Stephen Curry says he feels "blessed" to have won his first Olympic gold medal after leading the United States to a 98-87 win over France on Saturday.

Curry shot 8-of-13 from 3-point range in a late masterclass as Team USA held off a late charge from France, sinking four of those after Victor Wembanyama had narrowed their lead to just three points.

It was the USA's fifth straight Olympic gold medal, though Curry's first as he shone on his debut at the Paris Games, and he is cherishing the victory.

"I've been blessed," Curry told NBC after the game. "This ranks very high in terms of the excitement and the sense of relief in getting to the finish line.

"I knew if I got to my spot [to make those late jumps] I could knock it down."

Wembanyama finished with a game-high 26 points for France, while Guerschon Yabusele also had 20, with 15 of those coming in the first half.

Despite falling just short in their late comeback, Wembanyama was in high spirits after claiming silver, though he already has his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

"I never dreamed of this moment," said Wembanyama. "It is incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better team, better coaches.

"The games were really high intensity, and we could have lost by 20 points, but we kept fighting. I will be going for gold in four years' time."

Steve Kerr described Stephen Curry as the difference after his 24-point haul helped Team USA claim Olympic gold with a 98-87 victory over France on Saturday.

Kerr's team held off a late charge from France to win their fifth straight Olympic gold, with Curry putting on a masterclass from 3-point range in the latter stages.

Curry shot 8-of-13 from 3-point range, sinking four of those efforts after Victor Wembanyama had dragged France within three points with three minutes remaining.

Despite working with Curry for 10 seasons in his role as Golden State Warriors coach, Kerr cannot get enough of watching the four-time NBA champion.

"Steph Curry ended up being the difference. The flurry at the end of the game was just incredible. Watching him never gets old," Kerr told Eurosport after the game.

"I want to give credit to France; they were amazing. It felt like we were going to break that game open but they just kept hanging in there.

"Congrats to France on the silver medal, it’s a great accomplishment.

"Winning a gold medal is a dream for any young athlete, so to be part of it is incredibly special, and I'm just thankful for the opportunity."

Wembanyama finished with a game-high 26 points for France, while Guerschon Yabusele also had 20 points, 15 of them coming in the first half. 

France head coach Vincent Collet said: "For sure, it's a disappointment, because we expected that we could do it but, in the end, we have to recognise they were better.

"This is the greatest moment of my career and, to do it in Paris, it is something special. We had a dream to make it happen but it was impossible, USA were too good."

Team USA claimed their fifth straight Olympic gold in men's basketball with a 98-87 victory over France in Saturday's final, with Stephen Curry starring with 24 points. 

Steve Kerr's star-studded United States side required a thrilling comeback to beat Nikola Jokic's Serbia in the semi-finals on Thursday, but a far better start put them on course for glory against the hosts in Saturday's gold-medal match.

The USA went into half-time with a nine-point lead thanks to some excellent early work from Devin Booker, though Guerschon Yabusele's 15 first-half points kept France in it, the highlight being a poster dunk on LeBron James.

France shot just 3-of-16 from field range through the first two quarters but got hot in the third quarter, outscoring the USA 25-23 to give themselves hope of a comeback.

Roared on by a vocal crowd at Bercy Arena – where Joel Embiid received plenty of jeers after rejecting the opportunity to represent France – the hosts made up more ground early in the fourth, thanks primarily to the efforts of Victor Wembanyama.

The NBA Rookie of the Year finished with a game-high 26 points – his first 20-point haul at the Paris Games – while also adding seven rebounds, dragging France to within three points with just under three minutes remaining. 

However, Curry took charge from there, quietening the crowd with a majestic 3-pointer, his fifth of the game, and adding a further three jumpers before the buzzer.

The Golden State Warriors star finished with 24 points and was 8-of-13 from 3-point range, having also produced an incredible 36-point performance in Thursday's win over Serbia.

A couple of Kevin Durant free throws and a Booker layup helped the USA stetch their lead in the dying stages, claiming a record-extending 17th Olympic gold in men's basketball.

France, meanwhile, had to settle for a third silver in men's basketball, having also been beaten finalists at London 1948 and Sydney 2000.

Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford had a best clearance of 2.22m for 10th in the final of the Men’s high jump at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.

The 22-year-old had a first-time clearance at 2.17m before clearing 2.22m on his second attempt.

He then exited the competition after three failures at his season’s and personal best height of 2.27m.

New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr took gold over the USA’s Shelby McEwen after a jump-off.

