The Best Sporting Events Taking Place This Summer
As the summer sun begins to creep its head out of the gloomy overcast skies, the world of sports prepares for a season brimming with excitement. There has already been a lot to digest this year, with the Cheltenham Festival capturing the hearts and minds of punters like never before. But there is plenty more excitement just around the corner, both on the racecourse and in other arenas as well. Here are four events taking place this summer that are sure to set the pulse racing.
Epsom Derby
Our tipsters will be out in force on June 1st as the 245th Epsom Derby takes place at Epsom Downs in Surrey. The race is one of the oldest and most traditional in the entire UK racing calendar, making up one-third of the triple crown alongside the 10,000 Guineas Stakes and the St. Leger Stakes. Known affectionately as “The Derby,” this Group 1 flat race is open to three-year-old colts and fillies, offering a blend of speed, stamina and spectacle.
The reigning champion is Auguste Rodin, who managed to secure a razor-thin half-a-length victory last year under Ryan Moore. This year, his stablemate with Aidan O’Brien, City of Troy, has been made a short-priced favorite by OddsChecker, which compares the best odds and free bets available in the world of horse racing. It remains to be seen if the esteemed Irish trainer can lead yet another of his horses to glory, just as he did last year.
UEFA Euro 2024
Three years on from Italy’s shocking penalty shootout victory against England at Wembley, the UEFA European Championships are back. The tournament will get underway on June 14th when hosts Germany welcome Scotland to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena and, over the course of the next month, 24 of the continent’s finest footballing nations will battle it out to become champions in Berlin on July 14th.
The Azzurri head into the tournament as the reigning champions after their surprising victory in 2021, continuing the trend of shock winners, including Portugal’s success in 2016 and Greece’s triumph back in 2004.
Perhaps surprisingly, it is Gareth Southgate’s England that have been made the favorites for glory, despite their quarterfinal exit at the hands of France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Les Bleus have reached the final of the last two World Cups, but they haven’t had as much success on the continent and haven’t lifted the trophy since Euro 2000. They are the second favorites and will be hoping that Kylian Mbappe can fire his team into the latter stages, unlike three years ago when he missed the decisive spot-kick as his side was eliminated by Switzerland on penalties in the Round of 16.
2024 Olympic Games
The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of international sporting achievement and Paris 2024 is poised to write the next chapter in this storied event’s history. Bringing together athletes from around the globe, the Olympics stand as a testament to human potential, showcasing a wide array of sports, from track and field to swimming, gymnastics and beyond.
Paris, with its rich cultural heritage and history of hosting the Games, provides the perfect stage for this celebration of excellence and unity. The importance of hosting the tournament remains unrivaled. The best rugby player in the world, France’s Antoine Dupont, showed just how important the Games are as he dropped out of Les Bleus’ recent Six Nations campaign to focus on winning the gold medal for his country in the Rugby Sevens event. Whether he is ultimately successful in that quest remains to be seen.
Copa America
Completing our summer sports quartet is the Copa America, South America’s premier international football tournament. Featuring teams from CONMEBOL and invited nations, Copa America is renowned for its intense rivalries, passionate fans and high-quality football.
The tournament takes place in the United States, just as it did back in 2016. That year, Lionel Messi’s Argentina were stunned on penalties by Chile in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This year, they head to the tournament as the reigning champions of the world and of South America, and they will be aiming to successfully defend their crown, with archrivals Brazil breathing down their necks.