The Olympics delivers a first full day of action at Paris 2024 on Saturday after a memorable opening ceremony.
Team GB earned its first medal of the Games after Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen claimed diving bronze in dramatic circumstances. A tricky third round in the women’s 3m synchronised event saw the duo plummet down the scoreboard into sixth after scoring 63.90, but they quickly improved with the following dive, scoring 71.10 to claw their way back into fourth.
GB scored 70.68 in the final round and the battle for bronze was on with Australia. A slip on the diving board in the final round by the Aussies saw them post only 48.60, paving the way for Harper and Mew Jensen to place third.
The swimming takes centre stage with Team GB’s focus is on Adam Peaty as he bids to win three consecutive 100m breastroke Olympic gold medals. But the race of the day, and perhaps the meet, puts Katie Ledecky, Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh against each other in the women’s 400m freestyle.
Look out for Rafael Nadal, fresh from starring in Friday night’s opening ceremony, with the Spaniard partnering Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s doubles as tennis begins at Roland Garros.
Follow all the action, latest results and medals from Paris 2024 in our live blog below:
Olympics 2024 – Day 1
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Paris embraces its ‘crazy’ idea to deliver Olympics opening ceremony like no other
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Team GB’s Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen win bronze in women’s diving
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It’s Team GB’s first medal of the Games – and first in women’s diving in 64 years
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Adam Peaty begins quest to defend 100m breaststroke for a second time
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Ariarne Titmus, Katie Ledecky and Summer McIntosh battle it out a star-studded women’s 400m freestyle
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Rafael Nadal joins forces with Carlos Alcaraz in men’s doubles at Roland Garros
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Today at the Olympics: Saturday’s schedule as swimming, tennis and cycling begin at Paris
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Olympics 2024 medal table: China and South Korea vie for first gold of Paris Games
Olympics 2024: Team GB secure first medal
11:10 , Rebecca Johnson
Team GB earned its first medal of Paris 2024 after Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen claimed diving bronze in dramatic circumstances.
A tricky third round in the women’s 3m synchronised event saw the duo plummet down the scoreboard into sixth after scoring 63.90, but they quickly improved with the following dive, scoring 71.10 to claw their way back into fourth.
Harper and Mew Jensen scored 70.68 in the final round and the battle for bronze was on with Australian pair Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith.
A slip on the diving board in the final round by the Australians saw them post only 48.60, paving the way for Harper and Mew Jensen to place third.
China’s Yani Chang and Yiwen Chen eased to gold with a consistent performance that saw them finish first across the five rounds, while USA pair Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook claimed silver.
PA
Olympics 2024: Tennis at Roland-Garros
11:34 , Arthur Ferridge
Begu breaks back! We are on serve as Swiatek has let off the gas somewhat following her fast start.
The Romanian seems to have shaken off her early-game nerves, while some of the air has come out of the world number one’s sails, a string of unforced errors creeping into her game.
Olympics 2024: Tennis at Roland-Garros
11:24 , Sonia Twigg
Rain continues to fall in Paris, and is set to do so for at least another hour.
It will be a while before any play can take place on the outdoor courts, with Briton Jack Draper waiting in the wings to kick off his summer campaign.
Olympics 2024: Men’s artistic gymnastics qualification
11:23 , Sonia Twigg
Britain have moved to the floor, and it’s Luke Whitehouse in action. The 22-year-old has landed some of his big jumps well.
He was cleanly round in the triple and that was a great performance! He was selected off the back of an impressive European championships and he has helped Great Britain here.
Great Britain go into second after their floor rotation, and Whitehouse scored 14.533, it’s not top but it is second!
Olympics offers ‘deep apology’ as South Korea introduced as North Korea at opening ceremony
11:22 , Jamie Braidwood
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has apologised after the South Korea team were introduced as from North Korea at the opening ceremony on Friday night.
The opening ceremony took place on the River Seine as athletes were paraded on boats, but the vessel carrying the South Korea delegation was introduced by an announcer as the”Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” – the official name of North Korea in English.
According to Reuters, the announcer then used the same introduced when the North Korea team passed by.
