Thursday at Stade de France was fully loaded.

Quick hits

• Another world record (and gold medal) for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
• A stunner in the men's 200m
• Grant Holloway and Tara Davis-Woodhall finally strike gold
• Much, much more

Follow below for recaps, athlete soundbites and full video highlights.

RESULTS

Twenty-one-year-old Letsile Tebogo of Botswana pulled off the shocker of the Olympics in the men’s 200m final, claiming gold with an electrifying victory in 19.46 seconds. Thanks to Tebogo, Botswana has won its first-ever Olympic gold medal and third Olympic medal of any color.

"It was really a beautiful race for me," Tebogo said. “It means a lot to the African continent because now they see Africa as a sprinting home, so we just had to make sure that the message is loud and clear."

Americans Kenny Bednarek, Noah Lyles and Erriyon Knighton finished 2-3-4, matching their result at the Tokyo Olympics.

Bednarek, who finished in 19.62 seconds, is now a two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 200m. Lyles — who entered as a massive favorite for gold — has claimed bronze for the second time. Lyles’ time of 19.70 seconds is nearly a full 0.40 seconds below his personal best of 19.31.

For Lyles, the defeat in his signature event means he’ll fall short of his goal to become the first American man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to complete the 100m-200m Olympic double. Only nine men in history have achieved that feat, and the number will stay there until at least 2028. The loss to Tebogo also marks Lyles' first 200m defeat since the Tokyo Games, ending a three-year streak.

Lyles fell to the ground seconds after crossing the finish line and needed to be helped off the track with medical assistance. It was revealed on the air minutes later that he had been diagnosed with COVID two days prior to the competition but elected to compete regardless.

“I woke up early at about 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning and was feeling really horrible," Lyles said. "Unfortunately, it came up that I was positive for COVID.

"My first thought was not to panic. I’ve run in worse conditions. ... I’ve never been more proud of myself than for coming out here and getting a bronze medal."

Bednarek, meanwhile, has delivered on a major promise. When he booked his spot on the U.S. Olympic team in June, he teased his Paris goals in his post-race interview.

"I'm gonna get him next time," Bednarek said, staring Lyles down as he spoke.

On Thursday in Paris, Bednarek did just that, eclipsing his U.S. teammate by .08 seconds for silver.

"Noah’s going to say whatever he does," Bednarek said. "I just let my feet do the talking."

With this gold medal, the young Botswanan Tebogo has elevated himself to the elite level of his sport. His time of 19.46 seconds sets an African record in the 200m. At 21, he becomes the youngest gold medalist in the men's 200m since American Bobby Joe Morrow in 1956.

At 2023 Worlds in Budapest, Tebogo took silver, finishing just behind Lyles. That put the world on notice for the first time. Now, he's an Olympic champion and is set to compete for major titles with Lyles, Bednarek and Knighton for much of the coming decade. 

Tebogo's victory comes on the heels of a difficult year. He lost his mother, Seratiwa, in May. As he prepared for the Olympics, he engraved his nails with her initials and dedicated his gold medal to her.

"She’s watching up there," Tebogo said. "And she’s really, really happy."

RESULTS

A day after celebrating her 25th birthday, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone can celebrate her third Olympic gold medal and yet another world record.

In a new world record of 50.37 seconds, the American superstar sprinted past a stacked field to defend her Olympic title in the women’s 400m hurdles, an event she’s owned all decade long. Thursday's world record marks the sixth time she has broken her own mark.

“I'm grateful to God for this opportunity, grateful to be celebrating my 25th birthday like this," McLaughlin-Levrone said. "Just a super opportunity, you can’t even imagine."

As a U.S. cherry on top, fellow American Anna Cockrell claimed silver with a time of 51.87 seconds, the fourth-fastest time ever in the event and a lifetime best. It marks redemption for Cockrell, who was disqualified from the Tokyo Olympic final but now has struck silver in Paris.

"You know how hard I’ve been fighting for this moment right here," Cockrell said. "I’m an emotional person, I’m not afraid to be emotional, I just went for it today.

It was just instinct and believing in my training. I got to hurdle nine, and just thought, just freaking get it done.

Femke Bol of the Netherlands is the bronze medalist with a time of 52.15, marking her second bronze in the event.

McLaughlin-Levrone has been the world record holder for three years running, and now she’s held the Olympic title for just as long. To say all this at just 25 years old — well, 25 and one day — is staggering.

RESULTS

American Grant Holloway has claimed his first Olympic gold medal, hurdling to an emphatic win in the Paris Olympic men’s 110m hurdles final on Thursday in a scorching 12.99 seconds.

For years, Holloway’s status has been clear as day: He’s the top men’s 110m hurdler on Earth — and it hasn’t been close.

But a bold label like that isn’t official these days without Olympic gold to back it up. And after three years of stewing over his Tokyo Olympic shortcoming (a stunning silver medal at the hands of Jamaican Hansle Parchment), Holloway has prevailed in Paris.

“It means the world, to officially have it," Holloway said. "I’m beside myself right now, so happy about everything going on. I knew I was in shape, I knew I was capable of completing this feat, and I officially did it. 

The future is so bright. Everything else that I can do, I know it’s going to be great.

RESULTS

American Tara Davis-Woodhall claimed her first Olympic medal, winning the women’s high jump with a massive leap of 7.10 meters.

