Five stories to watch on Sunday - The Globe and Mail

Canadians Allison Beveridge, Jasmin Duehring, Annie Foreman-Mackey and Georgia Simmerling compete in the women's team pursuit at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Aug. 2, 2021.

MATTHEW CHILDS/Reuters

Beveridge bounces back

Allison Beveridge is Canada’s lone entry in the four-part omnium, which will close out track cycling at the Izu Velodrome. Beveridge brought home a bronze medal for the women’s team pursuit at Rio in 2016. She placed 11th in the omnium at Rio after she was clipped by another rider in the first race and crashed, suffering a hip injury. Shortly before Rio, Beveridge had been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, meaning blood vessels between her collarbone and rib cage were compressed, leading to clots. She had surgery the following January to remove a rib and relieve the compression, but it was uncertain at the time whether she would be able to ride competitively again. The 28-year-old from Calgary was back on the bike just months later.

Trevor Hofbauer finishes the 2019 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct., 20, 2019.

Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press

It’s not a sprint

Canada will have three entries in what is always a marquee event at the Summer Games. Trevor Hofbauer of Calgary makes his Olympic debut after finishing as the top Canadian at the national trial in 2019. Cameron Levins of Black Creek, B.C., makes his second appearance after racing in the men’s 5,000 and 10,000 metres in London in 2012. Benjamin Preisner of Milton, Ont., ran his first marathon just a few months ago at the Marathon Project in Chandler, Ariz. Hofbauer and Levins have the distinction of being the only Canadians to have run a marathon in less than two hours 10 minutes. Preisner finished his first race in 2:10:17.

U.S. looks to continue women’s hoop dominance

The United States will look to continue its dominance in women’s basketball at the Summer Games, where it hasn’t finished off the top of the podium since 1992. Like the men’s team, the American squad is a powerhouse of talent, capable of putting five WNBA all-stars on the court simultaneously. Other team sports wrapping up on the final day of Tokyo 2020 include men’s water polo and women’s volleyball and handball.

... while ending golden drought in men’s boxing

The nation that produced a string of boxing legends and Olympic gold medallists – from Mohammed Ali to George Foreman to Joe Frazier – hasn’t brought home a top prize on the men’s side since 2004. Two American fighters have a shot at ending that drought on Sunday: Keyshawn Davis faces Cuba’s Andy Cruz in the lightweight division, while Richard Torrez Jr. takes on Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan in the super heavyweight class. The women’s light and middle champions will also be crowned.

Paris flies the flag for 2024

Unlike the opening ceremony, which took place after a number of events were already under way, the closing ceremony is traditionally the last event of the Games. Like the opening ceremony, however, the closing event is expected to be a relatively subdued affair. Athletes whose events are complete have mostly returned to their home countries, meaning the number of Olympians taking part will be substantially lower than in previous years. Tokyo will also formally hand the Olympic baton to the next Summer Games host, Paris, which will be represented by Mayor Anne Hidalgo. The city also plans to fly what it says will be the biggest flag in history from the Eiffel Tower to mark the occasion.

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