Paris Olympics what to watch: Simone Biles returns to the mat as she seeks 2nd all-around gold
Paris Olympics what to watch: Simone Biles returns to the mat as she seeks 2nd all-around gold
Simone Biles, of the United States, performs on the floor during the women’s artistic gymnastics team finals round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Suni Lee, of the United States, performs on the floor during the women’s artistic gymnastics team finals round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A’ja Wilson, of the Unites States, celebrates after scoring against Japan in a women’s basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Saki Hayashi, of Japan, and Breanna Stewart, of the Unites States go to the floor for a loose ball in a women’s basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands compete against Rafael Nadal of Spain and Carlos Alcaraz during the men’s doubles tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Xander Schauffele, of the United States, chips on the 13th green during a practice round for the men’s golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Qinwen Zheng of China celebrates after her victory over Angelique Kerber of Germany during their women’s single quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Simone Biles, of the United States, performs on the floor during the women’s artistic gymnastics team finals round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Simone Biles, of the United States, performs on the floor during the women’s artistic gymnastics team finals round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Suni Lee, of the United States, performs on the floor during the women’s artistic gymnastics team finals round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Suni Lee, of the United States, performs on the floor during the women’s artistic gymnastics team finals round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A’ja Wilson, of the Unites States, celebrates after scoring against Japan in a women’s basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
A’ja Wilson, of the Unites States, celebrates after scoring against Japan in a women’s basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Saki Hayashi, of Japan, and Breanna Stewart, of the Unites States go to the floor for a loose ball in a women’s basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Saki Hayashi, of Japan, and Breanna Stewart, of the Unites States go to the floor for a loose ball in a women’s basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands compete against Rafael Nadal of Spain and Carlos Alcaraz during the men’s doubles tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands compete against Rafael Nadal of Spain and Carlos Alcaraz during the men’s doubles tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Xander Schauffele, of the United States, chips on the 13th green during a practice round for the men’s golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Xander Schauffele, of the United States, chips on the 13th green during a practice round for the men’s golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Qinwen Zheng of China celebrates after her victory over Angelique Kerber of Germany during their women’s single quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Qinwen Zheng of China celebrates after her victory over Angelique Kerber of Germany during their women’s single quarter-final tennis competition at the Roland Garros stadium, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
PARIS (AP) — Simone Biles, fresh off leading the U.S. women’s gymnastics team back to the gold medal in team competition, returns to the mat in Thursday action at the Paris Olympics.
Here is a guide of what to look out for:
Biles seeks another milestone
Biles will attempt to become the oldest women’s all-around champion since 1952 when the 27-year-old American star takes on a field that includes Brazilian star Rebeca Andrade and defending Olympic champion Sunisa Lee.
Maria Gorokhovskaya was 30 when she won the gold at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
Biles and Lee will attempt to continue a streak of an American atop the medal stand for a sixth consecutive Olympic title. Carly Patterson won at the 2004 Athens Games, Nastia Liukin at the 2008 Beijing Games, Gabby Douglas at the 2012 London Games, Biles at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and Lee at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
The event will mark the first all-around final that will include multiple Olympic champions in Lee and Biles.
Competition begins at 6:15 p.m. CEST (12:15 p.m. EDT) at Bercy Arena.
US women’s basketball
The U.S. women’s basketball team looks to extend its Olympic winning streak to 57 games when the Americans play Belgium. The team has not lost in the Olympics since the 1992 Barcelona Games.
A’ja Wilson scored 24 points and Breanna Stewart added 22 to help the U.S. beat Japan 102-76 in Monday night’s opening game.
The U.S. has won seven consecutive gold medals.
Brittney Griner is playing her first international games since she spent time in a Russian prison in 2022 after she was sentenced to nine years in jail for drug possession and smuggling.
The game is at 9 p.m. CEST (3 p.m. EDT) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium.
Golf begins
The men’s golf tournament begins at Le Golf National with Xander Schauffele seeking a second straight gold medal after winning at the Tokyo Games.
Schauffele is the only player in the field to have won both an Olympic gold and a major — he’s coming off wins at the PGA Championship in May and the British Open title two weeks ago.
The tournament will be played at the site of the French Open, and, more famously, the 2018 Ryder Cup. It’s the third Olympic golf competition since the sport was put back on the program in 2016.
The top seven players in the world, starting with Scottie Scheffler and Schauffele at Nos. 1 and 2, are part of the 60-man field. It’s the best field since the sport returned to Olympics, but not necessarily the strongest.
U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is not at the Olympics because he plays with LIV Golf, and LIV doesn’t award world ranking points. The Olympics use the world ranking to determine the roster.
Play begins at 9 a.m. CEST (3 a.m. EDT).
Tennis heats up
The stakes are high at Roland Garros when the semifinals are played in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia will play the quarterfinal winner of the match between Donna Vekic of Croatia or Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. Zheng Qinwen of China will play the quarterfinal winner of the match between No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland or Danielle Collins of the U.S.
Play begins at 12 p.m. CEST (6 a.m. EDT).
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games