Athletes began climbing onto the stage that was shaped like the continents, running around and soaking in the cheers of the fans. It was a moment of exuberance that wasn’t exactly welcomed by the people producing the show – multiple announcements were made over the stadium’s loudspeaker asking the athletes, politely, to get off the stage.

Some of them heard that announcement and complied. Most of them heard that announcement and decided it would be more fun to dance around French indie rock band Phoenix as they launched into their set.

It was an incredible sight. Scores of athletes huddled around a rock band like they were playing a tiny show at a local music venue, dancing and jumping around as they waved their country’s flags. Elsewhere, some athletes left the stage while others just went to other areas and danced and interacted with the crowd from there.

Eventually, organizers got all the athletes down and allowed the performers to have their space. But for one incredible moment, there was nearly a mosh pit in the center of the Olympics’ closing ceremony.

The most Hollywood way possible to hand off the Olympic flag

There’s a certain order to how these things go at the end of an Olympics. The Olympic flag is lowered, handed to the host city’s mayor for a final wave and then to the president of the International Olympic Committee to give it to the mayor of the next host city.

At no point does that pomp and circumstance require a Hollywood A-lister to jump from the roof of a building, abscond with the flag, find a motorcycle and ride out of the stadium with it. And yet, that’s exactly what happened here on Sunday.

As Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass handed the flag to US gymnastics legend Simone Biles, a spotlight suddenly flashed to the top of the Stade de France where Tom Cruise – who famously does all his own stunts – was standing.

And then suddenly he was falling. Attached to a cable, Cruise jumped from the stadium’s roof to the field below, making his way through the assembled athletes to Bass and Biles. Cruise was handed the Olympic flag and gave it a wave before he went back into the crowd of athletes.

Inexplicably waiting for him below was a motorcycle. And in true action star fashion, Cruise hopped on the bike and fired it up, riding out through the tunnel of the stadium. Video screens quickly showed him riding through the streets of Paris with the flag, heading for an airport where he boarded a plane and flew the flag to Hollywood.

Eventually, after some more Cruise hijinks and sweeping shots of the SoCal landscape, the flag arrived at the beach where the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre were waiting for it. It was an extremely LA way to begin the next Olympiad and definitely set an early tone for what to expect in the City of Angels four years from now.

Esa Alexander/Reuters
French singer Yseult performs "My Way" at the end of the Olympic closing ceremony as fireworks go off above the Stade de France on Sunday, August 11.
Natacha Pisarenko/AP
Actor Tom Cruise is lowered onto the floor of the Stade de France after jumping off the stadium's roof during the closing ceremony. He took the Olympic flag from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and rode off on a motorcycle.
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass waves the Olympic flag next to Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee.
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US athletes celebrate during the closing ceremony.
Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
Alain Roche plays the piano while suspended from wires hanging from the stadium's roof.
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British athletes dance during the closing ceremony.
Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters
Flagbearers from every country enter the Stade de France and walk onto the stage at the start of the closing ceremony.
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The United States' A'ja Wilson scores a basket during the gold-medal game against France on August 11. Wilson had 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks as the Americans won 67-66. It is Team USA's eighth straight gold in women's basketball.
Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images
The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan sprints to the finish line to win the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics on August 11. She won the gold medal and set an Olympic record with a time of 2:22:55. She also won bronze medals in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters earlier in the week.
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Chinese weightlifter Li Wenwen celebrates winning gold in her weight class on August 11. She also won gold in the event three years ago. South Korea's Park Hye-jeong, left, finished with the silver, and Great Britain’s Emily Campbell earned bronze.
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Italian volleyball player Sarah Luisa Fahr spikes the ball during the gold-medal match against the United States on August 11. Italy won in straight sets.
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The United States' Stephen Curry celebrates with his signature "night, night" pose after making a 3-pointer late in the gold-medal game against France on Saturday, August 10. Curry made eight 3s and scored 24 points as Team USA won 98-87.
Frank Franklin/AP
France's Danis Civil, known as B-Boy Dany Dann, right, and Canada's Philip Kim, known as B-Boy Phil Wizard, compete in the gold-medal breaking competition August 10. Kim won the gold.
Mark J. Terrill/Pool/AP
LeBron James dunks against France in the gold-medal game on August 10. The US men's basketball team has won five straight Olympic gold medals.
Aurelien Morissard/AP
The United States' Mallory Swanson celebrates after scoring a goal against Brazil in the women's soccer final on August 10. The Americans won 1-0 to claim the gold medal.
Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters
Alexis Holmes crosses the finish line to win gold for the United States in the 4x400 relay on August 10. The United States finished a staggering 50 meters clear of the second-place team.
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Brazilian soccer legend Marta acknowledges the fans after the game against the United States on August 10. This was her last major appearance for her country.
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Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting reacts after receiving the gold medal for her victory in the women's featherweight boxing final on August 10.
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Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim competes in the high jump final on August 10. He finished with the bronze three years after tying for the gold in Tokyo.
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South Korean table tennis player Jeon Ji-hee returns the ball during the bronze-medal match she won on August 10.
Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images
Marathoners run past the Louvre on August 10.
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Norway’s Henny Reistad looks to shoot against France during the handball final on August 10. Norway won 29-21 to earn the gold medal.
Arlette Bashizi/Reuters
Romania's Cătălina Axente, left, and the United States' Kennedy Blades compete in freestyle wrestling on August 10. Blades went on to win silver. Axente had to receive medical attention after landing on her neck during a throw.
Christian Hartmann/Reuters
The moon shines above the Eiffel Tower and Olympic cauldron on Friday, August 9.
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US sprinter Sha'carri Richardson celebrates after crossing the finish line to win gold in the women's 4x100 relay on August 9.
Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
Canadian diver Rylan Wiens competes in the 10-meter platform event on August 9.
Peter Cziborra/Reuters
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif celebrates after she won gold iin the welterweight division on August 9. During these Games, Khelif has been subject to a torrent of online abuse, with prominent anti-trans figures, right-wing commentators and politicians incorrectly calling her a man — and using the controversy to fuel the wider culture war around gender identity.
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New Zealand's Lydia Ko carries spare tees in her hair during the third round of the women's golf tournament on August 9. Ko and Switzerland’s Morgane Métraux were atop the leaderboard before the fourth and final round.
Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images
Kenya's Beatrice Chebet leads the pack during the 10,000-meter final on August 9. Chebet won another gold medal to go with the one she won in the 5,000 meters.
Chrisophe Ena/Reuters
Japanese climber Sorato Anraku competes in the boulder and lead event on August 9. He slipped in the last run of the final and finished with the silver.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Spain's rhythmic gymnastics team performs its hoop exercise in the all-around event on August 9.
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Spain's Álex Baena (No. 10) celebrates after scoring a goal to put his team up 3-1 in the soccer final against France on August 9. France fought back to tie the match and force extra time, but Spain went on to win 5-3.
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China's Wang Zilu competes in rhythmic gymnastics on August 9.
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Jamaica's Charokee Young, left, prepares for the baton exchange during a 4x400 relay heat on August 9.
Abbie Parr/AP
Manizha Talash wears a cape that says "free Afghan women" as she takes part in the breaking competition on August 9. The 21-year-old fled Afghanistan after the Taliban began seizing control in 2021. She is now living in Spain, but she is representing the Refugee Team at the Olympics.
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French cyclist Taky Marie-Divine Kouamé races during a sprint qualifier on August 9.
Angelika Warmuth/Reuters
Japan's Ami Yuasa competes in breaking on August 9. She went on to win the gold.
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Uzbekistan's Razambek Zhamalov, left, wrestles Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau, a member of the neutral athletes team, on August 9. Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee announced in December that Russian and Belarusian athletes would only be eligible to compete as individual neutral athletes at this year’s Olympics.
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US athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wears a crown after winning the 400-meter hurdles and smashing her own world record on Thursday, August 8. She finished in 50.37 seconds, dominating the field to win gold for the second straight Olympics.
David Davies/Press Association/AP
Competitors swim in the Seine River during the women's 10-kilometer marathon on August 8. The water quality of the river has been an ongoing saga at the Games, but organizers deemed it fit for athletes to race in.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
LeBron James rises for a layup during a semifinal game against Serbia on August 8. James and Team USA trailed by 13 at the end of the third quarter, but they rallied to win 95-91.
Aijaz Rahi/AP
India's Raj Kumar Pal, front, runs with Spain's Marc Vizcaino during a field hockey match on August 8. India won 2-1. to take the bronze medal.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
James and Stephen Curry celebrate after the comeback win against Serbia on August 8. Curry scored a game-high 36 points and made nine 3-pointers.
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American long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall celebrates in the sand after winning gold on August 8.
Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images
Botswana's Letsile Tebogo celebrates after winning the 200 meters on August 8. His time of 19.46 seconds was the fifth-fastest in history.
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US sprinter Noah Lyles lies on the ground after the 200 meters. Lyles, who was diagnosed with Covid-19 earlier this week, required assistance from medical personnel. He said he was feeling light-headed after the race and that he also was experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath. He was later able to give television interviews.
Francisco Seco/AP
Bulgaria's Stiliana Nikolova competes in rhythmic gymnastics on August 8.
Kin Cheung/AP
Colombian weightlifter Yenny Álvarez competes on August 8.
Christophe Ena/Pool via AP
South Korea's Seo Chae-hyun climbs during the boulder and lead semifinal on August 8.
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Germany's Darja Varfolomeev, the reigning world champion in rhythmic gymnastics, competes in all-around qualification on August 8.
Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images
American shot putter Raven Saunders wears gold Olympic-themed grills on August 8. Saunders also donned a black face mask and colorful visor sunglasses while competing. Saunders later said the outfit was all about inspiring people to be themselves.
Paul Childs/Reuters
China's Yin Ruoning hits a tee shot during the second round of the golf competition on August 8.
Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters
US fans wear bald eagle masks during a volleyball match on August 8.
