This article titled "Rio Olympics 2016: Bolt and Murray win back-to-back golds – live!" was written by Russell Jackson, Les Roopanarine, Gerard Meagher , Alan Smith, Tim Hill,Hunter Felt (earlier) and Claire Phipps (now), for theguardian.com on Monday 15th August 2016 04.34 UTCA ringing round of boos greeted US sprinter Justin Gatlin as he stepped out on to the track ahead of the 100m final. Twice-banned, Gatlin has argued that he has served his time for those misdemeanours. And after the race he said he’d like the antipathy to stop:
The whole issue was over a decade ago. I’ve been in track and field over 16 years.
I get that people want to see a rivalry between me and Usain. I can understand that. I’m a competitor, he’s a competitor. Let the best man win. Today, Usain was the best man. Hats off to him.
The people who were booing me don’t even know me. We all have respect for each other. I would like to see everyone have respect in the audience as well.
Ha ha, nice try, New Zealand:
NEW ZEALAND is at the TOP of the Olympic medal table — at least if you go by population! https://t.co/ryT9wdKz4t #Rio2016
— nzherald (@nzherald) August 15, 2016
He might have been tired, but here’s a searing shot by Andy Murray. Told by the BBC’s John Inverdale that he was the first person to win two Olympic gold medals, Murray pointed out the presenter’s mistake:
Venus and Serena have won four each.
Is it too obvious to say that was ace?
Reuters has some quotes on what it describes as the US men’s basketball team’s “nervy 100-97 win” over France.
American guard Paul George admitted:
Personally I felt we were going to dominate these games that they were going to come easy. But you start playing better competition, you see these teams are pretty good.
Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said he was unconcerned:
At the end of the day, no one will ask you anything else except if you have won. While you are approaching that winning you are asked a bunch of other things.
I think we are getting better offensively and we have to get better defensively.
French centre Rudy Gobert was rather grudging in defeat:
Today they did not play very well and still won so they are still the favourites.
Back to the women’s beach volleyball, USA v Australia:
Turns out there’s a reason Walsh Jennings has three gold medals on her mantle, and her partner Ross isn’t a slouch either.
Australia’s Clancy and Bawden are scrapping well here, but some sublime touches and preternatural awareness sees the US duo pulling away.
They’ve just clinched it 2-0 now; that set’s finished 21-16. Hard on the Aussies who didn’t lose a game in qualifying, but they’ve come up against the champs, and the champs have spoken emphatically.
Andy Murray – I’d say fresh from victory but he was far too knackered to be fresh – is already on his way out of Rio, hopping on a plane to the US, where he’ll play in the Cincinnati Masters this week and then the US Open.
He is, he told reporters, “so tired”:
This has been much harder than London. The match in the final there was fairly straightforward in terms of the scoreline, whereas tonight anything could have happened in play, breaks of serve all the time, so many ups and downs.
Yes, this means a lot. But I won’t get to enjoy it as much, as I’ve got to play another match in 48 hours, unfortunately.
Eagle-eyed commenter TheCedarRoom points out that the result of one of the selfies taken by the women’s heptathlon medallists with Usain Bolt, as pictured above, can be seen on Brianne Theisen-Eaton’s Instagram account:
Back at the women’s beach volleyball, and the USA have taken the first set against the Australian pair 21-14, and currently lead 6-3 in the second.
We have a result in the men’s basketball, which has finished Serbia 94-60 China.
Australia’s big hopes in the beach volleyball, Taliqua Clancy and Louise Bawden have set to the sands in the women’s quarter-finals. And at the other end? Only USA’s April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings. You might remember Walsh Jennings – she’s won gold in the event at London, and Beijing. And Athens.
It’s currently a pretty even affair, with the Australians leading 8-7 in the first set, but there’s obviously a long way to go.
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Here’s new 400m world record-holder Wayde van Nierkerk on his coach – 74-year-old Ans Botha:
She’s an amazing woman. She has played a huge role in who I am today and kept me very disciplined and very focused on the role and who I need to be.
I’m very grateful my coach has pushed me to the limit. Anything is possible. I’m just grateful I can trust in her work.
(By the way, although Botha appears to be a great-grandmother, we don’t think she’s his great-grandmother, as widely reported. Our genealogy reporters are on the case.)
