Olympics category, Page 13
Olympic men’s soccer offers underdogs hope for medals in Paris
Sure, it was fun to dream about a Paris Olympics in which Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé renew their rivalries after that epic World Cup final. But men’s Olympic soccer is more about emerging players than established stars. It’s good for a few surprises, too. Past winners include Mexico, Nigeria...
Hezly Rivera serves as ‘underdog’ on heavily favored U.S. Olympic gymnastics team
MINNEAPOLIS — Hezly Rivera planned to spend a significant portion of this summer learning how to drive. The 16-year-old is going to have to postpone that learner’s permit test for a bit. She’s joining Simone Biles on the U.S. gymnastics team at the Olympics instead. Heady territory for a self-proclaimed...
Hempfield grad Bridget Williams reaches new heights by qualifying for Olympics in pole vault
When Bridget (Guy) Williams first started to pole vault in seventh grade in the Hempfield Area School District, she always dreamed big. Williams went on to help the Hempfield girls win consecutive PIAA team titles, and she won the Class 3A pole vault title with a jump of 12 feet,...
U.S. women’s soccer in transition heading into Olympics as other teams look to pounce
The signs that the U.S. national team’s dominance was slipping started to emerge back at the Tokyo Olympics. The United States was vying to become the first team to win an Olympic gold medal after winning a Women’s World Cup. But the team stumbled along the way. The U.S. lost...
Simone Biles secures 3rd trip to the Olympics after breezing to victory at U.S. trials
MINNEAPOLIS — Simone Biles is heading back to the Olympics. So are some of her friends. The gymnastics superstar earned a third trip to her sport’s biggest stage by cruising to victory at the U.S. Olympic trials on Sunday night, posting a two-day all-around total of 117.225 to clinch the...
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone runs 50.65 to break world record, qualify to defend Olympic titleVideo
EUGENE, Ore. — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone lowered her world record once again, running the 400-meter hurdles in 50.65 seconds Sunday to win the U.S. Olympic trials. In only her fourth long hurdles race of the season, the 24-year-old defending Olympic champion cleared all 10 barriers with ease, then went on a...
Hempfield grad Bridget (Guy) Williams qualifies for Olympics; Connellsville’s Madison Wiltrout likely to join herVideo
Bridget (Guy) Williams is headed to the Olympics and earned her spot in impressive fashion Sunday night. The 2014 Hempfield graduate finished first in the women’s pole vault final at the U.S. Olympic Trials after clearing 4.73 meters (15 feet, 61⁄4 inches) with no misses at Oregon’s Hayward Field. She...
Lyles pushed hard by Bednarek but wins 200 to keep hope of Olympic sprint double alive for Paris
EUGENE, Ore. — In the wee hours the night before his 200-meter final, Noah Lyles sent a shout-out on social media to the sprinters in Jamaica, egging them on to help make the upcoming Paris Olympics great. Then, the final rolled around, and all Lyles had to do was look...
Sha’Carri Richardson finishes 4th, won’t have spot in 200 meters at Olympics
EUGENE, Ore. — Sha’Carri Richardson will not race in the 200 meters at the Olympics after finishing fourth at U.S. track trials Saturday in a race Gabby Thomas won in 21.81 seconds. Richardson was in the top three with about 40 meters left but faded down the stretch and finished...
Shane Wiskus states his case at U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials
MINNEAPOLIS — Fred Richard and Brody Malone’s trips to Paris next month are all but assured. An old friend might be making a pretty compelling case to join them. While Richard and Malone surged to the front at the U.S. gymnastics Olympic trials as expected — with the charismatic 20-year-old...
Gymnast Skye Blakely’s Olympic bid ends with ruptured Achilles
MINNEAPOLIS — Skye Blakely’s bid to make the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team is over. The 19-year-old will miss the U.S. Olympic trials after rupturing her right Achilles on Wednesday. USA Gymnastics and Blakely confirmed the nature of the injury Thursday, just over 24 hours before the women’s trials begin....
Americans favored to finish 1st in overall medal count at Paris Olympics
The United States is strongly favored to win the most overall medals when the Paris Olympics open in a month. The big question is this: will the Americans also top the gold-medal tally in a close race with China? The United States is projected to win 123 medals overall —...
