Major sporting events lined up

The year 2016 is full of major sporting events that will keep the average sporting enthusiast glued to their armchair – or, for the more affluent, clocking up some serious airmiles.

Top of the pile is the Games of the XXXI Olympiad – more commonly referred to as Rio 2016. Opening on August 5, the Olympics will welcome over 10,000 athletes from 206 countries and, across the 33 venues, will feature some of Brazil’s most iconic destinations including Copacabana Beach and the Maracana.

Concerns over the water quality persist although fears that the construction will not be complete have subsided as Rio has recently completed the last of its test events as boxers from 19 countries fought with Brazilians taking home three gold medals while the facilities drew abundant praise.

It was originally intended that three sports would be added to the Rio schedule from London although the bold decision to introduce kitesurfing has been overturned following a revolt from the windsurfing community, leaving golf and rugby to be reintroduced, completing the line-up of 28 sports.

Golf reappears on the schedule after an absence of 112 years and will be played on the privately-funded links course in Barra da Tijuca. Boasting spectacular views over the sea and mountains it is a narrow and technically demanding course that will favour precise play.

Golf will offer medals through both men’s and women’s individual competitions to be played over 72 holes in a strokeplay format. It was initially thought that the top 15 ranked players in the world would automatically qualify, although, with America having seven of these, the number from any single country has been capped at four. However, with other countries being capped at a maximum two golfers the US still holds a significant advantage.

With 60 players competing in each event it will be intriguing to watch individuals represent their country.

Rugby debuted at the Paris Olympics in 1900 before being retired in the same country 24 years later. Rio will see it return, albeit in the 7-a-side version rather than the 15-man version previously witnessed. Having dispensed with the World Cup to ensure that the Olympics represents the pinnacle of the sport, the 7’s will also feature a competition for both men and women.

The opportunity to win Olympic Gold is having an intriguing impact with a number of players making themselves unavailable for their national 15-a-side team in order to focus on the shorter format.

Even Sonny Bill Williams is learning the new skills required to become an Olympian rating the achievement as the greatest in any athlete’s career. The All Blacks, pre-tournament favourites, will also feature Ardie Savea, younger brother of the try-scoring sensation, Julian.

However, the first of the major events on the sporting calendar is the ICC T20 World Cup that will be hosted by the nation with the largest number of passionate fans, India.

Commencing on March 8 this will be the first occasion on which the men’s and women’s event will be run concurrently, although there is a massive disparity in the levels of prize money available!

There have been five different winners of the men’s event while the England women’s team won the inaugural tournament at home in 2009 before Australia won three straight titles.

A total of 16 teams will vie for the men’s title with Oman making their debut in the first round.

The 35-match schedule has already thrown up some enthralling encounters with March 19 in Dharamsala the highest profile featuring the hosts against their neighbours, Pakistan, the latter having failed to defeat India in any of their four matches in this format. India’s most memorable victory came in the inaugural World T20 when they defeated their arch rivals in the final in Johannesburg.

Another mouth-watering tie is a rematch of the 2015 World Cup final (50 over) between Australia and New Zealand, although the trans-Tasmanian rivals have never met in this format in this competition.

Zimbabwe will look to avenge its recent series loss to Afghanistan when the sides meet in Nagpur on March 12. The two sides have turned keen rivals of late, with Afghanistan defeating Zimbabwe in the limited-overs series in October 2015. They have never met in a World T20, but Afghanistan hold the advantage in the head-to-head record with two victories in as many matches.

Football fans craving action after the Champions League final will not have long to wait with the Euros kicking off in Paris on June 10 when the hosts take on Romania.

France will be hoping for a repeat of their success when they hosted the World Cup in 1998 and the Euro’s in 1984 and certainly boast a balanced and talented squad. Coach Didier Deschamps, the captain in ’98, will rue the controversy surrounding Karim Benzema although still has talented options including Pogba and Griezmann along with Manchester United’s new hotshot, Martial.

Germany, as World Cup holders, will be among the favourites although they were upset by both Poland and Ireland in qualifying. However, there is a sentiment that they will improve in the final stages of the tournament and certainly have the experience to succeed.

Spain return as the holders although, after their 5-1 defeat to Holland in Brazil, appear to have lost their aura of invincibility. If they do retain their title they will become the first nation to achieve a ‘three-peat’. While they have one of the strongest midfields in the competition they do have selection concerns up front and between ‘the sticks’.

The top team in the world will also be present – Belgium. Yes, Belgium! This golden generation was expected to do well at the World Cup but lost to Argentina and though, afforded an easy group, Marc Wilmot’s young starlets should hit the ground running and gain in confidence.

Away from the favourites an outside team that could reach the later stages is Austria who managed nine straight qualifying wins including home and away victories over Russia thanks primarily to a strong team-ethic and high-pressing strategy.

Of the annual global sporting events, F1 is likely to be more intriguing than in the past few seasons for a variety of reasons. Recent rule changes, including one that allows in-season engine development, should narrow the differential between Mercedes and the rest, while it will be fascinating to see whether Nico Rosberg can continue his end-of-year form and challenge Lewis Hamilton more consistently.

There will also be a new race with Baku hosting the European Grand Prix in June at a stunning street circuit while Nascar team owner, Gene Haas, brings an American team, bearing his name, to Formula 1 for the first time since 1986.

Chris Froome will launch the Tour de France on July 2 hoping, on a course that he believes will suit him better than last year’s, to secure his third maillot jaune, which would elevate him into the top eight riders of all time.

However, if you are looking for something a little different, or less commercial, then keep an eye out for the following:

l The Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Featuring 1,100 athletes from 70 countries who will compete across 70 events from 15 sports. There are interesting new disciplines including a monobob (single-seater bobsleigh), a Nordic mixed team event and the team ski-snowboard cross. This second edition of the event commences on February 12.

l The Invictus Games – Latin for ‘unconcquered’ the multi-sport competition championed by Prince Harry is aimed at enhancing the recovery of wounded soldiers and will be held in Orlando from May 8.

l The World Urban Games – on a date to be decided after the Olympics will be aimed at the younger generation, featuring parkour, speed climbing, street dance and 3-on-3 basketball.