Saber-fencing world champion Olha Kharlan won Ukraine's first medal at the Paris Olympics on July 29, giving her country something to celebrate as it battles invading Russian forces.
Kharlan overcame a six-point deficit to beat South Korea's Choi Sebin 15-14 for the bronze medal one year after her refusal to shake hands with a Russian opponent nearly cost her a trip to the Olympics.
Kharlan was disqualified by the International Fencing Federation at the World Fencing Championships last year for violating fencing's rules when she refused to shake the hand of Anna Smirnova, a Russian competing as a neutral athlete, after defeating her. Kharlan instead offered a touch of her saber's blade.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach later reinstated her so that she could continue competing at the world championships and to ensure her a place in the Paris Olympics.
The incident angered Smirnova and highlighted the tension over whether to allow Russian athletes to compete in international events following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The IOC decided earlier this year to allow only individual Russian and Belarusian athletes competing as neutrals. There are 15 Russian athletes and 17 Belarusian athletes taking part.
After the IOC stepped in to guarantee Kharlan a "unique exception" and a spot at the 2024 Olympics, fencing's governing body made handshakes after a match optional.
On her way to the individual Olympic bronze in Paris, Kharlan defeated Shihomi Fukushima from Japan; Anna Bashta, a former Russian fencer who now competes for Azerbaijan; and Anna Marton of Hungary.
The five-time Olympian and four-time world champion in the event said her latest medal was nothing like the others she won at the previous Olympics, including a team gold in 2008 in Beijing.
"I brought a medal to my country, and it's the first one, and it's going to be a good start for all our athletes who are here because it's really tough to compete when in your country is at war," she said.
Asked whether she had thought her Olympic dream was over because of her refusal to shake hands with Smirnova, Kharlan said what she went through "represents my country, what it goes through, and I wouldn't change anything. This is my story."
In Olympic swimming, Romanian teenager David Popovici powered to the gold medal in the men's 200-meter freestyle, edging Britain's Matthew Richards by a fingertip. It was the 19-year-old Popovici's first Olympic medal after missing out in Tokyo, where he was fourth.
Also on July 29, the organizers of the Paris Olympics confirmed that the accreditation of four journalists with TASS had been revoked. Organizing Committee spokeswoman Anne Descamps said that "competent authorities" made the decision.
Three of the affected journalists covered the opening ceremony on July 26 and other events without incident, according to TASS.
The decision to withdraw accreditation lies with the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, according to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin's office, which gave no further details. Over 100 journalists and professionals, including Russians, have been denied visas for the Olympics over espionage concerns.