THE Olympics in Tokyo finally get underway this weekend, a year after the Games were due to be held before the Covid-19 pandemic intervened.
Thousands of athletes have descended on Japan’s capital for the Games from all over the world, aiming to write their names into the history books and take home a gold medal.
The Bradford area has three athletes representing Team GB, and all three will be getting their competitions underway in the early days of the Games.
Otley cyclist Lizzie Deignan will be competing in the Women’s Road Race, while Bingley Harrier and former Bradford Grammar student Jonny Brownlee once again competes in the men’s triathlon.
Cleckheaton diver Lois Toulson will be in the pool, competing in the 10m platform and 10m synchro diving events.
All three will have their sights set firmly on gold medals, with all three being around the top athletes in their sports.
This is when you can watch all three in action over the coming days as the Olympics finally get underway:
Lizzie Deignan – The Women’s Road Race will take place on Sunday, July 25, with the race getting underway at 5am UK time.
It begins at Musashinonomori Park in west Tokyo before heading out of the city and into the mountains, lapping Lake Yamanaka, and finishing at Fuji International Speedway racetrack.
The 137km route features two climbs, up the 1,121m Doshi Road and the 1,111m Kagosaka Pass, with almost 2,700m of climbing along the route.
Lizzie is fifth favourite behind four Dutch riders, including reigning Olympic champion Anna van der Breggen and cycling legend Marianne Vos.
Jonny Brownlee – The younger of triathlon’s most famous brothers, he competes in the Men’s Triathlon on Monday, July 26, but the race actually gets underway at 10.30pm UK time on July 25.
The event takes place at Odaiba Marine Park, a beach in Tokyo Bay. The 1.5km swim sees athletes do one and a half laps in the bay, followed by a 40km bike ride, doing eight laps of a 5km loop around the park, ending with a 10km run doing four laps of a 2.5km loop finishing beachside.
Jonny will face stiff competition in an unpredictable event, and is fourth favourite behind veterans Vincent Luis and Mario Mola, and his compatriot and new kid on the block Alex Yee.
Lois Toulson – The 21-year-old Cleckheaton diver is in her second Games, and gets underway on Tuesday, July 27, in the 10m synchronised platform at Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
The event begins at 7am, and Lois, with her diving partner 18-year-old Eden Cheng, will face off against eight other teams.
The pair are an outside chance of victory, with China odds-on favourites followed by Malaysia, Canada and the USA.
Lois will then compete again in the 10m platform individual on August 4 and 5. The heats on August 4 begin at 7am, with the semi-final on August 5 at 2am, and final at 7am.
Lois will have to be on the top of her game to claim a medal with several divers fancied ahead of her.
The Olympics are being broadcast live by the BBC on TV, the red button, online and on the radio throughout the Games.
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