Saturday August 6th, 2016 – Day 1/16*
13:30 – Cycling – Men’s Road Race – Nicholas Roche – Men’s Road Race
13:30 – Cycling – Men’s Road Race – Dan Martin – Men’s Road Race
13:30 – Rowing – Women’s Single Sculls – Sanita Puspure – Heat 3
14:00 – Equestrian Eventing Team – Clare Abbott – Dressage Day 1
14:00 – Equestrian Eventing Team – Jonty Evans – Dressage Day 1
14:00 – Equestrian Eventing Team – Mark Kyle – Dressage Day 1
14:00 – Equestrian Eventing Team – Padraig McCarthy – Dressage Day 1
14:30 – Gymnastics – Men’s Artistic Gymnastics – Kieran Behan – Men’s Qualification
15:00 – Hockey – Men’s Field Hockey – Ireland v India (Group B)
19:04 – Swimming – Men’s 100m Breaststroke – Preliminaries
*All Times Are Irish Time And Subject To Change
Men’s Elite Road Race
144 riders will compete in Team Ireland’s first medal event at Rio 2016. The course is a tough one with some gruelling descents, but that could suit Team Ireland as Dan Martin’s ninth place finish at the Tour de France has earmarked him as one to watch.
Guardian writer William Fotheringham said Martin ‘showed strong climbing form during the Tour de France and is perhaps the best one-day racer in the world in terms of tactical astuteness.’ The man himself was in confident mood when speaking to the42.ie saying ‘I’m definitely starting as one of the favourites and I’ll be marked in that way.’
Nicholas Roche wasn’t selected to compete in the Tour de France but did get the boost of signing with his new team BMC Racing before flying to Rio. Roche finished in 89th place in London 2012 with his cousin Martin finishing in 90th. Nicholas’ Aunt Maria is Dan’s mother.
Here’s the Cycling Ireland Preview: http://www.cyclingireland.ie/cycling-news-item/irish-riders-ready-for-rio-challenge/2164
Rowing
Santa Puspure goes in Heat 3 of the Women’s Single Sculls and her race is expected to start at 13:50 Irish time. She’s been drawn in Lane 5 outside Thailand, Peru, Canada and Egypt. The first three home over 2000 metres advance to the quarter finals with the fourth going into the Repechage.
Rowing Ireland have all the details: http://www.rowingireland.ie/rowing-start-list-rio-olympics-2016/
Eventing Team
Dressage is the first discipline for Ireland’s Eventing team at Rio 2016. The event actually takes place across Saturday and Sunday with Eventing Team Manager Nick Turner confirming the starting order as:
Padraig McCarthy with Simon Porloe
Clare Abbott with Europrince (ISH)
Jonty Evans with Cooley Rorke’s Drift (ISH)
Mark Kyle with Jemilla
As expected, all four Irish Eventing horses passed Friday’s first inspection. More details on the Horse Sport Ireland website: http://www.horsesportireland.ie/irish-olympic-eventing-team-order-confirmed-as-all-four-irish-horses-pass-first-inspection/
Artistic Gymnastics:
Kieran Behan comes into his second Olympic games in good form and with a strong podium training session behind him on Wednesday. Behan takes on six apparatus on Saturday – Pommel, Floor, Vault, Rings, Parallel Bars and High Bar. Gymnastics Ireland have all the details: http://www.gymnasticsireland.com/news/article/rio-2016-gymnastics-an-insight-into-when-our-gymnasts-are-competing
Men’s Hockey
12 teams contest the Men’s Field Hockey competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and are divided into Groups A and B. That means Ireland will play five games in the round-robin phase with the top four countries in each group progressing to the quarter finals on Sunday August 14th.
Ireland are drawn in Group B with Argentina (7*), Canada (15*), Germany (3*), India (5*) and the Netherlands (5*). Only Canada are ranking below Ireland in Group B, with the campaign getting under way against India on Saturday August 6th. All games are to take place at the Olympic Hockey Centre in Deodoro. The Main Court has a 10,000 capacity with seating for 5,000 on the secondary court. *Current FIH World rankings.
Swimming
Nicholas Quinn is the first Irish man into the water, going in the 100m Breaststroke Preliminaries at 19:04 Irish time. It’s an ideal chance for the Mayo man to work his way up his preferred 200m Breaststroke on Tuesday. Speaking to Swim Ireland he said:“We’ve had a great week of training in Uberlandia and now I’m settled into the village and looking forward to racing. I spent last week just getting some finishing touches done and now I’m ready to get going. I’m excited at the moment, no nerves yet. On Saturday, I just want to get out and get experience and a feel for it all and then bring that into my main race on Tuesday.”
Read their preview in full at: http://www.swimireland.ie/irish-swimmers-ready-for-rio-challenge/