Dara Alizadeh Wins Men’s Single Sculls Semifinals E/F
Bermuda’s Dara Alizadeh has qualified for the Final E in the men’s single sculls after a remarkable win in the semifinals. Alizadeh finished first with a time of 7:33.38, maintaining his first-place rank throughout the race. He was a force to be reckoned with as he sailed to victory lapping his opponents with Zimbabwean Stephen Cox coming in second with a time of 7:36.59. He will compete in the men’s single sculls Final E on August 2nd.
USVI Kruz Schembri Outmatched in Fencing
U.S. Virgin Islander Kruz Schembri loses men's foil individual table of 64 bout 2 to Canadian Blake Broszus 15-8. The 17-year-old, ended the first period 13-8 falling behind and in period 2 15-8 unable to redeem himself against the Canadian.
Schembri is the first fencer to represent the US Virgin Islands at the Olympic Games since Los Angeles 1984 making this an historic feat despite his loss. He is the 2024 Junior Pan American champion in foil and bronze medallist in epee.
Sören Opti Retires in Men’s Single Badminton Match
Surinamese Sören Opti retired in his second match today against Italy's Giovanni Toti at the La Chapelle Arena Court 1. The match finished at 1 nil with Opti retiring in the second game. Toti won game one 21-8 and was leading game two 4-1 when Opti conceded.
While Opti's time in Paris has come to a close, the athlete played passionately and represented his country on the world stage, leaving his mark.
Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago Will Not Advance in the Women's 100m Backstroke
Zuri Ferguson of Trinidad and Tobago and Emma Harvey of Bermuda both performed exceptionally in the women's 100m backstroke heats held today at the Paris La Defence Arena.
Ferguson was third in her heat with a time of 1:02.75, 0.45 seconds behind first-place Israeli Aviv Barzelay. Harvey was eighth in her heats with a time of 1:01.78, 3.30 seconds behind first-place Australian Kaylee McKeown. In spite of their valiant performances, neither will make it to the semifinals. Ferguson and Harvey placed 27th and 23rd, respectively, and failed to qualify with the USA, Katharine Berkoff leading the qualifying round with a time of 57.99.
Fraser-Pryce eager for final Olympic challenge; enjoying the experience in Paris
Four-time Olympic 100m medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is embracing the experience as she prepares for what will be her last Olympic Games, though not necessarily her final season in track and field. Speaking to Jamaican media in Paris on Monday, Fraser-Pryce expressed her enthusiasm to compete, despite the significant challenges posed by injuries that have limited her to just four races this season. Her latest setback forced her to withdraw from her last race prior to arriving in Paris.
The 37-year-old sprint legend has a storied Olympic career, having won gold in the 100m in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. She captured bronze while battling a toe injury in Rio 2016 and secured silver at the Tokyo 2020 Games, making her the only woman to medal in the 100m at four consecutive Olympics. Fraser-Pryce will aim to extend her record with a fifth 100m medal when competition begins on August 2.
"It's the final Olympic Games; let me repeat that," Fraser-Pryce said hinting that Paris will not be her final season in the sport. "I think this time around I have been having a good experience with the Olympic spirit, just meeting people. Yesterday I went to a rugby match (to watch her new friend and massive fan Michaela Blyde of New Zealand play), the first time going to a rugby match. Considering that my competition is this week, that would probably be the last competition I go to before I get to compete but it has been a good experience."
Fraser-Pryce, who finished third at the Jamaican national championships in late June, shared her positive outlook on her Olympic preparations.
"So far it has been good. Again, always excited to step on the track. That's where you kind of unleash everything that you have been experiencing, how training has been going, how you really want to represent not just yourself but your country and I think ultimately for me being here at the fifth Olympic Games is such a blessing. When I look back, like five, it's crazy to even think about and the fact that it has been five straight Olympic Games, it's even more crazy but it's just the blessings, about how God has been good to me and how He has kept me so I'm really looking forward to the experience, stepping on the track and always, once I get on the line I'm giving 100 per cent at all times and that's what I'm looking forward to."
Acknowledging the competitiveness of the field, Fraser-Pryce emphasized the importance of focus and determination.
"The field is always tough. It's the Olympic Games, it's every four years so whenever anybody lines up I think it's really about doing their best because for some people this is one shot because the Olympics is every four years so for me I am always of the expectation that it is going to be competitive no matter where I am at; whether it's an Olympic Games, a World Championships or a track meet, it's going to be competitive so you have to have that in your head space, get on the line and make sure you're focused on yourself and get the job done."
Djokovic overcomes Nadal in Olympics 'last dance'
Novak Djokovic overcame great foe Rafael Nadal at the Paris Olympics in what might be the final instalment of their captivating rivalry.
Nadal looked down and out midway through the second set, but the 14-time French Open champion has plenty of history at Roland-Garros and did not go down without a fight.
Ultimately, though, Djokovic just had too much, and prevailed 6-1 6-4 to take his place in the third round.
Djokovic dominated the opening set, needing just 39 minutes to nose himself ahead in the 60th contest between these two greats, and the first since the 2022 French Open.
It was just the third time Nadal had won only one game in a completed set at Roland-Garros, and the first time since a 2015 French Open quarter-final against Djokovic.
Djokovic seemed to be cruising towards a routine victory as he stormed into a 4-0 lead in the second set, yet Nadal's magnificent levels of resilience came to the fore as the Spaniard reeled off four straight games to draw level at 4-4.
The Serbian eventually wrestled back control, capitalising on a fourth break point to go 5-4 up and, after a long return from Nadal, Djokovic served out for the match to bring what could be the last match of this incredible rivalry to a close.
Data Debrief: The last dance
Nadal, who is also in doubles action in Paris with Carlos Alcaraz, came into this with a big edge at Roland-Garros over Djokovic, holding an 8-2 head-to-head record at the venue, with that including three French Open final victories.
This duo are the first male players to face each other 60 times in the Open Era, and if it was to be their last dance, at least Nadal made a fist of it.
Djokovic was the stronger player throughout, though, despite that second-set fightback from Nadal, and the world number two is the player with the most match wins against a single opponent in the Open Era (31).
He is also the first player to win 15 men's singles matches at the Olympics since tennis returned to the summer programme in 1988.
Superb Swiatek progresses at Paris Olympics
Iga Swiatek made light work of home hope Diane Parry to make it into round three at the Paris Olympics.
A four-time grand slam champion at Roland-Garros, Swiatek loves operating on the clay courts in the French capital, and she was in dominant form on Monday.
The world number one triumphed 6-1 6-1 in under 75 minutes to see off Parry, who made 24 unforced errors, and tee up a third-round tie with Xiyu Wang of China.
Not that Swiatek needed much help - the Pole struck 13 winners and did not give up a single break point, and she looks good for a deep run at her second Olympics, having slipped out in the second round in Tokyo three years ago.
Swiatek's Polish compatriot Magda Linette, however, succumbed to Italy's Jasmine Paolini.
The French Open and Wimbledon runner-up prevailed 6-4 6-1.
Data Debrief: Swiatek's home away from home
Swiatek is the fourth player since the turn of the century to win more than 20 consecutive clay court matches (21), after Serena Williams (28), Justine Henin (27) and Maria Sharapova (21).
She has also won her last 23 matches at Roland-Garros, where she is undefeated in 1,145 days.
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