DAY 6: Medal count and COVID concerns

The United States, Japan, China and the host country, France, were leading the medal count by Thursday evening.

The team with the most medals was the US with a total of 31. Six Gold, 13 Silver and 12 Bronze.

China however, was in third place on the medal count but has the highest number of Gold medals – currently with 11.

France is in second place with 27 in total – 8 Gold, 11 Silver and 8 Bronze.

Japan is third with 15 medals in total – 8 Gold, 3 Silver and 4 Bronze.

In fourth place so far is Australia, with a total of 17 – 7 Gold, 6 Silver and 4 Bronze.

The US however has the largest delegation, with 594 athletes. France closely follows, with 571.

The host nation’s Olympians have meanwhile showed their range in a variety of sports already with their solid haul of 27.

But the US is most likely looking for a repeat of its formidable presence at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where it won 113 medals.

That’s the most of any country by a significant amount, with China’s 89 medals next.

Russia, whose presence also dominated in past games, is not allowed to compete this year. Belarus, along with Russia, are both banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as part of sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday however, 18 gold medals were on offer in total, with the athletics program kicking off with the men’s and women’s 20km race walks in the morning.

Early Thursday evening saw Zelym Kotsoiev of Azerbaijan winning Gold in the men’s under 100kg Judo. Kotsoiev won by ippon by default after his opponent, Georgia’s Ilia Sulaimanidze, picked up three shido warnings.

Bronze medals went to Peter Paltchik of Israel and Muzaffarbek Turoboyev of Uzbekistan.

In men’s Rowing four, team USA snatched Gold from New Zealand at the finish line.

It was a tough Silver for New Zealand, who finished just .85 of a second behind the Americans. Bronze went to Great Britain, who claimed a 20th medal for Team GB at Paris 2024.

In swimming, there are four more finals on Thursday night, and the 200m men’s backstroke looks like it could be a race too close to call as Hungary’s 2023 world champion Hubert Kos takes on Rio 2016 winner Ryan Murphy of the USA.

For South Africa’s Tatjana Smith, things are looking good as she eyes Gold in the 200m breaststroke final. She already has one Gold in the bag after winning the 100m breaststroke event on Tuesday night.

Canada’s Summer McIntosh is the two-times defending world champion in the 200m butterfly and is also hoping to take home Gold in Thursday night’s event. She also already has one in the bag after winning Gold in the 400m medley and Silver in the 400m freestyle.

However, amid growing concerns around the spread of COVID, Australian swimmer Zac Stubblety-Cook revealed Wednesday shortly after winning Silver in the men’s 200m breaststroke that he had tested positive.

Cook is the latest to join a growing number of athletes who’ve tested positive for COVID, including British swimming star Adam Peaty, who announced his diagnosis less than 24 hours after winning silver in the 100m breaststroke on Monday.

Australia’s Lani Pallister withdrew just hours before the Women’s 1500m freestyle on Tuesday, opting to “save her energy” for Thursday’s 4×200 freestyle relay instead, according to the Australian Olympic Committee.

This brings the total number of athletes confirmed with COVID to nine, including at least five Australian water polo players who tested positive prior to the start of the Games.

According to French newspaper Le Monde, Paris Olympics organizers do not have any stringent protocols or preventive measures in place to curb the apparent surge in infections.

In other news of the day, the USA’s 3×3 women’s basketball team fell to Australia 15-17 in Thursday’s game. The US women’s team, which previously lost to Azerbaijan and Germany, now sits dead last in its group of eight teams.

The men’s 3×3 team isn’t faring too well either. Jimmer Fredette and company are 0-2 and take on Lithuania in a must-win matchup later Thursday.

Meanwhile, action at the Olympic track starts Friday and all winners in track and field will be given the honor of ringing the big bell inscribed with “Paris 2024” that’s located on the edge of the track at Stade de France.

As part of the legacy of the Paris Olympics, the bell eventually will move from the stadium to a permanent home at the rebuilt Notre Dame Cathedral.