Olympics 2024: Athletes To Look Out For On 27-28 July, The Games' First Official Day

Saturday, 27 July 2024, 4:14 pm
Article: RNZ

The Paris Olympics is kicking off, with a full line-up of New Zealand athletes taking their marks.

While some sports with multiple heats, such as rugby sevens, began earlier this week, Saturday - following the opening ceremony - marks the first official day of the Games. (Due to time differences, it'll run into Sunday morning for New Zealand audiences.)

Whether you're a fan of rowing, tennis, cycling, equestrian, surfing or hockey, there's something for everyone on day one.

Here's who to look out for. All times are in NZT.

Read more:

• Olympics 2024: What you need to know about dates, tickets, sports, the schedule and opening ceremony
• How many Olympic medals are NZ athletes tipped to win?
• The full timetable of NZ athletes' events

Tim and Jonelle Price and Clarke Johnstone, individual and teams dressage, 7.30pm Saturday

New Zealand's equestrian team will take to the ring at the Palace of Versailles with high hopes.

Jonelle is the only one of the group to have won an Olympic medal so far, taking home the bronze in the team eventing at London 2012.

All three competed for New Zealand in Rio in 2016, where they came fourth - just missing out on the podium. It remains to be seen whether they can go one better this time around.

Erika Fairweather, women's 400m freestyle heats, 9pm Saturday

Only one New Zealand female swimmer has won an Olympic medal - and that was 72 years ago.

But Erika Fairweather, from Dunedin, could be about to bag another.

The 20-year-old claimed New Zealand's first-ever world championship title in the 400m freestyle in Doha earlier this year, and is seen as a solid medal contender.

You can tune into the final - if she makes it - from 6.55am Sunday.

Lulu Sun, women's doubles (first round), 10pm Saturday

Fresh from Wimbledon, where she became the first-ever New Zealand woman to reach the quarterfinals, Sun says she's "reset" herself heading into her first Olympics.

The 23-year-old has teamed up with the world doubles number one-ranked player Erin Routliffe to represent New Zealand.

While Sun has come on casual tennis fans' radar for her singles exploits in recent weeks, she says she's "not bad at doubles" either, and she's buzzing to be at the Olympics.

Luuka Jones, canoe slalom, 2am and 4.10am Sunday

Jones has changed her coach and training and is fully focused on what will be her last Olympics.

The Rio 2016 silver medallist earlier said she'd rediscovered her passion after missing most of 2022 with Long Covid.

She's seen as one of New Zealand's top medal contenders and will be gunning for glory.

Run 1 of the women's K1 heats is at 2am and run 2 is at 4.10am.

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