South Korea introduced as North Korea at Olympics opening ceremony
Olympics 2024: Tennis at Roland-Garros
11:22 , Arthur Ferridge
Swiatek makes short work of her two games, holding her serve while only dropping one point before breaking Begu in game two. It is a quick start in what may prove to be a fairly routine outing for the 2024 French Open champion.
While Swiatek is something of a star in tennis, the same cannot be said for Begu, who peaked at 22nd in global rankings in 2016. She has only won one Olympic match in her three appearances at the games, a mixed doubles match in Rio.
Olympics 2024: Tennis at Roland-Garros
11:09 , Arthur Ferridge
We will now jump across Paris to the clay courts of Roland-Garros, where play has been delayed by heavy rain.
Team GB’s Jack Draper was due to play Japanese hopeful Kei Nishikori this morning but is yet to start due to the weather, with Cameron Norrie’s match also due to be forced into a later start.
On the Court Philippe Chatrier, Polish star and five-time grand slam winner Iga Swiatek and Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu are moments away from first serve.
Olympics swimming latest: Adam Peaty gets 100m breaststroke bid underway
11:06 , Jamie Braidwood
Adam Peaty is safely through to his semi-finals, with a time of 59.18 in his opening heat of his 100m breaststroke defence. Peaty finishes first in his pool, in what was the fastest heat, to make it through to tonight’s second round.
So a strong start from Peaty – but not the fastest of the heats. That goes to the Netherlands’ Corbeau Casper, who clocks the fastest time so far with 59.04, ahead of the likes of America’s Nic Fink and China’s Qin Haiyang.
Olympics 2024: Women’s 3m synchronised springboard
10:57 , Arthur Ferridge
It will be a bronze medal in 3m synchronised springboard diving for Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen! It is a first ever medal in the discipline for Team GB, and they seem more surprised than anyone else in the stadium.
It will be gold for China’s Chang and Chen, and silver for the American pair of Bacon and Cook. Here are your final standings:
1) China – Chang/Chen – 337.68
2) USA – Bacon/Cook – 314.64
3) Team GB – Harper/Mew Jensen – 302.28
4) Italy – Bertocchi/Pellacani – 293.52
5) Australia – Keeney/Smith – 292.20
6) Germany – Hentschel/Muller – 288.69
7) Ukraine – Kesar/Pysmeneka – 251.37
8) France – Gillet/Landi – 240.03
Olympics 2024: Men’s artistic gymnastics qualification
10:56 , Sonia Twigg
Joe Fraser is going onto the horizontal bar for Great Britain in the men’s artistic gymnastics qualification.
He stumbled slightly on the dismount putting one foot behind him, but is congratulated for his efforts.
A good set and performance from Fraser.
Olympics 2024: Women’s 3m synchronised springboard
10:52 , Arthur Ferridge
Australia flub their final dive, its a disaster! Keeney missteps on the initial jump, launching from the corner of the board and missing her timings completely.
They score a 48.6, all but confirming a bronze medal for Team GB.
Olympics 2024: Women’s 3m synchronised springboard
10:47 , Arthur Ferridge
Harper and Mew Jensen go for a forward 3 and 1/2 somersault for their final dive, with the judges affording the pair a score of 70.68.
That would have been good enough for a silver medal back in Tokyo, but will it be enough for a podium finish today?
Olympics 2024: Tom Daley in knitting action
10:46 , Sonia Twigg
Women’s 3m synchronised diving
Tom Daley has been caught on camera showing off his knitting talents, and he has made quite an impressive jumper!
Olympic swimming: Latest updates
10:46 , Jamie Braidwood
It’s time for Adam Peaty as the star of the Team GB swimming side begins his bid for a third straight Olympic gold in the 100m breaststroke.
Peaty is the world holder in this event, and has the first round of heats and semi-finals to get through in order to reach Sunday night’s final at the La Defense Arena.
He’s competing in the same heat as James Wilby, a fellow Brit.
Olympics 2024: Men’s Artistic Gymnastics
10:44 , Sonia Twigg
Great Britain have scored 43.099 on bars and sit in first place after two rotations in the qualification.
