FOR THE VERY last time, we bring you all of the info you need to make sure you don’t miss a second of Olympic gold.
16 memorable days later and London 2012 is drawing to a close. With one gold, one silver and three bronze medals in the bag, Team Ireland has had it’s most successful Olympics in nearly 60 years by equaling the haul of Delany, Tiedt, Caldwell, Gilroy and Byrne at Melbourne 1956.
The country’s final two athletes of the 66-strong team set to fly the flag are marathon runner Mark Kenneally and pentathlete Natalya Coyle.
Also on the cards today are medal events in basketball, boxing, mountain biking, handball, wrestling and more.
Top of the bill
Basketball
After looking unstoppable in the competition so far, the star-studded Team USA face Spain in the men’s basketball final with gold in their sights in a repeat of the Beijing final four years ago. James, Bryant and co are on show against Pau Gasol’s Spain at the North Greenwich Arena from 3pm.
Boxing
Billy Walsh’s team may have hung up their London 2012 gloves but there are five men’s boxing finals to be decided this afternoon. First up, Michael Conlan’s conquerer, the lightning quick 18-year-old Cuban fighter Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana meets Tugstsogt Nyambayar of Mongolia in the flyweight division at the ExCel Arena.
Handball
Sweden face France in the men’s handball gold medal match at 3pm.
Who’s flying the flag?
Kildare native Mark Kenneally is out in the men’s marathon final at 11am this morning. Those who watched RTE’s London’s Calling will have witnessed the 31-year-old’s journey to become Ireland’s only representative in this event after his transition from a middle-distance and cross-country athlete to a marathon runner.
I’m in good shape and I have to treat it as if it’s the best chance I’m ever going to have but history would say that, particularly with European athletes, it’s mid- to late-30s before you see the best out of yourself at marathon distance,” he told TheScore back in June.
After Arthur Lanigan O’Keeffe did Ireland proud by finishing 25th in the men’s event yesterday, Natalya Coyle competes in the women’s modern pentathlon from 8am, when she begins the fencing against Soo Jin Yang of South Korea. She will then partake in the swimming, riding and combined event throughout the day.
Do not miss…
The closing ceremony
If you couldn’t get enough of the spectacular curtain raiser (and fancy a laugh at the Spice Girls on top of taxi cabs) the London 2012 closing ceremony starts at 9pm tonight. Be warned, however, that Danny Boyle had no part to play this time.
Pity it’s nearly over. It was brilliant.
These games were fantastic. Helped me forget about the doom and gloom for a bit over the last two weeks. Loved the swimming,the track events& cycling Bolt and Co were amazing. And of course our own team did a great job. Hopefully it will inspire kids out there and bring pride back to this country.
I really enjoyed the games! Thought after the amazing opening ceremony everything that followed would be a let down but by god I was wrong! Absolutely loved watching the sports, some of which I had never seen before! London did good, it has to be said! And well done and congrats to all who flew the flag for Ireland! Ye all did us proud!(“,)
Great two weeks of entertainment and a chance to forget the doom and gloom. Just shows what a bit of success can do for our national sense of well being. We really needed the lift. Hope it’s not spoilt by petty wrangling over money and unnecessary interference by politicians. Best moments were of course Katie Taylor and the boxers and other great performances by Annalise Murphy, Cian O Connor, Rob Heffernan and Gavin Noble. A sport I had never seen before was the dressage and I found it fascinating. Horses can dance! Amazing!
Sweden playing France in the Handball not the Volleyball !
Two sports we do not Care about either way! Volleyball is only good if played on a beach by cute women ;)
What about the boxing officials sent hope and Russia saying boxing is fixed ???
And let’s not forget the thousands of Irish fans that made it over to London for the games, who otherwise might not have been able to go if it was halfway across the world, it probably is the closest we will ever have to a HOME GAMES so that has been fantastic, London should be proud of the games they have put on.