Thierry Henry believes France's journey to the Olympics final has been a success, whether they finish with a gold or silver medal against Spain in Paris.
Henry has led France to a first final at the Games since their win against Brazil in 1984, a time when he was preparing for his first senior season with Monaco's reserves.
Les Bleus entered the competition with one of the strongest teams on paper, but Henry faced a difficult task in assembling his squad.
The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery were refused permission to compete in the Games by their clubs.
However, Henry was quick to praise his group of players that have taken part in the tournament, saying his dream has already come true.
"This event is special because (in our sport) you don't think about finishing second or third, or winning a medal," Henry said.
"So our story is a success - let's make it better.
While Henry has the opportunity to add an Olympic medal to his World Cup and European Championship successes as a player, he was keen to look at the bigger picture.
"Did I ever think I would be part of an Olympic team? Never. I'll tell you why it's different for me," Henry said.
"I was never with my family watching me performing. When I say performing, you understand what I mean, obviously I'm not performing on the field anymore.
"But I never had my kids at a stadium looking at me with my team, being an 'actor', because when I had my kids I was almost at the end of my career.
"Maybe that's what was missing."
Tom Daley is a "pioneer for diving" who "brings the fun", so says his Team GB team-mate Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix.
Spendolini-Sirieix claimed bronze at the Paris Olympics in the women's synchronised 10m platform, alongside Lois Toulson.
It is the 19-year-old's first medal. She was Team GB's youngest diver at the Tokyo Games at just 16.
Daley also made an early Olympic debut, competing in Beijing in 2008 at 14 years old. Now 30, he added to an already stellar medal collection in Paris, winning silver in the men's synchronised 10m platform with Noah Williams.
And Spendolini-Sirieix is grateful for the influence Daley has had on both her and the sport.
"I really feel like Tom has been the pioneer for diving. He’s really put diving on the map," she said while speaking to Stats Perform at Adidas house.
Daley became the first British diver to win four Olympic medals when he took gold in the 10m synchro at Tokyo 2020 with partner Matty Lee, to add to his three bronze from previous Games.
“Tom has done so much for our sport and as a team-mate, he's been really, really supportive," added Spendolini-Sirieix.
"He makes us laugh with his terrible dad jokes. But he just brings the fun, he brings the excitement and he brings the energy."
Asked whether she thought Daley would compete in Los Angeles in 2028, Spendolini-Sirieix was unsure, but partner Toulson chipped in: "It wouldn't surprise me, knowing Tom."
Just as his personality away from the pool is infectious, Daley's success in it has also rubbed off on the rest of his team.
In Paris, Team GB have the second-best medal haul in diving, only second to China.
They made history by winning medals in all synchro events, with one silver and three bronze.
"Now I really do feel like we've all put diving on the map, and that's the power of sport, it's the power of the Olympics,” said Spendolini-Sirieix, who also finished sixth in the women's 10m platform.
"We can really broadcast the hard work that we've been putting on. And I really do hope that more people tune into diving and try diving, because it's really a beautiful and unique sport."
Spendolini-Sirieix argues that such a feat would not be possible without the support of those behind the scenes.
"We are the ones that are diving, but we really feel like everyone dives with us in our hearts and with us behind our backs. It takes a village to create an athlete," she said.
"Having our family here as well to celebrate with us is the best part. It’s honestly the most amazing feeling."
Lamport Stadium in Toronto is to again host a senior men’s rugby league international for ranking points, when Canada face Jamaica on Saturday 19 October 2024. It is part of a reciprocal agreement between the nations which will see the Wolverines travel to the Caribbean island next year.
Jamaica are building up for their appearance as the Americas representative in the inaugural 2025 World Series, as they attempt to qualify for a second successive men’s World Cup to be held in Australia in 2026.
“Playing annual internationals is crucial to engaging our playing community, sponsors and fans,” said Jamaica RLA director of rugby, Romeo Monteith. “We won't improve as a nation unless we have regular games. It is a priority for us to play Canada and the USA in men and women fixtures annually.”
Montieth added: “It's always tough playing on the road, we have to contend with visa issues, time off work for players and of course the costs. However, the challenges make those games even more special. We have never won away versus Canada and so we expect another tough assignment.