Would you believe me if I told you that Van Niekerk is coached by his 74-year-old great grandmother? It’s true. pic.twitter.com/NwYCNDxfwe
— Chris Chavez (@ChrisChavezSI) August 15, 2016
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It’s now 90-48 to Serbia in the men’s basketball game against China, with less than four minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Wayde Van Niekerk, who earlier broke the 400m world record in 43.03 sec, has just been asked by one British journalist whether people can trust his record:
You can’t be anyone’s favourite; what I can do is control the controllables, and stay as disciplined as I can be and focused on goals and life.
The beginning of the year I had the opportunity to break the sub-10 as I believe the talent God has blessed me.
Another British journalist tells him he hasn’t answered the question. What do you say to people who say you are on drugs, he asks. Van Niekerk’s reply:
I know I am not.
The men’s basketball thunders on – it’s 10 minutes to midnight in Rio – and Serbia lead China 78-40 in the third quarter.
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100m gold medallist Usain Bolt, still making his way through the usual frenzy of microphones, cameras and hangers-on, told the BBC he was unhappy with the amount of time he was given to recover between the semi-final and final.
To be honest, much about the scheduling of the athletics in Rio leaves a little to be desired. Bolt reckons he could have gone quicker than his winning time of 9.81 seconds had he been given longer to recover after the semi finals.
Bolt told the BBC:
After the semi-finals I felt extremely good. I wanted to run faster but the turnaround time that they gave us … normally we get two hours and 20 minutes – we got like an hour and 20 minutes.
So we didn’t get any time to rest, to put our feet up and get the lactic [acid] out. We had to come right back out. It’s challenging but this is what we train for.
Bolt, who beat Justin Gatlin into second place, also expressed surprise at the vociferous booing aimed at the twice-banned American before the start:
I was surprised. It’s the first time that I’ve ever come out into a stadium and they [fans] have actually booed someone.
It was shocking but I didn’t care about that. I’m here to perform and do what I have to do.
This is Claire Phipps taking over the close of day nine from Sydney.
And the ever-classy Michael Johnson has tweeted his congratulations to Wayde van Niekerk, the South African whippersnapper who just took Johnson’s longstanding world record in the 400m:
Congratulations @WaydeDreamer to you and your coach! Well done and deserved. Olympic Gold and World record. I know the feeling! #Rio2016
— Michael Johnson (@MJGold) August 15, 2016
And that’s it from me for today as well. Thanks for putting up with my increasingly harried attempts to keep up with everything tonight. I’m turning over this blog to the capable hands of Claire Phipps in Australia.
Women’s Handball: And that’s it for handball for today. South Korea held on to defeat Argentina 28-22.
Men’s Basketball: And I would be lying to say if I weren’t particularly invested in this game. Serbia need a win to advance. Well, they’re in good shape so far. They have a 40-28 lead over China in the final minute of the first half.
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Women’s beach volleyball quarterfinal: And as promised, we have Brazil vs Russia playing each other in both types of volleyball now as Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas (BRA) face Evgenijya Ukolova/Ekaterina Birlova (RUS).
Women’s handball: We’re in the 19th minute of the second half and South Korea have a 22-15 lead over Argentina. Can they keep hold of it with 11 minutes to go?
Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen has indeed won gold in the triple jump. No word yet from Barney Ronay on the status of the roof above her cheering section.
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Women’s volleyball: Brazil is up 18-15 on Russia in the first set. Funnily enough, Brazil and Russia will also be playing each other in beach volleyball coming up next hour. That won’t get confusing at all.
Men’s basketball: Serbia has a 14-9 lead over China in the first quarter. Have to think Serbia have gotten a lot of confidence following their near-upset of the US.
Women’s handball: The second half has just begun with South Korea ahead of Argentina 13-10.
Women’s team table tennis semifinals: Badminton is done for the day, but we still have table tennis. Germany and Japan are 2-2.
Mixed Doubles badminton quarterfinals: China beat South Korea 2-0.
Meanwhile in track, Usain Bolt has beaten Justin Gatlin in the 100m final. That’s his third straight gold in the event. Again: Tom Lutz’s track and field liveblog has all the details.
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Hey, were you afraid that we would run out of events to focus on? Well, have no fear. In a few minutes we’ll have more group play action with Serbia facing China in men’s basketball and Brazil facing Russia in women’s volleyball!
