Category: Olympics

Best photos of Aaron Brooks at the U.S. wrestling Olympic trials

Check out some of the best photos of Aaron Brooks winning his spot on the U.S. national wrestling team heading to the Olympics this summer.

It was a monumental weekend in Happy Valley for Penn State wrestling star [autotag]Aaron Brooks[/autotag]. Brooks scored one of the most surprising upsets of the weekend’s U.S. national wrestling trials to earn a spot on the national team heading to the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer when he topped fellow former Nittany Lion, and defending gold medalist, [autotag]David Taylor[/autotag] on the mat in a best-of-three series.

Brooks is coming off a fourth consecutive NCAA title and will now have a shot at Olympic gold. Taylor will still be on the U.S. National Team as the trials runner-up, but his path to defending his gold is trickier than most anticipated.

Here are some of the best photos from Brooks’ run to the U.S. trials victory this weekend in the Bryce Jordan Center. Next stop, Paris!

Penn State wrestling alums to represent Team USA at Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

It should be no surprise that the U.S. national wrestling team heading to the Olympics this summer will have these former Nittany Lions leading the way.

Penn State wrestling will be well-represented at this summer’s Olympic games in Paris, France. On Saturday, the United States wrestling team trials were held in the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, home to Penn State’s dominant national championship wrestling program, and some familiar faces battled on the mat for spots in the Olympics.

The biggest storyline was [autotag]Aaron Brooks[/autotag] pulling an upset of Olympic gold medalist [autotag]David Taylor[/autotag] in a battle of former Nittany Lion standouts in the 84 kg trials.

While Brooks cemented his spot on the roster, Taylor will also be on the U.S. National Team as well as the trials runner-up.

Taylor and Brooks will be joined in Paris by some fellow Penn State products. [autotag]Kyle Dake[/autotag] (74 kg) came out on top of former Nittany Lion [autotag]Jason Nolf[/autotag] for a spot on the team, but Nolf will also be on the Team USA roster after finishing in second place.

A fifth member of the Penn State wrestling family will be making plans to head to Paris as well. [autotag]Kyle Snyder[/autotag] (97 kg) picked up a win in his trials over Isaac Trumble to secure a spot on the U.S. national team.

A handful of others from the Penn State family kept their Olympic dreams alive as well. [autotag]Zain Retherford[/autotag] (65 kg) will have a chance to qualify for the Paris Games in May. [autotag]Nick Lee[/autotag], who lost to Retherford, earned a spot on the U.S. team thanks to his second-place finish. [autotag]Mitchell Mesenbrink[/autotag] (74 kg) took third place in the trials and earned a spot on the U.S. national team.

The Paris 2024 Olympics are set to begin on July 26 in Paris, France. Wrestling events will begin on August 5 and run through August 11. The world is about to get a dose of Penn State wrestling up close and personal.

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Joel Embiid has a heartwarming reason why he chose to play for Team USA in the Olympics

The 2023 NBA MVP could have also played for France or Cameroon in the Olympics.

Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid will officially represent Team USA during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Embiid had the unique option to represent the United States, France, or Cameroon (though they have not yet qualified). Even though France is the host nation and he is originally from Cameroon, the 2023 NBA MVP will headline a strong roster for Team USA.

The big man said that he had a simple reason why he chose to accept the offer from United States men’s basketball managing director Grant Hill and play for head coach Steve Kerr on Team USA.

According to Embiid, he made the decision for his son, Arthur.

Embiid said the following last year (via Associated Press):

“I’ve been here for such a long time,” Embiid said in Fort Collins, Colorado, where the 76ers are having training camp — and where Embiid met with Hill this week. “For the past few years, every decision I’ve made has been based on just family. My family, my son, and having the chance to represent a country like the U.S., with my son being born here … I love my home country, but I really wanted to play in the Olympics.”

That is a great reason for his decision! When he officially received his jersey, Arthur was there with him to celebrate.

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USWNT learns Zambia will be final Olympic group stage opponent

It will be the first ever meeting between the two sides

The final piece of the Olympic group stage puzzle is now complete for the U.S. women’s national team, which learned late Tuesday that it will face Zambia in France this summer.

The USWNT was matched up with Germany and Australia in Group B in last month’s Olympic draw, and was set to be joined by a playoff winner from Africa.

That team has now been confirmed as Zambia, which defeated Morocco 2-0 in a qualifying playoff on Tuesday to advance via a 3-2 aggregate scoreline. Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda scored both goals on the evening.

