Olympic daily wrap, day 3: Australia’s women’s Rugby Sevens team strike gold, hopes sunk in pool

A round up of what went down on day 3 in Rio: our women’s rugby sevens team win their gold medal match with the Kiwis, but medal hopes fall short in the pool ...

Gold medallists Ellia Green and Chloe Dalton show off their hard won spoils.

THE AUSSIES MAKING THE NEWS

Australia’s women’s Rugby Sevens team claimed our fourth gold medal of the Games with a stunning come from behind win over New Zealand in the final. The women ran out 24-17 victors, with another stand out performance from Charlotte Caslick — though the whole team have been sensational through the whole competition.

Australia win first ever women’s rugby Olympic gold

World champions Mitch Larkin and Emily Seebohm suffered twin and identical Olympic disappointments, fading in the last lap of the 100m backstroke events to miss the medals.

In a bitterly disappointing night for Australian swimming, two of their favoured world No. 1s were left to wonder what might have been as they were blown away in the final 50m of their races to miss the medals all together.

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The Boomers have continued their fine start to this campaign, following up their opening round victory over France with a pretty solid win over Serbia, marking themselves out as a genuine medal threat.

Boomers brush aside Serbia to remain undefeated

Australian track cyclist Melissa Hoskins was taken to hospital in an ambulance after the women’s team pursuit squad crashed at training in Rio just three days out from competition.

Annette Edmondson was the only rider to avoid the crash at the velodrome while Hoskins, Ashlee Ankudinoff, Amy Cure and Georgie Baker all fell and hit the track.

While some suffered skin grazing, Hoskins is the only one who has gone to hospital as a precaution according to the team and was later released having avoided serious injury.

Melissa Hoskins came off worse in a training session crash in the velodrome.

Hoskins has endured a tough year after she contracted pneumonia early in the season and missed the world championships in March.

They are due to start qualifying when the track competition begins on Thursday.

Aussie cyclist in hospital after track crash

And Australia’s men’s water polo team pulled off a more than creditable draw against traditional heavyweights Hungary. It may not be enough to see them go deep in the tournament but a decent showing to be proud of.

THE BIG PICTURE

Ukraine's Olga Kharlan and Russia's Yana Egorian cross swords.

THE RIO LOWDOWN

Men’s world No. 1 Novak Djokovic was brought to tears as Juan Martin del Potro found his best form. The injury-riddled Argentine, who won the US Open in 2009, was flawless in sending `Nole’ out in the first round. Djokovic left the court in tears, his Olympic dream shattered yet again.

Djokovic suffers Rio heartbreak, shows he’s human

Judoka Rafaela Silva upset world number one Sumiya Dorjsuren to win hosts Brazil’s first gold medal of the Rio Games.

Silva, who also won the world title on home soil in 2013, sunk to her knees after winning the under-57kg final with a half point waza-ari score from a leg reap counter attack, before leaping into the stands to hug her supporters.

It marks a fairytale story for Silva who grew up in Cidade de Deus favela — the shanty town made famous in the film City of God.

From the favelas to Olympic gold; Brazil claims first gold

The Mack-lash continues. Chinese media, officials and keyboard warriors have continued their attack on our 400m freestyle gold medallist Mack Horton, defending drug cheat Sun Yang after the Australian champion called him, well, a drug cheat. Australian team boss Kitty Chiller has backed her man, insisting there will be no apology. “He has every right to express his views and his pleasure in that sense.” she said. “We have no intention of making an apology ...”

Swimmers back Mack as fight gets ugly

THE SOCIAL SCENE

Ready to cheer on the rugby girls & swimmers tonight!! #oneteam pic.twitter.com/o90bge47rD

— Jess Fox (@JessFoxxx) August 8, 2016

Bolt speaks. Who else in Olympic sport can generate attention like this? pic.twitter.com/3Hm9XPsSRB

— Dan Roan (@danroan) August 8, 2016

Australian women's rugby 7's, Olympic champions. #gold great game by New Zealand. What a great final!! pic.twitter.com/ib9EFKHNSt

— jarryd hayne (@JarrydHayne) August 8, 2016

With his gold medal last night Michael Phelps became the 37th most successful country of all time in the Olympics just behind Argentina.

— Sam Freedman (@Samfr) August 8, 2016

THE QUOTE

“First of all, you guys have to clap louder than that.”

Usain Bolt isn’t satisfied with the rapturous reception he received from the assembled world media — and it seemed like the *entire* fourth estate was there for him — at his first official press conference of these Games.