For her, victory here will be a bonus. Nightly news begins right now. Announcer this is nbc news nightly news with lester holt, reporting tonight from the summer Olympic Games in rio. Welcome to copacabana beach, the lights of the Beach Volleyball stadium blazing right behind me where the u. S. Women compete later this evening. Coming ceremony celebrating the athletes in brazil, team usa was off to a great star as the rookie from virginia took the first gold medal of the Olympic Games. But here in the pool are where some of americas look to shine. Lets go about an hour from here to baja where we find nbcs Miguel Almaguer with the latest evening. Olympic park is open today. Thousands are still pouring in to the venue. There are gold medal events later on tonts. It is a nightcap to an incredible day. Today against this stunning backdr backdrop, the games began. The americans on the road. In the water. Shooting for gold. It didnt take long to reach the podium. 19yearold newcomer thra thrasher, air rifle. The best in the world. Im so overwhelmed. I cant express any emotions. Reporter the mens archery team also on target. Silver for team usa. With half a million visitors in rio for the day were so pumped. It is so great here. Reporter this International Destination is brimming with national pride. This morning, a sea of yellow and green. The Opening Ceremony a tribute to brazils rain forest, the portuguese ships, the slave trade arriving in this country, a cauldron lit by a national treasure. And then an explosion of color for a country that never lost faith. Im so proud. I had goosebumps. I cried. United states of America Michael phelps led the red, white and blue. For team refugees, for their appearance at the olympics. Embodying the spirit of the games. The syrian refugee who swam for her life swam today in the 100meter fly. She won her heat but didnt advance. Still, she spoke with a heart of gold. It was an amazing feeling to be here and to compote here and see all the champions here. Yeah. It was special. Reporter but shell be back free now as the sun sets on this first full day of competition, the american stars are shining tonight. The defending womens soccer champs taking the field. For Kerri Walsh Jennings and april ross, their prime tdebut t copacabana. For all the triumph, there was heartbreak. A french while finishing the vault competition. Audience knew it immediately as he was carried off. He raised his arm. There was tremendous applause for him. This is not about the medals, it is about the competition. Miguel, thank you. Back in the united states, frightening moments at a concert last night when a railing suddenly gave way taking dozens with it and leaving more than 40 people injured. It happened near philadelphia as fans were dancing to the music khalifa. Morgan radford has details. Reporter moments before the collapse, cell phone video captured rap are snoop dogg and wiz khalifa pumping up the crowd at their new jersey concert, turning their backs for just a moment, when suddenly the railing gave way. Sending dozens of fans slamming into the concrete floor five feet below, their bodies falling in something in a movie. Something you would never see. It was just piles and piles of people on top of each other. Reporter it happened inside this popular event venue where fans were edging closer to the railing hoping to snap photos of the duo until finally their weight pushed it over. 42 people were sent to the hospital, one in critical condition. First responders built makeshift tents to treat injured fans lying on stretchers outside the arena. Screaming like, oh, my god, like is everyone okay. You can hear people crying. Reporter snoop dogg tweeted late today prayers to my fans, wishing you all a quick recovery. With khalifa tweeting, i hope everyone at the concert last night is all right. Reporter fans took to social media saying, tonight was crazy. A chaotic end to a concert meant to bring fans together ton a summer night. Those injured fans have since been treated and released from the hospital. Meanwhile, officials had already put in a new and secure temporary railing inside of this same venue where there is a concert being held tonight and where you can already see, there are some excited fans lining up behind me. Lester . Morgan radford tonight, thank you. Turning to politics and donald trump mending fences this show him running behind Hillary Clinton. After a bruising week of controversies and suffering rebukes of some within his own party, trump, it appears, is changing strategy. Jacob rascon has the latest. Reporter next stop, the granite state. Donald trump hoping for a rebound after a week of political whiplash. From lashing out at top republicans, to sudden unequivocal endorsements, telling the Washington Post on tuesday i like paul but we need strong leadership. Then on friday i support, and endorse, our speaker of the house, paul ryan. Reporter from ive never been there with john mccain, he has not done a good job for the vets, to i hold in the highest esteem senator john mccain. Reporter and from senator kelly ayotte has given me no i also fully support and endorse senator kelly ayotte. Shes a rising star. Reporter the aboutface, the cratering poll numbers, the fight with a gold star family, some true believers beginning to doubt. If he doesnt change, he may not win. We need to stay on this message and dont get sidetracked by what the media is saying. Reporter trump now back on message with a vengeance, his attacks on Hillary Clinton unprecedented. Shes the devil. Shes a monster. The queen of corruption. Shes like an unbalanced person. Reporter Hillary Clinton also stumbling again on her emails. I may have shortcircuited, and for that, i will try to clarify. Reporter trump pouncing tweeting today anybody whose mind shortcircuits is not fit to be president. Look up the word brainwashed. Tonight trump returns to New Hampshire, the state that gave primaries, plus a lot of momentum. This time around though as you mentioned, he is behind in the polls. Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders is tarringing bernie or bust voters writing an oped in the l. A. Times writing, i voted for Hillary Clinton and so should all of those who voted for me. Lester . Jacob rascon in New Hampshire tonight, thank you. In europe, authorities in belgium are investigating a machete attack on police today as a possible in a city outside brussels pat a police station. Witnesses say the attacker shouted god is great in arabic before wounding the two female officers. He was shot and later died. In syria, intense new battles on two fronts today, one a town held by isis, another a major city where a government siege has choked off hundreds of thousands of people. Chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel is following it owl and has our report. Reporter the scramble for in the north, americanbacked rebels appear to be on the verge of taking another city. This video shows them helping civilians, mostly women and children, evacuate the wartorn city through a tunnel in a wall. It is a major isis stronghold, a base of foreign fighters accused of plotting International Terror attacks. If it falls, it would be aaj loss. To the west, there is another rebel offensive, but very different. Islamist rebels are trying to break through the Syrian Government stranglehold on the city of aleppo. The rebels here released a highly produced video, aerial shots, music and all, showing their fighters in close combat and taking control, at least for a little while, on a Syrian Government military base. But who are these rebels . Some are from a group that just breaking its longstanding ties with al qaeda. The rebels here are rebranding themselves and seem to be using this operation to show the world theyre fighting for aleppo, not al qaeda. U. S. Official arent convinced they have theyve changed allegiances at all. So many competing goals in syria, so many casualties, so many reasons this war has sent millions of refugees in to flight. Richard engel, nbc news. People in phoenix remain on edge this evening as authorities hunt for a serial shooter now linked to nine attacks, most of them deadly. Now new concern that he is expanding his target zone. Reporter when the sun goes down in phoenix these days, fear comes out. The serial killer still at large, believed to have shot nine people, seven fatally, since march. It is certainly frightening for anyone. Reporter according to occurred under the cover of nature in the maryvale neighborhood, and now appears to be moving into central phoenix. While many are staying off the threats, many are still unaware of these threats. You know about this guy . No. First time seen he seeing it. Reporter thats why this Guardian Angel walks a central phoenix neighborhood where the most recent shooting happened on july 11th. He doesnt care who hes shooting at. He doesnt care if there is a child in the car. First serial shooting for are phoenix with its highways making it easy to escape. Still unsolved, a series of shootings last year, and a decade ago a murderer killed people along baseline road, that killer now an death row. Chief jewel was the lead investigator on yet another shooting spree her ten years ago. He say serial shooters enjoy killing as a sport. It is kind of a cat and mouse game. And so far, hes winning. And hes going to continue to play this little game until he gets caught. Reporter the most recent shooting on july 11th happened right here in this neighborhood. And now police are hoping their newof 50,000 will entice someone to come forward with new information to allow these people to get back to normal life. Nbc news, phx. De janeiro beyond the community and the olympics, a look at the rich and complicated history that frames this burke at farmers, weve seen almost everything, so we know how to cover almost anything. Even mermutts. 1940s aqua music weve seen a thing or two. . We are farmers. Bumpadum, bumbumbumbum . Olay regenerist renews from within. Plumping surface cells for a dramatic transformation . Without the need for fillers. Your concert tee might show your age. Your skin never will. Olay regenerist. Olay. Ageless. Lightweight spf 30. If you have moderate and youre talking to your doctor about your medication. 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Were going to take you tonight beyond the olympics for a look at what gives light to this vibrant and diverse city of more than 6 million people. Stephanie gosk went out to see for herself what makes rio unique. Reporter there is no way to prepare the firsttimeis for the beauty of rio. Winding through the stunning landscape is a culturally rich and complicated city. In recent years, struggling with recession, corruption, and extreme poverty. But people here hold on tightly to what gives this city so much life. . Reporter samba was created here at the foot of this rock. Europe. They would express the culture of tradition with musical instruments, singing, dancing. Reporter two nights a week this little neighborhood still turns into an outdoorjamb session. There is no separating the after cam roo african arts from a brazilian. There are so many Untold Stories and so cannot express it. This is one way they can. Street art like this is everywhere, made legal in 2009. They can put it on the walls to show the rest of the world, this is us, this is who we are. Reporter each mural shows deliberate attention to detail. Watch how brazils signature cocktail is made. It has to be made in front of portuguese barbecue. There we go. Before you can even take a bite, theres more coming. Just when i think ive made some progress, it starts to grow and grow. Theres nothing subtle about brazil. It is all extreme. Reporter that really goes for everything. Rio is bold and dramatic. For just over two weeks, it is on global display. A lot of that life happens right here on the beach. During