Olympics 2024: Women’s 3m synchronised springboard
10:44 , Arthur Ferridge
Round 4 of the 3m synchronised diving finals is in the history books Team GB are firmly back in contention, a formidable dive sending Harper and Mew Jensen into fourth place, 12 point behind third-placed Australia as we head into the final round.
The Chinese pair of Chang and Chen maintain a considerable lead and look nailed on for the gold, but all places from 2nd through sixth remain entirely up for grabs, with the United States, Australia, Team GB, Italy, and Germany all within 15 points of each other. Ukraine and France bring up the rear.
Olympics 2024: Men’s Hockey Pool A
10:41 , Sonia Twigg
Great Britain have got off to an ideal start in the hockey, securing a 4-0 win over Spain.
It hadn’t been the most straightforward start with Spain having the best of the early chances, but Nick Park’s first stunning goal into the top corner set them on track for a dominant victory.
Gareth Furlong scored twice, and Rupert Shipperley added the fourth as the team, who are aiming for their first medal since gold in 1988, have got off to a solid start.
Olympic swimming: Latest updates
10:37 , Jamie Braidwood
It’s Ledecky vs Titmus Chapter I at Paris 2024, as the heats for the women’s 400m free get underway.
And it’s a huge statement of intent from Katie Ledecky as she sets the fastest time of the heats, beating Ariarne Titmus to the wall after a strong second half of the race. Titmus had a decent lead over the first 200m, and it was neck and neck over the final length. That is very exciting ahead of tonight’s final.
Katie Ledecky – 4:02.19
Ariarne Titmus – 4:02.46
Erika Fairweather – 4:02.55
Summer McIntosh – 4:02.65.
Olympics 2024: Women’s 3m synchronised springboard
10:37 , Arthur Ferridge
Harper and Mew Jensen opt for a challenging reverse pike dive in round 4 and nail it, scoring a 71.10. That is good enough to temporarily send them into third place, though several teams are yet to dive.
Olympics 2024: Women’s 3m synchronised diving
10:33 , Arthur Ferridge
Round three is in the books, and Team GB are tumbling down the order, now finding themselves sat in sixth place.
China sit top at 181.20, trailed by the American pairing of Bacon and Cook. They have just a two point gap to third-placed Australia, while Harper and Mew Jensen are 8.70 points off the podium places.
Olympics 2024: First gold medal of the games goes to China
10:32 , Sonia Twigg
10m mixed air rifle shooting
Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao have become Olympic champions, adding the gold medal to their world championship status.
They beat North Korea’s Keum and Park 16-12.
Men’s artistic gymnastics qualifying
10:29 , Sonia Twigg
Great Britain have made an impressive start on the vault as they aim to reach the team final.
The top eight teams will reach the team final on Monday, and the top 24 gymnasts will secure their place in the all-round final.
For each apparatus the top eight will reach the final of each equipment.
Jake Jarman was left shaking his head after a slightly awkward landing from his second vault, but impressed with a 15.166 on his first.
Women’s 3m synchronised springboard
10:27 , Arthur Ferridge
Harper and Mew Jensen’s third dive is not quite where it needs to be, with a score of 63.90 extending the deficit to the American duo to over eleven points.
Olympics 2024 medal table: China and South Korea vie for first gold of Paris Games
10:27 , Sonia Twigg
USA are set to battle China from supremacy in the count of gold, silver and bronze medals won at the Olympic Games
Olympics 2024 medal table: China and Korea vie for first gold in Paris
Swimming Team GB watch
10:25 , Sonia Twigg
Keanna Maccines is through into the 100m butterfly semi-final.
She has qualified in 16th place with a time of 57.90 seconds.
China’s Zhang Yufei was the quickest in qualification with a time of 56.50.
Olympics swimming: Latest updates
10:23 , Jamie Braidwood
The swimming heats are underway at the brilliant La Defense Arena in paris – and one of the biggest rivalries in the pool is coming up in the next 20 minutes.
In the women’s 400m freestyle, Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky will go head-to-head in the third heat. Titmus is the world record holder and Olympic champion, after stunning Ledecky, the seven-time Olympic champion, in this event three years ago.
The final, should they make it, is expected to be one of the races of the Games, with Canada’s Summer McIntosh and New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather also ones to watch. They are in heat two.
