China claims first gold at Paris Olympics amidst rain disruptions
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China secured the first gold medal of the Paris Olympics on Saturday, winning the mixed-team 10-meter air rifle event.
Teenage sharpshooters Sheng Lihao and Huang Yuting delivered a stellar performance, narrowly defeating South Korea's Keum Ji-hyeon and Park Ha-jun with a score of 16-12.
Kazakhstan took the bronze in the competition.
The opening day of the Games was marred by rain, which had also dampened the grand opening ceremony along the Seine. The inclement weather led to the postponement of the men's street skateboarding event at Place de la Concorde, now rescheduled for Monday. Tennis matches at Roland Garros also faced delays, with outdoor courts remaining closed until the afternoon.
Friday's opening ceremony, featuring 7,000 athletes parading in boats along the Seine and a dazzling display at the Eiffel Tower, was well-received despite the downpour. However, the International Olympic Committee issued an apology for mistakenly introducing South Korea's athletes as representing North Korea during the event.
In other Olympic events, the women's 400m freestyle swimming final is set to be a highlight, featuring defending champion Ariarne Titmus, U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky, and Canadian prodigy Summer McIntosh. Other swimming events include the men's 400m freestyle and the men's and women's 4x100m freestyle relays.
Tennis stars Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz are scheduled to play at Roland Garros, weather permitting. Alcaraz is also set to pair with Rafael Nadal in the men's doubles, a highly anticipated Spanish team-up.
Chinese shooters Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao are favorites in the mixed-team 10-meter air rifle event, following their dominant win at last year's world championships in Baku. The diving events also feature strong Chinese contenders, with Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen expected to perform well in the women's synchronized 3m springboard final.
Cycling events will begin with the men's and women's individual time trials, covering a challenging 32.4-kilometer course. In rugby sevens, French fans are eager to see if Antoine Dupont can lead France to victory, with a crucial semi-final against South Africa determining their path to the gold medal match, where they could face either Fiji or Australia.
