The Guardian

Paris 2024 Olympics day three: Pidcock wins incredible gold; GB canoe silver; Peaty has Covid – live

By Martin Belam and Barry Glendenning (earlier)John Brewin (now) Jonathan Howcroft,

5 days ago

5.15pm BST

Ok, back to the skating; Nyjah Huston and Jagger Easton, the two Americans, are in front and are trying to land their biggest tricks to land the gold and silver. Tury of Slovakia is in bronze. Nobody has anything to lose at this point. Canada’s Cordano Russell, out of the running, lands 94.93 when landing a ludicrous 360. Hoefler then wipes out. As does fellow South American Dell Ollio. Yuto – needs a big one – but clanks off the rail. He has one left, the defending champion. The back 180 – with nosegrind, is a beauty from Sora Shirai. He’s in bronze. Here goes Huston, who wipes out. Jagger Eaton, with his penultimate attempt, might have landed gold…ollie, 270 degrees and then landed it. 95.25 puts him in gold.

Updated at 5.20pm BST

5.04pm BST

Gestin is said to know the Olympic course with his eyes closed, having used it so often. That was a brilliant performance, and never in doubt.

5.03pm BST

Gestin wins the slalom canoe, Britain's Burgess takes silver

France’s Nicolas Gestin goes for gold, from Brittany. He sets off at a rate, and this is an expert run. He’s almost two seconds up, on a course he knows, and is making short work of this. He wins by 5.48 seconds, a demolition job. Burgess is still absolutely delighted.

5.00pm BST

Now comes Spain’s Miquel Trave . He’s up on Burgess at the first check, and by a second on the next. Then comes a touch, a penalty. Trave’s gone…oh no. He’s all over the place. 97.92, and that means Burgess has a chance of gold with one more to go. He’s guaranteed silver already.

4.56pm BST

In the slalom canoeing, Ireland’s Liam Jegou set a time of 98.52 seconds that could have been even shorter had he not hit a gate. Adam Burgess of Britain has gone quickest, and now leads. His lead might have been greater, had he not needed to haul himself round. There was a stewards’ enquiry on the run but he’s held on to it. Just two more canoeists to go. Germany’s Tasiadis is chasing him but slower, only to go quicker then slower. Burgess has a medal. But what colour will it be?

4.49pm BST

Escape – the final US No 1 record of the 1970s – what does that say about the 1970s?

In the skateboarding, we’re into the best tricks section. They get five each. Richard Tury of Slovakia just pulled off what looks a decent rail slide. Canada’s Cordano Russell wipes out. Brazil’s Kelvin Hoefler pulls a fakie, nose blunt – he gets marked down for his truck dragging. Argentina’s Matias Dell Olio tried to kick flip and land a slide – to the tune of Vampire Weekend. Ollie, back 180, nose grind from Japan’s Horigome Yuto – who now leads, with Tury in silver.

4.40pm BST

I did a story before the Games in which I projected medals for the USA and China, the only country with a reasonable chance of having more gold (if not more total medals) than the red, white and blue.

China has been successful so far, but generally in events in which they were all but guaranteed gold. A gold medal for China in diving isn’t exactly unexpected.

So the updated projections are:

Gold: USA 47.56 (down from 48.28), China 39.89 (up from 39.78)
Total: USA 127.70 (up from 126.10), China 91.64 (down from 93.38)

On a more general note -- I watched the USA-France rugby game, and while I’m sure Team USA would’ve loved some payback after a French boxing judge inexplicably ruled 30-26 in favor of Italy’s Diego Lenzi over the USA’s Joshua Edwards, the US women had no answer for the brilliant Seraphine Okema, who scored four tries. The bright side for those of us related to a University of North Carolina rugby alumna is that the retirement-bound Naya Tapper scored.

More surprising was that Spain beat the US women in water polo. I didn’t watch that game; therefore, I’m not convinced it actually happened.

And finally, can I offer a plea to the folks at the skateboarding venue not to play Rupert Holmes’ ode to narcissistic infidelity, Escape (the Piña Colada Song) ?

4.37pm BST

It’s baking hot in the men’s street skating, where the skaters are having a few practice tricks before they resume. The medals are some way off being decided.

4.33pm BST

Sean Ingle reports.

4.29pm BST

Thanks, Martin. Heroic shift as ever. There’s tennis on, with Dan Evans, perhaps not so fresh from last night’s great escape in the doubles with Andy Murray, he’s being given the runaround by Stefanos Tsitsipas, 5-1 in the first set.

4.19pm BST

That is it from me, Martin Belam today. After that bike race, I feel absolutely exhausted myself, and I was only typing during it! I will be back with you for the early Paris sessions tomorrow. John Brewin is your man now. Allons-y!

4.16pm BST

Men’s archery team: Turkey have their first medal of the Games! They have beaten China and taken bronze in the men’s team archery.

4.08pm BST

Men’s street skateboarding: the final has started in this, with eight people competing for the medals. Yuto Horigome and Sora Shirai of Japan , and Nyjah Huston and Jagger Eaton of the US will be the final four to start, and will all fancy their chances of a medal.

3.57pm BST

Women’s tennis singles: USA’s Coco Gauff is through to the third round after a 6-1, 6-1 win over Argentina’s María Lourdes Carlé . But the match wasn’t as one-sided as the scoreline suggests: Gauff took 46 minutes to win the first set and her opponent gave plenty back. The world No 2 now faces Croatia’s Donna Vekić, who made the semi-finals at this year’s Wimbledon, in the next round.

3.56pm BST

Women’s water polo: Spain have beaten the USA 13-11 in Group B of the water polo. Bea Ortiz was the MVP for Spain with five goals in the game.

It shouldn’t dent US hopes of making progress too much, as the women’s competition rather oddly has two groups of five, with the top four progressing from each group. I say oddly, because that means you play twenty preliminary matches just to eliminate two teams from the intial ten competing, but what do I know?

3.47pm BST

Team GB announce that silver medallist Adam Peaty has Covid

Team GB have announced that Adam Peaty has Covid. In a statement the team said:

Adam Peaty began feeling unwell on Sunday, ahead of his Men’s 100m breaststroke final. In the hours after the final, his symptoms became worse and he was tested for Covid early on Monday morning. He tested positive at that point.

