Highlight of the Day
Cycling – Women’s Keirin
“HOW DARE YOU PUT SOMETHING AHEAD OF THE WOMEN’S 100M SPRINT?” we hear you say, accusingly. Don’t worry – that event is pretty cool too, but it’s no keirin.
Also adding to the drama is the fact that there’s a pretty open field in this one, with Kristina Vogel, Anna Meares and Becky James all slight favourites but overwhelmingly so. The keirin doesn’t normally do favourites well – due to the insanity of the thing.
Probably should watch
Cycling – Women’s team pursuit
The pursuit is also a good watch, with two squads racing head to head on the same track, trying to catch each other (often in vein). Think about Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner, but both teams are both characters at the same time. Again, GB and the USA should battle this one out.
Gymnastics – Men’s Trampoline
AW YIIIISSS. BACKFLIPS AND SICK TWISTS. CARN, GIVE US A GO ON YOUR TRAMPERS RIO, WE PROMISE NOT TO HURT OURSELVES.
*breaks wrist approximately four seconds later*
Favourites: Gao Lei, Uladzislau Hancharou, Dong Dong
Swimming – Men’s 4x100m medley relay, Women’s 4x100m medley relay, Men’s 1500m freestyle, Women’s 50m freestyle
OUR LONG SWIMMING NIGHTMARE IS OVER. But you gotta give it to the organisers: they know how to get a program to climax at the end. Four top quality events on offer tonight, with both the longest and equal shortest events on show. The 1500m should see Mack Horton and his Blues Band go up against Gregorio Paltrinieri and Connor Jaeger for the gold, with HPN’s favourite #shitbloke Sun Yang missing the final.
The 50m splash and dash is nearly impossible to predict, with the length usually producing an across the pool finish split by hundredths of a second. The Campbell sisters are up again tonight, as is 100m gold medalist Manuel and name-of-the-Games contender Ranomi Kromowidjojo.
The US starts as strong favorites in both medley relays, but both are cracking events to watch. Australia is the main rival to US domination in both relays.
Rowing – Women’s single sculls, Men’s single sculls, Women’s eight, Men’s eight
This is the day to watch for rowing. The eights are the best test of a nation’s strength in rowing, and the single sculls is a defacto test for the best singular rower in the world. It has been a crazy week for the rowers, but the end should be good.
Mahe Drysdale is the favourite in the men’s single sculls, while GB and Germany should battle it out in the men’s eight. Kim Brennan will battle Emma Twigg for a trans-Tasman single sculls gold, while the US and GB will fight it out in the eight.
Athletics – Men’s long jump, Women’s 100m
Two top quality events here, with both providing some of the most prominent highlights in Olympic history.
The long jump saw perhaps the most touching moment of the Berlin Games, with German Luz Long helping Jesse Owens to keep his hopes for gold alive with sage-like advice. It also saw maybe the greatest six seconds in Olympics history, and the best photo to boot, in 1968 when Bob Beamon nearly jumped out of the pit and broke the world record, a record that would stand for nearly 23 years.
Watch if it’s on
Athletics – Men’s discus, Men’s 10000m, Women’s heptathlon
The heptathlon is the test of the best all around track and field athlete at the games, and Jess Ennis-Hill walks in as a strong favourite. Mo Farah should win the 10k race, continuing his fantastic record, and Piotr Malachowski comes in as an overwhelming favorite in one of the classic Olympic events.
Weightlifting – Men’s 94kg
Big people lift weights. They do not fuck around.
Favourites: Sohrab Moradi, Vadzim Straitsou, Aurimas Didzbalis
Tennis – Women’s Singles
Angelique Kerber is probably the more well known name, but the outsider Mónica Puig from Puerto Rico has had a very good tournament to date.
Don’t bother
Shooting – Men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, Men’s Skeet
TOO. MUCH. SHOOTING.
Fencing – Women’s Team Sabre
Watch people rattle some sabres. Or not.
Favourites: 