SportsHounds Senior correspondent Mike Osborne wraps up the Australian highlights on Day 9 of 16 at the Paris Olympics.
No gold but three silver linings for Australia in swimming and athletics at the Olympics today, plus a bronze medal for good measure.
The Dolphins finished the nine day swimming program in the Paris pool with silver medals in the 50m freestyle to Meg Harris and in the women’s 4x100m medley relay.
And in the athletics at Stade de France Australia’s world indoor champion Nicola Olyslagers won silver in the high jump ahead of teammate Eleanor Patterson who took bronze.
The silver for Harris in the 50m freestyle was her first individual medal after winning a gold in the 4x100m relay. The other silver in the pool in the medley relay provided more booty for Kaylee McKeown and Emma McKeon plus a first medal for Jenna Strauch. You can read the full Olympic swimming wrap here.
At the track and field Olyslagers fell just short of Ukrainian world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh who took the gold after both cleared 2.0 metres. But the Australian had two misses at that height while the Ukrainian had a clean sheet.
Olyslagers said there was so much joy inside her during the high jump and it came out as she worked up to jumping two metres to win the silver medal.
“Tonight was so special for me because it’s the first time with this kind of atmosphere,” she said. “I wanted to give my best, it was amazing. Something in me just came alive. I knew this was it, this is the moment. I’m just so thankful. I needed that kind of encouragement to zone in, it happened. I’m hoping people actually saw the joy inside of me.”
Bizarrely the bronze medal was shared by Patterson and another Ukrainian Iryna Gerashchenko who had identical clearance records through to 1.95m.
Patterson said she felt a mixture of disappointment and relief to win the joint bronze with her equal season best.
“I’m in a bit of disbelief. It’ll take a while to sink in,” she said. “I would have loved to have jumped higher, so it’s a bit of mixed emotions of feeling a little disappointed with my performances. But then you realise that it comes with a bronze medal, so I’m pretty proud.
“I’ve been lucky enough in the last couple of years, every time I did a major championship to come home with a medal. I’m looking forward to what’s in store.”
Meanwhile Abbey Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth were both run out of the women’s 800m semifinals finishing fifth and seventh respectively.
Twenty-one year old Reece Holder ran an impressive personal best 44.53s to finish third and qualify for the semifinals of the men’s 400m.
And in the women’s 200m Torrie Lewis ran a personal best time of 22.89s and will join teammate Mia Gross in repechage races.
Likewise Alana Yukich and Sarah Carli will run again in the 400m hurdles repechage.
Australia remained fourth on the medal tally in Paris after Day 9.
Paris Olympic Medal Table
| Rank | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 40 | 44 | 42 | 126 |
| 2 | China | 40 | 27 | 24 | 91 |
| 3 | Japan | 20 | 12 | 13 | 45 |
| 4 | Australia | 18 | 19 | 16 | 53 |
| 5 | France | 16 | 26 | 22 | 63 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 15 | 7 | 12 | 34 |
| 7 | Great Britain | 14 | 22 | 29 | 65 |
| 8 | Korea | 13 | 9 | 10 | 32 |
| 9 | Italy | 12 | 13 | 15 | 40 |
| 10 | Germany | 12 | 13 | 8 | 33 |
| 11 | New Zealand | 10 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
The Australian action from other sports in Paris today:
CANOE
There will be no dream third gold medal for Australian flag bearer Jess Fox after she bombed out in the new kayak cross event making its Olympic debut in Paris.
Fox, who won the canoe and kayak slalom events in the first week of the Games, was in the same heat as her sister Noemie but could not find her usual magic touch.
Instead it was Noemie, 27, who got the better of the five metre drop-in start and flew to the front of the four paddler heat while Jess, 30, emerged at the rear.
Jess had an opportunity to get back among the top two finishers who qualified for the quarter finals in an event that could easily be called kayak chaos rather than kayak cross.
But the elder Fox got stuck at gate 8 which had already been the undoing of several other racers in the earlier heats.
“I just didn’t pull out my best race,” Jess said. “It was tough off the start. I got really tangled, and I was trying to chase. I turned fourth, and climbed up one spot, and almost pulled off the overtake at the last gate.
