An Opening Ceremony nod to French literature (2024)

We've got some big news to bring you in the cycling BMX - women's park qualification.

Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Charlotte Worthington (GBR) is OUT of the competition after finishing with a score of 79.01 - which was only good enough for 11th in the 12-rider field (only the top nine riders advance to the final).

Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Nikita Ducarroz (SUI) is also out! The Swiss finishes in 10th.

Hannah Roberts (USA), the five-time world champion, posts the top score of 91.45 to advance to Wednesday's final.

What a turnaround by Vekic!

The Croatian was trailing 1-4 in the first set, but found reserves from somewhere to not only save three set points, but take Gauff to tie-break and then win the set!

In the second set, Vekic broke Gauff's serve in Game 6 before winning the next two games to take the match and advance to the next round.

Gauff, understandably, is upset at the result. She didn't have the best match of her career, suffering seven double faults and failing to score a single ace. But her Paris 2024 experience isn't over - she still has chances for a medal in the women's doubles and mixed doubles competition.

They've done it!

Wong and Doo gave everything they had in the fourth game, having game point on two seperate occassions, but Lim and Shin (KOR) show why they are the world's No.3 team by holding their nerve and claiming a 14-12 game win, to earn bronze 4-0.

This is the Republic of Korea's first Olympic table tennis medal since London 2012.

The gold medal match between Wang Chuqin/Sun Yingsha (CHN) and Ri Jong Sik/Kim Kum Yong (PRK) is up next in a few minutes.

Another medal update to bring you - though this one isn't over yet!

At South Paris Arena 4, Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin (KOR) - the world No.3 pair - are inching towards mixed doubles bronze as they lead Wong Chun Ting/Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) by 3 games to 0, and have a 3-0 lead in the 4th game.

Back to Roland Garros, where Angelique Kerber (GER) is into the quarter-finals in what will be the final competition of her career before retirement.

She beats 16-seed Leylah Fernandez (CAN) in straight sets.

Speaking of swimming, the men's and women's 100m freestyle heats have just finished.

Jack Alexy (USA), who won silver in this event at the world championships last year, posted the fastest time with a 47.57 mark. World and Olympic record holder Pan Zhanle (CHN) is also through (48.40).

On the women's side, four-time Olympic medallist was the fastest qualifier with a time of 52.99.

We've also got the results from the men's 200m butterfly, men's 200m breaststroke, and women's 1500m freestyle heats. The fastest qualifiers for each are below:

Men's 200m butterfly: Kristof Milak (HUN) - 1:53.92
Women's 1500m freestyle: Katie Ledecky (USA) - 15:47.43
Men's 200m breaststroke: Cho Sung Jae (KOR) - 2:09.45

Yesterday Smith won gold in the women's 100m breastroke, and she was spotted wearing a shirt displaying the names of people who have helped her throughout her career (note the gold medal on her shoulder!).

We've got four group games in men's basketball today, with the first - Spain vs Greece - wrapping up a few minutes ago.

Both of these teams qualified for Paris 2024 through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and were seeking their first wins at these Games, but it's Spain who come out on top 84-77.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, competing at his first Olympics, posted a monster line of 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals, but the loss means they are rooted at the bottom of Group A with a final game against Australia to come. Spain move into first place.

At the end of the group phase the top 8 teams from the combined ranking qualify to the quarter-finals.

To Roland Garros and the tennis!

Coco Gauff, who carried the USA flag at the Opening Ceremony with LeBron James, has broken Donna Vekic's (CRO) serve and leads 4-1 in the first set.

Gauff, who won the US Open last year, won the women's French Open double title at this venue earlier this year with partner Kateřina Siniaková (CZE).

We've had a fantastic game in the men's hockey between Spain and France in Pool A.

France held a 2-0 lead in the first quarter before Spain came back to even the score early in the third. France took the lead again through Victor Charlet (FRA), only for Pep Cunill (ESP) to rescue a point for Spain nine minutes for time!

