Three family members gospel group The Nelons have been killed in a airplane crash in Wyoming on Friday afternoon that additionally claimed the lives of 4 others, together with the pilot.

Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband, Jason Clark, and their daughter Amber Nelon Kistler have been headed to the Gaither Homecoming Cruise to Alaska when the crash occurred, Gaither Administration Group stated in an announcement Saturday.

The Nationwide Transportation Security Board stated the crash occurred close to Recluse, Wyoming, a group within the northeast of the state.

Kelly and Jason’s different daughter, Autumn Nelon Streetman, who was additionally a member of the group, was not on the airplane. She launched a quick assertion thanking individuals for the “prayers which were prolonged already to me, my husband, Jamie, and our soon-to-be-born child boy, in addition to Jason’s mother and father, Dan and Linda Clark.”

“We respect your continued prayers, love and assist as we navigate the approaching days,” she stated.

The group’s final Instagram put up was on Friday after they documented a pit cease in Nebraska.

“Gaither Homecoming Alaskan cruise. We’re on our manner” Jason Clark stated earlier than panning the digital camera to point out the remainder of the group.

Additionally killed within the crash have been Amber’s husband, Nathan Kistler, Melodi Hodges, an assistant, pilot Larry Haynie and his spouse, Melissa.

It wasn’t instantly clear what led as much as the crash. Gaither Administration Group stated the Nationwide Transportation Security Board is investigating the incident.

A spokesperson for the NTSB stated preliminary data signifies {that a} Pilatus PC-12/47E, a single-engine turboprop, “impacted terrain following a reported autopilot difficulty throughout flight.”

The spokesperson stated the investigation remains to be within the early levels and never a lot data is obtainable right now. The company was sending a staff to the crash website. As soon as the staff features entry to the airplane, which is in a distant location, they are going to start inspecting the plane, the spokesperson stated.

Haynie was a Georgia Division of Corrections Board chairman. The corrections division stated Haynie and his spouse have been “devoted to at least one one other, to their grandchildren and household” and “have been additionally dedicated to — and staunch supporters of — the GDC household.”

Gov. Brian Kemp stated he was “really saddened” over the deaths.

“As chairman of the Georgia Division of Corrections Board and thru a profession of valued service in public security, Larry’s influence on our state won’t be forgotten,” he stated in an announcement on X. “We’ll proceed to carry his reminiscence and that enduring dedication to his fellow Georgians in our hearts and recollections.”

Kemp added: “Our complete household is asking everybody to hitch us in praying for many who have been misplaced, for his or her family members and communities, and for these all through the gospel music group who’ve misplaced expensive mates on this heartbreaking accident.”

The Nelons have recorded greater than 35 albums and amassed over 20 High 5 Southern Gospel radio singles for songs together with “Thanks,” “Come Morning,” “We Shall Put on a Gown and Crown” and “O for a Thousand Tongues,” in accordance with their web site.

In 2016, they have been inducted into the Gospel Music Corridor of Fame.

All through their profession, the four-person group obtained a Grammy nomination for greatest Southern gospel album in 1991 and obtained 35 nominations for the GMA Dove Awards. They most just lately gained a Dove Award for nation/bluegrass/roots recorded track of the 12 months in 2021 for “If God Pulled Again the Curtain.”

“The GMA and our complete music group is grieving over the tragic lack of Jason, Kelly and Amber in addition to the others concerned within the tragic airplane crash,” President Jackie Patillo stated in an announcement. “Our deepest condolences and prayers are with Autumn and the remainder of the Nelon household. They are going to be without end cherished and remembered within the GMA Corridor of Fame.”

The US received its first gold medal on the Paris Olympics after a robust displaying within the 4×100 meter freestyle relay on Saturday.

The staff — made up of Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong, and Caeleb Dressel — completed 1.07 seconds earlier than the silver medal staff, Australia. Italy received bronze.

Crew USA has received gold on this occasion in 10 of the final 13 Olympics. It’s also Dressel’s eighth Olympic gold.

