Rio Olympics 2016: Day 1 Preview
The men’s cycling lottery
It is a lottery but the Men’s Road Race in the cycling event is one to watch with Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis medal chances in an event Australia has never won.
Australia’s best cyclists will lock horns with the rest of the peloton from 10:30pm (AEST) on Saturday until about 5:15am on Sunday.
Swimming
Wonder sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell will feature in the 4x100m freestyle. It was the only swimming gold medal Australia is defending from London 2012 and this time around the team is the favourite.
The final will take place at 12:24pm on Sunday.
Mack Horton is also competing in the 400m freestyle. He will also be swimming the 1,500m next week, but he is a chance of a medal in the 400m, the final of which will be held at 11.30am.
Rowing for a win
Check out the rowing heats with world champion Kim Brennan competing in the women’s single sculls from 10:30pm on Saturday. She won the two World Cup events she contested this year.
The men’s quad scull won silver at 2015 world championships and won the two World Cup events they contested this year. Their heats start at 1:30am Sunday.
An Australian first
Melissa Tapper is competing in Table Tennis, becoming the first Australian to take part in an Olympics and Paralympics when she plays in the women’s singles from 10:00pm on Saturday.
Left-handed Tapper, who was born with brachial plexus when she tore the nerves between her neck and right shoulder, competed at the London Paralympics in 2012.
Other highlights
- Basketball: Australia’s men and women open their accounts on Sunday morning. The Boomers tip off against France at 3:15am and the Opals start against Brazil at 6:30am. Both teams are hopeful of medals, so it will be interesting to see how their first hit-outs go.
- Football: The Matildas, another team aiming for a podium finish, continue their campaign with a showdown against world number two Germany at 7:00am on Sunday.
- Hockey: Australia’s men’s team, the Kookaburras, play their first match against New Zealand from 2:30am, while the Hockeyroos kick things off against Great Britain at 9:30am.
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