Arizona Athletes Shine in Paris: July 28 Olympic Highlights

Nine athletes with ties to Arizona competed on Day 2 of the Summer Olympics in Paris. Here’s how they fared.

PARIS, France — Day Two of the Summer Olympics in Paris saw nine Arizona athletes compete in their respective sports, resulting in one of them winning a gold medal.

Team USA ascended to the top of the medal count, becoming the first nation to garner more than 10 medals in the Paris Games.

Here’s a look at how Arizona’s Olympians fared on Sunday:

Jade Carey, Women’s Artistic Gymnastics

Mountain Ridge High School alumnus Jade Carey faced significant challenges. The defending gold medalist in the floor exercise will not be able to defend her title after a fall during qualification. Carey, who was battling an illness that left her unable to eat in the days prior, displayed remarkable resolve.

On a brighter note, Carey helped Team USA qualify for the team final and secured a spot in the individual vault final after finishing third in qualification. She will compete in the team final on July 30 and the women’s vault final on August 3.

Léon Marchand and Chase Kalisz, Men’s 400-meter Individual Medley

Léon Marchand, dubbed “The French Michael Phelps,” earned gold with an Olympic-record time of 4:02.95, making him the first Arizona State University athlete in 12 years to win gold. He finished nearly six seconds ahead of Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita, who clocked in at 4:08.62. Team USA’s Carson Foster took bronze with a time of 4:08.66.

Meanwhile, USA swimmer Chase Kalisz, who previously trained in Tempe, did not qualify for the final, finishing fifth in his heat.

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, Men’s Basketball

Despite missing all pre-Olympic games, Kevin Durant played in Team USA’s Olympic opener, leading the team with 23 points in their 110-84 victory over Serbia. Devin Booker, Durant’s Phoenix Suns teammate, also contributed, scoring 12 points and adding five assists. LeBron James and Jrue Holiday also had strong performances.

Team USA will return to the court on July 31 to face South Sudan, whom they narrowly defeated on July 20.

Paige Heyn, Women’s Street Skateboarding

Sixteen-year-old Tempe native Paige Heyn finished sixth in women’s street skateboarding, helping Team USA achieve their best finish in the event. Despite an impressive second run, Heyn missed her final trick, a switch frontside smith grind, in her last run. Hopes are high for her future in the sport.

Jordan Howard, Men’s Basketball

Perry High School alumnus Jordan Howard scored four points and grabbed six rebounds for Puerto Rico in their 90-79 loss to South Sudan. Puerto Rico will play Serbia on July 31.

Trinity San Antonio, Women’s Basketball

Grand Canyon University’s Trinity San Antonio led Puerto Rico in scoring with 11 points in their narrow 58-55 loss to Serbia. She also had four rebounds and two assists. Puerto Rico’s women will play Spain next on July 31.

Gabi Rennie, Women’s Soccer

Former Sun Devil Gabi Rennie played four minutes in New Zealand’s 2-1 loss to defending champions Canada. Despite the defeat, New Zealand remains in contention due to Canada’s penalty related to a drone spying scandal.

Arizona Sports Overview

Phoenix is home to several major sports teams: the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, NBA’s Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks. The city also hosts numerous major sporting events annually, including the Fiesta Bowl and WM Phoenix Open.