From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand.

There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in the middle of the night to intensely cheer on athletes you’ve only just learned the names of. By the end of the games, we’ll know all their names and all their sports: it’s quite simply exhilarating and this year promises to be no different. 

How to watch

If you have Sky, you’re in luck. The premium broadcaster will be airing everything across 12 dedicated channels. Those of us with just free-to-air won’t be completely shut out, however. Some key events will be shown on Sky Open (née Prime), including most (if not all) of the events where New Zealand is competing.

Did I miss the opening ceremony?

No. While a few events have already taken place, Saturday morning is the official opening of the Paris Olympics. The opening ceremony will air from about 5.30am on Sky Open and promises to deliver an authentically French experience, including rumoured performances by Lady Gaga (American) and Dua Lipa (English/Albanian). Once the ceremony is over, the real games can begin. 

Here is the schedule of our local athletes over the next seven days. Some of these – the ones with an asterisk * – are only if the athlete qualifies (let’s be optimistic they all do).

The full schedule for the Games can be found here.

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Night one (Saturday July 27)

Rowing

• 7pm: Men’s single scull heats (Tom Mackintosh)
• 8.12pm: Women’s single scull heats (Emma Twigg)
• 9.30pm: Men’s double scull heats (Robbie Manson & Jordan Parry)
• 10pm: Women’s double scull heats (Lucy Spoors & Brooke Francis)

Equestrian

• 7.30pm: Eventing – dressage (Clarke Johnstone, Jonelle Price and Tim Price)

Swimming

• 9pm: Women’s 400m freestyle heats (Erika Fairweather, Eve Thomas)
• 9pm: Women’s 100m butterfly heats (Hazel Ouwehand)

Tennis

• 10pm: Women’s doubles, first round (Erin Routliffe and Lulu Sun)

Cycling – road

• 12.30am: Women’s time trial (Kim Cadzow)
• 2.32am: Men’s time trial (Laurence Pithie)

Canoe – slalom

• 2am: Women’s K1 heats, run 1 (Luuka Jones)
• 4.10am: Women’s K1 heats, run 2 (Luuka Jones)

Hockey

• 3.30am: Men’s pool play (Black Sticks men v India)

Football

• 5am: Men’s group stage (Oly Whites v United States)

Surfing

• 5am: Men’s round one (Billy Stairmand)
• 9.48am: Women’s round one (Saffi Vette)

Swimming

• 6.30am: Women’s 100m butterfly semifinals (Hazel Ouwehand*)
• 6.55am: Women’s 400m freestyle final (Erika Fairweather*, Eve Thomas*)

Night two (Sunday July 28)

Equestrian

• 8.30pm: Eventing – cross country (Clarke Johnstone, Jonelle Price & Tim Price)

Rowing

• 8.30pm: Women’s pair heats (Alana Sherman & Kate Haines)
• 9pm: Men’s pair heats (Phillip Wilson & Dan Williamson)
• 9.30pm: Women’s lightweight double scull heats (Jackie Kiddle & Shannon Cox)
• 10.30pm: Women’s four heats
• 10.50pm: Men’s four heats

Swimming

• 9pm: Women’s 200m freestyle heats (Erika Fairweather)
• 9pm: Men’s 400m individual medley heats (Lewis Clareburt)
• 9pm: Men’s 100m backstroke heats (Kane Follows)

Tennis

• 10pm: Women’s doubles, first round (Lulu Sun & Erin Routliffe)

Sailing

• 10.13pm: Women’s windfoil races 1-4 (Veerle ten Have)
• 11.43pm: Men’s windfoil races 1-4 (Josh Armit)
• 1.35pm: Sailing – women’s 49er FX races 1-3 (Jo Aleh & Molly Meech)
• 1.45am: Sailing – men’s 49er races 1-3 ( Isaac McHardie & Will McKenzie)

Cycling – mountain biking

• 12.10am: Women’s cross country (Sammie Maxwell)

Artistic gymnastics

• 12.50am: Women’s individual all-around qualification (Georgia-Rose Brown)

Canoe – slalom

• 1.30am: Women’s K1 semifinals (Luuka Jones*)
• 3.45am: Women’s K1 final (Luuka Jones*)

Football

• 3am: Women’s group stage (Football Ferns v Colombia)

Hockey

• 3.30am: Men’s pool play (Black Sticks men v Belgium)

Rugby sevens

• 4am: Women’s pool stage (Black Ferns Sevens v China)
• 7.30am: Women’s pool stage (Black Ferns Sevens v Canada)

Surfing

• 5am: Women’s second round (Saffi Vette*)
• 9.48am: Men’s second round (Billy Stairmand*)