Badminton Mixed doubles: China is up 1-0 on South Korea in a quarterfinal matchup.
Women’s team table tennis: Germany are up 2-1 over Japan in this semifinal matchup.
Women’s Handball: South Korea are up 11-9 over Argentina at the 23:00 mark.
Van Niekerk sets a world record
South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk has set a world record in the 400m along with the gold. For the lowdown on that, and complete coverage of tonight’s track and field escapades, follow Tom Lutz’s liveblog.
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And the Guardian’s Barney Ronay on the 1500m and the triple jump:
Laura Muir of Kinross-shire is in the final of the women’s 1500m, pelting away with a breakaway group in her heat to drift in a comfortable third. It was a pretty cagey heat, with Muir showing her speed in glimpses. She looks a pretty small, wan figure at times but there’s a snap in her stride. Making the final here aged 23 is a bonus for the new British record holder, who went sub-Holmes just a month ago. She will run without pressure in the final. It’s not impossible you know. And while we’re on just a word on Caterine Ibraguen in the triple jump. What an athlete! The stadium on that side is full of Colombian fans, flags draped over the rails, and she’s putting on a real show. Ibarguen is the favourite and now the leader having just jumped 15.18. above all she is just a genuinely compelling spectacle, all bounding muscle and grace, plus a real performer too. In slow mo you can see her grinning even as she flies through the air. If she wins this (part of) the roof (by the Colombians) will come off.
[This post was edited to change Columbia to Colombia because it’s Colombia.]
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Men’s Water Polo: Hungary ended up beating Brazil by the final score of 10-6. No crazy last second comebacks in this one.
The Guardian’s Owen Gibson is at Olympic Stadium with this “Atmosphere Update”:
A lively atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium tonight, with a particularly vociferous band of Colombians backing the imperious Caterine Ibarguen in the women’s triple jump. She leads with a huge leap of 15.17 after four rounds. Plenty of Jamaican flags in evidence too. Still, it should be all but full. It is the blue riband night of what is still - despite all the lying, the cheating and the corruption - the number one sport in the Games. For just under 10 seconds at 10.25pm local time, it will be the centre of the world. In fact, it’s a bit disappointing to see any empty seats at all. Justin Gatlin was well received yesterday in his heat but quite loudly booed tonight ahead of the semi finals. As you would expect, it’s quite clear who the majority of the crowd want to win the 100m final - and it’s not the American.
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Men’s Field Hockey: Germany scores TWICE in the last minute, including an almost literal last second goal, for a crazy 3-2 comeback win over New Zealand. Rough way to go out for New Zealand.
Women’s volleyball: Japan have taken the third set of the match! They will advance to the quarterfinals.
Men’s Water Polo: Hungary are up 8-4 on Brazil in the fourth quarter. Seems pretty comfortable for them.
Nope, make that 9-4. Yeah I’m guessing that this one is basically settled.
Women’s Handball: And in handball, Argentina will face South Korea in around 10 minutes. I think… I think that’s everything non-track and field related going on right now.
*wipes brow*
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Badminton: Okay I now officially feel like one of those plate spinners, just desperately trying to get to everything in time before things start crashing
The women’s singles (preliminaries) are in progress. Meanwhile, the mixed doubles quarterfinals will be later tonight.
Women’s team table tennis: German and Japan are knotted up 1-1 in a semifinals matchup.
Men’s Water Polo: Hungary have a comfortable 5-1 lead over Brazil in pool play the preliminaries at halftime.
Women’s volleyball Group A: Japan are up 1-0 over Argentina and seem in control, at least that’s what I’m getting from the tone of voice that the announcers are using.
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Men’s field hockey: New Zealand are 1-0 over Germany in the quarterfinals at the start of the 3rd quarter.
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Murray wins gold!
Okay, I will give one tennis update, the last one you’ll need today, Andy Murray has just won gold for Great Britain! Follow Jacob Steinberg’s liveblog for the full details!
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And this is Hunter Felt returning from my earlier shift blogging men’s basketball to cover, well, everything that’s going on that isn’t track & field or tennis. There’s a lot of very different events going on, so this may end up being a tad madcap but that’s the fun of the Olympics.
Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
I’m going to hand over to Hunter Felt, who’ll take you through the last hours of the evening. Remember, Jacob Steinberg is following the men’s tennis final, and Tom Lutz has the big news from the Olympic Stadium, where Justin Gatlin faces Usain Bolt. Thanks for reading.