Earlier Saturday, the U.S. received its first medal in Paris when Sarah Bacon, 27, and Kassidy Cook dinner, 29, received silver within the 3-meter synchronized springboard competitors. The American duo scored 314.64 factors, which put them firmly in second place behind Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen of China.

Katie Ledecky wins bronze in girls’s 400-meter freestyle

Katie Ledecky got here up brief to reclaim gold within the girls’s 400-meter freestyle on Saturday after Australian Ariarne Titmus defended her Olympic title.

Titmus, often known as “The Terminator” handed Ledecky a second straight defeat on the Paris La Défense Area within the occasion that the 27-year-old American received in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Along with her fingernails painted Aussie yellow, Titmus led from begin to end. She confronted her stiffest problem from Canadian phenom Summer season McIntosh however received comfortably in 3 minutes, 57.49 seconds.

McIntosh claimed the silver in 3:58.37. Ledecky was left of their wake and obtained the bronze in 4:00.86.

After Saturday’s race, the extremely embellished Ledecky stays at six particular person gold medals – nonetheless probably the most of any feminine swimmer in Olympic historical past. The third-place prize is her eleventh general Olympic medal.

Titmus now has three particular person Olympic victories on her rising resume. She swept the 200 and 400 free in Tokyo, beating Ledecky, and is favored to drag off the identical double in Paris.

Ledecky is not accomplished but. She skipped an opportunity to face Titmus once more within the 200 free, however the American is favored to take gold in each the 800 and 1,500 races.

U.S. wins silver in girls’s relay

Crew USA received the silver medal within the 4×100-meter swimming relay, dropping to Australia. China received bronze.

The U.S. relay staff, which included Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske and Simone Manuel, set a brand new American report within the occasion with a time of three:30.20. The time was slightly below 2 seconds shy of Australia’s 3:28.92, which is a brand new Olympic report and the nation’s fourth straight Olympic title within the occasion.

The Aussies, who maintain the world report within the occasion, additionally held the earlier Olympic report time of three:29.69 which they set in Tokyo.

To this point, the U.S. has received 5 medals: one gold, two silver and two bronze. American bicycle owner Chloe Dygert received bronze within the girls’s particular person time trial in street biking.

The UFC returns to England on Saturday for UFC 304. The cardboard is headlined by a pair of championship matches that includes among the most proficient males within the sport, together with welterweight champion Leon Edwards defending his title in opposition to Belal Muhammad in the primary occasion.

Edwards has risen to prominence at 170 kilos thanks largely to the pinnacle kick heard world wide. Edwards, who waited a prolonged time to lastly get his crack on the welterweight title in opposition to Kamaru Usman, was down huge on the scorecards within the closing spherical of their 2022 conflict. Then, Edwards landed a picture-perfect headkick that knocked Usman out chilly to assert the title. Edwards went on to win their rematch in 2023 by choice and carries a 13-fight unbeaten streak into the rematch with Muhammad. The 2 initially met in 2021 when an inadvertent eye poke by Edwards left Muhammad unable to proceed, resulting in a no contest. Now, Muhammad seems to be to get his revenge after profitable 5 in a row since that assembly.

The co-main occasion is one other rematch of a combat that ended prematurely. Tom Aspinall will defend his interim heavyweight championship in opposition to Curtis Blaydes. The primary assembly solely lasted 15 seconds, ending when Aspinall landed a leg kick however suffered a knee harm as he returned his foot to the ground.

The most important combat on the undercard sees one other British star again in motion when Paddy Pimblett takes on Bobby “King” Inexperienced at light-weight. Pimblett, the brash former champion for Cage Warriors, has had first rate success thus far in his early UFC profession. The lone blemish was nonetheless scored a unanimous choice win over Jared Gordon regardless of many believing he misplaced the bout. He will get a stern take a look at within the veteran Inexperienced, who has had a profession resurgence at age 37, profitable three of his final 4 appearances. 

With a lot taking place on Saturday night time, let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the total combat card with the newest odds earlier than we get to our workers predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities.

