Let the Games begin.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics officially began last night, with the opening ceremony taking place, and now attention turns to the athletes as the Games ramp up.
Here's all you need to know about today's action (Saturday, 24 July).
Tokyo Olympics 2020 (July 24): New Zealand athletes and events in action, how to watch in NZ, live streaming
NZ Herald
4 mins to read
Subscribe to listen
Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
The Olympics are officially underway after the opening ceremony last night. Photo / Getty
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
New Zealand have their first chance of a medal today, with cyclist George Bennett gunning for gold in the men's road race at 2pm. Supported by teammate Patrick Bevin, Bennett is an outsider for a medal, but the course and conditions suit him, and while he goes up against a few stronger riders, the chaotic nature of cycling and the smaller peloton and teams in the Olympics means surprises are certainly possible.
Just ask him.
"The Olympics is a strange race - teams are generally smaller, there's not guys there that are paid to be there to help, so generally there's a lot less control," he said.
"[The road race] is four and a half, five thousand metres of climbing, it's super-hot.
"It's clear I'm strong enough to be there with the best 10 guys coming over Mt Fuji, and then there's 40 kilometres and they might be a lot stronger than me – the best guys left in the race might be stronger than me – but when it's a bit flat and when there's no control and when there's a huge element of unpredictability, anything can happen."
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Other Kiwi medal contenders who start their campaigns today include rowers Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast in the women's pair, and swimmer Lewis Clareburt, who takes part in a crucial heat in his favoured 400 metres individual medley event, with the top eight swimmers going through to the final and the rest bowing out.
Gowler and Prendergast may have to row twice in three hours, with the women's eight also in action after a schedule changed push their heat forward a day, due to predicted poor weather on Monday. However, the women's eight brought a squad of 10, so if it is deemed too taxing, the star duo could rest and return for the next race – with one team from the heat of four qualifying for the final, and the other crews heading to a repechage.
Check the "who's competing" interactive above to see the full list of Kiwis in action, and when they begin their events.
Sports in action today
3x3 Basketball (Pool Play)
Archery (Mixed Teams medal match)
Artistic Gymnastics (men's qualification)
Badminton (Pool Play)
Beach Volleyball (Pool Play)
Boxing (Preliminary Rounds)
Cycling (Men's Road Race)
Equestrian (Dressage day one)
Fencing (Epee and Sabre medal matches)
Football (Women's Pool Play)
Handball (Men's Pool Play)
Hockey (Pool Play)
Judo (Women's 48kg and Men's 60kg medal matches)
Rowing (Heats)
Shooting (Women's 10m Air Rifle and Men's 10m Air Pistol medal matches)
Softball (Pool Play)
Swimming (Heats)
Table Tennis (Preliminary Rounds)
Taekwondo (Women's 49kg and Men's 58kg medal matches)
Tennis (First round)
Volleyball (Pool play)
Water Polo (Pool play)
Weightlifting (Women's 49kg medal competition)
How to follow the action
The Herald will have live updates running all day, while you can catch all the action on Sky Sport. Every event on Sky can also be watched via streaming on Sky Sport Now or Sky Go.
Sports in action tomorrow
3x3 Basketball (Pool Play)
Archery (Women's team medal match)
Artistic Gymnastics (Women's qualification)
Badminton (Pool Play)
Basketball (Men's Pool Play)
Beach Volleyball (Pool Play)
Boxing (Preliminary Rounds)
Canoe Slalom (Men's Canoe and Women's Kayak heats)
Cycling (Women's Road Race)
Diving (Women's Synchronised 3m Springboard Final)
Equestrian (Dressage day two)
Fencing (Women's foil and Men's epee medal matches)
Football (Men's Pool Play)
Handball (Women's Pool Play)
Hockey (Pool Play)
Judo (Women's 52kg and Men's 66kg medal matches)
Rowing (Heats)
Sailing (Opening Races)
Shooting (Women's 10m Air Pistol and Men's 10m Air Rifle medal matches)
Skateboarding (Men's Street finals)
Softball (Pool Play)
Surfing (Rounds one and two)
Swimming (Four finals)
Table Tennis (Preliminary Rounds)
Taekwondo (Women's 57kg and Men's 68kg medal matches)
Tennis (First round)
Volleyball (Women's Pool play)
Water Polo (Men's Pool play)
Weightlifting (Men's 61kg and 67kg medal competition)
