Olympic Highlights Day Eight: Evenepoel eyes history, a tennis final and Sha'Carri returns
Cycling
Individual road race (273 km)
11:00 CET - 18:15 CET, Paris and surroundings
Despite having a tough Tour de France, Remco Evenepoel and Wout Van Aert still set off for the Olympics. They rode a fantastic opening time trial, in which Evenepoel triumphed and Van Aert was third.
This time they can work together, even though there was a rivalry between them a few years ago. But then they both went through serious injuries and became great friends. The profile of the track could suit the Belgian duo. Evenepoel also has the added motivation that no one has ever won both the time trial and the road race at the Olympics.
Van Aert already proved his quality in Tokyo, where he finished second ahead of Tadei Pogacar. Neither the Slovenian nor the winner of the last Olympics, Richard Carapaz of Ecuador, are at the start this time. On the other hand, Mathieu Van der Poel of the Netherlands could be one of the main contenders for gold.
Only 90 riders will start the 273-kilometre race, where sharp short hills will be a threat, and the race will probably be decided on the streets of Paris. Drama can be expected, especially on the cobbles on Montmartre or at the finish line. In total, the peloton will climb 2800 vertical metres.
Tennis
Women's final: Qinwen Zheng vs Donna Vekic
15:30 CET, Paris, Roland Garros, Philippe Chatrier court
An unexpected final and a duel between two tennis players who go on the attack and don't wait for their opponents to make a mistake. Before the start of the tournament, few would have picked these two players to fight for gold. It was widely expected that the world number one Iga Swiatek would do the job at Roland Garros.
But the Pole fell to Qinwen Zheng in the semi-finals. The latter followed up her perfect performance at the tournament in Palermo, which she won just before the Olympics, and is currently on a 10-match winning run.
While the 21-year-old is only at the beginning of her career, 28-year-old Donna Vekic is experiencing the peak of hers right now. She has been plagued by injuries for many years, but this year she has found form. Although she was previously more successful on hard court, she has now reached the semi-finals on grass at Wimbledon and is now into the final on the clay courts of Paris.
And deservedly so, as she knocked out American star Coco Gauff along the way. Her tennis, full of big winners from the baseline, is coming up trumps. Although both Croatia and China have won Olympic doubles gold in the past, this is the first time their countries' representatives can dominate the women's singles.
Athletics
Women's 100m
21:20 CET, Paris, Stade de France
The shortest Olympic sprint always attracts a lot of attention. The third day of athletics competition at the Olympics will see American Sha'Carri Richardson attempt to come up with an answer to the dominance of the Jamaican sprint team at the last Games.
Indeed in Tokyo, Elaine Thompson, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Shericka Jackson took to the podium due to the absence of one of the main favourites. Richardson did qualify, but was kicked out for THC use.
The case was resolved within a month, and the sprinter explained the situation and admitted that the reason for her marijuana use was the stress of qualifying and the period when she was coping with the death of her mother. And even though she would eventually make the Tokyo Games, the US team no longer counted on her for the relay.
But now she has a new opportunity to win Olympic gold. Her competition has dwindled as co-favourite Shericka Jackson has announced she will focus only on the 200 meters. But in the heats, eight athletes have already gone under 11 seconds, with Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith (10.87), Shelly-Ann Fraser and Daryll Neita (both 10.92) showing the best form. Richardson, who came within 16 hundredths of the world record (10.65) last year, ran 10.94 in Paris on Friday.
