BOXING
Pros, amateurs box in
the shadow of Ali
Claressa Shields
Two recent developments
are drawing an enormous
amount of attention to the
2016 Olympic boxing tourna-
ment, and with good reason.
The first is the fact that this
will no longer be an amateur
event as professional boxers
are being welcomed to the
competition. And, the recent
passing of Muhammad Ali
has sparked a renewed
interest not only in boxing,
but in the summer games
themselves. Ali’s (then
Cassius Clay) 1960 gold
medal launched his career
but his lighting of the
Olympic flame in Atlanta in
1996 is an equal part of
Olympic history. Back in the
ring, 2012 U.S. gold medalist
Claressa Shields returns as
a middleweight.
8/6-13 Q; 8/14-21 M
CANOE/KAYAK
Canoe/kayak: paddling along
Canoeing is divided into two disciplines – slalom and sprint – with the former
taking place on a whitewater obstacle course negotiated by single competitors or
teams of two, and the latter being contested on a flat-water course in distances of
200, 500 or 1,000 meters in teams of one, two or four. The competition is divided
into two classes: canoe, in which competitors kneel and use a single-bladed pad-
dle to move themselves along; and kayak, where competitors are seated in the
boat and can use both ends of a paddle. Sixteen gold medals are awarded in the
two classes. Countries that figure to dominate the podium in Rio include Australia,
Germany, Russia, China and Great Britain.
8/7-8 Q; 8/9-11 M; 8/15 Q; 8/16 M; 8/17 Q; 8/18 M; 8/19 Q; 8/20 M
KERRI WALSH JEN-
NINGS
Full Name: Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings
Country: United States
Birthplace: Santa Clara, CA.
Birth date: Aug. 15, 1978
Height/Weight: 6 feet, 3 inches/157 pounds
Events: women’s beach volleyball
Credentials: Olympic gold medalist, 2004, 2008, 2012
Factoids: Walsh’s husband is Casey Jennings, a champion pro-
fessional beach volleyball player. With Misty May-Treanor retired,
Walsh’s 2016 Olympic partner will be April Ross.
2016 SUMMER OLYMPICS VIEWER’S GUIDE pg 5