France target double football gold at the Olympic Games

After all the fun of the Euros and Copa America, the international football action keeps on coming. We’ve reached the knockout stage of the football tournament at the Olympics, with eight nations in both the men’s and women’s tournaments still competing to win the gold medal in Paris.

France are looking strong in both competitions, although they face stiff competition from the likes of Argentina and Spain in the men’s side, while the USA and Canada will challenge for the women’s title.

Ahead of the quarter-finals getting underway tomorrow, we’ve taken a look at all the key talking points so far.

Men’s Olympic quarter-final fixtures

France v Argentina
Egypt v Paraguay
Morocco v United States
Japan v Spain

Can anyone stop France?

Home advantage counts for a lot in Olympic football and France certainly seem to be benefiting from it. The hosts sailed through their group, winning all three matches without conceding a goal.

Thierry Henry’s squad is packed full of Premier League talent past and present, with Alexandre Lacazette, Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta all getting on the scoresheet in wins over the USA, Guinea and New Zealand. They’re targeting their second Olympic gold after going all the way back in 1984.

But the French face a tricky quarter-final test against Argentina. The South American nation won back-to-back gold medals in 2004 and 2008, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez leading their attack. This time around they’re led by Manchester City star Julian Alvarez, while Nicolas Otamendi provides experience at the back in a squad packed with home-based youngsters.

Argentina only managed to finish second in their group following a surprise defeat to Morocco in their opening game. They went on to beat Iraq and Ukraine to set up a tie with France, where a win could make them favourites for the title, with the winner of Egypt v Paraguay waiting in the semi-final.

Spain target gold after Tokyo heartbreak

On the other side of the draw, Spain are looking to go one better than last time. Three years ago in Tokyo they went all the way to the final, with a squad packed with recognisable talent, including Pedri, Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal and Marco Asensio.

But they weren’t able to claim their second gold medal as former Barcelona winger Malcom’s extra-time strike secured a win for Brazil. This time around, Spain are going for gold despite finishing second in their group following a shock defeat to Egypt.

The Spanish face Japan who are no pushovers. Like France, they topped their group without conceding a goal and they swept aside Paraguay with a 5-0 thrashing in their opening game. They followed that up with solid 1-0 wins over Mali and Israel but they may need to step it up a gear to get past Spain.

Elsewhere, Egypt take on Paraguay and they’ll be confident of progressing after topping their group unbeaten ahead of Spain. Paraguay finished second in group D after two stoppage-time goals helped them beat Israel 4-2.

And in the final quarter-final clash, Morocco meet the USA. Morocco topped their group after Soufiane Rahimi’s impressive brace helped them beat Argentina in a game steeped with VAR controversy. They face an American side that lost to France but then showed their class by scoring seven goals as they won their two remaining group games.

Women’s Olympic quarter-final fixtures

France v Brazil
Spain v Colombia
USA v Japan
Canada v Germany

The story so far

Like the men, France topped their group, although they weren’t quite as formidable as they lost to Canada. They’re looking to improve on their best-ever finish of fourth and they’ll fancy their chances.

The French are led by Paris Saint-Germain striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who has shown her quality so far at the games. The 25-year-old has scored 35 times for her country and she’s brought that pedigree to the Olympics, scoring five times in the group stage. They face Brazil who have never won gold, although they’ve claimed the silver medal on two occasions. They scraped through the groups in third place after losing twice.

Spain topped their group with three wins and they boast a talented squad, including two-time Ballon d’Or Feminin winner Alexia Putellas. They meet Colombia who, like Brazil, qualified as one of the best third-placed teams.

Elsewhere, four-time gold medal winners USA are among the favourites to win the tournament, although their last gold came back in 2012. They managed bronze in Tokyo and will be full of confidence after three wins in the group stage. They meet Japan in the quarter-finals, who they beat in the final in London 12 years ago.

Finally, Canada will take on Germany in the next round. Both sides finished as runners-up in their group, although the Canadians won all three games before being docked six points for illegal drone spying. They won gold three years ago but face a strong Germany side who have already beaten Australia 3-0 and Zambia 4-1.

Olympic Games Paris 2024 Engage Rundown: Key Dates

Friday 26th July marks the start of the Olympic Games. Paris 2024 is finally upon us as athletes from all over the world will arrive in the French Capital with hopes and dreams of becoming the newest hero for their countries. Gold medals will be won and world records will fall, but who will come out on top in Paris and which events should you look out for? Here at Engage we take a look at all of the key dates to prepare for Paris 2024.

