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Tokyo Olympics: Titmus v Ledecky: Epic locked in
The first encounter in the four-round heavyweight battle to decide whether Ariarne Titmus or Katie Ledecky is the best female swimmer in the world will take place. Don't miss it!
Australia’s super female swimmers are eyeing two more gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday after the race that will stop two nations was officially locked and loaded.
Billed as the first encounter in the four-round heavyweight battle to decide the best female swimmer in the world, Australia’s Ariarne Titmus and her American rival, Katie Ledecky, easily won their heats to book their places in the 400m freestyle final.
Ledecky set the fastest overall time of 4:00.45 with Titmus third in 4:01.66, with the pair set to swim next to each other in lanes four and three.
“I felt really good, probably the most relaxed I’ve actually felt in a long time,” said Titmus, who barely moved out of first gear as she coasted to victory almost five seconds slower than her personal best set at June’s Australian trials.
“I was really relaxed and I just tried to conserve the emotions for tomorrow morning, so I think I did that well and I’m happy to be in one of the middle lanes.
“I had to go out there and have a bit of a hit out, it wasn’t slow, but I’d like to think I’ve got a bit more in the tank for the final.”
Ledecky also took her foot off the gas a long way from home to conserve her energy for the final after noticing that all the fastest qualifiers in the distance events held so far in Tokyo have been beaten after going slower in the final.
“It’s going to be a great race with Ariarne and a lot of great swimmers,” Ledecky said.
“We’re going to be in there, in the middle lanes in all likelihood - it’ll be a great race.”
Emma McKeon, who won gold as a member of the Australian 4x100m freestyle relay that broke the world record on Sunday, will be chasing her second medal in the women’s 100m butterfly after qualifying third overall.
Australia’s men are also in the hunt for a spot on the podium after qualifying third fastest in the men’s relay. Our number one swimmer, Kyle Chalmers, made a surprise appearance in the heat swim.
He said after the race he just wanted to get into the pool after watching our four female sprinters win gold and set a new world record in the women’s 4x100m relay.
Chelsea Hodges made it to the semis of the women’s 100m breaststroke, qualifying 12th, while Mitch Larkin (fourth) and Isaac Cooper (13th) advanced to the next stage of the men’s 100m backstroke.
“It’s such an interesting meet to be honest,” said Larkin, who trains alongside Titmus, Elijah Winnington as well as Meg Harris and Mollie O’Callaghan, who are members of the Australian relay that won gold.
“Seeing them get up and absolutely smash it gave me confidence in knowing the training we are doing is hopefully working.”
Relive all the action in our blog below.
Updates
OlyRoos go down fighting against Spain
The OlyRoos may have lost the match but they didn’t lose any fans after a gritty performance against Spain.
Australia went down 1-0 after a fighting effort in which they were well beaten on possession throughout.
The only goal of the match was scored in the 81st minute by Mikel Oyarzabal.
Eight-time Olympian’s stunning run over
Eight-time Olympic gymnast Oksana Chusovitina wept as she missed out on a final spot in her last ever Games, but received a standing ovation as she left the sport’s biggest stage for the last time.
The 46-year-old was targeting a place in the vault final, and was unable to hide her disappointment when she realised her score was not high enough to keep her in contention.
Athletes and coaches lined up to embrace the legendary athlete, who made her sporting debut in junior competitions in 1987, representing the Soviet Union.
“We thank her for her contributions to artistic gymnastics,” the announcer in Tokyo’s Ariake Gymnastics Centre said as teams, officials and journalists applauded.
She said later she had been crying “tears of happiness, because so many people have supported me for such a long time.
“I’m just so grateful.” Born in Uzbekistan in 1976, Chusovitina’s Olympic odyssey began in Barcelona in 1992, where she won team gold, adding silver in the vault in Beijing 2008.
She has stepped back from the sport before, but when her son Alisher was diagnosed with leukaemia, she returned to help pay his medical bills.
He recovered from illness, and at 24 is now older than many of his mother’s competitors in Tokyo.
With virus rules keeping fans out of the venue, the few dozen people watching Chusovitina in the venue attempted to give her a fitting send-off, but the Uzbek admitted the atmosphere wasn’t what she had hoped.
“I would have loved to have spectators,” she said.
“Of course in terms of performance, it’s better when it’s just you and the apparatus. But every athlete needs this attention and applause.”
“Maybe I’ll skip Paris, and go to Los Angeles for the applause,” she joked. The Uzbek has been at every Olympics since Barcelona in 1992, but insisted there would be no U-turns on her decision to make Tokyo her last Games.
– AFP
Aussies secure place in 4x100m relay final
Erin Smith in Tokyo
A star-packed Aussie men's 4x100m freestyle relay team has come from behind to qualify for tomorrow's final.
Cameron McEvoy touched the wall at the end of his 50m in last place but Zac Incerti managed to gain three places, Alexander Graham two more and Kyle Chalmer finished strong – touching in second behind USA, with a 3.11.89.
Overall Italy, who competed in the first heat, clocked the fastest time, followed by USA and then Australia.
The final will be held tomorrow morning.