Both men had identical cards after successful first-time clearances at 2.36m, an Oceania record for Kerr and personal best for McEwen, and three failures at 2.38m.

In the subsequent jump-off, both men failed at 2.38m and 2.36m before Kerr successfully cleared 2.34m after a failure from McEwen.

Bahrain’s Mutaz Essa Barshim secured his fourth Olympic high jump medal with a season’s best 2.34m in third.

 

Emma Hayes thanked her late father for helping her achieve her "dream" after coaching the United States to Olympic gold at Paris 2024.

USA defeated Brazil 1-0 in Saturday's final at the Parc des Princes through Mallory Swanson's goal just before the hour mark.

Hayes only took over as USWNT head coach in May, after leaving her role at Chelsea, and tasted success in her first tournament in charge.

Speaking to Discovery+ at full-time as the celebrations started, Hayes said: "I'm very emotional. It's been a dream of mine.

"I have to thank my dad - he's the one who pushed me to this position, to be able to come and coach an unbelievable group of players."

Hayes' father, who she has long described as a cornerstone in her football career, passed away last year.

"I've got my dad's necklace on," Hayes said post-match. "It's got an American eagle, and he was with me today and that helped. 

"The crowd were tremendous. Brazil were tremendous. I'm just speechless. I'm in shock."

The United States have now won five Olympic golds in the women's final - four more than any other nation - with this their first since 2012.

Swanson calmly converted to give USA the victory in the French capital on her landmark 100th senior appearance for her national side.

This latest triumph comes 10 games into Hayes' tenure and puts the poor showings at the 2020 Games and 2023 World Cup in the past.

"They have received me so well and taken on board everything I've asked," Hayes added. "They're tremendous people, players and role models and I love them."

Brazil have still yet to win an Olympic gold in the tournament, with this their third runners-up finish after also falling just short in 2004 and 2008.

Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn is now a two-time Olympic medallist after securing bronze in the final of the Women’s 100m hurdles at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.

The three medallists in Saturday’s final at the Stade de France were separated by just three hundredths of a second.

Camacho-Quinn, who won gold in Tokyo three years ago, took bronze this time around in 12.36, just behind France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela (12.34) who took silver.

American Masai Russell, whose only other win this season came in the final at the US Trials, held her nerve to take gold in 12.33.

Bahamian World Indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder Devynne Charlton ran 12.56 in sixth while Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent failed to finish.

Cyrena Samba-Mayela delivered France's first track and field medal at the Paris Olympics on Saturday, but she had to settle for silver after losing narrowly to Masai Russell.

Team USA star Russell, who is competing at her first edition of the Games, came flying up on the inside to beat Samba-Mayela by one-hundredth of a second at the Stade de France.

Samba-Mayela collapsed in tears on the track after claiming France's first athletics medal on the penultimate night of their home games, with president Emmanuel Macron watching on.

Russell's victory came on the back of Grant Holloway's triumph in the men's 110m hurdles on Thursday, and represents Team USA's 12th track and field gold at these Games.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico took bronze, finishing just three-hundredths of a second behind Russell in a fiercely contested race, while the Netherlands' Nadine Visser missed out on a medal in fourth.

The Minister, of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has extended congratulations to Jamaican Olympians, Beverley McDonald, Chelsea Hammond-Ross and Kaliese Spencer, who received bronze medals during an Olympics Reallocation Ceremony which took place at the ongoing 2024 Olympic Games in France.
 
The medals were awarded to the Jamaican trio after three original medalists in the respective events several years ago were implicated in doping and consequently disqualified.
 
"I was pleased that Beverley, Chelsea and Kaliese got their just reward when they were presented with their medals in Paris at the ceremony which took place in front of an audience and with the iconic Eiffel Tower in the background.  I congratulate all three women who have been distinguished representatives of Jamaica", Minister Grange commented. 
 
Minister Grange also wishes to commend the International Olympic Association (IOC) for proceeding with the ceremony where the Jamaican trio were given the opportunity to receive their medals.
 
"It is good that the IOC ensured that the right thing was done in the circumstances. The awarding of the medals represents confirmation that though in instances it may be delayed, the moral arc of the universe usually bends towards justice. Beverley, Chelsea and Kaliese can hold their heads high and be proud of their accomplishments which were achieved via hard work, dedication and talent", Minister Grange reiterated. 
 
McDonald, Hammond Ross and Spencer-Carter received their bronze medals from the 2000 Sydney, 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games respectively.
 

