Let’s keep these Olympic Games going. What could be better? Kevin Durant has passed Carmelo Anthony as the highest-scoring player in U.S. Olympic men’s basketball history as Team USA crushed the Czech Republic.
We’ve also got a new fastest woman in the world.
After beginning her career 4-for-4 in Olympic individual competition, Katie Ledecky earned her first-ever silver medal in individual competition in the 400-meter freestyle. Her first gold medal of this year’s Olympic Games came in the inaugural women’s 1,500-meter freestyle.
Now she’s golden again. She won her third straight gold in the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday in Tokyo, which gives her six individual gold medals during her career, the most by a woman in the pool. She has seven golds overall.
Elsewhere in the pool, Caeleb Dressel struck gold and a world record in his first of multiple races on the day.
Saturday morning starts with Team USA baseball and men’s basketball, and on the track, we’ll see the women’s 100-meter semifinals and finals and the men’s heats.
Here’s all the best from the Olympic action:
Durant passes Melo
Team USA advanced in pool play after beating the Czech Republic. In the game, Kevin Durant passed Carmelo Anthony as the all-time leading scorer in Team USA basketball history. Anthony, one of America’s best Olympians, was a four-time Olympian and three-time gold medal winner. He had 336 points in his Olympic career.
Durant is playing in his third Olympics.
The new @TeamUSA men’s Olympic scoring leader, @KDTrey5!#TokyoOlympics x @usabasketball pic.twitter.com/ft0u3LLH1o
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
And new! @KDTrey5 has passed Carmelo Anthony to become the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team’s all-time scoring leader! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/xqSXMfMGrx
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 31, 2021
Here’s the top five scorers in U.S. Olympic history:
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Kevin Durant
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Carmelo Anthony (336 points)
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LeBron James (273)
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David Robinson (270)
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Michael Jordan (256)
The fastest races on the planet
We’ve got a new fastest woman on the planet. Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah broke Florence Griffith Joyner’s 33-year-old Olympic record in the women’s 100 meters, pointing at the scoreboard even before crossing the line in 10.61 seconds Saturday to defend her title and lead a Jamaican sweep of the medals.
We have a new WORLD’S FASTEST WOMAN. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/KSryQgX2cQ
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 31, 2021
NEW OLYMPIC RECORD!@FastElaine defends her #Olympics 100m title – running the second fastest time EVER. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/9UA0ABtuEu
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Catch me if you can?!@FastElaine leads the field in the first heat of the women’s 100m semifinals. ⚡️
💻 https://t.co/FmEtvutDRA
📱 NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/j9jKpKicNw— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
.@ronnie_baker14 was CRUISING in the first round. 💨 @usatf x #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/sQ4PjEHIdK
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 31, 2021
Digging the long balls
After crushing Israel to start the baseball tournament, Team USA won again Saturday morning, defeating Korea.
That’s just not fair. 😯#TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/rXjVU7F4h7
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
KISS IT GOODBYE!@mvptc37 puts @USABaseball in the lead on his 2-run home run.
TOP 5
🇰🇷 | 1
🇺🇸 | 2#TokyoOlympicspic.twitter.com/bvBRHm8vqe— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 31, 2021
ANOTHA ONE! 🇺🇸
It’s a solo shot for Nick Allen as @USABaseball extends their lead.
💻: NBCSN pic.twitter.com/q0X87VwJVM
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
WHAT A PLAY! ⚾️@USABaseball ends it in style. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/5T9p7vsTjs
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Athing Mu doing Athing Mu things
Breezed through to the 800m final.
19-year-old @athiiing can’t be fazed. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/XXvHIrK0Ny
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 31, 2021
Schauffele, Matsuyama battling in golf
The third round of the Olympic golf tournament got pretty wild. Five players held a share of the lead at some point in the round. American Xander Schauffele didn’t play his best round until a birdie on his final hole of the round put him atop the leaderboard at 14 under.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is close behind. The Masters champion is 1 stroke behind Schauffele heading into the final round (Sunday, 5 p.m. ET).
Katie Ledecky discusses her Olympic journey after winning gold in the 800-meter freestyle for team USA.
Dressel, Ledecky do it again with gold medals
World Record medal reactions from Caeleb Dressel’s family = pure. ❤️ #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/eM3gL5iQWQ
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
No problem.
Not long after his world record swim, Caeleb Dressel moves on to the final in the men’s 50m freestyle! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/B50ENBH78l— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
After winning his first individual gold in the 100-meter freestyle on Wednesday, Caeleb Dressel won the 100-meter butterfly with a world record swim of 49.45 seconds. Hungary’s Kristof Milak picks up silver, followed by Switzerland’s Noe Ponti for bronze. Dressel has yet to lose an individual final race at the Tokyo Games.
About 30 minutes after breaking the world record in the 100-meter butterfly, Dressel finished first in the semifinal of the 50-meter freestyle in 21.42, stamping his place in tomorrow’s final, which gives him an opportunity to go 3-for-3 in individual gold medals this Olympics.
A THREE-PEAT for LEDECKY!
Gold in London, Rio, and now TOKYO in the women’s 800m freestyle for @KatieLedecky! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/Yw613YyWi6— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
KATIE. LEDECKY. pic.twitter.com/FeCoCYDVlo
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
“That was NOT my last swim. I’m at least going to ’24.”
