Paris Olympics highlights: Pickerington native wins silver in hammer throw

The Dream Team is a step closer to turning dreams of a fifth straight gold medal into reality.

The United States men’s basketball team defeated Brazil, 122-87, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night at Bercy Arena. Devin Booker led the way for the Americans scoring 18 points, including five three-pointers. Kevin Durant became Team USA’s all-time leading scorer at the Olympics, passing Lisa Leslie (488 points) with a dunk in the third quarter. Durant looks to be the first men’s player to win four Olympic gold medals.

Team USA advances to play Serbia in the semifinals on Thursday. Serbia needed overtime to beat Australia, 95-90, in their quarterfinal battle earlier on Tuesday.

Brazil and Spain battled for a spot in the women’s soccer final, with Brazil securing the attempt for a medal 4-2, setting up a date with the USA.

Brazil got on the scoreboard in the fifth minute, snagging an early lead when Spain’s Irene Paredes had a pass deflect off of her into her own net. Brazil furthered its lead in the final minute of the first half when Gabi Porthilho found a gap and scored.

Brazil’s Adriana scored with a header in the 72nd minute, bringing the lead to an impressive 3-0 against the reigning World Cup champions. Spain finally got one in the 85th minute with another own goal, this time off Brazil’s Duda Sampaio.

Six minutes later Brazil’s Kerolin responded, bringing the score to 4-1. Salma Paralluelo kept fighting for Spain, scoring in the 12th minute of added time, but ultimately not clinching the victory.

Brazil managed the win without its captain, Marta, who was serving her second and final game suspension after a red card during a group stage game, also against Spain. Marta will get the chance to go for gold with her team in the final against the U.S. Saturday at 11 a.m.

For the first time these Olympics, Team USA leads in the gold medal count after a full day of competition. Thanks to the gold medals from Cole Hocker in the 1500m, Gabby Thomas in the 200m, and Amit Elor in wrestling, the Americans will end the day ahead of China with 24 gold medals.

There is still one more medal event with the first women’s boxing final, which will feature a Chinese fighter hoping to get them up to 23 gold medals before Day 12.

An American women’s beach volleyball pair won’t medal at the Olympics for the first time since 2000. Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng were upset in the quarterfinals by Swiss pair Tanja Hueberli and Nina Brunner in straight sets 18-21, 19-21.

The only American beach volleyball pair still in contention is the men’s pair of Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh, who play Qatar in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

On the first night of gold medal finals in wrestling, an American made the top of the podium. Amit Elor defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Merrim Zhumanazarova, 3-0, in the final of the women’s freestyle 68kg division.

The Israeli-American from Walnut Creek, California scored all three points in the first period and, at age 20, becomes the youngest American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal.

The twoitime reigning world champion has never lost a senior international match in her five year career. She was wrestling at the 72kg division, however the category was cut for the Paris Olympics, forcing her to drop down to the 68kg weight class.

The United States’ bid for a fourth consecutive gold medal in women’s water polo is still alive after a narrow 5-4 win over Hungary in the quarterfinals.

In a back and forth game, Rachel Fattal broke a 4-4 tie with 3:02 remaining in the game with the extra player shot. Ashleigh Johnson made 17 saves in the win.

The Americans will face Australia in the semifinals on Thursday. Netherlands and Spain meet in the other semifinal.

Team USA struck another gold on the track as Gabby Thomas took home first in the 200m final. Thomas was able to win the race with ease with a time of 21.83 seconds with 100m champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia taking silver and USA’s Brittany Brown winning bronze. Pickerington native McKenzie Long came in seventh.

We’ve had two track finals and both have yielded Olympic record gold medal runs. Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi sprinted in the last lap to beat Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai for the gold medal with a record time of 8:52.76. Faith Cherotich of Kenya took the bronze medal.

A Pickerington, Ohio native is walking away from Paris with an Olympic medal. Annette Echikunwoke has claimed silver in the hammer throw final thanks to a 75.48 meter throw on her third attempt. This was Echikunwoke’s first Olympics after qualifying for Nigeria in 2021 but not being able to go.