New Zealand's Lydia Ko completed the Olympic medal set by claiming her first gold as she finished 10 under par at Le Golf National.

Ko won the silver medal at Rio 2016 before picking up bronze in Tokyo three years ago, but her victory in Paris also pushed her career total to 27 points required for a place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

She was the joint leader going into the final day and built a five-shot lead on the back nine to put herself out of reach as her competitors dropped away, though she set up a nervy finish as she carded a one-under 71.

Germany's Esther Henseleit almost caught her as she hit a six-under 66 to shoot up the leaderboard to finish on eight under, coming out of nowhere to clinch the silver medal.

Xiyu Lin was almost forced into a play-off for bronze, but she birdied the final hole for a 69 to finish on seven under, one stroke ahead of fourth place.

Switzerland's Morgane Metraux had been Ko's co-leader at the start of the day, but it was a day to forget as her game collapsed, and she finished the event in 18th.  

Nelly Korda and Rose Zhang also struggled to maintain their momentum on Saturday, as Ko surged out of their sights on the leaderboard.

Mallory Swanson marked her 100th cap with the winning goal as the United States defeated Brazil 1-0 to win a record-extending fifth Olympic gold medal in women's football.

Two-time runners-up Brazil were seeking their first gold and thought they had taken the lead early on at the Parc des Princes, only for Ludmila's strike to be rightly ruled out for offside.

Swanson used her pace to break clear soon after but was unable to get the better of Lorena, with neither side truly going close to finding a breakthrough in the first half.

The Selecao suffered a blow early in the second period when Vitoria Yaya was forced off the field on a stretcher and their outing soon got worse when Swanson fired home.

Chicago Red Stars forward Swanson held her line well, latched on to Korbin Albert's throughball and calmly slotted past Lorena with 57 minutes on the clock in Paris.

Brazil could have taken a game of few clear-cut chances to extra-time, but an unmarked Adriana saw her header kept out by Alyssa Naeher in stoppage time as Emma Hayes' team claimed gold.

Data Debrief: Swanson the golden girl for USA

Swanson was denied a dramatic goal on her 99th cap for the USA in their 1-0 extra-time win over Mexico in the semis, but she marked her century in the perfect manner as she scored for the fourth time this tournament.

The 26-year-old is the 44th player in USWNT history to reach that milestone and is the youngest since Amy Rodriguez (25) did so in 2012.

The USA's fifth Olympic gold, coming 12 years after their last success in London, takes them four clear of Germany, Canada and Norway as comfortably the most successful side in the competition.

Nikola Jokic played a starring role as Serbia put their Olympic semifinal disappointment behind them to clinch the bronze medal with a 93-83 win over Germany.

Serbia gave up a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter against the United States on Thursday as they narrowly missed out on a place in the final, but they responded strongly to ensure they did not leave Paris empty-handed.

Jokic was dominant in that game, and he provided the spark once more on Saturday as he finished with a triple-double, getting 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.

Vasilije Micic matched Jokic's tally of 19, while Bogan Bogdanovic, the program's all-time leading scorer, added 16.

After a promising start to the Olympics by Germany, they have trailed off in recent matches, and they struggled to match the early pace set by Serbia as they fell 30-21 behind in the first quarter.

Though they matched Serbia evenly in the second quarter, any hopes of getting their hands on their first Olympic basketball medal soon faded in the third, with the 19-point gap proving too much for them to turn over.

Serbia claimed their first medal in the Olympic event since earning silver in Rio 2016.

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente says world football should take note after La Roja's Under-23 side claimed Olympic gold in Paris on Friday.

De la Fuente oversaw a record-breaking fourth European Championship crown with victory over England last month, and Spain's youthful Olympic side followed up that success in the French capital.

Sergio Camello came off the bench to score twice in extra time, beating hosts France 5-3 to add the Games' top prize to their glittering trophy cabinet.

De la Fuente, who led the Under-23 side to silver at Tokyo 2020 before taking the senior role, believes Spanish football deserves more credit.

"We are not aware of what we have achieved this year and we do not value Spanish football enough. Let's get rid of our prejudices, really, almost no team can achieve this," De la Fuente told reporters.

"Also the Under-19 team, Under-21 European runners-up last year... Let's give importance to what has been achieved, this is historic, we have lived an epic story that will go down in the history of the Olympics and Spanish sport."