He is hopeful to be back in competition for the relay events later in the swimming programme. As in any case of illness, the situation is being managed appropriately, with all usual precautions being taken to keep the wider delegation healthy.

Updated at 3.48pm BST

3.41pm BST

Men’s team archery: France are through to the final after a dramatic shootout with Turkey . That guarantees them at least a silver medal. They will face South Korea at 17.11 local time. Turkey will face China for the bronze medal at 16.48 local time.

3.39pm BST

There haven’t been that many fashion faux pas during the Olympics so far but I confess I have raised an eyebrow at these US golf bags …

3.32pm BST

Men’s team archery: Turkey and France are currently locked in battle for a spot in the final. Turkey are 4 sets to 2 in front, despite the best efforts of France’s wonderkid 17-year-old Baptiste Addis.

3.24pm BST

Don’t forget that you can plan the rest of your day with our full schedule and you can find all of the results in this interactive …

Related: Paris Olympics 2024: results

There is also the small matter of the medal table, being lead at the moment by China with five golds, while Australia, Japan and South Korea all have four apiece. The USA and France are in fifth and sixth places with three gold medals each, and Team GB is sitting seventh with two golds, three silvers and three bronzes.

3.14pm BST

Laura Collett , who earlier won team gold and then added individual bronze in the eventing while riding London 52 for Team GB, has spoken to the BBC. She told viewers:

I never thought this day would come. I owe absolutely everything to that horse. I am so lucky that I get to be the one to go out there in an arena like that and come out with a team gold and individual bronze at an Olympics, but there are so many people involved and I just want to thank every single one of them.
It is so many years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears. ‘Emotional rollercoaster’ doesn’t even do it justice. In moments like this every single bad day is worth it. You can’t ever give up. And you can never dream too big.

3.10pm BST

Jeremy Whittle was at that incredible mountain biking race, and here is his initial report:

Tom Pidcock powered to a spectacular comeback to claim back-to-back gold medals in the men’s mountain biking after overcoming a mid-race puncture that looked to have ended his chances. In an epic performance, Pidcock, gold medallist in Tokyo three years ago, closed a 40-second gap to the race leader, Victor Koretzky, on the penultimate lap before accelerating hard on the final moments to drop the Frenchman.

The 24-year-old’s hopes of victory seemed to have been ended by apuncture and a sloppy wheel change on the fourth of seven laps, just as he was moving ahead of the rest of the field, with Koretzky.

The lost momentum was compounded by confusion in the pit lane as Pidcock rode in pointing at his front wheel, only to find his support team unprepared. In contrast with his team helpers, there was no panic from Pidcock as he stood waiting in the pits for a fresh front tyre, although the delay left him well behind Koretzky.

The mishap came just before a key drop-off on lap four of seven. As he approached a high drop, he was forced to unclip gingerly as Koretzky flew through the jump and accelerated clear. Pidcock’s grit, though, took him to gold, just as Koretzky faded.

3.09pm BST

Here is a report, via Australian Associated Press, on some disappointment in the women’s basketball for Australia:

The Opals were turned over by Nigeria in a Olympic basketball upset that leaves Australia’s medal campaign on the brink. The No 3-ranked Australians were beaten 75-62 by the African champions in Lille, with Sandy Brondello’s side turning the ball over 26 times and making just eight of 18 free throws in a nightmarish opening to their Games tilt.

World No 12 Nigeria made the most of it, firing away from long range and rushing Australia’s shaky offence to earn their greatest Olympic basketball win. It’s a major dent in Lauren Jackson’s (six points, two rebounds in 12 minutes) plans for a fifth medal in as many Games, the 43-year-old back on the Olympic stage for the first time since London’s 2012 edition.

They will play world No 5 Canada on Thursday and No 7 France on Sunday, with only the pool’s top two sides guaranteed a berth in Paris’s quarter-final stage.

3.07pm BST

I worry that while all that exciting medalling was going on, I’ve lost track of what has happened elsewhere. France beat the USA 31-14 in the women’s rugby sevens , I know that much. Both sides progress.

Canada v China has just started in Pool A. The winner of this will go through. The loser might as well. It is 7-7 approaching half-time. The quarter-finals are later tonight.

2.55pm BST

Michael Jung wins individual eventing gold for Germany, Australia take silver, GB take bronze 🥇🐴

Michael Jung has won gold with Chipmunk in the individual eventing. It is Jung’s historic third individual title.

Australia’s Christopher Burton and Shadow Man took silver, and Team GB’s Laura Collett , riding London 52 took bronze.

More details soon …

Updated at 3.08pm BST

2.52pm BST

Eventing individual jumping: Michael Jung and Chipmunk from Germany are now riding for gold …

2.51pm BST

I need to quickly turn my attention to the equestrian sports quickly. Laura Collett , riding London 52 , has just guaranteed herself at least a bronze medal. Australia’s Christopher Burton and Shadow Man has just earned at least a silver.

Updated at 3.03pm BST

2.45pm BST

Men’s and women’s tennis singles: just to confirm that both number one seeds, Iga Świątek in the women’s and Novak Djokovic in the men’s, have cruised through their second round matches.

2.42pm BST

The co-comms on Eurosport has just said “I’ve been sat in a chair for an hour-and-a-half and I feel like I need a break after watching that”, and I concur. What a thrilling race to watch. Incredible stuff.

2.41pm BST

An astonishing epic race, with the lead changing hands a couple of times on the last lap. How Tom Pidcock – who had Covid the other week – had the effort to recover from that puncture and being sent back into the pack halfway through the race I will never know.

Poor Victor Koretzky though, in front of his home crowd, he just didn’t have the legs right at the end. He will no doubt look back fondly on the medal in the end, but he must be disappointed having come so, so, so close to making it a French double gold in the cross-country races.

Updated at 3.56pm BST

2.37pm BST

Tom Pidcock wins gold for Team GB! 🥇🥇🥇🥇

After an astonishingly tight race, including a thirty second time loss by Team GB’s Tom Pidcock due to a puncture that he recovered from, he takes gold at the death.

