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Tokyo Preview, July 24: Swimming, gymnastics and 3 new sports debut

The U.S. has high hopes for medals in swimming's 400-meter individual medleys and in the Olympic debut of skateboarding.

Saturday marks the first full day of competition at the Tokyo Olympics. The pool is open, the surf is up, the gymnasts are tumbling and some new sports make their Olympic debuts.

Swimming

The first medals in the pool will be awarded. U.S. swimmers competing for the gold include Chase Kalisz in the men's 400-meter individual medley, Kieran Smith in the men's 400-meter freestyle and Hali Flickinger in the women's 400-meter individual medley. The U.S. vs. Australia rivalry goes head-to-head in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay.

Men's Gymnastics

U.S. Champion Brody Malone and three-time Olympian Sam Mikulak lead the five men on Team USA into the qualification round. This determines who qualifies for the individual all-around and the individual apparatus finals.

Beach Volleyball

The U.S. settled for bronze in Women's Beach Volleyball in Rio. They'll try to get back to the top of the podium in 2021, opening up pool play with April Ross and Alix Klineman facing China. Earlier in the day, U.S. men's team Nicholas Lucena and Philip Dalhausser face the Netherlands.

New sports debut

One of the new Olympic sports makes its debut as qualifying rounds and the first medals are awarded in Men's Street. American Nyjah Huston is a medal favorite but faces tough competition from Japan's Yuto Horigome and Sora Shirai.

Americans Carissa Moore and John John Florence are medal favorites in the Olympic debut of surfing. And the U.S. women take on France and Mongolia in the premiere of 3-on-3 basketball. The U.S. did not qualify a men’s 3-on-3 team.

Medals will also be awarded Saturday in archery, fencing, judo, shooting and taekwondo.

And early Sunday morning, the U.S. women's gymnastics team will have its turn at qualifications, led by Simone Biles.

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