The Sports Report Olympics edition: Simone Biles is best all around the Games

Welcome to today’s Olympic newsletter. I’m your tour guide John Cherwa as Simone Biles gets her coronation as best all-around gymnast. Like we didn’t already know that.

Tension was high when Simon Biles had a pedestrian uneven bars performance in the second rotation, slipping to third. No surprise, it is her weakest event. But commentators and fans alike were wondering whether this fairy-tale story of redemption was about to end in what to her would amount to a participation medal.

C’mon. It’s Simone Biles. The G.O.A.T.

She had a good routine on the balance beam, which brought her back to first. And then she knocked it out of the park (sorry, about a non-transferable metaphor) in the floor exercise. Game. Set. Match. (Oops, did it again.)

Rebeca Andrade of Brazil got the silver, Tokyo winner Suni Lee of the U.S. rallied for the bronze.

If you strip the emotion from the moment, how could this have turned out any other way? Our Thuc Nhi Nguyen gives you the story from the event, right here.

A win for the ages, or 64 years

Michael Grady, Nick Mead, Liam Corrigan and Justin Best celebrate their gold medal in men’s rowing.

(Ebrahim Noroozi / Associated Press)

The U.S. women’s rugby-sevens won a first ever medal (bronze) in the eight-year existence of this as an Olympic sport. The U.S. men’s gymnastics team won its first medal (bronze) in 16 years. Hey, those are small potatoes compared with what the U.S. rowing team did.

(Ever wonder where that phrase “small potatoes” came from? According to uncredited co-host Mr. Google, in the 18th century, financial worth was sometimes determined by how many potatoes you had because they were such a staple in everyone’s diet. Small potatoes were often thrown away — thus a euphemism for insignificant — or used in potato salad. Thus bringing up another question? Mayo, miracle whip or mustard?)

Sorry, we lost our train of thought.

The U.S. men’s rowing fours won the gold, the first gold in this event in 64 years. The last time it was atop the podium was in Rome in 1960. This is a big deal.

The Brits, reigning world champions, were favored but got off to a slow start and the U.S. fours took the race, to use horse-racing vernacular, gate to wire.

New Zealand made it a race in the last 200 meters, but the U.S. held on for the win. Britain was third.

The names to remember: Nick Mead, Justin Best, Michael Grady and Liam Corrigan.

Here are some other high and low points of Thursday’s competition.

—Katie Ledecky set a little more history when the U.S. women’s 800 freestyle relay won the silver behind an Australian team that everyone knew was going to win. It was her 13^th medal, making her the most decorated woman in U.S. Olympic history. The others on the team were Claire Weinstein, Paige Madden and Erin Gemmell. Regan Smith picked up a silver in the women’s 200 butterfly, behind Summer McIntosh of Canada. Hubert Kos of Hungary won the men’s 200 backstroke in the only other final.

—The U.S. women’s basketball team won its 57^th straight Olympic game with a 87-74 victory over Belgium. Breanna Stewart led the U.S. with 26 points, while A’ja Wilson scored 23.

—Hideki Matsuyama of Japan shot an 8-under 63 in the first of four rounds of the men’s golf tournament. He had a two stroke lead over Xander Schauffele, who won this year’s British Open despite what we wrote in some versions of Thursday’s newsletter. Scottie Scheffler, winner of the Masters but not the British Open, was four shots back for the U.S. The other two U.S. golfers were Collin Morikawa at one under and Wyndham Clark at four over.

U.S. fencers Lee Kiefer, Lauren Scruggs, Jaqueline Dubrovich and Maia mei Weintraub celebrate on the podium after winning the gold.

(Andrew Medichini / Associated Press)

—The U.S. won its first team fencing gold when it beat Italy in the women’s foil. It was the third Olympic gold for Lee Kiefer. In case you wondered, team fencing is contested one match at a time, but wouldn’t it be a massive TV hit if it were like a WWE Battle Royale?

—The medal races in men’s and women’s skiffs (known as 49erFX) were postponed because of lack of wind. The problem was the sailors were left on the water for two hours in broiling heat while drinking water and ice started to run out. It was like they were in a ground stop at a U.S. airport. Calling Pete Buttigieg.

—Hey, do you care who won the men’s and women’s 20K race walk? Yeah, didn’t think so. (OK, OK, Ecuador in men’s and China in women’s.)

Which is your favorite Olympic sport?

You’ve heard enough from me. I want to know what you think. We’ve created this poll to find out which is your favorite sport in the Summer Olympics. It’s a little unfair in that track hasn’t really started and you’ve been inundated with gymnastics and swimming. But let us know what you think.

Take the survey here.

What to watch for today

There are 23 gold medals up for grabs Friday as we are about halfway through the Games.

—The best swimming story Friday is France’s Leon Marchand going for his fourth gold when he competes in the 200-meter individual medley. The best U.S. medal chance could be in the men’s 50 freestyle when Caeleb Dressel goes for his ninth Olympic gold. The other final is the women’s 200 backstroke. It starts at 11:30 a.m. PDT.

—Track and field starts in earnest with a bunch of heats and the final in the men’s 10,000 meters. (Nap time.) The highlight of the heats is in the women’s 100 meters with Sha’Carri Richardson, who missed the Tokyo Games when she tested positive for marijuana in the U.S. trials in 2021. As you are reading this, it’s already over, having started at 2:50 a.m. PDT.

—The men’s soccer team plays in the quarterfinals for the first time in 24 years when they play Morocco in the quarterfinals. Loser goes home. Game will be early at 6 a.m. PDT.

Must-read links

Let’s catch up on some stories you might have missed but shouldn’t have:

• Paris Olympics TV schedule: Friday’s listings
  
• U.S. women’s fencing conquers nerves, upsets Italy to win historic gold in team foil
• Simone Biles wins gold again, claiming the Paris Olympics all-around gymnastics title
• U.S. women’s soccer embracing a ‘growth mindset’ amid renewed hopes of Paris gold
• Extreme weather hits Paris, highlighting Olympics’ vulnerability to climate change
• U.S. Olympian couldn’t pay her rent. Flavor Flav and Alexis Ohanian took care of it
• 2024 Paris Olympics: How to watch every event and the closing ceremony

Your TV guide

How can you watch the Games today? Check out Friday’s Olympic TV listings.