From the 26th July-11th August over 10,000 athletes and millions more fans will journey to Paris for the most famous sporting event in the world. 206 nations, 32 sports and 329 medals; who will make history and who will walk away disappointed? We have broken down some of the best events Engage offer hospitality for, so you don’t miss any of the action.

Opening Ceremony

Perhaps one of the most iconic scenes of the Olympic Games, the opening ceremony will take place on the 26th July, in particularly unique circumstances. For the first time in Olympic Summer Games history the opening ceremony will take place outside of a stadium and will be held on the River Seine. That’s right, the wire that runs through The City of Light will carry boats delegated for each nation, parading athletes along the famous river.

Millions are expected to spectate this one-of-a-kind ceremony and line the banks of the Seine. Do you want to wish the athletes a ‘bonne chance’? You can be there to do it in person. Be part of history with Engage Hospitality and check out their offers to watch this unique ceremony from the best seats in the house!

Olympic Games Paris 2024

Swimming

The 27th July marks day 1, and it sees Adam Peaty begin his Olympic campaign as he looks to defend his title for the third consecutive year. Peaty will be eager to qualify through his 100m breaststroke heats and semi-final before advancing to the final on day 2.

The big race for Team GB swimming fans will come on day 4 as Team GB’s men go in the 4x200m freestyle relay. After silver in Rio and gold in Tokyo, the men will be hoping to defend their title in 2024 in a team consisting of big names including James Guy, Duncan Scott and Tom Dean.

For the women, Freya Colbert could be a medal favourite on day 3. The 20 year-old has already picked up world 400m medley gold and will be looking to repeat this feat in Paris. Meanwhile, the mixed 4x100m medley team will have to wait until day 8 to defend their Tokyo title.

Athletics

A whole host of promise awaits Team GB’s Athletics team as many of the Brits travel in the hope of a medal. The most sought after tickets will be for the evening session on day 9, with the men’s 100m final taking place. Millions all over the world will tune in to see who will be crowned current fastest man in the world, with Kishane Thompson and Noah Lyles labelled as the favourites.

Engage are also offering hospitality for day 13, 14 and 15. Day 13 sees the 200m final also with Noah Lyles featuring alongside Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes.

Day 14 sees the heptathlon final as Katarina Johnson Thompson hopes to challenge for the medals while the British 4x100m relay teams will hope to replicate success from previous championships.

Day 15 is a day of finals including the men’s 5000m final, men’s high jump final, men’s 800m final and the women’s 1500m final. Georgia Bell in the 1500 and Ben Pattison in the 800 will be amongst the medal hopes after their astonishing performances so far this season.

Tennis

Missed the chance to watch Wimbledon with us? Don’t worry, get yourself across to Roland Garros to watch the Olympic Tennis with Engage Hospitality. Offering hospitality for all four finals and more, Engage give you the opportunity to watch some of the best in action including Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff. Watch your favourites take centre stage, from the best seats in the house with the finals taking place on the 3rd and 4th August.

The Great British team ventures to Paris with 39 world champions in their ranks. Here at Engage, find out if Max Whitlock can achieve Pommel Horse gold once again in gymnastics or if Team GB’s track cycling team can keep up their success from previous years. Can Team GB improve on their 64 medals at Tokyo 2020? With plenty of events on offer, which will you choose to watch with Engage Hospitality between the 26th July and the 11th August?

Olympic Games Paris 2024 – Team GB Swimming Hopes

With the season of Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, we can start looking forward to what will be an enthralling year of sport. The big event of the Summer for sports fans will be the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with Team GB expected to enter teams in most events.

It is a chance for fans of all sports to come together and watch the best athletes in the world go head-to-head to win what is arguably the most historic title on the planet in their respective sports. Here at Engage we will be doing a mini series of what to expect as the Olympics approach.

Team GB look like they will shape up well on dry-land in their hunt for gold medals, but what about in the pool? Team GB’s swimming team have enjoyed plenty of success in the Olympics over the years with 16 Olympic golds as well as 55 silver and bronze medals in total. Famous names involved in British swimming success include Anita Lonsbrough, the first woman to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Rebecca Adlington, Adam Peaty and Duncan Scott.

Swimming was introduced to the Olympics in 1896, originally with races taking place in a natural environment until 1908 where they moved to a pool. With only freestyle to begin with, backstroke and breaststroke were added in 1904 before butterfly was added in 1956 to complete the four swimming actions of the sport. Over the years, USA have famously dominated the sport owing much of that credit to Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 medals.