UFC 304 combat card, odds

• Leon Edwards (c) -260 vs. Belal Muhammad +210, welterweight title
• Tom Aspinall (ic) -370 vs. Curtis Blaydes +290, interim heavyweight title
• King Inexperienced -120 vs. Paddy Pimblett +100, lightweights
• Christian Leroy Duncan -150 vs. Gregory Rodrigues +125, middleweights
• Arnold Allen -250 vs. Giga Chikadze +20, featherweights
• Nathaniel Wooden -425 vs. Daniel Pineda +330, featherweights
• Molly McCann -360 vs. Bruna Brasil +280, girls’s strawweights
• Caolan Loughran vs. Jake Hadley, bantamweights
• Modestas Bukauskas -160 vs. Marcin Prachnio +135, gentle heavyweights
• Preston Parsons -140 vs. Oban Elliott +120, welterweights
• Muhammad Mokaev -140 vs. Manel Kape +120, flyweights
• Sam Patterson -350 vs. Kiefer Crosbie +275, welterweights
• Mick Parkin -280 vs. Lukasz Brzeski +230, heavyweights
• Shauna Bannon -180 vs. Alice Ardelean +155, girls’s strawweights

With such a large principal occasion on faucet, the crew at CBS Sports activities went forward with predictions and picks for the primary card. Listed below are your decide makers: Brent Brookhouse (Fight sports activities author), Brian Campbell (Fight sports activities author), Shakiel Mahjouri (author), Michael Mormile (producer) and Brandon Clever (senior editor).

UFC 304 picks, predictions

Edwards vs. Muhammad

Campbell: For no matter he lacks in identify recognition, Muhammad greater than makes up for in intangibles. He has supreme cardio, a greater grappling sport than Edwards and a deep effectively of confidence inside himself that has been painstakingly cultivated by way of years of being missed on the elite degree. Make no mistake, this might be an in depth combat that can very possible go the space. However so long as he can stop Muhammad from controlling him on the bottom — in the identical method he was profitable in opposition to Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington over his previous few fights — that is nonetheless Edwards’ combat to win. The benefit in pace, athleticism and explosiveness that Edwards holds over Muhammad needs to be sufficient regardless of the seeming inevitability that this combat finally ends up being shut and aggressive.  

Brookhouse: I believe this combat will neither be shut nor will it go the space. Edwards is solely the higher fighter, as he was after they met the primary time and the combat ended with a 19-8 Edwards benefit in vital strikes landed. Edwards’ confidence has solely grown and over 5 rounds, I believe he can put on Muhammad down and get the end regardless of not being the best finisher on the roster. Muhammad goes to be there to be hit too typically whereas making an attempt to drive the motion and finally he’ll run into one thing that hurts him.

Mahjouri: Edwards is well-prepared for Muhammad’s weapons. Muhammad and Kamaru Usman prioritize comparable paths to victory by wrestling to overwhelm and management their opponents. Usman is arguably the higher wrestler and has the additional advantage of placing energy. Edwards proved, significantly within the third Usman combat, that he is well-equipped to lockdown the takedown risk and is a far smoother operator on the toes. We received a brief pattern of Edwards vs. Muhammad in 2021. Edwards was main the dance earlier than a watch poke drew a no-contest. Each males have improved considerably, however I do not assume Muhammad has closed the hole. Muhammad might take a spherical or two however I believe Edwards will earn the judges’ nods. Edwards through unanimous choice.

Aspinall vs. Blaydes

Campbell: The one blemish on Aspinall’s eight-fight UFC journey was a 2022 loss to Blaydes, which occurred simply 15 seconds into the combat when the native of England badly injured his knee. Not solely did Aspinall return practically one 12 months to the day of the harm, he has seemed as explosive and dynamic as ever in back-to-back early finishes of Marcin Tybura and Sergei Pavlovich, with the latter giving him the UFC interim heavyweight title. Blaydes stays the elite litmus take a look at for any heavyweight seeking to enter the title image and all thrice he has appeared able to make his personal transfer to the highest, he noticed his title hopes detonated in typically brutal style through knockout. And despite the fact that Blaydes might have success taking Aspinall down and should not be taken evenly on this matchup, Aspinall has too some ways to complete the combat and stays motivated, no matter whether or not full champion Jon Jones retires with out combating him this fall, to show that he is one of the best heavyweight on the planet. Give me Aspinall by convincing knockout. 