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Jordan's Zaid Abdul Kareem, left, competes against Turkey's Hakan Reçber during a taekwondo quarterfinal on August 8.
Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Chinese canoeists Liu Hao and Ji Bowen celebrate after winning a doubles gold medal on August 8.
Natacha Pisarenko/AP
South Korea's Kim Sun-woo takes part in the fencing portion of the modern pentathlon on August 8.
David J. Phillip/AP
The United States' Quincy Hall reaches for the finish line to win the 400-meter final on Wednesday, August 7. He passed several runners down the straightaway to complete an epic comeback.
Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters
Swedish table tennis player Anton Källberg prepares to serve during a semifinal match on August 7.
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Artistic swimmers from Japan perform their acrobatic routine on August 7.
Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Italian water polo player Andrea Fondelli is consoled after a quarterfinal loss to Hungary on August 7.
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Japanese climber Sorato Anraku competes in the boulder and lead semifinal on August 7.
Dylan Martinez/Reuters
US runner Abdihamid Nur falls during a preliminary heat for the 5,000 meters on August 7.
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Sweden's Jonathan Carlsbogård jumps to shoot during a handball quarterfinal against Denmark on August 7.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Australia's Matt Wearn celebrates after winning gold in a dinghy sailing race on August 7.
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Dutch cyclist Jeffrey Hoogland races during the team sprint event on August 7.
Maye-E Wong/Reuters
A member of Team USA performs during the artistic swimming competition on August 7.
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Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi, left, speaks with Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim during the qualification round on August 7. The two shared a gold medal in the event three years ago in Tokyo. When Barshim pulled up with an apparent injury in Paris, Tamberi was the first to check on him. Barshim was able to recover and qualify for the final.
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Vietnamese weightlifter Trịnh Văn Vinh reacts after a failed snatch on August 7.
Isabel Infantes/Reuters
Spain's María Pérez crosses the finish line to win gold in the marathon mixed relay race walk on August 7. Her partner was Álvaro Martín.
Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Indian high jumper Sarvesh Anil Kushare competes on August 7.
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Members of the US Olympic figure skating team pose for a photo on August 7 after receiving gold medals for their performance in the 2022 Winter Games. They were awarded gold after a Russian skater tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
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The yardage book for Australian golfer Minjee Lee is seen in her back pocket on August 7.
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Australia's Michelle Jenneke falls as Hungary's Gréta Kerekes, left, and France's Cyréna Samba-Mayela compete in the 100-meter hurdles on August 7.
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Skateboarder Andy Macdonald, representing Great Britain, competes in the park preliminaries on August 7.
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US soccer player Sophia Smith is mobbed by teammates after scoring an extra-time goal against Germany on Tuesday, August 6. The Americans won 1-0 to advance to the gold-medal match.
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The United States' Cole Hocker reaches the finish line first, stunning the field to win the 1,500 meters on August 6. Hocker finished with an Olympic record time of 3:27.65.
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British skateboarder Sky Brown competes in the park event on August 6. She would go on to win the bronze.
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US sprinter Gabby Thomas celebrates after winning the 200 meters on August 6.
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Athletes compete in a 200-meter repechage race on August 6.
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The United States' Amit Elor, left, wrestles Kyrgyzstan's Meerim Zhumanazarova in the 68-kilogram final on August 6. Elor won the gold medal.
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Belgium's Timothy Herman throws the javelin during qualifying on August 6.
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British hurdler Lina Nielsen lies on the track after falling during a semifinal race on August 6.
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Algerian boxer Imane Khelif celebrates after she defeated Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng in a welterweight semifinal on August 6.
Tingshu Wang/Reuters
French swimming sensation Léon Marchand greets fans during celebrations in front of the Eiffel Tower on August 6. Marchand won four gold medals and a bronze during these Games.
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A young fan holds a US flag ahead of the women's soccer match against Germany on August 6.
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Serbian players celebrate their quarterfinal win over Australia on August 6. They came back from a 24-point deficit to win in overtime.
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Sweden's Henrik von Eckermann sits on the ground after falling off his horse during an equestrian event on August 6.
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Spain's Elena Ruiz shoots the ball during a water polo match against Canada on August 6. Spain won 18-8 to advance to the semifinals.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Australia's Patty Mills makes a shot over Serbia's Nikola Jokić during their quarterfinal game on August 6.
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Cuban wrestling great Mijaín López leaves his shoes on the mat, signifying his retirement, after he won his fifth Olympic gold medal on August 6. He dominated Chile’s Yasmani Acosta in the 130-kilogram final and became the first Olympian in history to win five gold medals in the same individual event.
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French diver Jules Bouyer competes in the 3-meter springboard event on August 6.
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An athlete clears a water jump during a steeplechase race on Monday, August 5.
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Sweden's Armand "Mondo" Duplantis celebrates after winning gold in the pole vault and setting a new world record on August 5.
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Duplantis completes his world-record pole vault. On his final attempt, Duplantis cleared 6.25 meters (20 feet, 6 inches), breaking the world record for the ninth time in his career.
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A whale is seen in the background during the surfing semifinals in Tahiti on August 5.
