Simone Biles won the fifth Olympic gold of her legendary career as she led the United States to an emphatic victory in the women's gymnastics team final on Tuesday, as Daniel Wiffen made Irish history in swimming.
On a sweltering day in Paris where temperatures reached 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), the hottest ticket in town was at the Bercy Arena where Biles was attempting to lay the ghosts of Tokyo 2021 to rest.
The 27-year-old American, considered the greatest gymnast of all time, and her team did just that to add to her four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Games.
HANG IT IN THE LOUVRE 🖼️🥇 #Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/SlRvZ88sJJ
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 30, 2024
Three years Biles battled a disorientating mental block that gymnasts call the "twisties" at the Tokyo Games, and without her USA had to settle for silver.
But with Biles back to her best, she and teammates Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Sunisa Lee led wire-to-wire to reclaim gold ahead of Italy, with Brazil taking bronze.
For Biles it marks a return to the Olympic summit after a two-year break as she focused on her mental health. Lee, the all-around champion in Tokyo, has since dealt with two career-threatening kidney ailments.
The moment the USA and Simone Biles found out they won gold at #Paris2024 🇺🇸🥇#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/6t2oqHn64j
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 30, 2024
Biles said her second team gold -- eight years after her first -- felt different.
"It was just like we were a little young and naive," she said of 2016. "So it didn't hit the way that it does now.
"Now that I'm much older, we have so much more experience and we're out here really having fun and enjoying what we're doing."
Once again the stars were out for Biles.
Serena Williams, Nicole Kidman and Bill Gates were in attendance, as was Biles's husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, in a T-shirt emblazoned with his wife's name and picture.
IRISH HISTORY
Wiffen was in tears on the podium at La Defense Arena after becoming the first Irishman ever to win an Olympic swimming gold.
The 23-year-old powered home in the 800m freestyle in 7min 38.19sec, the fifth-fastest time ever, ahead of American defending champion Bobby Finke and Tokyo silver medallist Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy.
🆕 𝐎𝐋𝐘𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃 🆕
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 30, 2024
That 800m Men's Freestyle went the distance 😲
📺 Stream #Paris2024 live: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/I7Nkt2UqPg
Wiffen, who was born in England and is the world champion, will also contest the 1 500m freestyle and 10km open water swim in Paris.
Kaylee McKeown retained her crown in the women's 100m backstroke, producing a blistering second lap to beat world record-holder Regan Smith of the USA.
It was Australia's fourth gold in the pool in Paris.
Kaylee McKeown wins the gold medal in the Women's 100m Backstroke final 👏🇦🇺#Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/oVw4vcNNKN
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 30, 2024
Britain triumphed in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay.
First Tokyo and now #Paris2024 🥇🥇
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 30, 2024
Great Britain's reign as Olympic Champions is extended for another four years 👏#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/g90RE7rkAk
In punishing heat at Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal kept alive his dream of a third Olympic gold as he powered into the men's doubles quarter-finals alongside Carlos Alcaraz.
𝗡𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗟𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗭 🇪🇸 #Paris2024 | #CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/wdWZEuNqUz
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 30, 2024
But women's world number two Coco Gauff crashed out of the singles in a stormy defeat to Croatian Donna Vekic.
Vekic won 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals after Gauff claimed she was "getting cheated" in an argument with the chair umpire over a line call.
Coco Gauff was not happy with the umpire 🗣️
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 30, 2024
Emotions ran high for the American in her #Paris2024 match against Donna Vekić in the second set 🎾
She ended up losing 7-6 6-2.#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/NNfE6Q0Zqr
New Zealand's women defended their Olympic rugby sevens title after roaring back to beat Canada 19-12 in front of a near-capacity 69,000 crowd at the Stade de France.
New Zealand defend their Olympic crown to win their nations first gold medal of #Paris2024 🇳🇿🥇#CloserToYourChampions pic.twitter.com/kY4eqAVuRI
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 30, 2024
In men's football, Thierry Henry's France set up a potentially explosive quarterfinal showdown with Argentina.
And NBA star Victor Wembanyama scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help France scrape past Japan 94-90 to close in on a quarterfinal spot in the men's basketball.
MORE SEINE DOUBTS
Earlier, in a massive blow to Olympic organisers who have repeatedly vowed that the River Seine would be safe to swim in, Tuesday's men's triathlon race was called off hours before the start after last-minute water-quality tests.
A joint statement from Paris 2024 and World Triathlon blamed the spike in pollution levels on the heavy rain that drenched Paris on Friday and Saturday.
The men's triathlon has been rescheduled to Wednesday, immediately after the women's event, leaving Games chiefs keeping their fingers crossed.
After the intense heat of the day, a major storm was forecast late on, raising fresh doubts over whether Wednesday's rescheduled events could go ahead.
Heavy downpours still overwhelm the city's underground drains and sewage system, leading to untreated effluent being released into the waterway.