7.30.96

FORECAST: The temperature remains below 90 degrees, but there's a 40% chance of rain late in the day.

HOT TICKET: Gold medal softball game (SB73701). They remain the
favorite to win it all in Columbus, but the U.S. women aren't
the overwhelming pick they were coming into the tournament,
especially after losing to Australia and having to rally in
their last at bat to beat both Canada and China.

BUT CAN HE LEAP TALL BUILDINGS IN A SINGLE BOUND? Russia's
Dmitri Svatkovski, the favorite in the modern pentathlon, spends
his free time working for the Russian circus and performing as a
folk dancer.

TODAY'S GOLD RUSH

CYCLING/MOUNTAIN BIKE (2)
(10 a.m.) Georgia International Horse Park

MEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY
Pick: Thomas Frischknecht, Switzerland

WOMEN'S CROSS-COUNTRY
Pick: Alison Sydor, Canada

MODERN PENTATHLON (1)
(7 a.m.) Georgia World Congress Center
(1 p.m.) Georgia Tech Aquatic Center
(5:15 p.m.) Georgia International Horse Park

Pick: Dmitri Svatkovski, Russia

SOFTBALL (1)
(7 p.m.) Golden Park, Columbus

Pick: U.S.

TABLE TENNIS (1)
(1 p.m.) Georgia World Congress Center

MEN'S DOUBLES
Pick: Wang-Lu, China

WEIGHTLIFTING (1)
(4 p.m.) Georgia World Congress Center

OVER 238 POUNDS
Pick: Ronny Weller, Germany

YACHTING (1)
(1 p.m.) Wassaw Sound

TORNADO
Pick: Ballester-Leon, Spain

LOCAL CULTURE

FIDDLER'S FESTIVAL
Downtown Square
Decatur
4 p.m. to midnight Today and tomorrow

A part of the Atlanta suburb's two-week Hometown to the World
Festival, this event features internationally known fiddlers and
local talent. It is hosted by Whispering Bill Anderson, a member
of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Fiddlers will perform
until 9 p.m., at which time the dance floor will be opened and a
live band will play Cajun, swing and country music. Admission is
free.

NEED TO KNOW

CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK TO REOPEN UNDER INCREASED SECURITY
The 21-acre downtown public gathering place opens at 8 a.m.
today, and two hours later former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young, an
ordained minister, will lead a memorial service for the victims
of Saturday's bomb blast there. The security force in and around
the park has been doubled, and police will conduct random
searches of visitors' bags.

SI ONLINE

WWW.SPORTSILLUSTRATED.COM
Visit SI's Web site and CompuServe (SIOLYMPICS) for instant
Olympic results plus Games-related stories published in the
OLYMPIC DAILY and the weekly SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. Browsers may
also search the SI Olympic Preview issue, the official Olympic
program and a database filled with Olympic history, past results
and information on every sport at the Summer Games.

COLOR PHOTO: JOHN IACONO [Terrance Cauthen boxing]

SPOTLIGHT ON...

U.S. BOXING

The competition moves into the quarterfinals with four Americans
on the first day's schedule. Terrance Cauthen (left) faces
Veongviact Phongsit of Thailand in a 132-pound bout, with Albert
Guardado (106), Rhoshii Wells (165) and Nate Jones (201) also
scheduled to fight today.