Chitrabhanu Kadalayil gives you the five biggest things to keep an eye on at Day 12 in Rio.
• More: Best of Olympics Day 11 | Bolt v Gatlin
Women’s golf, Round 1
Nine of the world’s top 10 women golfers will tee up over the next four days, starting today from 2.30pm UAE time, hoping to win the first Olympic golf event in 116 years. The favourite is top-ranked Lydia Ko who was born in Seoul but will represent New Zealand at the Games. South Korea look strong in any case, as they are represented by four top-10 players, led by world No 5 Inbee Park.
Football, semi-finals
Jon Obi Mikel and Serge Gnabry play for rival London clubs Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League, but they will be up against each other in a different setting today as Mikel’s Nigeria face Gnabry’s Germany in the men’s semi-finals (11pm). Gnabry has scored six goals in the competition, but Mikel is determined to emulate Nigeria’s gold medal win at Atlanta 20 years ago. Hosts Brazil will face Honduras (8pm) in the other semi-finals.
Men’s badminton, singles quarter-finals
Kidambi Srikanth is India’s lone medal hope in the men’s game but will have to beat two-time reigning Olympic champion Lin Dan of China for a place in the last four (2.30pm). Lin is the favourite but has lost to Srikanth once in three meetings. Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei will face Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei, Rajiv Ouseph of Great Britain will take on Dane Viktor Axelsen, and Son Wan-ho of South Korea will meet China’s Chen Long.
Women’s 800m, Round 1
Caster Semenya will be the one to watch as the South African gets ready to run in the heats of the 800 metres competition (5.55pm). Semenya is a contender for gold but many think it is unfair for an athlete with the testosterone levels three times the normal level found in women to be competing in the women’s category.
Basketball, quarter-finals
Australia meet Lithuania (6pm) and Spain are up against France in the men’s category before the mighty United States take on Argentina (1.45am, tomorrow) and Croatia face Serbia.
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ckadalayil@thenational.ae
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