Olympics 2024 LIVE: Latest updates and medal results from Paris
A giant balloon filled with fire starts the 2024 Olympic Games.
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The Paris 2024 Olympics kicks off with a jam-packed schedule on Saturday following a dazzling opening ceremony.
In the world of swimming, all eyes are on Adam Peaty of Team GB as he aims to win his third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 100m breaststroke. However, the most anticipated race of the day features Katie Ledecky, Ariarne Titmus, and Summer McIntosh competing against each other in the women's 400m freestyle.
Before midday, the first medals of the summer games will be given out. Team GB's Michael Bargeron and Seonaid McIntosh have a good chance of winning in the mixed 10m air rifle finals. The British duo of Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen also have a shot at success in the women's 3m synchronized diving final.
Keep an eye on Rafael Nadal, who just appeared in the opening ceremony on Friday night. The Spanish player will team up with Carlos Alcaraz in the men's doubles as the tennis tournament kicks off at Roland Garros.
Stay updated on all the exciting events, newest outcomes and awards from Paris 2024 by checking out our live blog:
Olympic Update: Swimming, Tennis And Cycling Kick Off In Paris!
The first gold medals of the summer will be awarded in the morning, during the mixed 10m air rifle finals at 09:30 BST. The previous Olympic champions from China, Haoran Yang and Qian Yang, are not participating, so Team GB duo Michael Bargeron and Seonaid McIntosh have a great opportunity to win the first medals of the summer.
The shooting finals will be closely watched as the women's 3m synchronised diving final follows. The British team of Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen, partners since 2023, will be aiming to win their first medals.
One of the most anticipated events at Paris 2024 will be happening in the pool at the Paris La Defense Arena, showcasing a variety of swimming events that are making their debut. The day will feature semi-finals in the women's 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle, as well as the men's 100m breaststroke. The highlight of the day will be the finals of the men's and women's 400m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay.
Many athletes from Team GB will participate in different events, such as Adam Peaty attempting to make it to the final in the men's 100m breaststroke, aiming for a third consecutive gold medal. Katie Ledecky, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist from America, will also be competing in the women's 400m freestyle, alongside Australia's Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus and promising Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh.
Take a look at everything that happened on the first day below:
Blog update by Jack Rathborn on July 26, 2024 at 10:22 PM.
Paris Olympics Delay Due To Increased Rainfall
There was a lot of rain during the start of the ceremony. It was a big event on the River Seine that lasted for three and a half hours. 85 boats carried nearly 7,000 athletes from 205 countries.
The heavy rain was at risk of ruining the event, prompting the French weather agency to issue flood alerts for certain regions near the city.
Sonia Twigg posted on July 27, 2024 at 8:53 AM.
The Mystery Of Paris's £150m Aquatic Centre - No Swimming Races
Paris's bid for the Olympics Games stood out because of its straightforwardness. The city already had the necessary facilities in place, which meant they did not have to deal with issues like escalating costs, environmental concerns, or abandoned venues post-Games. The only new construction required was the Aquatics Centre.
The original bid included a plan for constructing an Olympic Aquatics Centre that could accommodate 15,000 spectators, meeting the necessary capacity set by Fina, the governing body of swimming, for hosting major international competitions.
The blog post would focus on the disadvantaged northern suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, which is known as the second poorest area in France. It has high levels of crime, poverty, low education, and life expectancy. Only half of the children under 12 know how to swim in this area. The venue would have a positive impact even after the Games are over, creating a lasting legacy.
Later, in 2020, the strategy shifted. It became evident that the initial budget of €70 million (£60 million) was insufficient to construct a compact stadium suitable for the Olympic Games and then dismantle it. Therefore, the planners made the choice to finish the project with just 5,000 seats, in an effort to limit their overspending to approximately €175 million (£150 million).
The Aquatics Centre did not meet Fina's requirement of having 15,000 seats for big events. Paris decided to construct a new Olympic facility with a new pool that won't be used for swimming races.
Jamie Braidwood posted a blog on July 27, 2024 at 8:45 AM.