the running, playing volleyball, doing boot camps. Im signed up for one tomorrow at 6 30, lester. You in. Tell me all about it. I would say there is an undeniable warmth to it. You look at that rich history even through all of their troubles, it comes alive. Stephanie, thank you. Still ahead, as this country get your sneaker game on at kohls. Get your kids sneaker game on starting friday at kohls. Score the sneaker brands they love take an extra 15 off your purchase and snag some kohls cash while youre at it. Now thats the good stuff. Kohls. When people ask me what its like to win an olympic medal, i tell them, you already know. The medals youve earned are all around you. Your bronze. Your silver. Your gold. And Liberty Mutual insures them all. Liberty mutual is proud to insure just like we protect the medals youve earned in life. Liberty stands with you. Liberty mutual insurance. Although the has slowed here in brazil where it is mid winter, everyone here for the olympics is still aware of the threat, and many arent taking precautions. While in miami where the first locally transmitted cases in the u. S. Have just recently appeared, fear of contracting the virus is forcing some tough calls and decisions for many couples about whether to have children. More on this from sarah dallof. Distance between her and zika, relocating to california. Knowing that i can do something to possibly prevent it, why wouldnt i . Reporter in the u. S. , 479 women have been reported with zi zika. It is not known in any of miamis homegrown cases are in that number but doctors are calling for alerts for women. This miami per filth clinic has seen an uptick in the number of patients delaying embryo implementation, as well as women freezing their eggs in case they later contract the virus. I think its created a situation that makes patients very uneasy about her fertility, pregnant in general. Theyre fearful. Absolutely. Reporter Vanessa Moore lives and works in the area where the local infections are suspected of occurring. She had her eggs harvested last week but is waiting to implant them until the temperature drops. The decision was made in the last 24 hours. Im really scared. I really am. Reporter no easy choices f a healthy pregnancy and babies. In miami, sarah dallof, nbc news. When we come back, the heroic effort by one American Woman to make it to these its the Little Things in life that make me smile. Spending the day with my niece. I dont use super poligrip for hold, because my dentures fit well. Before those little pieces would get in between my dentures and my gum and it was uncomfortable. Even well fitting dentures let in food particles. Just a few dabs of super poligrip free more comfortable and confident while you eat. So its not about keeping my dentures in, its about keeping the food particles out. Try super poligrip free. Tomorrow is not a given. But entresto is a medicine that helps make more tomorrows possible. . Tomorrow, tomorrow. . . I love ya, tomorrow . In the largest Heart Failure study ever. Entresto helped more people stay alive and out of the hospital than a leading Heart Failure medicine. Women who are pregnant must not take entresto. It can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. Dont take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren. Or arb medicine, dont take entresto. The most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure. Kidney problems, or high potassium in your blood. . Tomorrow, tomorrow i love ya, tomorrow. . Ask your heart doctor about entresto. And help make tomorrow possible. Finally tonight, as every athlete here knows, it takes almost a super human effort to get to the olympics. Thats under circumstances. When a life threatening illness gets in the way, the challenge might seem impossible. But not for one determined American Woman who plays rugby. Heres hallie jackson. Reporter rugbys tough. Jillian potter, puffer. Not even a broken neck could stop her dream of making it on the rugby sense of team. New to the olympics this year. Reporter the broken bone on field didnt keep her off field for long. Mouth cancer. Stage three. Her toughest opponent yet. When they discovered the tumor, i was like, okay. Reporter the dyingness coming just weeks before the 2014 cup. Potter played. I was like this is where my life changes. Yes. Reporter she started when i started losing my hair or my eyelashes and my body image started changing, i had to look in the mirror and i still had to smile. Reporter carol watched her wife fight before but never like this. Seeing the person you love most in the world battle something that you cant do much about is about as intense as you get. Reporter support came from jillians support. The tightknit rugby sense of youre a warrior. Reporter raised almost 30,000 to help her recovery. You can do it. You got it. Reporter last year, reading a poem, potter marked her final round of radiation. Her first practice back, not everything she hoped. So youre mad because even though youv on the team, youre still upset because you werent top five. Yeah. I always want to have the best in the support. Reporter no slack allowed with, for anyone. We are going after the gold medal. You have to prepare yourself every day that youre going for gold. Reporter no matter the medal, potter already undefeated. Hallie jackson, nbc news, san on this saturday night from rio. Reminder nbc prime time coverage of the Olympic Games begins at 8 00 p. M. , 7 00 central. Among the events tomorrow, [thunder] . . Whats going to kill people is going to be water. [thunder] hello. Im steve jerve and welcome to surviving the storm, a storm team 8 special. Welcome to beautiful egmont key state park, a National Wildlife park refuge. Egmont key is a stunning location. Its filled with history and amazing stories. And its a window into the power of a hurricane. Egmont key is a breathtakingly beautiful spot when viewed from any angle. Its a protected island, part