Team USA’s medal count at the 2024 Paris Olympics rose to 20 Monday night after a string of successes — including those by men’s gymnasts, swimmers and more.
American athletes won several medals during the day. Here is a complete list:
–Men’s Street Skateboarding Finals
–Men’s Team Gymnastics Final – Bronze
-Women’s 400m medley final
- Katie Grimes – Silver
- Emma Weyant – Bronze
–Men’s 200m Freestyle Final
-Men’s 100m backstroke final
–Fencing – Men’s individual foil – Bronze
Among those who won medals Monday, two are from the Chicago area.
Ryan Murphy, from south suburban Palos Heights, won bronze in the 100-meter backstroke, but that wasn’t the only reason to celebrate. As the medal ceremony wrapped up, he watched his wife, Bridget Konttinen, hold up a sign to tell him their first child, due in January, will be a girl.
Team USA’s Jagger Eaton and Nyjah Huston earned podium spots behind Japan’s Yuto Horigome, and both skaters spoke about their performances afterward.
“We both thought it was going to be a boy,” he said. “And everyone we talked to thought it was going to be a boy.”
Murphy won three gold medals in Rio in 2016, as well as a gold, silver and bronze in Tokyo in 2021. He won his first medal in Paris after finishing third behind winner Thomas Ceccon of Italy and Xu Jiayu of China.
Meanwhile, the U.S. men’s gymnastics team surprised the world by winning its first medal since 2008, taking bronze in the all-around team final.
The U.S. team exceeded expectations thanks to incredible performances from each member of the relatively young team, including Chicago suburban native Paul Juda. The U.S. team of Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda, Asher Hong and Stephen Nedoroscik finished with a score of 257.793, just behind China and Japan, who were widely considered the heavy medal favorites in the event but both suffered serious crashes.
American gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik said he was happy to be the last gymnast competing with a medal on the line. Listen to him and his teammates after the United States won bronze in the team event.
Juda, a 23-year-old Deerfield native, nailed a critical vault routine for Team USA before executing a solid routine on bars and floor.
Despite a stellar performance by Judah on Saturday that gave him an unexpected new role as one of two U.S. medal contenders in the all-around, edging out U.S. star Brody Malone, the Americans had high hopes of overcoming a botched fifth-place finish in qualifying.
They will now head to the individual events with Judah and Richard set to compete in the individual all-around.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
NBC Chicago
