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| Jul 29, 2024

PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: What you need to know right now

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Jul 28, 2024; Nanterre, France; Tomoyuki Matsushita (Japan), Leon Marchand (France) and Carson Foster (USA) in the men’s 400-meter individual medley medal ceremony during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Paris La Défense Arena. (Photo: Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)

PARIS (Reuters): -The Games hit their stride on Monday, July 29, with 19 gold medals on offer, including five in swimming.

The temperature is set to hit 30 degrees Celsius with clear skies but the hangover from the deluge of rain on Friday and Saturday means the fate of Tuesday’s triathlon in the Seine hangs in the balance.

Here’s what you need to know about the Olympics on Monday:

CHINA DIVES AHEAD

France; Gold medalists Junjie Lian and Hao Yang (CHN), silver medalists Thomas Daley and Noah Williams (GBR) and bronze medalists Rylan Wiens and Nathan Zsombor-Murray (CAN) after the men’s 10m synchronized diving final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Aquatics Centre. (Photo: Mandatory Credit: Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY Sports)

China has gone into top spot on the medal table after winning the men’s synchronised 10-metre dive, with Yang Hao and Lian Junjie ahead of British veteran Tom Daley and his partner Noah Williams.

China is hoping to win an unprecedented sweep of all eight golds in the diving pool and is on track so far with two out of two.

In shooting Sheng Lihao also brought the Chinese delegation success, winning his second gold of the games in the men’s 10 metre air rifle.

Japan is second in the medal table with wins over the weekend in judo, skateboarding, and fencing.

FOOD FIGHT?

Paris 2024 Olympics – Mountain Bike – Women’s Cross-country – Elancourt Hill, Elancourt, France – July 28, 2024. Gold medallist Pauline Ferrand Prevot of France celebrates after the race. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

Paris Olympics organisers said on Monday they have dealt with complaints from athletes about food at the Games.

The quality and quantity of food drew criticism from competitors after catering staff rationed breakfast eggs last week.

Organisers had promised fresh produce mostly made in France, with a focus on local and organic products and more vegetarian options. However, some demanded more meat.

MUDDY WATERS

Paris 2024 Olympics – Triathlon – Alexander III Bridge, Paris, France – July 28, 2024. General view after Triathlon training was cancelled amid water quality concerns (Photo: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

Paris Olympics organisers cancelled the triathlon swimming training session in the Seine river for a second day on Monday, 24 hours before the men’s race, after heavy rain late last week increased both pollution levels and the speed of the current.

A final call on whether Tuesday’s race will go ahead will be made at 4 a.m., based on samples from the river taken 24 hours before.

France has invested some $1.4 billion in new wastewater infrastructure to cut the amounts of sewage flowing into the river, and city authorities have announced plans for three swimming sites to open to the public by June next year.

FRENCH TELECOM NETWORKS ATTACKED

Workers set up a mobile telecom transmitter that relays in Tilloy-lez-Cambrai, France, November 23, 2021. Picture taken November 23, 2021. (Photo: REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File Photo)

Vandals targeted France’s telecoms networks overnight, piling pressure on French security services trying to secure the Olympics after authorities said they suspected left-wing groups of attacking rail lines ahead of the opening ceremony in Paris.

Police have yet to arrest anyone for Friday’s attacks on the high-speed rail lines with explosive devices, but Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Monday authorities suspected members of far-left militant groups due to the nature of the sabotage.

JUDO PROBES FAILED WEIGH-IN

Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Judo – Men’s 73kg – Repechage Round – Nippon Budokan – Tokyo, Japan – July 26, 2021. Tohar Butbul of Israel reacts after losing (File Photo: REUTERS/Sergio Perez)

Judo’s governing body is to investigate why Algeria’s Messaoud Redouane Dris failed the weigh-in for his under 73 kg bout with Israel’s Tohar Butbul at the Paris Olympics, saying athletes can become “victims of broader political disputes”.

The International Judo Federation said Dris arrived for the weight control session on Sunday 10 minutes before the deadline and was found to be 400 grams over the allowed weight limit to compete on Monday.

NO ‘THREE-PEAT’

Paris 2024 Olympics – Swimming – Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final – Paris La Defense Arena, Nanterre, France – July 28, 2024. Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy celebrates after winning gold. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi won the men’s 100 metres breaststroke gold on Sunday and ended Adam Peaty’s “three-peat” bid to win the same event at three successive Games.

Peaty, hoping to become only the second male swimmer after retired U.S. great Michael Phelps to perform the triple, had to settle for silver alongside reigning world champion Nic Fink of the United States.

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