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Tokyo Olympics: What to look out for on August 1

Tokyo Olympics: Elaine Thompson-Herah made it back-to-back Olympic golds in the women's 100m, the men take centre stage on Sunday.

By Dom Farrell
Andre de Grasse

Tokyo, Augut 1: Always a highlight of any Olympics and 10 seconds when the world stops, Sunday brings the final of the men's 100 metres in Tokyo.

Canada's Andre de Grasse qualified fastest from the heats and heads into the semis in impressive form as he aims to improve upon the bronze he won at Rio 2016.

Novak Djokovic's conqueror Alexander Zverev is favourite to complete the job in the men's tennis gold medal match against Karen Khachanov, while there could be a home success to celebrate in the final round of the men's golf, where Japan's Hideki Matsuyama is a shot off the pace.

Tokyo Olympics, India Schedule for August 1: PV Sindhu eyes bronze, men's hockey aims entry in semi-finalTokyo Olympics, India Schedule for August 1: PV Sindhu eyes bronze, men's hockey aims entry in semi-final

Stats Perform has a look at those standout events and a few others on the day when the swimming meet concludes.

BROMELL STRIVING FOR BEST FORM AS DE GRASSE AIMS TO EMULATE BAILEY

De Grasse is the last man standing from the Rio 2016 podium, where Usain Bolt bested bitter rival Justin Gatlin.

Bolt's retirement, Gatlin's advancing years and the absence of world champion Christian Coleman due to a doping ban means there is a sense of a new era beginning and De Grasse will hope to claim Canada's first sprint gold since Donavon Bailey's world record-breaking effort at Atlanta in 1996.

It would banish the 26-year-old's status as something of a nearly-man. He also took bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, where his silver in the 200m emulated a second-placed finish over that distance behind Bolt in Rio.

Trayvon Bromell is the fastest man in the world this year after clocking 9.77 in Florida in June, but the United States star only progressed from the heats as a fastest loser and qualified slower than compatriots Fred Kerley and Ronnie Baker, each of whom have gone sub-10 this season.

Away from the track, two-time reigning men's world high jump champion Mutasz Barshim will seek to win Qatar's first ever Olympic gold, while Colombia's defending champion Caterine Ibarguen resumes her South American duel with Venezuela's Yulimar Rojas in the women's triple jump final – a rivalry that might put Inessa Kravets' 26-year-old world record under threat.

SCHAUFFELE TAKES SLENDER LEAD INTO SUNDAY

Matsuyama is 13 under after three rounds at Kasumigaseki Country Club, leaving him one shy of Xander Schauffele after the American birdied 18.

Schauffele was also one ahead at the halfway stage and had playing partners Matsuyama and Mexico's Carlos Ortiz applying pressure throughout.

Britain's Paul Casey is tied with Ortiz for third, while Rory McIlroy in a four-way tie for fifth and one of nine players within four shots of Schauffele.

Matsuyama struggled off the tee on Saturday but the imperious short game that earned him Masters glory earlier this year helped him to card a four-under 67.

ZVEREV AND KHACHANOV BRING DOWN CURTAIN ON MURRAY ERA

Zverev will hope to go one better than German compatriot Tommy Haas, who took silver at Sydney 2000.

His world ranking of number five puts him 20 places ahead of his Russian opponent with the ATP but the duo's head-to-head record is locked at two apiece.

Indeed, their two most recent encounters – at ATP Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Paris in 2019 and 2018 respectively – went Khachanov's way in straight sets.

The men's final will formally end Andy Murray's reign as Olympic champion after the British great claimed back-to-back golds in London and Rio before withdrawing from the singles draw in Tokyo due to a thigh complaint.

Berlinda Bencic is going for a second gold in the women's doubles final following her singles triumph.

DRESSEL, PEATY AND SCOTT EYEING MORE MEDALS

Caeleb Dressel, Adam Peaty and Duncan Scott have eight medals between them in Tokyo – six of them gold.

American superstar Dressel will aim to add to his three wins when he contests the men's 50m freestyle, while Peaty and Scott can round of a historic meet for Britain in the men's 4x100m medley relay, an event in which they are world champions.

Story first published: Sunday, August 1, 2021, 7:23 [IST]
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