SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
And now it's time for sports.
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SIMON: Simone Biles, tres magnifique once more, Katie Ledecky, too, and track and field about to sprint ahead. Michele Steele of ESPN joins us now from the streets of Paris. Michele, thanks so much for being with us.
MICHELE STEELE: Howdy, Scott, great to be on with you from Paris, France.
SIMON: Oh, yeah. Well, great to hear your voice. And let's begin at the top with Simone Biles - won her third gold medal today and in the individual vault. One, two - they're all-around gold medals, one of the Team USA, another in individual competition. Twenty-seven. She keeps on getting better and putting on the greatest show on Earth, doesn't she?
STEELE: Yeah. And 27 years old by almost any definition is incredibly young for a gymnast. That's young for a gymnast. That's basically Tom Brady age levels. Twenty-seven is absolutely remarkable. It's a seventh gold medal for her, third at this Games alone. And you're right. She just medaled in the vault, where she landed a Yurchenko double pike, and her second vault was equally well executed. She is absolutely at the top of her game. And that's been so remarkable, just a journey she's been on, right, Scott?
SIMON: Yeah.
STEELE: She was very open about managing and prioritizing her mental health after she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics four years ago, and now look at the run that she's been on, and it's not over. Monday, Scott, she has balance beam finals and then the floor exercise. So she could have a couple more gold medals in those pockets.
SIMON: Also, everybody into the pool. Katie Ledecky became the most decorated American woman in Olympic history earlier this week. And today, she's going to try for another gold in the 800-meter freestyle final. Boy, what would a ninth gold medal mean?
STEELE: It would be absolutely historic, Scott. And she has a very good chance at leaving this city, leaving Paris, with the most gold medals by any American woman in any sport ever. And I was fortunate enough to watch Ledecky in the pool qualify for the 800-freestyle this week. And you don't really appreciate just how effortless she makes the all look until you see her essentially lap the field in person. She swims like there's a shark in the water. Well, I would swim like there's a shark in the water.
SIMON: (Laughter).
STEELE: But she swims like, she's the shark. And I mean that in a really complimentary way. She's just so smooth in the pool. And listen, she's a cold-blooded competitor.
SIMON: Ooh.
STEELE: She's out to win.
SIMON: All right. Of course, you're in Paris - and "La Marseillaise" and Leon Marchand. He's won four individual gold medals, setting Olympic records with every single one, has been called the next Michael Phelps, and, in fact, although French, he is coached by Michael Phelps' old coach, isn't he?
STEELE: Yeah. You're exactly right with that one. The front page of the newspaper here, I think, said it best. And I'm going to butcher the French, but it was basically Leon Marchand, (speaking French), which in English means, why is this guy so good? He has been lighting it up here in Paris, and Americans and French people can take a little bit of credit here for some of his success because he does swim and he does train for Arizona State in the United States. His coach is Michael Phelps' former coach, and his dad was an Olympic swimmer for France. And I just love being here when he swims because, Scott, you can literally hear the cheers in the streets of Paris whenever he's in the pool. It is so cool.
SIMON: That's got to be so exciting. Track and field begins to kind of take over center stage in the second week - obviously, lots of talented American athletes and from around the world. Who have you got your eye on, Michele?
STEELE: Yeah. For people who love track and field, and I would be raising my hand on that one, for sure, the real Olympics kind of begins this week because the focus is squarely on Stade de France, where all of the track and field events are held, and I will be there tonight. Sha'Carri Richardson is running in the 100-meter final. She is the overwhelming favorite. She was DQed four years ago, so this is a little bit of a redemption tour for her as well. Also, everyone's going to be watching Noah Lyles tomorrow in the 100-meter men's final. He qualified for that today. However, he came in second in the heats overall, so something that's worth watching. And another American, Ryan Crouser - he is a favorite - got to give love here to our field events for track and field. He's a favorite, Scott, in the shot put, and he's a UT Austin grad. So for all my Texas fans out there, hook 'em.
SIMON: Oh, oh, oh. I think I know what you mean. Hook 'em horns, right?
STEELE: Hook 'em horns. You got it. We're not in Paris, Texas, but we can give Texas a little bit of love.
SIMON: Michele, we're trying to be a little decorous on this broadcast, OK? As you know, I always try and keep things decorous. Michele Steele of ESPN, our friend at the Olympics in Paris, thanks so much for being with us.
STEELE: Au revoir. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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