Swimming

• 6.30am: Men’s 400m individual medley final (Lewis Clareburt*)
• 6.45am: Women’s 100m butterfly semifinals (Hazel Ouwehand*)
• 7.37am: Men’s 100m backstroke semifinals (Kane Follows*)
• 8am: Women’s 200m freestyle semifinals (Erika Fairweather*)

Night three (Monday July 29)

Shooting

• 7pm: Men’s trap qualification, day one (Owen Robinson)

Equestrian

• 9pm: Eventing – showjumping individual qualifier, team final (Clarke Johnstone, Jonelle Price & Tim Price)
• 1am: Eventing – showjumping individual final (Clarke Johnstone, Jonelle Price & Tim Price*)

Tennis

• 10pm: Women’s doubles, second round (Erin Routliffe & Lulu Sun*)

Sailing

• 10.15pm: Women’s 49er FX races 4-6 (Jo Aleh & Molly Meech)
• 12.05am: Men’s 49er races 4-6 (Isaac McHardie & Will McKenzie)
• 1.43am: Women’s windfoil races 5-8 (Veerle ten Have)
• 2.01am: Men’s windfoil races 5-8 (Josh Armit)

Cycling – mountain biking

• 12.10am: Men’s cross country (Sam Gaze)

Rugby sevens

• 2.30am: Women’s pool play (Black Ferns Sevens v Fiji)
• 7am/7.30am/8am/8.30pm: Women’s quarterfinals (Black Ferns Sevens*)

Surfing

• 5am: Men’s round three (Billy Stairmand)
• 9.48am: Women’s round three (Saffi Vette)

Swimming

• 7.22am: Men’s 100m backstroke final (Kane Follows)*
• 7.48am: Women’s 200m freestyle final (Erika Fairweather*)

Night four (Tuesday July 30)

Triathlon

• 6pm: Men’s individual race (Hayden Wilde, Dylan McCullough)

Shooting

• 7pm: Men’s trap qualification, day two (Owen Robinson)
• 9pm: Men’s trap final (Owen Robinson)*

Rowing

• 7.30pm: Women’s single scull quarterfinal* (Emma Twigg)
• 8.10pm: Men’s single scull quarterfinal* (Tom Mackintosh)
• 8.50pm: Women’s double scull semifinal* ( Lucy Spoors, Brooke Francis)
• 9.10pm: Rowing – men’s double scull semifinal* (Robbie Manson, Jordan Parry)

Swimming

• 9pm: Men’s 200m butterfly heats (Lewis Clareburt)
• 9pm: Men’s 100m freestyle heats (Cameron Gray)
• 9pm: Women’s 1500m freestyle heats (Eve Thomas)

Equestrian

• 9pm: Dressage, individual grand prix day one (Melissa Galloway)

Tennis

• 10pm: Women’s doubles, third round (Erin Routliffe & Lulu Sun)*

Sailing

• 10.13pm: Women’s windfoil races 9-12 (Veerle ten Have)
• 12.17am: Men’s windfoil races 9-12 (Josh Armit)
• 1.45am: Women’s 49er FX races 7-9 (Jo Aleh and Molly Meech)
• 2.35am: Men’s 49er races 7-9 ( Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie)

Rugby sevens

• 1.30am/2am: Women’s semifinals (Black Ferns Sevens*)
• 5am: Women’s bronze medal match (Black Ferns Sevens*)
• 5.45am: Women’s gold medal match (Black Ferns Sevens*)

Canoe – slalom

• 2am: Canoe slalom – K1 men, run 1 (Finn Butcher)
• 4.10am: Canoe slalom – K1 men, run 2 (Finn Butcher)

Hockey

• 3am: Hockey – men’s pool play (Black Sticks men v Argentina)

Football

• 5am: Men’s group stage (Oly Whites v France)

Surfing

• 5am: Men’s quarterfinals (Billy Stairmand*)
• 7.24am: Women’s quarterfinals (Saffi Vette*)
• 9.48am: Men’s semifinals, final (Billy Stairmand*)
• 11am: Women’s semifinals, final (Saffi Vette*)

Swimming

• 6.30am: Men’s 100m freestyle semifinals (Cameron Gray*)
• 6.41am: Men’s 200m butterfly semifinals (Lewis Clareburt*)

Night five (July 31/August 1)

Triathlon

• 6pm: Women’s individual race (Ainsley Thorpe, Nicole van der Kaay)

Equestrian

• 8pm: Dressage, individual grand prix day two (Melissa Galloway)

