Welcome to the last day of the 2024 Olympics!
As the curtain fell on the Paris Olympics, the U.S. womenâs basketball team ended an unforgettable journey with a victory in the highly anticipated gold medal game.
But this isnât the only hardware thatâs done in the US these days. The U.S. menâs water polo squad started the day with a win in the bronze medal match against Hungary, and Team USA took home the silver medal in womenâs volleyball after falling to Italy.
The US Olympic games ended with the womenâs basketball gold medal game. With the win over France, Team USA became the first team in any sport to win eight consecutive Olympic gold medals.
Today, the closing ceremony brings together the worldâs top athletes to celebrate the competition, unity and perseverance that have shaped the Games.
Here are the highlights from Sunday at the Olympics.
3:13 pm ET â Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead lead Team USA in the closing ceremony
lead us out đșđž#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/yEnI1yeAOM
â Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 11, 2024
Team USA flag bearers Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead took us to the Closing Ceremony with Mike Tirico and Jimmy Fallon.
đș #ParisOlympics on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/g2hxqlLJ0q
â NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024
3:12 pm ET â What you need to know about Jordan Chiles should bring home the bronze medal
Two-time Olympian Jordan Chiles earned the first individual Olympic medal of his career six days ago, a bronze in the floor final. On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee said Chiles should return the medal, which will be reallocated to Romaniaâs Ana Barbosu. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee plans to appeal the decision. â Read more
11:27 am ET: USA womenâs basketball makes history
Team USA is the womenâs basketball champion for the eighth straight Games, but the title didnât come without a major scare.
Unbelievable ENDING IN PARIS. đ±
Gabby Williams scored at the buzzer but her feet were on the three-point line. TEAM USA WIN BY ONE POINT.#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/DJI7YxfVMl
â NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024
The US and France traded blows all Sunday afternoon, with the Americans finally pulling ahead down the final stretch and winning 67-66. France almost forced a miraculous overtime, going the length of the court in a few seconds after Kahleah Copperâs free throw put Team USA up by three, but the leg of Gabby Williams inside the 3-point arc in what could have been a game-tying shot.
The one-point win was the closest victory by US womenâs basketball in 61 Olympic games. It was one of three games in the streak decided by single-digit margins, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Aâja Wilson led Team USA with 21 points and 13 rebounds â her fourth double-double of the Paris Games.
Olympic dynasties are decades in the making. đșđžđ
TEAM USA WOMENâS HOOPS IS GOLD AGAIN!#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/nBBQuciCVz
â NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024
10:12 a.m. ET: Watch the upset in womenâs basketball
The U.S. womenâs basketball team and its 60-game Olympic winning streak enter halftime against France ⊠tied?
Marine Fauthoux beat the shot clock with three DEEEEPs. đ
đș NBC and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/FXUDL04qts
â NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024
The French did not back down as they sought a colossal victory on home soil. Gabby Williams led all scorers with eight points as Team USA went into halftime looking for ways to cut down on turnovers â having 13, compared to just six for France. The U.S. would have some momentum, though, after Napheesa Collierâs tip-in ensured a tied halftime score over Franceâs lead.
Napheesa Collier tips at the buzzer to send the gold medal game into the locker room tied at 25 apiece. đš#ParisOlympics | đș NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/KGx4k9BA0x
â NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024
9:21 am ET: Valente defends her womenâs omnium gold
With two chances at the Games, Team USA needs two gold medals to tie with China atop the standings. Jennifer Valente, who also helped the US win gold in the womenâs team pursuit, went back-to-back with her second gold medal in as many Games in the womenâs omnium event. Team USA is now one gold medal away from finishing tied with China, with one event still to play: the womenâs basketball gold medal game, where the U.S. will look to become the first program in Olympic history to win eight consecutive team gold medals. .
Jennifer Valente successfully defended the gold medal in the womenâs omnium #ParisOlympics! đ„đ pic.twitter.com/j5n8CieGPx
â NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024
8:46 am ET: Italy beats USA to win womenâs volleyball gold
After a run through the knockout rounds, Italian womenâs volleyball has ensured that the programâs first medal at the Olympics is gold.
In fact, before Paris, Italian women had never played for a medal in Olympic volleyball. But those who ran in France were no less dominant. Italy dropped the second set in their first match against the Dominican Republic ⊠and then followed it up with a 17-set winning streak en route to the gold medal. All but impossible in their quest for glory, only one of the nine sets won by the Italians in the knockout games was decided by a margin of less than three points.
6:55 am ET: Sifan Hassan hits an incredible treble
It has been forty years since an athlete attempted to compete in the 5,000 meter, 10,000 meter and marathon races at the same Olympics. And seventy years since the athlete medaled in all three.
Until Sifan Hassan arrived in Paris. On Monday, Hassan ran in the 5,000 and won bronze. On Friday he ran in the 10,000 and won bronze again. And on Sunday morning he ran in the marathon, and not only won gold, but broke the Olympic record in 2:22:55.
âHeâs awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome. Heâs awesome,â said Sharon Lokedi from Kenya. âWho can do that? Who can come off the track and win a marathon?â Read more in Hassan and he is looking for a treble.
THATâS IT! đ±
Sifan Hassan set an OLYMPIC RECORD in the womenâs marathon to win gold and a third medal from #ParisOlympics! pic.twitter.com/qMQHsdntPH
â NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024
6:44 am ET: US menâs water polo takes bronze
For the first time since the 2008 Olympics, US menâs water polo is back on the podium.
Sixteen proved to be a lucky number for the USA: 16 years after the team took silver in Beijing, goalkeeper Adrian Weinberg made 16 saves to help the team eventually win the penalty shootout to decide the bronze medal award. The victory was Team USAâs second shootout win in three knockout matches, as the USA also eliminated Australia in the quarterfinals via penalty shootout.
The United States took bronze in menâs water polo with a FLAWLESS showdown against Hungary. â #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/XaaVtjYs47
â NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024