France’s Victor Koretzky has a heroic silver after an epic battle between the two on the last couple of laps. Alan Hatherly of South Africa takes bronze.

2.36pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Pidcock gets back in front as the pair nearly clash!

2.35pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Pidcock got back in front of Koretzky momentarily, and then the Frenchman breezes back past him.

2.33pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Victor Koretzky (Fra) goes. Can Pidcock respond? It doesn’t look like it.

2.32pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Pidcock attacks. Koretzky stays with him. Hatherly is hanging on in here to this group. They are on a long steep climb now.

2.31pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: the leading group all decline to use the feeding station, and have reached the first split on the last lap. Pidcock leads Koretzky but there’s nothing in it. It will all come down to who has the legs at the last.

2.29pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Luca Baridot of Italy is in fourth, poised to take advantage of any mistakes among the first three riders.

2.29pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: can you live blog something from behind the sofa with your hands-over-your-eyes because you are too nervous to watch? I’m going to find out. Tom Pidcock (GBr), Victor Koretzky (Fra) and Alan Hatherly (RSA) make up the leading group who will almost certainly take the medals but it is impossible to call right now.

2.26pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: the bell sounds. It is Pidcock then Koretzky together, and Hatherly has also regrouped with them. These three have a 15 second gap on Braidot, and will fancy they have the monopoly on the medals. But who? What a race this is. I love cycling.

2.24pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Koretzky has kept up with Pidcock on those attacks, and they have settled back to a group of two, with Pidcock in front.

2.23pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: what will this have done to Koretzky mentally to lose the lead at this stage? Pidcock attacks again! The pair have pulled out a five second gap on third-placed Hatherly!

2.22pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Victor Koretzky (Fra), Tom Pidcock (GBr) and Alan Hatherly (RSA) have now formed a leading group of three. Pidcock attacks!

2.20pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Victor Koretzky (Fra) has had his lead whittled down to just five seconds as we reach the first split on lap seven. This is going to be tense. Pidcock is second. Hatherly is third.

2.19pm BST

Women’s rugby sevens: Japan have just run in a free-scoring victory over Brazil by 39 to 12. I *think* this result confirms that Ireland have qualified as a best third-placed side. I’ll figure all that out for sure when the cycling has finished.

2.16pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Victor Koretzky (Fra) is 17 seconds in front of Tom Pidcock (GBr) and Alan Hatherly (RSA), Incredible to think Pidcock earlier lost more than 30 seconds with a puncture.

2.15pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Nino Schurter (Sui) has had an awkward moment in the rocks where he kept the bike upright but ended up off the saddle, and let’s just say I hope his suit had good padding in the nethers. At the front Pidcock has got on the back of Hatherly in second and third place.

2.12pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Victor Koretzky (Fra) remains out front, but the bronze medal chasing group of Pidcock, Flueckiger and Braidot have got South Africa’s Alan Hatherly in their sights. They are approaching the end of lap six. There is going to be some finish here, plenty of racing – and risk – ahead.

2.10pm BST

Women’s tennis singles: Coco Gauff was serving for the match against María Lourdes Carlé , but the Argentine broke her serve. Gauff leads 5-1 in the second set, having taken the first.

Updated at 2.45pm BST

2.07pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: it is the end of the fifth lap of eight. Victor Koretzky (Fra) leads Alan Hatherly (RSA) by 13 seconds. 21 seconds behind him is a “bronze” medal chasing group which features Team GB’s Tom Pidcock and Charlie Aldridge. Sam Gaze of New Zealand is in the mix there, as is Mathias Flueckiger (Sui). Luca Braidot is also in there.

2.01pm BST

Liam Pitchford for Team GB has won his opening singles game in the table tennis.

1.58pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: “Ten seconds Alan, you’re doing great!” his pit team yell at Alan Hatherly (RSA) in second place as he goes through to take a drink in the pits.

1.57pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Victor Koretzky (Fra) retains a ten second lead over Alan Hatherly (RSA) and Mathias Flueckiger (Sui). Team GB’s Charlie Aldridge is a little furtherback with New Zealand’s Sam Gaze. Pidcock has hauled himself back to sixth after that puncture nad botched wheel change. They’ve been going 45 minutes so are around the halfway mark.

1.55pm BST

Women’s rugby sevens: Australia beat Ireland 19-14. Australia top Pool B, and Great Britain progress too. Ireland sweat on being one of the two third-placed teams that also go through.

1.52pm BST

Men’s tennis singles: Rafael Nadal needed something special, and he has instead had his serve broken by Novak Djokovic , who leads 6-1 3-0.

Updated at 3.07pm BST

1.49pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Victor Koretzky (Fra) is now out in front on his own, with nine seconds on Alan Hatherly (RSA) . Pidcock’s flat was at least close to the techzone, but he is now over 30 seconds off the lead. Koretzky must be dreaming of a French double gold in this discipline.

1.47pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: flat tire for Tom Pidcock. DISASTER! The team weren’t ready in the pit area either!

1.44pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: we are half-hour in and Tom Pidcock (GBr) and Victor Koretzky (Fra) are out in front as a group of two at the end of lap three. The chasing group is 13 seconds back and consists of Mathias Flueckiger (Sui) , Alan Hatherly (RSA) and Charlie Aldridge (Gbr) . Koretzky made sure that Pidcock could not establish a solo lead. Which of them will attack next?

1.40pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: Tom Pidcock has made a three second gap at the front over Victor Koretzky (Fra) now, and the pair have got away from the group.

1.39pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: at the first split in lap three it is obvious that nobody has really got away yet in this race. 13 riders are separated by about ten seconds, and then there is a small gap back to the rest of the field. But now there is a move by Tom Pidcock who hits the front …

1.37pm BST

Women’s tennis singles: second seed Coco Gauff is in action. The young US star has taken the first set 6-1 against María Lourdes Carlé of Argentina .

1.34pm BST

Women’s rugby sevens: we established yesterday that I don’t know the nickname for the Australia team here, but they are 7-0 up against Ireland . This is in the same pool as Great Britain, and an Australian victory would see both Australia and Team GB progress.