“Roy Calvert and I are open to selecting players from all competitions, however, the majority of the squad is expected to be from the Island. I think both squads will be highly motivated to perform and this should make it another entertaining game for the fans.”
Canada men’s head coach, Aaron Zimmerle, noted: “We look forward to welcoming Jamaica to Toronto. Apart from meeting at the Americas Championship, geography makes playing regularly difficult for both nations. The dual game agreement allows our ever-improving Wolverines to plan for more challenges which is just what we need and want.”
CRLA chair, John Cameron, added: “We’re excited to enter into this home and away series with Jamaica, where our women already were welcomed with such warm hospitality last autumn. We hope to share the same spirit of friendship with the Jamaica men as they visit the heart of rugby league in eastern Canada.”
Day 8 of Track and Field at the 2024 Paris Olympics was a day of mixed emotions for Caribbean athletes, highlighted by a standout performance from Jamaica's women in the 4x100m relay. As the morning session unfolded, the Jamaican quartet delivered a strong run to secure their place in the finals, a beacon of hope on an otherwise challenging day for the region.
The Jamaican team, comprised of Alana Reid, Kemba Nelson, Shashalee Forbes, and Tia Clayton finished third in their heat with a season-best time of 42.35 seconds, which placed them sixth overall and earned them a coveted spot in the finals.
In stark contrast, Trinidad and Tobago’s women’s relay team faced disappointment. Despite their best efforts, they finished eighth in their heat with a time of 43.99 seconds, which was not enough to advance to the finals. The team, consisting of Akilah Lewis, Sole Frederick, Sanaa Frederick, and Leah Bertrand, gave it their all but ultimately fell short.
The men’s 4x100m relay saw similar heartbreak for Jamaica. The team, made up of Ackeem Blake, Jelani Walker, Jehlani Gordon, and Kishane Thompson, ran a season-best time of 38.45 seconds but finished fourth in their heat and 11th overall, failing to make it to the finals. It was a bitter pill to swallow as they had high hopes for a strong finish.
Elsewhere, the Caribbean faced tough outcomes in other events.
In the women's shot put, Jamaica's Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydricia Cameron, along with Trinidad & Tobago's Portious Warren, did not advance past the qualification round. Thomas-Dodd threw 18.12m, Cameron achieved a season-best of 18.02m, and Warren managed 17.22m. Their efforts were valiant but fell short of the 19.15m qualification standard, ending their Olympic journeys in this event.
The women's 100m hurdles also saw Caribbean athletes falling short. Emelia Chatfield of Haiti and Denisha Cartwright of the Bahamas competed fiercely but did not make it past the repechage round. Chatfield finished sixth in her heat with a time of 13.24 seconds, while Cartwright was seventh, clocking 13.45 seconds. Despite their strong performances, they were unable to advance to the semifinals.
In the men's 800m, St Vincent and the Grenadines' Handal Roban, Jamaica’s Navasky Anderson, and Dominica’s Dennick Luke all faced similar fates in the repechage round. Roban finished fourth with a time of 1:45.80, Anderson fifth in his heat with 1:46.01, and Luke set a national record of 1:46.81 but finished sixth in his heat. None of these times were sufficient to move on to the semifinals, marking the end of their Olympic campaigns in this event.
Naomi Osaka said her straight-sets victory over Ons Jabeur in the Canadian Open demonstrates her growing confidence.
The four-time grand slam champion defeated world number 16 Jabeur 6-3 6-1 in her first-round match in Toronto.
Osaka’s victory follows her early exit in the Olympics where she lost in straight sets to Germany’s Angelique Kerber last month at Roland-Garros.
Away from the clay courts, the Japanese player felt the surface and her opponent brought out the best in her in Canada.
“Everyone knows I really love hard court,” said Osaka. “So I don’t know, I wasn’t really thinking too much.
"It felt very instinctual and honestly when I play the best players like Ons I tend to play better."
Now, Osaka believes she is beginning to build momentum again after her hiatus.
“I think if you’ve been following my journey a little, I go through mountains and hills. But now I’m feeling quite confident in myself as a person and a player and I think that showed a little,” she explained.