Athletes can expect to perform in the state of the art Paris La Defense Arena in 2024. Opened in 2017, the venue has hosted rugby matches, performing artists, conventions and more. Fans can watch the action on the world’s largest interactive screen (it is the size of seven tennis courts!). It is located in the La Defense business district, easily accessible via public transport and up the road from the iconic Arc De Triomphe.

So who can we expect to see on the podium for Team GB? Undoubtedly, the biggest name in GB swimming in recent years and one of the greatest breaststroke swimmers of all time, Adam Peaty will return to defend his Olympic title.

Three time Olympic Champion, he is on the hunt for his third consecutive Olympic breaststroke gold. He has broken the World Record 14 times, currently holding the 50m and 100m breaststroke records, and is also 8-time World Champion. After a 2-year battle with mental health, he is now on the comeback trail for Paris and is more eager than ever to win three in a row.

Duncan Scott will also be on the plane to the French capital. The Scotsman made history in Tokyo becoming Britain’s most decorated athlete at a single Games taking home 4 medals (3 silver, 1 gold) while also becoming the most decorated British Olympic swimmer in history. Scott will be keen to retain GB’s 4x200m freestyle title, while also gunning for individual success in the 200m freestyle and 200m medley where he was beaten to the gold by fellow Briton Tom Dean and Chinese swimmer Wang Shun in 2021.

Dean, Tokyo 2020’s double Olympic Champion, will also be back to defend his title while fellow double Olympic Champion James Guy is also in the 33-strong GB Team hoping to play a part in the medal effort. Matt Richards will also be on the plane, the fourth man in the 4x200m freestyle team alongside Scott, Dean and Guy.

Kathleen Dawson, Anna Hopkin and Freya Anderson have also been selected. Olympic Champions in the mixed 4x100m medley in Tokyo, the trio will hope to contribute to yet another gold medal.

Freya Colbert will also be a medal contender after becoming World Champion in the 400m medley in Doha earlier this year. A breakthrough year for the 20-year old, could she make it even better by winning gold in Paris?

In other events, Team GB will field a strong swimming team in the marathon events with Hector Pardoe, Leah Crisp and Toby Robinson taking part. Crisp and Robinson make their debuts in the 10km swim, with Pardoe hopeful of turning his 2024 World Championship bronze medal to gold in Paris.

So with such a strong team, can we see one of Team GB’s best medal hauls yet in Olympic swimming? It certainly looks possible and has the promise to be a very successful Games for the British team. Why not be part of their success? Watch the pool action in person from the best seats in the house with Engage Hospitality with the swimming events taking place from the 27th July to the 4th August.

Olympic Games Paris 2024 – Gymnastics

With the season of Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, we can start looking forward to what will be an enthralling year of sport. The big event of the Summer for sports fans will be the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with Team GB expected to enter teams in most events.

It is a chance for fans of all sports to come together and watch the best athletes in the world go head-to-head to win what is arguably the most historic title on the planet in their respective sports. Here at Engage we will be doing a mini series of what to expect as the Olympics approach.

Can Team GB flip their way to the podium in gymnastics? Artistic gymnastics was introduced in the first games of the modern era in 1896 and has been a feature in every Olympic Games since then. Only men competed for the first 32 years, before the introduction of the women’s competition in 1928. As of 2024, there are eight events for the men and six events for the women with four events that are the same.

Trampolining was introduced in the Sydney 2000 games with both a men’s and women’s event. Since its inception at the Olympics in 2000, 14 of the 36 medals awarded have gone to athletes from the Republic of China. A women’s only event called Rhythmic gymnastics is the other event rounding up the gymnastics discipline entering the games in 1984.

At Paris 2024, athletes can expect to perform at the famous Bercy Arena. Built in 1984, athletes will perform in a venue that has hosted the Paris Masters as well as Madonna and Paul McCartney concerts. Easily accessible for fans via the ‘Gare De Lyon’ Metro stop, it is the perfect place for athletes to make history in a place with so much legacy attached to it.

So who will be competing for Team GB? Team GB have had good success in recent years in gymnastics, with Paris 2024 expected to be no different. Max Whitlock, Britain’s most successful gymnast, will return for one last Olympic Games as the 31-year old announced he will be retiring after Paris. The 3 time Olympic Champion looks to defend his pommel horse title in Paris one more time after doubts over his career after Tokyo 2020. Can the greatest ever Briton do it one more time?

