Explicit

Embiid, who was born in Cameroon but was granted US citizenship in 2022, declared for Team USA late last year after his home country failed to qualify. 

That decision came after he also sought French citizenship, amid suggestions president Emmanuel Macron had called the Philadelphia 76ers star to convince him to represent the hosts.

Embiid has been jeered by French fans throughout the basketball tournament, with the USA winning all five of their games to date, reaching the final with Thursday's comeback victory over Serbia.

On the eve of Saturday's gold medal match, Embiid said: "Frankly, I don't understand why I've gotten a lot of criticism from the crowd. 

"They're going to boo me. I'm going to go back at them and tell them to 'suck it.' It's going to be fun."

Reflecting on his decision to link up with LeBron James, Stephen Curry and company in representing the USA, Embiid said he would have played for Cameroon if they had qualified.

"Having lived half of my life in the US and the other half in my country, Cameroon, it just looked like it was, 'you could go two ways'," Embiid said. 

"I said from the beginning that if Cameroon would've qualified, that would never have been a choice. Then having the family [in the US] and having built a lot of things and having accomplished a lot of things, knowing the group of guys deeply, it just made it easy.

"I think a lot of people wanted to make it an issue because of the storyline and all that stuff.

"But to me it's whatever it takes to win gold. So that's what I'm focused on. It's all about Team USA against France."

The two nations are currently banned from Olympic competition following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year.

But IOC statements last month appeared to clear a pathway for the inclusion of athletes from both countries to compete under a neutral flag.

Now, however, the governing body has sought to reaffirm its stance, in particular as a response to comments made by Stanislav Pozdnyakov, head of Russia's Olympic Committee

"The sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian States and Governments are not negotiable," it said in a statement.

"They have been unanimously confirmed by the recent Olympic Summit meeting on 9 December 2022."

Sanctions reiterated by the IOC include no international sports events being organised or supported in either country by a National Olympic Committee.

In addition, no sports meeting or event is allowed to fly Russian and Belarusian flags or colours, while government and state officials are barred from attendance.

The decision to potentially let athletes from both countries compete next year has enraged Ukraine, who could boycott the event in protest.

President Volodymyr Zelensky doubled down on criticism of the IOC, stating that the inclusion of Russian or Belarusian athletes would tell "the whole world that terror is somehow acceptable".

Russian athletes competed under the flag of the Russian Olympic Committee rather than their country at Tokyo 2020 amid a suspension from the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Those were the words of Adam Peaty during his pre-camp for Tokyo 2020. And boy has he attacked that mountain.

Five years ago, Peaty broke new ground to become an Olympic champion for the first time in Rio and set in motion a Team GB gold rush that would see them ultimately finish second in the medal table.

On this occasion, there was no world record – the only thing that is sure to secretly irritate this perfectionist who revels in finding new ways to push the limits of what is humanly possible – but not for the first time Peaty obliterated the competition to once again win Olympic gold in the 100 metres breaststroke.se

Whether his success can have the same sort of rousing effect on Team GB, only time will tell.

What is more certain is that Peaty must surely now be considered among the pantheon of Olympic greats.

At one stage in 2021, the 26-year-old was in possession of the 20 fastest 100m breaststroke times in history. It is mind-boggling dominance.

When the great Usain Bolt used to race there was a real awe about the way in which he had his opponents beaten by the time he was on the start line. It was mesmerising watching the sprint king, who just seemed to defy logic.

Peaty in the pool exudes a similar feeling. To witness this phenomenon in person is some experience. If you blink you might miss him.

Following his victory in the heats on Sunday, Peaty described Tokyo 2020 as "weird" without the crowds – with fans of course absent due to the coronavirus pandemic – and conceded it did "not feel like an Olympics".

He does have a point. Peaty's moment of triumph came on a day where Ariarne Titmus defeated Katie Ledecky in an epic to clinch the women's 400m freestyle – a race that really did deserve a full house – and Caeleb Dressel, tipped as an heir to American great Michael Phelps, won the first of what is likely to be multiple gold medals at these Games.

Such stars deserve a captivated audience. The cheers of their team-mates offered only slight consolation that their moments of glory are taking place in surreal circumstances.

But there is nothing strange now about seeing Peaty dominate in the pool and while the circumstances compared to his first crowning moment in Brazil could scarcely be more different, he continues to enhance his status as a supreme champion.

His latest victory was a moment of history – no British swimmer had ever defended an Olympic title before. Only three other swimmers from Britain have ever won multiple golds, and he is just the second man to defend the 100m breaststroke title after Japan's Kosuke Kitajima.

When you think of the great athletes Britain has produced – Steve Redgrave, Kelly Holmes, Chris Hoy, Laura Kenny, Jason Kenny – all belong in the category of elite Olympians.

That Peaty now too belongs in that same category is not even a debate. He is a cool competitor, but he is also a ferocious one. A contemplator, a thinker, a man who self-described himself as "liberated" by the circumstances of the past year, time that saw him become a father and learn to appreciate the important things in life as lockdowns and restrictions became the norm for us all.

