Richardson breezes through debut

Sha’Carri Richardson blazed through a no-fuss opening round in the 100 meters Friday, winning her first-ever race at the Olympics in 10.94 seconds to easily qualify for the semifinals. Wearing neon green shoes, which contrasted well against the bright purple track, the American captured the first of eight first-round races on the opening day of track action at a jam-packed Stade de France. “To be at the Olympics is a phenomenal feeling, to be an athlete here, competing with the energy, with a great appreciation for track and field,” Richardson said to NBC after the race. She did not stop for interviews with print reporters. Also making it through first-round races were all the top contenders, including Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica, a two-time champion in this event who is making her fifth and final Olympic appearance. Fraser-Pryce ran 10.92 but finished second to Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith of Ivory Coast, who won the day’s fastest heat in 10.87. Richardson’s American training partners, Melissa Jefferson and Twanisha Terry, also made it through.

Swiatek makes history for Poland

Iga Swiatek dabbed at her eyes with a white towel while sitting on her sideline chair at the 2024 Olympics after a lickety-split, clean-as-can-be win Friday that earned a bronze for Poland’s first tennis medal at any Summer Games.

Sure, she beat Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-1 in 59 minutes on Friday, but make no mistake: These were not purely tears of joy. They were, at least in part, remnants of the disappointment — devastation, really — the No. 1-ranked Swiatek felt after a poor performance a day prior cost her a shot at what she really wanted, what she kind of figured she would head home with: gold. She’s a perfectionist, for one thing, and someone who, frankly, rarely loses anywhere, least of all on the red clay at Roland Garros, the site of her four French Open titles and home to Olympic tennis this year. “After the match, I was pretty confused, because I still feel like I lost yesterday, and that was kind of a huge loss,” Swiatek said. “On the other hand, I won today … so I should be proud of that. There’s like a lot of mixed emotions and still is.”

Marchand wins 4th swimming gold

The party for Léon Marchand spread beyond the pool, quickly sweeping all across Paris. At Stade de France, hosting the first night of track and field, an enormous ovation broke out when Marchand won his fourth gold medal of the Olympics. The roar was so loud that the first heat of the 400-meter run in the decathlon was delayed. At the French Olympic house, nearly 20,000 gathered outside to watch Marchand cap his dominating run at the pool, including 19-year-old Arthur Oursel. “He’s a hero,” Oursel said. “He’s our hero.”

With French President Emmanuel Macron among the more than 15,000 fans cheering him on in a rugby stadium-turned-natatorium, Marchand soared to another runaway win in the 200-meter individual medley Friday.

“I don’t think anything went wrong this week,” Marchand said. “It was just perfect.” The 22-year-old French star left no doubt he’ll be remembered as one of the biggest stars of the Summer Games in his home country. He finished in an Olympic record of 1 minute, 54.06 seconds, just missing Ryan Lochte’s 13-year-old world mark. —Associated Press