The Opening Ceremonies for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games take place Friday, and we already have some competitions underway. Mississippi State is well-represented in Paris this year, sending a school-record eight athletes and one coach to the Olympics.
Women's soccer players Catalina Perez and Ilana Izquierdo made the roster for Colombia. Jamaica's Navasky Anderson and Canada's Marco Arop will run the Men's 800m. Grenada's Anderson Peters and the United States' Curtis Thompson will compete in Men's Javelin. Botswana's Lee Eppie will run the Men's 4x400m Relay. Tennis star Nuno Borges will compete in Men's Singles and Men's Doubles for Portugal. And MSU Track & Field coach Chris Woods will serve as an assistant coach for Team Canada.
Here's how you can follow these Bulldogs along in Paris...
Soccer already underway for Perez and Izquierdo
The Group Stage for Women's Soccer began Thursday. Columbia, featuring Bulldogs Catalina Perez and Ilana Izquierdo, fell to France 3-2. Perez and Izquierdo are the first pair of Bulldogs to compete together in a team sport at the Olympics, though neither played in Thursday's loss.
Columbia will face New Zealand July 28 at 10:00 am and will then play Canada July 31 at 2:00 pm. Both matches will be streamed on Peacock. Eight teams will advance from the Group Stage to the Knockout Stage, which begins August 3.
Nuno Borges makes Olympic debut Saturday
Mississippi State Men's Tennis legend Nuno Borges makes his Olympic debut for Team Portugal Saturday. The three-time SEC Player of the Year is fresh off defeating superstar Rafael Nadal for his first ever ATP Tour title at the Swedish Open.
Borges will face Argentina's Mariano Navone in the first round of Men's Singles July 27. That same day, he will compete in Men's Doubles against Greece. Times have not been announced for these matches, but they will be streamed on Peacock.
Five Bulldogs competing in Track & Field
MSU has heavy representation in Track & Field in Paris. Grenada's Anderson Peters and the U.S.'s Curtis Thompson will be competing in Men's Javelin. Qualifying will take place August 6, starting at 3:20 am on Peacock with the final taking place August 8.
Jamaica's Navasky Anderson and Canada's Marco Arop will compete in the Men's 800m. The first round begins August 7 at 4:55 am on the USA Network. A possible repechage round would be held August 8 with the semifinals and finals on August 9 and 10, respectively.
Botswana's Lee Eppie will run the Men's 4x400m Relay. The first round will be held August 9 at 4:05 am on the USA Network, and the finals will take place August 10.