It was gold on back-to-back days for Canada with Rosie MacLennan taking top spot in women’s trampoline less than 24 hours after Penny Oleksiak surprised everyone by taking first place and setting an Olympic record in the women’s 100-metre freestyle.

Could we see three consecutive days with Canada topping a podium? There will be handful of opportunities.

Here are some notable events and Canadians to keep an eye Saturday.

 

Track and field

The Summer Olympics premier event — the men’s 100-metre sprint — gets underway Saturday with Andre De Grasse leading the way for Canada. De Grasse could end up being one of the busiest track athletes at these Games. He’s racing in the 100-metre, 200-metre and the 4×100 relay. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and American Justin Gatlin are currently the best in the world but De Grasse can be considered a dark horse. His Canadian teammates Aaron Brown and Akeem Haynes are also participating in the event.

Shawn Barber smashed the Canadian pole vault record, clearing six metres at a competition in January, and now has his sights set on the Olympic podium. The 22-year-old world champion is a medal hopeful.

Also, Brianne Theisen-Eaton is in sixth place heading into the final day of her heptathlon, Brandon McBride races in the 800-metre semifinals, and Mohamed Ahmed, competing in his second Olympics, runs in the 10,000-metre.

 

Swimming

The women’s swim team has stolen the show so far at the Games — at least from a Canadian perspective — and they’ll have another chance to do it in the women’s 4x100m medley relay.

In the individual races, Ryan Cochrane will put his lungs to the test when he swims in the men’s 1500-metre freestyle final.

 

Cycling

The Canadians will be in the thick of the medal race in the women’s team pursuit. They’re up against Great Britain in Heat 4. Canada — made up of Georgia Simmerling, Kirsti Lay, Jasmin Glaesser, Allison Beveridge and Laura Brown — finished with the fourth-fastest time in qualifying, while Britain set a world record.

 

Rowing

Coxswain Lesley Thompson-Willie leads Canada’s Women’s Eights team with a medal on the line. If they medal, she’ll tie Clara Hughes and Cindy Klassen with six medals, the most in Canadian Olympics history. She has won medals in five different Olympics dating back to the Los Angeles Games in 1984.

Also, Carling Zeeman goes in the women’s single sculls B final.

Filed under: Rio Olympics