Women’s 3m synchronised springboard
10:22 , Sonia Twigg
After the second round, the British pair of Harper and Jensen have dropped from second to third with a score of 96.60.
The United States and China take the top two places.
Team GB in action in the men’s artistic gymnastics qualification
10:16 , Sonia Twigg
The men’s artistic gymnastics heats and qualification are underway, so stay tuned for all of the standings and the altest news.
The 7,000-calorie diet and training secrets behind Team GB swimming’s push for Olympic gold
10:12 , Sonia Twigg
An extraordinary training schedule for every Team GB swimmer has put them in position to succeed at the Olympics.
The work has been done over the last three years since Tokyo, now it’s time to perform at the Aquatics Centre.
Each swimmer’s mental edge could ultimately decide how the medals are shared out, as detailed to the Independent by world champion Matt Richards.
The 7,000-calorie diet and training secrets behind Team GB swimming at Paris Olympics
Harper and Mew-Jensen score highly in first 3m springboard finals dive
10:12 , Arthur Ferridge
Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen are in the hunt for Team GB’s first medals of the summer, and have recorded a score of 50.40 in their first finals dive, good enough for second place. A strong start for the British pair.
Women’s 3m synchronised springboard
10:06 , Sonia Twigg
Moving across to the diving now, and the women’s 3m synchronised springboard final has got underway.
Saturday highlights and stars to watch
10:05 , Jamie Braidwood
The first gold medals of the summer will be handed out before lunch, with the mixed 10m air rifle finals taking place at 09:30 BST. The reigning Olympic champions, Chinese duo Haoran Yang and Qian Yang, are not competing, leaving the door wide open for Team GB pair Michael Bargeron and Seonaid McIntosh to bring home the first medals of the summer.
The shooting finals will be closely followed by the women’s 3m synchronised diving final, where the British duo of Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen, who have competed together since 2023, will both look to bring home their first medals.
Perhaps the biggest event of the day at Paris 2024 will be taking place in the pool at the Paris La Defense Arena, with a range of swimming disciplines making their first appearance. The day will include semi-finals in women’s 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle as well as men’s 100m breaststroke, with the day culminating in both the men’s and women’s 400m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay finals.
Several Team GB hopefuls will compete in each discipline, including Adam Peaty trying to reach the final in the men’s 100m breaststroke as he goes for a historic third straight gold, while America’s seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky is set to compete in the women’s 400m freestyle, along with Australia’s Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus and Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh.
Today at the Olympics: Saturday’s schedule as Team GB in action in swimming
British 10m air rifle disappointment
10:04 , Sonia Twigg
Seonaid McIntosh and Michael Bargeron finished 26th in the mixed 10m air rifle team qualification round with a score of 622.1
28-year-old McIntosh said after the round: “I think not my best ever, but not my worst either. I think we weren’t really expecting medals here. It was a bit of a tactical one to get the nerves out before the individual matches, but I think we both did pretty well given the circumstances, so I’m happy.”
Her partner Bargeron added: “This was always a warm-up for us. We planned it out weeks ago. So it was nice to get the nerves out, feel the crowd, feel the atmosphere there, and the heat as well. It was really great.”
The first medal of Paris 2024 has been won!
09:56 , Sonia Twigg
Kazakhstan have won the first medal of Paris 2024!
Their mixed pair of Alexandre Le and Islam Patpayev have won bronze in the 10m air rifle competition with a 17-5 victory over the pair from Germany.
Team GB watch
09:50 , Sonia Twigg
Half-time in the hockey, and the BBC have decided it’s to take a look at the British pair in the Badminton men’s doubles.
They are playing against Malaysia, but have just narrowly won 21-19 in the first set.
Eurostar disruption continues as rail firm urges London-Paris travellers to ‘postpone your trip if you can’
09:38 , Simon Calder
Thousands more Olympic travellers face a struggle reaching Paris after the coordinated arson attacks at key points on the French high-speed rail network on Friday.
Eurostar has cancelled four of Saturday’s planned 15 trains from London to Paris. Trains from across northern France, as well as Belgium and the Netherlands, are competing with Eurostar and local trains for space.