“That’s kayak cross, and you can have a plan, but nothing goes to plan. I’m gutted, but at the same time, when you see your little sister win the heat, I was really proud of her.
“It’s not over yet, whatever voice I have left will be spent cheering on my sister.”
Noemie stayed in front and well clear of the other paddlers to finish first while Jess paddled through last in the heat behind the Spanish and Dutch kayaks with bitter disappointment written across her face.
The two Fox sisters hugged at the end of the race while still in their kayaks – one comforting and one congratulating the other.
“I think it was another rough lineup. We were hoping to meet in the final,” Noemie said.
“It was sad to see her not come second behind me. But that’s the sport. It’s brutal and it’s everyone for themselves.
“I cheered her on in her finals and I hope she does the same for me.”
Noemie said she was hoping to keep up her good form in the quarter finals.
“The start is the most important thing, to punch through and get in front,” she said. “I’ve been having great starts and I hope I keep that up all the way through to the final.
In the men’s event Tim Anderson won his heat against paddlers from Poland, Austria and Germany to qualify for tomorrow’s quarter finals, while Tristan Carter got through as well after finishing second in his heat.
BOXING
Australia’s Caitlin Parker is assured of at least a bronze medal after a strong win in her 75kg division quarter final against Morocco’s reigning IBA heavyweight world champion Khadijah Mardi.
“That was amazing. I’m so stoked,” she said after the 4-1 split decision.
“I missed Rio. I achieved my childhood dream competing in Tokyo but I was shattered to go out in the first round.
“Now I want to show the world and Australia what I have got and do it for all my friends and family.”
Parker will be the first Australian female boxer to win an Olympic medal.
“It’s a big relief to have done it,” she said. “The first female from Australia to have an Olympic medal (in boxing). History has already been made.
“I’ve been a member of the Australian team for 13 years. I can get in the mix and be aggressive. Every match now I’m going for the gold medal. I’m giving it everything. I am going to war – let’s go.”
Three of the judges clearly scored the fight to Parker, but one gave it to the Australian by just a point while the fifth judge awarded the fight to the Moroccan.
Parker said she hoped her performance in Paris would help inspire other young Australian female athletes.
“I hope I am a role model who can show women and girls you can do anything you put your minds to,” she said. “If you lose, if you fail, keep going. The bottom of one mountain is the top of the next.”
WATER POLO
The Australian women’s water polo team needed penalties to snatch victory in a nail-biting final pool match against Hungary.
The Stingers progressed to the cut-throat quarter finals through the 9-9 (5-3) win, remaining undefeated through the preliminary stages and topping their pool.
Australia led throughout the game but the Hungarians kept nipping at their heels and snatched the final equaliser in the final minute of the game.
Alice Williams scored four goals during regular time but the real star for the Australians was goalkeeper Gabriella Palm who saved 13 of 22 shots by the Hungarians.
“She’s phenomenal,” Williams said of Palm’s performance. “I could talk about her for hours. She is our last line of defence. She is so important. She’s having the tournament of her life. I want her on my team, not the other one, that’s for sure.”
In the penalty shootout the Australians swapped out Palm for Genevieve Longman after the first successful Hungarian penalty with the change proving successful when the third opposition penalty went into the post.
It was the second match the Australians won on penalties during the pool matches, earlier defeating the Netherlands 7-7 (8-7), with other wins over China and Canada.
“We are elated. Undefeated going into quarterfinals is insane,” Williams said. “Two penalty shootout (wins) in the round games – we keep it interesting, that’s for sure. My heart rate is through the roof, but it’s really exciting and well deserved.”
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Tokyo silver medallists Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy survived a first set scare to beat a Brazilian duo in the knockout round of 16 at the sandpit under the Eiffel Tower.
The Australians won the tight first set 24-22 in almost half an hour as Brazil’s Carolina Soberg Salgado and Barbara Seixas de Freitas pushed them all the way.
But the Brazilian challenge faded in the second set as the Australian duo won 21-14 to secure a berth in the quarterfinals.
“We kept the trust in our game style and what we’re able to do, and so we just trusted, we just stayed patient, kept firing our weapons, and we got the pay-off in the end,” Clancy said.
