By Simon Jennings
PARIS (Reuters) – The eyes of the world will be drawn to the Bercy Arena on Tuesday where Simone Biles, one of the biggest stars of the Olympic Games, hunts for her first medal in Paris in the women’s team final.
Three golds are up for grabs in the swimming, while the triathlon, 3×3 basketball and BMX Freestyle competitions get under way and rugby sevens ends with the women’s gold medal match.
BILES READY TO SPARKLE AT ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
Biles makes her second appearance at the Paris Games in the women’s team final, where she hopes to win a fifth Olympic gold medal for the United States.
TRIATHLON SET TO TAKE THE PLUNGE
If authorities decide the water is clean enough, 55 athletes will dive into the Seine from a floating pontoon next to the ornate Pont Alexandre III bridge at the start of the men’s triathlon.
Training swims were cancelled on Sunday and Monday after heavy rains polluted the river, throwing Tuesday’s race into doubt.
The race is set to be moved to Friday if bacteria levels in the water are still too high in the hope water quality improves by then.
FINKE DEFENDS 800M FREESTYLE TITLE
American Bobby Finke defends his 800 metres freestyle gold medal from Tokyo in the final at La Defense Arena, before Britain look to go back-to-back in the men’s 4×200 freestyle.
Australian champion Kaylee McKeown and American Regan Smith will battle for the women’s 100 backstroke gold.
WOMEN SCRAP IT OUT FOR RUGBY GOLD
The last day of action in a hugely successful rugby sevens programme features the semis and finals of the women’s event, with powerhouses New Zealand and Australia expected to be battling with France – seeking to match their men’s gold – on what should be another noisy night in the Stade de France.
3X3 BASKETBALL GETS UNDER WAY
The 3×3 basketball tournament begins at the iconic Place de la Concorde, with eight pool matches being played.
The U.S. women’s team, the Tokyo champions, kick off the competition against Germany, while men’s title holders Latvia start an hour later against Lithuania.
The Serbia and United States men’s teams, seeded first and second respectively, face off to test their gold medal ambitions in the day’s final match.
The French women’s team take on top seeds China, who denied them a bronze medal on 3×3’s Olympic debut three years ago.
LAPTAK’S SHOOTING TITLE ON THE LINE
Czech marksman Jiri Laptak’s title defence in men’s trap looks in jeopardy after a poor start to qualification, but Italian veteran Giovanni Pellielo could make the final as he hunts for an elusive Olympic gold.
Turkey will clash with Serbia for gold in the 10-metre air pistol mixed team event, while Manu Bhaker could fire India to a second medal in Paris as she combines with Sarabjot Singh for the bronze medal clash against South Korea.
AGBEGNENOU CARRIES FRENCH HOPES IN JUDO
Reigning Olympic champion Clarisse Agbegnenou of France defends her title in front of a partisan home crowd in the under-63kg weight division.
In the men’s under-81kg category, three-times world champion Georgian Tato Grigalashvili is the clear favourite and could take on reigning Olympic champion Takanori Nagase of Japan.
SAILING IN FULL FLOW
Sailing’s skiff races are halfway through their series and with more wind forecast there is potential for changes at the top of the men’s fleet, which has so far been dominated by New Zealand.
In the women’s, the French duo’s consistency and some strong results from the Netherlands could be setting up a two-way contest.
In windsurfing, which finally got under way on Monday, the field is wide open in the men’s and women’s events, with Britain’s Emma Wilson relishing the conditions so far.
With five races scheduled for Tuesday, she will be looking for another strong set of results.
FRANCE’S MALLO-BRETON GUNS FOR GOLD IN FENCING
Auriane Mallo-Breton, who won silver in the individual epee event on Saturday, is hoping to go one better in the women’s epee team event.
First up for the French team, which includes Marie-Florence Candassamy and Coraline Vitalis, is a quarter-final clash with Tokyo silver medallists South Korea.
Italy, Egypt, China, Ukraine, Poland and the United States have also qualified, but Tokyo champions Estonia did not make the cut.
LOPEZ CARDONA BEGINS BID FOR THIRD STRAIGHT BOXING GOLD
In boxing, Cuba’s Arlen Lopez Cardona launches his bid to win a third successive Olympic gold medal when he takes on Turkey’s Kaan Aykutsun.
Australia and India each have three boxers competing.
MEN BACK ON COURT IN BASKETBALL
The second round of men’s basketball matches sees Spain play Greece and Canada take on Australia in Group A.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will have the chance to prove his team are up to the Olympic task when they take on the struggling three-times silver medallists Spain.
Canada, making their Olympics return after 24 years, meet a dynamic Australia side led by Charlotte Hornets shooting guard Josh Green.
In Group B, local hero Victor Wembanyama will hope for another stellar performance against Japan, while Brazil have to find a way to stop Germany’s Wagner brothers, Franz and Moritz.
LAST DAY OF MEN’S FOOTBALL GROUP STAGE
The men’s football group stage ends, with hosts France, Argentina, and the United States among the teams seeking to join Japan and Spain in the quarter-finals.
Argentina take on Ukraine, who could also qualify, while France face New Zealand and the U.S. meet Guinea.
FINAL SCULLS LISTS DECIDED AT ROWING
Final places are up for grabs in the single and double sculls for men and women, with the repechages for the fours crews also taking place. The heats for the women’s canoe singles and the men’s kayak will be staged at the whitewater centre.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Paris; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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