The Joker, the last dance, and others – athletes to watch in the Olympics
The Paris Olympics is in full swing! Here’s OlyBet.TV’s cheatsheet of athletes whose performances must be watched this coming week.
Mathieu van der Poel – road cycling
The Olympic course hosting cyclists on Saturday is perfect for classics riders: it’s 273 km long and constantly undulating, though the climbs are not very long. Last year’s World Championship route was similar, and van der Poel left his competitors in the dust.
The reigning world champion heads to the Olympics after an almost perfect season, winning several prestigious one-day races in the spring and helping Jasper Philipsen win three stages in the Tour de France. Van der Poel’s chances for gold in Paris are also boosted because the world’s best and most versatile cyclist, Tadej Pogačar, has decided to skip the Olympics.
The Dutchman’s main competition will come from neighboring Belgians. They have a very strong team led by Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert, who won gold and bronze, respectively, in the time trial in Paris. They are also excellent one-day racers, ideally suited for the Olympic course profile.
Kevin Mayer – decathlon
The world record holder has struggled with injuries recently and has competed very little. Mayer barely qualified for Paris, having to prove his worth and fitness at the European Championships in early June. Fifth place and 8476 points secured his spot.
Decathlon’s level has become so incredibly high that, looking at recent history, Mayer’s chances for a medal seem insignificant. However, it’s important to note that the French athlete, who set the world record at 9126 points, will compete in front of a home crowd and likely end his career this season.
These facts might give the 32-year-old decathlete a boost. If not, we should still enjoy the final performance of one of the greatest athletes in decathlon history, who has two Olympic silvers but no gold.
Kristian Blummenfelt – triathlon
It’s okay if this is the first time you have heard of this 30-year-old Norwegian, as triathlon isn’t a mainstream sport. But the fact is that Blummenfelt has won all major competitions in recent years, including the last Olympics in Tokyo.
Blummenfelt, who trains up to eight hours a day, will make Tuesday’s race in Paris even more special as he plans to switch his focus to road cycling from next year and leave triathlon behind. He won’t just ride for fun but aims to significantly impact the Tour de France.
Interestingly, Blummenfelt’s fiercest competition for gold in Paris might come from his compatriot. Gustav Iden, one of his best friends since childhood, has his eyes on the prize.
Chase Budinger – beach volleyball
If injuries hadn’t disrupted his previous career so much, Budinger probably wouldn’t be at the Paris Olympics. The American was a basketball player in his “previous life,” with 407 NBA games and one Euroleague season under his belt.
Budinger, who loved beach volleyball in high school, competes in Paris with Miles Evans. They are ranked 13th in the world, with only one other USA pair ahead of them. Although not considered favorites, Budinger is highly motivated to cause a major upset.
Budinger and Evans’ tournament starts on Monday at 4 PM CET when they face the French duo Youssef Krou and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat.
Leonardo Fabbri – shot put
The Olympics are where athletes aim for peak performance, so it’s no surprise that records often fall during these events. In men’s shot put, one record that could be broken is the European one, which Fabbri has been chasing this year. It’s held by the German Ulf Timmermann and has stood since May 1988 at 23.06 meters.
Fabbri has come within 11 cm of this mark. The Italian has been remarkably consistent, winning four competitions since May with throws of 22.88 meters or more.
Fabbri should easily reach Saturday evening’s final. The strong competition might help him break Timmermann’s record, as his major rivals are the Americans Joe Kovacs and Ryan Crouser, the latter of whom holds the world record.
Nikola Jokić – basketball
He is one of the world’s best players and always represents Serbia when his body allows him. Though they won silver eight years ago, Jokić and Serbia have often faced disappointments.
Serbia started the Paris Olympics with a clear loss to the USA. Still, when Jokić was on the court, they held their own against the Americans. Unfortunately for Serbia, the Denver Nuggets’ star isn’t a robot and needs rest. When Jokić took a break, the team’s performance fell apart like a snowman in spring sunshine.
The other teams in this group, South Sudan and Puerto Rico, may not seem impressive, but South Sudan almost beat the USA before the Olympics, and Puerto Rico can put on a great show on a good day. Serbia can’t underestimate them and needs Jokić to lead them again.
