Colombia’s Gabriela Bolle Carrillo competes in the women’s semifinals of the Bicycle BMX Race at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on August 2, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chinese duo Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong won first place in the badminton mixed doubles, while 22-year-old French swimmer Leon Marchand won his fourth gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

China triumphed in the men’s synchronised 3m springboard to top the medal table with 13 golds. Hosts France were second with 11 golds, winning more titles than they did at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

Paris 2024 badminton’s first gold medal came after Zheng and Huang won the mixed doubles match against South Korea’s Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun 21-8, 21-11 at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena.

The romantic scene unfolded after the final – Huang was proposed to by her teammate and boyfriend Liu Yuchen and embraced another joyful moment in her life on Friday. “Receiving the gold medal is a recognition of our journey. The engagement ring surprised me and we didn’t think about how to celebrate,” said Huang, 30.

Chinese divers continued their gold rush as Wang Zongyuan and Long Daoyi held off a strong challenge from Mexico’s Juan Manuel Celaya Hernandez and Osmar Olvera Ibarra to win the men’s synchronized 3m springboard title, marking the fourth gold for the Chinese diving “Dream Team” in Paris.

Despite two poor dives, the Chinese duo quickly recovered and completed the final and most difficult jump to win with a total score of 446.1 points over six rounds, 2.07 ahead of the Mexican runner-up.

“This is the toughest competition for us so far. I knew we were behind the Mexican divers after the fourth round,” said reigning Olympic champion Wang. “I just told my wife to stop looking at the scoreboard. There was nothing to be afraid of.”

In the swimming pool, local hero Marchand won his fourth gold medal in the men’s 200m individual medley, setting a new Olympic record of one minute 54.06 seconds, more than a second ahead of Britain’s silver medallist Duncan Scott. Chinese champion Wang Shun won bronze, almost two seconds off the pace.

Marchand became the first Frenchman to win four medals at a single summer or winter Olympic Games, and also won the 200 m butterfly, 200 m breaststroke and 400 m individual medley. He became the fourth swimmer in history to achieve this feat, joining Michael Phelps (2004, 2008), Mark Spitz (1972) and Kristin Otto (1988).

“I won four (gold) medals in five days, I don’t know what to say,” Marchand said. “I was really tired after the semifinals on Thursday night, but it was a great race. I’m so happy. You never forget a moment like that. It was incredible, it was magical.”

The other two swimming gold medals of the day were won by Australian swimmers, with world record holder Kaylee McKeown securing her fifth Olympic gold medal by winning the women’s 200m backstroke title, while compatriot Cameron McEvoy won the men’s 50m freestyle final.

At Roland Garros, China’s Wang Xinyu and Zhang Zhizhen made history by comfortably advancing to the tennis mixed doubles final, but they failed to top the podium after losing to Czech pair Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac in straight sets, 6-2, 5-7, 10-8.

Chinese favourite Zheng Qinwen will compete for the women’s singles gold medal on Saturday, facing 13th seed Donna Vekic of Croatia.

On the second day of athletics competition, the U.S. 4×400-meter medley relay team of Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Kaylyn Brown completed the heat in 3 minutes, 7.41 seconds, more than a second faster than the previous world record.

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei won the gold medal in the men’s 10,000-meter final, beating his rivals from the USA, Ethiopia and Kenya.

“I was disappointed when I won the silver medal in Tokyo. I just wanted to win the 10,000m. This is the most special day for me,” said the 27-year-old, encouraging young people in Uganda to follow their own dreams. “You can achieve this.”

Five gold medals, including the women’s 100m title, will be awarded in athletics at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Australian Saya Sakakibara competes in the women’s semifinals of the Bicycle BMX Race at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on Aug. 2, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

Canadian bronze medalists Gabriela Dabrowski/Felix Auger-Aliassime attend the victory ceremony in the mixed doubles event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on Aug. 2, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

Czech Republic gold medalists Katerina Siniakova/Tomas Machac attend the victory ceremony in the mixed doubles category at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on August 2, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chinese silver medalist Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen attends the victory ceremony in the mixed doubles event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on Aug. 2, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

China’s Wang Xinyu (right)/China’s Zhang Zhizhen reacts during the mixed doubles tennis gold medal match between China’s Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen and Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova/Tomas Machac at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in Paris, France, on August 2, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

China’s Deng Zewen (left) passes the ball during the women’s water polo qualifying round Group A match between China and Hungary at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis, France, on Aug. 2, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

Chinese silver medalist Wang Xinyu/Zhang Zhizhen attends the victory ceremony in the mixed doubles event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, on Aug. 2, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)