Canada’s Camryn Rogers won the gold while China’s Zhao Jie claimed bronze.

Team USA took a stunning gold in the men’s 1500m as Cole Hocker blitzed to the gold medal in Olympic record time. Hocker was able to pass both favorites, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Team GB’s Josh Kerr, to win a shocking gold, posting a time of 3:27.65.

Kerr took silver and Team USA earned a double podium with Yared Nuguse taking bronze. Ingebrigtsen came fourth. It’s just the second time since 1908 Team USA has won the men’s 1500m and the first since 1912 two made the podium.

After two days of the artistic swimming competition, several Buckeyes are in medal contention with their respective teams. The United States, with current Buckeye Ruby Remati and incoming freshman Keana Hunter, are in silver medal position behind China. Canada, with incoming freshman Scarlett Finn, sits in sixth place.

The competition concludes tomorrow with the acrobatic routine. Remati, a junior at Ohio State, is in her second Olympic appearance. She took this past academic year off to focus on training for the Paris Games.

Annette Echikunwoke has climbed into first place in the women’s hammer throw final with her third throw going 75.48 meters. Each athlete gets six throws with their furthest counting towards the final standings.

USA’s Deanna Price sits second-to-last after three throws.

For the first time in 12 years, the USA women’s soccer team will play for an Olympic gold medal. The Americans beat Germany 1-0 after extra time in the semifinals, the second straight knockout game they won by that score line in extra time.

It marks the first time since London 2012 the United States has made the women’s soccer final. They will play either Spain or Brazil on Saturday, with those two sides playing its semifinal match at 3 p.m. today.

Unsurprisingly, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has qualified for the 400m hurdles in convincing fashion. The American star and world record holder won her semifinal heat by nearly two seconds to ease into Thursday’s final.

The USA women’s soccer team has taken the lead in the semifinals at the Paris Olympics. Sophia Smith scored in the 95th minute on a nice side-footed chip shot past Germany keeper Ann-Katrin Berger.

USA has to hold its 1-0 lead for another 25 minutes to make the final.

Just like its quarterfinal, U.S. women’s soccer is heading to extra time in the Olympic semifinals against Germany. Neither team was able to score in regulation as they battle for a guaranteed medal and a spot in Saturday’s final.

30 minutes of extra time will be played. If the score remains tied, we go to penalty kicks.

Two Pickerington natives are all set to go for an Olympic medal this afternoon at the Stade De France. Here is what is on tap for track & field tonight in Paris.

Women’s 200m final: Pick Central graduate McKenzie Long hopes to get on the podium in the 200m final at 3:40 p.m. The favorites are USA’s Gabrielle Thomas and 100m champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia.

Women’s hammer throw: Pick North graduate Annette Echikunwoke is one of two Americans in the 2 p.m. hammer throw final. USA’s Deanna Price is among the favorite along with China’s Jie Zhao and Polish world record holder Anita Wlodarczyk.

Other finals: Men’s long jump, men’s 1500m, and women’s 3000m steeplechase.

Other events: Men’s 400m semis, women’s 400m hurdles semis featuring Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

No one could break the deadlock through the first 45 minutes of the women’s soccer semifinal between the United States and Germany. The Americans were the better side in the first half with 64% possession and five shots on target, but were lacking crisp final passes and shots in the final third.

Germany seems to lack attacking creation with the absence of strikers Alexandra Popp and Lea Schuller.

Team USA is moving on to the semifinals after dominating Poland in the quarterfinal of the competition. In set 1, the U.S. started out strong, beating Poland 25-22. For set 2, the U.S. dominated 25-14. Then for the final set, Team USA scored 25-20, knocking Poland out of the competition.

The U.S. women’s team will face Brazil in the semifinals on Thursday. Turkiye awaits the winner of Italy-Serbia in the other semifinal.

Here are the starting elevens for the upcoming semifinal between the U.S. women and Germany.

