Here are five takeaways from Day Fourteen at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Cubano triple, ‘por favor’

Spain, Portugal and Italy claimed the podium on Friday in the men’s triple jump, but even as the national anthems for each country rang through loud and clear at the Stade Saint Denis, the feeling in the air was more… shall we say it? Chachacha!

Gold medal winner Jordan Díaz might have been jumping for Spain, but he was born in Cuba, as were Portuguese national Pablo Pichardo and now-Italian Andy Díaz. Nationalised athletes are far from a novelty at the Olympics, yet three of the same origin claiming medals in the same event? Quite the rarity.

Diaz won gold with a jump of 17.86m, leading the all-Cuban exile podium. Pichardo, the defending champion, took silver with 17.84m and Diaz leaped for 17.64m. Now, whether Mediterranean fans jumped higher than ‘aficionados’ back in the American island remains another case study all together.

Breaking wide open

Hello Ami!

Bye-bye breaking?

Quite the Olympic novelty act, the heavily promoted urban sport of breaking spun its way onto the Olympic stage on Friday for the first and possibly last time, with Japan's B-Girl Ami winning the inaugural women's gold in front of a packed audience at La Place de La Concorde that applauded her every move.

"I just focused on my style. I represented myself and showed the world what breaking is." said the 25-year-old Ami Yuasa, who bested 16 other dancers known as B-Girls going head-to-head in a series of battles.

What breaking was in its Paris debut session was fun. What it will be remains to be seen. While Lithuania's Dominika "Nicka" Banevic took silver and China's Liu "671" Qingyi claimed bronze, Parisian spectators seemed to enjoy the new sport, and even rapper Snoop Dog showed up in support. Alas, even the California native won’t be able to reverse the Los Angeles 2028 decision to drop the event from its Olympic programme. Brisbane 2032, perhaps?

Spain’s win, Spain’s loss

While Michel Platini’s quirky free-kick goal against Spanish keeper Miguel Arconada still resonates throughout France and Spain as it meant the 1984 Euro Cup title for the host country, the reference by local TV commentators did not ring through to the pitch on Friday, even as Arnau Tenas allowed an early goal to France in the men’s Olympic final with a similar gaffe.

Yet the party didn’t last long at the Parc des Princes stadium: Spain came back with a fury and scored three straight goals in a thriller while France tied the score late. In an eight-goal smorgasbord of quality football, Thierry Henry’s squad was able to force overtime but the Southern neighbours prevailed thanks to two scores by substitute Sergio Camello; the second aided by a sweet Tenas long-ball assist as the keeper claimed sweet revenge for himself, his teammates, the woman’s team who had lost the bronze medal to Germany earlier in the day… and Arconada, why not.

Double-trouble

The relationship between France and the US has always been a love-hate of sorts, leaning towards corny rom-com as many American imports have made their way into the European country’s pop culture, while France has exported arts and literature, fine cuisine and, most recently, quite a few good basketball players.

As the NBA betted on international expansion back in the 90’s, the sport grew and netted talent far beyond America’s borders.

Now, said talent threatens to bite back.

In the women’s tournament on Friday, the United States routed Australia 85-64 to reach the final, putting themselves one victory away from an unprecedented eighth straight gold after their 60th consecutive Olympics game win; but they still will to face France in the final on Sunday in a game that should be anything but a walk in the park as the hosts stunned Belgium 81-75 in overtime.

Coincidentally, the men will play France as well on Saturday as LeBron James and company dispatched Serbia on Thursday and the hosts edged Germany in a thriller. Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs’ NBA Rookie or the Year and French basketball darling, will have his first crack at a meaningful title and that alone should be cause for concern among the famed Team USA, winner of four straight Olympics.    

Long streak it is

The sport is popularly called ping-pong and doesn’t really evoke epic tales or make daily sports headlines but Ma Long made Chinese Olympic history with his sixth gold medal on Friday in the men's team competition in Paris.

Table tennis might not seem the most athletic event in the Olympic programme at first glance, but it requires quite a high level of stamina and reflexes, lightning-quick hand-eye coordination and loads of concentration that, in turn, yields back a bunch of funny photos while competitors keep their sights on the bouncing ball.

And if you have been watching closely for the past years, you will have seen Long’s streak come to a graceful end in Paris, where the 35-year-old played his part in a 3-0 victory over Sweden that put China on the verge of a clean sweep in the French capital,

Ma afterwards called it "the perfect ending" to his Olympic career, but stopped short of saying he was retiring. "You might still see me on the international table tennis stage in the future," he told reporters. "Of course this is my last Olympics," he added. "I am very proud and I feel very lucky."

Lucky us: still two more days of Olympic action to go. Bring on Day Fifteen!