Brookhouse: Aspinall is near being a kind of “should you might create a fighter in a lab” guys. He is huge, he is quick, he is highly effective, he has nice hand pace and he can grapple. Blaydes is an excellent heavyweight with energy and a great wrestling sport. However Aspinall is the overall package deal. Heavyweight could be risky and it might solely take Blaydes touchdown a kind of heavy fingers to throw the division into chaos however I do not see that occuring. Aspinall is just too good on paper to get caught sleeping in opposition to a man with a really simple gameplan of throw huge energy punches and shoot for takedowns.

Mahjouri: It is at all times difficult dubbing somebody the long run when their fights usually final seconds or minutes, however Aspinall is hard to disclaim. He looks like the total package deal: quick, highly effective and technical. UFC light-weight champion Frankie Edgar, famend for his boxing, instructed CBS Sports activities that Aspinall has the quickest fingers he is ever seen from a heavyweight. Aspinall can also be one of many division’s smartest fighters. Blaydes should rating a takedown however we have but to see anybody floor Aspinall. I even have doubts about Blaydes placing protection and talent to soak up Aspinall’s energy, significantly after his fast loss to Sergei Pavlovich final 12 months.

Inexperienced vs. Pimblett

Campbell: The 37-year-old Inexperienced is using a little bit of a resurgent streak with three wins in his final 4 fights and brings the mixture of harmful placing and cussed takedown protection to seek out himself as a slight betting favourite. All of that makes a ton of sense when one considers simply how inconsistent the 29-year-old Pimblett has been in 5 UFC fights. That is the defining combat in Pimblett’s early arc and one he should win as a way to have a shot at fulfilling the intense crossover potential he initially introduced with him into the Octagon. Sure, there stay a ton of flaws to Pimblett’s sport. However he does have a robust chin to cowl for errors and a pure capability to boost his sport to a different degree when the stakes enhance. Inexperienced, who has been stopped thrice within the final two years alone, typically leaves far too many openings given his reckless placing fashion, which incorporates stalking ahead together with his fingers right down to typically dare his opponent to make the primary transfer. That is the place Pimblett can rise to the event and file the kind of breakthrough end which his hype calls for.

Brookhouse: Inexperienced is a harmful opponent for Pimblett. He is additionally an opponent who was picked to face somebody the UFC sees as a possible golden goose in Pimblett. Everyone seems to be conscious of Pimblett’s weaknesses, together with UFC matchmakers who possible need to give him time and take a look at his improvement. That does not imply this combat is a gimmie for Pimblett, he might completely get crushed by Inexperienced. Nonetheless, Inexperienced’s flaws could also be extra of a problem than Pimblett’s on this combat. Pimblett is fast and he ought to be capable of benefit from Inexperienced’s wide-open nature. Pimblett might additionally rating some takedowns and dominate the combat on the bottom.

Mahjouri: I’ve by no means been extra intrigued by a Pimblett combat within the UFC. There are nonetheless doubts about Pimblett’s aggressive potential relative to his excessive profile however Inexperienced presents him with an acceptable entry into the UFC’s official light-weight High 15. It is Pimblett’s placing protection that offers me pause. Pimblett is a dynamic placing and jiu-jitsu risk however lacks the offensive wrestling to expedite his floor sport. If the combat comes right down to who lands a knockout or knockdown blow, I favor Inexperienced’s intentional hands-down fashion over Pimblett’s dangerous habits of protecting his chin up and fingers low. Inexperienced, 37, enters his fiftieth skilled combat in opposition to an opponent eight years his junior, however I believe Inexperienced has sufficient within the tank to make Pimblett pay.

Who wins UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2, and the way precisely does every combat finish? Go to SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC Battle Evening, all from the MMA knowledgeable who profited greater than $1,200 on UFC main-card picks, and discover out.

Belal Muhammad lastly bought his win over Leon Edwards, and he did so on Edwards’ house turf.

