Tokyo Olympics day 8 results: Rohan Browning, Matthew Denny star for Australia in track and field
The best performance by an Australian male in athletics at an Olympics wasn't enough for larrikin discus thrower Matt Denny to medal.
Olympic Team and Emily Benammar
2 min read
July 31, 2021 - 11:01PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
“Less than the length of a beer can” was how Matt Denny processed his oh-so-close fourth in the men’s discus final, declaring he finally feels like one of the big boys after a stunning display at the Olympic Stadium.
The Aussie hurled a personal best of more than 80cm with his final attempt of the night, falling an agonisingly close 5cm to Austrian Lukas Weisshaidinger in third.
“Five centimetres. Less than a beer can. I definitely need a gin or two after this,” Denny said.
“Yeah, it hurts. I’m happy – best performance by an Australian male in athletics at an Olympics, but my goal is not to do that, it’s to win, to do my best and I knew I had more there so it just kills.”
The boy from Allora in country Queensland knew he’d thrown himself close to a medal as soon as the discus left his hand – the wait for the distance to show on the screen an eternity to he, his competitors and those lucky few inside the stadium.
“I hit it and I knew it was good. I knew it was better but yeah, it felt like a while that’s for sure,” Denny said.
“To know I was just off and to see that four … four sucks. Fourth sucks man.”
Pre-Games gold medal favourite Daniel Stahl of Sweden tossed 68.90 to claim gold, ahead of compatriot Simon Pettersson’s 67.39m.
Australia's Matthew Denny reacts while competing in the men's discus throw final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 31, 2021. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)
Before the Games Denny said it was a battle for the minor medals, with Stahl a head and shoulders favourite to claim gold.
And though the big Swede did so, Denny’s performance gave the Aussie confidence his time may soon come.
“I’ll be really honest – it’s funny for me. I’m six (foot) five, right. So when I go to Europe … because I’m not competing against those guys all the time, Daniel is six-eight … all these boys are so much bigger than me,” Denny said.
“Even in 2019 going over there I can feel smaller than them. Sometimes, it’s a little bit of a check-up when I get there.
“But now, when I saw everyone and started competition yesterday I didn’t feel that anymore. I always felt like I belonged but now it’s like, ‘we’re on, you can do this’.
“I’m glad that I know where I stand now.”
No beers and no gin for Denny, who with a larrikin grin lamented at the closed bars in Tokyo.
But surely the local pub in Allora is sinking plenty in his honour after his incredible showing tonight.
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Updates
Dream Team reverses nightmare
Joe Barton in Tokyo
Well….. that got out of hand very quickly. And Team USA suddenly looks very, very scary again.
The Czech Republic had designs on being the latest team to upset the mighty Team USA when they burst out of the blocks to take a 25-18 quarter-time lead.
But midway through the second quarter, the flick was switched and Team USA looked every bit the world's best basketball team again as they blew the Czechs out of the water to the tune of 119-84.
Through the final three quarters the USA outscored their opponents 101-59 and had contributions from everywhere.
Kevin Durant started the avalanche in the second quarter, and finished with 23 points, but it was Boston's Jayson Tatum who had a game-high 27 – and Zach LaVine's 13 points on 5-7 shooting
The upset has been avoided, the quarter-final spot booked, and Team USA once again has every other remaining Olympic team looking over their shoulder – including the undefeated Boomers.
Dream Team struggling again
heath.kelly
By Joe Barton in Tokyo
For a while, it looked like it was happening again. You know, that nightmare that Gregg Popovich has had a few times in the past couple of weeks where his mighty team of All-Stars melts into the court and gets outhustled by a team of players earning a fraction of their opponents. It happened against Nigeria and Australia in warm-up games, and then France in their Tokyo opener – a first Olympic loss in 17 years. And tonight, in their final Group A game at the Saitama Super Arena, the Czech Republic haven't flinched – charging out of the blocks to snatch a 19-9 lead as the Illinois-born Blake Schilb ripped them to pieces. The Czechs led at quarter-time, and it wasn't until halftime neared that Kevin Durant's offensive burst – he has 13 points – gave the USA the lead. They hold a 47-43 advantage at the main break, firmly aware they can't afford another slipup – or their Olympics will be over..