Top medal chance out of Games
Scott Gullan
Australia's track and field team has suffered a major blow with Rio bronze medallist Dane Bird-Smith withdrawing for family reasons.
The 20km walker had taken part in the team's camp in Cairns but elected at the last minute not to join the rest of his teammates on the flight to Tokyo.
With the retirement of Olympic legend Jared Tallent, Bird-Smith was Australia's leading chance in the walks given he was also the reigning Commonwealth champion.
The 29-year-old had experienced challenges with his Olympic preparation but had shown signs he'd physically come good in recent times.
“Unfortunately, there have been twists and turns over the last year that all Olympians have had to face," Bird-Smith said.
"For me that includes family health challenges that have become a priority.
“Couple these challenges with difficult travel restrictions around the Covid pandemic, I have made the decision to stay in Australia with my family and withdraw myself from the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo.
“This is a tough decision as an athlete, but it is a decision that will see my desire to compete and win for Australia strongly continue next year and onwards.
"I will be watching on from home, cheering with my family and wish the rest of the Australian team all the very best.”
Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman says he fully understood the difficult decision Bird-Smith had faced putting his family first.
“We’re disappointed for Dane, but he has made the right decision," Chesterman said. "These are difficult circumstances for him and we wish Dane and his family all the very best."
The Australian track and field team is starting to take shape in Tokyo with 25 members from Cairns scheduled to arrive early Monday morning.
Hayden Johnson
Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky have spoken to the media after their swims tonight. Here is what they had to say.
What Ledecky said:
“It doesn’t change anything for prelims.
“I’m just focused on getting my lane for finals and putting myself in a good position.
“It’s going to be a great race with Ariarne and a lot of great swimmers.
“We we’re going be to be in there in the middle lanes in all likelihood – it’ll be a great race."
What Titmus said:
“I felt really good, probably the most relaxed I’ve actually felt in a long time.
“I felt like tonight I was really relaxed and I just tried to conserve the emotions for tomorrow morning so I think I did that well and I’m happy to be in one of the middle lanes.
“I had to go out there and have a bit of a hit out, it wasn’t slow, but I’d like to think I’ve got a bit more in the tank for the final.”
Titmus v Ledecky: Will strategy prove a masterstroke?
Julian Linden in Tokyo
Ariarne Titmus is safely through to her first Olympic final after easily winning her heat of the 400m freestyle and keeping plenty up her sleeve.
The reigning world champion, Titmus hardly moved out of first gear as she coasted to victory in 4:01.66, almost five seconds slower than her personal best set last month.
Her great rival, American Katie Ledecky set the fastest time of 4:00.45, with China’s Li Bingjie second.
Titmus will swim in the lane next to Ledecky in Monday’s final and looks to have a lot in reserve, which could prove a masterstroke after all the swimmers in distance events at these Olympics have struggled to post fast times in the morning after contesting heats the night before.
The fastest qualifiers for the men’s 400m, men’s 400m individual medley and women’s 400m were all beaten after going slower in the final.
OlyRoos update: Scores locked at 0-0
It is getting to the business end of Australia’s clash with Spain and scores are still locked at 0-0.
There is about 30 minutes remaining and both sides are pushing hard in search of that opening goal.
Spain has had more of the play in this second half but the Aussies are holding tough.
Larkin, Cooper secure semi spots
Erin Smith
Former world champ Mitch Larkin and 17-year-old Isaac Cooper are through to the semi-final of the 100m backstroke.
Larkin clocked the fourth fastest time (52.97), behind Kliment Koleshikov, the fastest qualifier at 52.15.
Cooper finished fourth in his heat with a 53.73.
Both Larkin and Cooper will swim in the semi tomorrow morning.
“It’s such an interesting meet to be honest,” Larkin said post-race.
“I was next to (Thomas) Ceccon there tonight – he dropped a 52.1 which is a great swim.
“I have to rest up and get ready for tomorrow morning.
“Looking at the finals swim this morning some were a little slower.
“My goal is to build my swims so I’m pretty happy with that a free an 18-month break from racing internationally so it’s good to get back out there.
Aussie’s massive gamble backfires badly
Julian Linden in Tokyo
Fired up Australian teenager Tommy Neill made it through to the semi-finals of the 200m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics as Elijah Winnington crashed out for the second time in a day.
Neill, 19, won the final heat in one of the most open races at the Olympics in 1:45.81 to qualify eighth for Monday’s semifinals.
“I'm stoked with that one. Good heat swim,” said Neill, who is also entered in the 1500m and the 4x200m relay.
“I knew it was going to be a ding-dong battle. To get through to tomorrow morning it's great.
“It's a bit of a weird week doing 200m through the 1500m. Four laps here. Sprint for me. Which is nice. I'm stoked to put together a good race.”
But there was more disappointment for Winnington, one of Australia's big hopes in Tokyo who missed out on a medal earlier in the day in the 400m freestyle, his favourite event.
Ranked number one in the world, Winnington finished seventh in the final after setting off a suicidal pace and fading badly.
In the 200m, an event he used to hold the junior world record in, he could only manage 22nd place after finishing in 1:46.99.
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