With the high-speed line from Lille to the French capital unable to handle the planned number of services, trains are being routed along the “classic” slow line south to Paris – which was not built for either speed or capacity. The high-intensity schedule is unravelling.
Today Eurostar’s cancellations have hit over 3,000 passengers. The rail firm says: “Due to the major network incident in France, your train is likely to be delayed between 1-2 hours. We advise you to postpone your trip if you can.” No seats at all are available on any of the remaining trains on Saturday.
Coach seats for London have been selling for over £100, with some reaching well over £200. The fastest journey time is around 10 hours, four times longer than Eurostar on a normal day.
On Friday, passengers from London arrived up to four hours late – and many did not arrive at all after the attack on the high-speed line between Lille and Paris, which triggered the cancellation of three of the 18 planned trains from London.
Team GB watch
09:28 , Sonia Twigg
So for Team GB fans wondering where they should be tuning their TV stations to, or who to look out for.
They are in action in the hockey, but there are also the first Team GB medal interests to follow soon, with the women’s 3m diving synchro coverage starting on Discovery+ at 9.45 and the 10m Air Rifle team shooting starting in less than two minutes.
We will be bringing you all the latest updates from those, so stay tuned.
Britain take early hockey lead
09:22 , Sonia Twigg
Team GB took an early lead in the first quarter of the hockey, Nick Park putting the medal hopefuls ahead, although Spain had the better half and had two or three good chances to score.
The second quarter is underway, and GB have doubled their lead with a penalty corner. There are lots of union jacks in the crowd and they are flying.
Paris Charles de Gaulle airport quiet
09:15 , Sonia Twigg
Simon Calder has just arrived on the first British Airways flight to touch down since the main Paris airport re-opened
Airports in Paris have reopened after a six-hour closure for security during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in the French capital. I have just arrived at Paris Charles de Gaulle, which is quiet as the airlines play catch-up.
Normally the final Friday in July would be one of the busiest days of the year, with the three Paris airports handling one-third of a million people. Instead, arrivals and departures were halted at 6pm local time as part of a vast no-fly zone across northern France.
Airlines, particularly Air France and easyJet, cancelled hundreds of flights to and from Paris.This morning CDG airport is quieter than usual because the normal crowds of connecting passengers simply aren’t here. But there will be relief that the airports and the airspace are getting back to normal – the next challenge, according to the pan-European air navigation coordinator Eurocontrol, will be handling the exodus after the closing ceremony on 11 August.
The first British Airways departure from London Heathrow departed full to capacity. The Airbus A321 arrived 15 minutes early, and passport control took two minutes.
Many armed police are patrolling the “landside” areas, including the rail station at Terminal 2.
The only airport hold-up, as usual, was the long queue for public transport tickets.
Team GB in action early in the hockey
09:01 , Sonia Twigg
The first of Team Great Britain and Northern Ireland are in action in the Pool A hockey opening match against Spain.
Britain’s men’s team have not had the same success as the women’s and have not won a medal since the 1988 Games.
But their match has just got underway, and the umbrellas at the hockey have just come down as well.
Skateboarding postponed at Olympics as Paris left soaked by more rainfall
08:53 , Sonia Twigg
The men’s skateboarding street competition has been postponed as the Paris Olympics continues to be affected by the weather.
Heavy rain fell throughout the opening ceremony which was a three-and-a-half hour spectacle on the River Seine, which saw 85 boats carry almost 7,000 athletes from 205 countries.
The deluge threatened to dampen the show, and saw flood warnings raised by the French meteorological office for some areas around the city.
Skateboarding postponed at Olympics as Paris left soaked by more rainfall
The curious case of Paris’s £150m Olympic Aquatic Centre – which won’t host a single swimming race
08:45 , Jamie Braidwood
One of the defining features of Paris’s bid to host the Olympics Games was its simplicity: this great city already had the facilities required to host, and so many of the problems associated with building new venues – the spiralling costs, the environmental demands, the white elephants left scattered a decade later – would not be in play. Only one venue needed to be built from scratch: the Aquatics Centre.
The proposal written into the original bid was for an Olympic Aquatics Centre to seat 15,000 spectators, the minimum number required by swimming’s governing body, Fina, for major international events.