1.33pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: lap two has finished with the same four at the front:

Mathias Flueckiger (Sui)
Tom Pidcock (GBr)
Victor Koretzky (Fra)
Nino Schurter (Sui)

1.31pm BST

Men’s tennis singles: Novak Djokovic has rather convincingly won the first set against Rafael Nadal , 6-1.

1.29pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: the first lap has finished, but the timing data hasn’t come up on the Olympic website, which is, to be honest, sub-optimal from a live blogging point of view. We are fifteen minutes in. At split one in lap two the front group of five are Mathias Flueckiger and Nino Schurter of Switzerland, Victor Koretzky of France, Tom Pidcock of Great Britain and Alan Hatherly of South Africa.

1.20pm BST

Women’s rugby sevens: Great Britain have done it. A superb comeback win against South Africa . It has finished 26-17. According to my abacus that means they reach the quarter-finals.

1.17pm BST

Women’s rugby sevens: Great Britain have staged a comeback here, despite receiving a yellow card. They are 19-17 up with a minute to go against South Africa !

1.16pm BST

Men’s mountain bike cross-country: this has started. There are 36 riders from 28 nations. South Africa’s Alan Hatherly is setting the early pace.

1.12pm BST

Here is the image Team GB ’s social media team have picked to celebrate that gold medal …

1.11pm BST

Women’s rugby sevens: South Africa are taking a 12-7 lead into half-time against Great Britain . It is the last pool match and Team GB really need a win here to progress.

1.07pm BST

Thanks Barry! I disappear for two hours and miss the first Team GB gold. Typical. I did have a cheeky croque monsieur for lunch though, so it wasn’t all wasted time. I’m very excited about the cycling coming up here – the women’s race yesterday was brilliant with Pauline Ferrand Prévot running away with it.

1.04pm BST

Men’s mountain biking: What promises to be a cracking race despite defending champion Tom Pidcock’s description of the course as “bland” is due to start in a few minutes. Martin Belam is here to take up the cudgels …

12.56pm BST

12.47pm BST

Equestrianism: The 25 leading riders after the team competition will now progress to the individual jump-off, where Team GB’s Laura Collett and Tom McEwen will both fancy their chances of bagging individual medals, with just one fence separating the top four riders.

12.40pm BST

Great Britain win team gold in eventing!

Equestrianism: With four fences in hand, Laura Collett and her mount London 52 only needed to avoid total disaster in the final round of the showjumping to win gold for Great Britain in the eventing and they duly do so, punching the air in celebration. They finish in first place with a score of 91.30, ahead of France on 103.60 and Japan on 115.80.

Updated at 12.44pm BST

12.35pm BST

Boxing: Tokyo bronze medallist Harry Garside broke down in tears after losing his first-round bout in the men’s 63.5kg boxing at the North Paris Arena.

The 27-year-old Australian - who put on hold professional boxing plans to return to the Olympic stage - narrowly won the first round against Hungarian Richard Kovacs, but his counterpunching opponent proved too wily and took rounds two and three.

Garside said afterwards he felt “very numb” and “a failure”. His emotions meant he was unable to continue his media conference and he momentarily went down on his haunches, before composing himself and walking away.

12.29pm BST

Swimming: And in the last heats of the morning at the pool, the punishing 16-lap men’s 800m freestyle, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen was fastest to qualify for tomorrow night’s final, with Tunisian Ahmed Jaouadi in second. Italian long-distance swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri was next, followed by Australia’s Elijah Winnington in fourth.

But it was agony for young Australian Sam Short , who placed ninth fastest and will miss the final. The 20-year-old won silver in the discipline at last year’s world championships, but has been under pace at the Olympic meet - possibly still affected by an illness that hit during last month’s Australian trials. Short finished just off the podium in fourth in the 400m freestyle on Saturday.

12.27pm BST

Rowing: British duo Chloe Brew and Rebecca Edwards have finished third in their repechages to make it through to the women’s pair semi-finals. In the eights, Britain’s men and women have both qualified for the finals of their events.

12.16pm BST

Men’s mountain bike: We’re less than an hour away from the start of the men’s mountain bike race at Elancourt Hill, a gruelling ordeal in extreme heat for the riders which promises to be very exciting and features Great Britain’s defending champion Tom Pidcock among the favourites. Charlie Aldridge also goes for Team GB in that event which is scheduled to start at 1.10pm (BST).

12.08pm BST

Equestrianism: Great Britain are this close to a team gold medal in the eventing after Tom McEwen jumped a clear round on his horse JL Dublin in the showjumping.

The British team have three fences in hand over France with just one of their riders, Laura Collett, left to go. Collett is also lying in the individual silver medal position behind the German double Olympic gold medallist Michael Jung.

Updated at 12.23pm BST

12.01pm BST

11.57am BST

Noah Williams: "From third last to second means a lot"

“It means a lot to me,” says Tom Daley’s dive partner, who must have felt under the most intense pressure to perform today, following his disappointing performance at Tokyo. “From third last to second. My coach passed away after the last Olympics in Tokyo and he’d probably feel pretty proud today.”

On their superb fourth dive this morning: “The fourth dive last year, it was my worst dive but it was Tom’s best so we had to use it. I’ve come a long way in the last year just practicing that and I’m really glad that it paid off here.”

11.53am BST

Tom Daley: "It's just so special"

“It’s just so special,” he tells the BBC, following his silver mnedal win alongside Noah Williams. “This time last year deciding to come back, never mind not knowing if I would make the synchro team. Doing it in front of my son, who asked me to come back is so special I now have [a medal] of every colour. I’ve completed the set.”

On Noah Williams: “I’ve never seen Noah cry in my whole life,” he says of his partner, who is alongside him and visibly struggling to contain his tears as he remembers his former coach Dave Jenkins, who passed away in 2021. “I know how much today mean’s him. it’s very sad Dave is not here, but I know Dave and my dad would both be so proud to see us here today.”

On his emergence from retirement: “As an athlete, you know to train smarter. You have to prioritise things in your life, not just diving. I was getting emotional just getting prepared for this. My husband has really been there, he’s taken the kids allowing me to travel when I’ve needed to. A happy athlete is a successful one.

And the future: “I don’t know. We’ll enjoy today and see what the future holds. Right now, I’ll just go and enjoy time with my little ones.”

