PARIS: Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred targets an Olympic sprint double on Tuesday as Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr go head-to-head in a 1500m grudge match that promises fireworks. But there was frustration after Paris Games organizers cancelled training for open water swimming in the River Seine due to pollution levels — the fifth time such a decision has been made.

The women’s 200m headlines action at the Stade de France, with Alfred seeking to emulate Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, who did the 100m-200m double at the Rio 2016 Games and at the COVID-delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Alfred, the first athlete from the tiny Caribbean island of Saint Lucia to win an Olympic medal, won her semi-final on Monday in 21.98 seconds but was pipped in the overall times by US sprinter Gabrielle Thomas, who crossed the line in 21.86. Jamaica’s world champion Shericka Jackson withdrew before her heat on Sunday. Thomas, looking to upgrade from bronze in Tokyo, has the fastest time in the world this year with 21.78sec and has made no secret of the fact that a gold medal is in her sights.

‘Vicious’ 1500m

The clash at the Stade de France between Norway’s Ingebrigtsen and his British rival Kerr in the men’s 1500m will not be for the faint-hearted. The 26-year-old Kerr finished second behind Ingebrigtsen in Sunday’s semi-final, with the two eye-balling each other for the final 20 metres.

The Norwegian has had several digs at Kerr since the Briton edged him in last year’s final at the world championships, claiming he often skips events. Kerr says he is always at the major championships and has predicted the final will be one of the "most vicious and hardest” people have ever seen.

The British runner, who took bronze behind 23-year-old Ingebrigtsen in Tokyo, said he wanted to do his talking on the track. "I’m ready to go after it, I think we all are, there’s been a lot of talking over the last kind of 12 months, even two years, so I’m just looking to settle that a little bit on Tuesday and give it my best performance.”

Seine pollution

The decision of organizers to cancel a "familiarization session” for marathon swimmers on Tuesday has raised questions as to why triathletes were allowed to swim in the Seine the previous day. Organizers said Tuesday they were "very confident” that the women’s and men’s 10-kilometre swimming events, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, would take place in the river.

The first boxing gold is up for grabs at Roland Garros, the home of French tennis, but all eyes will be on Algeria’s Imane Khelif, at the centre of a gender controversy. Khelif, who faces Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand in the semi-finals of the 66-kilogram division, is guaranteed at least bronze in Paris.

The International Boxing Association disqualified Khelif and another boxer, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, from last year’s world championships after failing gender eligibility tests. The boxing competition in the French capital is run by the International Olympic Committee because of financial, governance and ethical concerns at the IBA.

The IOC cleared the two boxers to fight and Lin is also guaranteed a medal. In the women’s football competition, World Cup holders Spain and four-time gold medallists the United States are on course for a showdown in Saturday’s final.

Led by reigning Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, Spain face surprise semi-finalists Brazil in Marseille, while a rejuvenated USA under new coach Emma Hayes meet Germany in Lyon. Before Paris woke up on Tuesday, two gold medals had been decided in the surfing competition nearly 16,000 kilometres (9,950 miles)away in Tahiti. France’s Kauli Vaast won the men’s competition while America’s Caroline Marks claimed gold in the women’s event. The United States are level with China on 21 golds but are top of the table by virtue of winning more silver and bronze medals. — AFP