Five things to watch at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, August 3

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This article was published 01/08/2021 (1524 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TOKYO – From a 22-year-old Canadian hammer thrower looking to end a 109-year medal drought to a pair of artistic swimmers hoping to add gold medals to their already golden trophy case, here are five things to look for Tuesday at the Tokyo Olympics.

Rogers seeking first Canadian hammer throw medal in 109 years

Not since Duncan Gillis at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics has a Canadian medalled in hammer throw. Camryn Rogers of Richmond, B.C., is looking to end that 109-year drought when she competes in Tuesday’s hammer throw final. The 22-year-old, who recently won the NCAA championships and shattered the scholastic record, threw 73.97 metres on her very first throw in the qualification round. It was the fourth-best throw overall on the day. Medals are being awarded in five other athletics events on Tuesday: the women’s long jump, 800-metre and 200-metre, as well as the men’s pole vault and hurdles.

Ellie Black to return to action in balance beam final

Canada’s top gymnast Ellie Black will be back in action in Tuesday’s women’s balance beam final in artistic gymnastics. The 25-year-old from Halifax was forced to withdraw from the all-around competition last week with a left ankle sprain. Black said she had hurt the same ankle during a beam training session in late June. She had left the door open to returning for the beam final. American gymnast Simone Biles will also compete in the event after skipping the all-around final and the team final to focus on her mental health.

Two Canadian teams in beach volleyball quarterfinals

Canada’s top-ranked beach volleyball team of Melissa Humana-Paredes and Sarah Pavan will look to keep rolling in the women’s quarterfinals when they take on Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar of Australia. Toronto’s Humana-Paredes and Pavan, from Kitchener, Ont., have yet to drop a set in Tokyo. Joining them will be Heather Bansley of of Waterdown, Ont., and Toronto’s Brandie Wilkerson, who advanced with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Sarah Sponcil and Kelly Claes of the United States on Sunday. Bansley and Wilkerson next face Latvia’s Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka.

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Golden pair of Simoneau and Holzner begin Tokyo journey

Artistic swimming gets underway at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre Tuesday. Twenty-two teams are competing in the duet technical routine. Returning Olympian Jacqueline Simoneau from St-Laurent, Que., and Calgary’s Claudia Holzner are representing Canada. Partners since 2017, Simoneau and Holzner won gold at the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series in Budapest and at the Super Final in Barcelona. They also won artistic swimming duet and team gold medals at the 2019 Pan Am Games. Simoneau did not medal in her Olympic debut in 2016.

Three in a row? Canadian women eyeing another medal in thrilling team pursuit

They did it in 2012 and 2016 – now the Canadian women’s cycling track team wants a third Olympic medal in the team pursuit. Track team pursuit is a four-kilometre race between two countries, with all riders racing at the same time. The goal is to beat the other team’s overall time. Winners of bronze in London and Rio, the Canadian women are looking to medal for the third consecutive Games. Returning Olympian Jasmin Duehring was part of the teams that won bronze in 2012 and 2016; Georgia Simmerling and Allison Beveridge were there in 2016; Ariane Bonhomme and Annie Foreman-Mackey are making their Olympic debuts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 2, 2021.