Muhammad shocked Edwards with an enormous unanimous determination win in the principle occasion at UFC 304 early on Sunday morning. Muhammad largely shut down Edwards all through all the combat in a gradual bout that left loads of followers in Co-Op Dwell in Manchester, England, strolling out of the sector early very upset. Muhammad landed practically 100 extra whole strikes than Edwards did and he survived a late flurry to seize the welterweight belt.

Muhammad did not waste any time in his problem. He took Edwards down a number of instances within the first spherical and clearly took the early benefit of their bout. Muhammad took him down once more nearly instantly within the second spherical, too, after which bought him once more with a large drop to Edwards’ head.

Edwards had his flashes all through the night time, together with with a fast takedown on the finish of the second spherical in what was his first true flash of something up till that time. He landed a number of large blows to Muhammad’s head within the ultimate 30 seconds of the fifth spherical, too, which despatched blood pouring out of Muhammad’s face and onto the mat.

That, nevertheless, got here too late. Muhammad held on in the long run and grabbed the unanimous determination win to steal the welterweight title away from Edwards.

Muhammad now holds a 24-3 file after the win on Sunday. He is received 10 straight relationship again to 2019, too, with the no-contest end with Edwards in the midst of that stretch. Edwards dropped to 22-4 with the loss, which was his first since Kamaru Usman bought him in 2015. Edwards entered the night time coming off a unanimous determination win over Colby Covington in December.

Tom Aspinall got here out sizzling within the co-main occasion and efficiently defended his interim heavyweight championship belt with a large first-round knockout win over Curtis Blaydes. Aspinall simply barely missed a right-handed head shot after drilling Blaydes along with his left, which despatched Blaydes stumbling again to the mat. Aspinall then pounced and delivered a fury of head pictures, which had the official calling the combat only one minute in.

The win avenged Aspinall’s loss to Blaydes from the final time they squared off in 2022. Blaydes beat Aspinall in that bout, although Aspinall went down with a leg damage simply 15 seconds into that combat. Aspinall now holds a 15-3 file. He is received three straight since his loss to Blaydes, and he entered the night time contemporary off a first-round win over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 final fall. Blaydes dropped to 18-5 in his profession, and he is now misplaced two of his final three fights.

Sustain with UFC 304 and the battle between Edwards and Muhammad tonight with Yahoo Sports activities:

UFC 304 major card (Dwell now on ESPN+ PPV)

UFC 304 prelims full outcomes

UFC 304 early prelims full outcomes

NANTERRE, France (AP) — Caeleb Dressel touched the wall and shouted in triumph. He threw his fists to the air and high-fived U.S. followers throughout a victory lap. Then, lastly, he discovered his household and gave his spouse and child boy celebratory hugs and kisses.

Dressel solely is aware of the highest of an Olympic podium in a adorned profession.

Because the veteran on a youthful U.S. males’s swim group, Dressel added one other relay victory to his lengthy listing Saturday evening, anchoring the profitable 4×100-meter freestyle foursome because the People beat out the rival Australians and scrutinized Chinese language.

“Relays are a bit of extra particular to be trustworthy,” Dressel stated. “So doing it with these guys has been superior. It takes me again to my first gold. It actually doesn’t get previous. Actually particular standing on the rostrum with these guys watching the flag go up. I’m extraordinarily pleased with them. It made my job straightforward.”

Sure, former Ohio State star Hunter Armstrong swam a sensational third leg — his cut up clocked in at 46.75 seconds — to arrange Dressel’s grand finale dash to the wall.

“I positively didn’t count on it,” Armstrong stated of seeing his time. “I simply went in, I’ll give my complete physique and soul up for these boys. I knew I needed to give Caeleb every thing I had, so I used to be glad I used to be capable of get my job achieved.”

An emotional Dressel screamed from the water after which once more out of it. He pumped each fists excessive within the air in delight earlier than even stepping as much as settle for the newest gold medal positioned round his neck. He held teammate Hunter Armstrong in a protracted embrace after Armstrong swam the quickest leg to provide Dressel some wiggle room coming residence, then Dressel raised his arm in rhythm to chants of “U-S-A!”

