PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: What you need to know right now

PARIS - The United States dominated the 4x400 metres women's relay qualifiers on Friday, the men's marathon swim went ahead in the Seine river, and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif prepared to fight for gold in the evening.

A total of 35 gold medals are on offer on Friday in athletics, boxing, cycling track, football, kayak and sailing, among other sports.

Here is what you need to know about the Olympics:

U.S. DOMINATES RELAY

The United States led the 4x400 metres women's relay qualifiers, while France also booked a place in the final thanks to Amandine Brossier sneaking past Belgium's Helena Ponette on the home straight.

The U.S have won every women's 4x400m relay since 1996 and look set to win their eighth straight title as the team brought it home in three minutes 21.44 seconds, more than three seconds ahead of Britain and the fastest time of the morning.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Wanyonyi looked in great shape as he won his semi-final from gun to tape to move into the Olympic 800 metres final, where he will hope to make it five in a row for Kenya.

KHELIF FIGHTS FOR GOLD

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who was thrust into the centre of a gender dispute early on at the Paris Games, fights for gold in the women's welterweight category. The bout is scheduled for 2051 GMT.

SOCCER FINAL

Thierry Henry's France side are aiming to win their first Olympic title for 40 years in the men's final while Spain will try to improve on their silver medal in Tokyo. The match is set to kick off at 1600 GMT at Paris' Parc des Princes.

MARATHON GOLD

Hungary's Kristof Rasovszky won the men's 10km marathon swimming gold, holding off Germany's silver medallist Oliver Klemet in a gruelling slog along the final length of the Seine river.

There was more medal joy for Hungary, with David Betlehem claiming bronze. Four swimmers failed to finish the race, while Sweden's Victor Johansson elected not to start citing health concerns about the water quality.

KAYAK DOUBLE

New Zealand won Olympic gold in the women's kayak double 500m at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium. Hungary came in second to secure the silver medal, with Germany originally declared third. After a lengthy review they were found to have tied with the second Hungarian crew, who also receive a bronze medal.

PISTOL SHOOTER COLLAPSES

South Korea's Olympic silver medal-winning pistol shooter Kim Ye-ji, whose cool demeanour and appearance when competing at the Paris Games made her a social media sensation, collapsed at a news conference, apparently due to stress and exhaustion.

Kim was speaking at an event in South Korea.

PUBLIC HOLIDAY

The president of Botswana declared Friday afternoon a half-day public holiday to celebrate Letsile Tebogo claiming the country's first Olympic gold medal by winning the 200 metres on Thursday.

Tebogo powered clear of Americans Kenny Bednarek and COVID-hit Noah Lyles. Lyles said the virus "definitely" affected his performance, and that he had been coughing through the night ahead of the race.

ARRESTS

Grammy-nominated hip hop star Travis Scott was arrested on Friday at Paris' luxury Georges V hotel for unspecified violence against a security guard, the Paris prosecutor's office said. Reuters could not immediately reach Scott's representatives for comment.

Separately, French police arrested an Egyptian Olympic wrestler on suspicion of sexual assault in the early hours of Friday outside a cafe in the capital, the Paris prosecutor's office said. An Egyptian delegation source said officials were meeting to discuss the allegation. REUTERS