Sha’Carri Richardson back on track in 200 as Olympic trials enter homestretch
EUGENE, Ore. — Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles are coming back for Part II. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas are joining the show. The second half of U.S. Olympic trials for track and field kick off Thursday, and the final four days at Hayward Field will feature the full complement...
Increased transparency and golden retrievers: How USA Gymnastics came back from brink
MINNEAPOLIS — USA Gymnastics was a house afire five years ago, the massive fallout surrounding the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal rendering one of the U.S. Olympic movement’s marquee programs radioactive. Lawsuits. Bankruptcy. Potential decertification. A revolving door at the top as CEOs incapable or unwilling to find a path...
Gymnastics stars Lee, Jones and Blakely battle health issues as Olympic trials begin
MINNEAPOLIS — Reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, six-time world championship medalist Shilese Jones and national runner-up Skye Blakely are facing health concerns ahead of the U.S. Olympic trials. Lee, who has spent the better part of two years fighting multiple kidney issues, felt ill while training Wednesday, though longtime coach...
Al Michaels returns to the Olympics — as the AI voice of Peacock
As legendary sportscaster Al Michaels would say, you can’t make this up. Or maybe you can. NBC Sports announced Wednesday that it will use the voice of Michaels, re-created using artificial intelligence, in a personalized daily recap of Summer Olympics events delivered to NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service subscribers. Peacock users...
Olympic track and field seeing dollar signs with splashy cash infusions into sport
EUGENE, Ore. — One aspiring Olympian is taking a break from his day job at the deli section while he makes his run for Paris. Another athlete worked as a nanny, but when she left to focus on running at the Games, the family understood. When these runners and hurdlers...
Analysis: Bryson DeChambeau had his chances to make Olympics
Bryson DeChambeau is a U.S. Open champion, and for now that will have to do. He is among the great entertainers in golf, with a YouTube channel approaching 800,000 subscribers. He certainly is among the best players over the last three months. Just look at his record in the majors...
Central Catholic graduate has rowing medal in his sights as he preps for 2nd Olympics
The first time was in Tokyo in 2021, and now this summer, Michael Grady will once again represent his country when he competes in the Paris Olympics as a rower. This is the Central Catholic graduate’s eighth appearance as a member of Team USA at any level of rowing. That...
Former NBA player Chase Budinger reaches Olympic dream — but in beach volleyball
After seven years in the NBA, Chase Budinger still had some goals left on his dream board. The former Rockets and Timberwolves forward has wanted to compete in the Olympics ever since he was a child, when his family would pore over the TV schedule to decide which events to...
Dearica Hamby replaces Cameron Brink on USA’s 3×3 Olympic basketball team
NEW YORK — Before the season started, Dearica Hamby wrote her goals down on a basketball. On the list was making the U.S. 3x3 Olympic team. She didn’t initially achieve that because she wasn’t one of the four members of the squad chosen earlier this month. Now she can check...
A look back at the U.S. swimming trials, which were a big hit in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS — The crowds were large and raucous. The biggest stars largely lived up to their billing. And plenty of promising young swimmers emerged over nine days in Indiana. The U.S. Olympic swimming trials wrapped up Sunday night with the final two events at Lucas Oil Stadium, rounding out the...
Simone Manuel earns individual race at Olympics
INDIANAPOLIS — Simone Manuel earned an individual race at the Olympics on the final night of the U.S. swimming trials, winning the 50-meter freestyle Sunday night. Coming back from overtraining syndrome, which hampered her preparations leading up to the Tokyo Games, Manuel won the frantic dash from one end of...
Caeleb Dressel, Katie Ledecky win again at U.S. Olympic swimming trials
INDIANAPOLIS — Caeleb Dressel locked up his second individual race in Paris, giving him another chance to shine after his stellar performance at the last Olympics. Keep an eye on Kate Douglass, too. She could be one of the the biggest American stars at the pool. And, of course, Katie...
Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel settle for relay at U.S. swim trials
INDIANAPOLIS — Coming back from lengthy layoffs, American swimming stars Caeleb Dressel and Simone Manuel were eager to claim their first individual events of the Paris Olympics. Instead, they had to settle for supporting roles. Dressel finished third in the men’s 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials Wednesday night,...