“Hopefully I can continue to play a lot more matches, but I think I just really love playing tennis and it’s been an honour to play such a great match in front of everyone.”
Coco Gauff is not expecting to win the Canadian Open as she manages the transition from clay to hard courts following the Olympics.
Gauff fell short of a medal last month, losing to Donna Vekic in the singles while bowing out of the mixed and women's doubles with Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz.
The world number two is one of the headline names at the WTA event in Toronto after a number of high-profile players, including world number one Iga Swiatek and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, dropped out.
Her opening game of the tournament sees her face Yafan Wang, however, Gauff has tempered expectations as she prepares to defend her US Open crown at Flushing Meadows.
"I am not going into this expecting to win or anything. That would be great and it's the goal, but being realistic I was on clay three days ago," Gauff said.
"I'm just trying to use this to see where I am and what I need to do to get ready for the US Open."
After her frustration in Paris, Gauff will have to wait another four years to win an Olympic medal, but has the comfort of the next Games being held on home soil in Los Angeles.
And despite suffering disappointment in all three Olympic disciplines (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) this year at Roland-Garros, the American put her name forward to compete across the board again in 2028.
"I would still do all three [events] again if that’s a possibility in '28," Gauff said.
"I mean it's four years from now, I'll be 24, so I will still be on the healthier and younger side of things, and especially if the draw size for mixed is that small, I feel like that's one everyone wants to play.
"I had a great experience, from not being able to go to Tokyo to being able to go here, I just feel like LA, I'll hopefully be on the podium.
"I just feel like that's what my life consists of, having a disappointing result and then the next time is the best thing in the world."
Steve Kerr warned the United States must not "get lulled to sleep" by the fact they have already beaten Serbia twice recently.
The USA cruised past Brazil to reach the semi-finals of the Olympics, and Nikola Jokic's Serbia are next up.
Serbia have already faced the USA in the group stage, with the four-time reigning Olympic champions winning 110-84.
The USA also beat Serbia by 26 points in a warm-up match prior to the Games, but Kerr is taking nothing for granted ahead of Thursday's clash.
He said: "We can't get lulled to sleep because we beat them twice.
"We have to be prepared for their best effort. We've got to think about what they are going to do differently.
"Jokic, I guess he could play 40 minutes. What else do they have up their sleeve?"
It was a sentiment echoed by LeBron James.
"Every game is its own test. No matter what happened in the first two, it's about what goes down Thursday night," he said.
"So we need to lock in our film session, lock in during the day on Thursday, and then come out and be ready to go."
Jokic inspired Serbia to an Olympic-record comeback against Australia in the quarters.
How Serbia plan to manage Jokic's minutes is an intriguing question, but Joel Embiid is setting himself up to face the reigning NBA MVP for over 40 minutes.
"I guess we'll be ready for that," said Embiid.
"If that's what they think they have to do to try to beat us, then they won't hesitate to do that."
Iga Swiatek is sure of her place at the WTA Finals after it was announced the world number one had qualified for season's grand finale.
The season-ending tournament will take place in the Saudi Arabian city of Riyadh for the first time, and will be held in November.
Swiatek, who won bronze at the Paris Olympics last week, has become the first player to secure her place at the Finals.
The 23-year-old has scooped five titles in 2024, including the French Open, which she has won four times.
“It's a great feeling to qualify for the WTA Finals for the fourth year in a row," said Swiatek, the reigning WTA Finals champion.
"I hope that the performances of the eight best players of the season will give a lot of joy to the fans all over the world."
Swiatek will become the youngest player to appear at the WTA Finals for four consecutive years since Victoria Azarenka (2009-2012).
After been knocked out early on in 2021, Swiatek reached the semi-finals in Fort Worth in 2022 before triumphing in Cancun last year.
Kyle Schwarber homered three times, doubled and matched a career high with seven RBIs as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied for a 9-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in a matchup of division leaders on Wednesday night.
Schwarber led off the game against Gavin Stone with his first home run of the night and delivered a two-run double in the fifth to get the Phillies within 4-3. His three-run shot off Joe Kelly capped a five-run sixth and he took Michael Grove deep in the ninth for his 27th of the season.
The seven RBIs were the most by a Phillies player since Carlos Ruiz had that many against Atlanta in 2012.