He now has eight golds and 5 of these in relay occasions — loads to have fun lower than a month earlier than his twenty eighth birthday Aug. 16.

The People took a lap round Paris La Protection Enviornment providing high-fives with followers and hugs.

And Dressel rapidly made his strategy to discover spouse Meghan and 5-month-old son August Wilder, lastly recognizing them and sprinting over for a hug and kiss earlier than taking the newborn in outsized headphones into his arms.

“It’s actually particular. Making the group in entrance of him after which profitable a gold in entrance of him, simply checking little containers that I by no means would have thought to create all through my profession,” Dressel stated. “In order that was a very particular one tonight.”

Dressel will nonetheless attempt to defend his golds from the Tokyo Olympics within the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle. He additionally received the 100 free and 4×100 medley relay three years in the past. Dressel captured golds within the two relays on the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Video games, too.

The rising, youthful American stars actually might perceive the magnitude of the second Saturday. In addition they received the primary U.S. gold of the Paris Video games.

Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano have been the opposite two on the group thrilled to be a part of Dressel’s wonderful evening after their 3-minute, 9.28-second end — shy of the world document they’d so dearly sought.

“Actually honored to be a part of this relay and watching Caeleb end that off for us and making Staff USA proud,” stated Alexy, the previous Ohio State star who swam the opening leg. “And beginning off evening one with a gold.”

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AP Summer time Olympics:

The Olympic Video games are underway from Paris!

For a full rundown of all of the occasions every day, we have now a full breakdown of every little thing airing, together with the place and the right way to watch. Each Olympic occasion might be streaming dwell on Peacock.

On the subject of the medal depend, the United States is the favourite to win essentially the most medals. China is unlikely to overhaul the U.S. within the general medal haul, however has an opportunity to win extra gold medals than the People.

So which nation is main in medals after the primary day of competitors? Here’s a have a look at the Olympic medal depend (and hold studying for some Group USA highlights from Day 1).

Final replace: July 27, 5:30 p.m.

The final Summer season Olympics through which america didn’t prime the gold medal desk was in 2008 in Beijing.

Nations all the time get a medal bump being the host nation, and France is anticipated to virtually triple the variety of gold medals it gained in Tokyo.

Group USA Highlights: Day 1

FIRST U.S. MEDAL

There have been a complete of 13 gold medal occasions on Sunday. There have been suppoed to be 14, however Males’s Avenue skateboarding was postponed to Monday due to the rain.

However what’s the easiest way to begin the primary day of Olympic competitors? Cook dinner’N Bacon.

Group USA’s Kassidy Cook dinner and Sarah Bacon, that’s. The pair, who’ve been associates since they have been 8 years previous, earned a silver medal within the girls’s synchronized 3m springboard remaining.

It was the primary medal of the 2024 Video games for Group USA.

China’s first gold medal of the video games was in taking pictures combined crew air rifle.

USA-AUSTRALIA CONTINUE RIVALRY IN THE POOL

People Jack Alexy, Hunter Armstrong, Caeleb Dressel and Chris Guiliano mixed to win the boys’s 4x100m freestyle relay for Group USA’s first gold within the Paris Olympics.

The People completed with a time of three:09.28 to seize their third straight Olympic title within the occasion.

Australia got here in second with a time of three:10.35 and Italy claimed bronze with a time of three:10.70.

Watch as Group USA wins silver within the 4x100m freestyle remaining, behind Australia and narrowly beating China.

Australia flipped the script n the ladies’s 4x100m freestyle relay, taking the gold medal over the U.S. and setting an Olympic report time of three:28.92 within the course of.

Group USA took silver, with an American report time of three:30.20, whereas China took bronze.

The 4 swimmers incomes medals for Group USA are Simone Manuel, Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske.

Watch as Group USA wins silver within the 4x100m freestyle remaining, behind Australia and narrowly beating China.

KATIE LEDECKY, GRETCHEN WALSH SHINE

In particular person finals, star U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky gained her 11^th Olympic medal on Saturday, profitable bronze within the 400m freestyle on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

She clocked a time of 4:00.86 to complete behind Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, who completed in 3:57.49 to win a second-straight gold medal within the 400m.

