Tokyo Olympics: What to look out for on Saturday

The penultimate day of the Games on Saturday offers medals across 34 events, with athletics, wrestling and boxing featuring heavily.

The United States basketball team overcame an early scare against Australia and they now face France in a gold-medal clash on day 15 in Tokyo.

Just five medals away from table-toppers China, the USA will be hoping for more gold in both the men’s and women’s 4×400 metre relay races.

Spain and defending Olympic champions Brazil clashing in a mouth-watering men’s football final among a host of other events and Stats Perform considers the potential highlights to look forward to.

CAN BRAZIL DO THE DOUBLE?

Spain head into their third Olympic men’s football final, having settled for silver in 2000 after triumphing at their homes games in Barcelona in 1992.

Marco Asensio’s extra-time winner proved the difference against host nation Japan, though defending Olympic champions Brazil now await them in the final.

Brazil, who have not lost to a European country at the Games since 1988 against the Soviet Union, sneaked past Mexico on penalties and could become the fifth nation to defend their title with a win on Saturday.

Everton forward Richarlison leads Brazil’s scoring charts on five, two more against Spain and he will match Romario’s record-breaking seven goals in 1998.

“I do what millions of people dream of doing [for a living]. I feel fortunate, not tired. I’ll rest when I retire.”

We look at the insane timeline of the machine that is @richarlison97 over the last few months #OlympicFootball | #Tokyo2020

https://t.co/jEAK97NfbD pic.twitter.com/ctj0VW7I9b

— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) August 5, 2021

ATHLETICS BLOCKBUSTER

The men’s 1500m final will be one of the highlights of the Games. 

Kenya’s Abel Kipsang broke the Olympic record in the semi-finals, while fellow Kenyan and world champion Timothy Cheruiyot also competes.

The USA’s women will line up for a seventh successive gold at the Games in the women’s 4x400m relay with six-time Olympic gold medallist Allyson Felix expected to return, too.

The American men will look to follow suit in the same event and they boast Randolph Ross, who ran the fastest 400m of 2021, among their ranks.

USA LOOK TO MAKE IT FOUR IN A ROW

Since NBA players began competing at the Olympics, Team USA have been crowned champions six out of seven times – perhaps that explains why the final takes place well before the bronze medal game, accommodating for American prime-time viewers.

Kevin Durant leads the points tally for the USA with 95 and could join Carmelo Anthony on a record three Olympic golds with a win here.

The USA are unbeaten in 29 of their last 30 matches at the Games but France, who await them in the gold medal clash, were the side to claim that one victory in Tokyo 2020’s group stage.

France, having claimed two silvers previously, are aiming to become the fifth nation to win this event and just the second – after the Soviet Union in 1972 and 1988 – to beat the USA twice at the Olympics.

It all comes down to this.

#USABMNT vs France for the gold #Tokyo2020 #Basketball

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 6, 2021

DALEY ATTEMPTS TO BANISH GHOSTS OF RIO

Tom Daley, who has already won gold with diving partner Matty Lee, will look to amend for his mistakes at Rio 2016 in the men’s 10m platform diving.

A home favourite from London 2012, Daley produced an error-laden display in Brazil and fell at the semi-final stage.

Both the semi-final and final take place on the same day in Tokyo and Team GB’s Daley will be hoping to put that disappointing showing behind him with an improved performance.

Chinese divers Yang Jian and Cao Yuan are among the favourites, while Russian Aleksandr Bondar proved a capable challenger in the preliminaries on Friday.