The Copper Queens took part in their first major international tournament at the 2020 Olympics in Japan, and then played in their first World Cup last summer. They were eliminated at the group stage in both events.

Zambia will present a potent attacking threat with Banda and Racheal Kundananji, whom Bay FC signed for a world-record transfer fee prior to the 2024 NWSL season.

The USWNT and Zambia will open their Olympic campaigns against one another on July 25 at the Allianz Riviera in Nice. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

The U.S. will then take on Germany at the Stade VĂ©lodrome in Marseille on July 28, before facing Australia three days later at the same venue.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Nigeria also secured its spot in the 12-team field for the Olympics, drawing South Africa 0-0 to earn a 1-0 aggregate victory. The Super Falcons will go into a tough Group C alongside Spain, Japan and Brazil.

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Jimmer Fredette and his iconic 3-point range is going to the 2024 Olympics for Team USA

Yes. That IS Jimmer Fredette you’re seeing.

Jimmer Fredette is still a hooper at heart, and he’s taking his skills to Paris. Fredette, along with four other players, was named to the men’s 3×3 National Team.

Earlier this year, when Jimmer Fredette popped up trading buckets with Caitlin Clark on Sue Bird’s Sue’s Places, you may have wondered: what has Jimmer been up to? Since his time in the NBA, he’s played overseas and even won a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Fredette is now back with the same team he played with during the FIBA World Cup to conquer the Paris Olympics with the men’s 3×3 basketball team.

Fredette, Canyon Barry, the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, Kareem Maddox, and Dylan Travis will take their talents to Paris in July. This will be the first time that the 3×3 team will make the Olympic program, as the U.S. men didn’t qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In case you’re unfamiliar with how 3×3 basketball works, here’s a quick summary. Per the official Olympic site, 3×3 basketball is played on half a basketball court with two competing teams. Each team has three players who will play on the same hoop.

The goal is to achieve the highest score at the end of a 10-minute period or be the first team to score 21 points. The typical 3-point line that players use in other forms of basketball is instead a two-point line, and any shot made inside the arc will be considered one point.

2024 Olympics draw: USWNT to face Germany, Australia, playoff winner

The USWNT escaped the toughest possible group, but will still face a stern test in Group B

The draw for the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Olympics is complete.

The U.S. women’s national team will face Germany, Australia, and either Zambia or Morocco in Group B.

Elsewhere, defending Olympic champions Canada were placed in Group A with hosts France, while defending World Cup champions Spain will once again meet Japan (the only team to beat La Roja last summer).

The U.S. were placed in Pot 1 for the draw, alongside France and Spain. The sorting of the pots meant that the USWNT was obliged to face Germany in the group stage due to rules preventing two teams from the same confederation from being placed in the same group.

From Pot 2, Canada could not be paired with the U.S., while Germany could not be placed in a group with UEFA rivals France or Spain.

The USWNT will be looking to reestablish itself as a truly elite team after two rocky showings in major tournaments. The U.S. was unconvincing in winning bronze at the 2020 Olympics, while a round-of-16 exit at last summer’s World Cup was the earliest exit from that tournament in program history.

The USWNT will start its quest for a fifth Olympic gold medal against the African qualifier on July 25 at the Allianz Riviera in Nice. The U.S. will head to Marseille for its second match, facing Germany at the Stade VĂ©lodrome on July 28. The final USWNT group-stage clash will also be at the Stade VĂ©lodrome, with Australia the opponent on July 31.

The Confederation of African Football’s final round of Olympic qualifying will see Zambia and Morocco play a two-legged tie in the first week of April. The winner will claim the final place in Group B. Nigeria and South Africa will square off for the other CAF place in France.

The tournament will see 12 teams sorted into three groups of four, with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the quarterfinal stage. The top two third-placed teams in the group stage will complete the field for the knockout round.

Unlike the men’s tournament, which functions as an under-23 event with a handful of overage players, the women’s Olympic soccer tournament has no age restrictions.

2024 Olympic women’s soccer draw

Group A

  • France
  • Colombia
  • Canada
  • New Zealand

Group B

  • USA
  • Zambia or Morocco
  • Germany
  • Australia

Group C

  • Spain
  • Japan
  • Nigeria or South Africa
  • Brazil

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2024 Olympics draw: USMNT to face France, New Zealand, playoff winner

The USMNT will face the tournament host to kick off the Olympics on July 24

The U.S. men’s under-23 national team has been matched up with host country France, New Zealand and the winner of an Asian-African playoff following Wednesday’s 2024 Olympic draw.

