Wemby looks to shine in City of Light

Victor Wembanyama is finally about to get a taste of the Olympic spotlight — in the host city. For the first week of the Paris Games, the basketball tournament was played in a secluded setting, away from the pomp and circumstance — and backdrop — that Paris has to offer. It’s meant that only diehards who trekked to near the northern city to Lille to watch the group stage have gotten a live look at the 20-year-old star’s first three games representing France in his Olympic debut. That changes on Tuesday when Wembanyama and his teammates open the knockout phase with a quarterfinal matchup against Canada. Wemby is ready for his closeup. The silver medalist in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, France won its first two games of the group stage, beating Brazil and Japan, before a loss to Germany. Should France get past Canada and then against the winner of Germany and Greece in the semifinals, awaiting it could potentially be a rematch with the United States, which beat France in the Tokyo gold medal game. Only this time France would have Wembanyama.

Biles finishes up with silver in floor

The “Redemption Tour” did not end with a golden encore for Simone Biles. By the time she entered Bercy Arena in Paris for the balance beam and floor exercise finals on Monday, she was drained. Mentally. Physically. All of it. It’s what this sport does. No one knows that better than the 27-year-old who has spent the last decade relentlessly propelling gymnastics — both competitively and culturally — forward. So when Biles hopped off the beam to miss out on one medal, then stepped out of bounds twice during her floor routine to finish second in her signature event for the first time in memory, she shrugged. Gymnastics happens. Even to the greats. Even to the GOAT. The woman who a couple years ago didn’t think she’d even be here will leave Paris — and perhaps her final Olympics — with three golds and a silver and something perhaps even more valuable: peace. “I accomplished way more than my wildest dreams, not just at this Olympics, but in the sport,” the 11-time Olympic medalist said. “... Competing then walking away with four medals. I’m not mad about it.”

USWNT coach keeping it consistent

New U.S. coach Emma Hayes hasn’t always made the predictable choice during her short tenure with the team, but she’s been amazingly consistent with one thing during the Paris Olympics. Her lineup. Hayes has used essentially the same starters in every game. Hayes said that it’s partly about building chemistry within the squad, and partly because she just took over the U.S. team in earnest in May after finishing out the season with Chelsea. “I haven’t had much time to work with the whole squad,” she added. Hayes, 47, was hired by U.S. Soccer in November after Vlatko Andonovski stepped down in the wake of the Americans’ early exit from the Women’s World Cup. Hayes’ consistency has paid off when it comes to the team’s front three: Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith, who have clearly formed a close bond. Rodman, Swanson and Smith have accounted for eight of the team’s 10 goals through four games in France. Swanson and Rodman each have three, while Smith has a pair. The U.S., unbeaten in these Games, faces Germany in the semifinals on Tuesday. —AP