From French passion and success, to Noah Lyles being crowned the fastest man in the world. The competition has also produced its fair share of emotion as Andy Murray bid farewell to tennis, while a binned note stirred up emotions for gold-medal winning rower Lola Anderson.
After another unforgettable Olympic Games, we pick out our highlights:
Dupont starts French gold rush
Poster boy Antoine Dupont led France to their first gold in the rugby sevens. He skipped the Six Nations to focus on the Olympics and his gamble paid off with a match-winning display in the final in front of the sort of passionate crowd which would become synonymous with the games.
Teddy Riner – who kicked things off by lighting the Olympic cauldron – and Leon Marchand were two other big stars for the inspired hosts.
Biles is back
Simone Biles capped off her Olympic return in style with three golds and a silver medal.
It was a redemptive return for the American gymnast, who withdrew in Tokyo due to the ‘twisties’ and had A-list celebrities flocking to Paris to see her perform.
Murray’s fitting farewell
Andy Murray bid goodbye to tennis with defeat alongside Dan Evans in the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles.
But the duo entertained crowds with two dramatic victories at Roland Garros, saving multiple match points along the way.
‘I’m glad I got to go out here at the Olympics and finish on my terms,’ said Murray. ‘I feel lucky I got to play some great matches and create amazing memories.’
The comeback kings
Paris 2024 was a bit of a transition Games for Team GB – Laura Kenny gone, Murray going and boxing and taekwondo struggling to deliver medals.
But we did see triathlete Alex Yee and cyclist Tom Pidcock confirm their class with gold medals at consecutive Olympics, both won with daring late comebacks fit to inspire the next generation and ensure their places as British Olympic legends.
Fine margins for Lyles
Noah Lyles claimed gold after a photo finish in the men’s 100m final. The 27-year-old American lived up to his considerable hype by pipping Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson to victory by just five thousandths of a second, in the closest and fastest edition of the blue-riband event.
Binned dreams become a reality
Amid a much-improved showing from Team GB’s rowers one emotional story stood out.
Lola Anderson took gold in the quadruple sculls, inspired by her late father who had reminded her of a childhood diary entry in which she dreamed of one day emulating London 2012 star Helen Glover – also in the team in Paris and winning silver.
The Keel deal
Agonising silver medals for Josh Kerr and Matt Hudson-Smith were no shame given the level of competition on the track but there was no upsetting Keely Hodgkinson (left, bottom), who dominated the women’s 800m.
One thousand up
Team GB bagged their 1,000th medal at summer and winter Games, in Paris – the honour going to the men’s cycling team pursuit squad.
The British riders narrowly missed out on gold in the final against Australia and their hopes were effectively over when Hayter slipped from his saddle on the final lap.
Speaking afterwards, Bigham said: ‘It’s nice to win a medal, it’s nice to win a silver medal, it’s nice for it to be the thousandth GB medal. It’s nice to ride in an Olympic gold medal final with these guys.’
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