Olympic daily wrap, day 10: Anna Meares bids, Dani Samuel throws long and Hockyroos crash out
A roundup of what went down on day 10 in Rio: Anna Meares bids farewell to the Olympics, Dani Samuel goes long in the discus and the Hockyroos and Stingers crash out ...
Olympics
Don't miss out on the headlines from Olympics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE AUSSIES MAKING THE NEWS
Anna Meares has signed off on her fourth Olympics in Rio by saying she had drained every last ounce of effort from her body and she will take the next fortnight to consider whether she retires from cycling.
Meares finished 10th overall in the women’s sprint after a final shootout in the race for 9th to 12th and was in tears afterwards.
“I’ve got to admit that was pretty brutal,” said Meares, who went into the sprint as the defending champion.
Anna Meares fails in defence of sprint title
Dani Samuels defied a torrential downpour and the pressure of delivering on her final throw to make the Olympic discus final. The qualifying competition had to be suspended for 30 minutes after the first round as rain pelted down inside the Olympic Stadium.
Samuels had fouled her first throw but after watching reigning Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic recover from two fouls of her own to nail her third and final attempt, Samuels stepped into the ring and did the same. The 2009 world champion flung both hands into the air in celebration as she watched the discus soar to 64.46m.
Samuels defies downpour to reach discus final
Australia’s Murray Stewart is on course to bag his second Olympic gold medal. The Manly kayaker is the gold medal favourite after dominating the semi-finals of the men’s K1 1000m at Lagoa Stadium in Rio — qualifying fastest and also beating world champion from Denmark, Rene Holten.
And in a further boost to his Olympic Dream, Stewart’s semi-final victory by a boat length helped eliminate eight-time Olympic medallist and three-times world champion from Canada, Adam van Koeverden.
The siege mentality behind medal chance
The Stingers rushed to absolve Bronwen Knox of blame after the skipper’s missed penalty saw Australia bundled out of Olympic medal contention for the first time ever in women’s water polo.
Locked at 8-all with Hungary at fulltime of the quarter-final, Australia and their old rivals went to a penalty shootout and when the third attempt from Knox rattled the left bar of the goalposts, the Hungarians only had to finish out their five shots to win. Hungary celebrated joyously but the Aussies were shattered to miss the Olympic semi-finals for the first time since women’s water polo was included in the Games in 2000.
Heartbreak for Stingers in penalty shoot-out
Australia’s train wreck of an Olympic hockey campaign is over after the Hockeyroos meekly joined their men’s counterparts in a humbling quarter-final exit.
So much was expected of the dominant world no. 1 men and the emerging, exciting women, who had risen to no. 3 in the world.
Yet the women’s team were downed by trans-Tasman rival New Zealand in a 4-2 defeat just 16 hours after the men were stunned 4-0 by the Netherlands.
THE BIG PICTURE
THE RIO LOWDOWN
An Egyptian judo athlete has been reprimanded and sent home after refusing to shake his Israeli opponent’s hand. Islam El Shehaby received a “severe reprimand” from the IOC for his behaviour following his first-round heavyweight bout loss to Or Sasson on Friday.
When Sasson extended his hand, El Shehaby backed away, shaking his head. The referee called the 34-year-old El Shehaby back to the mat and obliged to him to bow; he gave a quick nod and was loudly booed as he exited.
The IOC says the Egyptian’s conduct “was contrary to the rules of fair play and against the spirit of friendship embodied in the Olympic values.”
Judoka who refused handshake sent home
Seven people were taken to hospital after an aerial camera snapped from its cable outside the basketball venue at the Rio Olympic Park. The incident, which happened at 2:30pm local time outside the Carioca Arena and was broadcast live on local television. The confirmed injured included two women and two children.
“It was like a bolt of lightning coming towards me, I couldn’t react and it hit my knee,” Cristina Camps told Globo Esporte. She is the mother of 11 year-old Ana Luisa who also sustained an injury to her leg.
Spider cam falls in Olympic Park
Acidente no Parque OlÃmpico: câmera cai e fere duas mulheres - https://t.co/LcbZEc3aM5 #UOLnaOlimpÃada #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/jSc1zGmF4B
— UOL Esporte (@UOLEsporte) August 15, 2016
Radio’s voice of cricket Jim Maxwell is undergoing tests in hospital after falling ill during an Olympics broadcast on Tuesday in Sydney. Maxwell is being assessed at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital after he became unwell during a commentary stint. ABC head of sport Nick Morris said his thoughts were with Maxwell and his family as he wished him a “swift recovery.”
Voice of cricket falls ill during Rio broadcast
Kenyan 800m king David Rudisha produced a last-lap kick to defend his Olympic title in style.
Rudisha, also the world champion and world record holder, timed a season’s best of 1min 42.15 sec to become the first man in 52 years to defend the 800m title.
Rudisha defends 800m title with style in Rio
THE SOCIAL SCENE
I love the #Omnium. It's like cycling's version of Radiohead's later albums. #Rio2016
— Richard Osman (@richardosman) August 15, 2016
When an 🇮🇹 athlete wins an Olympic #gold all the Italian radio stations play the national anthem
— Matthew Stadlen (@MatthewStadlen) August 15, 2016
Got her by a hand. LITERALLY. #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/qcrf69xEWG
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 16, 2016
THE QUOTE
“After the Olympics, I will focus on my individual ... It’s good because I will not need to depend on anyone. Then I will be able to improve and evolve more.”
Brazilian synchronised diver Giovanna Pedroso, 17, is planning on going solo after she was booted from her room in the Olympic Village so that her erstwhile partner, 20-year-old Ingrid Oliveira, could have a late-night romp with another athlete, according to South American media outlets.
She wasn’t allowed back in her room all night as Oliveira got busy with canoeist Pedro Goncalves, prompting a Pedroso to review her sporting options.
‘We are incredibly excited’: Next Gen rugby 7s women turning heads
There were blowouts, close calls, a hot boot and multiple try-fectas in the opening round of the Next Gen Sevens rugby series in Sydney. Stars, great photos and Rd 1 result wrap.
Lions team bus delivers Ian Healy painful Gabba reality check
With the 2032 Brisbane Olympics approaching rapidly, Australian cricket great Ian Healy was left with a wry smile as the Brisbane Lions rolled into the AFL grand final at the MCG.