It finishes 3-3, which means France earn their first point of the tournament. They sit sixth in Pool A, while Spain are fourth. Only the top four teams advance to the quarter-finals.

A little while ago I mentioned that two-time Olympic champions Serbia were in trouble against Australia in the men's water polo.

Well, Australia have completed the upset, and in convicing fashion, winning 8-3!

The result drops Serbia to fourth in Group B after playing two games, with Australia now top! The top four teams in Group A and Group B advance to the quarter-finals.

Phew - I need a breather after that!

Thankfully, US skateboarders Jagger Eaton andNyjah Huston (both of whom finished on the podium yesterday in the men's street final) and Chris Joslin, are here to provide it!

The noise inside the Champ de Mars arena hits the ROOF as Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA) takes to the Tatami for her bout with Gili Sharir (ISR) in the women's -63kg round of 32

The crowd is chanting "Allez Clarisse!" as the defending champ grapples with Sharir, but the Israeli is holding her own, and there's a few tense moments in the crowd as she nearly brings the Frenchwoman down.

In fact, we're headed to a golden score! Who will emerge victorious?

It's Agbegnenou! A tight grapple results in the Frenchwomanjustgetting the score - but it's tight, very tight indeed. Close call for the Olympic champion!

The 2022 1500m short course world champion has tested positive for COVID-19 and withdrawn from the event.

In Group B of the men's competition, Serbia - the two-time defending Olympic champions - are trailing Australia 7-1 midway through the third period. Nic Porter in the Australian goal is on fire, saving 80 per cent of the shots he's faced!

Australia's best finish in this event was a 5th-place finish in 1984 and 1992.

Over at the table tennis, where we have matches in the singles round of 32 for both men and women, defending gold medallist and world No.4 Chen Meng (CHN) is through after beating Linda Bergstrom (SWE).

You can learn more about Chen, who also won gold in the team event at Tokyo 2020 (she's competing in the team event at Paris 2024, where China are into the round of 16), in our story below.

It's Serbia's first medal of Paris 2024, and first medal of any kind in shooting at the Olympics!

What an accomplishment for Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec (SRB) who, despite trailing 8-2 after five shots, mounted a furious comeback to even the contest, then take the gold in the final two shots!

It's silver Yusuf Dikec and Şevval İlayda Tarhan (TUR), who came so close to taking the match. A tremendous effort.

🥇Arunovic/Mikec (SRB)
🥈Tarhan/Dikec (TUR)
🥉Bhaker/Singh (IND)

At Champ de Mars, the men's -81 kg Elimination Round of 64 has just started, and it's already a lively atmosphere inside the arena thanks to a victory from Alpha Oumar Djalo (FRA) in the first contest. Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Matthias Casse also won his first match against Sibghatullah Arab (EOR) with a beautiful ippon after trailing early.

In the women's -63kg category, Kim Jisu (KOR) and Takaichi Miku (JPN) are also safely through to the next round. The sole French individual champion from Tokyo 2020, Clarisse Agbegnenou, attempts to defend her Olympic title later on against Gili Sharir (ISR).

This is what the Olympics is all about.

A nice bit of sportsmanship from women's volleyball players Haleigh Washington (USA) and Zhu Ting (CHN) after yesterday's match between the USA and the People's Republic of China, which was won by China 3-2.

The Indian pair of Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh (IND) are Olympic bronze medallists!

Despite trailing after the first shots against Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin (KOR), Bhaker and Singh would take the next eight points of the contest, building an insurmountable lead that would carry them to a historic bronze - India's first in this event and second medal of Paris 2024!

The gold medal match between Türkiye and Serbia is up next.

Over at one of the best venues for Paris 2024 (but let's be honest, they'reall great), the first match of men's beach volleyball has just finished.

Michal Bryl and Bartosz Losiak (POL) have beaten their Australian opponents Thomas Hodges/Zachery Schubert in straight sets.

There's plenty more beach volleyball to come today - nine games, in fact. At 21:00 this evening, women's world No.1 pair Ana Patrícia Silva Ramos and Eduarda "Duda" Santos Lisboa (BRA) are in action.