Martin Meissner/AP
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon, right, fights for the lead during the 5,000-meter final on August 5. Kipyegon was initially disqualified, but her silver medal was later reinstated. Kenya's Beatrice Chebet won gold.
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Athletes run the 400-meter hurdles on August 5.
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A fan receives a signed ball from Arvin Slagter of the Netherlands after his 3x3 basketball team won gold on August 5.
Agustin Marcarian/Reuters
Track cyclists compete in a team pursuit qualifier on August 5.
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American gymnasts Simone Biles, left, and Jordan Chiles bow to Brazil's Rebeca Andrade after she won Olympic gold in the floor exercise on August 5. It was the first all-Black Olympics gymnastics podium. However, on August 11, the International Olympic Committee announced that Chiles' bronze medal would be reallocated to Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that an appeal made by the United States over Chiles' score was filed too late.
Abbie Parr/AP
Chiles reacts after winning the bronze medal in the floor exercise. Chiles was initially in fourth, behind Romania's Ana Bărbosu, but her difficulty score was successfully challenged and she received the extra 0.1 that she needed to move up to third. On August 10, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that challenge came too late, resulting in the bronze medal being reallocated to Bărbosu.
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Andrade performs her floor routine on August 5. Earlier in these Games, she won silver in the vault and the individual all-around.
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Turkey's Hamza Bakır, left, competes against Egypt's Abdellatif Mohamed during a Greco-Roman wrestling match on August 5.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
Triathlete Laura Lindemann, left, celebrates after she crossed the finish line to give Germany gold in the mixed relay on August 5.
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Serbia's Dušan Mandić shoots during a water polo match against Hungary on August 5.
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The Netherlands' Katja Stam competes in beach volleyball on August 5.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Kyrgyzstan's Meerim Zhumanazarova, top, wrestles Mongolia's Enkhsaikhan Delgermaa on August 5.
Aijaz Rahi/AP
Australia's Amy Lawton reacts as Chinese field hockey players celebrate their quarterfinal win on August 5.
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American sprinter Noah Lyles celebrates after he won gold in the 100-meter dash on Sunday, August 4. It was the first time in 20 years that the United States had won gold in the event.
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The men's 100-meter race was incredibly close and came down to a photo finish. Lyles was in Lane 7. Silver medalist Kishane Thompson of Jamaica was in Lane 4.
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American swimmer Bobby Finke competes in the 1,500-meter freestyle final on August 4. Finke smashed the world record on his way to gold, finishing with a time of 14:30.67.
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Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh clears the bar on her way to winning gold on August 4.
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Spectators celebrate Germany's victory over Argentina in a women's field hockey match on August 4.
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American golfer Scottie Scheffler celebrates with his wife, Meredith Scudder, and their son, Bennett, after winning gold on August 4. Scheffler carded a 9-under 62 in the final round.
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Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after he defeated Spain's Carlos Alcaraz to win gold on August 4. It was the first gold medal for Djokovic, who has won a record 24 grand slam singles titles during his legendary career.
Paul Childs/Reuters
The sun sets behind the Eiffel Tower during a beach volleyball match on August 4.
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Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour competes in the uneven bars final on August 4. She made history by winning her country's first gold medal in the sport.
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A spectator watches the women's cycling road race on August 4.
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Australia's Rhiannan Brown and Brin Liddell compete in a sailing event on August 4.
Mark J. Terrill/AP
Nigerian basketball players Promise Amukamara, left, and Ezinne Kalu celebrate during their game against Canada on August 4. With a 79-70 win, Nigeria made history by becoming the first African team — men’s or women’s — to reach the quarterfinal stage of the Olympics.
Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters
The United States' Grant Holloway prepares to run the 110-meter hurdles on August 4.
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Chinese table tennis player Fan Zhendong serves to Sweden’s Truls Möregårdh during the final of men's singles on August 4. Fan won 4-1.
Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Athletes compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase on August 4.
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Germany's Jessica von Bredow-Werndl pets her horse TSF Dalera BB after winning the individual dressage title on August 4.
Amanda Perobelli/Reuters
Chinese gymnast Liu Yang competes in the rings final on August 4. He won gold in the event, just as he did three years ago in Tokyo.
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US swimmer Katie Ledecky competes in the 800-meter freestyle final on Saturday, August 3. Ledecky won the event for the fourth straight Olympics and added to her record as the most decorated American female in Olympics history. She has won 14 Olympic medals, nine of which are gold.
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Saint Lucia's Julian Alfred celebrates after winning gold in the 100-meter dash on August 3. It was her country's first Olympic medal.
David J. Phillip/AP
Decathletes lie on the track for a photo at the end of the last event on August 3. At bottom are silver medalist Leo Neugebauer of Germany, gold medalist Markus Rooth of Norway and bronze medalist Lindon Victor of Grenada.
Michael Conroy/AP
South Sudan's Wenyen Gabriel dunks during a game against Serbia on August 3.
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A remote-controlled mini car carries a javelin during the men's decathlon on August 3.
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US gymnast Simone Biles celebrates with the gold medal she won in the vault on August 3. It was her third gold in Paris.
