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Rio Olympics: USA takes medals lead over China, Phelps wins 23rd medal

By Alex Butler
Americans Michael Phelps (L) and Caeleb Dressel celebrate winning gold in the men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 7, 2016. Photo by Matt Healey/UPI
1 of 18 | Americans Michael Phelps (L) and Caeleb Dressel celebrate winning gold in the men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 7, 2016. Photo by Matt Healey/UPI | License Photo

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Simone Biles represented a new wave of United States dominance at the Olympics Sunday, when she took to the mats with the gymnastics squad.

The once dominant doubles duo of Serena and Venus Williams was eliminated Sunday, paving the way for Biles and company to show what it has in store during qualifying events. Biles and Aly Raisman qualified for the individual all-around completion. The American gymnasts almost swept the qualifying events. Biles qualified first in floor, beam, and vault.

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And Michael Phelps won his 23rd career Olympic medal.

In women's basketball, Team USA won its second game in Group B 121-56, for the largest margin of victory in its Olympic history.

"It was just a party," guard Diana Taurasi said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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The United States now has 11 total medals, with two gold, five silver, and four bronze medals in The Summer Games. China is in second place with eight medals, while Italy and Japan have seven medals in Rio de Janeiro.

RUNDOWN IN RIO

United States swimmer Dana Vollmer earned a bronze medal, placing third in the women's 100 meter butterfly event. Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom and Canada's Penny Oleksiak beat Vollmer. American Cody Miller won bronze in the men's 100 meter breaststroke. Adam Peaty, of Great Britain, and South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh claimed gold and silver medals, respectively. The United States earned two medals in the women's 400 meter freestyle event. Katie Ledecky won the gold medal, with a world-record time of 3:56.46. Ledecky's teammate Leah Smith earned the bronze medal in the event, while Great Britain's Jazz Carlin earned a silver medal. The United States men won the gold medal in the men's 4x100 meter freestyle relay by beating France and Australia. Michael Phelps added to his trophy case in the event after his team of Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held, and Nathan Adrian breezed by France with a time of 3:09.92. The United States edged the French by 0.61.

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South Korea claimed gold in the women's team archery event, with a win against Russia. Chinese Taipei placed third by beating Italy in the bronze medal match.

Phelps (L) and Dressel celebrate winning gold in the men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay. Photo by Matt Healey/UPI
American beach volleyball legend Kerri Walsh joined April Ross to defeat Australia's Nicole Laird and Mariafe Artacho del Solar in 36 minutes in a preliminary Pool C match. Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser won a men's preliminary Pool C match for the United States against Tunisia.
Peaty celebrates his world record breaking gold medal performance. Photo by Matthew Healey/UPI
The United States earned a silver medal in men's individual foil fencing after Alexander Massialas fell to Italy's Daniele Garozzo in the gold medal bout. Russia's Timur Safin won the bronze medal in that event.
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In the women's trap shooting finals, American Corey Cogdell won the bronze medal. Australia's Catherine Skinner claimed the gold medal and New Zealand's Natalie Rooney won the silver medal in the event.

Serena Williams dominated her first match in round one, beating Daria Gavrilova 6-4, 6-2 to advance. But Serena and Venus were taken out by the Czech Republic duo of Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova for its first doubles loss ever in Olympic competition.

"I'm always frustrated on the court if it's not perfect," Serena told TIME.

Repechages of men's and women's quadruple sculls rowing begin at 7:30 a.m. Monday. Live coverage of the golf tournament begins at 9 a.m. Tennis resumes at 9:45 a.m. The Team USA women's basketball squad faces Spain at 11 a.m. The men's team faces Venezuela at 6 p.m. Swimming kicks off at noon. The USA women's volleyball team faces the Netherlands at 2 p.m. The men's team gymnastics final begins at 3 p.m.

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