Best bets and predictions for day five of the 2024 Paris Olympics: Zhang's the man for China in gym

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Best bets for day five

Draw in South Africa women vs GB women's hockey
1pt 3-1 general

Zhang Boheng to win men's gymnastics individual all-round
1pt 9-10 bet365

South Sudan +29.5 points
1pt 10-11 bet365

Over 2.5 goals in Colombia Women vs Canada Women
1pt 3-4 bet365

Already advised

Matt Hauser to win men's triathlon
1pt e-w 28-1 BoyleSports

Paris 2024 Olympics day five predictions

Hockey predictions

Starts 9am
By Phil Agius

Great Britain's women's hockey team will have used Tuesday's rest day to take stock after a tough start to the tournament. 

Team GB are bottom of Group B after losing 2-1 to Spain and 4-0 to Australia in their first two games, so they really need to get their first win on the board against South Africa on Wednesday morning.

South Africa have also lost their first two matches. They were more competitive against Australia than the British team, losing 2-1, but then went down 4-2 to Argentina. 

With four of the six teams in each group progressing to the quarter-finals it's not quite a must-win contest for these teams yet and bookmakers expect a close contest, with the British women 11-10 favourites and South Africa 19-10 shots. 

The best value, though, may lie in a draw which would keep both teams winless but looks a worthwhile wager at 3-1.

Gymnastics predictions

Starts 4.30pm
By Ian Wilkerson

The battle for gold in the men's team gymnastics competition went down to the wire between China and Japan and bookmakers anticipate a similar battle between their star performers in the individual contest with 2021 world champion Zhang Boheng facing off against defending gold medallist Daiku Hashimoto.

The signs are that Chinese gymnast Zhang could just hold the edge after the disappointment of seeing Su Weide fall off the horizontal bar twice in the team event, which cost them gold on Monday.

Zhang was the highest-ranked performer on that occasion and, although Hashimoto's horizontal-bar performance secured Japanese team glory, he has been out of sorts.

The biggest disappointment will be that he will not be defending his horizontal bar title later and he also fell off the pommel horse in qualifying as he cited  recent injury problems, so he may have to play second fiddle to his Chinese rival this time.

Basketball predictions

Starts 8pm
By Ian Wilkerson

The star-studded USA men's team, packed with some of the biggest names in the NBA, will be in action again on Wednesday against South Sudan, but the African outfit could cover a hefty handicap.

It is just ten days since this year's incarnation of the Dream Team took them on in an exhibition game, but the Americans secured a victory by a single point.

Kevin Durant did not feature in that meeting and the Phoenix Suns power forward was inspirational off the bench in the United States' 110-84 win over Serbia, scoring 23 points.

However, there are signs that the 29.5-point line may be high enough. South Sudan beat Puerto Rico 90-79 in their opener and while this is plainly the biggest of steps up in class, they will be encouraged that they conceded just 25 second-half points in that contest.

A young side who play with energy can ensure this is not a cakewalk for Steve Kerr's team.

Football predictions

Starts 4pm
By Ian Wilkerson

Canada still have a chance to progress as one of the best third-placed teams in the group stage of the women's football despite a six-point deduction for spying on their opening opponents New Zealand.

They grabbed a last-gasp winner against hosts France on Sunday which means a third win of the tournament against Colombia (8pm) could be enough.

So don't expect them to sit back against the South Americans. who are top of the section and almost pulled off a great recovery in losing 3-2 to Les Bleues in their first game.

Six of their last eight matches have featured at least three goals and that pattern could be followed in an open encounter in Nice.

Triathlon news

The men's triathlon was postponed on Tuesday due to the River Seine not being clean enough for the swimming leg.

Both the men's and women's events are due to take place on Wednesday, but further pollution tests overnight will dictate whether it is safe for the races to go ahead.

Friday has been earmarked as a reserve day while, as a last resort, both events could could become duathlons which incorporate just the cycling and running disciplines.

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