New Zealand’s medal chances
Triathlon
Silver medallist Hayden Wilde leads the New Zealand team in the relay for all four taking part in
a leg of the sprint triathlon distance. New Zealand was fourth at the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Defending champions Great Britain go in as the favourites with men’s gold medallist Alex Yee and women’s bronze medallist Beth Potter in the team.
Kayak cross
Both the Kiwis have impressed so far as the event continues with the knockout phases, the quarter-finals beginning at 1.30am. Luuka Jones won the test event last year but will be up against Germany’s Ricarda Funk and Australia’s Noemie Fox, sister of multi-gold winner Jessica, for a spot in the semis. Finn Butcher races in the men’s quarter-finals from 1.52am.
Cycling track
The 2024 Olympics marks the first time that women will compete with three riders. Germany will be favourites along with Great Britain and China. The New Zealand team finished fifth in qualifying at last year’s world championships before losing to Netherlands for a spot in the medals. Based on that they sit just outside the medals but that was a year ago. They placed sixth at World Cup event in March. Qualifying begins at 3am.
Athletics
New Zealand’s only chance at the Games to sweep the medals in an event as Eliza McCartney, Imogen Ayris and Olivia McTaggart start women’s pole vault qualification tonight. Also in the field events in the early session, Connor Bell has qualification for the men’s discus. Tomorrow morning, George Beamish is in the heats in the men’s 3000m steeplechase.
Sailing
It’s back on the water for the kitesurfers (Lukas Walton-Keim and Justina Kitchen), the men’s and women’s dinghys (Tom Saunders and Greta Pilkington) and the Nacra pair of Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson who sit in second spot.
Wrestling
A two-time bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games, Tayla Ford deserves a shot at the Olympics after becoming New Zealand’s first female wrestler at the Games. She’s competing in the -68kg category and is up against Frenchwoman Koumba Larroque, a four-time medallist at the World Championships.
Sport climbing
Sarah Tetzlaff begins qualification seeding for the speed event at 11pm.
Cycling track
The men’s rack men’s pursuit team (Aaron Gate, Keegan Hornblow, Tom Sexton and Campbell Stewart) enter qualifying at 3.27am. The eight fastest teams will qualify and be matched in the first round to race off for medal ranking spots on Wednesday morning.
Hear it as it happens with live commentary of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on GOLD SPORT & iHeartRadio, plus comprehensive coverage on Newstalk ZB.
