Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss the Dream Team’s close calls en route to another gold medal, and the U.S. women’s narrow victory, too. They break down the quick overhaul of the U.S. women’s soccer team, which won gold for the first time since 2012. Finally, they assess whether the visually beautiful and athletically compelling Paris Games restored the Olympics’ luster.

Read Joel Anderson’s work in Slate and listen to his Slow Burn podcasts, “Biggie and Tupac,” “The L.A. Riots,” and “Becoming Justice Thomas,” and to his Hang Up and Listen special edition, “The Last Last Dance.”

Read Slate’s coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The Dream Team survived scares against Serbia in the semifinals and France in the finals to claim its fifth-straight Olympic gold medal.

With Victor Wembanyama and a slew of other young NBA players, France promises to be even better in 2028. The American women eked out a one-point win over France for its eighth-straight gold in basketball.

Read Chantel Jennings’ story in the Athletic, “For Brittney Griner, a gold-medal Olympic run brings a gratitude for freedom.”

In Slate, Eric Betts wrote that the young and rebuilt U.S. women’s soccer team “looks ahead of schedule.”

The victory earned new U.S. manager manager Emma Hayes “credit in the bank, buy-in from players and public,” Jonathan Liew wrote in the Guardian.

Read Olympics wrap-ups by Henry Grabar in Slate, Barry Svrluga in the Washington Post, and Brendan Quinn in the Athletic.

Podcast production and edit by Kevin Bendis.

You can email us at hangup.com.