Historic Olympic podium double for Australia in women’s high jump
Australians Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson have shared the podium with silver and bronze medals in the women’s high jump at the Paris Olympics.
Source: AAP / Getty
New world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh from Ukraine claimed the gold medal on a count back with a first-time clearance at 2m on Sunday.
Olyslagers stayed in the competition with a vital third and final clearance at 2m, but then missed three times at 2.02m.
It was the 27-year-old Australian’s second successive Olympic silver.
Patterson tied for the bronze with Ukraine’s Iryna Gerashchenko on a count back with first-time clearances at 1.95m.
Patterson, 28, has won gold and silver at the previous two world championships in Eugene and Budapest but this was her first Olympic medal.
Soaring to silver and bronze 🥈🥉
Nicola Olyslagers (2.02m) and Eleanor Patterson (1.95m) will share the podium for the women's High Jump at #Paris2024!#AllezAUS | @athsaust pic.twitter.com/xEGsvRU9L3
— AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) August 4, 2024
Once the gold medal was safely in her keeping on Sunday, Mahuchikh had one unsuccessful attempt at 2.04m.
The great Ukrainian broke the 37-year-old world record with a clearance of 2.10m at the Paris Diamond League meet at Stade de France in early July.
She also relegated Patterson and Olyslagers to the minor medal positions at the 2023 world championships in Budapest.
The leading Australian and Ukrainian jumpers have dominated women’s high jump on the global stage in recent years and Sunday’s final was just the latest instalment of that battle.
Reece Holder caused a boilover in the opening round of the men’s 400m, leading world No.1 Quincy Hall of the US into the final straight and holding on for third spot to advance to the semis on his Olympic debut.
Holder’s personal best time of 44.53 seconds moved him up up three places to second on the Australian alltime list behind Darren Clark.
“Without being too cocky my training splits have been a little bit faster than that so I was expecting to be out there,” said the 21-year-old Holder, who tore his hamstring at the national championships in April.
“But I didn’t think I’d do that in the heats, that’s for sure.”
Abbey Caldwell and Claudia Hollingsworth were eliminated in the women’s 800m semi-finals.
Opals beat France
The Opals women’s basketball team will advance to the quarter finals, after defeating France 79-72.
The margin of victory boosted them to second in their pool and away from a potential quarter-final against eight-time defending champions USA when the draw is completed later on Sunday.
The US haven’t lost an Olympic game since 1992, currently riding a 58-game winning streak.
Bonjour, Paris! 🇫🇷
The Opals defeat France, 79-72, to advance to the QFs.
📊 https://t.co/8s4kHZWkqj#WeAreBasketball | #GoOpals | #AllezAUS pic.twitter.com/mw5kZUA14N
— Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) August 4, 2024
Dkokovic’s uncontrollable tears
Novak Djokovic exacted revenge on Carlos Alcaraz in a pulsating men’s singles final to claim his first Olympic gold medal.
The Serbian first played in the Games back in 2008 but he arrived in Paris with only one bronze medal to show for his efforts and a burning desire to finally take his last chance to stand on the top step of the podium.
He lost in straight sets to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final only three weeks ago and had not won a title all season but, playing in the red of Serbia, the 37-year-old produced a superb performance to win 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2).
When his final forehand found the corner, Djokovic dropped his racket and turned to his family before lying on the court, his ultimate goal finally realised.
The 37-year-old then climbed into the stands and cried uncontrollably as he embraced his family and supporters.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic cries uncontrollably after defeating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz. Photo: AAP
“I put my heart, my soul, my body, my family, everything on the line. To win Olympic gold at 37, I finally did it. Most of all, it’s my country. The pride of playing for Serbia,” he told Eurosport.
Djokovic joins Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf as just the fifth player to complete the career Golden Slam of all four grand slam titles and Olympic singles gold.
He said after finally breaking his Olympic semi-final hoodoo that he felt like a different player to the one who lost rather tamely to Alcaraz in last month’s Wimbledon final.
The Serbian’s right knee no longer appears to be limiting him and it was he who had the first chances of the final.
100m gold for Lyles
American speedster Noah Lyles has won the 100 metres at the Paris Olympics in a dramatic photo finish.
Lyles crossed the finish line with a gold-medal winning time of 9.79, with Jamaican Kishane Thompson clocked at the same time before the reigning world champion was declared the winner by five thousandths of a second.
Lyles’ USA team-mate Fred Kerley rounded out the podium in 9.81 in one of the most competitive finals of all time.
The 27-year-old is the first American sprinter to win an Olympic gold medal in the men’s 100 metres since Justin Gatlin won gold at the 2004 Athens Games.
His Paris Games time was a personal best, overhauling his rival in the second half of the race although in a blanket finish all eight finalists stunningly finished within 0.12 seconds of the winner.
Achieving her dream, Caitlin defeated reigning Moroccan World Champion Khadija Mardi 4-1 in the women’s 75kg quarter-finals at the North Paris Arena, guaranteeing her at least a bronze medal.
Read more 👉 https://t.co/DRE1JGhUoz#AllezAUS | @boxingaus
— AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) August 4, 2024
Aus boxing history
An inspired Caitlin Parker is guaranteed Australia’s first Olympic medal in women’s boxing after dominating her quarter-final against Moroccan world champion Khadija Mardi.
The 75-kilogram chance was the clear victor despite a 4-1 split decision in Paris on Sunday that has assured Australia two boxing medals at the same Olympics for the first time in 64 years.
There are no bronze medal fights at the Olympics, meaning Parker will leave with a historic medal even if she loses her semi-final against China’s Li Qian on Thursday at Roland Garros.
“I have got every emotion going through me right now,” Parker said.
“History has already been made.
“I can’t wait to call mum and dad and scream on the phone. It’s mind-blowing.”
Only six Australians have won Olympic boxing medals, with Harry Garside’s bronze in Tokyo three years ago snapping a 33-year drought.
None of those six have been gold, but Australia now has two live chances after Charlie Senior (57 kilograms) stormed into the semi-finals on Saturday in a win Parker said stirred something inside her.
Senior fights Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalokov for a place in the final on Thursday, just half an hour before Parker enters the ring.
Fox’s triple gold medal hunt ends
Jessica Fox’s quest for a historic third Olympic medal in Paris is over with her sister Noemie eliminating the superstar in their kayak cross round.
After winning the C1 and K1 titles, Fox was attempting a golden treble with the new Olympic event added to the Paris schedule.
But her plans came unstuck on Sunday afternoon when a costly gate error meant she failed to make the top two to advance to the quarter-finals, finishing last.
“I just didn’t pull out my best race,” said the 30-year-old, who already owns six Olympic medals including three gold from her four Games.
“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 (Noemie) win the heat, I was really proud of her.”
Kookaburras’ golden dream over
Just as their path to gold had been blown wide open, the Kookaburras’ Paris campaign came crashing down in a 2-0 quarter-final loss to the Netherlands.
Two second-half goals were enough for the Dutch to exact some revenge after losing in a shoot-out at the same stage to Australia in Tokyo three years ago.
The Kookaburras entered as offensive powerhouses and Pro League champions among the fancies to end a 20-year drought and claim a second Olympic title.
But they were barely able to fire a shot thanks to some merciless Dutch circle defence and little luck.
The loss came after defending champions Belgium were upset by No.8 Spain, who will now play the Dutch for a spot in the final.
-with AAP