United States: Alyssa Naeher (GK), Emily Fox (RB), Naomi Girma (CB), Tierna Davidson (CB), Crystal Dunn (LB), Lindsey Horan (CDM), Sam Coffey (CDM), Trinity Rodman (RW), Rose Lavelle (CAM), Mallory Swanson (LW), Sophia Smith (ST)

Germany: Ann-Katrin Berger (GK), Giulia Gwinn (RB), Kathrin Hendrich (CB), Marina Hegering (CB), Felicitas Rauch (LB), Jule Brand (RM), Sydney Lohmann (CM), Janina Minge (CM), Klara Buehl (LM), Sjoeke Nuesken (ST), Nicole Anyomi (ST)

Here is what to watch this afternoon, including a highly-anticipated semifinal.

Women’s Soccer: USA faces Germany at noon for a spot in the Olympic final. The Americans beat Germany earlier these Olympics 4-1 and are trying to make its first final since 2012.

Women’s Volleyball: USA are looking to repeat as volleyball champions and its road to the final begins at 11 a.m. against Poland in the quarterfinals.

Medal events to come: The sailing dinghy finals have been delayed but next up is women’s park skateboarding at 11:30 a.m. Before track begins at 2 p.m., our first wrestling gold will be handed out in the men’s 60kg Greco-Roman final at 1:55 p.m.

What else to watch: Beach volleyball, handball, and water polo quarterfinals continue as well as track cycling. The men’s field hockey final will be determined soon with the Netherlands facing either Germany or India and an excellent men’s basketball matchup between Canada and France starts at 12 p.m.

Serbia is through to the men’s basketball semifinals after beating Australia 95-90 in overtime. Nikola Jokic was able to hit two clutch buckets in OT to finish the game with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists.

This is the first time since London 2012 Australia are not in the semifinals while Serbia is in its first semifinals since Rio 2016. They will play the winner of USA-Brazil in Thursday’s semifinals.

The second men’s basketball quarterfinal has become an instant Olympic classic. Serbia came back from down 24 and with just 10 seconds left were up 82-80. Australia was able to get one last play in before the final whistle and Patty Mills hit an inside jumper over Nikola Jokic to tie the game and force overtime.

China has claimed gold yet again in a diving event, starting the Paris Olympics with a 5/5 record of first place finishes. Quan Hongchan defended her gold from Tokyo in the 10m platform as she beat her teammate Chen Yuxi by five points for gold. North Korea’s Kim Mi Rae claimed the bronze.

A Chinese diver has now won five straight gold medals in the women’s 10m platform.

The second men’s basketball quarterfinal in Paris has been surprising thus far as Australia leads Serbia 54-42 at halftime. Patty Mills had a first half to remember scoring 20 points on 8-11 shooting from the floor.

Josh Giddey added another 13 points hitting six of his nine shots. Serbian center Nikola Jokic has 11 points and three rebounds. Australia is trying to make its third straight Olympic semifinals

Welcome to the 11th day of the XXXIII Olympiad from Paris. Here is everything that happened and will be coming up soon for Tuesday’s Olympic action.

ICYMI Surfing: Team USA tied the gold medal count with China late last night as Caroline Marks claimed gold in surfing. That leaves China and the USA tied at 21 gold medals heading into today.

Equestrian concludes: The equestrian events at Versailles are in the books as Germany’s Christian Kukuk won the individual jumping gold. While Germany and Great Britain tied for the most medals with five, Germany exceeded all winning four of the six equestrian events in Paris.

Medal events up next: Both the women’s and men’s dinghy races are coming up in sailing. At 9 a.m., we crown the first individual diving champion in the women’s platform final. We will also have skateboarding with the women’s park final at 11:30 a.m.

Men’s Basketball quarters: World Cup winners Germany are through to the semifinals after beating Greece 76-63. Serbia is playing Australia next at 8:30 a.m.

Women’s Volleyball quarters: Turkiye upset China in five sets to make the semifinals and will be joined by Brazil, who swept the Dominican Republic. Team USA is next up at 11 a.m. against Poland.