Dressage Competition Has Started
Following the release of the video showing Charlotte Dujardin, causing her to withdraw on the night before the Olympics.
The dressage competition for eventing is happening now in Versailles, which is just north of Paris. It looks like the rain isn't causing any problems for the competition.
This is the story of what happened to a British athlete who was hoping to win a medal.
Charlotte Dujardin, a key member of Team GB for the Olympics, has been excluded from the Paris Games and removed as a representative for an animal charity after accusations that she excessively whipped a horse, comparing her actions to mistreatment of elephants in a circus.
Dujardin, a rider who has won three Olympic gold medals, recently decided to step away from all competitions. This decision came after a video surfaced showing her "making a mistake during a coaching session" with a young rider four years ago.
Sonia Twigg posted on July 27, 2024 at 8:36 am
Katie Ledecky Ready For Paris Olympics Battle With Titmus And McIntosh
After hearing about Katie Ledecky's intense training schedule, you might feel inclined to take a break and relax with a warm cup of tea or a quick nap.
The best long-distance swimmer in history, who is competing in her fourth Olympics with a total of 10 medals, including seven golds, ignores all French labor regulations.
There is no way I can work only 35 hours a week.
Are you serious about needing at least 11 hours of rest between shifts? Come on.
A five-day work week? Goodness gracious.
Jamie Braidwood wrote the blog on the 27th of July 2024 at 8:30 am.
Before things start happening this morning, let's check out some pictures from the opening ceremony last night.
Sonia Twigg posted on July 27, 2024 at 8:23 am
"Olympic Update: Swimming, Tennis, Cycling Start In Paris"
Exciting Saturday Stars To See
The first gold medals of the summer will be awarded in the morning, with the mixed 10m air rifle finals scheduled for 09:30 BST. The current Olympic champions, the Chinese pair Haoran Yang and Qian Yang, will not be participating, giving Team GB's Michael Bargeron and Seonaid McIntosh a great opportunity to win the first medals of the summer.
After the shooting finals, all eyes will be on the women's 3m synchronised diving final. The British pair of Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen, partners since 2023, will be aiming to win their first medals in this event.
One of the main highlights of Paris 2024 will be the swimming competitions held at Paris La Defense Arena. This will be the first time that a variety of swimming events will be featured in the competition. The day will feature semi-finals for the women's 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle, as well as the men's 100m breaststroke. The day will end with the exciting finals for both the men's and women's 400m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay events.
Jamie Braidwood posted this blog on July 27, 2024 at 08:15.
The Rain Is Still Causing Damage
The weather in Paris is still rainy, causing a delay in the skateboarding street men's preliminaries that were initially scheduled for 11am this morning.
The swimming and diving events are set to continue as planned, but we are uncertain about the status of other sports scheduled for this morning.
Sonia Twigg posted a blog on July 27, 2024, at 08:10.
Adam Peaty Focuses On Peak Performance In Paris Final
Adam Peaty has a different plan for the men's 100 meter breaststroke than what he used to win two gold medals at the Olympics.
Peaty will start his competition in Paris this Saturday and aims to make history by being the second male swimmer, following Michael Phelps, to win the same event at three consecutive Olympic Games.
In order to make it to the main event on Sunday, he has to compete in the morning heats and evening semi-finals. In both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Peaty had the fastest times in these rounds. However, his focus is not on that right now.
Jamie Braidwood posted a new blog on July 27, 2024, at 8:00 AM.
Training Tips: Learn From TeamGB's Adam Burgess, Canoe Slalom Olympian
Leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Kate Gill from The Independent investigated the rigorous training regimen required to prepare like a Team GB athlete before showcasing talent on an international platform.
The blog series on IndependentTV, titled How To Train Like a Olympian, concentrates on the specific basics that Olympians must emphasize during their training sessions.
As Adam Burgess, a two-time Olympic canoe slalom competitor, maneuvers through narrow gates on rough white water rapids, he must quickly make decisions that impact the results of his race.
Check out additional episodes of How To Train Like an Olympian on The Independent's YouTube channel.
Jamie Braidwood posted on July 27, 2024 at 7:45 am.
