Summer Olympics 2016: Schedule and Predictions for Opening Weekend Action
The Summer Olympics commence in Rio de Janeiro on Friday as the major stars of track and field take their places at the global event.
A host of mainstream sports are also represented in South America, with the Games due to run until August 21.
The first weekend sees basketball and football take place as the race for gold begins. Also kicking off over the first two days are road cycling, boxing, beach volleyball, diving, equestrian, handball, hockey and judo.
Read on for the full schedule, allowing you to bookmark your favourite events in your diary:
| Opening Ceremony | August 5 |
| Archery | August 5-12 |
| Artistic Gymnastics | August 6-16 |
| Athletics | August 12-21 |
| Badminton | August 11-20 |
| Basketball | August 6-21 |
| Beach Volleyball | August 6- 18 |
| Boxing | August 6-21 |
| Canoe Slalom | August 7-11 |
| Canoe Sprint | August 15-20 |
| Cycling BMX | August 17-19 |
| Cycling Mountain Bike | August 20-21 |
| Cycling Road | August 6-10 |
| Cycling Track | August 11-16 |
| Diving | August 7-20 |
| Equestrian | August 6-19 |
| Fencing | August 6-14 |
| Football | August 3-20 |
| Golf | August 11-20 |
| Handball | August 6-21 |
| Field Hockey | August 6-19 |
| Judo | August 6-12 |
| Marathon Swimming | August 15-16 |
| Modern Pentathlon | August 18-20 |
| Rhythmic Gymnastics | August 19-21 |
| Rowing | August 6-13 |
| Rugby Sevens | August 6-11 |
| Sailing | August 8-18 |
| Shooting | August 6-14 |
| Swimming | August 6-13 |
| Synchronised Swimming | August 14-19 |
| Table Tennis | August 6-17 |
| Taekwondo | August 17-20 |
| Tennis | August 6-14 |
| Trampoline Gymnastics | August 12-13 |
| Triathlon | August 18-20 |
| Volleyball | August 6-21 |
| Water Polo | August 6-20 |
| Weightlifting | August 6-16 |
| Wrestling | August 14-21 |
Australia to Challenge for Basketball Medal
When you consider the giants of world basketball, thoughts are generally contained to the United States and a handful of European nations that boast NBA stars.
The Aussies begin their charge to challenge the status quo on Saturday without prodigious Melbourne-born sensation Ben Simmons. The NBA No. 1 draft pick has opted to skip a trip to Brazil, concentrating on the buildup to his first season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The men's and women's teams both have realistic chances of progressing to the medal matches.
"Both squads are genuine contenders," declared Patrick Hunt, one of the central contributors to the history of basketball coaching in Australia, per Kieran Pender of the Guardian. "It is always difficult to compare from one era to another, but both teams have demonstrated great depth in the groups that have been selected."
The Boomers have plenty of talent in their ranks despite suffering because of Simmons' decision.
Thon Maker, a first-round NBA draft pick, and Matthew Dellavedova, who recently signed with the Milwaukee Bucks after winning the NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers, are both in attendance and ready to start.
Roy Ward of the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Dellavedova, who is ready for action after a hectic end to the season with the new NBA champions:
"We have a team with good shooting from the perimeter and guards who can pick up [defensively] up the floor and put pressure on the opposition.
Having a day between games will help, it's different to the world championships where we had two or three games in a row. To have that day in between games and having the depth we do, I think it will be one of our advantages.
"
NBA mainstay Andrew Bogut has also been included in the Aussie squad, even though the former Golden State Warrior is suffering from a knee injury, as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
The inclusion of San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills also strengthens the belief the green and gold will shine when they begin their campaign in Rio at Carioca Arena 1.
The United States is still expected to run away with the gold, with the side led by Kevin Durant but missing star names such as Stephen Curry and LeBron James.
However, if the Americans fail to recognise the threat of Australia and its legion of top professional players, there could be a shocking upset in Brazil.
The Aussies have genuine talent throughout their squad and should comprehensively beat France in their opening challenge on Saturday.
.jpg?w=600 "Ravens star calls out former coach")
