Key events
Deep into the third quarter of the men’s basketball, and LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and co still have the advantage, leading Nikola Jokic and Serbia 73-59. James and Durant have combined for 39 of the USA’s points.
Thanks Sarah. The golds keep on coming, because it’s all over in the women’s street skateboarding final. It’s a Japanese one-two, with Coco Yoshizawa taking gold and Liz Akama silver. The venue at La Concorde is absolutely packed with Brazilian fans, and they’ve been given something to cheer about with the 16-year-old Rayssa Leal winning bronze.
Well my first stint of the day is over and I am handing over to Katy Murrells. Enjoy the next few hours.
Fox wins kayak gold and Woods bronze
Ricarda Funk is off on her run, can she retain her crown or will Jess Fox win gold? Early on Germany’s Funk is superbly clean and she is using all of her power to have a golden run. But she has a few errors and she is in the red on the split time and then she gets a penalty! Oh my, she has received a 50. Fox has a gold and GB’s Woods has won bronze!
Woods is just as quickly out of silver as she went into it with Klaudia Zwolinska from Poland putting in a storming run in the kayak final with a time of 97.53. GB’s Woods had a time of 98.94. One competitor to go but it is the defending champion.
Team GB’s Kim Woods is up next in the kayak singles final. She needs to beat Australia’s Jess Fox’s 96.08 time to get in the gold medal position. She has a really strong start, it isn’t perfect but she is in the green on the split time. Woods is very composed and clean, can she get into the gold medal position? She may have slipped out after a slow recovery. She isn’t into the gold medal position but she slides into silver! There are two competitors left to run.
There has also been action in the men’s tennis where Spain’s Rafael Nadal has set up a showdown with Novak Djokovic in the second round. Nadal was pushed by Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, who pushed the match to a third set but Nadal won 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
Elsewhere in the event Jack Draper is also through to the second round after beating Japan’s Kei Nishikori in straight sets.
Here’s a news story amid all of the live sport:
It is half-time in the men’s basketball and the USA are leading Serbia 58-49.
Kevin Durant has scored 21 points without a miss and has been electric since entering the game.
So Australia’s Jessica Fox is ready for her run in this kayak singles final. She has never won gold in this event before, she looks fiercely focused. Fox has a powerful start and is relatively smooth but she needs to pick up the pace here to get into the gold medal position. Gate number 12 is masterfully dealt with and she records a time of 96.08 seconds and she is in the gold medal position for now.
In the women’s rugby sevens Canada have beaten Fiji 17-14 in their pool match. GB are next in action at 6.30pm GMT against Australia in that event.
In the men’s basketball it is still a close encounter. The USA have shaken off their wobbly start but Serbia are putting in a great performance. The USA are currently leaving 40-30 in the second period.
The women’s kayak final is underway. The big stars in this one being Australia’s Jessica Fox and GB’s Kim Woods. All the details to come as we have them.
Here we go then, a shoot-off for the gold medal. The Republic of Korea go first and it is a 10, what a shot. China follow it up with an eight, RoK score a nine and now China need a 10. She gets it – the pressure on her shoulders there, so well executed. RoK slots a 10 and China finish with nine.
The judges are making sure the 10s are 10s and they are. The gold medal goes to the Republic of Korea. What an end to this final!
The gold medal women’s team archery final has gone to a three arrow shoot-off after the Republic of Korea could not score ten to take the gold. Such drama!
In the women’s skateboarding after the two runs Japan have a 1-2-3 with Liz Akama, Coco Yoshizawa and Funa Nakayama in the top three positions. There is now a trick section which will impact how this final will end and who will get the medals.
The men’s basketball is becoming a real battle with the lead switching every few seconds. The USA bench just erupted after they thought there was an unsportsmanlike foul, it has been given at a foul and they are checking it. After a review they are not upgrading it and it remain as a regular foul, the USA clearly not happy with the call. The USA leading 23-20 right now.
Elsewhere, the Republic of Korea have the upperhand at the moment in the archery final. They lead 4-2.
In the women’s football, Colombia are leading New Zealand 1-0, while Brazil v Japan is still in a 0-0 deadlock.
The time-out in the men’s basketball has worked perfectly for the USA, they have launched a comeback and it is LeBron James spearheading it. They are now currently leading 14-12 against Serbia with great attacking play by James.
Some news from a press conference, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot won the gold medal in mountain biking earlier on and in her presser has announced she will be retiring from the discipline in order to focus on the road. What a golden way to bow out of the discipline.
In the women’s rugby sevens hosts France have beaten Brazil 26-0 in their pool game. There will be more action from the sport from 4.30 with Team GB next playing at 6.30pm BST against Australia.
The USA missed a few free throws through Joel Embiid but they have their first points on the board with Lebron James slotting a great shot. The USA are struggling here and they have called a time-out to settle themselves. Serbia leading 10-2.
In the men’s basketball Serbia have scored first against the USA and they currently lead 4-0. Serbia have been very astute defensively so far.
