Paris 2024 Olympic Games Recap: Léon Marchand Wins Again, Caeleb Dressel Struggles, Americans Make Track History

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With another incredible performance from Léon Marchand, historic performances from Americans on the court, and the tennis final we’ve all been hoping for, Friday was a multifaceted and entertaining day at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Below is a look back at the key moments from Day 7 of the Games in France.

Léon Marchand dominates as Caeleb Dressel stumbles

Léon Marchand dominated again in Paris on Friday in what was another stunning performance from the French star, winning the 200-meter individual medley in an Olympic record time that was just 0.6 seconds shy of Ryan Lochte’s world record in the event. It earned him his fourth individual gold medal of the Games and earned him immediate comparisons with swimming legend Michael Phelps.

While Marchand was once again magnificent, American star Caeleb Dressel was the opposite. The eight-time Olympic gold medalist missed the podium entirely, finishing sixth in the men’s 50-meter freestyle, and then failed to reach the finals in the men’s 100-meter butterfly.

Dressel won gold in the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay, but he leaves Paris without any individual medals.

Alcaraz and Djokovic ready for final

The tennis final everyone has been waiting for is finally here.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will face off in the men’s gold medal match on Saturday after both players advanced through their semifinals on Friday. Alcaraz, the world No. 3, dominated Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-1, 6-1 in his fourth straight win over him. Alcaraz has yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Alcaaraz is the youngest man to reach the Olympic singles semifinals since Djokovic in 2008. Djokovic also won his semifinal in straight sets, beating Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-2 to reach his first ever Olympic final.

This is now the seventh time the two tennis stars have faced each other. They currently have an equal 3-3 record against each other, although Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in straight sets to win the Wimbledon title earlier this year.

Alcaraz, 21, is the youngest to ever play for an Olympic gold medal in singles, while Djokovic is the oldest at 37.

US mixed 4×400 meter relay sets world record

The United States wasted no time and immediately set a new world record on the track.

In one of the first track and field events of the entire Games, the U.S. mixed 4×400-meter relay team won its preliminary round in a time of 3:07.41 on Friday — shattering the previous world record by more than a full second. The team included Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Kaylyn Brown.

“I didn’t think we would do it That “Today,” said Deadmon.

The team is the big favorite to win the gold medal in Saturday’s final, having been the only team to break the 3 minutes and 10 seconds mark in qualifying.

American Men’s Soccer Out of Olympics

The US men’s national team has been eliminated from the Olympic Games.

Morocco steamrolled the United States 4-0 on Friday thanks to three second-half goals that propelled them to a dominant victory. Morocco nearly doubled the U.S. possession in the first half, and then Morocco added goals in the 63rd, 70th and 91st minutes on penalty kicks to secure the win. That officially propelled Morocco into the semifinals, where they will face Spain on Monday. France and Egypt will face off on the other side of the group.

While they won’t win a medal, the USMNT did make it out of the group stage, as many expected at the Olympics. That’s a good sign for the U-23 team at least, as the organization as a whole now turns its attention to the 2026 North American World Cup.

Grant Fisher Medals for US in Men’s 10K

Grant Fisher joined an elite group of American runners in Paris on Friday.

Fisher won bronze in the men’s 10,000 meters on Friday with a time of 26:43.46 — just 0.02 seconds off silver medalist Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia. Fisher stumbled and nearly fell with less than 10 laps to go, and he rallied from fifth on the final lap to reach the podium. Joshua Cheptegi of Uganda won with an Olympic record time of 26:43.14.

Fisher is now only the fourth American in history to win a medal in the six-mile run. The last American to medal in the event was Galen Rupp, who won silver at the 2012 London Olympics.

Team USA Medals

Highlight of the day

Chinese badminton player Huang Ya Qiong had a great day, winning the gold medal with her mixed doubles partner Zheng Si Wei. Her day was made even sweeter when her boyfriend, Liu Yuchen — a silver medalist for China in badminton in Tokyo — proposed to her after the match. Huang happily accepted.

One more thing: 3×3 finally wins… twice!

After battling throughout the Games, the men’s 3×3 team finally won a match.

Canyon Berry scored 15 points and hit the winning layup to lead the U.S. past France 21-19 in their game on Friday. That ended a four-game losing streak in France for the Americans, who were without star forward Jimmer Ferdette for the second straight game due to injury.

The United States then won a second game on Friday with a 21-17 victory over China, putting them 2-4 in the pool stage. The U.S. has one final game scheduled for Sunday against the Netherlands.