The 2022 and 2023 World Champion on the pommel horse, Rhys McClenaghan, will pose a threat for Whitlock. The Irishman’s impressive form at only 24 years old makes him a strong favourite for the Olympic title in 2024, while runner-up in 2023, Khoi Young will also be eager to get his hands on an Olympic gold.

Two-time European Champion in the floor exercise, Luke Whitehouse, will also be targeting Olympic success. The 21-year old won gold in Rimini a few weeks ago defending his European title from 2023 after Whitlock didn’t travel due to injury. Could it be success for the Leeds man in Paris?

Jake Jarman is another youngster who is a medal contender in Paris after gold in the vault in Rimini as well as World Championship gold the year before. A possible medal haul from the British team is prominent.

Beth Tweddle was the first ever British woman to win an individual Olympic medal in 2012, winning bronze on the uneven bar. Four years later Amy Tinkler repeated the feat in the women’s floor exercise at Rio 2016. In 2021, in the women’s team event, the team consisting of Alice Kinsella, Amelie Morgan and Jennifer and Jessica Gadirova made it three medals in three Olympics for Team GB women’s artistic gymnastics.

Meanwhile, there has also been success in the women’s trampolining with Bryony Page winning consecutive medals in 2016 and 2021. After World Championship Gold in 2023 in Birmingham, she will be looking to improve on her silver and bronze medals and become Olympic Champion in Paris.

Bronze medal winner on the horizontal bar in Rio in 2016, Nile Wilson, will not be competing at Paris 2024 after announcing his retirement in 2021 before Tokyo. Unlike Whitlock, Wilson decided not to return to the sport after a decorated career, and instead has made a successful career in YouTube. The former World Silver medallist also opened up about the reason for his retirement in a very interesting TED Talk about his battles with mental health in elite sport.

Will we see a British medal haul in gymnastics? There is certainly a strong possibility. With Max Whitlock and Bryony Page returning and a considerable amount of new talent coming through, we could see Team GB’s best Olympic Gymnastics team yet. Want to see how they get on live from the best seats in the house? Enquire with Engage Hospitality to find out their Olympic Games offers for gymnastics.

Olympic Games Paris 2024: Team GB Athletics

With the season of Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, we can start looking forward to what will be an enthralling year of sport. The big event of the Summer for sports fans will be the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with Team GB expected to enter teams in most events.

It is a chance for fans of all sports to come together and watch the best athletes in the world go head-to-head to win what is arguably the most historic title on the planet in their respective sports. Here at Engage we will be doing a mini series of what to expect as the Olympics approach.

Arguably one of the most popular Olympic Sports, Athletics will again be a prominent feature for Team GB at Paris 2024. With medal hopes across the majority of disciplines, the British team will be hoping to come away with a considerable amount of success. With a plethora of events on show, who will shine for Great Britain under the Stade De France lights? We take a look at Britain’s medal hopes for 2024.

For the majority of the team, athletes will have to compete at the UK Athletics Championships on the 28th-30th June as part of the Olympic trials as well as gaining the qualifying standard with final selection taking place on the 1st July 2024.

There are a number of athletes who have already booked their plane ticket to Paris including a strong men’s marathon lineup. 3rd and 4th at the London Marathon in 2024 Emile Cairess and Mahamed Mahamed lead the line as serious medal contenders while Cairess’ fellow Leeds City teammate Phil Sesemann is the third member of the team. A very strong lineup for Team GB in the marathon, could we see the first medal in the event since Charlie Spedding in 1984?

Dropping down the distances, Britain’s relay sprint teams booked their places in Paris at the weekend in all 5 relay events competing at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas.

Team GB will be looking to improve their relay results from Tokyo after only one bronze medal in 2021 in the women’s 4x100m relay. Team captain for the championships in the Bahamas, Zharnel Hughes, will also be gunning for individual success. National Records in both the 100m and 200m last year sees him mixing it with the World’s best. As we know from previous years, he will be met by fierce competition including World Champion Noah Lyles and defending Olympic Champion Andre De Grasse.

Other medal hopes for Team GB include Keely Hodkingson as she takes on the world at 800m. The 22 year-old burst onto the scene as a junior becoming the first junior women to break the 2 minute barrier in the 800 as well as winning British 800m gold in 2020.

