Team GB

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After spending a decade swimming for Wales, Becky Wilde now rows on water in the double sculls.

She and Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne left it very late to qualify for Paris - doing so at the final Olympic Qualification Regatta in May.

But it was a build-up affected by injury and disruption. Last year she had surgery for compartment syndrome in both her arms, a condition which causes pressure to build inside the muscles.

But now she looks to be hitting form at just the right time.

“I’ve dreamed of going to the Olympics since I was six years old, so it means everything to me," Wilde said.

"The field in the women’s double is very open and we know if we make the final in Paris, it’s all to play for.”

Wilde and Hodgkins-Byrne begin competing on Saturday, 27 July. The final is at 09:30 BST on Thursday, 1 August.

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Eve Stewart was born in the Netherlands to a proud Welsh mum who played netball for her country - but it was the boats and blades which drew Eve's interest.

She rowed for the Netherlands at first, but - after going to university in Iowa - the well-travelled Stewart eventually came to the UK and began rowing for Britain.

In Paris she will be part of the women's eight, who begin competing at 11:00 BST on Monday, 29 July with the final taking place at 09:50 BST on Saturday, 3 August.

Stewart's grandmother was Pat Stewart - one of the 'Blackpool Belles' photographed in a spotty dress on Blackpool beachfront in 1951 that became an iconic photo of the time.

“Competing at my first Olympics as part of Team GB is a literal dream come true," Stewart said.

"We’ve done some great training on our pre-Olympic camp and I can’t wait to show the world what we can do.”

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Graeme Thomas, who hails from Preston but has a Welsh grandfather, will be hoping his luck turns as he prepares for his third Olympics.

In 2016 he was forced to fly home without competing due to illness.

Then in Tokyo - in the men's double sculls - he finished an agonising fourth alongside John Collins in the final.

He moves into the men's quadruple sculls and says he is hoping for some more "Tom Barras magic" after his compatriot helped the boat to silver in Tokyo.

"If my career's been a rollercoaster then the last three years certainly have as well. I had an injury last year which took me out of competing. But I won the national trials in December so I've shown I'm back at my best," Thomas said.

The men's quad begin competing at 11:30 BST on Saturday, 27 July, and will be hoping to race for gold at 11:02 BST on Wednesday, 31 July.

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Harry Brightmore started out with oar in hand as he represented Wales a decade ago.

These days he's the man at the back of the boat, coxing Great Britain's men's eight to the world title in both 2022 and 2023.

"It's like herding cats sometimes!" Brightmore said. "All the guys bring very different experiences and it's important for me to draw upon them and bring it to a big collective. When we're all the same page, we're flying."

Brightmore was inspired by watching the men's eight win gold at Sydney 2000 and, after the boat's bronze in Tokyo, he will be hoping to help them reach the top of the podium once again.

The men's eight get under way at 10:40 BST on Monday, 29 July, with their potential final following at 10:10 BST on Saturday, 3 August.

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In an otherwise disappointing Tokyo Games for British Rowing, the men's quadruple sculls' silver medal win was a standout moment.

It was the first time Britain had won a medal in the boat class.

Tom Barras was part of the boat back then and returns in Paris - alongside fellow former Wales Home Countries sculling champion Graeme Thomas. Barras credits his desire to challenge for Olympic gold as the main reason he stayed in the boat for another three years.

"This is a phenomenally powerful boat I'm in. I want to push the top boats as hard as I can and if we get it right, we can win," he said.

The men's quad begin competing at 11:30 BST on Saturday, 27 July, and will be hoping to race for gold at 11:02 BST on Wednesday, 31July.

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Anyone who remembers watching Sir Steve Redgrave's historic fifth Olympic rowing gold at Sydney 2000 will know how iconic the Great Britain men's four is.

Matt Aldridge, 28, is part of the boat in Paris - and they look on course for more history.

Aldridge, who is Welsh-qualified through his grandmother, and team-mates Oli Wilkes, David Ambler and Freddie Davidson are the reigning world champions and finished the 2024 season unbeaten.

The GB men's four boat looks like the one to beat in Paris.

"Great Britain know how to make a four go very quickly," said Aldridge.

"I think we make a bigger sum than our parts. We don't have the ego - we just get it done."

The men's four heats begin at 11:50 BST on Sunday, 28 July, with the final taking place at 10:06 BST on Thursday, 1 August.

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Sarah Jones was one of GB's star performers on their way to Olympic bronze in Tokyo.

She held her nerve to score a brilliant shootout penalty against Spain in the quarter-final, with GB going on to beat India in a 4-3 thriller to secure the bronze.

Results have not been as good as the team would have wanted since but, after that historic gold at Rio 2016, the GB women's team have proved they can rise to the biggest occasion.

Jones said: "With Tokyo it was such a different experience, due to Covid, so I’m looking forward to enjoying the atmosphere and buzz of Paris."

The GB women get started against Spain at 12:15 BST on Sunday, 28 July.

Matthew Henry
BBC Sport Journalist in Paris

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Tom Daley has been speaking about the diving competition at Paris 2024 and the prospect of trying to beat the Chinese swimmers to gold, as he did in Tokyo.

I cannot work out whether Daley's comments are innocent or if he is trying to throw down the gauntlet to China and ramp up the pressure.

The context is that China have won seven out of eight diving golds at each of the past two Olympics.

"The Chinese diving team is the strongest diving nation unquestionably," said Daley, who will compete in the 10m platform event with Noah Williams.

"On paper you would consider them to win every single event but it is the Olympic Games.

"I know every single one of the Chinese divers knows it is their competition to lose, which brings a lot pressure and expectation.

"You go into a competition with a different mindset if you know you could and should win."

Here's what Andy Murray had to say after his decision to pull out of the singles competition at the Olympics.

Murray will still compete in the doubles with fellow Briton Dan Evans.

"I’ve take the decision to withdraw from the singles to concentrate on the doubles with Dan," a statement from Murray read.

"Our practice has been great and we’re playing well together.

"Really looking forward to getting started and representing GB one more time."

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Back in 2020, Rupert Shipperley quit his job as a geography teacher to train with Great Britain and pursue his dream of going to an Olympics - but within weeks the Tokyo Games had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shipperley used the delay to his advantage, establishing himself on the GB programme, and his Olympic dream came true.

He can now boast 48 caps for Great Britain and 106 for Wales and will be hoping for some silverware in Paris this summer.

Shipperley said: "I'm incredibly honoured to be selected for my second Olympics. We hope to showcase our sport to the world and, as a team, we have high expectations. I can't wait to get started."

The GB men's hockey team get their campaign under way on Saturday, 27 July with a pool A match against Spain.

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Gareth Furlong may have been a late bloomer on the GB programme, but he has long been a legend in Welsh hockey circles - and literally in opposition defensive circles, if you've seen his drag flicks.

His tally of 148 caps for Wales puts him in a very select group of people to represent the nation so often.

He scored on his GB debut in June and will now hope to fire them to their first Olympic gold since 1988.

"There are five or six really competitive sides there but we definitely want to be on the podium at the end of the Games," he said.

Team GB's men's hockey side begin their campaign against Spain on Saturday, 27 July.