Today at the Olympics: Big-name Brits in action on first full day of competition
A busy day of action to kick off the next few weeks
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Your support makes all the difference.Some of Team GB’s biggest stars were limbering up for action on the first full day of competition at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Reigning champion and world record holder Adam Peaty is set to return to the pool in his 100m breaststroke heats, while Max Whitlock started the defence of his gymnastics titles in the men’s qualification rounds.
Sir Andy Murray claimed an impressive victory on his return to the Olympic stage alongside his men’s doubles partner Joe Salisbury but 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.
Picture of the day
What’s happened so far today?
Helen Glover launched her bid for a third Olympic medal as she qualified third in her women’s pairs heat alongside partner Polly Swann. On a mixed day at the rowing, Team GB also qualified second in the lightweight double skulls, and fourth in their women’s four heat, but the men’s eight must now fight through the repechage. McIntosh placed 12th out of 50 in her shooting event and will now focus on her favoured 50m rifle event next week. The chances of a British medal on the opening day ended – barring a surprise in the ongoing men’s cycling road race – when Patrick Huston and Sarah Bettles were beaten by Mexico in the quarter-finals of the mixed team archery. Meanwhile Murray and Salisbury scored a notable win over second seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut.
Social media moment
What’s coming up?
Peaty returns to the pool at around 1300 UK time for what should be a straight-forward – and potentially yet another world record-breaking – first heat of his only solo event in Tokyo. Whitlock and his men’s gymnastics team-mates were taking part in qualification rounds to determine the qualifiers for the men’s team final and also the individual events. Following their opening win over Chile, the GB women’s football team were due in action against hosts Japan in Sapporo at 1130 UK, while the GB men’s hockey team were set to play South Africa at 1030 UK.
Covid update
Seventeen more accredited people, including one athlete, tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has said it will consider taking action against a number of athletes who were seen to breach protocol by parading mask-less at the opening ceremony on Thursday.
Saturday TV guide
- Tokyo 2020 - BBC One 0010
- Football - Great Britain v Japan BBC Red Button 1130.
- Cycling - Eurosport 1 0245, BBC One 0300.
- Gymnastics 0200, 0350 Eurosport 2.
- Basketball 0600, 0950, 1250 Eurosport 2.
- Beach volleyball 0055, 0750, 1150 Eurosport 2.
- Boxing 1030 Eurosport 1.
- Swimming 1050 Eurosport 1.
- Volleyball 1345 Eurosport 1.