Announcing herself to the World in 2021, she won Olympic silver, running 1:55. World Silver in 2022 and 2023, she will be determined to get the better of Athing Mu and Mary Moraa who have both snatched gold from her grasp in recent years. Fellow Briton Jemma Reekie has shown fine form over the 800 as well with silver in the World Indoors in 2024.

In the men’s middle distance events Ben Pattison will be looking to improve on his World 800m bronze in his first Olympic outing while the names of Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman will haunt defending champion Jakob Ingebritsen.

Runner-up to the two Brits at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships in almost equivalent fashion, the superstar Norwegian will be determined to not see a repeat of events in Paris. There has been a lot of ‘trash talk’ from Josh Kerr throughout the year, can he back it up with a win?

In the Women’s 1500m, Olympic Silver Medallist, Laura Muir, will be eager to upgrade to gold in 2024 but will have to contest Faith Kipyegon, unbeaten at the Olympics and World championships since 2021 in the 1500m.

World Heptathlon Champion, Katarina Johnson-Thompson has been deprived of Olympic success throughout her career, she will be eager to add an Olympic medal to her astonishing CV. Team GB will also be hopeful that the women’s pole vault team will be amongst the medals with Molly Caudery and Holly Bradshaw. Bronze for Bradshaw in Tokyo as well as golf for Caudery at the World Indoor Championships in 2024, could we see two medallists in the women’s pole vault for the first time?

So, Paris 2024 is only just around the corner and with one of Britain’s strongest athletics teams in years, you will not want to miss this. With the possibility of one of Britain’s most successful Olympics yet, athletics could play a huge part in contributing to the medal haul. Want to see Britain mix it with the very best? Check out Engage Hospitality’s offers to watch the athletics in Paris from the best seats in the house.

Olympic Games Paris 2024: Tennis

With the season of Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, we can start looking forward to what will be an enthralling year of sport. The big event of the Summer for sports fans will be the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with Team GB expected to enter teams in most events.

It is a chance for fans of all sports to come together and watch the best athletes in the world go head-to-head to win what is arguably the most historic title on the planet in their respective sports. Here at Engage we will be doing a mini series of what to expect as the Olympics approach. 

Can Team GB find success in tennis on Parisian turf? Britain will be looking to regain their medal success from London 2012 and Rio 2016 after a medal drought in Tokyo. Britain boasts the earliest of success in Olympic tennis with John Pius Boland’s victory in the men’s singles and doubles events back in 1896, when the sport was introduced to the Olympics.

After a break from the Olympic programme between 1924 and 1984, the sport was reintroduced for the Seoul Olympics in 1988 with Team GB picking up four medals (2 gold and 2 silver) since it was brought back.

Perhaps more successful in the earlier Olympics, picking up 33 medals before 1924, Team GB do have work to do to match the form of previous team members. With that said, Scotsman Andy Murray has revitalised British men’s tennis, winning gold at London 2012 before defending his Olympic title in Rio in 2016. Murray hasn’t ruled out one more shot at Olympic Gold revealing he wants to play in one more Olympic Games before he retires from tennis.

The former Wimbledon Champion will have to face the clay courts of Roland-Garros while competing against a new era of up and coming stars in the tennis world. The World Rankings will determine 56 of the 64 players selected for the singles competitions, with a maximum of 4 players from each National Olympic Committee. Players Andy Murray will face may include Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and reigning champion Alexander Zverev.

It’s hard to call at the moment. The younger generation are beginning to turn heads but as World Number 1, many believe it is Djokovic’s gold medal to lose. With only one bronze medal in his career, is a gold medal what the Serbian needs to cement his position as the greatest ever? Or can Andy Murray find one more world-beating performance?

Fellow Briton Cameron Norrie may also be involved in Paris as well as Jack Draper. They will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Murray and spur Britain towards more Olympic success.

What about the women? Can any of the Brits repeat the incredible achievements of Charlotte Cooper back in 1900? In Paris back at the 1900 Olympics she became the first female Olympic tennis champion as well as the first individual female Olympic champion, not to mention, five Wimbledon single’s titles.

Medals have been few and far between for British women in tennis in recent years with Laura Robson winning a medal in the mixed doubles in 2012, with the previous woman’s medal in 1924. Katie Boulter will be Britain’s best hope of a medal, currently ranked 28th in the world. Emma Raducanu will also look to book her place in the Olympic team. The 21 year old burst onto the scene in 2021 winning the US Open but has been plagued by injuries since.

