Olympic Games

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Gymnast Turned Shooter Wins Guatemala's First Olympic Gold

Adriana Ruano was forced to pivot after injury ended her career

(Newser) - A spinal injury ended Adriana Ruano's chances of competing at the Olympics as a gymnast. She came back as a shooter and won Guatemala's first gold medal on Wednesday, the AP reports. Ruano was training for the 2011 world championships in gymnastics, a qualifier for the London Olympics...

Some Olympians Return Home to More Than Just Applause

In Hong Kong, gold medalists earn $768K for their efforts; other nations offer lots of other perks

(Newser) - For some Olympic medalists, after the podium come the perks. CNBC notes that the International Olympic Committee doesn't hand out prize money itself to those who take home gold, but Forbes looked into the more than 200 countries participating in the Paris Games and found more than a handful...

Unbelievable Photo of Olympic Surfer Is Going Viral

Jerome Brouillet captures Brazil's Gabriel Medina seemingly suspended in midair post-wave

(Newser) - Surfing is an exciting sport to watch all on its own, but an almost-unbelievable photo of a Brazilian surfer competing in the Olympics has people buzzing. NPR reports that three-time champ Gabriel Medina took to the waters off Teahupo'o, Tahiti, on Monday, the third day of competition, and earned...

American Rugby Star Is Also a Social Media Sensation

Ilona Maher is a hit on and off the field

(Newser) - On Tuesday, Ilona Maher helped lead the US women's rugby team to its first-ever Olympic medal, clinching bronze with its win over Australia. But the 27-year-old was a social media star long before that, and now the team win is bringing her even more attention. As the Wall Street ...

Seine Problems Get Olympic Event Postponed
The Seine Finally
Cleans Up Its Act
UPDATED

The Seine Finally Cleans Up Its Act

Men's, women's triathlons will be held Wednesday

(Newser) - After days of delays and uncertainty over water quality in the Seine River, the women's and men's Olympic triathlon races will go forward Wednesday with a swim in the famed Paris waterway, the AP reports. The organizers said early Wednesday the latest tests of the water showed compliance...

2 Tennis Titans Clash in Paris— Possibly for the Last Time

Novak Djokovic ends Rafael Nadal's comeback bid to send him home in the 2nd round

(Newser) - Novak Djokovic dominated rival Rafael Nadal at the start, then held off a comeback attempt to win 6-1, 6-4 at the Paris Olympics in the second round on Monday, the 60th—and likely last—head-to-head matchup between the two tennis greats, reports the AP . Djokovic claimed 10 of the initial...

France Hit With 2nd Bout of Vandalism Amid Games

Nation's government says telecommunications lines have been affected in multiple areas

(Newser) - The French government says multiple telecommunications lines have been hit by acts of vandalism, affecting fiber lines and fixed and mobile phone lines as cities around France are hosting events for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The scale of the impact is unclear, as is whether it has affected any Olympic...

Olympian's Sister-in-Law Dies While in Paris

Water polo captain Maggie Steffens' sister-in-law suffered medical emergency

(Newser) - During what should be one of the best times of Maggie Steffens' life, the Olympic water polo player is mourning a family member. Her sister-in-law Lulu Conner, the younger sister of Steffens' husband, Bobby Conner, died Tuesday after traveling to Paris to support Steffens, the water polo team captain for...

This Isn't a Mistake on Korea You Want to Make at Olympics

Games organizers apologize after introducing South Korean team as North Korea's competitors

(Newser) - Olympic Games organizers said they "deeply apologize" for introducing South Korea's athletes as North Korea during the opening ceremony in Paris. As the South Korean athletes waved their nation's flag on a boat floating down the Seine on Friday evening, they were announced in both French and...

Australian Athlete Amputates Part of Finger So He Can Go to Olympics

Field hockey player could have had it reconstructed, but would have been benched

(Newser) - An Australian field hockey player who injured one of his fingers shortly before the start of the Summer Olympics in Paris has opted to amputate part of the finger so that he can compete in the games. Matt Dawson's ring finger on his right hand was hit by a...

