On the final Friday of the 2024 Olympics, Team USA faces critical knockout rounds as their top squads battle for a place in the medal matches, and Sha’Carri Richardson prepares for her last race in Paris.
The U.S. women’s basketball team is set to clash with Australia in the semifinals, vying for a spot in the gold medal match for the eighth consecutive Olympics. Dominating the tournament so far, the team has secured victories in every game by a comfortable margin, consistently winning by double digits.
In the aquatic arena, the U.S. men’s water polo team goes head-to-head with Serbia in their semifinal match. This appearance marks the first time the U.S. has reached the men’s water polo semifinals in an Olympic Games since 2008. Serbia, a formidable opponent, has secured back-to-back gold medals in this event and is now striving to become only the third men’s team in history to win three consecutive Olympic titles.
On the track, both the men’s and women’s 4×100 meter relay teams are set to compete in the finals, offering the last opportunity for Richardson to add another medal to her collection at the 2024 Paris Games. Later in the day, Rai Benjamin will take to the track, seeking his first Olympic gold medal in the men’s 400m hurdles.
Masai Russell, the U.S. Olympic Trials champion, had to exert all her effort to secure her place in the finals. After navigating the final hurdle in her race, Russell found herself in a close contest for third place in her heat. Using every ounce of her strength, she leaned forward at the finish line, narrowly edging out Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent to claim second place with a time of 12.42 seconds, thus advancing to the final.
Bryce Hoppel executed a well-calculated strategy to advance to the men’s 800 meters final. He stayed with the pack throughout the race, saving just enough energy to push forward in the final stretch, securing second place in his heat. His time of 1:43.41 ensured his automatic qualification for the final.
In the men’s 4×400 meter relay, Team USA put on an impressive performance to qualify for the finals. Vernon Norwood’s split of 43.54 seconds helped the team catch up with the leading pack after Elija Godwin handed off the baton in seventh place with a 47.27-second split. Bryce Deadmon then ran a strong 44.20-second leg, handing off to Chris Bailey, who anchored the team with a 44.14-second split. This final leg pushed Team USA into third place with a time of 2:59.15, securing their spot in the finals.
As the 2024 Olympics draw to a close, August 9th promises to deliver thrilling moments in sports such as breaking, golf, and basketball. Fans are eager to see if Sunny Choi can claim gold in Olympic breaking and whether the U.S. women’s basketball team can maintain their winning streak against Australia. The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the Games, with the world watching to see which athletes will rise to the occasion.