La Roja were losing finalists at Syndey 2000 (versus Cameroon) and Tokyo 2020 (against Brazil), but their victory in Paris sealed a remarkable year for all involved with Spanish football.

Since an iconic Spain team featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique won gold on home soil at Barcelona 1992, La Roja had been reduced to the role of nearly men at the Games.

Yet that has all changed now, and coupled with their success at Euro 2024, an era of Spain dominance appears set to continue in world competition.

Thierry Henry praised France's "beautiful journey" at the Paris Olympics despite defeat to Spain in their gold medal match on Friday. 

Henry led France to their first football medal at the Games since their triumph at the 1984 edition in Los Angeles, but will take home silver this time around. 

Maghnes Akliouche and Jean-Philippe Mateta's late strikes saw Les Bleus come from 3-1 down in the final 10 minutes to send the encounter to extra-time. 

However, Sergio Camello's brace broke French hearts at the Parc des Princes, with Spain continuing to assert their dominance on the international stage. 

Despite the defeat, Henry lauded his players' efforts during the tournament, saying that he will remember their journey as something that united the country. 

"It was magical. I told the guys that I was proud of them and that we've got a medal at the end. Sure this is not how we wanted to be but the story is amazing," said Henry.

"I think everybody enjoyed. It didn't end well but there was emotion, a medal and a beautiful journey. We are a beautiful country when we are together.

"It's beautiful to see people with jerseys, people with flags at the Olympics.

"It's difficult to celebrate this medal but we have to. There was a story, an amazing human journey."

Alexandre Lacazette, who was one of Les Bleus' three overage players at the Games, echoed the comments made by his head coach. 

The 33-year-old has not played for France since 2017, but thanked Henry for giving him the opportunity to represent his country once again. 

"To Henry, thank you for trusting me and make me wear the blue (French) jersey again," Lacazette said. 

"I will remember the journey, the fact that I could wear the blue jersey again, the atmospheres that we had. I think all the French are proud of us after all. Even if we are disappointed.

"I don't know if this match was the most important but it's one of the most beautiful matches in terms of emotions."

Dominican Republic's Marileidy Paulino set a new Olympic record to take gold in the women's 400m at the Paris Games on Friday. 

Paulino, who won silver in Tokyo three years ago, crossed the finish line in 48.17 seconds, eclipsing Marie-Jose Perec's previous record of 48.25 that had stood since 1996.

It was the latest confirmation of the Dominican's recent dominance in the event following her victory at last year's World Championships in Budapest. 

Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain finished in second, while Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek claimed bronze.

Great Britain's Amber Anning finished in fifth, breaking Christine Ohuruogu's British record, which has stood for 11 years, with a time of 49.29 seconds.

"I’m absolutely blessed. I am a little bit disappointed. I wanted to come away with three things," Anning said.

"It was either a medal, a PB or a national record and I got one of them. I'm just grateful to be in this position with these amazing girls.

"It was tough [the race], I think I let myself have too much work coming into home straight but I just used my strength.

"It’s been an amazing experience. "It’s still not done yet. I've got the relay tomorrow."

 Steven Gardiner, 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion has responded sharply to comments made by fellow Bahamian and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Pauline Davis, following his withdrawal from the men's 400m event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Gardiner, who was a favorite for the event, had to pull out due to an ankle injury, leaving his lane vacant in the preliminary round—a development that left fans and fellow athletes stunned.

Gardiner, who has been plagued by injuries over the past few years—including missing the 2022 World Championships and suffering another injury in the semi-finals of the 2023 World Championships in Budapest—cited another injury as the reason for his withdrawal from the Paris Olympics.

 However, Davis publicly criticized athletes, including Gardiner, for what she perceived as a lack of transparency regarding their physical conditions leading up to the Games. Her remarks did not sit well with Gardiner, who took to social media to express his frustration.

 "To Pauline Davis, please don't ever speak on me ever because you've never been an influential person to many of us athletes," Gardiner began in his post, clearly stung by the criticism.

 He went on to suggest that Davis's comments were not only unwarranted but also harmful. "You would love to see us suffer, and it shows," he added, directly addressing her public rebuke.

Gardiner continued, emphasizing that Davis was not present during his warm-up and therefore had no basis for her criticism. "You weren't in attendance during my warm-up, but you were the first to broadcast your loud and wrong remarks to spread lies and propaganda, which is pure evilness," he wrote.

Despite his anger, Gardiner concluded his message with a more conciliatory tone, saying, "But you'll be just alright. I'll pray for you just like others."

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