11.40am BST

Swimming: Team GB’s Freya Colbert was third fastest in the first 400m medley heat behind the USA’s Emma Weyant and Katie Grimes and will contest the final. Her teammate Katie Shanahan was fourth in her heat and also makes the final. Ireland’s Ellen Walshe also makes it through after finishing fourth in her heat.

11.30am BST

Triathlon swimming training cancelled again

Concerns about the water quality in the Seine River have led officials to call off the swimming portion of an Olympic triathlon training session for a second straight day today.

Organisers overseeing the event at the Paris Games are optimistic that triathletes will be able to swim in the city’s famed waterway when the competition starts tomorrow.

The sport’s governing body, World Triathlon, its medical team and city officials are banking on sunny weather and higher temperatures to bring the bacteria levels below the necessary limits to stage the swim portion of the race, which also includes biking and running.

Speaking to the French news channel CNEWS today, French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra said officials are “absolutely serene about all of this.” The recent rain has contributed to the water quality concerns, but she believes conditions will improve. “I am confident in the fact that we will be able to be there tomorrow for the men’s triathlon event,” she said.

Updated at 12.02pm BST

11.24am BST

Tom Daley and Noah Williams: The British 10m synchronised diving duo have just been presented with their silvers, with Daley receiving his fifth Olympic medal and his young sidekick getting his first. It’s the Chinese duo of Junjie Lian and Hao Yang who get to hear their country’s national anthem after their masterful display, while Canada’s Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray look delighted to be occupying the third step of the podium.

11.20am BST

Swimming: The favourites are all comfortably through the women’s 100m backstroke heats, writes Kieran Pender, who is poolside in Paris.

The heats of the women’s 100m backstroke played out uneventfully this morning, as all the favourites comfortably progressed in what shapes up as one of the blockbuster finals of the Paris swim meet.

America’s Katharine Berkoff was through fastest, followed by compatriot and world record holder Regan Smith. The duo will face tough competition in tonight’s semi-finals and tomorrow night’s finals from the Australian Kaylee McKeown, who won gold in Tokyo three years ago and secured the world title last year. Tokyo silver medallist Kylie Masse, from Canada, was fourth-quickest.”

11.15am BST

Jane Figueiredo speaks: “I’m excited, fearless for them … just over the moon for both of them,” says Tom Daley’s coach in an interview with the BBC. “There’s been a lot going on behind the scenes that most people don’t realise in an athlete’s life and a coach’s life. For both of them to achieve a silver medal today was absolutely brilliant and China was just too good for us today. But we hung in there and I’m just so proud.”

Updated at 11.36am BST

11.10am BST

Greetings one and all. Barry Glendenning here to take over from Martin, who is going for a well-earned lie-down after an outstanding men’s synchronised 10m diving competition.

I don’t know a great deal about the discipline but even a know-nothing imbecile like me can tell there is no shame whatsoever in Tom Daley and Noah Williams finishing second to that incredible gold medal-winning Chinese duo, who didn’t put a foot or hand wrong across six rounds of diving. Their performance was astonishing.

11.04am BST

An incredible diving contest there – the Chinese pair looking unstoppable but what joy for Tom Daley and Noah Williams to win silver. On that note, I am going to hand over to Barry Glendenning for the next couple of hours. I will see you back here later on.

11.02am BST

China win gold in 10m synchro diving as Team GB's Daley and Williams take silver

Men’s synchronised 10m diving: the reigning world champions from China, Junjie Lian and Hao Yang , have taken gold in the men’s synchronised 10m diving in a dominant display in which they lead the contest all the way through.

The British pair of Tom Daley and Noah Williams finished second and took silver. Daley was unable to defend his Tokyo title, but the silver adds to his lifetime Olympic haul of one gold and three bronzes. 24-year-old Williams won gold in the Commonwealth Games in this discipline, but it is his first Olympic medal.

Canada ’s Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray took bronze, surviving a late scare when Ukraine and Mexico’s pairings both nearly overtook them on the last round after the Canadian pair picked a pretty conservative last effort of back 2½ somersaults with 1½ twists in pike. The Canadians finished less than four points ahead of Mexico, less than ten ahead of Ukraine.

The final scores were:

🥇 China 490.35
🥈 Great Britain 463.44
🥉 Canada 422.13

10.55am BST

Men’s hockey: Australia beat Ireland 2-1 in the end. A slightly disappointing scoreline for the Aussies which doesn’t really reflect how dominant they appeared to be during play. Still, a win is a win at this stage. They join Belgium on two wins out of two at the top of their group.

10.49am BST

Men’s synchronised 10m diving: the fifth round is done and dusted. The Mexican pair of Kevin Berlin Reyes and Randal Willars Valdez fell out of synch on their dive, making it much harder to see them sneaking from fourth into the medals. Canada remain third, Daley and Williams of Team GB second after another great dive, and China’s Junjie Lian and Hao Yang are still well out in front, and frankly making 10m diving look like one of the easiest things in the world. Back 3½ Somersaults in pike? No problem.

10.40am BST

Men’s synchronised 10m diving: a huge dive from Tom Daley and Noah Williams (GB) – a *checks notes* back 3½ somersaults in the pike position – scores 93.96. But hold on, here come Junjie Lian and Hao Yang (Chn) with 95.88. Nobody can get close to them. The Chinese are 13 points ahead. Canada remain third, Mexico fourth.

10.37am BST

Women’s volleyball: an epic battle has come to an end with Turkey coming from two sets behind to beat the Netherlands 3 sets to 2 in Pool C. It was tight all the way through, with Turkey ultimately winning 19-25 19-25 25-22 25-22 15-13. The Netherlands actually scored more points overall but unlike in Play Your Cards Right , points don’t mean prizes in this game. Huge celebrations from the Turkish contingent.

10.32am BST

Men’s synchronised 10m diving: the third round of dives is over, and this is the point of the competition where the pairs can start bringing out their own moves. Junjie Lian and Hao Yang (Chn) are looking unstoppable here. They are now ten points clear.

Tom Daley and Noah Williams (GB) are now in second, having pulled slightly clear of Canada ’s duo Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray . But probably the significant development was a very strong third dive by Kevin Berlin Reyes and Randal Willars Valdez of Mexico , who are fourth, but clearly look like they could menace those ahead of them in the podium places.

