It’s been a big day in the water for Australia on day four of the Paris Olympics, with a gold and bronze won in swimming.
Swimming:
A rapid start, an explosive turn and a trademark powerhouse finish with the race on the line – that’s how Kaylee McKeown defended her Olympic 100m Backstroke crown to continue Australia’s golden run in the pool at the Paris La Défense Arena.
Kaylee’s winning mark of 57.33 was an Olympic record, adding to her Tokyo tally to become just the seventh Australian to win three individual gold medals across any sport.
Iona Anderson (58.98) finished fifth and announced herself as one to watch as the Australian backstroke ranks.
Australia’s men’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay team produced one of their most-courageous swims to claim bronze, finishing behind Great Britain and the USA.
In the men’s 100m Freestyle, Kyle Chalmers booked a spot in a third-consecutive Olympic final, winning his semi of the 100m Freestyle in 47.58. He was the second-fastest qualifier behind China’s world record holder Pan Zhanle.
Shayna Jack (52.72) and Mollie O’Callaghan (52.75) booked middle lanes for the women’s 100m Freestyle final, with Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey leading the pack into the gold medal race.
Zac Stubblety-Cook made his customary last-lap push to take out his semifinal of the men’s 200m Breastroke and qualify second-fastest for Wednesday night’s final.
Beach Volleyball:
Olympic debutants Thomas Hodges and Zachery Schubert had a tough opening match against Polish pair Michal Bryl and Bartosz Losiak, falling in straight sets 2-0 (21-16, 21-16).
Still in the pool stage, the pair will face Germany on 1 August.
Rowing:
Day Four of the Olympic regatta was one of mixed emotions for the Rowsellas who came to the Olympics with nine boats having qualified from 14 classes.
Tara Rigney won her quarter-final of the Women’s Single Sculls in another commanding performance to qualify for the semi-final on Thursday.
In the Women’s Double Sculls semi-final, Amanda Bateman and Harriet Hudson finished just 0.022 seconds outside of the top three places they needed to qualify for the A Final.
In the Women’s Four repechage, the crew of Olympia Aldersey, Jean Mitchell, Lily Alton and Molly Goodman finished sixth in their repechage where the first three made the A Final.
The women’s double sculls and four will now both race in their B Finals on Thursday.
