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Tokyo Olympics, day 14: Italian stallions shock the world in relay madness

The void left by Jamaican sprint god Usain Bolt has been filled by the most unexpected of nations in an insane 4x100m relay final.

Andrew McMurtryAndrew McMurtry
@AndrewMcMurtry
less than 2 min read
August 7, 2021 - 1:06AM
Italy came through at the death.
Italy came through at the death.

Australia claimed more medals on day 14 of the Olympics and while none of them were gold, there was plenty to cheer about.

Our beach volleyball duo of Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar were unfortunately outclassed in their gold medal match against the United States but can hold their heads high.

Meanwhile, Australia's last remaining boxing hope Harry Garside put in a massive effort against World No. 1 lightweight amateur Andy Cruz but was beaten in a one-sided contest. However, Garside will still come home with some bronze bling.

Kelsey-Lee Barber, our world champion javelin thrower, claimed bronze with a sensational performance in the final that reduced her to tears. 

Italy then capped off the night by stunning the world with an incredible finish to win the men's 4x100m relay.

Thank you for following another action-packed day with us and tune in for more today. You can catch up on all the latest results here.

Updates

Hawkins buries the yips

Filippo Tortu got his head over the line for the gold.
Filippo Tortu got his head over the line for the gold.

Italy have once again shocked the world on the track, pulling off an insane victory in the men's 4x100m relay.

Earlier this week Lamont Marcell Jacobs was crowned the first 100m champion since the retirement of the legendary Usain Bolt, despite not even being in the conversation prior to the Games.

The Italians were outsiders again in the relay with the likes of Jamaica's Yohan Blake, Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes and Canada's Andre de Grasse all expected to lead their country to the podium.

But it was the Italians who celebrated again with Filippo Tortu getting his head over the line first to claim the gold medal by 0.01 seconds from Great Britain. Canada was third.

Hughes referenced his country's recent football loss to Italy, asking the BBC after the race: "Is this the Euros?"

Nobody could quite believe what they'd seen.

The Danger Zone

Kelsey-Lee Barber has brought home the bronze.
Kelsey-Lee Barber has brought home the bronze.

Aussie Kelsey-Lee Barber has missed out on the silver medal by just 5cm but claimed an incredible bronze medal for Australia.

Barber had suffered the yips and struggled since her 2019 World Championship win but she has claimed an Olympic bronze.

Barber went from last to third in her last throw of qualifying to make the final and has come away to win a medal.

Australia has only made a medal once before in javelin with Lousie McPaul winning silver at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

She was in second for the entire final behind China's Shiying Liu, who claimed gold in 66.34 and Poland's Maria Andrejczyk, who's second throw of 64.61 was only just enough to see off Barber.

It was a historic night for Australia with all three of our competitors going through to the final, as Kathryn Mitchell finished sixth and Mackenzie Little was eighth.

It was the first time it had ever happened for our males or females in a track competition.

Genevieve Gregson was left devastated.
Genevieve Gregson was left devastated.

Aussie 3000m steeplechase runner Genevieve Gregson has given an emotional interview just days after her horror Achilles injury.

The 32-year-old fell on the last jump of the Steeplechase final and was quickly picked up by the medical staff, leaving the stadium with a ruptured Achilles. And it was her birthday.

Devastatingly, it was her right Achilles after she'd had issues with her left.

Speaking on Friday night, Gregson was clearly still heartbroken, but vowed not to be finished in the sport.

"It's raw, it's hard. I'm not okay yet but I will be," she said. "I haven't spoken to many people so that's why I'm a bit vulnerable right now but I'll be happy soon. Just getting through it."

Gregson said her friends, family and her husband were all hurting with her, but she said the reaction from the Australian public had "been insane".

She said her left Achilles had been causing her issues since Rio and she had been compensating by putting extra pressure on her left side and "something had to give".

She said when she grabbed her ankle she felt there was no tendon and "just laid there in disbelief but I almost expected it".

Teddy Vlock had a terrifying fall.
Teddy Vlock had a terrifying fall.

A terrifying fall rocked the team jumping event at Tokyo's Equestrian Centre on Friday night.

Israel's Teddy Vlock was the 23rd rider out of the gate but his horse baulked at just the second jump on the course. Then at the eighth jump, his gelding Amsterdam 27 collided with the bars as both horse and rider went tumbling.

The horse eventually recovered and galloped away, but Vlock remained face down on the sand. He lay motionless for about 15 seconds as terrified gasps emanated from the sparse crowd, which was shocked by the incident.

Medics and officials rushed to his aid and formed a circle around the rider. At first they tried to put a neck brace on him, but the Israeli eventually showed signs of movement and was helped to his feet.

Vlock was assisted off the course after a short break, walking away gingerly.

AFL legend gets Lions star off

The Aussie players were gutted by the loss.
The Aussie players were gutted by the loss.

