Day 15 at the Paris Olympics: A final push for medal glory

Cycling and athletics again dominate for Team GB.

Riders at speed going round the velodrome in Paris.

With the finish line to the closing ceremony firmly in sight, there are 39 gold medals up for grabs on Saturday.

Cycling and athletics again dominate for Team GB.

Other medal chances could come in the modern pentathlon and taekwondo as the Paris Games prepares for its final day on Sunday.

Mad Madison

Ethan Hayter sat on his bike on the velodrome track in Paris. — Ethan Hayter has questioned his own form (PA)

Ethan Hayter and Ollie Wood are due to line up for the chaotic wonder that is the men’s Madison at 5.59pm (4.59pm BST).

Hayter admitted he has questions over his own form after he finished a disappointing eighth in Thursday’s omnium, which started less than 24 hours after his dramatic slip in the team pursuit.

Hayter won Olympic silver in this event alongside Matt Walls at the Tokyo Games, while Wood took silver in the world championships in Glasgow last year with teammate Mark Stewart – the travelling reserve in Paris.

Gold hunt

Matthew Hudson-Smith after finishing second in the 400m final in Paris — Matthew Hudson-Smith finished second in the 400m final in Paris (Martin Rickett, PA)

Great Britain has two chances for relay gold on Saturday night with both the men’s and women’s 4×400 metres quartets closing out the evening session.

Individual 400 metres silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith ran a 43.87 split on Friday morning to see GB through second-fastest of the semi-finalists in a season’s best time and vowed he has more in the tank for the race at 9pm (8pm BST).

Team GB’s women were also second-quickest behind the United States, who could employ a weapon in 400 metres hurdles gold medallist and world record-breaker Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone for their race at 9.14pm (8.14pm BST).

Modern pentathlon

Joe Choong scraped through to the modern pentathlon final (PA)

Reigning Olympic champion Joe Choong made it through to the men’s modern pentathlon final but he has a lot of work to do to get a medal.

The 29-year-old struggled in the fencing ranking round on Thursday and that will count against him in the 18-man final at Versailles, where he will need to make up ground in showjumping, swimming and the final laser run.

Kate French, who also won gold in Tokyo, goes into the women’s semi-finals well placed after the fencing along with British debutante Kerenza Bryson.

Last chance

Rebecca McGowan is one of two Brits left in the taekwondo (PA)

Rebecca McGowan and Caden Cunningham have a fight on their hands if they are ensure Team GB bring home at least one taekwondo medal from the 2024 Games.

McGowan – the partner of Bradly Sinden, who missed a bronze medal shot due to injury on Wednesday – is a world silver medallist in the women’s -68kg category while heavyweight Cunningham is the reigning European champion and a rising star.

Cunningham is first in action at 9.21am (8.21am BST), with McGowan at 12pm (11am BST).

Toby is top

Paris 2024 Olympics medal table, at the end of day 14. — (PA Graphics)

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There was a thrilling end at the sport climbing with Toby Roberts claiming gold for Great Britain in boulder and lead on Friday.

And there were three medals at Stade de France in the athletics and two in the velodrome.

That takes Team GB’s tally to 57 with two days remaining.