World Number One Iga Swiatek will be gunning for another title to add to her honours, while Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula will be hoping to bring medals home for the US. However, there won’t be a title defence this year; reigning champion Belinda Bencic will not be in Paris to defend her title after she announced her pregnancy 5 months ago. The opportunity opens up for a new Olympic Champion, but who will take it?

How do you think Britain’s tennis team will get on in Paris? Can Andy Murray pull it out of the bag one more time? There is plenty of excitement in the tennis world at the moment with some sensational young talents emerging, making the competition for the top spot some of the fiercest it has been in years. It is no doubt that Paris 2024 will be an exhibition of world class tennis as well as a great advert for the game.

Want to watch the Olympians in action? Check out Engage Hospitality’s range of world class events where you can watch your favourite players from the best seats in the house.

Olympic Games Paris 2024: Team GB Rowing Chances

With the season of Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, we can start looking forward to what will be an enthralling year of sport. The big event of the Summer for sports fans will be the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with Team GB expected to enter teams in most events.

It is a chance for fans of all sports to come together and watch the best athletes in the world go head-to-head to win what is arguably the most historic title on the planet in their respective sports. We continue our mini series of what to expect as the Olympics approach.

Can Team GB row their way to victory? Great Britain have had huge success in recent history courtesy of the Olympic rowing and they will be eager to repeat the same feat when they arrive in Paris. The first major rowing race began in the UK in 1829, which is now the UK’s annual Cambridge and Oxford boat race.

In Olympic rowing there are two disciplines and a number of events. The two disciplines are sweep rowing, which is when competitors hold one oar with both hands and double scull, when competitors hold an oar in each hand on each side of the boat. Races can be contested alone or in teams of 2, 4 and 8 with races spanning over 2000m.

Rowing events have been involved in the Olympic games since the first modern Olympiad in 1896 in Athens. Since then, the USA initially dominated until Germany took the place as the country to beat.

In recent years, Team GB have also had their success in the sport, with Briton Steve Redgrave hailed as the greatest rower ever with five gold medals and one bronze medal across six Olympic Games. For three Olympics in a row, 2008, 2012 and 2016, Great Britain topped the rowing medal tables as the best nation with their most impressive haul on home waters.

At London 2012, Team GB took home 4 gold medals with the men winning the coxless fours while the women took home the double sculls, coxless pairs and the lightweight double sculls. They were roared on by a 30,000 capacity crowd at Dorney Lake as the UK enjoyed hosting its first Olympics since 1948. Britain took home medals in 9 out of the 14 events, an incredible achievement, and the sixth biggest medal haul in Olympic rowing history.

So what could the GB team look like in 2024? With no team announcement just yet, it’s hard to say who could be on the plane to Paris at the moment, however, after disappointment in Tokyo 3 years ago, they will be keen to improve.

The rowing team only brought home two medals in 2021, none of which were gold. Team GB will be determined to make amends this year as the men will try to better their silver and bronze medals in the quadruple sculls and coxed eight respectively.

While for the women, they will be hoping to retain the success of Heather Stanning and Helen Glover in the coxless pairs after the duo won gold in 2012 and 2016. Stanning announced her retirement after 2016, however, Glover continued her rowing career, competing in Tokyo alongside Polly Swann where they finished in 4th place. They will both be determined to turn 4th place into a medal in Paris.

Athletes will make their way to the French capital and will be greeted by a state of the art, brand new facility built especially for the games, Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, but who will come out on top?

Team GB will be met by fierce competition from a strong New Zealand team who finished on top at Tokyo 2020 with 5 medals across the events. Rivals Australia weren’t far behind with four medals, with only one gold medal less than their neighbours. Team GB will have their work cut out if they are to battle for the top of the medal table especially as the Netherlands and Germany will also be licking their lips at the possibility of Olympic honours.

With plenty of events in the Olympic rowing, fans will not be short of entertainment and as the competition draws ever nearer, anticipation for Paris 2024 is creeping up. How do you think Team GB will get on? Will they be back to winning ways after Tokyo?

Fancy watching rowing from the banks of the River Thames in preparation for the Olympics? Check out Engage’s range of hospitality options for the Henley Regatta at the start of July as athletes prepare for the big event of the summer.

Olympic Games Paris 2024 – Team GB go for Golf Gold

With the season of Spring in full swing and Summer fast approaching, we can start looking forward to what will be an enthralling year of sport. The big event of the Summer for sports fans will be the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with Team GB expected to enter teams in most events.