The Aussie men's hockey team has reportedly breached the Olympic bubble as the side licked their wounds.

The Kookaburras lost the gold medal match to Belgium in the most heartbreaking fashion as the 1-all score at full-time meant they had to go to one-on-ones, with the Belgians claiming its first ever gold.

But as the boys drowned their sorrows after the devastating loss, they have reportedly breached Covid restrictions to get two cases of beer at 3am.

All players have tested negative but Fox Sports' Christy Doran said it was a "clear Covid breach".

Aussie chef de mission Ian Chesterman said the players were wearing masks at all times but left the village for 20 minutes.

He also said they self reported the breach and there would be no further sanctions.

“While I understand the players’ disappointment following their loss in the gold medal match, we have been abundantly clear about the expectations of this team while we’re in Tokyo,” Chesterman said.

“The rules are there to keep the team safe and for us to keep our commitment to the Games’ organisers and to the Japanese people.”

The players are said to be extremely remorseful and were being isolated in their rooms.

But their remorse meant little to Aussie coach Colin Batch, who said the players "embarrassed" the Kookaburras.

The velodrome has been packed with stacks and wild moments but the return of the madison and debut of the race for women has left some people gobsmacked.

The madison is a bonkers concept that is basically the relay of the cycling world.

While it had been raced for men in 2000, 2004 and 2008, it was dropped for 2012 and 2016 because there was no women's version.

But it's back in Tokyo with the women getting their shot at the madness.

Basically, teams of two riders are in a relay for 120 laps or 30km in the women's (200 laps for men) where the riders swap in and out.

But it's not just a straight race with predetermined moments in the race seeing the teams sprint for points, where the riders either touch or hand sling the other rider.

There have already been some spills and while GB is dominating the women's event, it feels like it could be anyones at any time with riders everywhere all over the track.

With 28 laps to go, one of Australia's riders was taken out when the Belgian pair stuffed a handover and one of the riders slid into their back wheel.

Australia was fourth at that point with nine sprint points.

The moment the Aussie's race came crashing down.
The moment the Aussie's race came crashing down.

Great Britain went on to win the gold in a dominant victory.

But it's such a confusing race for the casual fans that the Danish pair didn't even realise they'd won silver until it came up on the board at the end of the race.

ROC claimed bronze.

All Blacks get two man advantage

Andrew McMurtry
Andrew McMurtry

Australia could be set for another medal – and Tokyo could be to thank for it.

The women's golf is set for a huge finish with six competitors well in the hunt for medals.

At the end of 54 holes, American Nelly Korda has one hand on the gold with a three-stroke lead at 15-under ahead of India's Aditi Ashok in second on 12-under.

There is a four-way tie for third, with New Zealand's Lydia Ko, Denmark's Emily Kristine Pedersen, Japan's Mone Inami and Aussie Hannah Green are all 10-under and hunting a podium.

Hannah Green is in striking distance of bronze.
Hannah Green is in striking distance of bronze.

A tropical storm is looming over Tokyo, which could disrupt the golf and cause an early end to the tournament after 54 holes – and potentially stack the bronze medal position on the podium.

Lightning is expected on Saturday with Sunday set for more rain and thunderstorms.

Play will start early on Saturday to try and finish the final round in time. Rain won't stop things but lightning will.

If inclement weather ruins the party and prevents the full 72 holes from being completed, then Green could walk away with bronze on a stepped bottom step of the podium.

Gallen vs Hodges updates

Second in the heat but first in the repechage has McCulloch through.
Second in the heat but first in the repechage has McCulloch through.

Kaarle McCulloch has made it through the first round of the track cycling but had to go the hard way.

New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews beat the Aussie in their head to head with McCulloch needing to go through the repechage round, taking out race 3 and making it into the round of 16.

Kaarle McCulloch has started the track cycling sprint well and after 13 riders is sitting in seconds with a quick time of 10.679.

It's under the previous Olympic record time of 10.721 but is second to New Zealand's Ellesse Andrews.

That was early but McCullouch finished 14th overall as German Lea Sophie Freidrich was fastest at 10.310.

Source: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

Aussie boxer Harry Garside was won a bronze medal after losing his semi-final to Andy Cruz.

The judges awarded Cruz a unanimous points decision victory to crush Garside's hopes of claiming gold.

The Australian fighter has been a great story in Tokyo but he was no match for a two-time world champion.

Garside started with promise but Cruz landed the more punishing combinations in the first round.

The Cuban maintained the rage in the second and there was more of the same in the third as he sealed the deal. Garside received a standing count but fought his way through to the final bell.

Both losers of the two boxing semi-finals receive bronze medals.

Garside's bronze medal is Australia's first in men's boxing since 1988, ending a 31-year hoodoo in the sport.

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