EVERY MORNING, WE bring you all of the info you need to make sure you don’t miss a second of Olympic gold.
Team Ireland are well and truly off the mark.
Two days ago, hadn’t even officially made it onto the medal table. This morning, we are up to 38th and are sure to rise when a further three guaranteed boxing medals are added in. The question is… what colours will they be?
Trio Paddy Barnes, John Joe Nevin and Michael Conlan are all in action in their respective weight divisions today and will be hoping for similar support to that which Katie Taylor received in the ExCel Arena yesterday.
Also donning the green, white and orange on Day 13 are the women’s 4x400m relay team and canoeist Andrzej Jezierski.
Top of the bill
Boxing
It is semi-finals day in all 10 of the men’s boxing categories and there is plenty of Irish interest in both the afternoon (1.30pm-4pm) and the evening sessions (8.30pm-11pm).
Hockey
The Netherlands face Argentina for gold in the women’s hockey final at 8pm. If anyone watched the semi-finals, and in particular the penalty shootout, they will be tuning into this one.
Athletics
At the Olympic Stadium tonight, the women’s 5,000m final is off at 8.05pm.
Who’s flying the flag?
Canoe Sprint
Andrzej Jezierski, a former double world champion, represents Ireland in the men’s canoe single (C1). The Polish-born athlete is in Heat 1 at 9.50am.
Boxing
Men’s light flyweight Paddy Barnes is the first of three Irish boxers to take to the ring this afternoon. The Beijing bronze medallist has said it’s gold he is bidding for this time around but faces possibly the toughest competitor in the event in Shiming Zou of China. Proceedings begin at 1.30pm.
Shortly afterwards (2pm), Mullingar’s John Joe Nevin takes on Lazaro Alvarez Estrada of Cuba in the men’s bantamweight semi-final. Then at 8.45pm tonight, 20-year-old Michael Conlan faces Robelsy Ramirez Carrazana, also from Cuba, in his flyweight semi-final.
Athletics
The women’s 4x400m relay team are up in heat two at 7.10pm. The team, which consists of Dubliners Michelle Carey and Claire Bergin, Kilkenny sisters Joanne and Catriona Cuddihy, Cork native Marian Heffernan and Jessie Barr from Waterford are up against the likes of Team GB and Team USA for a place in Saturday’s final.
Don’t miss…
Men’s 10km marathon swim
We discovered a new found admiration for the women’s open water swimmers after watching their aching bodies race around The Serpentine for the guts of two hours yesterday. You can see the men’s event at midday.
BMX
There was absolute carnage on the course yesterday when seven of the eight riders were wiped out during one particular heat. This is a million miles away from dressage… and we like it. Semi-finals, followed by the final, go ahead from 3.10pm.
