https://www.scmp.com/rss/518890/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Before Paris there was Hangzhou, with breaking making its debut at the Asian Games last year. Now its athletes, known as B-Boys and B-Girls, are appearing on an even bigger stage, as it becomes an Olympic sport. Athletes to watch Victor Montalvo (B-Boy Victor), United States: A breaker who describes himself as a student of old school B-Boys from the founding era of hip-hop, the 30-year-old Montalvo, who is from Kissimmee, Florida, qualified for Paris by besting all other B-Boys at the 2023 WDSF... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269842/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-breakdancing-competition-makes-games-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269842/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-breakdancing-competition-makes-games-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2024 06:00:10 +0000 It’s day 13 in Paris and fortunately it’s not a Friday, otherwise we’d be in real trouble, still it’s guaranteed to be unlucky for some no matter what they do. This might be a day you want to set alarms, or take strategically timed naps, because it’s going to a long one, and there is plenty happening in the early hours you won’t want to miss. In fact, there’s just a lot happening in general, and while we tend to stick to five subjects, no one said we had to keep it to five events. So, here’s a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3273667/paris-olympics-hongkonger-noah-lyles-and-wu-yanni-5-things-know-day-13?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3273667/paris-olympics-hongkonger-noah-lyles-and-wu-yanni-5-things-know-day-13?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2024 04:30:18 +0000 Not one swimmer competing at the Paris Olympics has failed a recent drugs test, that we know of, and yet the stench of doping accusations and allegations clung to La Defense Arena throughout nine days of intense competition. This was a Games where the word trimetazidine, or TMZ, was on the lips of those around the pool, as much as the names of its superstar performers: Leon Marchand, Kaylee McKeown and Pan Zhanle. What’s more, because of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (Wada) approach, this is an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/china/article/3273496/doping-double-standards-and-how-tues-muddy-waters-china-row-us-over-wada?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/china/article/3273496/doping-double-standards-and-how-tues-muddy-waters-china-row-us-over-wada?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2024 04:00:12 +0000 American Noah Lyles stormed to glory at the Olympics on Monday in the men’s 100 metres – the blue riband event where Asian track athletes have once again been conspicuous by their absence. In Paris, not a single Asian athlete made it into the women’s 800m final, the 4x400m mixed relay, or the men’s and women’s 100m finals. Those that progressed beyond round one – Japan’s Sani Brown Abdul Hakim, and Thailand’s Puripol Boonson in the men’s 100m – stood little chance of winning a medal, proving the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/athletics/article/3273381/paris-olympics-why-does-asia-struggle-produce-track-stars-what-needs-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/athletics/article/3273381/paris-olympics-why-does-asia-struggle-produce-track-stars-what-needs-change?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Aug 2024 09:30:08 +0000 This week marked the start of the Olympic climbing events. After making its debut in Tokyo, this urban sport became more popular across the world, especially among the young. This year, the number of gold medals in climbing has doubled from Tokyo, as it has been split into two separate events: speed climbing, and bouldering and lead combined. In the newly constructed Le Bourget Climbing venue, three outdoor walls in light blue and pink will wait for 68 climbers. Here’s what you need to know to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3273395/paris-olympics-speed-bouldering-and-lead-what-you-need-know-about-climbing-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3273395/paris-olympics-speed-bouldering-and-lead-what-you-need-know-about-climbing-events?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:07:06 +0000 Global Impact is a weekly curated newsletter featuring a news topic originating in China with a significant macro impact for our newsreaders around the world. Sign up now! History, controversy and gold medals have seemingly gone hand in hand for China at the Paris Olympics, and we’re just a week in – was it really only last Saturday that the world was shaking its collective head at the French take on an opening ceremony? Still, that’s water under one of the River Seine’s many bridges, and as... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3273181/olympic-games-are-and-running-rivals-claim-china-success-not-humanly-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3273181/olympic-games-are-and-running-rivals-claim-china-success-not-humanly-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Aug 2024 06:00:13 +0000 Another basketball competition for the US men and women to sweep, perhaps, but Serbia will fancy their chances of beating the former. Athletes to watch Jimmer Fredette, United States: The 35-year-old Fredette, who became a superstar at Brigham Young University and was the 10th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, headlines the American men’s team. He began playing 3X3 in 2022 and was named USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year in 2023. Canyon Barry, US: The son of Hall of Famer Rick Berry... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3269844/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-about-3x3-basketball-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3269844/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-about-3x3-basketball-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 06:00:08 +0000 Hong Kong will have a presence in the rowing this summer, with Chiu Hin-chun competing in the men’s single sculls. The 29-year-old last raced at an Olympics in 2016, when he competed in the men’s lightweight double sculls in Rio de Janeiro alongside Tang Chiu-mang. He comes into the Games having won a bronze medal at the Asian Games last year, and a first gold medal for the city at World Rowing Cup II in May. Athletes to watch Meghan Musnicki (United States): The 41-year-old two-time gold... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269837/paris-olympics-2024-what-know-and-who-watch-during-rowing-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269837/paris-olympics-2024-what-know-and-who-watch-during-rowing-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:00:11 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/infographics/world/europe/article/3271702/paris-olympics-visual-guide-historic-opening-ceremony-seine-river?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/infographics/world/europe/article/3271702/paris-olympics-visual-guide-historic-opening-ceremony-seine-river?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 23:00:13 +0000 Elite athletes push themselves to the brink, sculpt godlike physiques and push boundaries in the name of sport. However, always lurking are those who have achieved their goals with the help of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). The first known Olympic athlete to test positive for a banned substance was Swedish pentathlete Han-Gunnar Lijenwall, who lost the bronze and silver medals he won at the 1968 Mexico Olympics for alcohol use, or as he called it, “two beers” to steady the nerves. As the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3270861/state-sponsored-doping-peds-and-beer-drinking-history-drugs-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3270861/state-sponsored-doping-peds-and-beer-drinking-history-drugs-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 23:00:09 +0000 Women’s basketball at the Olympics has been a battle for silver and bronze since 1992, which was the last time the Americans lost. There seems little reason to believe this summer’s tournament in Paris will be any different, although China’s second place at the World Cup in 2022 might give them reason to dream. Athletes to watch Lauren Jackson (Australia): Returned to international play at the 2022 World Cup to lead the Opals to the bronze medal. The 43-year-old three-time WNBA MVP has not... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3269874/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-out-womens-basketball?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3269874/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-out-womens-basketball?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 06:00:12 +0000 When cycling normally comes to Paris in the summer, it is a yellow jersey and not a gold medal the competitors are fighting for. But the Tour de France will take an unaccustomed back seat this year, as all eyes focus on gold across a variety of disciplines. From BMX freestyle, to road and track races, here’s all you need to know about cycling at the Olympics. Athletes to watch Chloe Dygert, United States: The reigning time-trial world champion will also compete in the road race and the team... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269843/paris-olympics-2024-what-know-and-who-watch-during-cycling-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269843/paris-olympics-2024-what-know-and-who-watch-during-cycling-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jul 2024 06:00:09 +0000 The Paris Olympics, which open on Friday, will feature a new sport, breaking, plus three first-time sports returning from the Tokyo Games – climbing, skateboarding and surfing. A competitive form of breakdancing that blends artistry and dance with acrobatic moves, breaking will debut at the Paris Olympics. The urban dance style, which originated in the Bronx borough of New York in the 1970s, was announced as part of the Paris 2024 programme in late 2020. Twice World DanceSport Federation (WDSF)... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3271616/paris-2024-olympics-add-kiteboarding-and-breaking-remove-karate-and-baseball?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3271616/paris-2024-olympics-add-kiteboarding-and-breaking-remove-karate-and-baseball?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jul 2024 18:39:12 +0000 A sport where Hong Kong’s mixed doubles pair Doo Hoi-kem and Wong Chun-ting are legitimate medal contenders, most of the gold is expected to go to China. South Korea’s An Se-young may have something to say about that in the women’s singles, while world No 1 Viktor Axelsen is the defending men’s champion. Athletes to watch Beiwen Zhang (United States): After winning the women’s singles gold at the 2023 Pan American Games, the 33-year-old is the best shot at the first American badminton medal at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269840/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-during-badminton-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269840/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-during-badminton-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jul 2024 06:00:08 +0000 Two days before the start of the Paris Olympics, geopolitical tensions once again overshadow the Games’ traditional claims of being a space for peace and unity. Despite the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) repeated assertion that the Games should remain an example of international camaraderie, the reality tells a different story. Since its introduction into the Olympic Charter in 1975, Rule 50 has stated: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3270753/olympic-games-has-history-political-protest-irish-independence-black-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3270753/olympic-games-has-history-political-protest-irish-independence-black-power?