Jamaica sweep the women's 100m final
heath.kelly
By Scott Gullan in Tokyo
DEFENDING champion Elaine Thompson-Herah has led a record-breaking Jamaican shakedown of the women's 100m final.
While Florence Griffith Joyner's world record remains intact, her Olympic record from 1988 now belongs to Thompson-Herah who claimed her second Olympic title in a scintillating 10.61sec.
It was a yellow and green domination with two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce taking silver in 10.74sec with Shericka Jackson winning bronze in a personal best 10.76sec.
Thompson-Herah, 29, who also won the 200m gold at the 2016 Games, started brilliantly from lane four and in an enthralling battle over the final 20m managed to hold off Fraser-Pryce, who exploded out of the blocks, on her outside.
Fraser-Pryce, 34, had been trying to emulate Usain Bolt by winning a third 100m Olympic gold medal after victories in Beijing and London, backed up with a bronze in Rio.
The expectation of something seriously fast had been raised in Friday's heats – six women went under 11 seconds – and this was again confirmed in the semi-finals.
Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah celebrates victory in the 100m final. Picture: Getty
There has been plenty of talk in the lead-up to Tokyo about the revolutionary Nike spikes which have flooded the sport over the past 12 months and resulted in records falling almost weekly.
This development combined with the fast Tokyo track was the perfect recipe for sprinters.
And Thompson-Herah capitalized.
While Griffith-Joyner's world record of 10.49sec, also set in 1988, survived, her Olympic mark of 10.62sec from the Seoul Olympics was taken down by just 0.01sec.
Thompson-Herah had sent a message to her teammates when two hours earlier she clocked 10.76sec in easily the most impressive semi-final win.
Winner Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah (C) poses with second-placed Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (L) and third-placed Jamaica's Shericka Jackson (R) after the women's 100m final
A shadow was cast over the women's 100m earlier in the day when Nigeria's medal chance Blessing Okagabare was kicked out of the Games for a positive drug test.
Less than 24 hours after winning her heat, it was revealed that the former Commonwealth champion had tested positive for human growth hormone in an out-of-competition test on July 19.
Okagbare, 32, was expected to challenge in the final after easily winning her heat in 11.05sec on Friday.
And there was another big name missing with British star Dina Asher Smith missing out on a place in the final and then pulling out of the 200m because of a hamstring injury.
The world 100m silver medallist and 200m champion from Doha 2019 was overtaken late in the opening semi-final heat, pipped by Switzerland's Ajla del Ponte for second automatic qualifying spot.
Denning smashes PB in discus
heath.kelly
By Callum Dick in Tokyo
Matthew Denny has thrown a lifetime best 67.02m with his final attempt of the men's discus final, falling an agonisingly close 6cm from claiming bronze.
Denny – and everyone inside the Olympic Stadium – sat with baited breath waiting for his throw to register on the big screen.
It proved a bittersweet moment for the Queenslander, who set a personal best by almost 80cm to come within a whisker of the podium.
Austrian Lukas Weisshaidinger's 67.07m throw in the second round proved a mark a touch too far for the Aussie.
The boy from Allora led all-comers after the first round of attempts, recording 65.76m with his opening throw to take an unlikely lead.
That quickly changed in the second round, when eventual bronze medalist, Austrian Lukas Weisshaidinger, tossed 66.65m.
Enter 2019 world championships gold medalist Daniel Stahl and his booming throw of 68.90 – quickly establishing the 2019 world championship winner as the man to beat in the final.
It was a mark that would stand the test of time, and the challenge laid down by compatriot Simon Pettersson, whose 67.39m in the fifth round proved good for silver.
Liam Twomey
The action from the track isn’t slowing down. We are about 25 minutes away from the women’s 100m final.
Browning bombshell: Aussie stuns world to win 100m heat
Liam Twomey
By Scott Gullan in Tokyo
ROHAN Browning is now Australia's second fastest man and an Olympic semi-finalist.