The women’s team gold medal match in the archery between the Republic of Korea and China is underway. I’ll update you as that one progresses.
Coming up with have some men’s basketball with the US team taking on Serbia. They are running through the anthems now with the camera panning to stars like LeBron James and Steph Curry. A tasty match in store.
In the women’s skateboarding street final Brazil’s Rayssa Leal has logged a huge point score in her first run with 71.66. Several other skaters have logged scores but they are nowhere near the Brazilian with the current second place held by Japan’s Funa Nakayama with 48.14.
In the men’s singles tennis Britain’s Jack Draper has taken the first set 6-1 against Japan’s Kei Nishikori and the second set is just getting underway. The match is in the first round of that event.
Thank you Martin, I will be taking you through the next hour and a bit and we have some medals coming our way. There is a skateboard street final, some archery and a canoe slalom. Let’s get stuck in shall we?
That is it from me, Martin Belam, for today. I will be back with you for the early action from Paris tomorrow. I am now handing you over to Sarah Rendell. See you soon!
Tumaini Carayol
Tumaini Carayol was at the Bercy Arena for the Guardian this morning to witness the return of Simone Biles to the Olympic stage:
As Simone Biles offered herself a few final quiet words of encouragement by the balance beam before she returned to compete in front of the world once again, the entire spectacle could have been so overwhelming. The Bercy Arena was already exploding with excitement whenever her name was mentioned. Countless celebrities, from Tom Cruise to Ariana Grande, lined the stands and flashed up on the screens. All eyes were on Biles, and she knew it.
The competition draw that Biles and her US teammates received was also unhelpful. They were required to start on the balance beam, the most unpredictable apparatus and the event that exposes all tension and uncertainty. If you cannot control your nerves, you will fall.
But Biles effortlessly worked her way through a smooth, efficient opening beam routine without a flicker of uncertainty. That first routine would set the tone for a spectacular return to Olympic competition as she finished her subdivision of women’s qualification as the top all-around qualifier, scoring 59.566. It is the biggest international all-around score of the Olympic quad and with three more subdivisions to come, there is not a soul who can outscore her.
Read more from Tumaini Carayol here: Biles battles through pain on spectacular Olympic return with top score in qualifying
Women’s rugby sevens: the competition has just witnessed a couple of rather one-sided pool matches. Australia beat South Africa 34-5, while the USA got the better of Japan 36-7. Next up on the hour in the Stade de France are the hosts France against Brazil.
Women’s team archery: the semi-finals have been and gone, and the gold medal match will see China take on the defending gold medallists from Tokyo, South Korea at 17.11 local time in Paris. The Netherlands and Mexico will contest bronze before that at 16.48.
Nick Ames
Nick Ames has been at the Vaires-Sur-Marne Nautical Stadium for the Guardian:
Helen Glover’s return to Olympic waters brought smooth progress to the women’s four final and suggested the third gold medal of a stellar career lies well within her reach.
British crews won three of their five heats on a warm, bright day at Vaires-Sur-Marne that stood in happy contrast to Saturday’s persistent rain. The prospect of a successful summer looks real, Emily Craig and Imogen Grant looking peerless in the women’s lightweight double sculls while Ollie Wynne-Griffith and Tom George stated a compelling case in the men’s pair.
“To be in this position with three people I could not ask any more of, I’m the lucky one,” Glover said of a boat that will start Thursday’s final as favourites. The 38-year-old, who has three children, rows alongside Esme Booth, Sam Redgrave and Rebecca Shorten. At halfway they appeared to be in a three-way race with New Zealand and China but they pulled ahead, Shorten setting a formidable pace in the stroke seat, and beat the All Blacks by just over a length.
Glover won gold in the women’s pair in 2012 and 2018; her legendary status was showcased when, along with Tom Daley, she carried the flag for Great Britain at the opening ceremony on Friday and said her preparations had been lifted by the honour. “It’s given me a massive boost,” she said. “You walk a little bit taller and a little bit prouder. It’s not something I expected.”
The four are hitting form at the right time. They were crowned European champions in April and Glover believes hard work is paying off when it matters. “We’ve all been consistent, robust, ready, and I think playing the long game has worked,” she said.
Craig and Grant showed why they are the team to beat in the last-ever Olympic competition in their category. They were millimetres away from a medal in Tokyo but won their heat by more than two lengths from Greece here, building up an unmatchable pace in the middle kilometre and not letting go. They will hope for a similarly commanding semi-final on Wednesday.
Read more from Nick Ames here: Helen Glover powers through rowing heats with third Olympic gold in reach
Women’s canoe slalom kayak single: Jess Fox of Australia has qualified for the final, with a contained performance that saw her make the eighth fastest run in the semi-final. 12 competitors advanced.
The three fastest qualifiers were Ricarda Funk of Germany, Klaudia Zwolińska of Poland, and Team GB’s Kimberley Woods.
The final is scheduled for 17.45 local time.
