SharePARIS: China grabbed the first two gold medals of the Paris Olympics on Saturday as swimming prepared to take centre stage on a rain-disrupted first full opening day of sporting action. Asian powerhouses China, who last topped the Olympic medal table in 2008, made a flying start to their latest bid for supremacy, bagging early golds in shooting and synchronized diving.
Teenage duo Sheng Lihao and Huang Yuting won the first Chinese gold in the mixed team 10-metre air rifle event, before all-conquering divers Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen somersaulted to victory in the women’s three-meter springboard final. Australia also celebrated its first gold with cyclist Grace Brown speeding to victory in the women’s individual time trial.
Those were the first golds of 13 up for grabs in Paris on Saturday as wet weather continued to cause headaches for organizers following Friday’s deluge at the opening ceremony. The men’s street skateboarding competition, due to take place at the Place de la Concorde in the historic heart of Paris, was postponed until Monday due to rain overnight. The downpours also disrupted play at the opening rounds of tennis at Roland Garros, with play on the 10 uncovered outside courts delayed.
Torrential rain had lashed participants and spectators in Friday’s amphibious opening ceremony, where around 7,000 athletes paraded along the River Seine in an armada of boats before a show-stopping finale which climaxed with a glittering light show at the Eiffel Tower and a performance from singer Celine Dion. The ceremony received broadly favorable reviews, with France’s centre-right Le Figaro daily describing it as “full of surprises but often disjointed.”
The International Olympic Committee however was forced to apologize for a gaffe during the ceremony that saw South Korea’s athletes incorrectly introduced as North Korean. Friday’s ceremony also angered Christians and conservatives after featuring LBGT+ performers and a racially diverse cast. The French Bishops Conference said the extravaganza had made a “mockery of Christianity.”
Swimming duel
Elsewhere on the sporting front, swimming was preparing for a battle royale in the pool later Saturday where the first golds will be decided. Traditionally one of the highlights of the opening week of the games, Saturday’s first wave of swimming finals will feature a blockbuster women’s 400m freestyle duel pitting American great Katie Ledecky against Australia’s defending champion Ariarne Titmus. Ledecky, stunned by Titmus in Tokyo three years ago, laid down a psychological marker after pipping the Australian in Saturday’s heats.
Titmus however rejected suggestions that the heats had given her rival an edge for Saturday’s final at La Defense Arena. “It’s a heats swim,” said the Australian, who broke the 200m freestyle world record and swam the second quickest 400m ever at the Australian trials last month. “The only job for me was to get in the middle lanes (for the final) and I tried to conserve as much as I could.” Other gold medals on offer on the first night of action in the pool come in the men’s 400m freestyle and the men’s and women’s 4x100m freestyle relays.
In rugby sevens meanwhile, host nation France stayed on course for a possible gold medal after advancing to a dream final against Fiji at the Stade de France. French rugby idol Antoine Dupont helped the hosts defeat South Africa 19-5 to book their place in the semi-final while Fiji comfortably downed Australia 29-7.
Elsewhere on Saturday, there were wins for Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, rival Novak Djokovic and women’s world number one Iga Swiatek as the Olympics tennis tournament got under way at a rain-swept Roland Garros. Alcaraz - who lifted the French Open in Paris last month - coasted to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Lebanon’s lowly ranked Hady Habib while Djokovic dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 rout of Australia’s Matthew Ebden.
Swiatek meanwhile was made to work harder in a 6-2, 7-5 win over Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu. Saturday was also due to see Olympics action on the others side of the globe, with the surfing competition, some 16,000 kilometers away on the French Pacific island of Tahiti, due to get under way.
Coach dies
Meanwhile, Samoa’s boxing coach died at the Paris Olympics village after the 60-year-old had a cardiac arrest, officials said on Saturday. Governing body the IBA sent its “heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues” of Lionel Elika Fatupaito following his sudden death on Friday, the day of the opening ceremony.
He was treated by emergency services but they were unable to save him, according to the local prosecutor’s office, which said he died of “natural causes”. “Lionel’s dedication and passion for the sport have left an indelible mark on the boxing community,” the International Boxing Association (IBA) said in a statement. “His legacy will continue to inspire future generations. Our thoughts and prayers are with team Samoa and all those affected by this profound loss.” — AFP