See you in @Paris2024, @KatieLedecky. #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/s1amc6us7G— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Katie Ledecky three-peated in her marquee event, the 800-meter freestyle, with a time of 8:12.57. She is the first to win three in a row in the event. Australia’s Ariarne Titmus followed 1.26 seconds behind her for silver, while Italy’s Simona Quadarella finished third.
What a debut Olympics Kaylee McKeown is having!
The #AUS swimmer adds 200m backstroke victory to her 100m gold.@fina1908 #Swimming @AUSOlympicTeam pic.twitter.com/8t0AFLd2IV
— Olympics (@Olympics) July 31, 2021
The Americans missed out on making the podium in the women’s 200-meter backstroke, as Australia won the gold (Kaylee McKeown) and bronze (Emily Seebohm) medals, while Canada’s Kylie Masse picked up the silver.
A splash and dash to an Olympic record for Australia’s Emma McKeon!
Abbey Weitzel makes it in to the final as well! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/EfSuzc3mUh— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Simone Manuel missed the cut in the 50-meter freestyle, the only individual event she’s competing in in Tokyo, finishing 11th. Teammate Abbey Weitzeil finished fourth to make the final. Emma McKeon of Australia had an Olympic record swim to finish first.
Olympic history!
Great Britain wins gold in world record style in the first Olympic mixed medley relay! #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/P5mOY9TL0K
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 31, 2021
A USA squad led by Dressel finished fifth in the first mixed 4×100 medley at the Olympics. Great Britain swam a world-record race at 3:37.58 to win gold. China finished second, followed by Australia. — Aishwarya Kumar
Plus, there’s this:
Hey Caeleb Dressel, Aunt Ruth and Uncle Rick wrote you a song 🎶@TeamUSA #TokyoOlympics @USASwimming pic.twitter.com/PVeDb3qDZ8
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Biles out of two individual events
After further consultation with medical staff, Simone Biles has decided to withdraw from the event finals for vault and the uneven bars. She will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether to compete in the finals for floor exercise and balance beam. pic.twitter.com/kWqgZJK4LJ
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 31, 2021
The latest from Team USA gymnast Simone Biles.
Team USA takes silver in first mixed relay triathlon
HISTORY! 🌊🚲🎽
In the first-ever Olympic mixed relay triathlon, the United States wins silver. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/RphVOwm6Jo
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
A HISTORIC medal for @usatriathlon! The mixed relay triathlon team captures silver at the #TokyoOlympics. pic.twitter.com/PMOj2BnGN6
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2021
Great Britain won the gold with a time of 1 hour, 23 minutes, 41 seconds, and the U.S. finished 14 seconds behind for the silver in the first ever Olympic triathlon mixed relay.
U.S women cruising in hurdles heats
They make it look EASY. All 3️⃣ Americans advance to the Women’s 400mH semifinals!
🇺🇸 @AnnaCockrell48 (55.37)
🇺🇸 @GoSydGo (54.65)
🇺🇸 Dalilah Muhammad (53.97)#TeamUSATF #Tokyo2020 #JourneyToGold pic.twitter.com/jT3w1WyV6q— USATF (@usatf) July 31, 2021
That’s our defending Olympic champion right there. 👏@usatf x #TokyoOlympicspic.twitter.com/4enc2QdB43
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 31, 2021
GO, SYD, GO!
Sydney McLaughlin cruises to a heat win in the women’s 400m hurdles. #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/NFFCml9np7— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Keni Harrison gets the job done, pulling away to win her heat! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/oJin9XS6Ey— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
And it’s all in the family for Great Britain.
Solid start for sisters @cindyofili and @tiffofili to automatically qualify for the 100m hurdle semi-finals.#TeamGB pic.twitter.com/QpkwzNMZvR
— Team GB (@TeamGB) July 31, 2021
Clayton Murphy finds some space in 800
‘@Clayton_Murph finds the space and takes it for the heat win! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/X4Tcb1MDiS— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Pool play perfection for U.S. beach volleyball women
“LET’S GOOOOOO.” – Kelly Claes
Team Slaes beats Brazil! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/Hne9Yk1CKr
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/ig8ygPnrJz— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 31, 2021
Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil went 3-0 in women’s beach volleyball pool play, joining the team of Alix Klineman and April Ross with a perfect mark. This is the first time since the 2012 Olympics that both USA women’s beach volleyball teams went 3-0 in pool play. In that Olympics the U.S. won gold (Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings) and silver (April Ross and Jen Kessy).
Boxing begins to award medals
It’s a bronze medal for #ITA‘s Irma Testa in the women’s featherweight category – the first #Boxing medal of #Tokyo2020!@coninews pic.twitter.com/RRJ8xjZKkj
— Olympics (@Olympics) July 31, 2021
Badminton glory
When you become #GUA‘s first-ever #badminton Olympic semi-finalist 🥺 pic.twitter.com/vqdOFPlOdv
— Olympics (@Olympics) July 31, 2021
Everyone loves a trampoline
Volume up for a treat 🍭 #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/nBKFFw1tS0
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2021
Power of sports
brb crying 😭 sports are so important!! FEMALE ATHLETES ARE SO IMPORTANT!!! https://t.co/r5K1VSGQmX
— On Her Turf (@OnHerTurf) July 31, 2021
Future Olympian
If you can see it, you can be it. #FutureOlympians (🎥 daddy3girlz/TT) pic.twitter.com/X35WJzlky6
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2021