MAJOR AUSTRALIAN MEDAL HOPES
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* Ariarne Titmus is tipped to become just the second woman to win consecutive 400m freestyle gold medals at the Olympics in what's been dubbed the "race of the decade".
* Sam Short and Elijah Winnington are major medal hopes in the men's 400m freestyle while Australia's red-hot 4x100m freestyle relay teams will also go for gold.
* Divers Anabelle Smith and Maddison Keeney will look to turn Rio bronze into gold in the women's 3m synchronised springboard.
* The men's rugby sevens are chasing a medal when they take on Olympic champions Fiji in the semi-finals.
* After placing fourth in Tokyo, cycling star Grace Brown is expected to be in the medal hunt in Saturday's 32.4km road time trial.
OTHER MAJOR AUSTRALIANS ACTION
* Jessica Fox opens her pursuit of what would be an historic treble with the opening round of women's K1. The locals also want a piece of the bilingual Fox, but she is the pride of Australia.
* Skateboarder Shane O'Neill may have a Nike shoe named after him but Olympic success proved elusive in Toyko. He has another chance in the men's street.
* The Kookaburras, including flag bearer Eddie Ockenden, take on Argentina in their first men's hockey pool match.
* The Boomers have a tough task in their basketball pool opener against world powerhouse world No. 2 Spain.
* Winning two gold and two bronze medals in Tokyo, Australia's rowers will kickstart their Paris campaign with the scullers first in the water.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING
* Making its second appearance at the Olympics, the window for the surfing opens with the men first in action at the famed Teahupo'o break in Tahiti.
* One of the most visited tourist destinations in France, the Palace of Versailles, is hosting Olympic equestrian, starting with eventing dressage on day one.
* Novak Djokovic faces Aussie Matt Ebden in the Serb's fifth and potentially last Olympics appearance, only managing a bronze when he made his debut in 2008.
GOLD MEDALS UP FOR GRABS ON DAY 1: 14
Australian Associated Press