Over in the volleyball, reigning men's world champions Italy have just taken the first set in their match against Egypt, 25-15.

Italy have won six medals (G0-S3-B3) in Olympic men’s volleyball, equalling the best record of Brazil (G3-S3-B0) and the Soviet Union (G3-S2-B1).

In women's Group A of the handball tournament, Germany vs Slovenia has just started, with the score locked at 4-4 early in the first half.

Maja Vojnovic (SLO) in the Slovenia goal has started off with a blinder, saving 3 shots.

And just as I write that, Germany take the lead. Commentator's curse.

If you're new to handball, get aquainted with the sport and who to look out for at Paris 2024 at our handy guide below! 🤾‍♀️📰

With the men's triathlon event postponed, it's badminton that has the honour of starting the sporting action on Day 4 at Paris 2024 🏸.

Just the three matches ongoing at the moment, with Kristin Kubba (EST) and Ratchanok Intanon (THA) leading in their women's singles contests. Pablo Abian (ESP) is also ahead in his men's singles match.

Later this morning Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin (TPE), champions at Tokyo 2020, will continue their quest to make history as the only men’s doubles pair to successfully defend their Olympic title in badminton.

Welcome to the Paris 2024 offical live blog for Day 4 of competition! Let's take a look at some of the highlights that are coming up today ⬇️⭐

The 3X3 basketballcompetitions will begin at theLa Concorde Urban Park (from 5:30pm), and Simone Bileswill be searching for her first Olympic gold since Rio 2016 in thewomen's team all-around final in artistic gymnastics (6:15pm).

Judo - French hopes on Clarisse Agbegnenou

The hosts have arguably one of the strongestjudoteams in the world behind Japan, the traditional home of the sport. After all, French athletes won eight medals in the sport's 15 events in Tokyo.

On Day 4, the sole French individual champion from Tokyo 2020,Clarisse Agbegnenou, attempts to defend her Olympic title in thewomen's -63kgweight class (from 10am; medal bouts from 5:49pm) at theChamp-de-Mars Arena.

While Agbegnenou is by no means France's only hope in the sport, there will no doubt be a little extra attention on her as the only defending champion returning from Tokyo.

Swimming - Irish history in the pool?

Ireland have only ever won five medals in swimming, four coming from Michelle Smith de Bruin at the Atlanta 1996 Games and one from Mona McSharry on Day 3.

But on Day 4,Daniel Wiffen, the world short-course record holder in the event and reigning world long-course champion, competes in themen's 800m freestyle final (9:02pm) and could become Ireland's first men's swimming Olympic champion. And records could fall, too.

Table tennis - Men's and women's world no. 1 paddler go for gold

Themixed doubleswas the onlytable tennis event in which athletes from the People's Rep. of China did not win gold at Tokyo 2020, with Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen taking silver in the inaugural running of the event.

To set out to correct that this year, China is sparing no efforts to complete a table tennis sweep: the men's world number one singles player,Wang Chuqin, is paired with the world's best women's singles paddler,Sun Yingsha.

They are heavily favoured in the mixed doubles gold medal final (2:30pm) at the South Paris Arena, hoping to claim gold in the only table tennis event in which Chinese athletes have not won an Olympic title. The pair will take on Democratic People's Republic of Korea'sRi Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong.

Medal events

Artistic gymnastics
18:15–20:15:W team all-around final

Fencing
19:30–21:20:W épée team medal matches

Judo
17:18–17:48:M -81kg medal contests;17:49–18:19:W -63kg medal contests

Rugby sevens
19:00–20:15:W medal matches

Shooting
09:30–10:30:Mixed team 10m air pistol medal matches;15:30–16:45:M trap final

Swimming
20:56:W 100m backstroke final;21:02:M 800m freestyle final;22:01:M 4x200m freestyle relay final

Table tennis
13:30–15:30: Mixed doubles medal matches

Full daily schedulehere.