In the meantime, Connecticut’s Gretchen Walsh broke the Olympic report within the girls’s 100m butterfly semifinals with a time of 55.38 seconds. Walsh challenged her personal world report time of 55.18.

Fellow American Torri Huske posted the second-best semifinal time of 56.0.

The 100m butterfly remaining will happen on Sunday at 2:40 p.m. ET.

Group USA’s Gretchen Walsh units an Olympic report within the girls’s 100m butterfly.

Stephen Wade of the Related Press contributed to this report.

Olympic athletes in Paris dried themselves off after Friday evening’s soggy-but-celebratory opening ceremony and acquired to enterprise on Saturday.

China gained the primary gold medal Video games when Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao beat South Korea’s Keum Jihyeon and Park Hajun within the ultimate of the 10-meter air rifle combined staff occasion.

13 gold medals have been handed out, with many extra to return.

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AP Olympics:

PARIS (AP) — Celine Dion made a triumphant return Friday with a really public efficiency: closing out the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony from the Eiffel Tower.

Almost two years after revealing her stiff particular person syndrome prognosis, Dion belted Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” (“Hymn to Love”) because the finale of the roughly four-hour spectacle. Her look had been teased for weeks, however organizers and Dion’s representatives had refused to verify whether or not she was performing.

On a web page devoted to Dior’s contributions to the opening ceremony, the media information referred to “a world star, for a purely grandiose, fantastically scintillating finale.”

Dion had been absent from the stage since 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic compelled the postponement of her tour to 2022. That tour was finally suspended within the wake of her prognosis.

The uncommon neurological dysfunction causes inflexible muscular tissues and painful muscle spasms, which have been affecting Dion’s potential to stroll and sing. In June, on the premiere of the documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” she informed The Related Press that returning required remedy, “bodily, mentally, emotionally, vocally.”

“In order that’s why it takes some time. However completely why we’re doing this as a result of I’m already slightly bit again,” she mentioned then.

Even earlier than the documentary’s launch, Dion had taken steps towards a comeback. In February, she made one other shock look, on the Grammy Awards, the place she offered the ultimate award of the night time to a standing ovation.

For Friday’s efficiency, Dion’s pearl outfit was certainly designed by Dior. Talking on French tv, the Paris organizing committee’s director of design and costume for ceremonies, Daphné Bürki, recalled Dion’s enthusiasm for the chance.

“Once we known as Celine Dion one yr in the past she mentioned sure immediately,” Bürki mentioned.

Dion will not be truly French — the French Canadian is from Quebec — however she has a powerful connection to the nation and the Olympics. Dion’s first language is French, and she or he has dominated the charts in France and different French-speaking international locations. (She additionally received the 1988 Eurovision Tune Contest with a French-language music … representing Switzerland.) And early in her English-language profession — even earlier than “My Coronary heart Will Go On” from “Titanic” — she was tapped to carry out “The Energy of The Dream,” the theme music for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Dion’s music selection additionally evoked a sports activities connection: Piaf wrote it about her lover, boxer Marcel Cerdan. Cerdan died quickly after she wrote the music, in a airplane crash.

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Related Press reporters Sylvie Corbet, Jerome Pugmire and Samuel Petrequin contributed.

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For extra protection of the Paris Olympics, go to https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games.

Celine Dion delivered a stunning efficiency throughout the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony.

Beneath the Eiffel Tower’s Olympic rings, Dion confirmed she was in singing type after a career-threatening analysis as her vocals soared on Edith Piaf’s “Hymn to Love.”

As a pianist performed alongside her, Dion reached out to the assembled crowd, who applauded her stellar efficiency earlier than the monument started to glitter.

It was a formidable displaying for the 56-year-old, who canceled her world tour after revealing her stiff individual syndrome analysis. It is a uncommon neurological situation that causes inflexible muscular tissues and painful muscle spasms.

She returned to the Olympic forefront almost three a long time after she carried out ”The Energy of the Dream” throughout the opening ceremony on the 1996 Atlanta Video games.

Watch her efficiency within the video participant above.