Olympics
All set as U.S. women face Nigeria in basketball quarter-finals
Olympic champions the United States will meet Nigeria in the quarter-finals of the women’s basketball tournament at the Paris Games, while hosts France face Germany, Belgium take on Spain and Serbia meet Australia.
With three wins from three, the U.S. women are on course for an eighth consecutive title at the Games after beating Germany 87-68 on Sunday to top Group C.
The Americans burst out of the blocks, racing into an impressive 12-point first-half lead that the Germans had no hope of recovering from.
Jackie Young led the way for the U.S., with 19 points, four rebounds and two assists.
Nigeria made history by seeing off Canada 79-70 to become the first African team – men’s or women’s – to reach the last eight in Olympic basketball.
Ezinne Kalu scored a game leading 21 points, while Elizabeth Balogun got 14 points, four rebounds and an assist as the African team powered into the knockout rounds despite finishing third in Group B.
“We’ve been dreaming about this moment. We’re showing that no matter where you’re from – African, European – we can compete. It’s been a long road and we’re still going,” Balogun said.
Belgium produced a spectacular performance to storm past Japan 85-58 and finish third in Group C, advancing to the quarters as one of the two best third-placed teams.
Having lost their previous Group C games against the U.S. and Germany, Belgium needed a win to stay alive and Emma Meesseman secured it with an imperious performance, finishing with a double-double of 30 points and 11 rebounds.
“It’s a little miracle, I think. We knew it was going to have to be a great number, almost impossible, because Japan is a great team,” Meesseman said.
The final match of the pool stage in Lille saw hosts France beaten 79-72 by Australia.
The second quarter finished with both teams tied at 34-34, but Australia, who needed to win to advance, then turned up the heat, with Tess Madgen ending the night with 18 points despite the desperate boos of the partisan home support.
-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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