THE highly anticipated 2024 Paris Olympic Games got under way yesterday, with men’s football and rugby sevens taking centre stage at the 33rd edition of the showpiece event.
After an opening day filled with men’s football and rugby sevens action yesterday, where coach Philip Snyman’s South Africa side were in action against Ireland and New Zealand, the Blitzboks are set to return to action today as they take on Japan.
The host nation, France, will also be among the sevens fixtures today alongside Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Uruguay and Ireland.
Today will see the focus shift to archery, with 21-year-old South African Wian Roux set to make his debut appearance on the Olympic stage.
The 2022 African champion will participate in the men’s individual ranking round today with hopes of making his parents Patrick and Gerda, who were internationally-recognised archers in their day, proud.
Handball will also get in on the action today, with the women’s preliminary round set to kickstart the sport’s journey at the Olympics.
Women’s football will come into the picture as well today, with the Games’ most decorated team, USA, set to take to the pitch when they play Zambia.
Having had to settle for bronze in Tokyo, they will have a point to prove as 2021 gold medallists Canada will also be in action today when they take on New Zealand.
Germany, the second-most decorated Olympic women’s team with four medals under the belts, will lock horns with South Korea, while Spain and Brazil are set to meet today as well.
Slovenia will play Denmark, the Netherlands will meet Angola, Hungary will clash against France, while Norway and Sweden will wrap up the day’s football fixtures.
Today at the Olympics (all SA times)
Handball: women’s preliminary round
Slovenia v Denmark (9am), Netherlands v Angola (11am), Spain v Brazil (2pm), Germany v Korea (4pm), Hungary v France (7pm), Norway v Sweden (9pm).
Archery: men’s individual ranking round
South Africa’s Wian Roux (2.15pm)
Men’s rugby sevens
Argentina v Australia (2.30pm), USA v Uruguay (3pm), Fiji v France (3.30pm), South Africa v Japan (4pm), New Zealand v Ireland (4.30pm)
Football: women’s group fixtures
Canada v New Zealand (5pm), Spain v Japan (5pm), Germany v Australia (7pm), Nigeria v Brazil (7pm), France v Colombia (9pm), USA v Zambia (9pm)