PARIS (AP) — The Paris Olympics at the halfway mark have brought the world “The Pommel Horse Guy,” a rugby star and social media sensation who wants to be on the reality show “Love Island” and “The Real John Wick” in the form of a 51-year-old Turkish shooter. These Olympics have been full of memorable moments since the dazzling opening ceremony: a gender controversy in boxing, the Seine River was too dirty for the triathlon swim to go on as scheduled and Leon Marchand led France with four golds in four swimming events. And of course, Simone Biles has dazzled while winning two gold medals with more still up for her taking.
France’s Manon Apithy Brunet, left, competes with Japan’s Seri Ozaki in the women’s team sabre bronze final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
NANTERRE, FRANCE – AUGUST 03: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was captured using an underwater robotic camera.) Katie Ledecky of Team United States competes in the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay Final on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on August 03, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal at the medal ceremony during the women’s artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Silver medallist of the men’s cycling BMX racing France’s Sylvain Andre celebrates with supporters at the “Club France” in the Nations Park in Paris on August 3, 2024, during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (Photo by Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP) (Photo by VALENTINE CHAPUIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Italy’s Sara Curtis competes splashes before a women’s 50-meter freestyle semifinal at the Summer Olympics in Nanterre, France, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Joshua Cheptegei, of Uganda, poses for photos after winning the gold medal and setting a new Olympic record in the men’s 10,000 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Australia’s Charlie Senior flips while celebrating after defeating Philippines’ Carlo Paalam in their men’s 57kg quarterfinal boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Tharushi Karunarathna, of Sri Lanka, finishes a heat in the women’s 800-meter repechage round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
China’s He Bingjiao plays against her compatriot Chen Yufei during their women’s singles badminton quarterfinal match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (Hamad I Mohammed/Pool Photo via AP)
The pack of riders passes by the Louvre museum, during a men’s road cycling event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Simone Biles, of the United States, performs on the vault during the women’s artistic gymnastics individual vault finals in Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates during the women’s artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Simone Biles, of the United States, competes during the women’s artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Trinity Rodman of the United States, top, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the quarterfinal women’s soccer match between the United States and Japan at the Parc des Princes at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalokov celebrates with a backflip after defeating Spain’s Jose Quiles in their men’s 57kg quarterfinal boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Latvia’s Anastasija Samoilova dives for the ball during the women’s pool D beach volleyball match between Canada and Latvia at Eiffel Tower Stadium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Casey Eichfeld of the United States competes in the men’s kayak cross repechage race against Adam Burgess of Britain and Liam Jegou of Ireland at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Serbia’s Nemanja Ubovic celebrates after scoring a goal during a men’s water polo Group B preliminary match between Serbia and France, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Julien Alfred, of Saint Lucia, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women’s 100 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
China’s Chen Meng plays against China’s Sun Yingsha during the women’s singles gold medal table tennis match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger saves a penalty shoot-out during a women’s quarterfinal soccer match between Canada and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, at Marseille Stadium in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Markus Rooth, of Norway, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the decathlon at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Eugene Omaha, Femke Bol, Lieke Klaver, and Isaya Klein Ikkink, of the Netherlands, celebrate after winning the gold medal in the 4 x 400 meters relay mixed final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Cyclists ride past the Sacre Coeur basilica, during the men’s road cycling event, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
South Sudan’s Wenyen Gabriel, top, dunks as Serbia’s Nikola Jokic, left, Serbia’s Nikola Jovic, center, and Serbia’s Vasilije Micic defend during a men’s basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
(L-R) US’ Gretchen Walsh, US’ Nic Fink and US’ Ryan Murphy celebrate after winning the final of the mixed 4x100m medley relay final swimming event during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, on August 3, 2024. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP) (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 03: General view of the action during the Women’s lucky loser round match between Team Czechia and Canada on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Eiffel Tower stadium on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 03: Julien Alfred of Team Saint Lucia leads Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson of Team USA on her way to winning the Women’s 100m Final on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
