Paris Olympics Day 6: Simone Biles seeks further glory as golf, athletics begin

Simone Biles will hope to make more history in her glittering Olympic gymnastics career by recapturing the all-around title on Day 6 (Thursday) of the Paris Games. The day will also witness the beginning of the athletics and golf programmes.

Paris Olympics: News, schedule, medals tally and more

A total of 16 golds are up for grabs on the sixth full day of competition, which is again bracing for extreme weather with storm warnings in place.

Biles in focus

Biles steps back into the spotlight seeking to become the first woman ever to regain the Olympic all-around title after she famously withdrew in Tokyo with the debilitating “Twisties”.

The 27-year-old returned to the top of the podium with team gold, her eighth Olympic medal, five of them gold, to become the most decorated US Olympic gymnast.

Biles, the reigning world champion, wants to do it in style with a new skill on uneven bars that would be the sixth unique skill named after her.

But Biles faces a stern challenge from teammate Sunisa Lee, reigning Olympic all-around champion, who is on a comeback trail every bit as compelling as her compatriot.

Lee was diagnosed with two undisclosed kidney conditions in early 2023. However, she declared herself “in remission” in April and counts herself stronger than she was in Tokyo.

Another top contender is Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who said it was an honour just to compete against Biles.

“She’s a reference, a role model for the whole world, gymnastics and athletes alike to see how happy she is to compete. That’s what’s sport is all about,” said Andrade.

Athletics begins

The athletics programme gets under way with the men’s and women’s 20km walk races.

Italy’s Massimo Stano is bidding to become the first man to win back-to-back gold in the event after triumphing in Tokyo but world number one Perseus Karlstrom from Sweden and Japan’s Koki Ikeda will provide stiff competition.

Compatriot Antonella Palmisano is also defending her Olympic title in Paris, where the race will be held with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop.

Men’s golf gets underway

The men’s golf tournament begins at Le Golf National with Xander Schauffele seeking a second straight gold medal after winning at the Tokyo Games.

Schauffele is the only player in the field to have won both an Olympic gold and a major — he’s coming off wins at the PGA Championship in May and the British Open title two weeks ago.

The tournament will be played at the site of the French Open, and, more famously, the 2018 Ryder Cup. It’s the third Olympic golf competition since the sport was put back on the program in 2016.

The top seven players in the world, starting with Scottie Scheffler and Schauffele at Nos. 1 and 2, are part of the 60-man field. It’s the best field since the sport returned to Olympics, but not necessarily the strongest.

U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is not at the Olympics because he plays with LIV Golf, and LIV doesn’t award world ranking points. The Olympics use the world ranking to determine the roster.

Pool heats up

Another packed schedule in the pool includes the women’s 200m butterfly final, featuring 17-year-old Canadian prodigy Summer McIntosh, fast becoming one of the stars of the Games.

Already 400m medley champion and 400m freestyle runner-up, McIntosh faces a stacked field including defending champion Zhang Yufei from China.

The 200m women’s breaststroke stars South Africa’s Tatjana Smith, aiming to become the first woman to do the double since compatriot Penny Heyns at Atlanta 1996.

Smith won Tokyo 200m gold in a world record 2:18.95 and is in red-hot form after securing the 100m title on Monday.

Other golds up for grabs include kayak canoeing, fencing, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting.

(with inputs)