The first day of medal events at the 2024 Paris Games is Saturday, featuring multiple swimming finals — including a potential women’s race for the ages.
Also on the docket: Global basketball star Victor Wembanyama is expected to start his Olympic campaign, beach volleyball begins under the backdrop of Paris’ most iconic landmark and medalists will be determined in the rugby sevens.
So settle in, because it’ll be a jam-packed day with Olympic action in full swing.
Events to watch
Ledecky faces stiff competition
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. in Paris
TV: NBC and Peacock (live)
What to watch for: Prepare for an all-time Olympic showdown, with American superstar Katie Ledecky part of a trio of likely medal contenders in the women’s 400-meter freestyle. Ledecky is a two-time medalist in the event, taking gold at the 2016 Rio Games and silver at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
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But her quest for an eighth overall Olympic gold — which would put her one shy of tying the record for a women’s athlete — could be thwarted, or at least delayed, by Australia’s Ariarne Titmus or Canada’s Summer McIntosh, both of whom have strong gold-medal potential. Titmus famously beat Ledecky in Tokyo and set the world record in 2023.
The women’s 400-meter freestyle final follows the same event on the men’s side. They will be followed by the women’s and men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay finals, the latter of which will likely feature U.S. star Caeleb Dressel. He and the relay team will look to defend their gold medal from Tokyo, but could be unseated by challengers Australia or China. Great Britain and Italy are also contenders.
On the women’s side, Australia — the three-time defending Olympic gold medalist in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay — is expected to continue its dominance, but the American team — including veteran Simone Manuel — hopes to improve on a bronze medal finish in Tokyo.
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Wembanyama’s Olympic debut
Time: 11:15 a.m. ET, 5:15 p.m. in Paris
TV: CNBC/Telemundo and Peacock (live)
What to watch for: Basketball at the Paris Games opens for host nation France with a men’s group-stage matchup against Brazil. The game is also slated to serve as the Olympic debut of 7-foot-4 sensation Victor Wembanyama, the 20-year-old who was recently named NBA Rookie of the Year.
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You may have heard about the star-studded U.S. team led by LeBron James, but plenty of NBA talent is spread amongst the other nations. France — featuring Rudy Gobert, the NBA’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year — has the third-best odds to clinch gold after the U.S. and Canada. All three countries are in different groups. (Brazil, which last medaled in men’s basketball in 1964, is a tournament long shot.)
Spain and Australia play the first game of the tournament (5 a.m. ET, 11 a.m. local). Germany-Japan (7:30 a.m. ET, 1:30 p.m. local) and Canada-Greece (3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. local) — featuring All-NBA first team members Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo — round out the first day of action.
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Beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower
Beach volleyball gets prime placement in Paris, right next to an icon. (Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Time: 8 a.m. ET, 2 p.m. in Paris
TV: NBC and Peacock (live)
What to watch for: Beach volleyball pool play begins at one of the most scenic venues — Eiffel Tower Stadium, a 12,000-seat temporary arena located directly beside, you guessed it, the Eiffel Tower. The view is, as the French say, magnifique.
The prelim phase begins for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, with the U.S. men’s duo of Andy Benesh and Miles Partain opening against Cuba’s Jorge Luis Alayo Moliner and Noslen Díaz Amaro at 8 a.m. ET (2 p.m. local). Five matches will follow on Day 1.
Sweden’s David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig, the top-ranked men’s duo, face Australia’s Izac Carracher and Mark Nicolaidis at 9 a.m. ET (3 p.m. local). Later, the U.S. women’s pair of Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss go up against Canada’s Heather Bansley and Sophie Bukovec at 4 p.m. ET (10 p.m. local).
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Men’s rugby sevens final
Time: 1:45 p.m. ET, 7:45 p.m. in Paris
TV: NBC and Peacock (live)
What to watch for: Fiji has led Olympic competition in men’s rugby sevens, winning both gold medals since the sport debuted at the 2016 Games, and the country could make a podium return. Fiji went undefeated in pool play, including a win over the United States.
South Africa plays France in the first semifinal at 9:30 a.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local), followed by Fiji-Australia at 10 a.m. (4 p.m. local).
The bronze medal match is at 1 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local) with the gold medal match starting at 1:45 p.m. ET (7:45 p.m. local).
The U.S. men, who finished ninth and sixth at the last two Olympics, can place anywhere from fifth to eighth, and play Ireland at 9 a.m. ET (3 p.m. local).
Elsewhere, medals will be awarded in road cycling, diving, fencing, judo and shooting. View the full day’s schedule here.
Friday’s highlight
Team USA cruising into the #ParisOlympics 🤩🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/gQDaRBrqXT
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
There’s no debate: The highlight was the sweeping opening ceremony that included a flying Olympic cauldron, a moving performance by Celine Dion and a parade of competing athletes aboard boats riding down the Seine. It could go down as one of the all-time great ceremonies.
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Required reading
(Photo: Al Bello / Getty Images)
Source link : https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5658808/2024/07/27/olympics-2024-watch-guide-day-2-swimming-beach-volleyball/
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Publish date : 2024-07-27 15:59:17
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