It is a chance for fans of all sports to come together and watch the best athletes in the world go head-to-head to win what is arguably the most historic title on the planet in their respective sports. Here at Engage we will be doing a mini series of what to expect as the Olympics approach.

Will Team GB be swinging for gold in golf? Golf is a relatively new addition to the Olympics as far as our generation is concerned. It was introduced to the games in the 1900 and 1904 Summer Olympics, it wasn’t recognised as part of the games. Golf wasn’t reinstated in the Olympics until the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. So with only the 3rd official Olympic showing of the sport, who will take part?

Qualification will be based on the world rankings and the top 15 men and women golfers in the world will automatically be selected. From then, it will be the highest ranked players from countries that have not already had 2 people qualified. Each competition is limited to 60 competitors and a maximum of four people from each country can take part. Players will compete in an individual stroke play format in the hope of grasping a famous medal.

The event will be held at Le Golf National outside of Paris, a venue that hosted the Ryder Cup in 2018. There is expected to be big crowds eager to see the world’s best in action.

So who can we expect to see playing for Team GB? For the men, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick will be representing Team GB, with no Rory McIlroy for Great Britain as he opted to represent Ireland in 2021.

Tyrell Hatton sits outside of the top 15 in the world, so will not be included in the GB team. It was Justin Rose who brought the gold medal home for Great Britain in 2016, but is also unlikely to be selected for 2024.

Competition for Team GB includes defending champion from Tokyo 2020 Xander Schauffle who is expected to make a return in the hope of repeating his success from 2021 as he sits 5th in the World Rankings currently. Others hoping for a chance at Olympic glory include Spaniard Jon Rahm, Norwegian Viktor Hovland, and the three other Americans Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark and Patrick Cantlay. The men’s competition will be a scintillating contest and there will be plenty of big names on show in the battle for Olympic Champion.

SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND - JULY 23: Jordan Spieth of the United States and Matt Kuchar of the United States on the 18th green during the final round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 23, 2017 in Southport, England. (Photo by Warren Little/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Golf Hospitality

In the women’s contest, Charley Hull will lead the way for Great Britain alongside Georgia Hall. Hull finds herself ranked 11th in the world while Georgia Hall sits in the 39th rank. Hull, who was 7th in 2016, will be one of the favourites to medal in Paris but she will have to be on the top of her game if she wants to come out with a gold.

Defending champion and world number one Nelly Korda is expected to take part and is the strong favourite for the competition while Lydia Ko of New Zealand, bronze in 2021 and silver in 2016, will be looking to get the better of the rest of the field. Lilia Vu will also be looking for Olympic victory and hoping to cause an upset for her American counterpart as she sits behind Korda in second on the World Rankings.

Just as the men’s competition, the women’s stroke play could be anyone’s game, could there be an upset and perhaps a chance of a medal for Team GB?

So, there you have it, the 2024 Olympics are just around the corner and many of these athletes will be gearing up to the biggest competition on the planet. Fancy watching some of the world’s best prepare for Paris 2024 in some of the most iconic golf competitions? Check out Engage’s range of hospitality options for the best seats in the house.

Paris 2024: Who are Team GB’s medal hopes at the Olympics?

The Paris 2024 Olympics is coming around fast, with less than 3 months to go. It’s the ultimate celebration of sport, with everything from football and tennis to archery and rowing – and there’s even a new event to look forward to in 2024.

The Olympics get underway on Friday 26th July and will last for just over two weeks, coming to an end on Sunday 11th August. It’s the third time that the games have been held in Paris and next summer marks the 100-year anniversary of the last time the French capital hosted.

Despite Paris being the host city, some events will be held across the country, much like London in 2012. The games will be spread across 16 different cities, with sports like football, handball and sailing held elsewhere.

And if you’ve booked your flights to France early in the hope of seeing the surfing, we’ve got some bad news for you. While France boasts many stunning beaches, in order to get the best conditions, all surfing events are taking place in Teahupo’o on the island of Tahiti, almost 16,000km from Paris.

Surfing was one of four sports that debuted at Tokyo 2021, alongside skateboarding, karate and climbing. Next year’s games will also see the introduction of competitive breakdancing as an event.

What do Team GB’s prospects look like?

Great Britain have gone from strength to strength since the turn of the century and their 65-medal haul at London 2012 was the first time they’d ever won more than 60 at an Olympics.

