Sports

Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 11

American Gabby Thomas cruises in 200-meter Olympic final, wins her first gold medal

6:53pm August 06, 2024

by Brian Mann

Thomas settled for bronze in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics. There would be no settling this time as she cruised to victory to claim gold at the Paris Olympics at Stade de France.

American Cole Hocker scores major upset in 1,500-meter final and sets Olympic record

6:39pm August 06, 2024

by Brian Mann

American middle-distance runner Cole Hocker smashed his own personal best time and beat the Olympic record to seize a gold medal in Paris, defeating the heavily-favored British and Norwegian athletes.

U.S. women’s soccer team defeats Germany and will play for Olympic gold in Paris

5:12pm August 06, 2024

by Russell Lewis

The U.S. women’s national team, one of the world’s most dominant and successful programs, hadn’t made it to the gold medal game at an Olympics since 2012. The U.S. will now play for its fifth gold.

TOPSHOT-SURFING-OLY-PARIS-2024-BEST OF-DAY10

A whale got its turn in the spotlight on the last day of Olympic surfing

2:48pm August 06, 2024

by Rachel Treisman

Kauli Vaast of Tahiti and Team USA's Caroline Marks both won gold on Monday, capping off a dramatic few days of competition that even included a brief appearance by a whale.

Fencing - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 2

U.S. women fencers won big at the Olympics. Will it bring more respect and attention?

1:50pm August 06, 2024

by Brian Mann

Olympic fencing had a big moment in Paris. For the first time ever American women won both individual and team golds in the foil competition. Will this boost a sport that often draws tiny crowds?

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Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 9

With their nation under siege, Ukrainian athletes shine at Paris Olympics

12:59pm August 06, 2024

by Brian Mann

As the war drags on with Russia, Ukrainians are desperate for symbols of hope and normalcy. At the Paris Olympics, Ukrainian athletes are doing their part: winning gold to help buoy the country.

Simone Biles celebrates during the Women's Gymnastics Team Final medal ceremony at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Sports
Arts

If you're on the fence(-ing), here's why we love the Olympics

11:35am August 06, 2024

There is nothing better for the summer doldrums than a blast of Olympic glory. For a couple of weeks this summer, athletes are showing us how they flip, run, swim, climb, and paddle and even breakdance to prove they are the best in the world. We're checking in with the 2024 Olympics, including wins for gymnast Simone Biles, swimmer Katie Ledecky, and sprinter Noah Lyles.

Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour

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Sports

Olivia Reeves is chasing gold in Paris. We break down how she lifts

10:50am August 06, 2024

Expectations are high that a member of the U.S. women’s weightlifting team could win gold at the Olympics. And among the team’s most promising athletes is 21-year-old Olivia Reeves.

Sports

Tested: Questions of a Physical Nature

3:00am August 06, 2024

by Embedded

In 1966, the governing body of the Olympic track and field event started mandatory examinations of all women athletes. These inspections would come to be known as "nude parades," and if you were a woman who refused the test, you couldn't compete.

We're going back almost a century to the first time women were allowed to compete in Olympic track and field games, and to a time when a committee of entirely men decided who was a female and who wasn't.

Today on the show, we bring you an episode from a new podcast from CBC and NPR's Embedded called Tested.

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Sports

An NBA star helped put a spotlight on the U.S. women's table tennis team

10:05pm August 05, 2024

by Becky Sullivan

The U.S. has never won an Olympic medal in table tennis. But the interest of an NBA star has helped put a spotlight on the three-member women's team ahead of its first event Tuesday.

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