In the blue-ribbon event on the first weekend of athletics, American Noah Lyles won the Olympic men's 100m title by five-thousandths of a second from Jamaica's Kishane Thompson in a dramatic photo finish at Paris 2024, whilst in tennis, Novak Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz in thrilling fashion to secure a long-awaited Olympic title and complete the career 'Golden Slam'.
Lyle, the eternal showman, overhauled his rivals in the second half of the race to triumph by the finest of margins in a personal best 9.79 seconds. That was the same time as Olympic debutant Thompson, who led for most of the race, but Lyles produced a spectacular finish to successfully begin his bid for a potential four golds at these Games.
The United States' former world champion Fred Kerley took bronze in 9.81, edging out South Africa's Akani Simbine for the podium. After a lengthy wait behind the start line to a backdrop of dramatic music in a frenzied atmosphere at Stade de France, all eight finalists finished within 0.12 seconds of Lyles in a remarkable race.
Such was the standard of the final, Italy's reigning champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs was run out of the medals and another Jamaican rising star, Oblique Seville, finished last in 9.91. In the end it was Lyles, an athlete who thrives on the sport's grandest stages and who won three golds at last year's World Championships, who sprinted away in celebration once the official result appeared on the big screen.
The 27-year-old repeatedly rang the victory bell by the side of the track after establishing himself at the pinnacle of the sport, before he targets further success in the 200m and relay events. Lyles has remained outspoken and unflinching in his belief that he has the on-track ability and off-track aura to replace Usain Bolt as the new superstar of men's athletics.
The American has talked the talk, but he continues to back it up when it matters most. Last year he became the first man since Bolt in 2015 to win a 100m and 200m world double, before completing a golden treble in the 4x100m relay.
Lyles claimed in the build-up to the Paris Games that he will look to add the 4x400m to that haul in the French capital, and he hinted at his form when running a 100m personal best at the London Diamond League last month. But repeating such success on these stages, under intense pressure - much of it self-imposed - is another thing entirely.
He has now become the first American to win an Olympic 100m title for 20 years, since Justin Gatlin in 2004, to assert himself as the dominant male sprinter of the current generation. A three-time reigning world 200m champion, he will now look to maintain his grip on the sport's major titles in that event, which starts today.
Should he do so, he will move a step closer to sporting immortality in his pursuit of a historic four golds at these Games. Djokovic, who has won a men's record 24 majors and swept up every title there is in tennis, finally clinched Olympic gold at his fifth Games.
The Serb, 37, put in his best performance of the year to beat French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) in front of a packed crowd in Paris. He sealed the title with a forehand winner, then turned towards his box - arms outstretched in disbelief - before throwing his racquet to the floor after a draining match which lasted just under three hours.
After hugging Spain's Alcaraz, Djokovic immediately burst into tears and fell to his knees in the middle of the court. He then unfurled a Serbian flag and clambered into the stands to celebrate with his family and support team.
Djokovic is just the fifth player to win the 'Golden Slam' in singles - all four majors and the Olympic title - after Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.
"Everything I felt in that moment when I won surpassed everything I thought or hoped that it would," said Djokovic.
"Being on that court with the Serbian flag raising, singing the Serbian anthem, with the gold around my neck, I think nothing can beat that in terms of professional sport. It definitely stands out as the biggest sporting achievement I have had."
Alcaraz, 21, was also in tears after the match, but will leave with a silver medal on his Olympic debut. Italy's Lorenzo Musetti is the singles bronze medallist, having beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada on Friday.
This moment will mean as much to Djokovic, if not more, than all the Grand Slams, Masters 1,000 titles and ATP tournaments he has won.
His family watched on from the stands, bearing Serbian flags, with daughter Tara carrying a sign that said, "Dad is the best".
Djokovic won singles bronze in Beijing in 2008, finished fourth at London 2012, suffered an emotional early loss in Rio in 2016 and lost the bronze-medal match in Tokyo three years ago. However, he did not drop a set in Paris and was focused from the outset, determined to get his hands on the one prize that had eluded him for so long.
Asked if he had 'completed' tennis, Djokovic said: "Yes it’s complete because I completed all the achievements with this gold medal, but no because I love this sport. I don’t play only to win the tournaments.
“I don’t know about the future, I really want to be in the present moment to celebrate. It was a long journey, many, many years of dreaming to be holding the gold medal. So now it’s about happiness, joy and celebration."
It was played in a superb spirit, with both players often left laughing at the quality of the other's shot-making.
The crowd was equally split between Spanish fans, decked in flags, and Serbia supporters carrying signs with "Nole" - Djokovic's nickname - written on. Elsewhere, Italy took gold in the women's doubles as Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani beat Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider - the Russian pair playing under a neutral banner.
They were beaten 2-6 6-1 10-7 by Wimbledon finalist Paolini and former doubles world number one Errani. Spain's Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes Tormo beat Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova 6-2 6-2 in the bronze-medal match.
