Sunday’s News

– Derrick White was one of four members of Team USA basketball (joining Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards and Joel Embiid) to make their Olympic debut in a 110-84 victory over Nikola Jokic’s Serbia squad.

White, a Parker native who starred at UCCS and Colorado, played 16 minutes off the bench. He scored two points with two steals, a block, assist and a rebound.

Jokic, who has won three of the past four NBA MVP awards for the Denver Nuggets, scored 20 points with eight assists, five rebounds and four steals.

Colorado’s Derrick White to play for USA Basketball in Paris Olympics

– Jess Thoennes of Highlands Ranch, along with Azja Czajkowski, placed third in her heat in pairs rowing to advance to the semifinal round. The team’s time of 7:25.52 was seventh among qualifiers.

– Littleton’s Rylan William Kissell placed 35th in the 10m Air Rifle men’s qualifying round, failing to advance.

– Emma Weber, a 20-year-old from Boulder, made her Olympic debut in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke. Weber placed eighth in her heat and did not advance. Weber’s swim cap came off during the race, with a lifeguard diving in to retrieve it following her heat.

Meet the athletes: Colorado connections in the 2024 Paris Olympics & Paralympics

Three to watch

Looking ahead to Monday’s Olympic action with a focus on those with Colorado connections.

1. The U.S. women’s volleyball team will open play vs. China. The team includes Haleigh Washington, a Doherty graduate from Colorado Springs, and Jordyn Poulter (Eaglecrest HS/Aurora).

While it will not be the Olympic debut for either, Washington told The Gazette last month that this experience will be vastly different than that of Tokyo in 2020, when COVID-19 precautions prompted the Games to held without fans.

2. Riley Amos and Christopher Blevins, both of Durango, will compete in the men’s cross country mountain bike race.

3. Monday will be the final day of preparation for Colorado Springs native Canyon Barry before the opening of 3-on-3 basketball pool play.

Paris Olympics Day 2: Simone Biles and LeBron James shine as Americans step up at the Games

Mark Kiszla: Grumpy Nikola Jokic getting tired trying to haul the deadweight of Nuggets and Serbia on his back