Caeleb Dressel anchored the 4x100m free relay team who clinched Team USA's first Olympic gold medal in Paris. Photo Credit: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Complete Coverage of Gators at the Olympics on July 27
Saturday, July 27, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Men's Swimming & Diving, Olympics
41 Gators representing 21 nations earned one 2024 medal (1 gold) so far in 2024 Olympics competition.
More info on Gators in 2024 Olympics
PARIS, France – Caeleb Dressel won gold to open 2024 Paris Olympic swimming action after anchoring the winning U.S. 4x100 freestyle relay team. It is Dressel's eighth Olympic gold medal and raises the Gator program total to 71 golds.
He was among six Gators competing Saturday in 2024 Olympic action.
Men's Basketball: Canada 86 - Greece 79
One with Gator connections was guaranteed to open Olympic basketball play with a win Saturday. Both teams with a past UF player – Andrew Nembhard (Canada) and Nick Calathes (Greece) - met to start Group A play at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq located in northern France.
Canada held off a late push to take a 86-79 win. Greece trailed by eight entering the final quarter but closed the gap to just two points heading into the final minute of play. Canada's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ended the run with a layup and Canada outscored Greece 6-1 in the final minute.
Calathes was among the Greek starters, scoring three points and grabbing four rebounds in 23 minutes of play before fouling out with 3:24 remaining in the game. He shared the game-high for assists (7) with Gilgeous-Alexander. Nembhard subbed in to play 12 minutes, scoring two points.
Final Stats
Both teams are back in action Tuesday, July 30 to continue Group A play.
Men's Swimming:
Finals
Former Gator Caeleb Dressel and current Gator junior Josh Liendo represented Florida in the 4x100m freestyle relay final.
Anchoring for Team USA, Caeleb Dressel crashed into the wall in 47.53 to help bring America's first gold medal home with final time of 3:09.28.
Swimming a couple lanes over, Josh Liendo went 47.93 as the lead off for Team Canada who finished sixth overall.
Dressel is one of 15 in Olympic history with eight golds
Prelims
Alfonso Mestre and Kieran Smith got things started bright and early Saturday morning. The two former Gators placed sixth in the respective heats.
Swimming in heat four of five, Smith touched the wall in 3:46.47. The Tokyo bronze medalist finished 11th overall and fell short of the top-eight final spots. In heat three, Mestre's 3:48.20 time placed him 19th overall.
To cap off the first prelim session in Paris, Caeleb Dressel and Josh Liendo anchored their countries 4x100 free relay team.
Dressel and Team USA advanced to today's final session after finishing fourth overall. Dressel's 48.19 split helped USA place second in the final heat with a time of 3:12.61.
Liendo cruised to a 47.25 split for the fastest anchor of the morning. He and his fellow relay teammates recorded a 3:12.77 prelim time head into the finals session as the fifth seed.
Tennis:
Representing Team USA, Danielle Collins first round match against Laura Siegemund (Germany) has been postponed to Sunday due to weather. Time is TBD.
Look for other Gators in Sunday Olympic action in soccer, swimming and women's tennis.
More info on Gators in 2024 Olympics
PARIS, France – Caeleb Dressel won gold to open 2024 Paris Olympic swimming action after anchoring the winning U.S. 4x100 freestyle relay team. It is Dressel's eighth Olympic gold medal and raises the Gator program total to 71 golds.
FIRST OF MANY 🇺🇸🥇
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 27, 2024
The men's 4x100m freestyle relay secures Team USA's first gold medal of the #ParisOlympics!
📺: @NBCOlympics & @peacock
pic.twitter.com/w962AQE6ZO
He was among six Gators competing Saturday in 2024 Olympic action.
Men's Basketball: Canada 86 - Greece 79
One with Gator connections was guaranteed to open Olympic basketball play with a win Saturday. Both teams with a past UF player – Andrew Nembhard (Canada) and Nick Calathes (Greece) - met to start Group A play at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq located in northern France.
Canada held off a late push to take a 86-79 win. Greece trailed by eight entering the final quarter but closed the gap to just two points heading into the final minute of play. Canada's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ended the run with a layup and Canada outscored Greece 6-1 in the final minute.
Calathes was among the Greek starters, scoring three points and grabbing four rebounds in 23 minutes of play before fouling out with 3:24 remaining in the game. He shared the game-high for assists (7) with Gilgeous-Alexander. Nembhard subbed in to play 12 minutes, scoring two points.
