Moesha Johnson and the sprint kayak racing team of Riley Fitzsimmons, Jackson Collins, Pierre van der Westhuyzen and Noah Havard secured silver medals, while Caitlin Parker and Charlie Senior each took bronze medals in the boxing ring. Australia’s women will play for gold in the water polo final after beating their rivals from the USA in a sudden-death shootout. There was drama and a world record on the athletics track.
1. Open water swimming
Moesha Johnson looked set to add to Australia’s gold medal tally in the morning’s 10km marathon swim, but was ultimately overtaken by her good friend Sharon van Rouwendaal of the Netherlands. The swimmers had to battle a strong current in the Seine, whose water quality met acceptable limits. Despite this, Johnson said after winning silver that she would add some antibiotics to her victory soft drink.
A second silver medal went to Australia later in the day thanks to the sprint kayak racing team of Riley Fitzsimmons, Jackson Collins, Pierre van der Westhuyzen and Noah Havard. Read the full story
2. Boxing
Australia’s long wait for a gold medal in boxing continues after both Charlie Senior and Caitlin Parker lost their semi-final bouts under the Centre Court roof at Roland Garros. Senior lost a unanimous decision to IBA featherweight champion Abdumalik Khalokov before Australian team captain Parker, who left the ring with a bloody nose, was unlucky in her loss to Tokyo silver medallist Li Qian. Jack Snape’s report follows
3. Water Polo
Australia’s women’s Stingers claimed a famous victory over the USA in a dramatic shootout to secure a chance at gold at the weekend. With the score tied 8-8 at the end of regulation time, it took a shootout and then sudden death penalties to separate the two rivals. Zoe Arancini converted the Stingers’ sixth penalty before Gabriella Palm had the USA’s next try to secure Australia a chance at gold at the weekend – for the first time since Sydney 2000. Read Kieran Pender’s report
4. athletics
Paris 2024 100m champion Noah Lyles was brought down in the men’s 200m final as Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo stormed to the gold medal, ahead of Kenny Bednarek in silver and Lyles having to settle for bronze. Afterward, Lyles collapsed and left the arena in a wheelchair before USA Track & Field announced he had been diagnosed with Covid. Read Sean Ingle’s race report and Ewan Murray’s news report
Another American, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, lived up to her reputation as a modern track and field great with a dominant victory in the final of the women’s 400-meter hurdles, breaking her own world record with a time of 50.37 seconds. This is the sixth time she has broken the world record. Read Bryan Armen Graham’s report
5. Taekwondo
Stacey Hymer lost her first round match in the 57kg class to Brazil’s Maria Clara Pacheco, but the splendour of the setting made it an unforgettable experience for the 26-year-old from Werribee. The Grand Palais, which is hosting the taekwondo competition after previously hosting fencing at the Games, was an “incredible” venue, Hymer enthused afterwards. Her sister Victoria, who was in Paris to cheer her sister on, was asked if there was anything similar in Australia. “There is the state netball hockey centre in Victoria but I don’t think it’s anything to brag about,” she said. Read Jack Snape’s full story
6. Other Bits
Further drama arose in the Indian wrestling community in Paris when the sister of one of her competitors was arrested by police for attempting to enter the athletes’ village using her brother’s accreditation. Read Ewan Murray’s report
Raven Saunders turned heads in the women’s shot put qualification when she appeared wearing a black full face mask and sunglasses and dyed green and purple hair. “I’m in top shape,” the American said of the outfit. “I had to remind people that I am who I am.” Read Tom Lutz’s story