Controversy struck the women’s wrestling portion of the Paris Olympics on Wednesday as India’s Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50-kilogram division after missing weight.
Phogat was set to compete against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt for the gold medal but now Cuban Yusneylis Guzman Lopez will take her spot.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the women’s wrestling 50kg class,” the Indiana Olympic Committee said in a statement. “Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning.
“No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests you respect Vinesh’s privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand.”
Each weight category in the Olympics is organized over the course of two days. The medical control and weigh-in for each category takes place in the morning of each competition day and those who qualify for the finals and the repechage are weighed again, according to Olympics.com.
If a wrestler fails the weigh-in on either day of competition, then they are eliminated from the event.
Claire Michel spoke out on social media this week after she was forced to withdraw from the mixed relay event at the Paris Olympics after she got sick days after competing in the women’s triathlon, which included a swim in the Seine River.
“There’s been a lot of conflicting information in the media lately, so I just wanted to clarify a few things,” she wrote in a post on Instagram. “First of all, thanks to great medical care from both the Team Belgium medical team and the incredible volunteer doctors and nurses at the Polyclinic in the Olympic village, I am gradually doing better and I returned home to Belgium today.”
“Blood tests showed that I contracted a virus (not E. Coli). After three days of vomiting and diarrhea, which left me quite empty, I ended up needing more significant medical attention and spent the Sunday at the clinic.”
Michel was one of many athletes to fall ill after the triathlon, leading to speculation that the water in the Seine River was to blame.
Bacteria levels in the long-polluted river have been in flux during the Games, causing test swims ahead of the triathlon events to be canceled and the men's triathlon to be delayed by a day. Organizers had said that water quality tests done the day of the individual triathlon races showed “very good” levels of fecal bacteria E. coli and enterococci.
It was initially reported that Michel contracted E. coli, but she clarified Tuesday that she contracted a virus. Several other athletes have since fallen sick with gastrointestinal issues.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Michelle Obama, the former first lady of the United States, praised American gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles for showing sportsmanship toward Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade.
Biles and Chiles took home silver and bronze medals, respectively, on the floor exercise at the Paris Olympics while Andrade won the gold. Biles and Chiles then bowed to Andrade while on the podium in what appeared to underscore what the Olympic spirit was all about.
While Baltimore Ravens star Marlon Humphrey called the moment "literally disgusting" in a trollish post on X, Obama had nothing but praise for the gymnasts.
"I’m still not over this beautiful moment of sisterhood and sportsmanship! You can just feel the love shining through these ladies. Congrats Rebeca, Jordan and Simone!" Obama wrote.
Andrade had worked back from three ACL surgeries to get the gold, which is why Biles and Chiles were seen praising her.
This is an excerpt from a report by Ryan Gaydos.
{{#rendered}}Ukrainian athletes have put on courageous displays at the Paris Olympics despite worries back home over Russia’s incursion into their countries.
Zhan Beleniuk, who is set to wrestle in the 87-kilogram category, has a lot of weight on his shoulders. Not only is he representing his country on the biggest sporting stage in the world, but he’s also a member of parliament.
Beleniuk is hopeful to win a second gold medal. He implored his fellow athletes to show that “Ukraine is still alive.”
“We still protect our land, we still do our job,” he said.
Beleniuk’s primary responsibility in the Ukrainian government is youth and sport but he also meets with other leaders to ward off Russian propaganda.
“Our country gave me everything that I have now, so my responsibility in this tough period for our country, to share this information to connect with different MPs (members of parliament) around the world and manage this problem,” he said.
Beleniuk’s next match is against Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Tursynov after already defeating China’s Qian Haitao.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greek long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou joined an exclusive club on Tuesday at the Paris Olympics.
Tentoglou became the second man to win consecutive long-jumping gold medals. The first? American Olympic legend Carl Lewis.“It’s a great achievement,” Tentoglou said.
Lewis won four Olympic long jump titles in a row, starting with the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and running through Atlanta in 1996. The Greek Olympian suggested he wasn’t quite finished with his Olympic aspirations as he set his sights on 2028 and 2032.
“Of course I will go,” Tentoglou said. “(For 2032), we will see. And also (for 2028), we will see because you never know. But I will try.”
Tentoglou won gold at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. But he has plenty of other gold medals on his docket across the Diamond League, European Championships, European Indoor Championships and junior championships.
The only silvers he has came in 2022 at the World Championships in Eugene and the 2016 World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Annette Nneka Echikunwoke was set to participate in the women’s hammer throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for Nigeria but a federation error concern drug testing left her unable to compete or even walk in the opening ceremony.
Three years later, Echikunwoke switched countries to the United States and picked up a silver medal at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday. She was the first American woman to earn a medal in the event.
“I think (this medal) could have happened three years ago, but I’m happy it’s happening now,” Echikunwoke said. “I feel like everything happens for a reason, even if it’s bad or good or ugly or whatever the case may be. This is beautiful.”
Echikunwoke’s application to change countries was approved right in time for the 2022 U.S. Nationals and she earned a spot in the World Championships that year.
“It doesn’t feel real right now,” she said. ”I can’t really put it into words."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
{{#rendered}}There will be plenty of opportunities for the United States to add to its medal tally on Wednesday but the spotlight will again be on track and field.
Last night, Cole Hocker and Gabby Thomas picked up gold medals in their respective events while teammates Yared Nuguse and Brittany Brown received bronze medals. The American could have a chance to get some more medals in the 400-meter men’s final.
Quincy Hall leads the team to the line later today with Christopher Bailey and Michael Norman running in the race as well. Hall is one of the best runners in the world and has one of the fastest times of all the runners competing.
Additionally, Kenneth Rooks will compete in the 3,000-meter steeplechase
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