The Olympics is underway! After a long and at times utterly bizarre opening ceremony the events have officially begun.

Of course, the Games began early with the Men’s Rugby sevens and football tournaments but now we can get in the full swing of hours on hours of tv watching and live page updating.

Already we have had one of the highlights of the Games. French superstar Antoine Dupont shining in the men’s rugby sevens, scoring two tries and assisting another in the Olympic final against Fiji.

However, how have the Welsh stars performed? It’s been a mixed bag to say the least…

Josh Tarling

European Road Race Time Trial champion Tarling headed into the games as one of Wales’ big hopes for an Olympic medal.

Having finished third in last year’s World Championships behind Remco Evenepoel and Ineos Grenadiers teammate Filippo Ganna, Tarling was one of four main favourites heading to Paris along with Evenepoel’s Belgian teammate Wout Van Aert.

In wet conditions on Saturday, Tarling started well and was up on the best time only to suffer a front wheel puncture, forcing him to change bikes.

Commentators on Eurosport estimated that the puncture and subsequent bike change cost Tarling around 30 seconds.

Ultimately that proved costly with Tarling finishing two seconds off the podium and only 28 seconds behind the winner in Evenepoel over the 36 minutes on the bike.

A devastated Tarling spoke to Discover plus after the race and said: “It just sucks, everyone put a lot of effort in but it happens.”

“I had a slow puncture on the rim and I had to change. Right now it’s annoying but in a few days with the road race I’ll give it my best.”

Tarling will have to pick himself back up for the Road Race on Saturday where he competes alongside Welsh teammate Stevie Williams.

Welsh Rowers Shine

GB’s history of rowing success would take too long to recant with stars such as Sir Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and Katherine Grainger.

The heats began in earnest on Saturday and it has been a case of so far, so good for team GB.

In the women’s double sculls, Welsh rower Becky Wilde and partner Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne made it safely through to the semi-finals having needed the ‘Regatta of Death’ to qualify for the Olympics.

They race in the semi-finals on Tuesday for a place in Thursday’s final.

Meanwhile, Ollie Wynne-Griffith and partner Tom George also made it through to the semi-finals of the men’s pair, winning their heat in commanding fashion. They go in the semi-finals at 09:34 on Wednesday.

Already through to the finals are Welsh pair Graeme Thomas and Thomas Barras as part of the Men’s quadruple team. Qualifying fourth fastest they will need to go some way to overhaul the Dutch who looked imperious in their semi-final when the two meet again on Wednesday.

Matt Aldridge and the men’s four are also through to Thursday’s final while there was further success on Monday morning with Britain looking dominant in their men’s and women’s eight heats with Harry Brightmore and Eve Stewart playing their part.

📷Benedict Tufnell for British Rowing – Left: Ollie Wynne-Griffith bow and Tom George Stroke. Right: Becky Wilde Stroke and Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne bow.

Sevens’ Stuttering Start

It’s been an up and down start for GB’s women’s team at this years Olympics.

After consecutive fourth place finishes at Rio and Tokyo the dream was to go one better and reach the podium.

Indeed, the tournament began well with Wales’ Jasmine Joyce scoring as GB beat Ireland 21-12.

However, then came the might of Australia, newly crowned as 2024 Champions and possessing some of the leading players in the women’s game.

Maddison Levi, the leading try-scorer for the 2024 World Series was immense against GB scoring a hattrick as Australia humbled their opponents 36-5 on Sunday.

However, Joyce and GB hit back against South Africa with the Welsh star scoring a brace in her side’s 26-17 win against South Africa to secure a place in the quarter finals.

Pool Performances

In the water it has been a mixed bag for Wales’ swimmers. Kieran Bird finished fifth in his heat for the men’s 400 metres freestyle failing to qualify while Monday morning Medi Harris also came up short in the women’s 100 metre backstroke heats.

There was further disappointment on Saturday when the men’s 4×100 metre freestyle relay team missed out on a medal finishing fifth with Welshman Matt Richards on the lead out leg.

However, Richards will have another chance of a medal on Monday evening when he goes in the final of the men’s 200 metres freestyle, an event where he won World Championships gold in 2023.

Boxing Bemusement and Bafflement

It may only be the beginning of the boxing competitions in Paris but already there have been plenty of raised eyebrows at decisions – as is customary with a sport where judges decisions are final rather than a set time or finish line.

When Rosie Eccles entered the ring for her first bout in the women’s 66kg against Polish boxer Aneta Rygielska she was well aware how much of a “bogey fight” round one can be.

After the fighters had shared the first and second rounds 3-2 with the judges respectively all was hanging on the final round.

For Eccles, four years of heartache, injury and disappointment came down to just a few minutes and, when her opponent was docked a point for repeatedly dropping her head as well as receiving warnings for shots round the back of the head, it looked like a win was a certainty.

However, when the scorecards came in, it was a surprise win for Rygielska. When the scorecards came in it was even more peculiar with only one favouring the Pole 29-27 and two in favour of Eccles 30-26 and 29-27 respectively.

With the two judges who called it an even fight at 28-28 a piece they called it in favour of Rygieslka.

The crowd themselves showed their dismay at the decision as it appeared that Eccles was the only one who was prepared to fight at times.

Speaking to BBC boxing pundit Steve Bunce on Radio 5live an understandably emotional Eccles said: “She didn’t land anything clean and I’m just really shocked, I don’t know what to say.”

“My game plan going into the fight is that she doesn’t want to win a fight convincingly this girl, she wants to steal rounds and the idea was not to let her steal it.

“I thought I did that. First fight it’s never perfect, but when the judge took a point off her it seemed like a dead certainty for me, I didn’t have a doubt [I’d win].

“When the result took a long time, I started to worry. I feel like I’m in a dream.

“I pushed so hard to get here, I was so ready, overcome everything. My dream’s over and there’s not another cycle in me, my body can’t do another cycle.

“I want to say thank you to everyone because I’ve had brilliant people. I’ve worked my ass off but I’m so fortunate, I just can’t believe it’s ended that way.”

This Week’s Hopes

As mentioned, the majority of Wales’ hopes this week lie in or on the water in the swimming and rowing events.

Britain will hope to retain their 4x200m Freestyle relay gold from Tokyo with Matt Richards set to compete on Tuesday, before hoping to challenge in the men’s individual 100m final the following evening.

In the boats, expect plenty of medal action for Wales’ rowers this week, meanwhile keep an eye out for GB’s hockey teams who have already begun their campaigns as they look to replicate the success of the women’s team who have won medals at the past two Games.

Keep an eye out however for Ruby Evans in GB’s women’s team final as the gymnast goes up against the likes of USA and superstar Simone Biles.

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📷 British Athletics / Getty

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