PARIS (AP) — It was a dramatic Friday night for the United States in track and field at the Paris Olympics, with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif winning the gold medal after facing criticism over misconceptions about her gender.

Sha’Carri Richardson won her first gold medal, while the U.S. men’s relay team missed out on another title shot.

Carl Lewis angrily criticized USA Track not long after they were disqualified for making a mistake on the first submission of the 4×100 relay on a rainy night at the Stade de France.

Lewis, who has led the United States to nine Olympic gold medals, has called for a change in leadership in America’s track and field program.

“It’s clear EVERYONE at USATF cares more about relationships than winning,” Lewis angrily wrote on social media. “No athlete should be able to get on the track and run another relay race until this program is completely changed.”

Team USA picked up two more wins with Richardson’s stunning run in the women’s 4×100 relay and Rai Benjamin’s victory in the 400 hurdles.

Richardson, who won the silver medal in the 100 meters, helped the USA complete the race in 41.78 seconds, outpacing the British and German athletes and securing a .07-second victory over Great Britain.

Gabby Thomas ran the third leg and won her second gold of the Games, this time with the 200-meter title. Twanisha Terry and 100-meter bronze medalist Melissa Jefferson rounded out the team. The exchange between Terry and Thomas, who nearly destroyed the Americans in the heats, was better this time.

“The moment I would describe it was when we realized that when we won as U.S. women, it was an extraordinary feeling for all of us,” Richardson said.

Key moments from the 14th day of the Paris Olympics:

Khelif wins gold medal after controversy

Khelif emerged as a champion after a turbulent period at the Games, during which she faced online abuse from around the world due to misconceptions about her femininity.

Khelif completed the best run of her boxing career with a 5-0 win over China’s Yang Liu in the women’s cruiserweight final, a victory that left fans at Roland Garros chanting her name, waving Algerian flags and applauding enthusiastically with every punch she threw.

After his unanimous victory, Khelif jumped into the arms of his trainers, who lifted him onto their shoulders and carried him around the arena in a victory lap, clenching his fists and grabbing an Algerian flag from someone in the crowd.

US women’s basketball team advances to gold medal game

Breanna Stewart had 16 points as the U.S. women beat Australia 85-64 to win their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

The Americans extended their Olympic winning streak to 60 games since the 1992 Barcelona Games. They will face France in the final on Sunday after the host nation beat Belgium in overtime.

The U.S. is trying to become the first team to win eight consecutive gold medals, closing the gap on the American men’s team, which won seven straight from 1936-68.

“This streak is crazy. I mean, when I’m on TV, they tell me it started before I was born, which is crazy,” Stewart said. “It really shows the guys who paved the way and created USA Basketball and what it is now. So much appreciation for that and knowing that when you represent this jersey and wear the USA jersey on your chest, the standard is high and there’s nothing higher than that.”

The team did not disappoint key viewers, including Sue Bird, Dawn Staley, Kevin Durant and Vanessa Bryant and their children.

Spain wins gold in men’s football, Germany wins bronze in women’s football

Sergio Camello scored two goals in extra time as Spain beat France 5-3 to win the gold medal in the Olympic Men’s Football Final.

The thrilling win at the Parc des Princes capped a golden summer for Spanish football following triumph at the European Championship last month.

Spain, which lost to Brazil in the Tokyo Olympic final three years ago, won its first European gold medal in men’s football since winning the tournament at the Barcelona Games in 1992.

In the women’s side, Ann-Katrin Berger saved a last-minute penalty as Germany beat reigning Women’s World Cup champions Spain 1-0 to win the bronze medal.

Berger dived to stop Alexia Putellas’ penalty attempt in the ninth minute of injury time and then raised her hands in triumph. Putellas was in tears as the match ended.

Germany won the match with a penalty goal from Giulia Gwinn in the second half.

It was Germany’s fourth bronze medal in women’s football at the Olympics. The Germans won gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games but failed to qualify for Tokyo three years ago.

Spain, which won the World Cup and became number 1 in the world rankings, was participating in the Olympics for the first time.

Long makes history with sixth gold medal for China

Ma Long became the Chinese athlete who won the most gold medals in Olympic history by helping his country win the men’s table tennis team final.

China defeated Sweden in the team competition to win its fifth consecutive Olympic title, while Ma became the most decorated Olympian in table tennis with his sixth gold medal.

Ma, 35, has won at least one gold medal at every Summer Games since London in 2012.

Nasar survives horrific crash to win gold, Reeves wins gold for US

Bulgarian Karlos Nasar won an Olympic gold medal in weightlifting and broke two world records a year ago after rupturing his left Achilles tendon when a hotel sink fell on him.

Nasar reached for shampoo while showering the night before an awards ceremony in May 2023 and pressed it down, causing the sink to fall off the wall and onto him. After undergoing surgery and missing six months, he returned to weightlifting in December, breaking the clean and jerk world record he set in that event.

Olivia Reeves won the United States’ first Olympic weightlifting gold medal in 24 years.

In the women’s 71-kilogram category, Reeves lifted 117 kilos in the snatch and 145 kilos in the clean and jerk for a total of 262 kilos, beating Colombia’s Mari Leivis Sanchez by five kilos.

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By Kristie Rieken AP Sports Writer

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games