Australia is in its first 3000m steeplechase Olympic final thanks to Brissy runner Genevieve LaCaze

BRISBANE athletes will continue to fight for medals when the Rio Olympics continues overnight. Take a look below to find out when your local athlete is competing on Day 10.

TOPSHOT — Australia's Genevieve LaCaze (C) and Canada's Genevive Lalonde (R) compete in the Women's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1 during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 13, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE

ATHLETICS — August 16, 12.15am

For the first time ever, Australian athletes will line up in the women’s 3000m steeplechase final at the Olympic Games, with Genevieve LaCaze and Madeline Hills both qualifying.

LaCaze, who has been in fine form leading up to Rio, qualified 11th fastest. Australian teammate Hills qualified 9th fastest.

LaCaze, a former John Paul College student, came second in heat three with a time of 9:26.25.

Hills was fifth in heat two with a time of 9:24.16.

The fastest qualifier was Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet with a time of 9:12.62.

The final is on Tuesday, August 16, at 12.15am.

USA's Courtney Frerichs (L) and Australia's Genevieve LaCaze (R) compete in the Women's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1 during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 13, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Fabrice COFFRINI

LaCaze placed 22nd in the event in London in 2012.

LaCaze started her athletics career at the University of Florida in America in 2008 on a scholarship, where she studied a Bachelor of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology.

LaCaze, formally of Fairfield, became an internet sensation at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where she finished fifth, when she jumped on stage with Kylie Minogue at the closing ceremony.

ATHLETICS — August 16, 10.45pm

Pole vaulter Alana Boyd has been in the best form she has ever been in leading up to the Rio Olympic Games.

The dual Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games champion, who comes from an athletically talented family, beat her own Australian record by 4cm when she cleared 4.81m in July.

The clearance, which came three weeks after her comeback from an ankle injury sustained at March’s world indoor championships, was 6cm higher than the gold medal-winning mark by American Jenn Suhr at the London 2012 Games.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — MARCH 05: Alana Boyd competes in the pole vault during the IAAF World Challenge at Olympic Park on March 5, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

This year, Boyd placed 1st at the IAAF World Challenge in Melbourne, 1st at the Auckland Track Challenge and at the Adelaide Track Classis.

When she made her Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008, the former Morningside resident became the first athlete to join both parents as an Olympian.

The University of Queensland graduate placed 16th in Beijing and 11th in London in 2012.

Her mum Denise (nee Robertson) ran in two 200m Olympic finals (1976 and 1980) and finished 7th in both. Her dad and coach Ray Boyd was a dual Olympic pole vaulter.

SAILING

Ashley Stoddart will approach tomorrow morning’s (2am) laser radial medal race at the Rio Olympics “just like any race”.

Stoddart, from Murrumba Downs, finished ninth overall after the preliminary rounds where only the top 10 qualify for the medal race.

“I think the medal race is a completely different ball game to fleet racing, double points,” said Stoddart on the Australian Olympic website.

Ashley Stoddart of Australia competes in Women's Laser Radial class on Day 7 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Marina da Gloria on August 12, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

“I will just approach it like any race, try and get around the course as quickly as possible, so that’s what I’m going to try to do.”

Points from the 10 preliminary races are carried forward to the medal race, where double points are awarded.

Stoddart, a member of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Manly, finished seventh and eighth in her last two races to qualify, leaping from 13th to ninth.

WATER POLO
AUSTRALIA’S quest for a fourth women’s water polo medal from five Games will continue tomorrow morning when they take on Hungary in the quarterfinals of the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The Stingers finished second in Group A with two wins from three matches and will take on a Hungary outfit that won one of their three Group B matches.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL — AUGUST 09: Bronwen Knox of Australia gets possession of the ball during the Preliminary Round, Group A Womens Water polo match between Russia and Australia on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Australia has an impressive record in women’s water polo at the Olympics, having taken home a bronze medal from the past two Games, as well as winning gold in Sydney in 2000.

However, Brisbane resident Bronwen Knox and the Stingers have made no secret of their desire to emulate the 2000 team in conquering all before them in Rio, with that quest continuing at 4.30am (AEST) tomorrow.