“We took another good step forward, which is what we want to do. We want to keep improving every match.”
Clancy plays all the games with her fingernails painted in the colours of the Australian Aboriginal flag.
“I’m a proud Indigenous woman,” she said. “Representation is really important. It’s just keeping it close with me.”
The Australians will play Switzerland’s Zoe Verge-Depre and Esmee Boebner in the quarterfinals.
GOLF
Former PGA champion Jason Day finished tied for ninth, seven shots behind gold medallist Scottie Scheffler, the American world no1.
A two-time Masters winner, Scheffler stormed home with a 9-under 62, the best round of the week on France’s National Course.
The American finished 19-under par, a shot clear of Britain’s silver medallist Tommy Fleetwood, with Japan’s 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama taking bronze one shot further back.
Day finished 12 under for the week closing with a 3-under 68, as did Australian teammate Min Woo Lee who finished at seven under and tied for 22nd.
BASKETBALL
The Opals survived a must win game against the host nation 79-72 after the scores were locked at 34-all at half time.
But the third term made all the difference as Australia went nine points ahead scoring 25 to only 16 for France and creating a big enough lead to secure the win.
The Australians were more accurate than France shooting at 57 per cent compared to 42 per cent with Tess Madgen scoring a mighty game high 18 including four three-point baskets.
The win ensures the Opals will join the Boomers in the Paris quarterfinals.
“It was crazy,” said Lauren Jackson. “We seem to like to do everything the hard way, the Opals. We just knew we had to win and there was no other option, and then to win the way that we did, by seven points. It was incredible, it was amazing.
“The girls are incredible. And I think that’s more the style of basketball that we want to be playing. I feel like we’re on track for really good things.”
CYCLING
Australia’s time trial gold medallist Grace Brown finished a distant 23rd in the road race, one place behind teammate Lauretta Hanson while the third Australian rider Ruby Roseman-Gannon was 39th.
It was American Kristen Faulkner who broke free at the death after 158km and almost four hours on the roads in and around Paris to grab the gold medal.
Marianne Vos of the Netherlands won a sprint for the silver ahead of Lotte Kopecky of Belgium who took bronze, with Hungarian Blanka Vas the unlucky fourth finisher despite clocking the same time as the silver and bronze medallists.
HOCKEY
The Tokyo Olympic silver medal winning Kookaburras fell short of the podium in Paris losing their quarterfinal to the Netherlands 0-2.
In a tight game scores were locked 0-0 at half time but the Dutch hit unanswered goals in the third and fourth quarters.
The Kookaburras never found the same vein of form that got them to the gold medal game against Belgium in Tokyo, finishing the Paris competition with three wins and three losses.
“The first thing that comes to mind is obviously disappointment,” said captain Aran Zalewski.
“So much work goes into events like these and falling short of the way in which we wanted to perform….. we’ll think about that and reflect but I’m so grateful for the experience and for being here in Paris.”
