PARIS (Reuters) – The Olympic cauldron is lit and on Saturday the sporting contests begin in earnest, with 14 gold medals up for grabs in shooting, Rugby Sevens and Judo among other sports.
Here’s what you need to know about the Olympics on Saturday.
‘RACE OF THE CENTURY’
The Games get off to an explosive start in a women’s swimming 400 meters freestyle showdown being billed as the “race of the century”.
Australia’s Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus bids to retain her title against American rival Katie Ledecky, the 2016 Rio champion, and Canadian youngster Summer McIntosh.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
Rain poured down on a flamboyant Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony that saw a river parade of Olympic delegations through the heart of Paris and musical performances by Lady Gaga and French artist Aya Nakamura, before Celine Dion marked her grand return.
The rain continued into Saturday, forcing the postponement of men’s street skateboarding.
Stands in La Concorde, the largest square in the French capital which witnessed the execution of Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution, sat quiet on Saturday with empty stands.
MISIDENTIFIED
The International Olympic Committee has apologized to South Korea after the nation’s delegation was introduced as from rival North Korea in Friday’s Opening Ceremony.
The announcer used the same introduction when the boat carrying the North Korean competitors passed. Seoul has sought assurances from the IOC that the mistake will not be repeated.
SHOOTING FOR GOLD
China won the first gold medal of the games in the 10 meter Air Rifle Mixed Team event.
Chinese shooters have claimed their country’s first gold of the Games more times than athletes in any other sport.
‘DRONEGATE’ HANGS OVER WOMEN’S SOCCER
Canada’s women soccer players struggled to shake a spying scandal that has seen their head coach Bev Priestman sent home from the Paris Games.
New Zealand complained that Canada staff flew drones over their training sessions before their opening match at the Olympics, which the Canadians won.
Canada soccer great Christine Sinclair has said national team players were never shown drone footage during the more than two decades she was in the team.
(Compiled by Richard Lough, editing by Ed Osmond)
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