Keeping it Rio is your daily guide to can’t-miss events and the headlines you need to start your Olympic day. All times ET.
THE DANGER GAMES
The Daily Mail has posed a pertinent question as Rio 2016 winds into its final week: On the field of play, have these been the most dangerous Games ever? Consider the laundry list of nauseating injuries Olympians have suffered so far: the Dutch cyclist who fractured three vertebrae in the women’s road race; the French gymnast who wrecked his left leg on a vault landing; the Armenian weightlifter who dislocated his elbow mid-clean and jerk; and more.
Any answer to that question would be subjective, but it’s clear Rio 2016 has taken a fair toll on some athletes.
BUT LET YOUR HEART BE WARMED
As rivalries go, the United States and New Zealand are not known for being particularly antagonistic. But it was still nice to see them come together on the Olympic track on Tuesday.
The scene: the first round of the women’s 5,000 metres. The pack of runners is clogged. New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin tries to make a move — and trips up the U.S.’s Abbey D’Agostino, who injured her leg.
The pragmatic strategy would have been for Hamblin to wash her hands of any responsibility, and rejoin the pack. Instead, she stayed behind, and eventually helped D’Agostino return to her feet. Both finished the race, and at the finish line, they embraced. “Regardless of the race and the result on the board,” Hamblin said later, “that’s a moment that you’re never, ever going to forget.”
MARK CAVENDISH’S RIDE OF TERROR
British cyclist Mark Cavendish emerged from Monday’s men’s omnium final with his first Olympic medal — and a dose of self-imposed blame for sending an opposing rider to the hospital. Cavendish caused a frightening pile-up by veering into the path of South Korean rider Park Sang-hoon, slamming Park’s front wheel and knocking him onto the track in a flailing heap.
Cavendish wasn’t penalized, but said the crash was his fault in post-race interviews, after he continued on his bike and went on to earn the silver medal. Some opponents did try to absolve him of blame. “It’s a normal crash on the track,” gold medallist Elia Viviani, who was knocked over in the pile-up, told reporters. Bronze medallist Lasse Norman Hansen was more succinct: “S–t happens.”
CAN’T MISS EVENTS
SOCCER: MEN’S SEMI-FINALS
Brazil vs. Honduras, 12 p.m. (Sportsnet One); Nigeria vs. Germany, 3 p.m. (TSN)
This U-23 tournament may be verging towards a rematch, in the gold-medal game, of the wrenching 2014 World Cup semi-final that saw Germany decimate host Brazil 7-1.
Neymar missed that match due to injury, but he’s back in Rio, where his team will face a plucky Honduran side Wednesday. Germany plays resolute Nigeria, who flew to Brazil on the day of their first game, yet made it this far.
ATHLETICS: WOMEN’S 200m
Final, 9:30 p.m. (CBC and NBC)
Both women’s sprint finals so far have been stunning. First, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson upset countrywoman — and two-time defending champ — Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100 metres. Then, Shaunae Miller dove at the line to wrest 400m gold from reigning gold-medallist Allyson Felix.
Thompson and 100m silver medallist Tori Bowie are vying for more in the 200. The hope is that it will provide a similar level of drama.
THE CANADIANS
Athletics
Damian Warner, men’s decathlon 100m, 8:30 a.m.; long jump, 9:35 a.m.; shot put, 11:15 a.m.; high jump, 4:45 p.m.; 400m, 8:20 p.m.
Mohammed Ahmed and Luc Bruchet, men’s 5,000m qualifying rounds, 9:05 a.m.
Melissa Bishop, women’s 800m qualifying rounds, 9:55 a.m.
Matthew Hughes, men’s 3,000m steeplechase final, 10:55 a.m.
Phylicia George and Nikkita Holder, women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals, 7:45 p.m.; final, 9:55 p.m.
Christabel Nettey, women’s long jump final, 8:15 p.m.
Aaron Brown and Andre De Grasse, men’s 200m semi-finals, 9 p.m.
Crystal Emmanuel, women’s 200m final, 9:30 p.m.
Canoe/kayak (sprint)
Ryan Cochrane and Hugues Fournel, men’s K-2 200m heats, 8:44 a.m.; semi-finals, 10:03 a.m.
Emilie Fournel, women’s K-1 500m heats, 8:58 a.m.; semi-finals, 10:17 a.m.
Cycling (BMX)
Tory Nyhaug, men’s seeding run, 1:34 p.m.
Diving
Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion, women’s 10m platform preliminary round, 2 p.m.
Equestrian
Yann Candele, Tiffany Foster, Eric Lamaze and Amy Millar, individual jumping (third qualifier), 9 a.m.; team jumping final, 9 a.m.
Golf
Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp, women’s individual stroke play Round 1, 6:30 a.m.
Sailing
Graeme Saunders and Jacob Saunders, men’s 470 medal race, 1:05 p.m.
Volleyball
Canada vs. Russia, men’s quarterfinal, 9 a.m.
Wrestling
Jasmine Mian vs. Sun Yanan (China), women’s 48 kg round of 16, 9:40 a.m.; quarterfinals, 10:20 a.m.; semi-finals, 11:08 a.m.; repechage, 3 p.m.; bronze-medal match, 4 p.m.; gold-medal match, 4:30 p.m.
Michelle Fazzari vs. Elif Jale Yesilirmak (Turkey), women’s 58 kg round of 16, 9:40 a.m.; quarterfinals, 10:36 a.m.; semi-finals, 11:16 a.m.; repechages, 3 p.m.; bronze-medal match, 4:45 p.m.; gold-medal match, 5:15 p.m.
Dori Yeats vs. Hannah Amuchechi Rueben (Nigeria), women’s 69 kg round of 16, 10:04 a.m.; quarterfinals, 10:52 a.m.; semi-finals, 11:24 a.m.; repechage, 3:02 p.m.; bronze-medal match, 5:45 p.m.; gold-medal match, 6 p.m.