What is scary is that you feel there is still new ground for Peaty, unbeaten in his event since 2014, to break.

Speaking prior to the Games, Peaty opened up about what makes him the athlete he is.

"It sounds very cliche but I'm very obsessed with continual improvement and pushing the boundaries of what's possible," he said then. 

"I don't want to end my career and go 'oh I could have done that or I should have done this'. It's that relationship with the team that makes me that person. But I think it's also I just love to race, I love to scrap and I like to dominate. That's why I swim, that's why I race it gives me something I can't get in normal life."

And even now with all he has achieved there still seems to be an unquenchable thirst to be the best, no taking the foot off the gas in a continued desire to go where no one has been before.

"No one is invincible, everyone can be beaten," he told a news conference following his victory in Tokyo.

"I'm a firm believer in that. If I didn't believe in that I wouldn't have the world record, it's about setting no limits. 

"Today could have gone either way. It's a morning final, you saw it this morning with such a close race with Ledecky and Titmus, it could have gone either way.

"Everyone is beatable, it's who wants it more and who is invested more in those races."

For most, owning the world record and becoming a double Olympic champion would be well beyond the pinnacle of the mountain.

For Peaty, it seems certain he will just keep on f*****g attacking it.

It was another dominant performance from world-record holder Peaty in the 100 metres breaststroke at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, with a time of 57.37 – the fifth fastest in history – enough for him to make history as the first British swimmer to defend an Olympics title.

Peaty is unbeaten in the event in seven years and only one other swimmer has ever breached the 58-second mark – that being silver medallist Arno Kamminga.

Despite his dominance, Peaty spoke about the challenges he has faced, with the 26-year-old having become a father to his son George within the past year.

He said: "It's been a heavy investment. A lot has changed this last year, more than the last five. Becoming a father, buying my first house and some days when I woke up and was like 'this is hard, this is really hard'.

"There's been so many challenges, so many challenges and f*****g some breakdowns as well. 

"It's like 'what am I doing every single day? Why am I training three times a day, giving it everything for this swim?'.

"I've hidden a lot of emotion from my own family, I've hidden a lot of stress and a lot of those moments where I was like 'this is very, very hard'.

"The 99.9 per cent of time that we spend in the dark is for the 0.01 per cent we spend in light."

Having made history, Peaty was asked how much longer he foresees himself staying in the pool, with the Paris Games three years away.

"I think of sport very simply, as soon as I stop having fun I'll stop, I'm still having fun, I have a lot of fun with my boy, I have a lot of fun at home and having a normal life too," he added.

"It's such a big decision, it's a family decision now, not just me being a selfish athlete because we have to be selfish but we'll have that conversation when we're home. 

"Obviously, we're targeting Paris anyway, anything after that is a bonus really. It's about how young you keep your mind, sport is getting faster, the world is getting faster, you have to take that in to consideration too.

"It depends what else is out there, if I can inspire people in other ways I'll probably do that. But I live in the present."

Jamaican sprint star Thompson-Herah completed the 100m and 200m double becoming the first woman to defend each title at the Olympics having won both in Rio five years ago.

There was also a slice of history for Anita Wlodarczyk in the women's hammer and Athing Mu romped to victory in the 800m.

Here's a round-up of all the best action from the track and field on Tuesday.

THOMPSON-HERAH REIGNS AGAIN

It has been another Olympics to remember for Thompson-Herah, whose winning time of 21.53 seconds is the fastest ever in the women's 200m.

The 29-year-old stormed out of the bend and left her rivals trailing in her wake to take a commanding victory.

Christine Mboma of Namibia claimed the silver in a world under-20 record of 21.81 with Gabby Thomas of the United States completing the podium.

WARHOLM SMASHES RECORD IN RACE FOR THE AGES

Norwegian sensation Warholm absolutely destroyed his own 400m hurdles world record (46.70) with a blistering time of 45.94. Nearest rival Rai Benjamin himself posted a 46.17 to take silver.

"This is so crazy. It's by far the biggest moment of my life," two-time world champion Warholm said.

"I've been training like a f*****g maniac. I struggled to sleep last night because I had this special feeling in my chest. It's like the feeling I had as a six-year-old on Christmas Eve. I was so focused on getting that last medal in my collection and now it's all complete."

Also in the morning session, world champion Malaika Mihambo saved the best until last to win gold in the women's long jump.

American Brittney Reese, the 2012 Olympic champion, and Ese Brume of Nigeria had traded the lead through the first five rounds until Mihambo posted the only seven-metre jump of the competition at the sixth attempt (recording exactly 7m).

Reese finished in silver behind the German, with Brume taking the bronze.

MARVELLOUS MU TAKES 800m CROWN

Mu, the world leader over 800m this year, took up the lead almost immediately from the off and never looked back to come home in a time of 1:55.21 – setting a new American record in the process.

