The China Mail - Ethiopia's Tola wins Olympic marathon as China sweeps diving golds

New Zealand's Lydia Ko upgraded to a gold in the women's golf while Victor Wembanyama's France prepared to take on the mighty USA in a dream basketball final.

Tola dominated the marathon on the sun-drenched streets from central Paris to Versailles as Eliud Kipchoge's bid for a third straight gold went up in smoke.

The 22-year-old delivered a masterclass in solo front running to clock a time of 2hr 06min 26sec, 21 seconds clear of Belgium's Bashir Abdi, the bronze medallist from Tokyo, with Kenya's Benson Kipruto taking bronze.

"I'm happy today. I was 2022 world champion and now I'm Olympic champion," said Tola.

"It's the greatest day in my life. This was my goal."

Former world record holder Kipchoge, the 39-year-old Kenyan who won golds in the 2016 Rio Games and in Tokyo in 2021, pulled up late in the race.

In scenes captured by an AFP reporter in the crowd, Kipchoge turned to fans and handed over his shoes, bib and socks to supporters, receiving a rapturous reception.

Later Saturday, China underlined their total domination of Olympic diving by winning their eighth gold out of eight events, as Cao Yuan triumphed in the men's 10m platform.

The Chinese also swept the board in the table tennis for the sixth time in Olympic history, with China's women overpowering Japan in the team event.

- France target mighty USA -

The star-studded US basketball team, led by LeBron James and Stephen Curry, were made to sweat by Serbia in Thursday's semi-final before an exhilarating fourth-quarter comeback, with Curry scoring 36 points.

The four-time defending champions will be favourites to beat France in a repeat of the gold medal match at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

But James, going for his third Olympic gold, knows it is unlikely to get any easier against the host nation, who can boast NBA Rookie of the Year Wembanyama.

"Super competitive. Obviously, this is Wemby's (Wembanyama's) first Olympics, but that team has been playing together for quite a while," he said.

"They've been feeding off the crowd, so we look forward to that match-up."

At Le Golf National, New Zealander Ko completed the set of Olympic golf medals during a tense final round, with Germany's Esther Henseleit finishing two shots behind.

The former world number one won silver at the 2016 Rio Games and bronze in Tokyo.

- US track domination -

The Stade de France will play host to a packed programme of athletics on the penultimate day of sporting action in Paris, with the United States seeking to extend their dominance.

The pressure is on world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who goes in the 5,000m after a disastrous miscalculation in the 1,500m final cost him not only his title but also a medal.

France have a chance of winning their first medal of the athletics competition when Gabriel Tual goes in the men's 800 metres, facing the world's fastest man this year, Djamel Sedjati of Algeria.

Sedjati, Tual, and 20-year-old Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi have been rewriting the list of the fastest-ever times in the two-lap event.

If conditions are good, David Rudisha's world record of 1min 40.91sec that he set in the 2012 London Olympics final could be at risk.

The high jump pits Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim against Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi after the two shared gold in one of the most memorable moments of the Tokyo Games.

As the football wraps up, Emma Hayes' US women take on Brazil in the women's football final at the Parc des Princes.

The team are resurgent under new coach Hayes, the English coach who won a stack of trophies during her time as Chelsea boss.

The Brazilians will be attempting to make it third time lucky after losing to the same opponents in the Athens final in 2004 and in Beijing in 2008.

Brazil great Marta, 38, appearing at her sixth and likely last Olympics, is hoping to sign off with gold to go with her two silver medals.

R.Lin--ThChM