Dutch Child Rapist Is Competing in Olympics

Beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde sexually assaulted 12-year-old girl a decade ago

(Newser) - Beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde will compete in the Paris Olympics, but he won't be staying in the athletes village, and he won't be talking to reporters, as per the Dutch Olympic Committee. That's because the 29-year-old competitor from the Netherlands served time in prison...

Simone Biles Has a New Option at the Olympics

Team USA says star gymnast doesn't have to compete in any finals events if she doesn't want to

(Newser) - Simone Biles will be back at the Olympics this summer, three years after she pulled herself out of multiple events at the Tokyo Games to contend with mental health issues. This time around, however, the 27-year-old gymnast will have more say in how and when she competes—meaning she won'...

At Olympics, Opening Ceremony 'Is in Danger'

Dancers have issued strike notice ahead of official kickoff on Friday, as have local workers

(Newser) - In just two days, the Summer Olympics officially kick off in Paris—though hundreds of the dancers involved in the opening ceremony may not be doing much high kicking. The SFA-CGT union that represents about 10% of the 3,000 dancers performing at Friday's opening ceremony filed a strike...

USA Gymnasts Are Getting Extra Sparkly for Paris

One of the leotards for Simone Biles and Co. will feature 10K Swarovski crystals

(Newser) - One of the side attractions at the Olympics is checking out all the various outfits designed for the competitors. For Team USA's gymnastics contenders, this year is going "big on bling," per People , with leotards crafted with thousands of Swarovski crystals to make the gymnasts sparkle and...

Meet the Olympics' Youngest Male Track Star Ever

Quincy Wilson, 16, broke 2 world records during trials last month; now he's heading to Paris

(Newser) - "WE GOING TO THE OLYMPICS" read Quincy Wilson's excited Instagram post on Sunday, announcing the 16-year-old's successful bid to make it to the Summer Games in Paris as the youngest American male track star ever at the Olympics, reports NBC News . The Team USA relay roster won'...

Simone Biles Secures Her 3rd Trip to the Olympics

She nabs the only automatic spot on the 5-woman team

(Newser) - Simone Biles is heading back to the Olympics and the white-hot spotlight that comes with it. The gymnastics superstar earned a third trip to her sport's biggest stage by cruising to victory at the US Olympic trials on Sunday night, posting a two-day all-around total of 117.225 to...

It Won't Be Al Michaels' Voice at Olympics, but It's 'Close'

NBC to package highlights with version of his voice generated by artificial intelligence

(Newser) - During the upcoming Olympics, it might be more appropriate to refer to famed sportscaster Al Michaels as AI (artificial intelligence) Michaels. The Thursday Night Football sportscaster who previously worked on Olympic broadcasts for NBC and ABC has agreed to let NBC use a version of his voice generated by artificial...

Olympic Champs Tell Congress: No Faith Left in Anti-Doping Agency

Michael Phelps, Allison Schmitt rip World Anti-Doping Agency

(Newser) - US Olympic athletes have lost faith in the World Anti-Doping Agency to rid their sports of cheaters ahead of next month's Summer Games in Paris, two former gold medalists told a House subcommittee on Tuesday night. The testimony by Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt followed revelations this spring that...

Simone Biles Easily Wins Her 9th US Championship

No one else has more than 7 national gymnastics titles in the US

(Newser) - Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles won her ninth US Championship on Sunday, leaving little doubt that at 27 and a decade-plus into her run atop the sport, she is as good as ever, the AP reports. Biles posted a two-day all-around total of 119.750, nearly six points clear of runner-up...

Goldman Bankers Need OK to Travel to Paris This Summer

Investment firm wants to stop employees who are trying to catch Olympic Games on company's dime

(Newser) - Goldman Sachs apparently doesn't completely trust its bankers when it comes to how they handle expenses, and this summer's Olympics are presenting a new reason for the company to be keep an eye on its wallet. Bloomberg reports that the investment firm has laid down the hammer on...

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