Chifley sprinter sets new personal best in heat at maiden Games

After putting their bodies on the line and doing the local community proud representing Australia, our athletes including Chifley bolter Jess Thornton have wrapped up their campaign at the Rio Olympics.

Australia's Jessica Thornton in the Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Picture. Phil Hillyard

After putting their bodies on the line and doing the local community proud representing Australia, our athletes have wrapped up their campaign at the Rio Olympics.

Competing in her maiden games, Chifley sprinter Jessica Thornton raced for gold in the women’s 4 x 400m relay on Sunday, with the team finishing in eighth place.

Despite not coming home with a medal Thornton was in blistering form, running 51.79 in the first leg of the team’s relay heat in Rio, bettering the personal best she ran at last month’s world under-20s championships in Poland.

The 18 year old is considering switching her focus to the half lap event in a bid to shave even more off her time ahead of the world championships in London next year.

Australia's Jessica Thornton changes to Annelise Rubie in the 4x400m final in Rio. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Jess Thornton and 4x400m relay team mates Caitlin Sargent, Morgan Mitchell and Annelise Rubie after the final in Rio. Picture. Phil Hillyard

“I have to speak to my coach but we might be planning to come back next year and do the 200m, focus on that,” Thornton said.

“To be able to run a 50-second 400m I need to be running 22.50 seconds or lower even in the 200m.”

Randwick Botany Harriers star runner Selma Kajan picked up a virus leading up to the women’s 800m event, but pushed on to run her race, missing out on a finals berth after placing seventh.

A post from Randwick Botany Harriers 800m runner Selma Kajan after her Olympic debut in Rio. Picture: @selm Source: Instagram

“I wasn’t going to let it stop me competing, I wanted to be an Olympian,” Kajan said.

“I wanted to take the experience and hopefully use it for the future.”

Pagewood’s own water polo goalie Lea Yanitsas made it to the quarterfinals, but their campaign ended in a penalty shootout which saw the Aussie Stingers go down 11-13.

Aussie Sharks locals Johnno Cotterill and team mates and UNSW players Joel Dennerley, Nathan Power, Jarrod Gilchrist and Richie Campbell blitzed their final group match against Greece.

But their first round loss to Brazil came back to haunt them, with other results preventing their advance.

Aussie Stingers goalkeeper Lea Yanitsas defends as Krisztina Garda of Hungary takes a shot on goal during their Women's Water Polo quarterfinal match at the Rio Olympics. Picture: Jamie Squire/Getty Images.

Randwick player Henry Hutchison and the Australian rugby 7’s side finished their campaign with a 10-12 loss to France in their match for 7th place.

Coogee runner and second time Olympian Victoria Mitchell came in 29th place, missing out on a finals spot in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.

University of NSW judoka Miranda Giambelli made it through the round of 32, but lost to Brazil’s Mayara Aguiar in the round of 16 to end her hopes at her maiden Olympics.

Coogee resident and four-time Olympian Samantha Stosur went out in round three of the women’s singles tennis to German’s Angelique Kerber, and bowed out of the first round of the mixed doubles against India.