Keely Hodgkinson made a strong charge late in the race and set a new British benchmark of 1:55.88 to take silver.

A personal-best time of 1:56.81 from Raevyn Rogers meant the USA had two women on the podium.

HISTORY FOR WLODARCZYK AS DUPLANTIS REIGNS SUPREME

There was a sense of deja vu in the women's hammer as Wlodarczyk successfully defended the title she won at London 2012 and Rio 2016 – making her the first woman to win a trio of golds in the same discipline at three straight Games.

Her throw of 78.48m was a season's best. China's Wang Zheng took silver thanks to a 77.03m on her last throw, while Malwina Kopron of Poland was third with a 75.49m. Coincidentally the podium line-up was the same as the 2017 World Championships in London.

Mondo Duplantis lived up to his billing in the men's pole vault to win gold at his first Olympics by clearing a distance of 6.02m.

The Swede has broken the world record twice since winning silver at the World Championships in Doha two years ago, and had a crack at going to 6.19m here after it was confirmed he had won gold ahead of American Christopher Nilsen.

While he fell short there, Duplantis still fulfilled his dream of winning Olympic gold and, at 21, has plenty of time to try and beat his own benchmark.

DE GRASSE COASTS THROUGH, LYLES ALMOST PAYS THE PRICE

Fresh from winning bronze in the men's 100m, Canada's Andre De Grasse was fastest in the men's 200m with a Canadian record time of 19.73 seconds in the third semi-final.

World champion Noah Lyles is also into the final but eased up during his semi to finish outside the automatic spots and had to qualify as one of the fastest losers.

In the first round of the men's 110m hurdles, world champion Grant Holloway clocked a 13.02s – faster than the time needed to win gold at Rio 2016 and the fastest heat time of any competition in history.

There remains the possibility of the American gymnastics superstar competing in the beam event on Tuesday, yet that must also be in doubt.

Biles, who won four gold medals at the Rio Olympics five years ago, was expected to be a star of Japan's Games too.

However, she was involved in just one rotation of Tuesday's women's team final, in which she registered the lowest score, before sitting out the rest of that event.

It was later confirmed the 24-year-old would not defend the individual all-around title in order to focus on her mental health.

Biles then withdrew from the finals of the vault and uneven bars, and now she will be conspicuous by her absence again.

USA Gymnastics said in a statement: "Simone has withdrawn from the event final for floor and will make a decision on beam later this week. Either way, we're all behind you, Simone."

Biles posted on Instagram that she has "the best friends/support system", accompanying the message with a picture of herself alongside a friend from home, Kevin Waterman.

Waterman paid tribute to Biles with a message describing her as a "trailblazing, kick-ass inspiration".

He wrote: "A fortunate few get to see the real you and the genuine compassion, selflessness, and kindness you have. You've been there for me during some of my most vulnerable moments and because of that, you'll see me at my strongest. To put your own health and well being first shows true strength, growth, and self care. You’re the definition of leading by example.

"Thank you. Thank you for being you, for staying true to yourself, for always being there, and for setting a better example than any medal ever could. You continue to be a barrier breaking, odd defying, trailblazing, kick-ass inspiration. The love I have for you is endless and I'll forever be thankful for your friendship. Through thick and thin, I'll always have your back!"

Speed skater Van der Poel won the 5,000m race earlier this week and on Friday he outclassed his opposition in the 10,000m event.

Van der Poel smashed his own world record as he recorded a time of just 12 minutes and 30.74 seconds. That cut over two seconds from his previous best, which was set last year.

It gave Van der Poel a 13.85-point cushion over his nearest rival, Patrick Roest of the Netherlands.

In the process, Van der Poel also became the 10th man to win the 5,000m and 10,000m races at the same Games.

To make his triumph even more unique, Van der Poel's time was set at sea level, whereas most of the world records now set take place at indoor ovals at altitude.

Indeed, the last world record set in the Olympic 10,000m race was by Jochem Uytdehaage of the Netherlands, back in 2002.

Previously, five other speed skaters had set world records while winning 10,000m Olympic golds.

Van der Poel is the 23rd different winner of the event in the Olympics - it is the event held most at the Games without an athlete winning on more than one occasion.

Remarkably, there was even time for a slip-up in Van der Poel's record-setting run.

"With eight laps to go I felt like 'OK, I've got the gold within control, now I just need to not f**k it up,' which I almost did with two-and-a-half laps to go," Van der Poel said.

"I put my right blade really straight out, I stumbled a little for sure.

"With four laps to go it was like, 'OK, now I can also go for the world record'. I felt like, 'Yeah, I have this in my body on a good day,' and it played out that way."

This was the sixth gold medal for Sweden in the event, but the first since 1988. Sweden's six gold medals trail only the Netherlands (seven).

Roest became the third speed skater representing the Netherlands to win an Olympic medal in four different events, after Ireen Wust (five) and Rintje Ritsma (four).

However, Van der Poel's margin of victory was the largest since Johan Olav Koss triumphed by 18.70 seconds in 1994.