By Paul Martin

Fourteen gold medals will be won on the opening day of the Games as the tone is set in style.

The first Olympic champions at Paris 2024 will be crowned at Chateauroux Shooting Centre, around 140 miles south of the French capital.

Seonaid McIntosh was tipped to win Britain’s first medal of the Games in Tokyo but left “heartbroken” after failing to make the final in either of her events.

Three years on, the Scot, 28, has the chance to put that right alongside Mike Bargeron, the first British man to qualify Team GB a rifle shooting quota place since London 2012. The pair are competing in the mixed team 10m air rifle, which is set to conclude at 10.50am (BST).

Britain have another early medal hope in the pool. Diving duo Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew-Jensen have medalled at each of the last two World Championships, backing up silver in 2023 with bronze earlier this year.

They have their work cut out to topple Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen, world champions at both those events, but will be confident of a medal of some description in their final, which wraps up at around 11am (BST).

The afternoon sees Welsh cycling wonderkid Josh Tarling, 20, go for gold in the men’s time trial. Already a European champion and world bronze medallist, Aberaeron’s Tarling will be joined on the start line by Ethan Hayter.

Back in the pool, the opening night brings some of the most eagerly-awaited swimming battles at La Defense Arena.

The women’s 400m freestyle will see the most recent two Olympic champions, Rio hero Katie Ledecky and Tokyo victor Ariarne Titmus, resume their rivalry.

Titmus remains the world record holder after a stunning display at the 2023 World Championships and swam the second quickest time in history at June’s Australian Olympic trials, at which she added the 200m freestyle world record to her collection.

Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh, who finished fourth as a 14-year-old in Tokyo, will be hoping to ensure they don’t have it all their own way while the reigning world champion, Erika Fairweather from New Zealand, will also be in action.

The men’s 400m freestylers will also be eyeing a world record. No-one has yet gone sub-3:40 over the distance but both Aussie Sam Short and Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui – who is an injury doubt for the Games – came close in a thrilling battle at the 2023 worlds.

Men’s and women’s 4x100m freestyle medals are also up for grabs, with Australia’s women looking to build on last year’s world record display in Fukuoka.

At the Stade de France, Antoine Dupont will hope his decision to pursue an Olympic medal as part of France’s rugby sevens squad pays off as medals are fought for in the men’s competition.

The hosts will not have it all their own way. Argentina and Ireland – who are boosted by their own Six Nations star in Hugo Keenan – are the leading lights in the HSBC SVNS Series and Fiji arrive as the reigning champions.

Do not miss: The stacked startline in the women’s 400m freestyle makes it a race to savour on the opening night in the pool. Two-time medallist Katie Ledecky is at her fourth Olympics but reigning champion Ariarne Titmus will go in as favourite after an eye-catching display at Australian trials.

Star of the day: Antoine Dupont was installed as one of the faces of the Games almost from the minute he declared his intention to feature for France’s rugby sevens squad. The best player on the planet has had an instant impact on the side and if he is on song, a medal could follow.

Best Brit: Britain has not had a men’s time trial gold medallist since Bradley Wiggins at London 2012 but Josh Tarling could be the man to end that run. The 20-year-old is bullish about his intentions – “I’m going there to win” – and has the recent form to back up that ambition.

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