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jul 2024 02:00:08 +0000 Still a relative newcomer to the Summer Games, the men’s rugby sevens in Paris will be over before most events have really had a chance to get started. But even though it begins two days before the opening ceremony, it could easily set the tone for the weeks that follow, especially if Antoine Dupont can guide the home nation to gold. In the women’s competition, all eyes will be on New Zealand and Australia, with the two rivals expected to battle it out in the final once more. Athletes to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3269838/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-rugby-sevens-puts-fiji-and-dupont-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3269838/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-rugby-sevens-puts-fiji-and-dupont-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jul 2024 06:00:09 +0000 A sport with the potential to be the least exciting competition in Paris as the US march inexorably towards a fifth straight gold meld in men’s basketball. Well, not so fast. NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama and France will fancy their chances, and surprises do happen, after all look at 2004. Athletes to watch LeBron James (United States): The NBA’s all-time scoring leader seeks his third Olympic gold medal after wins in 2008 and 2012, and returns to the Games for the first time in 12... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3269789/paris-olympics-2024-what-know-and-who-watch-during-mens-basketball-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3269789/paris-olympics-2024-what-know-and-who-watch-during-mens-basketball-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jul 2024 06:00:12 +0000 The belief in sport as a unifying force for peace is as old as the Olympics themselves – as is the reality that the Games have never been free from external tensions. In 1992, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revived the Olympic truce, a tradition dating back to the Games’ roots in ancient Greece. At a time when ancient Greek city states were mired in incessant conflict, several leaders signed a treaty – the ekecheiria – to ensure athletes and spectators could safely take part in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3270701/ukraine-gaza-us-china-guide-global-tensions-hanging-over-paris-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3270701/ukraine-gaza-us-china-guide-global-tensions-hanging-over-paris-olympics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jul 2024 04:00:10 +0000 Hong Kong are sending five athletes to Marseille to take part in the sailing events, and windsurfers Cheng Ching-yin and Ma Kwan-ching carry the weight of history on their shoulders. The city’s first Olympic gold ever was won by their predecessor Lee Lai-shan at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, and this year Cheng and Ma will try to follow in her footsteps in the iQFoil event. Athletes to watch Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (Brazil): They won gold medals at the past two Olympics in the women’s skiff... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269849/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-out-during-sailing-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269849/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-out-during-sailing-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jul 2024 06:00:11 +0000 Although Paris was selected as the host city for the 2024 Olympics, not all the events will take place in the French capital. Football is spread throughout the country, while sailing events are taking place in Marseille, but none of those are as far removed as the venue for this year’s surfing. That will be staged in Teahupo’o, a village on the southwestern coast of the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, some 15,730 kilometres from Paris. It is, by quite some distance, the furthest an Olympic... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3271207/paris-olympics-why-surfing-being-held-tahiti-and-why-arent-locals-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3271207/paris-olympics-why-surfing-being-held-tahiti-and-why-arent-locals-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jul 2024 04:00:19 +0000 The battle for gold in the canoe and kayak events could become just that, with a new discipline added to the Summer Games. Kayak cross promises to add a seriously chaotic element to the sport, much like the snowboard version did for its winter cousin. Add in the gladiatorial use of paddles to keep opponents away, and kayak could find a wealth of new fans this month and next. Athletes to watch Lisa Carrington (New Zealand): Carrington won three gold medals at the Tokyo Games: the K-1 200 metres,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269802/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-during-canoe/kayak-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269802/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-during-canoe/kayak-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jul 2024 06:00:09 +0000 The 2024 Paris Olympics star next week with some 10,500 athletes competing in 329 events. And among the national flags and anthems of the 206 regions represented, one team stands out for its powerful message: the refugee team. Appearing at the Olympic Games for the third time and featuring a record 36 athletes from 11 countries, competing across 12 sports, the delegation represents more than 110 million forcibly displaced people worldwide and aims to demonstrate that refugees are an enrichment... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3270734/paris-olympics-refugee-team-who-competes-when-did-it-start-how-many-medals-have-they-won?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3270734/paris-olympics-refugee-team-who-competes-when-did-it-start-how-many-medals-have-they-won?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jul 2024 02:00:11 +0000 Hong Kong’s athletes have been arriving in Paris for the Olympic Games, hoping to write their names into the history books. The city won six medals at the last Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, having never previously collected more than one per Games. This time it has several athletes again chasing a podium finish. Here is how to follow their progress, particularly for those watching from Hong Kong. When are Paris Olympics? The Paris Olympics opening ceremony is set to take place from 7.30pm to 11pm... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3271018/paris-olympics-how-watch-opening-ceremony-start-time-when-hong-kong-stars-compete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/explainers/article/3271018/paris-olympics-how-watch-opening-ceremony-start-time-when-hong-kong-stars-compete?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2024 23:00:13 +0000 Always a keenly contested affair, the men’s and women’s gymnastics are a highlight of the first week of the Summer Olympics. With plenty of storylines, including the return of Simone Biles, here is our guide to what’s coming up in Paris. Athletes to watch Simone Biles (United States): The 2016 all-around Olympic champion will return for her third Olympics at age 27. She won two medals in Tokyo – team silver and a bronze in balance beam – despite removing herself from multiple competitions to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269750/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-during-gymnastics-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269750/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-during-gymnastics-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2024 06:00:09 +0000 The Paris Olympics involve about 10,500 athletes from 200 countries or regions with history on the line – but the event is about more than just fun and games. A giant business that generates billions of dollars in income for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Games are also a proxy for geopolitical influence seen through the standings in the medal tables, the presence of world leaders at the opening ceremony and the national anthems serenading gold-medal winners. Despite claiming to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3270700/scandals-membership-perks-and-politics-billion-dollar-olympics-more-just-sport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3270700/scandals-membership-perks-and-politics-billion-dollar-olympics-more-just-sport?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2024 04:00:08 +0000 The men’s football kicks off the Paris Olympics, with France taking on the United States next Wednesday. It finishes on August 9, two days before the closing ceremony. With Lionel Messi opting out, and Kylian Mbappe also missing, the likes of young Argentina star Claudio Echeverri are among the ones to watch. Whatever happens there will be a new winner, with defending champions Brazil failing to qualify. Here is everything you need to know about the men’s football. Athletes to Watch Bradley... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3270846/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-during-mens-football-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3270846/paris-olympics-what-know-and-who-watch-during-mens-football-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2024 12:50:00 +0000 The Paris 2024 Olympics start next Friday and run until August 11, while the Summer Paralympics will be held from August 28 to September 8. Some 10,500 athletes from 206 nations and territories will compete across 32 sports in 35 venues, from Paris to Tahiti. Here is everything you need to know about the Games, from the venues, to the opening ceremony, new sports and security issues. Where will the Games take place? In September 2017, the International Olympic Committee awarded Paris the 2024... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3270733/paris-olympics-how-france-preparing-host-its-first-games-100-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3270733/paris-olympics-how-france-preparing-host-its-first-games-100-years?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2024 06:00:12 +0000 What would boxing be without some controversy, and there is plenty around the amateur sport at the moment. With rival organisations bidding for control, and the IOC threatening to leave it out of the next Olympics altogether, at least the action in Paris should focus on the ring. Athletes to watch Arlen López (Cuba): Now 31, the two-time Olympic champion will attempt to become the fourth three-time gold medallist in Olympic boxing history. He’ll probably have to beat the Philippines’ Eumir... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3269839/paris-games-what-know-who-watch-during-possibly-last-olympic-boxing-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3269839/paris-games-what-know-who-watch-during-possibly-last-olympic-boxing-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jul 2024 04:00:11 +0000 The River Seine will be a central element of the Paris 2024 Olympics, with the opening ceremony taking place on the river with a boat parade and two events – the marathon swimming and the swimming leg of the triathlon – scheduled to be held there. However, pollution levels in the Seine have raised health concerns for athletes. Where do we stand now? The monitoring group (State and City of Paris), based on Eau de Paris water analysis, publishes weekly results. The first three bulletins for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269326/will-river-seine-be-suitable-swimming-during-paris-olympic-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269326/will-river-seine-be-suitable-swimming-during-paris-olympic-games?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jul 2024 06:00:21 +0000 Outcasts in the sporting world because of state-sponsored doping and their country’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian athletes are unable to compete at the Olympics unless they do so under a neutral flag. Belarussians are also being punished for their country’s stance in the conflict, and the re-emergence of the World Friendship Games is an alternative stage for the two nations and their allies to compete. This is not the first time this sporting event has been held, with its first edition held in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269056/friendship-games-2024-alternative-stage-athletes-russia-and-allied-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3269056/friendship-games-2024-alternative-stage-athletes-russia-and-allied-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jul 2024 12:08:28 +0000