Australian Medallists at the Paris Olympics
| Athlete | Sport | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mollie O’Callaghan | Swimming | W 200 freestyle W 4×100 freestyle relay W 4×200 freestyle relay | W 4×100 medley relay | Mxd 4×100 medley relay |
| Kaylee McKeown | Swimming | W 100 backstroke W 200 backstroke | W 4×100 medley relay | W 200 ind medley Mxd 4×100 medley relay |
| Ariarne Titmus | Swimming | 400 freestyle w 4×200 freestyle relay | W 200 freestyle W 800 freestyle | |
| Jess Fox | Canoe/kayak | Kayak Slalom Canoe Slalom | ||
| Emma McKeon | Swimming | W 4×100 freestyle relay | W 4×100 medley relay | |
| Meg Harris | Swimming | W 4×100 freestyle relay | W 50 freestyle | |
| Grace Brown | Cycling | W Time Trial | ||
| Shayna Jack | Swimming | W 4×100 freestyle relay | ||
| Lani Pallister | Swimming | W 4×200 freestyle relay | ||
| Brianna Throssell | Swimming | W 4×200 freestyle relay | ||
| Cam McEvoy | Swimming | M 50 freestyle | ||
| Saya Sakakibara | Cycling | W BMX racing | ||
| Matt Ebden | Tennis | M Doubles | ||
| John Peers | Tennis | M Doubles | ||
| Noemie Fox | Canoe/Kayak | W Kayak Cross | ||
| Arisa Trew | Skateboard | W Skateboard Park | ||
| Matt Wearn | Sailing | M Laser Dinghy | ||
| Keegan Palmer | Skateboard | M Park | ||
| Oliver Bleddyn | Cycling | M Team Pursuit | ||
| Kelland O’Brien | Cycling | M Team Pursuit | ||
| Sam Welsford | Cycling | M Team Pursuit | ||
| Conor Leahy | Cycling | M Team Pursuit | ||
| Nina Kennedy | Athletics | W Pole Vault | ||
| Matt Richardson | Cycling | M Individual Sprint M Keirin | M Team Sprint | |
| Kyle Chalmers | Swimming | M 100 freestyle M 4×100 freestyle relay | ||
| Elijah Winnington | Swimming | 400 freestyle | M 4×200 freestyle relay | |
| Flynn Southam | Swimming | M 4×100 freestyle relay | M 4×200 freestyle relay | |
| Zac Stubblety-Cook | Swimming | M 200 breaststroke | ||
| Jack Cart Wright | Swimming | M 4×100 freestyle relay | ||
| Kai Taylor | Swimming | M 4×100 freestyle relay | ||
| Jenna Strauch | Swimming | W 4×100 medley relay | ||
| Chris Burton | Equestrian | Individual Eventing | ||
| Grae Morris | Sailing | M Windsurfing | ||
| Nicola Olyslagers | Athletics | W High Jump | ||
| Jack Robinson | Surfing | M Surfing | ||
| Moesha Johnson | Swimming | W 10km Swim | ||
| Riley Fitzsimmons | Canoe/Kayak | M K4 500m | ||
| Jackson Collins | Canoe/Kayak | M K4 500m | ||
| Noah Harvard | Canoe/Kayak | M K4 500m | ||
| Pierre van der Westhuyzen | Canoe/Kayak | M K4 500m | ||
| Maddison Keeney | Diving | W 3m Springboard | ||
| Stingers | Water Polo | W Water Polo | ||
| Jessica Hull | Athletics | W 1500m | ||
| Matt Glaetzer | Cycling | M Team Sprint M Keirin |
||
| Max Giuliani | Swimming | M 4×200 freestyle relay | ||
| Tommy Neill | Swimming | M 4×200 freestyle relay | ||
| Josh Young | Swimming | Mxd 4×100 medley relay | ||
| Matt Temple | Swimming | Mxd 4×100 medley relay | ||
| Natalya Diehm | BMX Cycling | BMX Freestyle | ||
| Penny Smith | Shooting | W Trap | ||
| Jemima Montag | Athletics | W 20km walk Marathon Relay Walk |
||
| Jessica Morrison | Rowing | W Pair | ||
| Annabelle McIntyre | Rowing | W Pair | ||
| Eleanor Patterson | Athletics | W High Jump | ||
| Leigh Hoffman | Cycling | M Team Sprint | ||
| Rhydian Cowley | Athletics | Marathon relay walk | ||
| Matt Denny | Athletics | M Discus | ||
| Caitlin Parker | Boxing | W 75kg | ||
| Charlie Senior | Boxing | M 57 Kg | ||
| Tom Green | Canoe/Kayak | M K2 500m | ||
| Jean van der Westhuyzen | Canoe/Kayak | M K2 500m | ||
| Opals | Basketball | W Basketball |
Michael Osborne has been a journalist for more than four decades including 35 years with the national news agency Australian Associated Press, rising from junior reporter to Editor.
He was AAP Editor for 11 years and served four years as Head of Sport and Racing. He was also posted to London and Beijing as AAP’s Bureau Chief and Foreign Correspondent.
He has worked at six Olympics and five Commonwealth Games, covered tennis grand slams, golf majors, international cricket, rugby world cups and numerous sporting world championships. He also co-ordinated and managed AAP’s teams and coverage at three Olympic Games in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
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