Clashes of the titans: The 10 showdowns and rivalries that will define Paris 2024
Nothing adds drama like a genuine rivalry. The Olympics, on the biggest stage of all, is the perfect place for old flames to be reheated in battle and for new foes to emerge.
Here, we take a look at 10 clashes to get excited about at Paris 2024.
Matildas v US, women’s football, Thursday 3am (AEST), Marseille
Kerr’s partner Kristie Mewis comforts her after the Matildas lost the Tokyo Olympics bronze medal match 4-3 to the US.Credit: AP
Some fans would have loved the added spice of Sam Kerr playing fiance Kristie Mewis in this one, but alas, another “sportswomanship cup” will have to wait another Games. Regardless, and despite Australia’s atrocious start to their Olympic campaign, this should be an intense match-up as traditional women’s football powerhouse USA takes on global rising stars Australia in the group stage. Especially as the American side will be spearheaded by new coach in charge Emma Hayes, who just joined Chelsea after the Women’s World Cup last year (remember when USA were bundled out of the round of 16 by Sweden?). For the Matildas, it’s no Kerr and a lot of pressure to final place on a podium. Australia’s match up with France should also be a fiery one, given the penalty shootout at the World Cup last year. You’d think the home side might be out for some revenge.
Jamaican women in the 100m, Sunday August 4, 5.20am.
Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.Credit: AP
This one will have plenty of hype - and be over in a flash. The women’s 100m is always a big showdown, mainly between the Jamaican women. Three-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will retire after Paris - she’s 37 but has medalled at four Games already and is an icon of the 100m and 4x100m - will be up against three-time Olympian Shericka Jackson, who took the bronze in Tokyo for the 100m. Unfortunately, two-time Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah will miss the Paris Olympics due to an Achilles tendon injury and won’t be able to defend her 100 and 200 metres titles in Paris.
Australians Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson v Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the women’s high jump final, Monday August 5, 3.50am.
Australian Nicola Olyslagers is a favourite for the women’s high jump gold medal at Paris 2024.Credit: Getty Images
Aussie pair silver Olympic medallist Nicola Olyslagers and world champion Eleanor Patterson will be up against Ukrainian world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh for podium positions. The three know each other very well. In the last three world championships and Olympics, the trio have shared the medals. ROC’s Mariya Lasitskene took the gold at the Tokyo Games, while Mahuchikh took bronze and Patterson placed fifth, but World Athletics have disallowed Russian and Belarusian track and field athletes competing on the international stage while their countries’ war in Ukraine remains ongoing.
India v Pakistan in men’s hockey, medal matches Thurs 8 and Fri 9 August
India and Pakistan’s hockey rivalry is a book of many chapters, filled with periods of great success and failure for each. Between them, they share 11 Olympics gold medals and 11 Asian Games titles. The intensity really took hold when they first met as independent nations in the 1956 Olympics final in Melbourne.
They then met again the next final in Rome 1960 and seven more times at the Olympics, with Pakistan claiming victory four times, India twice, and one draw. The record’s in favour of Pakistan in Asian Games glory, too, with the country having claimed eight gold medals, while India have three. If they are both to reach the final in Paris, India will try and tip the ledger more favourably in their way but Pakistan will want to keep their record against their rivals going strong.
Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Britain’s Josh Kerr, men’s 1500m final, Wed August 7, 4.50am.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway celebrates winning the gold medal in the final of the men’s 1500m in Tokyo. Credit: AP
Keep an eye on Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Britain’s Josh Kerr. Ingebrigtsen has long dominated the event. That is, until he gets to the championships (so the ones that really matter) where he has been beaten, recently by Scotland’s Kerr. Adding fuel to the fire, the Norwegian is a bit of a rock star and all by accounts, the pair aren’t big fans of each other. Giving this away is a fair amount of trash talk made public. And just recently in May, Kerr upset Ingebrigtsen with a stunning upset victory at Prefontaine Classic in Eugene. Something Kerr will be keen to repeat in Paris while Ingebrigtsen will be after revenge. Also to keep an eye on here if Britain’s Jake Wightman, he could sneak up on the lot.
Australia vs Team USA in the pool, heats from 7pm, finals from 4am.
Ariarne Titmus is the world record holder in the 400m freestyle, but Katie Ledecky is a champion.Credit: Getty Images
This rivalry is very real. Reignited by Cate Campbell’s “sore loser” comments last year, which made its way to NBC’s prime-time swimming coverage. After Nine’s Today host Karl Stefanovic said the Americans were, “sore, pathetic losers”, Campbell added “such sore losers… I mean, Australia coming out on top of the world is one thing, but it is just so much sweeter beating America.” Now add that team USA are stinging from their medal table defeat to Australia at last year’s world championships, where the Aussies won 13 to USA’s seven medals. In Tokyo, Aus won nine golds to USA’s 11. Particularly watch for Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky’s head-to-head in the 400m on night one.
Zac Stubblety-Cook vs Qin Haiyang, men’s 200m breaststroke, Thursday 6.15am.
Stubblety-Cook won gold in Tokyo in this event and backed it up in 2022 with a world championship gold in Budapest. But the narrative has changed. Stubblety-Cook lost his world record to Qin, who won the 50m, 100m and 200m breast in Fukuoka last year at worlds. It then emerged Qin was part of 23 swimmers who tested positive. There was also another positive test reported last week by NYT. Qin’s flown under the radar this year and it’ll be a spicy match-up. Adam Peaty from Great Britain has also been outspoken on the matter. There could be fireworks here.
US v Serbia, men’s basketball, Monday 1.15am, Lille.
Luckily for fans, these two were pooled together in the group stage. America has long dominated the court on the world stage but if they are to be challenged in Paris, Serbia are a major contender to do so, led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and NBA shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Serbia has only one win over the USA in major tournaments, to America’s three, but it also was the last time they went head-to-head at the 2019 World Cup. In saying that, Team USA put Serbia to bed 105-79 in an exhibition game this month ahead of the Games, where Miami Heat’s center Bam Adebayo and Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry ran riot around the ring.
Australia v New Zealand, women’s rugby sevens, medal games from 3am Wednesday.
This all hinges on both Australia (pool B) and New Zealand (pool A) getting out of their group stages and meeting in the finals. But given the two have dominated the women’s game since its inception, winning three and seven world series titles respectively, you’d think there’s a good chance of that happening.
Australia won the first Olympic gold of the event in Rio but then New Zealand named the top spot in Tokyo. While both sides have stars across the park, the battle to watch here is between Aussie Teagan Levi and Kiwi Jorja Miller. They are the playmakers of their respective teams, while also big scorers and if nothing else, will provide moments for the highlights packages.
Joe Joyce v Bakhodir Jalolov, men’s boxing, +92kg final 6.51am Sunday Aug 11.
Joe Joyce has a point to prove. Credit: AP
The stage is set to reunite two Olympic rivals, Britain’s Joe Joyce and Uzbek’s Bakhodir Jalolov. In Rio in 2016, Joyce was denied the gold medal in the super-heavyweight final after a controversial decision didn’t go his way.
He went home with silver but believed he was robbed. He beat Jalolov on his way to that final that year, but four years later, Jalolov won gold in Tokyo. The Uzbek arrives in Paris as the No.1 seed, after going unbeaten in his past 14 professional fights. But Joyce still wants the gold he believed was rightfully his eight years ago. Could be an interesting, and fiery, clash.
With Tom Decent and Michael Gleeson
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