Five stories to watch on Saturday - The Globe and Mail

Alice Betto of Team Italy, right, and Joanna Brown of Team Canada compete during the Women's Individual Triathlon on Day 4 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Odaiba Marine Park on July 27, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. Brown will be part of Canada's triathlon mixed relay team on Saturday.

Adam Pretty/Getty Images Europe

Andre De Grasse headlines strong Canadian track and field team

Five years removed from becoming one of Canada’s breakout stars at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Andre De Grasse is back on the track looking for a fourth Olympic medal. The Canadian sprint star’s journey in Tokyo begins with the men’s 100-metre preliminary round. De Grasse is coming off silver and bronze medals at the world championships in Doha, Qatar, in 2019. He won silver and two bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Other athletics events beginning Saturday in Japan are the women’s 100-metre and 400-metre hurdles and men’s pole vault qualification.

Fast-paced triathlon mixed relay makes Olympic debut

The triathlon mixed relay makes its debut at Tokyo 2020. Nineteen teams of four – two women and two men – are competing in the event. Each athlete swims, cycles and runs a short distance before their next teammate can do the same. The fast-paced mixed relay is expected to last around 90 minutes. Joanna Brown, Amelie Kretz, Matthew Sharpe and Alexis Lepage are representing Canada. Manitoba’s Tyler Mislawchuk withdrew from the event because of an Achilles tendon injury he sustained in the men’s triathlon.

Quebec’s Tammara Thibeault faces familiar foe in the boxing ring

Canadian boxer Tammara Thibeault’s Olympic journey continues at Japan’s Kokugikan Arena. The boxer from Shawinigan, Que., is back in the ring for a quarter-final middleweight bout against Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands. It’s a rematch of the semi-final of the 2019 AIBA boxing world championship, which Thibeault lost to Fontijn. The 24-year-old Canadian is a Pan Am Games silver medalist (2019) and a Commonwealth Games bronze medalist (2018).

Veteran archer `bull’s-eyes’ the quarter-final round in Tokyo

Veteran Canadian archer Crispin Duenas is one victory away from the quarter-final in the men’s individual competition. The Toronto native is up against Florian Unruh of Germany in the round of 16 at Yumenoshima Final Field. Duenas opened the elimination round with a win over Moldova’s Dan Olaru before beating MD Ruman Shana of Bangladesh. It is the fourth Olympic appearance for the 35-year-old Duenas, whose best finish in individual competition was 17th at the 2016 Rio Games. Duenas and teammate Stephanie Barrett were eliminated from the mixed competition.

Canada gets shot at another weightlifting medal at Tokyo Games

Canadian Boady Santavy is looking to add to another weightlifting medal for Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The 24-year-old from Sarnia, Ont., is in the Group A medal round of the men’s 96-kilogram category. Canada has already earned one weightlifting medal at the Tokyo Olympics, with Maude Charron of Rimouski, Que., winning gold in the women’s 64-kilogram category. Santavy was faced with serious legal troubles two years ago. He pleaded guilty in 2019 for failing to remain at the scene of a hit-and-run in Sarnia, Ont., and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Adblock test (Why?)

Five stories to watch on Saturday - The Globe and Mail
Read More