Davis-Woodhall entered Paris as the top-ranked long jumper in the world and had the best mark in qualifying earlier in the week. She took silver at 2023 Worlds but elevated to gold at 2024 World Indoors. In Paris, TDW has struck gold.

“I’ve dreamed of this moment my entire life," Davis-Woodhall said. "Since I was four years old, when I started track and field. I’ve been telling myself all year — 8-0-8, that’s the day we win the Olympics. 8-0-8, that’s the day."

The U.S. now has 11 medals in Olympic women’s long jump, which breaks a tie with the former Soviet Union for the most in history. Thanks to Davis-Woodhall, an American has landed on the podium in women’s long jump for four consecutive Olympics.

Defending Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo of Germany took silver at 6.98m, and American Jasmine Moore has claimed her second bronze medal of the Paris Games.

Moore became the first U.S. woman to earn a triple jump medal when she claimed bronze a week ago in that event. Now, the 23-year-old will return home with two medals.

“I have been on the same runway for four days now, so I was very comfortable and felt good with the crowd," Moore said. "This has been a dream.

Two Olympic medals, two bronze medals. I am so thankful.

RESULTS

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem took home gold in the men’s javelin Olympic final, setting an Olympic record in the process. His top throw of 92.97m broke the record set in 2008 by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen and earned him his first Olympic medal.

Nadeem became the first Pakistani in history to qualify for the final of any Olympic track and field event, and now he’ll go home with a gold medal.

He edged defending Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra of India, who claimed silver. Grenada’s Anderson Peters secured bronze.

RESULTS: Heptathlon 100m hurdles | High jump | Shot put | 200m

After the first day of heptathlon competition, reigning world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Great Britain leads the field with 4,055 points. Belgium's Nafissatou "Nafi" Thiam, the two-time defending Olympic champion, is just behind her with 4007, and American Anna Hall sits in third with 3956.

Hall is competing in her first Olympics after breaking her foot at 2021 Olympic Trials. She now finds herself in medal position in Paris just seven months removed from a complex knee surgery.

Women's 1500m semifinals: Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegar and defending Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon each stormed to semifinal victories to sail into the women’s 1500m Olympic final on Saturday. Fellow medal contenders such as Great Britain’s Laura Muir and Australia's Jessica Hull also moved on.

American Elle St. Pierre posted a time of 3:59.74 to storm into the final, as well, where she’ll compete for her first Olympic medal.

“I went out a bit slower than I was expecting,” St. Pierre said moments after her semi. “But I knew the players in the game, so I tried to key off them. I just have to be ready to run as fast as I can [in the final].”

St. Pierre’s U.S. teammate Nikki Hiltz is also through to their first Olympic final. Hiltz finished third in the second semi in 3:56.17, just behind Tsegay and Hull. American Emily Mackay did not advance.

Men's 4x100m relay Round 1: The men's relay team faces intense pressure in Paris. The U.S. hasn't earned a medal in the men's 4x100m relay since 2004 after a dropped baton at the 2008 Beijing Games, disqualifications in 2012 and 2016 and failing to make the Olympic final at the Tokyo Olympics. On Thursday, the team of Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, Kyree King and Courtney Lindsey ensured a spot in the final with a commanding 37.47-second run in their heat. Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek are expected to replace King and Lindsey in the final (after they finish up the men's 200m), but the two young sprinters delivered big-time on Thursday — Lindsey's anchor leg was a phenomenal 8.88 seconds.

Jamaica, meanwhile, has stunningly failed to qualify for the final. The Jamaican group of Ackeem Blake, Jelani Walker, Jehlani Gordon and 100m silver medalist Kishane Thompson ran just 38.45 seconds and misses out on the final by .06.

The defending Olympic champion, Italy, is through to the final, along with the U.S., South Africa, Great Britain, Japan, China, France and Canada.

Women's 4x100m relay Round 1: The U.S. relay team of Gabby Thomas, Sha'Carri Richardson, Melissa Jefferson and Twanisha "TeeTee" Terry dominated their relay heat in 41.94 seconds. After a somewhat shaky exchange, Richardson took the anchor leg and erupted down the stretch past Germany's Rebekka Haase for the commanding victory. The U.S., which won gold at 2023 Worlds, will run in the Olympic final on Friday evening.

The Jamaican team, without any members of the legendary sprinting trio that has combined for 19 Olympic medals, posted a time of 42.35 seconds, finishing third in its heat. That was enough to qualify for the final, along with Great Britain, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.

Women's 100m hurdles repechages: South African Marione Fourie posted the day's top time in the repechage round to book a spot in the semis on Friday evening. She moved on with five others, including Ebony Morrison, who attended Auburn University and the University of Miami (FL) but competes for Liberia, her ancestral homeland.

Women's shot put qualification: The shock of the day came in the field as reigning world champion Chase Jackson failed to qualify for the Olympic final. Jackson only hit a distance of 17.60m and will thus bow out of the Paris Games. 2024 World Indoor champion Sarah Mitton of Canada, meanwhile, posted a top throw of 19.77m to lead all shot putters and coast into the Olympic final on Friday. She'll be joined by Americans Jaida Ross and Raven Saunders, who took home silver at the Tokyo Games.

Men's 800m repechages: American Brandon Miller posted the day's top repechage time to advance to the 800m semi on Friday, joining a group of six repechage qualifiers. Miller's success means that all three U.S. athletes, including Bryce Hoppel and Hobbs Kessler, will compete in the semi.