PARIS (Reuters) – Simone Biles will be chasing a sixth Olympic gold medal when she competes in the women’s gymnastics all-around final on Thursday.
That’s after Leon Marchand won an unprecedented two Olympic finals in the pool on Wednesday evening, delighting a rapturous home crowd and securing his status as France’s face of the Games.
Here’s what you need to know about the Olympics on Thursday.
SIXTH GOLD FOR BILES?
Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all-time, made her much-anticipated return to the Olympic stage on Sunday. On Thursday, she is aiming for her second gold medal of the Paris Olympics.
18 GOLD
There will be 18 gold medals up for grabs on Thursday, including in rowing, swimming, judo, sailing, athletics and shooting.
MARVELLOUS MARCHAND
France’s Olympic star Marchand completed an unprecedented 200 metres breaststroke and butterfly double on Wednesday, winning his third gold of the Paris Games and raising the roof at a rocking La Defense Arena.
Katie Ledecky won her 12th Olympic medal after blitzing the rest of the field in the 1,500 metres freestyle.
MORE SWIMMING
Four medals are at stake at La Defense Arena including the women’s 200 metres butterfly, the men’s 200 backstroke and the women’s 200 breaststroke.
The marquee event of the day is the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay, with the heats in the morning session followed by the final in the evening.
ACTION-PACKED DAY AT 3×3 BASKETBALL
No fewer than 16 matches, two per team, will be played during the third day of the pool stage of the 3×3 basketball tournament.
DOPING ROW
China’s anti-doping agency (CHINADA) has accused the New York Times of politicising doping issues and said the publication was trying to “affect the psychology” of Chinese athletes at the Paris Olympics.
The Times reported on Tuesday that two Chinese swimmers in 2022 tested positive for a banned steroid but had provisional suspensions lifted when the results were blamed on contaminated food.
SURF IS BACK?
Competition in Tahiti is likely to resume on Thursday after storm delays.
OLYMPIC FEVER
Stadiums are packed. Crowds are going wild, chanting, applauding, supporting the home team. The French are also tuning in by the millions to watch the Games on TV. After months of doom and gloom, Olympic fever has caught on in France.
(Compiled by Ingrid Melander, Rachel Armstrong and Lori Ewing; Editing by Tom Hogue)
