Olympic report
The world’s top male gymnasts are set to compete in the all-around final at Bercy Arena on Wednesday, July 31.
The competition is shaping up to be another battle between China and Japan, as the top four qualifiers all hail from these two countries.
Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto, the defending Olympic all-around champion, has faced some inconsistencies in Paris. His main rival is China’s Zhang Boheng, who topped the qualifications with a score 1.732 points higher than Hashimoto’s. Another strong contender is Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka, a rookie Olympian who finished second in qualifications, while China’s Xiao Ruoteng, the Tokyo silver medalist, came in fourth.
Japanese gymnasts have won the all-around title at every Olympic Games since London 2012.
The Americans also have medal hopes, particularly with Frederick Richard, who placed 10th in qualifications and won a bronze at the 2023 World Championships. Paul Juda, who qualified 13th, outperformed three-time national champion Brody Malone, who struggled during qualifications. Juda has shown confidence and consistency, potentially putting him in contention if the top gymnasts falter.
In the final, Hashimoto, Boheng, Oka, and Ruoteng will start on the floor, Richard on the pommel horse, and Juda on the rings.
In other sports, five-time world BMX freestyle champion Hannah Roberts aims to better her silver medal from Tokyo, the U.S. men’s basketball team hopes to avoid another close call against South Sudan, and the USWNT faces Australia in a repeat of Tokyo’s bronze medal match.
Detailed Overview for Day 5
Gymnastics
– Daiki Hashimoto of Japan leads the men’s all-around final, defending his title as the reigning world and Olympic champion.
– Zhang Boheng of China is his primary competitor, having narrowly beaten Hashimoto at the 2021 Worlds. Zhang was the top qualifier with a score of 88.597.
– Shinnosuke Oka, in his first major international competition, placed second in qualifications.
– American gymnasts Frederick Richard and Paul Juda, who placed 10th and 13th in qualifications respectively, also have potential, despite the absence of reigning national champion Brody Malone.
Cycling
– American Hannah Roberts enters her second Olympics as the favorite in BMX freestyle, having secured silver in Tokyo.
– Other contenders include Nikita Ducarroz of Switzerland, Perris Benegas of the USA, and Chinese riders Deng Yawen and Sun Jiaqi.
– On the men’s side, France’s Anthony Jeanjean, Australia’s Logan Martin, and Great Britain’s Kieran Reilly are among the top competitors.
Swimming
– Key finals include the men’s and women’s 100m freestyle, men’s 200m breaststroke, men’s 200m butterfly, and women’s 1500m freestyle.
– Katie Ledecky is the favorite in the 1500m freestyle, with all 19 of the fastest times in history.
– In the 200m butterfly, Leon Marchand will compete against Japan’s Tomoru Honda, and later in the 200m breaststroke, against China’s Qin Haiyang.
– The women’s 100m freestyle features Australian Mollie O’Callaghan and American Gretchen Walsh. The men’s 100m freestyle includes contenders like Pan Zhanle, David Popovici, and Kyle Chalmers.
Basketball
– The U.S. men’s team faces South Sudan, with stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant leading the charge after a tight exhibition game earlier in the month.
Soccer
– The USWNT faces Australia in a crucial group stage match, with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith having led the team offensively in previous games. Australia has had mixed results, losing to Germany and winning against Zambia.
