Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Skateboarding Training Session - Ariake Urban Sports Park, Tokyo, Japan - July 24, 2021. Nyjah Huston of the United States in action during training. (Photo: Reuters)   

Skateboarding made its historic debut on the Olympic stage early Sunday (July 25), with men’s street heats kicking off the sport’s four-day competition under Tokyo’s blazing sun.

The inaugural event marks a turning point for skateboarding, which has its roots in youth street culture and has influenced everything from art to fashion.

The men’s street competition on Sunday will be a star-studded affair, with who’s who of international skating competing.

But all eyes will be on Nyjah Huston of the United States and hometown favourite Yuto Horigome, who will skate on a concrete course designed with rails and benches emblazoned with the five Olympic rings.

By adding skateboarding to its roster, the International Olympic Committee hope it can tap into its legions of young fans worldwide, who have built skateboarding into a multi-billion dollar industry.

* First medals on the line in Tokyo pool

Australia's women's 4x100m freestyle relay team look sure to complete a golden hat-trick, and maybe smash their world record, when the first swimming medals of the Tokyo Olympics are handed out on Sunday (Jul 25).

In what could be a bountiful day for The Dolphins, Elijah Winnington will also seek to live up to his surname in the men's 400m free, even if Germany's Henning Muhlleitner qualified fastest.

Australian Brendon Smith is also a strong contender after qualifying fastest for the men's 400 individual medley, the first of the medal events.

The women's relay team, winners in 2012 and 2016, were dominant on Saturday and inside the world record after the first two legs.

With what amounted to a B team, they still set the 10th fastest time in history and the return of their two top swimmers - Cate Campbell and Emma McKeon - for the final makes their 2018 record look vulnerable.

Hungary's world record holder Katinka Hosszu has her work cut out to defend her 400m individual medley gold after qualifying only seventh fastest.

Emma Weyant of the United States was the top qualifier in that event with the fastest time in the world this year.

* Shooting day 3: Italy's Gabriele Rossetti and Diana Bacosi aim for gold in the men and women's skeet finals

Gabriele Rossetti of Italy competes in the skeet finals match at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. (Photo: Getty Images)

In the skeet men's and women's finals, athletes will vie for their places on the podium on day 3 of the Tokyo 2020 Shooting competition.

Reigning gold medallist Gabriele Rossetti is hoping to win his second gold at Tokyo 2020 but before he could shoot for that crown again, he needs to power through against other strong contenders. Among the challengers is Sweden's Stefan Nilsson, 2020 ISSF World Cup champion.

Great Britain has a solid chance with European Champion Amber Hill leading the charge for women's skeet in her second consecutive Olympic Games. Meanwhile Italy has a double-threat weapon in the likes of Rio 2016 gold medallist Diana Bacosi and runner up Chiara Cainero. However, two-time Olympian Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit from Thailand may spring a surprise.

* Triathlon day 1: Jonny Brownlee in search of first Olympic triathlon gold medal

The men’s triathlon will see 55 of the world’s best athletes battle it out for the three available podium places. The world’s best male triathletes will line up at the pontoon for a shot at Olympic glory in the 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run legs.

The 1.5km swim leg will consist of two laps in Odaiba Marine Park, with eight 5km laps for the 40km bike section and four 2.5km loops making up the 10km running course.

Briton Jonny Brownlee will be looking to complete the set of Olympic medals after winning bronze in London 2012 and silver in Rio 2016. He has his sights set on keeping the gold in the family after his older brother and two-time champion Alistair missed out on qualification.

Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt is the form man, but the men’s triathlon boasts a deep field that includes double world champion Vincent Luis (France), multiple world champion Mario Mola (Spain) and Rio 2016 bronze medallist Henri Schoeman (South Africa).

* Fencing day 3: Women's individual sabre and men's individual foil champions to be decided

It's the third day of the fencing competition at the Tokyo 2020 Games. The action starts at 9 am (local) at the Makuhari Messe Hall B in Chiba Prefecture with individual tables in the women's individual sabre and men's individual foil, followed by the quarterfinals.

The evening session gets underway from 18:00 with semi-finals in both events, followed by the bronze and gold medal contests.

Two-time Olympic champion in women's individual sabre, United States' Mariel Zagunis, will be looking to add a third gold medal to her collection. Tokyo 2020 will be her fifth Olympic Games, but she faces a battle for the title from eight-time world champion and Rio 2016 silver medallist, ROC's Sofya Velikaya.

