Brit’s record swim
SWIMMER Adam Peaty set a new world record in his 100m breaststroke heat as cyclist Geraint Thomas crashed out of the men’s road race when on course for Britain’s first medal at the Rio Olympics.
The favourite for the 150-mile hill course, three-times Tour de France winner Chris Froome, missed a key break and could not catch the leading group in the last 10 miles.
The 31-year-old had been in imperious form in retaining his Tour de France title two weeks ago but found the gruelling six-hour road race in Rio a step too far.
His teammate, Welsh rider Thomas, 30, was in the hunt for a medal on a steep descent to the finish at Flamengo Park in Rio when he crashed moments after Italian race leader Vincenzo Nibali also went down on a tight bend.
After the shock of Thomas crashing out with Froome trailing in the wake of the leaders, it was left to Peaty, 21, from Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, to lift the mood of the nation by setting a new world record in a time of 57.55 seconds, over a second ahead of everyone else in his heat.
The European, Commonwealth and world champion shaved nearly half a second off his previous world record. He will go for gold in the final at 2.53am tomorrow.
Kenya-born Froome won a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics behind Sir Bradley Wiggins in the men’s road time trial.
He will have another chance for a gold medal at Rio in that event on Wednesday. Sir Bradley, 36, is competing on the track this time in the men’s team pursuit in Rio’s Velodrome on Friday, when he will bid to become Britain’s most successful
‘I’d never cheat in life. I’m never going to win. If I win people will say it is because of something else’
Olympian by adding his eighth medal.
The rowing events also started yesterday, with London 2012 bronze medallist Northern Ireland’s Alan Campbell chalking up an easy single sculls heat victory.
Swimmer James Guy was bidding to win Team GB’s first medal in the final of the men’s 400m freestyle in the early hours of this morning.
The world silver medallist was hoping to turn the tables on China’s Sun Yang, who had failed a drugs test and spent time in prison for a car crash since winning this event at London 2012.
Despite being the reigning women’s road race world champion, British cyclist Lizzie Armitstead will have to overcome the controversy of her three missed drugs tests to win gold in the women’s road race at Rio, which starts at 4.15pm today.
The Yorkshire rider, 27, who won the silver medal in this event at London 2012, was suspended and faced missing the Rio Olympics before the first test was declared void. Missing three tests can result in a ban of up to two years.
A tearful Armitstead said she would “never cheat in life”.
She added: “In this situation I’m never going to win. If I win, people will say it’s because of something else.”
The start of the Games was not without controversy, as thousands of people had to queue for up to two hours to get into the Olympic Park yesterday morning. The delays, said to be caused by a lack of staff for the stringent security checks in place, led to some fans missing seeing Brazil’s women win their first handball match against 2012 champions Norway.
Organisers issued a statement, saying: “We apologise to all spectators who have had to queue on the first day of competition. We are fully aware of the problem and frustration.
“We requested that the relevant authorities increase the speed and effectiveness that people can enter the park by requesting that more employees work on the X-ray machines.
“Following improvements the lines are now back to normal. We appreciate the patience and understanding shown by fans.”
The tight security was evident when a loud bang was heard near the finish of the men’s road race yesterday, about an hour before the cyclists arrived. It turned out to be a controlled explosion of a bag left unattended.
It also seemed that the sport which made its debut at the Olympics yesterday, rugby sevens, has yet to grip Brazil.
Three of the four stands inside the stadium at the Deodoro complex in Rio had huge swathes of empty seats for the first game of the host nation’s women’s team against Britain, which Team GB won 29-3.