Each pair has six dives, all six dives count. We are halfway through.

10.25am BST

Kieran Pender is at the pool in Paris for the Guardian:

Canada’s 400m individual medley world record-holder Summer McIntosh qualified for the final at the pool this morning, finishing first in her heat, but was pushed all the way by emerging Australian star Ella Ramsay . In Paris the 20-year-old joins an elite group of Australian Olympians who have a family connection – Ramsay’s father Heath swam at the Sydney 2000 Games.

Ramsay went out hard and was with McIntosh for most of the race, before fading in the final 25m as Mio Narita swam past. The Australian’s team-mate Jenna Forrester just missed the final, placing ninth across the two heats. In the faster first heat, American duo Emma Weyant and Katie Grimes secured lanes four and five for the final tonight.

10.21am BST

Men’s synchronised 10m diving: Junjie Lian and Hao Yang (Chn) have stretched their lead after the second round of dives. It is 57.6 for the dive and now they have 114 points combined. Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray (Can) and Tom Daley and Noah Williams (GB) remain locked in joint second on 105.00. The Australian pair of Domonic Bedggood and Cassiel Rousseau are in fourth with 99.60.

10.16am BST

Men’s hockey and women’s hockey: It is half-time between China ’s women and Japan ’s women in that competition and China seem in control, leading 4-0. Both teams lost their opening match, so this is damaging for Japan’s hopes of progressing.

In the men’s, after a lengthy video umpire delay, Australia have been denied a third goal. It remains 2-1 against Ireland with ten minutes left of the final quarter.

10.11am BST

Tom Daley and Noah Williams begin competing in 10m synchronised diving

Men’s synchronised 10m diving: Tom Daley and Noah Williams (GB) have scored 53.40 with their first dive, putting them in joint second place with Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray (Can). But China’s three-time and reigning world champions and the favourites Junjie Lian and Hao Yang have set a huge marker here with 56.40 in the opening dive. Each pair has six dives.

10.04am BST

Men’s synchronised 10m diving: the final has begun. Eight teams. Six dives each. Three medals to be won. Domonic Bedggood and Cassiel Rousseau have opened the competition for Australia and scored 51.00.

9.52am BST

It is coming up to 11 o’clock in Paris, where two events with Team GB medal hopes get under way – the men’s 10m synchronised diving and equestrian eventing team final .

11 o’clock in Paris will also see Nigeria and Australia face each other in the women’s basketball , the women’s 60kg boxing round of 16 start, China face Canada in the women’s beach volleyball , plus a rather tasty looking clash between Slovenia and Croatia in the men’s handball . Oh, and the swimming heats get started for today at 11 o’clock, and there is still tennis and mountain biking to come. It is … a lot. I love it.

9.46am BST

Men’s hockey: Australia have gone in at half-time leading Ireland 2-1. Lee Cole scored Ireland’s first goal of the tournament in the 25th minute, but just at the death of the second quarter Australia were awarded a penalty stroke which Blake Govers tucked away with aplomb.

9.33am BST

Men’s handball: Germany have ruthlessly dispatched Japan and now top Group A with two wins from two. Today’s match ended up 34-24 with Renars Uscins the standout man – seven goals from seven attempts.

9.20am BST

Women’s volleyball: the opening match today is Turkey against the Netherlands . The Dutch have taken the first two sets, but Turkey are fighting hard to save the third, with it tied at 16-16. Italy and the Dominican Republic are the other two teams in Pool C. They played yesterday, with Italy coming out on top.

9.13am BST

Men’s hockey: Australia have the lead against Ireland . Corey Weyer with the goal from a penalty corner in the ninth minute.

9.10am BST

Gold for South Korea in women's 10m air rifle

Women’s 10m air rifle: in an incredibly tight finish South Korea ’s Ban Hyojin has taken gold in the women’s 10m air rifle shooting from China ’s Huang Yuting . They both finished on 251.8 points, but the South Korean nicked the shoot-off. Audrey Gogniat took the bronze for Switzerland , her country’s first medal of the Games.

9.03am BST

Men’s hockey: in Group B Australia have got under way against Ireland in each side’s second match. Australia beat Argentina in their opener, while Ireland lost to defedning champions Belgium. India will play Argentina in the same group later today. Belgium lead the standing with two victories from two matches. There are six teams in the group and the top four progress.

8.56am BST

Men’s handball: Germany are in complete control in this match against Japan . The second half has just started and Germany lead 23-11.

8.54am BST

If your focus is on Team GB , then in their preview of the day they have picked out Tom Daley and Noah Williams in the men’s synchronised 10m diving, Tom Pidcock defending his mountain bike cross-country title, and Ros Canter , Laura Collett and Tom McEwen showjumping for gold as their highlights to look out for on day three.

8.46am BST

Women’s 10m air rifle: China ’s Huang Yuting is leading this competition at the moment. She is 17, and already has one gold medal from the mixed team event. South Korea ’s Ban Hyojin is close in second place at the moment.

8.39am BST

Rowing: the action is under way at Vaires-sur-Marne nautical stadium again, but today’s schedule is chiefly repecharge rounds and semi-finals for the minor placings, with a rest or practice day for those with more realistic medal ambitions.

8.31am BST

Men’s beach volleyball: Italy ’s Samuele Cottafava and Paolo Nicolai have nicked the first set against Australia ’s Mark Nicolaidis and Izac Carracher , 21-19. Both pairs lost their opening game, and so a second defeat would really hamper any chance of progressing from Pool A.

8.21am BST

Men’s handball: Germany have opened up a comfortable lead against Japan early on here, 15-6 up after 18 minutes. That match is both nation’s second game in Group A. Germany won their first, Japan lost their operner.