Women’s canoe slalom kayak single: Klaudia Zwolińska of Poland, rank fifth in the world, is comfortably through to the final, second fastest so far, behind Ricarda Funk of Germany. Australia’s Jess Fox is the final run.
Women’s canoe slalom kayak single: with the crowd willing her on Camille Prigent of France is going to the final – but it was closer than she would have liked. She is sixth fastest. Klaudia Zwolińska of Poland is next. She is the closest challenger to Australia’s Jess Fox for gold later on today.
Women’s canoe slalom kayak single: Evy Leibfarth of the USA doesn’t look to have done it, she got into some difficulty, picked up two penalty seconds, and is now placed 12. That won’t be good enough unless the last three all have disasters. Camille Prigent of France is out in front of her home crowd now.
Women’s canoe slalom kayak single: we are down to the final four runs of this semi-final, with the four competitors who had the best combined time after yesterday’s two heats due. Evy Leibfarth of the USA is on the water now. Ricarda Funk is fastest so far, with the German picking up two penalty seconds on a run of 97.31. The 12 fastest qualify for the final. Antonie Galušková of the Czech Republic has just had a shocker and picked up 50 penalty seconds which has knocked her out of contention altogether.
Women’s kayak single slalom: Kimberley Woods of Great Britain has secured her berth in the final. The twelve fastest competitors qualify for a chance to win a medal at 17.45 local time tonight.
Australian medal hope and flag bearer Jess Fox is going last in this session after her rapid – see what I did there – performance in yesterday’s heats.
Women’s rugby sevens: Great Britain ended up defeating Ireland 21-12 in their rugby sevens pool game earlier. Despite extensive research* I can’t find a nickname for Australia’s women’s rugby sevens’ team, but my ignorance has not stopped them racing into a 24-0 lead over South Africa.
The South Africans will be sick of the sight of Maddison Levi already, as she has scored three tries in the first half.
[*some cursory Googling]
Michael Jung and Laura Collett were going head-to-head for Olympic eventing gold after impressive cross-country rides on Sunday, with Britain defending the lead in the team ranking while its main rival Germany was eliminated when one rider fell, Reuters reports.
Putting on an error-free and perfectly timed cross-country performance through the chateau gardens of Versailles, Germany’s three-times gold medallist Jung and his gelding Chipmunk opened up a small lead.
“It was such a great feeling, each jump was super, Chipmunk was super to ride,” Jung said. “But everything can still go wrong. For now, I am happy with how it went, I try to enjoy it and then we have to prepare for the show-jumping.”
Britain Collett, Jung’s main challenger for individual gold, and her horse London 52 on Saturday registered a new Olympic eventing dressage record with a score of 17.5 penalty points.
They took 0.8 penalty points in Sunday’s cross-country phase, however, while Jung defended his 17.8 dressage score.
Collett hinted her early starting time might have been a factor, as parts of the ground were still wet after days of rain. “Time was tight,” she told reporters. “There’s an awful lot of twists and turns when we were slipping all over the place, so I had to be quite careful.”
After today’s session, in the team cross country Great Britain lead France and Japan in the top three spots
Our the ever-wonderful Tom Jenkins has cast his eye over the equestrian eventing at the sumptuous Palace of Versailles…
Picture editor John Windmill has put together this gallery of some of the best images from day two of the Olympics for your enjoyment …
Men’s singles tennis: the schedule for this was disrupted by rain yesterday, but at the moment Spain’s Rafael Nadal has arrived back from his starring role in the opening ceremony and is 4-1 up against Márton Fucsovics of Hungary.
Team GB’s Daniel Evans is 5-2 up in the third and deciding set after he and Tunisia’s Moez Echargui shared the first two. Evans’ teammate Jack Draper is through to the next round, where he faces Taylor Fritz of the USA.
After all that focus on the women’s cross-country cycling, let us have a quick round-up of what is going on elesewhere. And there is a lot. Spain’s women beat China 90-89 in the basketball. Sweden have beaten Germany 31-28 in women’s handball. Great Britain are leading Ireland by 21-12 in the women’s rugby sevens, and Poland beat Japan in the women’s volleyball.
Incredible stuff for France there. It is day two and the medal table has Australia top with three golds, China are in second, also with three golds. South Korea and France now have two apiece.
Women’s mountain bike cross-country: Batten and Rissveds embrace at the end, they pushed each other nearly right to the finish line before the US rider just had a little bit more.
Puck Pieterse of the Netherlands is fourth. She must feel crushed. She spent so long in second place and then appeared to suffer a puncture which ultimately looks like it has cost her a medal. Evie Richards of Great Britain is fifth.
Pauline Ferrand Prevot’s winning time is 1:26:02, and her margin of victory two minutes and 57 seconds.
Women’s mountain bike cross-country: Hayley Batten of the USA takes silver! Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds takes bronze! What a fantastic race.
Women’s mountain bike cross-country: who grabs silver? Hayley Batten of the USA or Jenny Rissveds of Sweden? Batten has tried to shake off Rissveds and is second, but hasn’t managed to ditch the Swede.