Rowing

• 8.44pm: Men’s pair semifinals (Phillip Wilson, Dan Williamson)*
• 8.54pm: Women’s pair semifinals (Alana Sherman & Kate Haines)*
• 9.34pm: Women’s lightweight double scull semifinals (Jackie Kiddle and Shannon Cox)*

Swimming

• 9pm: Men’s 200m backstroke heats (Kane Follows)

Tennis

• 10pm: Women’s doubles, quarterfinals (Erin Routliffe and Lulu Sun*)

Sailing

• 10.15pm: Women’s 49er FX races 10-12 (Jo Aleh and Molly Meech)
• 12.03am: Men’s windfoil races 13-16 (Josh Armit)
• 12.50am: Men’s 49er races 10-12 ( Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie)
• 2.48am: Women’s windfoil races 13-16 (Veerle ten Have)

Swimming

• 6.36am: Men’s 200m butterfly final (Lewis Clareburt*)
• 7.04am: Women’s 1500m freestyle final (Eve Thomas*)
• 7.34am: Men’s 200m backstroke semifinals (Kane Follows*)
• 8.15am: Men’s 100m freestyle final (Cameron Gray*)

Football

• 7am: Women’s group stage (Football Ferns v France)

Night six (August 1)

Golf

• 7pm: Men’s tournament – round one (Ryan Fox, Daniel Hillier)

Rowing

• 7.30pm: Women’s single scull semifinal (Emma Twigg*)
• 7.50pm: Men’s single scull semifinal (Tom Mackintosh*)
• 9.18pm: Women’s double scull final ( Lucy Spoors & Brooke Francis*)
• 9.30pm: Men’s double scull final* ( Robbie Manson & Jordan Parry*)
• 9.50pm: Women’s four final*
• 10.10pm: Men’s four final*

Judo

• 8pm: Women’s -78kg preliminaries (Moira Koster)
• 2am: Women’s -78kg semifinals (Moira Koster*)
• 3.49am: Women’s -78kg bronze (Moira Koster*)
• 4.09am: Women’s -78kg gold (Moira Koster*)

Hockey

• 8.30pm: Men’s pool play (Black Sticks men v Australia)

Swimming

• 9pm: Men’s 50m freestyle heats (Taiko Torepe-Ormsby)
• 9pm: Men’s 200m individual medley heats (Lewis Clareburt)
• 9pm: Women’s 4x200m freestyle heats

Tennis

• 10pm: Tennis – women’s doubles, semifinals (Erin Routliffe & Lulu Sun*)

Sailing

• 10pm: Men’s dinghy races 1-2 (Tom Saunders)
• 12.43am: Men’s 49er medal race ( Isaac McHardie and Will McKenzie*)
• 1.03am: Women’s windfoil races 17-20 (Veerle ten Have)
• 1.35am: Women’s dinghy races 1-2 (Greta Pilkington)
• 1.43am: Women’s 49er FX medal race (Jo Aleh and Molly Meech*)
• 1.53am: Men’s windfoil races 17-20 (Josh Armit)

Canoe – slalom

• 1.30am: Men’s K1 semifinal (Finn Butcher)*
• 3.30am: Men’s K1 final (Finn Butcher)*

Cycling – BMX

• 6am: Men’s quarterfinals runs 1-3 (Rico Bearman)
• 6.20am: Women’s quarterfinals runs 1-3 (Leila Walker)
• 8.05am: Men’s last chance qualifiers (Bearman*)
• 8.15am: Women’s last chance qualifiers (Walker*)

Swimming

• 6.37am: Men’s 200m backstroke final (Kane Follows*)
• 6.44am: Men’s 50m freestyle semifinals (Taiko Torepe-Ormsby*)
• 7.34am: Men’s 200m individual medley semifinals (Lewis Clareburt*)
• 7.48am: Women’s 4x200m freestyle final*

Night seven (August 2)

Golf

• 7pm: Men’s tournament, round two (Ryan Fox, Daniel Hillier)

Judo

• 8pm: Women’s +78kg round of 64 (Sydnee Andrews)
• 2am: Women’s +78kg semifinals (Sydnee Andrews*)
• 3.18am: Women’s +78kg bronze medal bout (Sydnee Andrews*)
• 3.38am: Women’s +78kg gold meal bout (Sydnee Andrews*)

Athletics

• 8.35pm: Women’s 100m, preliminaries (Zoe Hobbs)
• 9.05pm: Men’s 1500m, round one (Sam Tanner)
• 9.50pm: Women’s 100m heats (Zoe Hobbs)

Swimming

• 9pm: Women’s 800m freestyle heats (Eve Thomas, Erika Fairweather)
• 9pm: Men’s 100m butterfly heats (Cameron Gray)

