Olympics
US set world record in 4x400m mixed relay
The United States broke their own world record in the 4×400 mixed relay in the opening heats at the Paris Olympics on Friday, crossing the line in three minutes 7.41 seconds.
They set the previous mark of 3:08.80 at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
The U.S. led midway through the second lap in a text book performance, overcoming a fast field in the opening heat in which four national records were broken on top of the world mark.
“I’ve gotten quite a few practices in over the last few days and we’ve just gotten better,” said Shamier Little, who ran the second leg for the Americans. “We’ve got great chemistry.”
The French team were willed across the finish by a partisan home crowd, as they held off Belgium (3:10.74) and Jamaica (3:11.06) to finish second in 3:10.60 in the rarely contested event.
The crowd had to be shushed as they chanted for the French team on the first day of the athletics programme at the Stade de France and they broke into a loud roar as France took a slender lead.
Little pulled ahead for the U.S., however, and Bryce Deadmon extended the lead.
The Americans were eager to avoid the drama of three years ago , when they were disqualified from the Olympic final – and later reinstated due to an official’s error – before eventually claiming bronze.
Kaylyn Brown was all business through the final lap, however, crossing the finish line on her own and the Paris crowd willed Amandine Brossier over the line in a thrilling finish down the final straight.
In the second heat, Britain advanced in a national record time of 3:10.61 and the Netherlands also qualified.
The Dutch will be hungry for redemption after their performance at the World Championships last year, where Femke Bol nearly brought home the gold but fell five metres from the line, hitting her head and dropping the baton.
The 4×400 mixed relay final is set for Saturday
-Reuters
The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.
The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June.
According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.
The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
Olympics
Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.
Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.
Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.
Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review.
Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.
-Insidethegames
Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.
Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.
In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.
-Reuters
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