The USWNT is just one more step away from redemption at the 2024 Paris Olympics

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to TMW! Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of time.

Here’s your daily medal count as of 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

— United States: 86 (24 gold, 31 silver, 31 bronze)

— China: 60 (22 gold, 22 silver, 16 bronze)

— France: 48 (13 gold, 16 silver, 19 bronze)

— Great Britain: 46 (12 gold, 15 silver, 19 bronze)

— Australia: 36 (14 gold, 12 silver, 10 bronze)

Let’s jump in.

Bring home the gold

Let’s rewind a bit today, shall we? Just over a calendar year ago, the U.S. Women’s National Team lost their first game in the Women’s World Cup since 2011.

The U.S. faltered in a penalty shootout 5-4 against Sweden in the round of 16, which was the earliest loss in a major tournament in the team’s history.

It wasn’t even that the USWNT lost — it was really about how embarrassing the overall World Cup performance was. This was certainly not the squad we were used to seeing. The team ended the World Cup on a 238-minute scoring drought after being the betting favorite heading into the action.

It seemed the USWNT had lost its shimmer, which had withstood the test of time for a decade and changed at that point. The team wasn’t a well-oiled machine anymore. We saw it. The rest of the world did, too. In the time since, the USWNT has posted its lowest ranking ever in FIFA’s international rankings, at 5th.

Now, let’s fast-forward to today. After yet another win against Germany in the 2024 Paris Games semifinal, the USWNT has a chance to right all the wrongs of the last few years with an Olympic gold medal.

The team looks young and spry again. Mallory Swanson is healthy. Sophia Smith is cooking. Trinity Rodman seems to be at the top of her game. But the star of the whole tournament so far might be Naomi Girma, who is anchoring the USWNT’s impeccable backline that has only allowed two goals in five games through the Olympics so far.

You can tell this is determined to right all the wrongs of the last few years. It’s ready to get back to the mountaintop. No, this isn’t the World Cup, but it’s certainly the next best thing. These are the teams they’ll be competing against internationally come 2027.

There’s no better way to let the world know that the USWNT is back to business than winning a gold medal in Paris. It won’t be easy. Brazil is tough. That team just decimated Spain 4-2.

But the USWNT has ambitions of being the best team in the world again. This is what you’ve got to do to get there. Let’s see if they can pull it off.

The best view of the Games

Michelle Martinelli shares her view of Eiffel Tower Stadium from Tuesday, after she took a short trek to watch some beach volleyball. Not gonna lie — I’m jealous. What a view. 

PARIS — Bonjour, les gagnants! You’ve probably read the news, you’ve surely seen at least the photos, and I’m here to confirm it all for you: Eiffel Tower Stadium, where beach volleyball is being played, is truly the most iconic Olympic venue that ever was.

This is my first Olympics, and I’ve certainly not been to all the venues around Paris and France in general, so maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about. But hiking it over to beach volleyball Tuesday in the blistering heat was totally worth it. It has to be the best Olympic site of all time. Just gorgeous.

What a venue! What a view! Combine that with some awesome competition and the raucous, party-like atmosphere from the crowd having an absolute blast, and Eiffel Tower Stadium is unbeatable.

Of course, the Eiffel Tower is visible from many places around Paris, like the Trocadéro, where I was for the Opening Ceremony, which seems like a lifetime ago at this point. But nothing compares with the beach volleyball venue with the tower, adorned with the Olympic rings, hovering over the sandy competition.

Feeling extremely lucky that I had a few free minutes — before covering three-time Olympic champion USA women’s water polo — to stop by and see Sweden top Brazil in the men’s beach volleyball quarterfinal.

My view from the media tribune. I mean, come onnnn.

Gabby Thomas takes the 200

We’ve seen a lot of impressive victories so far in the Paris Games, but Gabby Thomas’ win in the 200-meter race will be the performance that sticks out for me.

By the end of this race, it was basically Thomas running by herself.

The replay of the women's 200m shows just how DOMINANT Gabby Thomas is! #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/gB5mQlQWG0

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 7, 2024

That’s Julien Alfred next to her, folks. She just won the 100-meter sprint. And here Gabby Thomas is, absolutely cooking her in the 200. Once she made that turn, the race was over. She didn’t lose a drop of momentum.

She became the first American woman to win the 200 since Allyson Felix won it back in 2012. Take that bow, Gabby. It’s very well deserved.

Quick hits: A classy word from KD … Training camp trades? … and more

— Kevin Durant shared a classy message for Lisa Leslie after breaking her Olympic scoring record. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more.

— Here’s Cory again with 10 NFL trade candidates as the Brandon Aiyuk rumors intensify by the day.

— Blake Schuster has the biggest fantasy football busts by year since 2010 here for you.

— These painted nails from Olympic athletes are so awesome. I love this. Charles Curtis has more.

— Charley Hull is upset she can’t smoke her cigs at the Olympics. Here’s Charles again with more.

— Meg Hall is explaining the “Give me my money” TikTok trend and, somehow, I’m still confused.

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for reading! We appreciate you. Have a fantastic day. Peace.

-Sykes