Team USA wins its first medal of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, China takes gold

The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris got off to a rocky start on Friday after the French government reported a series of arson attacks on its national railway system. The outages delayed an estimated million travelers including both athletes and fans, many of whom were stranded throughout the western European nation and even in their home countries.  

But now the games are off and running and Team USA won its first medal, a silver in the women’s synchronized 3m springboard diving event.

Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook of the U.S. took silver with a total score of 314.64. It's the first Olympic medals for both divers, and first time the United States has won a medal in the event since 2012. 

“We were really consistent," Cook said of the team's day, according to a report published by NBC. "We were able to dive the way we train. It wasn't our best performance, but we didn’t miss anything, so we’re really happy with how we did. To be able to walk away with a silver medal is freaking awesome.”

China also won the gold in two events, one in diving and the other in mixed team air rifle shooting.

Chinese athletes Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen came to the Paris Olympic summer games as three-time defending world champions in the women’s synchronized 3m springboard diving event and continued to demonstrate their prowess.

The duo scored a total of 337.68 points, winning them the gold medal, the first for each of them in their Olympic debuts.

Australia was in third place while heading into the final round, but Australian diver Anabelle Smith came off the right side of the board, which threw the team’s average off. Instead, British divers Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper took the bronze with a final score of 302.28.

The victories followed Friday night’s rain-drenched opening ceremony with a much anticipated performance from singer Celine Dion, the first time she had been on stage in four years.

“Her performance took place after the Olympic Games were officially opened and the Olympic cauldron was lit in the Tuileries Garden,” according to a report published by ABC News’ Good Morning America.

“The show marked Dion's first live performance since announcing her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis in December 2022. After she announced her diagnosis, the singer postponed — and later canceled — the remaining dates on her Courage World Tour for 2023 and 2024.

In Saturday’s events, world No. 2 tennis player Coco Gauff will make her Olympic debut for the United States, and Katie Ledecky will compete in the women’s 400m freestyle final.