Paris Olympics 2024 wrap: Australia’s relay team claim gold, Hockeyroos’ last-second win, Jemima Montag
Australia’s golden girls claim another incredible victory in the pool, the Hockeyroos leave it to the last second and Jemima Montag walks the walk for bronze.
Here are the best bits from day six.
1. Relay-good win for Australia
Another successful day for Australia in the pool was headlined by a gold medal in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
Mollie O’Callaghan got the Aussies off to a blistering start while Lani Pallister overcame a bout of COVID earlier this week to swim her leg.
West Australian Brianna Throssell held her own against a stacked field that included US legend Katie Ledecky and Canadian champion Summer McIntosh to retain the lead for Australia.
Then, it was all down to Ariarne Titmus, who obliterated her competition in the anchor leg to touch the wall at 7:38.08, ahead of the United States and China.
It capped off a sensational day six, with Kaylee McKeown winning her semifinal in the 200m backstroke with ease while Cameron McEvoy advanced to the 50m freestyle final with a dead-heat victory.
2. Walk this way
In brutal conditions, Jemima Montag dug deep to snare a bronze medal.
Her medal chances looked to be slipping away sitting in fifth heading into the final five kilometres, but with her family screaming in support she found another gear to haul herself back in contention.
In doing so she broke her own national record with Montag saying she drew on the strength of her family to find that final burst.
“I was feeling extra levels of strength and courage and resilience,” said Montag.
“(My grandmother) passed on all those amazing traits to my dad, who’s passed them on to my sisters and I.
“The course was one kilometre with a dogleg and cobbles, the noise was so loud where the crowd was.
“Different women were making different moves and I needed every bit of courage that I had. It comes from family.”
3. Fins up for Sharks
Australia’s men’s water polo team has beaten another European powerhouse, but only after some goalkeeping heroics from shot stopper Nic Porter.
The Sharks keeper made multiple mind-boggling saves with just minutes to go and his side leading 9-8 to claim another major scalp, this time over France, just days after beating world No.1 Serbia.
Porter screamed with relief and pumped both his fists while play was still continuing further up the pool in dramatic scenes.
Australia had been sitting pretty with a 7-3 lead, but a vocal home crowd helped France storm back into the contest.
The World No.1 Serbia dismissed their shock water polo loss to Australia as them playing badly rather than giving credit to the Aussies.
4. Sensational Saya
Nothing could stop Saya Sakakibara — not even a bout of illness.
The Australian rider finished first in each of her three runs and advanced as the fastest qualifier for the semifinals, proving too much for her rivals in the women’s BMX racing. It was an emotion-charged moment for Sakakibara, following a concussion suffered in a frightening crash at the Tokyo Games 2021, which occurred after her brother Kai sustained life-changing injuries in a fall of his own in 2020.
Sakakibara leads a three-pronged charge for gold for Australia, with compatriot Lauren Reynolds also qualifying and Izaac Kennedy progressing in the men’s event.
5. Last-gasp goal
One second.
That was all that was left on the clock when Australia scored the equaliser at the 60-minute mark against Argentina.
The 3-3 draw ensured the Hockeyroos remained undefeated in their Paris Olympics campaign and qualify for the quarter-finals.
6. Opals win scrap to stay alive
After a horror start to be upset by Nigeria, the Opals found themselves in the last chance saloon just two games into their Paris Olympics.
It wasn’t pretty as the turnovers that cost them against Nigeria threatened to overwhelm the Australians once again but an improved shooting performance kept their noses in front.
Canada never went away but led by WA’s Sami Whitcomb with a game-high 19 points the Opals had enough firepower to keep their hopes alive.
Now they face a massive clash against their French hosts but their biggest challenge still lies within, as their poor ball use makes it hard for their stars to shine.
7. Jack in the box (seat)
West Australian surfer Jack Robinson knocked over his compatriot Ethan Ewing to advance to the Olympic semifinal.
The Margaret River product faced an agonising wait after pinching the lead with a barrel-riding clinic, as Ewing held priority for the final three minutes of the heat.
But as the clock ticked down, Robinson was still on top. In a touching moment after the buzzer, the Aussies shared a hug in the surf.
Robinson will face Brazilian megastar Gabriel Medina on Sunday morning for the chance to go fight for a gold medal.
Unfortunately, Tyler Wright failed to progress after going down to reigning world champion Caroline Marks in a quarter-final.
8. The G.O.A.T.
There’s a reason Biles is referred to as the GOAT (greatest of all time) after winning her sixth Olympic gold and second of the Paris Games.
The American superstar narrowly defeated Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade during a tense Olympic all-around final with a total of 59.131 – just over a point ahead of Andrade at 57.932 – following a clutch floor routine.
After the judges scores were revealed, her victory sealed, Biles pulled out a necklace with a diamond-encrusted goat on it.
“My GOAT necklace – some people love it, some people hate it,” she said.
But whether you love her or hate her, you can’t deny her impact on the sport. What a champion.
9. No love lost for Murray
It was an emotional Olympics exit for Andy Murray as the modern great played his final match in the Paris Olympics doubles quarter-finals.
Murray and his Great Britain partner Dan Evans were beaten by the American duo of Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul 6-2 6-4 at Court Suzanne Lenglen.
The crowd gave the three-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist a standing ovation following the loss.
He later joked on social media that he “never even liked tennis anyway.”
10. Lee left woozy after a horror first round
“A little embarrassing.”
Those were the words from Min Woo Lee after he endured the round from hell to effectively end his medal hopes in the opening round of the men’s golf tournament.
A double bogey on the first hole was a sign of things to come and was already six over at the turn.
He recovered somewhat to limit the damage finishing at five over and a tie for last place.
“I just started on the wrong foot and could not get anything going,” he told Channel 9.
“But I’m playing for more than just myself so I’m gonna do my best and hit the range.”
Jason Day was in a better spot sitting at four under until on the final hole he sent his second shot into the drink to finish with a double bogey.
He’s three shots back from a medal but with three rounds to go there is plenty of time to close the gap.
