Paris Olympics Outside the Pool: Redemption for Biles, Late Heroics for U.S. Women’s Rugby

Let’s take a look around Paris at some of the highlights through the first four and a half days of Olympic action.

Biles, U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Reclaim Team Gold

Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey led the U.S. to gold in the women’s gymnastics team competition on Tuesday, topping a podium that also featured historic medals for Italy (silver, first in the event since 1928) and Brazil (bronze, first medal ever in the sport).

The “twisties” issue that forced Biles to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics did not resurface this week as she nailed her first vault en route to a team-leading score of 14.90. The Americans reclaimed their gold from Rio 2016 after finishing 2nd last time around behind Russia, which is banned from competing in team events in Paris due to the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The victory made Biles the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history with eight medals, including five golds, in three Summer Games showings. The 27-year-old still has more medal opportunities remaining in the all-around, beam, vault, and floor.

U.S. Women’s Rugby Beats Australia for Bronze in Epic Finish

Trailing 12-7 with just eight seconds left and backed up deep in her own territory, Alex “Spiff” Sedrick broke one tackle, ran over another Aussie defender, and went the distance of the field to carry the U.S. women past Australia, 14-12, for their first ever medal in Olympic rugby sevens.

“I mean, I’ll give my first-born child to ‘Spiff’ [Sedrick],” American teammate Ilona Maher said. “It was crazy because I was like, ‘No, no way this is happening. And then for her to make the kick, as well — and she’s not our kicker.”

Later on Tuesday, New Zealand rallied past Canada, 19-12, to defend its Olympic title from Tokyo.

U.S. Men’s Soccer Into Quarterfinals for First Time Since 2000

The American men’s U-23 soccer team shut out Guinea, 3-0, on Tuesday, clinching their first Olympic quarterfinal berth since the 2000 Sydney Olympics. This is the U.S. men’s first Olympic appearance since Beijing 2008.

Team USA lost its first match of the tournament last Wednesday against France, 3-0, before pulling out a 4-1 victory over New Zealand in its next group stage showdown. Now the American men will face off in Friday’s knockout stage against Morocco, which upset Argentina in group play.

Murray Advances in Doubles Tennis After Saving More Match Points

Andy Murray has had a flare for the dramatic in his last-ever tennis tournament.

Playing doubles in Paris with fellow Brit Dan Evans after withdrawing from singles, the 37-year-old Murray miraculously saved five match points in a row during his opening round victory. Then on Tuesday, the British pair faced two more match points against the Belgian duo of Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen before ultimately prevailing, 6-3, 6-7(8), 11-9.

Murray and Evans trailed 9-7 in the decisive, 10-point match tiebreak. They proceeded to rattle off four points in a row to secure a quarterfinal appearance against either the third-seeded Americans (Taylor Fritz/Tommy Paul) or Dutchmen Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer.

Spanish stars Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz also picked up a second-round win on Tuesday to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals on Wednesday (1 p.m. EST on Peacock). Nadal was knocked out the singles bracket by Novak Djokovic in a heavyweight battle on Monday. Alcaraz won his singles match in straight sets on Wednesday to set up a quarterfinal matchup with Paul on Thursday.

South Korea Sweeps Team Archery to Continue Dynasty

The South Korean men won men’s team archery gold on Monday, following in the footsteps of their female compatriots in the women’s competition on Sunday. It was the 10th consecutive Olympic victory for the South Korean women, who went to a shoot-off versus China. The South Korean men have captured seven of the last 10 Olympic crowns since the event made its debut at Seoul 1988.