RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Settle in for eleventh heaven on day 11 of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. There are 25 gold medals to be given out across 12 sports.
Among those chasing glory are superstar gymnast Simone Biles and the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt.
Host nation Brazil is also hoping to boost its flagging medal tally as it chases a spot in the top-10 of the table for the very first time.
Biles goes for clean sweep
She may the smallest athlete on the US team at 4 feet 8 inches, but there’s no doubt Biles is a gymnastics giant.
The 19-year-old goes for her fourth gold medal when she competes in the individual floor exercise at the Rio Olympic Arena.
She might have been seeking a record fifth gold but for a mistake in the women’s balance beam event final Monday, a slip that ensured Biles had to be content with a bronze.
Already the most-decorated US gymnast, Biles goes into the individual floor final with added pedigree as a three-time world champion in the event.
Can she make it four golds in Rio? Whatever happens the diminutive dynamo from Houston will still be wearing a smile as one of THE faces of the Games.
Bolt is back
Can we expect another cheeky grin from Bolt? The charismatic Jamaican is back in business in the 200-meter heats, Tuesday.
After winning a third Olympic 100m title with a smile Sunday, the fastest man on earth moves to the second leg of his potential “Triple-Triple.”
The 200m semis and final are Thursday — with the 4x100m relay the following day.
“Somebody said I can become immortal,” Bolt said after his 100m triumph. “Two more medals to go and I can sign off, immortal.”
The women’s 1,500m provides an intriguing contest between Genzebe Dibaba and Faith Kipyegon.
Dibaba smashed the world record at the 2015 world championships but a toe injury is threatening to upset the Ethiopian’s bid for the Olympic title.
Kenyan rival Kipyegon has the fastest two times in the world this year and is favorite to take the gold.
Solo Russian athlete jumps to it
In the field, all eyes will be on Darya Klishina — Russia’s sole track and field athlete competing in Rio 2016.
A ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has cleared Klishina to compete in the long jump and her first Olympic Games.
Last week, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suspended Klishina based on “new information it received” about the 25-year-old. The IAAF did not publicly elaborate on what this new information was.
There was a widespread ban on Russia’s athletes amid claims of state-run doping, but Klishina was initially cleared because she is based in the US and has complied with its anti-doping requirements.
Can Conceicao box clever?
Robson Conceicao may be a lightweight boxer but he’ll still carry the heavy weight of a nation’s expectations, Tuesday.
The 27-year-old is fighting to add another gold to Brazil’s tally in the Olympic lightweight final.
Conceicao, who beat Cuban top seed Lazaro Alvarez, takes on formidable French fighter Soufiane Oumiha for the gold and the glory.
He grew up in deprived circumstances in Salvador and claims his street-tough youth helped shape his future as a potential Olympic champion.
The beautiful game continues
Expect a fiesta at Rio’s famous Maracana Stadium when the Brazilian women’s team competes in the soccer semifinals.
The host nation knows a thing or two about football, and has won two silver medals since the women’s tournament was introduced in 1996.
In a repeat of their Group E clash, Brazil takes on Sweden, which knocked out defending champion the United States in the quarterfinals.
Germany takes on London 2012 bronze medalist Canada in the second semifinal.
