Rio 2016 athletes to hit the ground running

The first day of athletics features a full day’s programme of qualifier events, plus medals in the women’s 10,000m and men’s 20k race walk.

Ethiopia is a powerhouse in the 10,000m, with four of the five fastest times this year having gone to nationals of the African country. Two-time Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba will be looking for a historic treble, but compatriots Almaz Ayana and Gelete Burka are also strong contenders. Kenyans Vivian Cheruiyot and Alice Aprot will hope to gatecrash the Ethiopian party.

Dibaba will be hoping to stay ahead of the pack at Rio 2016 (Photo: Getty Images/Clive Brunskill)

In the men's 20k, Spaniard Miguel Angel Lopez will be looking to repeat his performance at the 2015 world championship and hold off rivals from China, including Olympic champion Chen Ding, and Japan, whose athletes have clocked the best times so far in 2016.

Angel Lopez after winning the world championship in Beijing (Getty Images/Lintao Zhang)

China to renew rivalry with Russia in women's cycling team sprint finals

China are expected to feature prominently in this event, and will have the memory of their defeat to Russia's Anastasiia Voinova and Daria Shmeleva at the world championships to spur them on. Germany are another pair who could feature on the podium.

Anastasiia Voinova (L) and Daria Shmeleva after winning the 2016 world championships (Getty Images/Dan Mullan)

Heavyweights bring judo to a close

Frenchman Teddy Riner, who has won eight world titles, five European titles and gold at London 2012 is expected to add to his medal collection in the +100kg. The field is much more open for silver and bronze and Brazil’s Rafael Silva will be hoping that home support can help him onto the podium.

Cuba’s Idalys Ortiz is the reigning +78kg Olympic champion, and has won two world championships since her victory at London 2012. Other contenders include 2016 world champion Song Yu from China, Japan’s Kanae Yamabe and France’s 2014 and 2015 European champion Emilie Andeol. Host nation hopes lie with Maria Suelen Altheman.

Frenchman Riner has not been beaten since 2010 (Photo: Getty Images/Quinn Rooney]

Nadal eyes Rio 2016's first gold in tennis

The Canadian pair of Vasek Pospisil and Daniel Nestor took Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez to two tiebreaks in their semi-final on Thursday, but the Spaniards will consider themselves up to the task of of challenging Romania’s Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau for the gold today. Both pairs have dropped just one set in the tournament so far, and were ranked fifth and sixth in the seedings. An evenly matched game beckons; one that could go either way.

Nadal and Lopez celebrate after winning their semi-final (Photo: Getty Images/Chris Brunskill)

America's big day on the court

Today is a big one for US basketball in the preliminary games, as the men face medal rivals Serbia, and the women’s team take on neighbours Canada. Team USA will be favourites for both matches, but Serbia, in particular, have the potential to cause an upset.

DeAndre Jordan goes for a dunk against Australia (Photo: Getty Images/Elsa)

South Korea’s men tipped for gold

South Korea’s Ku Bonchan and Lee Seungyun are expected to medal, but Dutch youngster Sjef van den Berg could present a challenge in the men's individual archery, as could Brady Ellison of the US. Unfortunately for the Americans, Ellison has been drawn against team-mate Zach Garrett in the 1/8 elimination round.

Bonchan Ku (L) and Seungyun Lee winning the team gold for South Korea (Photo: Getty Images/Paul Gilham)

Friday night fun at the Rio 2016 Live Sites and Olympic Boulevards

The Boulevard Olímpico at Porto Maravilha in downtown Rio will feature big screens to follow the Rio 2016 action, three music stages featuring different genres and Brazilian artists, including pop stars Lia Sophia from 1pm and Fernanda Abreu and Mart’nalia from 8pm on the Gathering stage, as well as band Do Amor on the Tomorrow Stage at 6:30pm.

The main stage at the Porto Maravilhoso Olympic Boulevard (Photo: Getty Images/Chris McGrath)

The Deodoro Olympic Park Live Site (Photo: Rio 2016/Paulo Guimarães)

At Parque Madureira, the legendary samba school Salgueiro will team up with street party Imprensa que eu Gamo for an unforgettable show at 6pm, featuring the mesmerising sounds of the drum parade.

The Olympic Boulevard at Madureira brings Rio's samba parades together with block parties (Photo: Rio 2016)

Have a ball at the NBA House

The national houses have already proven to be immensely popular with visitors and cariocas alike, and from tomorrow they will be joined by the NBA House – the home of US basketball during Rio 2016.

Fans will be able to enjoy shows featuring dancers, meet mascots and athletes, as well as the participation of NBA legends including championship winners Bruce Bowen, Glen Rice and Gary Payton.