Since then, they’ve bagged 67 in Rio and another 64 in Tokyo, so there’s hope that they can continue in a similar vein at Paris 2024. However, there may be a slight drop off. A forecast earlier this year predicted that we’ll bring home 62 medals, which would still be another magnificent return – but they’ll be confident of claiming more than that.

Athletics

On the track, Keely Hodgkinson will be determined to go one better than the silver she secured two years ago. The 800-metre runner also bagged silver at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest and there’s every chance she’ll be among our gold stars.

Similarly, Laura Muir is also looking to improve on her silver medal from Tokyo. The Scot was disappointed to finish sixth in the 1500m at the worlds following a difficult season but with a year of consistency under her belt, she could bounce back next summer.

Sprinters Zharnel Hughes and Dina Asher-Smith will fancy their chances at finishing on the podium. Hughes has never won an Olympic medal while Asher-Smith has twice claimed bronze in the 4 x 100m relay.

Swimming

Team GB has assembled a dynamic squad of 33 athletes set to compete in Paris this summer. With a mix of seasoned Olympic champions and fresh faces making their debuts, the team boasts considerable depth, enhancing their prospects for success.

Among the roster is three-time Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty, renowned for his world record time of 56.88 seconds in the men’s 100m breaststroke. After taking a hiatus from the sport in 2023 to prioritise his mental health, Peaty returns with a renewed mindset, embracing a healthier approach that he believes will bolster his performance at the upcoming Olympics.

The squad will also include 2024 World Championship gold medallist, Freya Colbert, Olympic marathon team debutants Leah Crisp and Toby Robinson, and British 100m backstroke record breaker Oliver Morgan.

Gymnastics

The women’s artistic gymnastics team clinched the silver medal at the 2024 European Gymnastic Championships held in Italy, securing an overall score of 162.162. Italy, the champions, achieving 164.162. Despite a strong showing on the vault, the British team took an early lead but gradually slipped behind as the competition unfolded.

Similarly, the men’s team claimed second place in the men’s senior European team final, narrowly missing out on the top spot by just 0.5 marks to Ukraine.

With women’s artistic gymnastics head coach David Kenwright stepping down just three months before things are set to kick off in Paris, it will be interesting to see how the team adapt to this change.

Prospects are high for the teams and they will both be determined to succeed amongst the competition.

Diving

Tom Daley is gearing up for his fifth appearance at the Olympic Games this summer, marking a historic milestone as the first British diver to achieve such a feat. Daley will be looking to defend his gold medal in the men’s 10m synchronised platform event.

Competing alongside teammate, Noah Williams, Daley has had a stellar year, securing silver at the world championships and gold at the World Cup. This impressive performance places them in an exciting position as they approach the upcoming competition.

8 English divers have been selected for synchro events. The three other pairs to compete will include Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen (women’s 3m synchronised), Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson (women’s 10m synchronised) and Anthony Harding and Jack Laugher (men’s 3m synchronised).

With a mixture of youth and experience within the squad, coupled with a track record of podium finishes in recent competitions, there are high hopes for team GB.

Track Cycling

Track cycling is one of Team GB’s biggest strengths; a sport they are expected to excel in, having accumulated 79 medals in the sport, they continue to take the podium at the world’s biggest competitions.

In a bid to uphold their legacy, British cycling has collaborated with Team GB to craft cutting-edge bikes for the upcoming season. The new model builds on the one used at Tokyo in 2020 and will be a key part in maintaining the team’s success.

Great Britain won medals at every night of the European Track Cycling Championships in the Netherlands in January. An incredible 14 were secured across a total of 22 races. They continued their success at the Nations Cup Series. With rising stars like two-time world champion and four-time European winner in the omnium, Katie Archibald, and breakthrough Individual Sprint World Champion Emma Finucane, the future is certainly looking bright.

The team will look to dominate this summer and are in a good position to come back with silverware.

Elsewhere, skateboarding world champion and Team GB’s youngest ever Olympic medalist Sky Brown is expected to do well again.

Tokyo 2020 stars Charlotte Worthington, who won gold in freestyle BMX, and Alex Yee, who bagged gold in the mixed relay and silver in the triathlon, will also be looking to build on their Olympic legacies at Paris 2024.

At Engage we offer premium hospitality across a variety of sporting and entertainment events. With a range of options suitable for the perfect corporate day out, or the perfect treat for friends and family, contact us today to experience your dream event in VIP hospitality.

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