Five things to watch at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, July 31

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This article was published 29/07/2021 (1550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TOKYO – From Canadian sprint star Andre De Grasse starting his quest to improve on the performances that made him a household name after the 2016 Olympics, to a middleweight rematch for a young boxer hoping to add another medal to her trophy case, here are five things to look for Saturday at the Tokyo Olympics.

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- and 400-metre hurdles and men’s pole vault qualification.

Canadian swimmers Ruck and Masse look to add another medal in pool

Another medal – at least one – is up for grabs for the Canadian women in the pool on Saturday. Canada has two swimmers in the women’s 200-metre backstroke final: Taylor Ruck of Kelowna, B.C., and Kylie Masse of LaSalle, Ont. They are up against a strong field that includes American Rhyan White and Australia’s Kaylee McKeown. The Canadian swimmers have won four of the country’s 11 medals at the Tokyo Olympics. Masse already captured silver in the 100-metre backstroke.

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.

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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 quarterfinal middleweight bout against Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands. It’s a rematch of the semifinal of the 2019 AIBA boxing world championship, which Thibeault lost to Fontijn. The 24-year-old Canadian is a Pan Am Games silver medallist (2019) and a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist (2018).

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 and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2021.