In an extraordinary performance the Sydney university student stunned the world by winning his 100m heat in a personal best 10.01sec.
Browning now moves past Matt Shirvington on the all-time list and has Patrick Johnson's 9.93sec national record in his sights.
Running from lane one, the 23-year-old started brilliantly and then held off former world champion Yohan Blake over the final stages.
Shirvington was the last Australian to make it through to an Olympic semi-final in Sydney in 2000.
Rohan Browning leads home the field to and now has a semi-final spot at the Olympic Games.
Hec Hogan is Australia's only medallist winning bronze in 1956.
There was a major surprise in an earlier heat with the world's fastest man this year, American Trayvon Bromell, finishing fourth and outside the automatic qualifying positions.
He did manage to progress through to the semi-finals – the first three in each heat are automatic – as one of three fastest losers.
There were plenty of impressive performances including a national record of 9.94 by Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs.
Canada's Andre de Grasse who has long been annointed as Bolt's replacement reminded everyone of his talent with a 9.91sec heat win.
"I doubt those guys have any idea who I am. I've been training and racing in Australia. I've been dying for world-class competition," Browning told Channel 7 straight after the race.
Rohan Browning after making it through to the final.
"That's what I was looking forward to today. I had a look at the start list, I thought I've got one of the stiffest heats. You'd rather do it the hard way, it is much more satisfying. You have to front up to everybody at some point.
"About six weeks ago, I had three cortisone injections in my knee to try and fix up a problem I had off the back of the national championships. I had a lot of trust in my coach. He got me back in shape. I'm happy with that one.
" A lot of media pundits who were writing well-meaning stories about how great it would be for me to make a final. I've never been here just to make a final. No matter what the bookies say, the pundits or the punters. I hope there are a few more believers tonight."
Browning’s stunning run. wins heat
Liam Twomey
Amazing! Rohan Browning has just posted a time of 10:01 to win his heat and qualify for the semi-finals.
No Australian has ever run faster at an Olympic Games.
1 R. Browning – Australia 10.01 Qualified
2 Y. Blake – Jamaica 10.06 Qualified
3 C. Ujah -Great Britain 10.08
4 B. Azamati-Kwaku – Ghana 10.13
5 K. Musah -Denmark 10.20
6 R. Do Nascimento – Brazil 10.24
7 J. Volko -Slovakia 10.40
8 Y.E. Romero – Nicaragua 10.70
Men's 100m heats: controversial red card given
Liam Twomey
Brianna Travers in Tokyo
There’s been a controversial red card given in the men’s 100m heats at Tokyo Stadium.
Nigerian sprinter Divine Oduduru was given a red card, disqualifying him from the fifth 100m heat in tonight’s athletics program after he false started.
It comes as the same heat had an earlier false start, where Great Britain’s Reece Prescod received a green card.
Frayne misses place in long jump semi-finals
Liam Twomey
Madeline Crittenden in Tokyo
Aussie long-jumper Henry Frayne has failed to qualify for the semi-finals in his third Olympic Games.
Under the long jump format, athletes are given three attempts to meet the qualifying standard with the best attempt counting.
The athletes that meet the standard will automatically reach the final round.
Frayne, the reigning Commonwealth silver medallist, posted two jumps at 7.82M, putting him in eighth position, while his third jump was slightly better, measuring 7.93M.
The jump pushed him up the ranks into sixth position in his group, but it wasn’t enough to qualify him.
During the competition, Frayne wore a black armband in honour of his agent Andy Stubbs who recently died.
Hot favourite’s nervous wait for 100
Liam Twomey
Madeline Crittenden in Tokyo
The hot favourite for a gold medal in the men’s 100m sprint has failed to automatically qualify for the semi finals.
Trayvon Bromell is the seventh fastest man in history and was tipped to win gold in Tokyo.
However, in his qualifier, the USA athlete ran a time of 10.05, placing him in fourth spot.
He will have to wait for other results to know if he can compete in the finals series.
