Paris 2024 Olympics day eight: athletics, rowing, men’s cycling road race and more – live | Paris Olympic Games 2024

France’s male footballers are following suit and yesterday Thierry Henry’s side reached the semi-finals at Argentina’s expense in a bitter grudge match that spilled into violence at full-time.

The song sung by several of Argentina’s Copa América-winning side last month, singling out France’s players of African heritage, sparked an international incident and justifiable hurt throughout a country whose diversity is a superpower. Its footballers knew the importance of defending their homeland, its predominant values and, not least, themselves.

Afterwards Millot, who will be suspended for the semi-final against Egypt, said the game’s grim context had “given us a pep”. France certainly began like a train and so did their support, who whistled through Argentina’s national anthem and booed when the visitors’ names were recited.

The ability of France’s pre-tournament stars to rise to the big occasion has been staggering. Marchand, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Cassandre Beaugrand, Antoine Dupont, and now Teddy Riner have all secured gold medals to ensure the opening week of the Paris Games has been accompanied by the sound of the greatest national anthem in the world.

He is France’s most popular sports star, a smiling powerhouse known as the nation’s teddy bear, who for years aced judo contests to crowds’ shouts of “Teddy Bam Bam!” in honour of his ability to swiftly throw and pin his opponents to the ground.

All hopes were fulfilled when Teddy Riner displayed his ice-cold tactical calm and spectacular physical might in his home city of Paris on Friday – making history by taking his third Olympic individual gold medal in the +100kg category.

The 35-year-old is now considered the most successful judo star of all time – with four Olympic golds – three individual and one team – and two Olympic bronze medals.

Also in the pool Kaylee McKeown made Australian history.

Four individual gold medals in three years across two Olympics makes her the most individually successful Australian Olympian of all-time. Dolphins teammate Emma McKeon has six golds, four from relays. Ian Thorpe and Mollie O’Callaghan both have five golds, but again relays have played their part. Friday’s triumph gave McKeown her fifth gold medal – now she has four individual victories and a medley relay win in Tokyo.

Before Friday, only eight Australian Olympians had three individual gold medals to their name – an illustrious list that included Thorpe, Ariarne Titmus, Paris flag-bearer Jess Fox and past greats Dawn Fraser and Betty Cuthbert. McKeown has now overtaken that list to sit alone on four individual gold medals. Those seven other names were already rarefied company. From Friday, McKeown is in a league of her own.

Those brilliant sporting accomplishments begin in the pool where, last night, Léon Marchand’s fourth gold medal cemented his status as a French Olympic legend. His performances have illuminated the opening week of competition and energised home fans to such an extent that La Défense Arena will be remembered as one of the greatest swimming arenas in the sport’s history.

It was Marchand’s 11th race in six days, his fourth gold, and his fourth record. Great Britain’s Duncan Scott was closest to him, but truth be told that wasn’t very close at all. Scott won the silver in 1min 55.31sec. It was his eighth Olympic medal. Only Jason Kenny has won more for Great Britain.

Scott was pretty phlegmatic, too. It was his second-fastest time. But Marchand was just that much faster. “I’d like to think I went head to head with Leon for a little bit of the race,” he said, “but the guy is the best 200m breaststroker in the world, the best 200 fly swimmer in the world, the best 200 medley swimmer in the world, and the best 400 medley swimmer in the world. It’s a real honour to be able to race him in this environment as well. The crowd were nuts. It was sensational to be a part of.”

We’ll come onto the brilliant sporting accomplishments of day seven shortly, but the leading news item of the day was the row regarding participation in women’s boxing.

Here’s the latest news story on the subject.

Here’s Barney Ronay’s analysis from North Paris Arena.

And here’s a podcast featuring Ross Tucker, the sports scientist I turn to when issues like this arise to help synthesise the complex science involved.

The best images of day seven include our first glimpses of the Paris running track. What do you make of the lilac hue?

Judo will provide the first action of the day with the mixed team event kicking off at 08:00. Next up is badminton with the women’s singles quarter-finals taking place from 08:30.

At 09:00 there’s an avalanche of activity with beach volleyball, golf, handball, shooting and volleyball.

Athletics events begin at 10:00. The morning program includes the first round of the men’s 100m, and probably a single jump from Armand Duplantis in pole vault qualification.

Staying with the medal table, Nielsen’s Gracenote has updated its prediction for who will come out on top by the end of the Games.

Before the Olympics the USA were expected to claim the most medals but face a stiff test from China for the most golds. Behind those titans, Great Britain, France, and Australia rounded out the top five.

China still top the medal table thanks to their dominance in shooting and diving, but France and Australia have again climbed above the USA after impressing on day seven. It is turning into a Games to remember for the Dolphins who lead the US swim team 7-4 in gold medals.

53 NOCs have now won medals at these Olympics, with 34 nations hearing their national anthem. That includes Uganda after Joshua Cheptegei became his country’s first multiple gold medallist when he added 10,000m gold yesterday to his 5,000m success in Tokyo.

Preamble – Day Eight Schedule