The reigning Olympic champion in the men's individual foil, Italy's Daniele Garozzo, will be going for gold again in Tokyo, but Rio 2016 silver medallist, the United States' Alexander Massialas, will put up a fight to take home the crown.

* Mountain bike day 1: First Tokyo 2020 medals in mountain biking handed out today

The first mountain biking medals of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be given out in the men's mountain bike cross-country event with all the action beginning at 15.00 (local time).

European nations have dominated the event and it's likely to continue at Tokyo 2020 with Rio 2016 Olympic champion Nino Schurter of Switzerland hoping to defend his title while the Netherlands' Mathieu van der Poel even left the Tour de France to focus on his tilt for Olympic gold.

But it's his fellow Swiss team-mate, Mathias Flueckiger, who is among the medal favourites after a solid lead-up to the Games. France's Victor Koretzky and Jordan Sarrou, the 2020 World Champion, are also expected to challenge for medal spots.

* Archery day 4: India set to challenge 'unstoppable' Republic of Korea in men's team event

Marcus Laube of Germany during the Men's compound team finals at the Hyundai Archery World Cup 2019 Stage 4 on July 6, 2019. (Photo: World Archery Federation)

Can India or Team USA stop the dominance of the Republic of Korea? The eliminations and finals of the archery men's team event take place on the fourth day of action at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field on July 26.

The fourth day of action in the archery tournament begins with the men’s team elimination round. The afternoon session features the quarterfinals and semifinals, after which the two teams defeated in the semis will face each other for the bronze medal. The winners of the semifinals then compete for the gold medal.

Given their silver medal-winning performance in the men's team event at the World Archery Championships in the Netherlands in 2019, India are realistic contenders to the Republic of Korea's crown.

However, Marcus Laube's Germany and the US men's team of Brady Ellison, 2012 Olympian Jacob Wukie and Jack Williams will want to continue their fine form to challenge for the medals.

* Diving day 2: Team GB's Tom Daley and Matty Lee aim for gold in the men's synchro 10m platform final

It's straight into the finals on day two of the diving competition with the men's synchronised 10m platform event.

Great Britain's Tom Daley and his new dive partner for this Olympic cycle, Matty Lee, will hope to emulate or improve on Daley and Dan Goodfellow's bronze medal in this event at Rio 2016. Although the gold medalists in Brazil (Cao Yuan and Chen Aisen) will again be the clear favourites.

* Taekwondo day 3: Lauren Williams makes debut as Ivorian Cheick Sallah Cisse seeks more glory

Day three of the Olympic taekwondo event starts off in the morning with the women's -67kg Round of 16 and then straight into the quarterfinals and semis, with the men's -80kg also following this format until the afternoon session.

The evening session will make way for some tough repechages in the two weight classes before the athletes vie for their final places at the podium.

Rising star Matea Jelic is one of the big medal hopes for Croatia. The 21-year-old will make her Olympic debut in the -67kg category to battle it out against strong contenders like Rio 2016 bronze medallist Ruth Gbagbi of Cote d'Ivoire and double European champion Lauren Williams who's also making her maiden appearance at the Games.

Although Ivorian athlete Cheick Sallah Cisse has a fighting chance to defend his men-s -80kg Rio 2016 gold title, he's got stiff competition in the likes of world no 2 Milad Beigi Harchegani, also a Rio 2016 medallist himself (bronze) or Icaro Miguel Martins Soares of Brazil, who won the silver medal at the 2019 World Taekwondo Championships.

* Judo day 3: Host nation hero Ono Shohei and world champion Jessica Klimkait square up for title tilts

Expect a thrilling day of judo action at the Tokyo 2020 Games, with proceedings starting at 11.00 am (local) with elimination rounds and quarterfinals in both the women's -57kg and men's -73kg events.

The evening session begins at 17:00 and will include gold and bronze medal contests for the women's -57kg and men's -73kg categories.

World no.1 Jessica Klimkait of Canada, world no.3 YOSHIDA Tsukasa of Japan and 2021 World Championship bronze medallist Nora Gjakova are set to line up in the women's -57kg.

Will Japan's ONO Shohei successfully defend his title from Rio 2016? He has been unbeaten in international competitions since 2014 and is one of the most dominant fighters in the -73kg division. Three of the medallists from Rio 2016 have returned for Tokyo 2020, including silver and bronze medallists Rustam Orujov of Azerbaijan and Lasha Shavdatuashvili of Georgia.

Reuters, Tokyo Olympic