The USMNT was drawn into Group A, and will face France in the tournament opener on July 24 at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille. 

The U.S. will then face New Zealand at the same venue on July 27, before closing out group play on July 30 at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne.

The U.S. men will participate in the Olympics for the first time since the 2008 competition in Beijing. Before qualifying through the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, the U.S. had fallen short three Olympics in a row.

The men’s tournament will see 16 teams separated into four groups of four, with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the quarterfinal stage.

So far, 12 teams have qualified. Three Asian teams will qualify through the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, which takes place from April 15 to May 3. The final spot will come from an intercontinental playoff between an Asian team and Guinea, the fourth place team from the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.

Men’s soccer at the Olympics is an under-23 event (players born on or after January 1, 2000), with every team eligible to select three overage players.

2024 Olympics men’s soccer draw

Group A

  • France
  • USA
  • AFC-CAF playoff winner
  • New Zealand

Group B

  • Argentina
  • Morocco
  • AFC 3
  • Ukraine

Group C

  • AFC 2
  • Spain
  • Egypt
  • Dominican Republic

Group D

  • AFC 1
  • Paraguay
  • Mali
  • Israel

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USWNT guaranteed to face Germany in Olympics after draw pots revealed

Even before the draw, the USWNT already knows one of its three group-stage opponents

The 2024 Olympic draw isn’t until Wednesday, but the U.S. women’s national team already knows one of its three group-stage opponents.

After the four pots for the draw were revealed on Monday, the USWNT is guaranteed to face Germany in the Paris Olympics group stage.

The USWNT will be in Pot 1 with host France and 2023 World Cup champion Spain. In Pot 2 will be Germany, Japan and Canada.

Because the USWNT can’t be drawn with Concacaf country Canada, and Germany can’t be drawn with European countries France and Spain, the USWNT and Germany already know they’ll face off at the Olympics.

The USWNT and Germany have met 35 times, with the U.S. holding a 23W-5L-7D advantage. Most recently, the two sides split a pair of friendlies in November 2022.

The draw for the 2024 Olympic men’s and women’s soccer tournament will be held on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET, and will be streamed live on FIFA+ and FIFA.com.

For the women’s tournament, 12 teams will be divided into three groups of four. The top two teams in each group and the two best third-placed teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

Ten of the 12 teams have qualified, with two spots yet to be determined from Africa. South Africa will face Nigeria and Morocco will face Zambia in two-leg playoffs next month to determine the final two berths.

2024 Olympics women’s draw pots

  • Pot 1: USA, France, Spain
  • Pot 2: Germany, Japan, Canada
  • Pot 3: Brazil, Australia, Colombia
  • Pot 4: New Zealand, Africa 1, Africa 2

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Teenage Chinese speed skaters pull off brilliant trick at Gangwon 2024

Chinese speed skater Yang Jingru pulled off the rabbit tactic successfully at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea.

A pair of youth Chinese speed skaters operated what is known as the “rabbit tactic” to perfection at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea, taking home the gold and silver awards in the 1,500-meter short-track race with the help of a perfectly legal maneuver.

The two worked to trick the opponents into thinking the race was over when in fact there was still one more lap. Essentially, skater Yang Jingru bolted to the front and lapped everyone in the 13-lap cycle. She then hung at the end of the pack, needing the stamina to go through one more sprint to hang ahead of everyone else while looking like she was at the back.

When the race “ended” — or should I say, when everyone thought the race had ended and slowed down despite it not being over — teammate Li Jinzi easily cruised to second place.

Tiktok user @Schmittly posted a video with the race and excellent narration:

Pulling off this maneuver successfully is tricky for a multitude of reasons. First, one must hope the other racers forget that there is a person one lap ahead of them. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the racer must be able accelerate quickly on two separate ocassions: Once at the beginning to gain an entire lap, and another time over the final few laps when all other races are skating as fast as they can.

“Normally in the 1,500m race, the athletes should speed up in the last few laps, but this time, I (had) to sprint twice,” Yang said to outlet Xinhua, translated to English.

“This is the boldest thing I have ever seen in sports in a long time,” @Schmittly said in the Tiktok.

The Winter Youth Olympics were held from Jan. 19 to Feb. 1 in Gangwon Province, South Korea.