It would be based in the deprived northern suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, the second poorest neighbourhood in France, an area of high crime and poverty, of low education and life expectancy, where only 50 per cent of children under 12 can swim. Long after the Games, the venue would leave a lasting legacy.
Then, in 2020, the plan changed. It became clear that the original budget of €70m (£60m) was nowhere near what was required to build a small stadium fit for the Olympic Games and disassemble it afterwards. So organisers took the decision to complete the project with only 5,000 seats, in order to cap their overspending at around €175m (£150m).
It meant the Aquatics Centre no longer met Fina’s 15,000-seat requirement for major events, or even came close. And so Paris built a brand new Olympic venue, complete with a brand new Olympic pool, that will not host a single swimming race.
By Lawrence Ostlere
Why the £150m Olympic Aquatics Centre won’t host a single swimming race
Eventing dressage is underway
08:36 , Sonia Twigg
In the aftermath of the video that emerged of Charlotte Dujardin, forcing her to drop out on the eve of the Olympics.
The eventing dressage competition is underway in Versailles, just north of Paris and does not seem to be affected by the rain.
Here’s what happened to one of Britain’s medal hopes:
Charlotte Dujardin, one of the stars of Team GB ahead of the Olympics, has been banned from the Paris Games and dropped as ambassador for an animal charity over allegations she whipped a horse “24 times” like it was “an elephant in a circus”.
Dujardin, a three-time Olympic champion, earlier withdrew from all competitions due to a video that shows the dressage star “making an error of judgement during a coaching session” for a young rider four years ago.
Dujardin out of Olympics over ‘whipping horse 24 times like circus elephant’
Katie Ledecky primed for Paris Olympics and ‘race of the century’ with Ariane Titmus and Summer McIntosh
08:30 , Jamie Braidwood
A few moments discussing Katie Ledecky’s exhausting training regime will leave you wanting to sit down for a cup of tea and nap.
The greatest long-distance swimmer of all-time – who arrives at her fourth Games with 10 medals, including seven golds – breaks every single French labour law.
A 35-hour working week? No chance.
A minimum daily rest of 11 consecutive hours between two working periods? Behave.
A five-day week? Sacré bleu.
By James Toney
Katie Ledecky primed for ‘race of the century’ with Ariane Titmus and Summer McIntosh
Paris opening ceremony
08:23 , Sonia Twigg
Before the action kicks off this morning, let’s take a look at some of the photos from last night’s opening ceremony:
Today at the Olympics: Saturday’s schedule as swimming, tennis and cycling begin at Paris
08:15 , Jamie Braidwood
Saturday highlights and stars to watch
The first gold medals of the summer will be handed out before lunch, with the mixed 10m air rifle finals taking place at 09:30 BST. The reigning Olympic champions, Chinese duo Haoran Yang and Qian Yang, are not competing, leaving the door wide open for Team GB pair Michael Bargeron and Seonaid McIntosh to bring home the first medals of the summer.
The shooting finals will be closely followed by the women’s 3m synchronised diving final, where the British duo of Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen, who have competed together since 2023, will both look to bring home their first medals.
Perhaps the biggest event of the day at Paris 2024 will be taking place in the pool at the Paris La Defense Arena, with a range of swimming disciplines making their first appearance. The day will include semi-finals in women’s 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle as well as men’s 100m breaststroke, with the day culminating in both the men’s and women’s 400m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay finals.
Today at the Olympics: Saturday’s schedule as swimming, tennis and cycling begin
The rain has not finishing having a damaging effect
08:10 , Sonia Twigg
It is still raining in Paris, and the skateboarding street men’s preliminaries that had been planned for 11am this morning have already been pushed back.
The swimming and diving will have no problems going ahead but it remains to be seen which other sports this morning could be affected.
Adam Peaty aiming to save his best for the final with more tactical approach in Paris
08:00 , Jamie Braidwood
Adam Peaty has an alternative blueprint in mind in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke to what won him two Olympic gold medals.
Peaty gets his campaign in Paris under way on Saturday and is bidding to become just the second male in swimming history, after the great Michael Phelps, to win the same event at three consecutive Games.
