Olympic events to watch this weekend as Team GB begins quest for gold

Adam Peaty will compete in the heats of the men’s 100m breaststroke (Photo: Getty Images)
Adam Peaty will compete in the heats of the men’s 100m breaststroke (Photo: Getty Images)
Adam Peaty will compete in the heats of the men’s 100m breaststroke (Photo: Getty Images)

Team GB will begin its quest for Olympic glory today as the first full day of competition gets under way in Tokyo.

The long-awaited countdown to the Olympics came to an end on Friday (23 July) as the Opening Ceremony finally signalled the start of the Games, with a host of events scheduled over the coming weeks.

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With so much sporting action to take in, here’s a guide to all the events taking place this weekend and how to watch.

What is on at the Olympics on Saturday?

Reigning champion and world record holder Adam Peaty will return to the pool for the 100m breaststroke heats on Saturday (24 July), while gymnast Max Whitlock will lead Team GB men’s gymnastics squad in the qualification rounds and begin his defence of his Olympic titles.

In tennis, Sir Andy Murray claimed an impressive victory alongside his men’s doubles partner Joe Salisbury.

However, Britain’s hopes of winning the first medal of the Games for the first time since 1908 fell flat when Seonaid McIntosh missed out on the podium in the women’s 10m air rifle.

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McIntosh placed 12th out of 50 in her shooting event and will now focus on her favoured 50m rifle event next week.

In rowing, Helen Glover qualified third in her women’s pairs heat alongside partner Polly Swann, while Team GB also qualified second in the lightweight double skulls, and fourth in their women’s four heat.

Following their opening win over Chile, the GB women’s football team will play against hosts Japan in Sapporo, while the men’s hockey team will play South Africa.

Meanwhile, Richard Carapaz stormed to victory in the men’s Olympic road race, with Adam Yates finishing ninth for Great Britain.

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Geraint Thomas was forced to abandon the race following a crash and has now switched his focus to Wednesday’s Olympic time trial.

Other highlights coming up on Saturday include:

  • Archery: mixed teams
  • Artistic Gymnastics: competition starts
  • Badminton: group stage starts, singles and doubles
  • Basketball (3×3): group stage starts
  • Beach volleyball: preliminary round starts
  • Boxing: competitions start
  • Cycling: men’s road race
  • Equestrian: dressage team and individual starts
  • Fencing: sabre (men) and epee (women) competitions
  • Handball: preliminaries start (men)
  • Hockey: group stage starts
  • Weightlifting: start of competitions
  • Judo: -48kg (women), -60kg (men)
  • Shooting: 10m air rifle (women), 10m air pistol (men)
  • Table tennis: preliminary round starts
  • Taekwondo: -49kg (women), -58kg (men)
  • Volleyball: preliminary round starts (men)
  • Water polo: preliminary round starts (women)
  • Weightlifting: 49kg (women)
(Graphic: Mark Hall / JPIMedia)(Graphic: Mark Hall / JPIMedia)
(Graphic: Mark Hall / JPIMedia)

What events will take place on Sunday?

Jade Jones will compete in the taekwondo women’s 57kg class on Sunday (25 July) in a bid to make it a hat-trick of Olympic golds.

Cyclists Lizzie Deignan and Anna Shackley will take part in the hilly 137km road race, while the women’s hockey team will battle it out against Germany.

There will also be coverage throughout the day of basketball, gymnastics, tennis and volleyball.

Sunday’s highlights include:

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  • Archery: women’s team finals
  • Basketball: men’s Prelim USA vs France
  • Cycling: women’s road race
  • Diving: women’s synchronized springboard
  • Gymnastics: women’s qualifications
  • Judo: women’s 52kg/114lbs; men’s 66kg/145lbs
  • Shooting: men’s air rifle
  • Skateboarding: women’s street
  • Swimming: women’s 100m butterfly; men’s 100m breaststroke; women’s 400m freestyle; wen’s 4x100m freestyle relay
  • Taekwondo: women’s 57kg/126lbs; men’s 68kg/150lbs
  • Triathlon: men’s event
  • Volleyball: men’s tournament USA vs ROC
  • Weightlifting: men’s 61kg/134lbs; men’s 67kg/147lbs

How to watch

The 2020 Olympic Games will be available to watch live on BBC one and BBC Two.

Viewers can also catch up on the action on BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

As well as sporadic highlights dotted across BBC One and Two throughout the day, there will be a daily Today at the Games show, broadcasting around 7pm or 7.30pm every night of the Olympics.

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