Rowing

• 9.30pm: Men’s pair, final (Phillip Wilson and Dan Williamson*)
• 9.42pm: Women’s pair, final (Alana Sherman and Kate Haines*)
• 10.22pm: Lghtweight women’s double sculls, final (Jackie Kiddle and Shannon Cox*)

Trampoline gymnastics

• 10pm: Women’s qualification (Maddie Davidson)
• 11.50pm: Women’s final (Maddie Davidson*)

Sailing

• 10.15pm: Sailing – women’s dinghy races 3-4 (Greta Pilkington)
• 12.03am: Sailing – women’s windfoil quarters, semis, final (Veerle ten Have)*
• 12.23am: Sailing – women’s windfoil quarters, semis, final (Josh Armit)*
• 1.35am: Sailing – men’s dinghy races 3-4 (Tom Saunders)

Football

• 1am/3am/5am/7am: Men’s quarterfinals (Oly Whites*)

Canoe – slalom

• 1.30am: Canoe slalom – kayak cross men time trial (Finn Butcher)
• 2.40am: Canoe slalom – kayak cross women time trial (Luuka Jones)

Hockey

• 3am: Hockey – men’s pool play (Black Sticks men v Ireland)

Trampoline gymnastics

• 4am: Men’s qualification (Dylan Schmidt)
• 5.50am: Men’s final (Dylan Schmidt*)

Cycling – BMX racing

• 6am: Men’s semifinals (Rico Bearman*)
• 6.15am: Women’s semifinals (Leila Walker*)
• 7.35am: Men’s final (Rico Bearman*)
• 7.50am: BMX racing – women’s final (Leila Walker*)

Athletics

• 6.10am: Men’s shot put qualification (Jacko Gill, Tom Walsh)

Swimming

• 6.30am: Men’s 50m freestyle final (Taiko Torepe-Ormsby*)
• 6.49am: Men’s 200m individual medley final (Lewis Clareburt*)
• 7.09am: Men’s 100m butterfly semifinal (Cameron Gray*)

Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. 

In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been teased all episode. “I am so nervous,” said Kim, “But I have never been more excited for something in my life.” Khloe was less thrilled. “I’m getting anxiety,” she muttered to Scott Disick, who was on his phone and definitely not listening. “It’s so much pressure.” 

They were waiting for the results of a blood test that revealed their biological age, as opposed to their chronological age. Kris, 68, was actually 62. Kim, 43, was actually 34, and Scott Disick, 41, remained precisely 41 (“Scott used to party, I’ll just say that”). But it was Khloe Kardashian, 41, who took out the top spot with a biological age of 28, also revealed to have a “pace of aging” score of 0.72, meaning she is aging 28% slower than most people her age. 

The storyline itself is an unsurprising one given the family have long been obsessed with their own ageing and frequently partake in body scans, IV drips and hyperbaric chambers in an attempt to fight the passage of time. But what is surprising is that the science they used came from The Dunedin Study, following 1,000 New Zealanders since 1972 and often described as the most detailed longitudinal study of health and development in the world. 

Dunedin Study director and research professor Moana Theodore told The Spinoff she was thrilled to have their science promoted on such an enormous platform. “Although it’s surreal, in some ways, it’s not surprising,” she said. “Because here in New Zealand and here at the University of Otago, we do world-leading research on aging.” Although she was aware the Kardashians were taking the test, she didn’t know the results or how heavily it would feature. 

The algorithm that was able to determine Khloe Kardashian’s world-leading pace-of-ageing score of 0.72 (“another Olympian in the family,” muttered Scott, while Khloe shrieked in ecstacy), is better known as The Dunedin Pace Tool. Thedore explained that from the age of 26, participants in The Dunedin Study have had their biological age regularly measured, looking at the deterioration of the body including the respiratory, kidney and cardiovascular systems.  

“What we were able to do then was look at those study members who were ageing faster and those that were aging slower,” said Theodore. “From there, our researchers created an algorithm – the Dunedin Pace measure – that could then be used by others.” That algorithm is now freely available to scientists and researchers to use around the world. “I think that’s really where we can inform better practice and healthcare practices to support people as they age.” 

While Theodore is thrilled with the Kardashian exposure, she said it is important to remember all the regular folk who have never flown to Vegas in a private jet, or shut down Luna Park so they could win a soft toy. “What makes this so special is that it is really about the everyday New Zealanders who have given half a century to this scientific research project,” said Theodore. “It’s through their goodwill and their contributions that we’re able to do this incredible science.” 

And with the announcement today that The Kardashians has just been renewed for 20 more episodes on Disney+, there will undoubtedly be plenty more “incredible science” to come. 

Click here to watch The Kardashians on Disney+