He must come through the morning heats and evening semi-final to reach Sunday’s showpiece and at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Peaty topped the time-sheets on each occasion – but that is not his priority now.
Adam Peaty aiming to save his best for the final with more tactical approach in Paris
How to train like an Olympian: TeamGB’s canoe slalomist Adam Burgess on how split-second decisions determine a race
07:45 , Jamie Braidwood
In the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, The Independent’s Kate Gill looked into what it takes to train like a Team GB athlete ahead of competing on the world stage.
IndependentTV’s How To Train Like A Olympian is a series focused on the individual fundamentals Olympians have to focus on within their training.
While navigating tight gates down tumultuous white water rapids, two-time Olympic canoe slalomist Adam Burgess, 32, makes split-second decisions that determine the outcome of his race.
Watch more How To Train Like An Olympian episodes here on The Independent’s YouTube.
Latest tests show Seine water quality was substandard when Paris mayor took a dip
07:30 , Jamie Braidwood
Tests results released on Friday showed the water quality in the River Seine was slightly below the standards needed to authorise swimming — just as the Paris Olympics start.
Heavy rain during the opening ceremony revived concerns over whether the long-polluted waterway will be clean enough to host swimming competitions, since water quality is deeply linked with the weather in the French capital.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo took a highly publicised dip last week in a bid to ease fears. The Seine will be used for marathon swimming and triathlon.
Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria known as E coli.
Tests by monitoring group Eau de Paris show that at the Bras Marie, E coli levels were then above the safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100ml determined by European rules on 17 June, when the mayor took a dip.
The site reached a value of 985 on the day the mayor swam with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet and the top government official for the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, joined her, along with swimmers from local swimming clubs.
Team GB forced to eat packed lunches after complaints of ‘inadequate’ food at Olympic village
07:00 , Jack Rathborn
Team GB are flying in a chef to help prepare meals for their athletes at a performance lodge in Clichy following underwhelming servings and rationing of high-protein foods inside the Olympic village.
Catering organisers have blamed supply problems for the low-standard of the food with Sodexo Live, the company in charge of catering, saying it has increased the daily order of several of the most popular items after complaints on the eve of the Games.
Team GB forced to eat packed lunches after complaints over Olympic village food
Hair, medals and Louis Vuitton: How the real Keely Hodgkinson is redefining Olympic stardom
06:45 , Jack Rathborn
Deep in winter training last November, Keely Hodgkinson was “absolutely flying” in training when she first felt a niggle in her knee. It quickly worsened, with tests revealing a torn ligament which, given the importance of the year ahead, was an understandable concern.
It was a concern in the medium term because it ruled her out of winning what would have been a first global title at the Glasgow World Indoor Championships, where there were hopes she could challenge the 800 metres world record. It was a concern in the longer term because it meant she missed a host of important training sessions during weeks spent recuperating away from the track. And it was an immediate concern because the only way she could keep fit was doing things like cross training and work in the swimming pool.
“She hates that because the chlorine messes her hair up and she’s always very conscious about that,” explains her coach Trevor Painter.
Hair, medals and Louis Vuitton: Keely Hodgkinson is writing her own Olympic stardom
Who were the masked torchbearer and horse rider at the Olympics opening ceremony?
06:30 , Jack Rathborn
Two masked figures featured in the Olympics opening ceremony in Paris, first as a torchbearer ran across rooftops before a caped rider galloped down the Seine on a metal horse to deliver the Olympic flag.
The rider, Floriane Issert, a non-commissioned officer in the Gendarmerie Nationale clad in silver armour, concluded her ride at the Trocadero, giving the Olympic flag a majestic entrance before it was hoisted.
Earlier, a mysterious figure wearing a black cloak, white hood, and with their face covered by a dark fencing mask, was heavily featured in the three-hour ceremony produced by director Thomas Jolly, and which included appearances from Lady Gaga, Zinedine Zidane and, for some reason, The Minions.
Who were the masked torchbearer and horse rider at the Olympics opening ceremony?