Final Stats
Both teams are back in action Tuesday, July 30 to continue Group A play.
| Greece vs Spain | 5 a.m. ET | Peacock |
| Canada vs Australia | 7:30 a.m. ET | USA Network |
Men's Swimming:
Finals
Former Gator Caeleb Dressel and current Gator junior Josh Liendo represented Florida in the 4x100m freestyle relay final.
Anchoring for Team USA, Caeleb Dressel crashed into the wall in 47.53 to help bring America's first gold medal home with final time of 3:09.28.
Swimming a couple lanes over, Josh Liendo went 47.93 as the lead off for Team Canada who finished sixth overall.
Eight races.
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 28, 2024
Eight gold medals.
Caeleb Dressel remains PERFECT in his Olympic career. 😳 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/E9b03K6xF7
Dressel is one of 15 in Olympic history with eight golds
| Name | Sport | Olympics | Nation | Golds |
| Michael Phelps | Swimming | 2004-16 | U.S. | 23 |
| Larisa Latynina | Gymnastics | 1956-64 | Soviet Union | 9 |
| Paavo Nurmi | Track & Field | 1920-28 | Finland | 9 |
| Mark Spitz | Swimming | 1968-72 | U.S. | 9 |
| Carl Lewis | Track & Field | 1984-96 | U.S. | 9 |
| Caeleb Dressel | Swimming | 2016-present | U.S. | 8 |
| Marit Bjørgen | Cross Country Skiing | 2002-18 | Norway | 8 |
| Usain Bolt | Track & Field | 2008-16 | Jamaica | 8 |
| Ole Einar Bjørndalen | Biathlon | 1998-14 | Norway | 8 |
| Birgit Fischer | Canoeing | 1980-04 | Germany | 8 |
| Bjørn Daehlie | Cross Country Skiing | 1992-98 | Norway | 8 |
| Sawao Katō | Gymnastics | 1968-76 | Japan | 8 |
| Jenny Thompson | Swimming | 1992-04 | U.S. | 8 |
| Matt Biondi | Swimming | 1984-92 | U.S. | 8 |
| Ray Ewry | Track & Field | 1900-08 | U.S. | 8 |
Prelims
Alfonso Mestre and Kieran Smith got things started bright and early Saturday morning. The two former Gators placed sixth in the respective heats.
Swimming in heat four of five, Smith touched the wall in 3:46.47. The Tokyo bronze medalist finished 11th overall and fell short of the top-eight final spots. In heat three, Mestre's 3:48.20 time placed him 19th overall.
To cap off the first prelim session in Paris, Caeleb Dressel and Josh Liendo anchored their countries 4x100 free relay team.
Dressel and Team USA advanced to today's final session after finishing fourth overall. Dressel's 48.19 split helped USA place second in the final heat with a time of 3:12.61.
Liendo cruised to a 47.25 split for the fastest anchor of the morning. He and his fellow relay teammates recorded a 3:12.77 prelim time head into the finals session as the fifth seed.
Tennis:
Representing Team USA, Danielle Collins first round match against Laura Siegemund (Germany) has been postponed to Sunday due to weather. Time is TBD.
Look for other Gators in Sunday Olympic action in soccer, swimming and women's tennis.
Gators at The Games
Daily Schedule of Action for July 27, 2024| Gator | Sport | Country | Event | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Calathes | Basketball | Greece | Group A vs Canada | L, 86-79 | Started & played 23 min. Game high 7 assists |
| Andrew Nembhard | Basketball | Canada | Group A vs Greece | W, 86-79 | Played 12 min., scored 2 points |
| Kieran Smith | Swimming | USA | 400m free | 11th | 3:46.47 |
| Alfonso Mestre | Swimming | Venezuela | 400m free | 19th | 3:48.20 |
| Caeleb Dressel | Swimming | USA | 4x100m free relay prelims | 4th (Advance to finals) | 3:12.61 |
| Josh Liendo | Swimming | Canada | 4x100m free relay prelims | 5th (Advance to finals) | 3:12.77 |
| Caeleb Dressel | Swimming | USA | 4x100m free relay finals | GOLD | 3:09.28 |
| Josh Liendo | Swimming | Canada | 4x100m free relay finals | 6th | 3:12.18 |
Players Mentioned
/ Olympics
/ Olympics
/ Olympics
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
/ Olympics
/ Olympics
/ Olympics
Gator Olympians Homecoming Feature
Friday, November 18
Gator Olympians On-Field Recognition
Tuesday, November 15
Gators Olympics - Rio Olympics Recap
Thursday, August 25
Gators Olympics - Golf Hype Video
Tuesday, August 16
