The eyes of the world will be on gymnast Simone Biles on day 6 as the American chases a second gold medal in the women’s all-round, while golf returns to the Games after a 112-year absence.
Eleven medals will be handed out across 22 events on day six. Stormy weather wreaked havoc with the schedule Wednesday, with the rowing being canceled.
Here are five highlights to look out for on Thursday:
Gymnastics
Simon Biles is the sky-high favorite to clinch one of the blue ribbon events of the Games: the women’s all-round title.
Team mate Aly Raisman, China’s Chunsong Shang and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade will likely be fighting over silver or bronze as Biles tries to become the first female gymnast to win five golds in a single Games.
After missing out on London 2012 because she was too young, Biles has dominated her sport. She’s the first woman to take three consecutive all-round world titles while her 14 world championship medals are the most ever won by an American woman.
Biles, 19, wowed the crowd earlier in the week, securing team gold for the U.S. with a near-flawless samba-themed performance on the floor that included a perfect execution of the gravity-defying “Biles flip.”
Golf
Golf will return to the Olympics for the first time since the 1904 St. Louis Games, when 46-year-old insurance salesman George Seymour Lyon of Canada won the title just eight years after first picking up a golf club.
After months of controversy over high-profile withdrawals of the sport’s biggest stars — including Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth — the men will finally be teeing up at the newly built Olympic golf complex in Rio de Janeiro.
Open champion Henrik Stenson is the favorite to bring home a gold medal for Sweden, followed by Sergio Garcia of Spain, Britain’s Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson of the U.S.
Swimming
Michael Phelps will be the favorite to add his fourth gold medal in Rio and 22nd overall as he takes to the pool in the 200m individual medley.
Phelps has won this event at the last three Olympic Games but expect strong competition from the likes of world record holder Ryan Lochte.
Phelps is also competing in the heats of the 100m butterfly, where he’ll face South African Chad le Clos and Hungarian Laszlo Cseh.
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu — nicknamed the “Iron lady” — is favorite to win a fourth gold medal in the finals of the women’s 200m breaststroke.
Australia’s Mitchell Larkin and Ryan Murphy may battle it out for the men’s 200m backstroke title while Dutch sprint queen Ranomi Kromowidjojo will try to defend her title in the 100m freestyle.
Also look out for Katie Ledecky of the U.S. as she swims in the heats of the 800 meters freestyle. Ledecky, the world record holder, is chasing a third gold medal at the Rio Games.
There’ll be no “Cold War” rematch for American Lilly King and Russian Yulia Efimova. King failed to qualify for the 200m breastroke final.
Cycling
Great Britain have won 11 medals including one three so far, but expect that to change rapidly as the track cycling gets under way in the Rio Olympic Velodrome.
British riders have dominated the velodrome in 2008 and 2012 and three-time Olympic gold medallist Jason Kenny will be looking to guide his teammates to glory in the men’s team sprint.
Rugby Sevens
Rugby sevens has had a successful debut at the Olympic Games, drawing rave reviews for its pace, physicality and excitement. The competition will draw to a close on Thursday as the men’s medal matches take place in the Deodoro Stadium.