Paris embraces its ‘crazy’ idea to deliver Olympics opening ceremony like no other
Friday 26 July 2024 22:26 , Jack Rathborn
Paris 2024 always knew its idea for the opening ceremony was “crazy” but a relentless downpour on Friday evening ensured a damp start to the Olympics with many bewildered by its format.
Spectators scattered along the Seine, rather than packed into the Stade de France, meant a frustrating viewing experience too. And as Paris 2024 meandered through 12 tableaux of this floating parade, President Emmanuel Macron’s words proved rather prescient.
Clearly craving an idyllic sunset and starlit sky in the City of Light alongside its River Seine backdrop, Paris left many wondering why it swerved from the conventional format.
Paris embraces its ‘crazy’ idea to deliver Olympics opening ceremony like no other
Olympics tennis order of play and schedule: Every event, date and start time at Paris 2024
Friday 26 July 2024 22:25 , Jack Rathborn
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal are scheduled to be in doubles action as the opening day of the Olympics tennis tournament gets underway at Paris 2024.
Alcaraz, 21, has teamed up with 22-time grand slam champion Nadal, 37, in a sensational doubles team for Spain at Roland Garros, the scene of Nadal’s 13 French Open titles.
Alcaraz won the French Open this season before adding Wimbledon for his fourth grand slam title, and has been tipped to be the successor to Nadal’s throne in Paris.
He will also be competing in the singles, as Novak Djokovic gets his bid underway. The Serbian, who was beaten by Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, is yet to win an Olympic gold medal and this may be his last chance.
Olympics tennis order of play and schedule including Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal
Adam Peaty aiming to save his best for the final with more tactical approach in Paris
Friday 26 July 2024 22:24 , Jack Rathborn
Adam Peaty has an alternative blueprint in mind in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke to what won him two Olympic gold medals.
Peaty gets his campaign in Paris under way on Saturday and is bidding to become just the second male in swimming history, after the great Michael Phelps, to win the same event at three consecutive Games.
He must come through the morning heats and evening semi-final to reach Sunday’s showpiece and at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Peaty topped the time-sheets on each occasion – but that is not his priority now.
Adam Peaty aiming to save his best for the final with more tactical approach in Paris
Olympics swimming schedule: Every event, date and start time at Paris 2024
Friday 26 July 2024 22:23 , Jack Rathborn
The Olympics are underway at Paris 2024 and many of the early medals will be won in the pool as the swimming events begin.
Swimming is one of the most watched sports at the Olympics and its finals are often prime-time viewing in the opening days of the Games, as big names clash again and again across several fiercely competitive events.
The United States are typically strong in the pool, but the rivalry with Australia is brewing and of the big contests to look out for will be the USA’s Katie Ledecky with Ariarne Titmus renewing their battles across the women’s 400m and 800m freestyle events. France’s Leon Marchand, meanwhile, may become the face of Paris 2024 if he can triumph in his four events, including the men’s 400m individual medley where he has taken Michael Phelps’ world record.
Olympics swimming schedule: Every event and start time at Paris 2024
Today at the Olympics: Saturday’s schedule as swimming, tennis and cycling begin at Paris
Friday 26 July 2024 22:22 , Jamie Braidwood
The first gold medals of the summer will be handed out before lunch, with the mixed 10m air rifle finals taking place at 09:30 BST. The reigning Olympic champions, Chinese duo Haoran Yang and Qian Yang, are not competing, leaving the door wide open for Team GB pair Michael Bargeron and Seonaid McIntosh to bring home the first medals of the summer.
The shooting finals will be closely followed by the women’s 3m synchronised diving final, where the British duo of Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen, who have competed together since 2023, will both look to bring home their first medals.
Perhaps the biggest event of the day at Paris 2024 will be taking place in the pool at the Paris La Defense Arena, with a range of swimming disciplines making their first appearance. The day will include semi-finals in women’s 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle as well as men’s 100m breaststroke, with the day culminating in both the men’s and women’s 400m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay finals.
Several Team GB hopefuls will compete in each discipline, including Adam Peaty trying to reach the final in the men’s 100m breaststroke as he goes for a historic third straight gold, while America’s seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky is set to compete in the women’s 400m freestyle, along with Australia’s Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus and Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh.
Check out all the action on Day 1 below:
