‘Grandma Iaiá’ shatters record of oldest Olympic torchbearer (video)

By Nick ZaccardiJun 17, 2016, 7:32 AM EDT

Rio 2016

A woman known as Grandma Iaiá became who is believed to be the oldest torchbearer in Olympic history on Thursday.

The 106-year-old woman (proof here) took her turn in the Olympic torch relay in the northern Brazilian city of Macapá, receiving help in lighting a cauldron.

Mendes previously reportedly skydived at age 103 in August 2013.

In the Sochi Olympic torch relay, 101-year-old table tennis player Aleksander Kaptarenko became who was then believed to be the oldest Olympic torchbearer in history.

Kaptarenko, who trained for his relay leg by carrying a frozen salmon, died less than one year after his Olympic torch relay leg.

The oldest 2012 Olympic torch relay runner was Dinah Gould, who was 100.

MORE: Wheelchair basketball player’s fall in Olympic torch relay sparks controversy

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Aida Mendes, a Vovó Iaiá, tem 107 anos e seu 1º salto de paraquedas está no Guiness. Hj, acendeu a Pira em Macapá. pic.twitter.com/X2V3ssFBES

— Rio 2016 (@Rio2016) June 16, 2016

Experiente paraquedista aos 107, Vovó Iaiá chegou com a @ChamaOlimpica pra acender a pira do #TourDaTocha em Macapá! pic.twitter.com/O7wbyc3qiI

— Brasil 2016 (@Brasil2016) June 16, 2016

Momento emocionante!! Vovó Iaiá acende a pira de cerimônia no meio do mundo.
Valeu, Macapá!!! pic.twitter.com/J9HWNv2fsY

— Prefeitura de Macapá (@PMMacapa) June 16, 2016

Depois de conduzir a @ChamaOlimpica e acender a Pira Olímpica em Macapá , Alda Mendes, a Vovó Iaiá, falou da emoção. pic.twitter.com/tCnS9ijC9J

— Rio 2016 (@Rio2016) June 17, 2016

2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkJun 2, 2023, 5:56 PM EDT

At the French Open, Iga Swiatek of Poland eyes a third title at Roland Garros and a fourth Grand Slam singles crown overall.

The tournament airs live on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel through championship points in Paris.

Swiatek, the No. 1 seed from Poland, can join Serena Williams and Justine Henin as the lone women to win three or more French Opens since 2000.

Having turned 22 on Wednesday, she can become the youngest woman to win three French Opens since Monica Seles in 1992 and the youngest woman to win four Slams overall since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Men’s Draw

But Swiatek is not as dominant as in 2022, when she went 16-0 in the spring clay season during an overall 37-match win streak.

She retired from her last pre-French Open match with a right thigh injury and said it wasn’t serious. Before that, she lost the final of another clay-court tournament to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the No. 4 seed and Wimbledon champion, are the top challengers in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula, the highest-seeded American man or woman, was eliminated in the third round.

No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, is the best hope to become the first American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

2023 French Open men’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkJun 2, 2023, 5:56 PM EDT

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The French Open men’s singles draw is missing injured 14-time champion Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2004, leaving the Coupe des Mousquetaires ripe for the taking.

The tournament airs live on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel through championship points in Paris.

Novak Djokovic is not only bidding for a third crown at Roland Garros, but also to lift a 23rd Grand Slam singles trophy to break his tie with Nadal for the most in men’s history.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Women’s Draw

But the No. 1 seed is Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who won last year’s U.S. Open to become, at 19, the youngest man to win a major since Nadal’s first French Open title in 2005.

Now Alcaraz looks to become the second-youngest man to win at Roland Garros since 1989, after Nadal of course.

Alcaraz missed the Australian Open in January due to a right leg injury, but since went 30-3 with four titles. Notably, he has not faced Djokovic this year. They could meet in the semifinals.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, the No. 2 seed, was upset in the first round by 172nd-ranked Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild. It marked the first time a men’s top-two seed lost in the first round of any major since 2003 Wimbledon (Ivo Karlovic d. Lleyton Hewitt).

No. 9 Taylor Fritz and No. 12 Frances Tiafoe are the highest-seeded Americans, looking to become the first U.S. man to make the French Open quarterfinals since Andre Agassi in 2003. Since then, five different American men combined to make the fourth round on eight occasions.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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