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American pole vaulter Sam Kendricks competes on August 3.
Tingshu Wang/Reuters
A bee flies near South Korean archer Lim Si-hyeon on August 3. She won the individual event for her third gold medal in Paris.
Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters
Carlos Edriel Yulo reacts after he won the floor exercise final on August 3 and made history as the first man from the Philippines to ever win an Olympic gold medal.
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Cyclists start the men's road race at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on August 3.
Agustin Marcarian/Reuters
US forward Trinity Rodman, right, celebrates with teammate Emily Fox after scoring a goal against Japan on August 3. The Americans needed extra time to win 1-0 and advance to the semifinals.
Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Goggles slide down the face of Congo's Vanessa Bobimbo as she swims in the 50-meter freestyle on August 3.
Lukasz Kowalski/Reuters
Rapper Snoop Dogg feeds a horse at an equestrian event on August 3.
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From left, Italy's Yuri Romanò, Gianluca Galassi and Daniele Lavia jump to block the ball during a volleyball match against Poland on August 3.
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France's Léon Marchand celebrates after winning the 200-meter individual medley on Friday, August 2. It was his fourth gold medal of the Games, and he finished with an Olympic-record time of 1:54.06.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei wins the 10,000 meters on August 2. He set an Olympic record (26:43.14) on his way to the gold medal.
Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images
Chinese badminton player Liu Yuchen proposes to his girlfriend, Huang Yaqiong, after she and Zheng Siwei won gold in mixed doubles on August 2.
Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images
France's Nicolas Le Goff tries to hit the ball past Slovenia's Alen Pajenk during a volleyball match on August 2.
Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Images
France's Teddy Riner reacts after beating South Korea's Kim Min-jong in a judo final on August 2. Riner, who lit the Olympic flame to conclude the opening ceremony, won his fourth gold medal, the most by a judoka in Olympic history.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
From left, New Zealand's Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie, Spain's Diego Botín and Florián Trittel, and the United States' Ian Barrows and Hans Henken take a group selfie on the medal podium after a sailing event on August 2.
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The Bahamas' Charisma Taylor competes in the triple jump on August 2.
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Runners push off the starting blocks during a 100-meter heat on August 2.
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Morocco celebrates its first goal against the United States on August 2. The Atlas Lions won 4-0 to advance to the semifinals in men's soccer.
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Ivan Litvinovich celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's trampoline on August 2. Litvinovich, who is from Belarus, became the first individual neutral athlete to win a gold medal at the Paris Games.
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
People trade Olympics-themed pins on August 2.
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
British canoeist Kimberley Woods competes on August 2.
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Brazil's Beatriz Souza reacts after defeating Israel's Raz Hershko in a judo final on August 2. It was Brazil's first gold of the Paris Olympics.
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Athletes run the 5,000 meters on August 2.
Amanda Perobelli/Reuters
US gymnast Simone Biles competes on the balance beam during the individual all-around on Thursday, August 1. She won the gold, completing her comeback story and regaining her title from 2016.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Dinghys take off at the start of a sailing race on August 1.
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A tearful Andy Murray leaves the court after he and doubles partner Dan Evans lost in the quarterfinals on August 1. Murray, a three-time grand slam winner, is retiring from the sport.
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Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh competes in the 200-meter butterfly final on August 1. The 17-year-old won her second gold medal of these Games with an Olympic-record time of 2:03.03.
Eugene Hoshiko/AP
Azerbaijan's Zelym Kotsoiev, top, and Uzbekistan's Muzaffarbek Turoboyev compete in a judo semifinal on August 1. Kotsoiev would go on to win the gold. Toroboyev won the bronze.
Hannah McKay/Reutes
Simone Biles shows off a goat necklace after winning all-around gold on August 1. Many consider Biles to be the GOAT: greatest of all time. She has won more Olympic medals than any other US gymnast in history.
Andy Wong/AP
China's Zheng Qinwen celebrates after defeating Poland's Iga Świątek, the world’s top-ranked tennis player and a dominant force on clay, in the Olympic semifinals on August 1. Qinwen, the No. 6 seed, won in straight sets: 6-2, 7-5.
Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters
Brazilian table tennis player Hugo Calderano hits a shot during his quarterfinal match against South Korea's Jang Woo-jin on August 1. Calderano won and became the first South American table tennis player to reach an Olympic semifinal in men's singles.
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China's Yang Jiayu competes in the 20-kilometer race walk, which she won on August 1.
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Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade competes in the floor exercise during the individual all-around on August 1. Andrade won the silver for the second straight Olympics.
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American swimmer Katie Ledecky celebrates after winning Olympic gold in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Wednesday, July 31. The American swimming legend crushed the rest of the field in her signature event, breaking her own Olympic record in the process. She finished in 15:30.02, a full 10 seconds faster than her closest competitor.
Agustin Marcarian/Reuters
Ledecky, second from top, enjoys a comfortable lead against her competitors in the 1,500 free. With the win, Ledecky tied fellow American Jenny Thompson for the most Olympic gold medals by a female swimmer (eight). Ledecky also won her 12th Olympic medal in all, tying Thompson and Dara Torres for the most ever by a female swimmer.
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South Korean badminton player Chae Yoo-jung plays a shot during a mixed doubles match on July 31.
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Japanese gymnast Shinnosuke Oka competes on the horizontal bar during the individual all-around on July 31. Oka went on to win the gold. Japanese men have now won the individual all-around in four straight Olympics. Daiki Hashimoto won three years ago in Tokyo, and Kohei Uchimura won in 2016 and 2012.
Manu Fernandez/AP
Spain's Rafael Nadal waves goodbye after he and doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz were knocked out in the quarterfinals by the United States' Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram on July 31. Nadal’s future in tennis is uncertain as injuries continue to plague him.
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Italian canoeist Marta Bertoncelli competes in the C-1 event on July 31.
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Hungarian fencer Krisztian Rabb, left, faces South Korea's Park Sang-won on July 31. South Korea won gold in the team sabre event.
Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
China's Zhanle Pan reacts after he broke his own world record to win gold in the 100-meter freestyle on July 31.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
Competitors dive into the Seine River in Paris during the women's Olympic triathlon on July 31. Water quality concerns had postponed the men's triathlon by a day, but it was held on the same day as the women's.
Richard Callis/SPP/Sipa USA/AP
Brazilian soccer legend Marta leaves the field in tears after receiving a red card during a match against Spain on July 31. She was sent off for a reckless and dangerous challenge on Olga Carmona. Marta, a six-time FIFA World Player of the Year, has said she’s retiring from international play following this tournament, so the red card could mark an ignominious end to her glittering national team career.
David Goldman/AP
Exhausted triathletes catch their breath at the end of the competition on July 31.
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France's Léon Marchand leads the 200-meter butterfly final on July 31. Marchand won the event and then came back to the pool later in the night to win gold in the 200-meter breaststroke. He set Olympic records in both.
Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Rapper Snoop Dogg wears a T-shirt with Kelly Cheng on it as he dances before a beach volleyball match on July 31.
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British divers Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson compete in the synchronized 10-meter platform event on July 31. They won the bronze.
Lindsey Wasson/AP
Italian rower Luca Rambaldi, center, celebrates after winning silver in the quadruple sculls on July 31.
Petros Giannakouris/AP
Sinagapore's Zeng Jian focuses during a table tennis match on July 31.
Mark J. Terrill/AP
South Sudan's Carlik Jones is defended by the United States' Derrick White and Bam Adebayo on July 31. Team USA won 103-86.
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French cyclist Anthony Jeanjean competes in front of the Luxor Obelisk in Paris during the BMX freestyle final on July 31. He won the bronze.
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South Korean table tennis player Lim Jong-hoon takes a selfie on the medal podium with his mixed-doubles partner, Shin Yu-bin, and teams from China and North Korea on Tuesday, July 30. Lim and Shin won bronze. On the left is the North Korean team of Ri Jong-sik and Kim Kum-yong, who won the silver. At center is the Chinese team of Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, who won the gold.
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US gymnast Simone Biles performs on the balance beam during the team final on July 30. Biles and Team USA dominated the field to win the gold. It was a bit of redemption for Biles, who surpassed Shannon Miller for the most Olympic medals by an American gymnast (eight). Biles withdrew from the team competition three years ago after a shocking case of the “twisties,” a mental block where gymnasts lose track of their positioning midair.
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From left, American gymnasts Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Biles, Jade Carey and Suni Lee celebrate after winning the gold medal.
Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters
Carey soars through the air during her vault at the start of the team gymnastics competition.
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British tennis player Andy Murray throws his sweatband into the crowd after he and doubles partner Dan Evans advanced to the quarterfinals with a dramatic win over Belgium's Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen on July 30. Murray and Evans won 6-3, 6-7, 11-9. Murray has said this tournament will be the last of his legendary career.
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Irish swimmer Daniel Wiffen competes in the 800-meter freestyle on July 30. He won the gold.
Phil Noble/Reuters
The United States' Naya Tapper, Alev Kelter and Kayla Canett celebrate after their team finished a stunning comeback to defeat Australia and win bronze in rugby sevens on July 30. It is the the United States' first-ever Olympic medal in the sport — for either men or women.
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American athlete Marcus Christopher competes in BMX freestyle qualifying on July 30.
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French fencer Auriane Mallo-Breton holds her son, Mathis, as her team gathers with coaches after an épée win against South Korea on July 30.
Zohra Bensemra/Reuters
Spectators watch Finnish dressage rider Emma Kanerva on July 30.
Andy Wong/AP
US tennis star Coco Gauff cries after arguing with chair umpire Jaume Campistol during the second set of her match against Croatia’s Donna Vekić on July 30. Gauff was facing a break point when a line call, initially called out, was overruled by Campistol. Vekić went on to win 7-6, 6-2.
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Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina leaps from his surfboard and raises his finger in the air as he celebrates a near-perfect 9.90-scoring wave on Monday, July 29. It was the highest-scoring wave in Olympic history.
Amanda Perobelli/Reuters
Japanese gymnasts celebrate after they won gold in the team competition on July 29. The Chinese team was in first place heading into the final rotation, but some costly mistakes on the horizontal bar dropped it to second place. The United States won the bronze.
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American gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik celebrates after his pommel horse performance on July 29. Nedoroscik, nicknamed the “Clark Kent” of Team USA for his bespectacled appearance before competing, would later win a second bronze medal in the individual pommel horse event.
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From left, Japan's Saori Miyazaki, the United States' Kahleah Copper, the United States' Alyssa Thomas, Japan's Saki Hayashi and Japan's Maki Takada watch the ball go through the hoop during their first basketball game in Paris on July 29. Team USA won 102-76 in what was a rematch of the gold-medal game three years ago. The United States has won 56 consecutive Olympic games.
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Mollie O'Callaghan beats fellow Australian Ariarne Titmus to the wall to win the 200-meter freestyle on July 29. O'Callaghan finished in 1:53.27, topping Titmus’ Olympic record from three years ago. Titmus won the silver.
Maye-E Wong/Reuters
Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan reacts after winning her bronze-medal sabre bout on July 29. It's her country’s first medal of the Paris Olympics.
Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts while playing Serbia's Novak Djokovic in a second-round match on July 29. Djokovic defeated his longtime rival in an epic showdown, winning 6-1, 6-4.
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Japanese surfer Reo Inaba wipes out during the third round of competition on July 29.
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Argentina's Juana Castellaro Morello plays the ball during a field hockey match against South Africa on July 29.
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US gymnast Fred Richard competes on the parallel bars during the team final on July 29.
Amr Alfiky/Reuters
China's Yu Haicheng competes in trap shooting qualification on July 29.
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Japanese skateboarder Yuto Horigome celebrates with his gold medal after winning the street competition on July 29. Horigome also won the event at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
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Chinese divers Lian Junjie and Yang Hao compete in the synchronized 10-meter platform event on July 29. The duo recorded the highest score in every round to win the gold medal.
Aleksandra Szmigiel/Reuters
The Eiffel Tower overlooks a beach volleyball match on July 29.
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Canada's Krissy Scurfield tackles New Zealand's Jazmin Felix-Hotham during a rugby sevens match on Sunday, July 28.
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Visitors take pictures of the Olympic cauldron after sunset on July 28.
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American swimmer Torri Huske, left, edges teammate Gretchen Walsh as they finish 1-2 in the 100-meter butterfly on July 28.
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Great Britain’s Andy Murray reacts after he and doubles partner Dan Evans came back to defeat Japan’s Taro Daniel and Kei Nishikori in a second-round match at the Olympics on July 28. They fought off five match points to win 2-6, 7-6, 11-9. Murray has said he will retire after the Games.
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US forward Trinity Rodman jumps over Germany's Alexandra Popp during the Americans' 4-1 victory on July 28.
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US fencers Lauren Scruggs, center left, and Lee Kiefer celebrate after facing off in the foil final on July 28. Kiefer overwhelmed Scruggs 15-6 to win the event for the second straight Olympics.
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Zambia's Martha Tembo consoles teammate Barbra Banda after Australia came back from a 5-2 deficit to win 6-5 in their soccer match on July 28.
Charlie Riedel/AP
US gymnast Simone Biles competes on the balance beam during the Olympic qualification round on July 28. She landed awkwardly while warming up for her floor routine, but she fought through the pain to post an impressive all-around score.
Peter Cziborra/Reuters
Great Britain's Patrick James Brown swings at Brazil's Keno Marley Machado during a heavyweight bout on July 28. Machado won 4-1.
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Egyptian fencer Mohamed El-Sayed celebrates after winning the bronze-medal épée bout on July 28.
Paul Childs/Reuters
Slovakia's Yang Wang competes in table tennis on July 28.
Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports/Reuters
The crowd cheers for a lifeguard after he went into the pool to recover the swim cap of US swimmer Emma Weber on July 28. Lifeguards like this are common at swimming competitions, but it still provided a moment of levity in between races. NBC's commentary crew deemed him “Bob the Cap Catcher.” The lifeguard declined to release his name, a Paris 2024 spokesperson said, so that he could keep the focus on his duties.
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Fans show their support during a beach volleyball match on July 28.
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South Sudanese basketball player Carlik Jones drives to the basket during a game against Puerto Rico on July 28. South Sudan claimed a historic victory in its first-ever Olympic men's game, winning 90-79.
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Actor Tom Cruise takes a photo with a fan during the women's gymnastics qualification round on July 28. Other celebrities watching included Snoop Dogg and Ariana Grande.
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Australia's Emma McKeon, Meg Harris, Shayna Jack and Mollie O'Callaghan celebrate after winning the women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay on July 27. The team set an Olympic record with a time of 3:28:92.
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France's Joan Duru gets into the barrel during the first round of the surfing competition on July 27. The surfing events are taking place in Tahiti, far away from Paris.
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Spanish tennis players Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal celebrate during a doubles match on July 27. The dream pairing beat Argentina’s Máximo González and Andrés Molteni 7-6, 6-4.
Jeremias Gonzalez/AP
Uzbekistan fans chant together in the stands as they watch their men's soccer team play Egypt on July 27.
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Italian fencer Luigi Samele celebrates on the podium after winning a bronze medal in the individual sabre competition on July 27.
Yara Nardi/Reuters
Australia's Jessica Fox competes in kayak single heats on July 27.
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Harry Hepworth of Great Britain competes on the rings during qualifying on July 27.
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Swimmers Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong and Caeleb Dressel celebrate on July 27 after winning the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay and claiming the United States' first gold medal of the Paris Olympics. The result also continued Dressel’s streak of winning gold in every Olympic race in which he’s competed. He won five gold medals in Tokyo.
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Germany's Lukas Maertens falls back on a lane rope after winning the 400-meter freestyle on July 27.
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Fiji's Selestino Ravutaumada carries the ball during the rugby sevens final against France on July 27. France won the match for its first gold medal of these Games.
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French basketball superstar Victor Wembanyama celebrates a Brazil turnover during the teams' opening game on July 27. Wembanyama had 19 points, nine rebounds, two assists, four steals and three blocks as France won 78-66.
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US swimmer Gretchen Walsh, second from right, set a new Olympic record in the 100-meter butterfly during a semifinal race on July 27. She finished in 55.38 seconds.
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China’s Huang Yuting, left, competes in the 10-meter air rifle mixed-team shooting competition with Sheng Lihao on July 27. They won the first gold medal of the Paris Olympics.
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French fans show their support during a judo event on July 27.
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US divers Sarah Bacon, left, and Kassidy Cook compete in the synchronized 3-meter springboard event on July 27. They earned silver — the United States’ first medal of this year's Games. The gold went to China's Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen.
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Japanese fencer Miho Yoshimura, left, competes against Rwanda’s Tufaha Uwihoreye in an épée round-of-64 bout on July 27. The Grand Palais, an exhibition hall and event center located off the Champs-Élysées, is the cavernous home to all the fencing competitions at the Paris Olympics.
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Canada’s Félix Dolci competes on the high bar during the gymnastics qualification round on July 27.
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Spectators at the Roland Garros Stadium take shelter from the rain as wet weather delays the start of tennis play on July 27.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
French judoka Teddy Riner, right, and former French track star Marie-José Pérec watch the Olympic cauldron rise in a hot-air balloon after they lit it at the end of the opening ceremony in Paris on Friday, July 26. The first hot-air balloon flight was performed in France in 1783.
Olympic Broadcasting Services/AP
Canadian singer Celine Dion performs Edith Piaf’s “Hymne À L’Amour,” one of the French singer’s most well-known songs, on the Eiffel Tower at the end of the opening ceremony. It was her first performance since her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome.
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Volunteers carry flags on the Jena Bridge, which crosses the Seine River in Paris, during the opening ceremony.
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The ceremony speeches were held in front of the Eiffel Tower following the Parade of Nations.
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US flag bearers LeBron James and Coco Gauff travel with other American athletes during the Parade of Nations, which took place on boats in the Seine River.
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The flag of St. Kitts and Nevis is reflected in the glasses of a spectator during the opening ceremony.
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French athletes wave flags as they travel down the Seine during the Parade of Nations.
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The opening ceremony depicted scenes from the French Revolution. Here, smoke billows near windows at the Conciergerie, the site where Marie Antoinette, the last French queen prior to the revolution, was imprisoned.
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Parisians wait inside their apartment to watch the Parade of Nations from a window.
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This aerial photo shows the Notre Dame cathedral as boats pass by on the Seine. As part of the opening ceremony, the bells of Notre Dame rang for the first time since the iconic cathedral was gutted by fire in 2019. It is 90% restored.
Maye-E Wong/Reuters
Travellers from Sydney wait outside the Gare Montparnasse train station on July 26. Just hours before the opening ceremony, France’s high-speed train lines were targeted by several “malicious” acts, including arson, in what has been described as “coordinated sabotage” to disrupt travel ahead of the Games.
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Rapper Snoop Dogg carries the Olympic torch during the torch relay on July 26.
Amanda Perobelli/Reuters
American gymnast Simone Biles trains on Thursday, July 25. Biles is looking to regain the individual all-around title she won in the 2016 Olympics.
Jeremias Gonzalez/AP
Japan's Aoba Fujino, second from left, celebrates with teammates after scoring against Spain on July 25. But Spain won the match 2-1.
Kin Cheung/AP
South Korea’s Lim Si-hyeon competes in archery on July 25. She shot a world and Olympic record 694 in the individual ranking round.
Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters
Soccer players from France and the United States line up before the start of their match on Wednesday, July 24.
Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
The moon is seen through the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower on Tuesday, July 23.
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Australian surfer Molly Picklum trains in Tahiti on Sunday, July 21. Tahiti, an island in French Polynesia, is hosting the Olympic surfing competition.
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French Minister of Sports and Olympic and Paralympic Games Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, left, and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, center, release doves after a Mass in Paris on July 19.