8.14am BST

Here is a reminder of where and when we are expecting medals today …

🥇 Shooting – men’s & women’s 10m air rifle (from 9:30)
🥇 Diving – men’s 10m platform synchro (from 11:00)
🥇 Equestrian – eventing team jumping / eventing individual jumping (from 11:00)
🥇 Mountain Bike – men’s cross-country (from 14:10)
🥇 Judo – women’s 57kg / men’s 73kg (from 16:00)
🥇 Skateboarding – men’s street (17:00)
🥇 Archery – men’s team (17:11)
🥇 Canoe Slalom – men’s C-1 (17:20)
🥇 Gymnastics – men’s team (17:30)
🥇 Swimming – men’s 200m freestyle & 100m backstroke / women’s 400m IM & 200m freestyle (20:30)
🥇 Fencing – women’s individual sabre / men’s individual foil (21:45)

*(All times listed are Paris local)

8.10am BST

Before I get to the sporting action, Philippe Auclair has just published this piece, arguing that the Paris Olympics is not just sport: it is about presenting a new French identity to the world:

Much of the outside world sees France as a fractured, some even said “ungovernable” country, which only escaped the prospect of the far right in power to find itself with a government placed in suspended animation until the Games are over, when Macron will finally pick a new prime minister. Yet this “ungovernable” country was able to put on a show which, whether you find it sublime or grotesque, very few other nations would have had the temerity to stage in such a fashion. If it is a mess, it is a glorious one. And should Macron wish to find a new prime minister who could federate all of France, he could do worse than choose Antoine Dupont, a piece of advice which flooded the message board of the very serious Le Monde newspaper in the minutes which followed France’s victory over Fiji in the rugby sevens.

Read more from Philippe Auclair here: Paris Olympics is not just sport: it is about presenting a new French identity to the world

8.05am BST

Hello, it is Martin Belam here in London. I will be here for the next few hours, but can’t help feeling very jealous of my colleague Will Magee last night getting to live blog the heroics of Andy Murray and Dan Evans . Although to be fair I might have just been typing fssghtssgdgsthppssunhelkandjkba with all the excitement. And that’s before I even think about the chaos of the Matildas .

I can’t promise the next few hours are going to be quite as high-octane as all that was, but we should get some medals again this morning, and I will keep you across everything that is happening. Drop me a line if you want to – martin.belam@theguardian.com .

8.03am BST

To lead you through the next portion of the day we travel from Melbourne to London where Martin Belam is waiting patiently. À demain!

7.57am BST

With nine o’clock local time fast approaching, the badmintonists will soon be joined by exponents of beach volleyball, handball, fencing, and volleyball, with shooting, archery, and rowing following just half-an-hour afterwards.

The forecast is for a beautiful summer’s day with temperatures tipping into the early 30s.

7.38am BST

Manolete 29 July 2024 7:24am

It’s worth watching Murray in Paris. It reminds you how much the GB public owe him for giving them genuine success after almost a century of abject underperformance. If you like tennis, sport, you might agree we owe him a debt of gratitude.

Hear hear. Andy Murray is on the shortlist for all-time great British sportspeople, and he’s done it displaying extraordinary resilience. Even yesterday, facing five match points against him in what would be his final match he still somehow manages to find a way to keep going. A true inspiration.

Updated at 7.40am BST

7.32am BST

The shuttles are flying at Porte de la Chapelle Arena, which means the action is under way on day three of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

7.18am BST

Coming up later today we’ll be treated to the most historic early round clash in any sport at these Games when Novak Djokovic takes on Rafael Nadal in the men’s singles tennis. It will be an Open-era record 60th clash between the two most successful male tennis players of all time, with 37-year-old Djokovic leading the head-to-head over 38-year-old Nadal 30-29.

It is fitting that what could be the final match of this extraordinary rivalry will take place on centre court at Roland Garros, the site of their first meeting back in 2006.

18 years on, the rivalry remains.

6.59am BST

The likes of Simone Biles and Lebron James are contributing to a euphoric vibe in Paris during these early days of the Games.

In terms of political capital from sport, the mood has not been this electric since France’s 1998 World Cup win, inspired by Zinedine Zidane, when the diverse team was hailed as able to heal and reconcile a fractured society and end discrimination. But only four years after that football victory the far-right leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen, made it to the second round of the presidential election. This time, weeks before the Olympics, his daughter Marine’s far-right National Rally party was prevented from forming a government by a massive surge of tactical voting in a snap parliament election.
Every gesture at the Olympics is now being clung to in France as a means of healing the recent election’s bitter rows over dual-nationals, identity and racism.

6.51am BST

While the star power was comparable at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, there were far fewer nerves for the imposing USA men’s basketball team. LeBron James and co swatted aside Serbia, one of their biggest rivals, in an awesome show of strength.

They are not burdened by your expectations. They are not keeping themselves up at night worrying about how they measure up against 1992. They have not been reading your angsty tweets (with the exception of KD, who almost certainly has ). The result: three quarters of pure business, one quarter of pure pleasure, a potential medal rival not simply dispatched but shoved disdainfully aside, a game that was basically conceived at its outset as a series of memes.

6.44am BST

Broadening our horizons a little now, it’s worth savouring the return to Olympic competition of Simone Biles yesterday.

Of course she nails the floor routine, lands the Yurchenko double pike on the vault, follows it up with the straight somersault with 1½ twists, sails through to the all-around final with another entry on the all-time points list. Sometimes, she wobbles a little. Sometimes, she takes an extra steadying step. Even her stumbles seem graceful. Because if Biles has taught us anything over the last decade, it is to reframe the way we think and talk about star athletes, to refuse the instinctive deification that is really also a form of dehumanisation. To stop demanding perfection and miracles as a condition of our love. Biles is perfect, because she isn’t.

Updated at 6.48am BST

6.26am BST

Also coming up today we have the start of The Opals’ Olympic campaign, a tournament that promises to see the baton passed from the great Lauren Jackson to a new generation of Australian basketballers, like Ezi Magbegor.

The New Zealand-born forward/ centre, moved to Australia with her Nigerian parents at age six. She has long been touted as the woman to claim the mantle of Australia’s next great basketball talent after Lauren Jackson retires for good, and following the false start of Liz Cambage in green and gold.

6.19am BST

It’s another massive night in the pool for Australia’s Dolphins with a one-two expected in 200m freestyle, but who out of Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan will take gold?