Schwarber’s three-homer game was the second of his career, the other coming on June 20, 2021, for Washington against the Mets. He had seven RBIs one other time, on July 28, 2019, for the Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee.
Freddie Freeman drove in three runs for the Dodgers, who had their lead in the NL West sliced to three games over surging San Diego and Arizona. That is their smallest lead since April.
Surging Diamondbacks sweep Guardians
Josh Bell homered twice and Eduardo Rodriguez won his season debut as the Arizona Diamondbacks remained red hot with a 5-3 win over the first-place Cleveland Guardians to complete a doubleheader sweep.
Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll each hit two-run homers to give the Diamondbacks a 7-3 victory in the opener.
Randal Grichuk went deep in the second game for Arizona, which won for the 12th time in 14 games and has won seven consecutive series, reinforcing its hold on a NL wild-card spot.
Rodriguez signed with the Diamondbacks in December but had been sidelined with a left shoulder strain. He allowed three runs and four hits over 5 2/3 innings and Justin Martinez loaded the bases in the ninth before striking out Lane Thomas for his second save of the series and his career.
Josh Naylor, Jose Ramirez and David Fry hit home runs in the doubleheader for Cleveland, which has lost a season-high five straight and had its AL Central lead cut to 3 ½ games over Minnesota.
The Guardians still own the best home record in baseball at 35-20.
Santander’s blasts power Orioles
Anthony Santander homered from both sides of the plate and Jackson Holliday added a two-run shot to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 7-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Eloy Jimenez added a two-run double for the Orioles, who rebounded after losing Tuesday’s series opener to tie the Yankees for first in the AL East.
Baltimore trailed 3-2 when Holliday went deep for the third straight game in the seventh inning to score Jimenez, who hit an infield single.
At 20 years, 274 days, Holliday is the youngest player in AL history to homer in three straight contests.
Santander hit a two-run shot off Bowden Francis in the first inning and belted a solo shot as a right-handed hitter in the eighth. The homers were his 33rd and 34th, a career high.
Santander leads the majors with 25 homers since the start of June.
Trinidadian medal hopeful Nicholas Paul failed to advance to the men’s sprint quarter-finals in the Paris Olympics at the National Velodrome in Paris on August 7.
After losing by four-thousandths of a second to three-time Olympic medallist, Englishman Jack Carlin in the 1/8 finals, the 25-year-old had to contest the 1/8 repechage against Australian speedster Leigh Hoffman and Japanese Yuta Obara.
"Jack Carlin is an experienced racer and it was a great race," Paul told Sportsmax after the repechage.
"Tactically, I think I played it out as best as I could and it just comes down to the line," he added.
With the winner only progressing to the August 8 quarter-final round, Paul placed third and was eliminated, with Obara – whom Paul had beaten in the1/32 round – winning the repechage and advancing.
In the opening round of sprint qualifying earlier on, Paul advanced as the seventh fastest qualifier (9.371s) in the flying 200m after Australian Matthew Richardson (9.091s) and reigning Olympic sprint champion Harrie Lavreysen (9.088s) broke Paul’s world record in this event.
In the 1/32 finals, Paul left it late against Obara and edged him on the line for the win. He then defeated another Japanese cyclist, Kaiya Ota, in the 1/16 final, which set him up against Carlin in the 1/8 final.
Paul and fellow TT rider Kwesi Browne return to the National Velodrome track on Saturday for the opening round of men’s keirin qualification.
Mikel Arteta has said he has seen "something different" from striker Gabriel Jesus since last season, as the Brazilian impressed against Bayer Leverkusen.
Jesus, who scored four goals in 27 Premier League appearances last term, was on target with a fine finish against the Bundesliga champions on Wednesday.
The 27-year-old failed to score in his last 10 league appearances after returning from a knee injury, with Kai Havertz starring in the number nine position in his absence.
However, Arteta has been impressed with Jesus' displays in pre-season, but has set his striker a challenge of becoming more consistent this year.
"I said from day one, the first feeling when I saw him after talking to him at the end of the season is that he was something different," Arteta said.
"I could sense it. His energy was different, the way he looks is different, the way he’s moving is different. He really wants it.
"Now it’s about finding that consistency and doing it in any context, against any opponent, against any formation, any day, every three days, for 90 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 70 minutes.
"If you produce in those circumstances? It looks good."
The encounter against Xabi Alonso's side saw the return of both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka into the first-team fold after their Euro 2024 campaign with England.
But there was no sight of Jurrien Timber and new £42m signing Riccardo Calafiori, with Arteta able to explain their omission from the squad.
"Jurrien had a little discomfort in his foot in the last few days and obviously, after the amount of time he’s been out, we didn’t want to take any risks with him," Arteta said.
"In regard to Riccardo, so much happened to him in one week! He’s come into a new environment with a different methodology and different training, so we are managing him, and we want to do it slowly and in the best way possible.
"Hopefully he will be available to play some minutes on Sunday."
Arsenal conclude their pre-season preparations against Lyon this weekend ahead of their Premier League opener against Wolves at the Emirates six days later.
Naomi Osaka put her Paris Olympics disappointment behind her as she eased to the next round of the Canadian Open in a straight-sets win over Ons Jabeur.
Osaka fell at the first hurdle to Angelique Kerber at Roland-Garros last month, but was back to her best as she emerged a 6-3 6-1 victor in Toronto.
The four-time grand slam champion wasted no time in stamping her authority on proceedings, earning a two break points to take a 3-0 lead early on.
And that would prove decisive, with the world number 95 seeing out the rest of her service games, closing out the first set with a love game.
Jabeur would have no response to Osaka's stunning display, with the Japanese finding another pivotal break before winning the remaining three games to confirm the win.
Osaka will face Elise Mertens in the round of 32 after the Belgian beat Katie Volynets in straight sets earlier in the day.
Data Debrief: Osaka over Olympics disappointment
Having suffered disappointment in Paris, Osaka responded in emphatic style upon her return to the court and will want to continue that momentum moving forward.
Osaka converted all three of the break points she had, winning all eight of her service games.
It proved to be a difficult day at the office for Jabeur, who uncharacteristcally served seven double faults throughout the contest compared to Osaka's four.
Dunith Wellalage and Avishka Fernando starred for Sri Lanka as they claimed a first ODI series win over India in 27 years following their 110-run triumph in Colombo.
Fernando struck 96 from 102 deliveries to see the hosts score 248-7, leaving their opponents with an uphill task in difficult conditions at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
And having struggled in the second Test with Sri Lanka's spin bowlers, India did so again as Wellalage posted figures of 5-27 to secure a landmark victory.
Sri Lanka's opening three batsmen took the fight to India early on, with Pathum Nissanka (45), Fernando and Kusal Mendis (59) leaving them 183-3 in the 37th over.
Riyan Parag took three wickets as the Lions gave their opponents a target of 249 to draw the series, a task they found difficult from the beginning.
Captain Rohit Sharma (35) and Shubman Gill (six) fell early, with the Men in Blue's batting line-up crumbling to 82-6 by the 12th over.
Washington Sundar's 30 from 25 deliveries offered hope of a comeback, but Wellalage confirmed the triumph in just 26.1 overs with the wicket of Kuldeep Yadav to end India's 13-game unbeaten ODI run.
"We are in a really good mood right now, especially our coach," said Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka.
"He made a few changes in the team, and the boys really enjoyed the team environment."
Data Debrief: Sri Lanka end India ODI hoodoo
Sri Lanka's last bilateral ODI series victory over India was in August 1997, with India unbeaten in the next 13 such series, with 11 wins and two drawn series.
The win marked the Lions' first limited-overs series under new captain Asalanka and interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya after Chris Silverwood's departure.
Rain put a damper on West Indies progress as only 15 overs were possible on the opening day of their first Test against South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday.
A fairly tidy display from the Caribbean bowlers restricted South Africa to 45-1 in the just over an hour’s play that was possible, as the visitors won the toss and opted to take first strike.
Jason Holder got that breakthrough when he bowled Aiden Markram (9) shortly before the showers came.
Tony de Zorzi, unbeaten on 32, and Tristan Stubbs, on two, will resume batting for South Africa on Thursday’s second day, weather permitting.
Play is scheduled to begin half-hour earlier at 9:30 am.
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