Days before the Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony, men’s rugby sevens and soccer players began pool games on July 24 and July 25. Also, Olympians with connections to the Church celebrated in the open ceremony on July 26.
Here are updates on those competitions, plus those in pistol shooting.
Rugby sevens
Team USA, including 32-year-old Make Unufe of Provo, Utah, was eighth overall. In pool C matches, the team tied France 12-12 on Wednesday, July 24. The next day, it lost 38-12 to Fiji and won against Uruguay 33-17. The team made it to the quarterfinals and lost 18-0 to Australia on Saturday, July 27, then moved to the 5-8 place bracket. On Saturday, July 27, the U.S. lost to Ireland (17-14) and then Argentina (19-0).
France went on to win gold and Fiji the silver. In the bronze-medal match, South Africa beat Australia.
Unufe, a wing, played in just about every match, substituting in during the second half. Unufe, who played football at Provo High School, was on Team USA during the 2016 Rio Games.
Also, on the rugby pitch, pool games began for the women’s teams. Team USA, including 32-year-old Stephanie “Steph” Rovetti, is in pool C with France, Brazil and Japan.
On Sunday, July 28, the U.S. faced Japan, winning 36-7 and Brazil, with a 24-5 win. Against Japan, Rovetti was substituted in the second half. She started in the game against Brazil.
This is the first Olympics for Rovetti, who is from Reno, Nevada, and played basketball for Brigham Young University.
Pool C games continue Monday, July 29, with USA playing France. The top teams from each of the three pools will move to the quarterfinals on Tuesday, July 30.
Football (soccer)
Team USA, including Taylor Booth, of Eden, Utah, is in group A with New Zealand, France and Guinea.
The U.S. lost to France 3-0 on Wednesday, July 24, and won 4-1 against New Zealand on Saturday, July 27. It will play Guinea on Tuesday, July 30.
Booth, a forward, played in the second half of both games. He has been playing soccer in the Netherlands, and Paris is his first Olympics.
Shooting
USA’s Alexis “Lexi” Lagan, 31, was 25th overall in the 10-meter air pistol qualification event. The top eight move to the finals.
“I feel good about my competition. I’m disappointed about not making the final, of course. … I’m proud of today,” Lagan wrote on social media. She is from Boulder City, Nevada, attended the University of Utah and is now at Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Lagan also competed in the Tokyo Olympics, which were in 2021. She wrote that she’s improved since then and is grateful for all those who have supported her.
Opening ceremonies
The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony included the parade of nations via boats on the River Seine, ending at the Eiffel Tower with a dazzling light show and performances.
Clayton Young, who will be representing USA in the marathon next week, shared several videos from the opening ceremonies, including this one from the Effie Tower.
“Honestly an all-around amazing experience!” Young wrote.
Rovetti also shared a video of getting ready for the opening ceremony, calling it “A little Pre Opening Ceremony Opening Ceremony.”
USA 3-on-3 basketball’s Jimmer Fredette shared “selfies on the Seine with a few friends” on Instagram.
Steeplechaser Kenneth Rooks shared a selfie Fredette took with Rooks, Young, marathoner Conner Mantz and steeplechaser James Corrigan.
“The guys hanging out with another famous Cougar at the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games,” Rooks wrote.
Rooks, Young and Mantz all competed for BYU, and Corrigan is currently a BYU student.
Corrigan posted several videos from the ceremonies, including when he led “go USA” chants from their boat ride down the Seine River on national TV.
While the shooting competitions were in Chateauroux, France, about 270 kilometers (168 miles) away, which is about two hours and 15 minutes by train from Paris, Lagan shared photos in her Instagram stories of watching the ceremony.
Upcoming competitions
The women’s rugby sevens pool matches continue Monday, July 29, as USA faces France. The tournament for medals is on Tuesday, July 30.
USA men’s soccer pool games continue on Tuesday, July 30, as USA plays Guinea.
The pool games in 3-on-3 basketball begin on Tuesday, July 30, as Fredette makes his Olympic debut against Serbia.
