PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: What you need to know right now
Adds swimming results, other details throughout
PARIS, July 27 (Reuters) -The first golds of Paris 2024 have been won with Australia leading the medal table, while host nation France also enjoyed a glorious opening day.
The French rail system is gradually recovering after Friday's sabotage attacks caused travel chaos, though authorities say they still don't know who was responsible.
Here's what you need to know about the Olympics on Saturday.
MACRON'S DELIGHT
Emmanuel Macron shuttled between France's best medal hopes, and was there to see his country win gold in the rugby sevens and silvers in the judo and fencing.
Australia won two golds in the swimming and another in the women's cycling time trial, putting them in top position in the medal table, ahead of China who won the first gold of the Games in the 10-metre air rifle mixed team event.
'RACE OF THE CENTURY'
Australian Ariarne Titmus defended her Olympic 400 metres freestyle title on Saturday after the world's three fastest women over the distance fought a thrilling battle in the Paris pool.
The race had been compared to the epic men's 200 freestyle "Race of the Century" showdown between American Michael Phelps, Australian Ian Thorpe and Dutch giant Pieter van den Hoogenband in 2004.
Caeleb Dressel collected his eighth career Olympic gold medal when he anchored the U.S. men to a second successive 4x100 metres freestyle title.
CANADA'S SPYING SHAME
Canada's women's football team have been deducted six points - effectively putting them out of the Olympics - after being caught using a drone to spy on a closed training session of their opponents New Zealand. The country's Olympic committee said it was considering an appeal.
Canada's coach Bev Priestman has also been banned for a year.
HUNT FOR RAIL SABOTEURS
France's interior minister said he could not rule out foreign involvement in an attack that sabotaged signal stations and cables, although it was still too early to say who was responsible.
Traffic on France's high-speed rail network should be back to normal by Monday, Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete told reporters.
EQUESTRIAN SCANDAL
Equestrian sports need a cultural change, German seven-times Olympic champion Isabell Werth told Reuters as a debate sparked by a video of a leading British rider whipping a horse in training rages on.
POURING RAIN
There was little let-up from the rain that poured down on Friday's flamboyant Paris 2024 opening ceremony. The wet conditions caused the skateboarding competition to be postponed.
During the women's cycling time trial several riders fell on the wet road surface and all tennis on the uncovered courts at Roland Garros was called off, leaving spectators frustrated.
However, Paris 2024 organisers were confident triathlon events would take place as scheduled on Tuesday even though rainfall might lead to Sunday's swimming training session being cancelled due to concerns over the water quality in the Seine.
MISIDENTIFIED
The International Olympic Committee has apologised to South Korea after the nation's delegation was introduced as from rival North Korea in Friday's Opening Ceremony.
OPENING CEREMONY CONTROVERSY
A parody of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous fresco 'The Last Supper' featuring drag queens in the Olympic opening ceremony sparked fury among the Catholic church and far-right politicians, while supporters praised its message of tolerance.
Reuters Olympics coverage home https://www.reuters.com/sports/olympics/
Explainer: Olympics schedule, map, medals table, sports guides https://www.reuters.com/graphics/OLYMPICS-2024/EXPLAINER/byprqrwmqve/
Compiled by Richard Lough, Rachel Armstrong, Ingrid Melander; Editing by Ed Osmond, Ken Ferris and Hugh Lawson
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