Titmus will go into the 200m final as the defending champion and world record-holder, having taken that mark from O’Callaghan at the Australian Olympic trials in June. She approaches the 200m with the strength of her 400m-800m training.
O’Callaghan, twice the world 100m freestyle champion, and world 200m champion last year, but competing in an individual event for the first time at the Olympics, will bring her dynamic finishing power and superb underwater skills.

6.09am BST

The Matildas, arguably Australia’s most popular team at the Olympics, notched their first win of the Games, a madcap 6-5 victory over Zambia. Qualification to the quarter-finals now looks probable, but not yet assured. Even so, after displaying such poor form in their opening two matches progress deep into the tournament seems unlikely.

For the optimists, this remarkable comeback victory will buoy the Matildas ahead of their crunch match against the United States on Wednesday in Marseille. It is just the sort of win needed to invigorate their Olympic campaign. Next stop - an Olympic medal?
Then there is a less charitable way to assess the group stage clash on Sunday night. Zambia are ranked 64 ^th in the world. They have two of the best attackers in the world, yes, but as a cohesive national team, they are far from the finished product ( the untenable position of their coach does not help). This is a game the Matildas, who have finished fourth at consecutive international tournaments, should have controlled and won comfortably.

5.56am BST

We’ll stay on Australian topics for a little while, starting with a celebration of Jess Fox, Australia’s flag bearer, after she dominated the K-1 Canoe Slalom to win the first of up to three gold medals at the Paris Games.

The medal is Fox’s fourth in the kayak event stretching back to London 2012, and her second gold after she won in the canoe in Tokyo. She improved her time from the semi-final by a barely believable six seconds, avoiding any penalties. It left her competitors having to take more risks to navigate the tricky course.

5.46am BST

And here’s a rundown of the day from an Australian perspective. One that will see the Opals, Kookaburras and Hockeyroos in action early, before swimmers Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan go head-to-head in the women’s 200m freestyle later on.

5.46am BST

Here’s today’s full schedule with Badminton again leading things off at 8:30 local time (just under two hours from now).

5.41am BST

The boxing image in here is an immediate entry to the Olympic photography hall of fame.

5.34am BST

Flava Flav, Water Polo, and the First Lady of the United States sounds like a combination of words that would only come about using Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies , but this has been a celeb-heavy opening to the Games.

5.30am BST

Yesterday also witnessed one of the youngest podiums in Olympic history with Coco Yoshizawa (14), Liz Akama (15), and Rayssa Leal (16) the medallists in the women’s street skateboarding.

Brazilian Leal is actually among the record holders after she made the podium in Tokyo, alongside Momiji Nishiya and Funa Nakayama. Their collective age was just 43 years 208 days (or one Lauren Jackson).

Updated at 6.53am BST

5.17am BST

South Korea have the joint-third most gold medals and joint-fourth most medals overall. This includes yesterday’s gold to the women’s archery team , extending their unbeaten run to an extraordinary 10 consecutive Olympics. South Korea are the only nation to have won that particular medal since it was introduced at Seoul 1988.

5.08am BST

By the end of day two Japan had moved alongside early pacesetters Australia on top of the medal table. France’s three memorable golds keep the hosts in the mix, while the USA are getting used to occupying the lower two steps on the podium.

4.59am BST

Preamble - Day Three Schedule

Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the third official day of competition of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

If the opening day belonged to Australia, day two was all about the hosts with French superstars Léon Marchand and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot securing popular gold medals.

There was also plenty of joy for Japan in judo, fencing, and skateboarding, the continuation of Korea’s dominance in women’s archery, and the return to the Olympic stage for the incomparable Simone Biles .

So what can we look forward to today?

Medal Events

🥇 Shooting – men’s & women’s 10m air rifle (from 9:30)
🥇 Diving – men’s 10m platform synchro (from 11:00)
🥇 Equestrian – eventing team jumping / eventing individual jumping (from 11:00)
🥇 Mountain Bike – men’s cross country (from 14:10)
🥇 Judo – women’s 57kg / men’s 73kg (from 16:00)
🥇 Skateboarding - men’s street (17:00)
🥇 Archery - men’s team (17:11)
🥇 Canoe Slalom - men’s C-1 (17:20)
🥇 Gymnastics - men’s team (17:30)
🥇 Swimming - men’s 200m freestyle & 100m backstroke / women’s 400m IM & 200m freestyle (20:30)
🥇 Fencing - women’s individual sabre / men’s individual foil (21:45)

*(All times listed are Paris local)

Simon Burnton’s day-by-day guide

Diving: men’s synchronised 10m platform final
Tom Daley is back for his fifth Games, and with Matty Lee – with whom he won this event in Tokyo – ruled out with a back injury he has been paired this time with Noah Williams. Williams finished 27th out of 29 entrants in the individual 10m platform in 2021 – “I did awful, so bad,” he says – and the new pair’s preparations have been hampered by the fact that Daley now lives in Los Angeles, but in their first international competition, February’s world championships, they won silver.

Equestrianism: eventing jumping team and individual final
The grounds of the Chateau de Versailles will provide a spectacular backdrop to the equestrian events, with today’s finale of the eventing competition using the temporary arena by the Grand Canal. Tom McEwen won a silver in the individual event in Tokyo, while the British squad took the team gold. McEwen will be back hoping to go one better, having swapped his horse Toledo de Kerser for JL Dublin. “Dubs is the whole package,” says McEwen.

Cycling: men’s cross-country
In 2021 Tom Pidcock won this event on the same day as Daley won diving gold, and the schedule has thrown them together again. The race will be held on the entirely human-made Elancourt Hill, the highest point in the Paris region, which started life as a dumping ground for the area’s sandstone quarries and after their closure graduated to being used for landfill. What certainly isn’t rubbish is the view over the city from the top. Nick Floros, the South African who designed the cross-country courses in Rio and Tokyo, has mapped the route again.

Also, be sure not to miss the final instalment in the greatest rivalry in tennis history: Rafael Nadal v Novak Djokovic , which is second on Court Philippe-Chatrier from 12:00.

I’m sure I’ve failed to include something notable to you in this short rundown, so feel free to let me know what’s on your agenda by emailing: jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com or, if you still consider post-Twitter relevant, drop me a note @jphowcroft .

I’ll be around for the first few hours of the blog here in Australia, after which I’m handing over to Martin Belam in the UK.