Strong shooting from beyond the perimeter by Chris Goulding has seen Australia comfortably home at the basketball in their final group stage game with Venezuela. The Tasmanian-born shooting guard hit 22 points as the Boomers finished the fourth quarter strongly, it ended 81-56.
China's Suping Meng wins weightlifting gold!
More gold for China, this time in the women’s +75kg. North Korea’s Kuk Hyang Kim was second, and Sarah Robles of USA took bronze.
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Top seed Lee Chong Wei cruised into the last 16 of the men’s singles at the Olympic badminton on Sunday, Reuters reports.
Lee, bidding for Malaysia’s first Olympic gold medal after winning silver to Lin Dan at Beijing and London, laboured early against Singaporean Derek Wong but stepped up a gear to close out the pool match 21-18 21-8 at the Riocentro.
“I am OK. I think in the first game I made a lot of simple mistakes and in the second game I increased my speed and made less mistakes,” the 33-year-old told reporters.
Lee is under huge pressure to bow out with a title in his Olympic swansong, having been ranked the world number one for much of his career but never won a major trophy. “Everyone is hoping for a gold medal from the Olympics,” he said. “I am not able to predict the result. As this is my last Olympics, it is more important for me to just fight, fight and fight.”
Del Potro has broken Murray in the fourth! What a final this is. More from Jacob Steinberg here:
Here’s Richard Parkin with more from the men’s basketball:
Australia lead Venezuela 53-43 after three quarter time, pulling a further three points away, as they outscored the South Americans 21-18 in the third stanza. A possible serious injury to Cam Bairstow was, however, a sour note with the Australian forward leaving courtside with a possible dislocation.
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There’s lots going on in Olympic action this evening, but the main focus is on track and field, and in particular that mouthwatering contest between Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin in the men’s 100m final, which gets going at about 10.25pm local time. Tom Lutz has all the latest from the Olympic Stadium here:
Lochte: US swimmers 'safe and unharmed'
Ryan Lochte has thanked family, friends and fans for their support after his scary ordeal earlier on Sunday morning. The US swim star and his team-mates were held up at gunpoint by men posing as police officers, who stopped their taxi and took their money and belongings. Lochte told NBC that one of the men put a gun to his forehead before taking his wallet. No one was injured.
About an hour ago, he posted this message on Instagram:
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A new rule for Australia’s Olympic athletes: no beaches after dark. Read more here:
Andy Murray wins the third set! He’s now one set from another Olympic gold. (The men’s final is a five-set affair, of course.) More details here:
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Having burned up the track in the individual pursuit to finish second behind event leader and defending champion Lasse Hansen from Denmark, Mark Cavendish has cost himself a few valuable points in the greatest bike race of them all: the elimination (aka Devil Take The Hindmost).
Having seen Hansen go out first, Cavendish was eliminated in seventh place for an infraction of the rules when he tried to go up the inside of the track and strayed on to the Côte d’Azur, the blue ring bordering the base of the track.
He was furious with himself and thumped the handlebars with frustration, but still goes into day two of the omnium in the bronze medal position behind Thomas Boudat from France and Elia Viviani from Italy.
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More Australians in action at the moment over in the basketball – the Boomers are in action against Venezuela in their final Group A outing. Patty Mills is missing from the lineup but even without him, Australia are looking good – they lead 32-15 at the half-time break and if they can hold onto that lead, they’ll secure second place in their pool.
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All over at Deodoro and all over for Australia’s men’s hockey team. They fall to a far superior Netherlands team on the night; the Dutch join Argentina and Belgium in the semis. There is still some hope for Antipodean involvement in the last four, however, with New Zealand taking on Germany for the final spot.
In the elimination race, Britain’s Mark Cavendish finished in seventh place after coming up the inside of the home straight. He sits third in the men’s omnium currently.
The standings after today’s three omnium events: Boudat of France on 106 points, Viviani of Italy with 104, GB’s Cavendish 96, Kluge of Germany 90, Gaviria of Colombia 90, and Hansen of Denmark 86.
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Men’s hockey: And that should be that as Mink van der Weerden scores from a penalty corner to open up a 4-0 lead for the Dutch. With 11 minutes left on the clock, you’d imagine there’s no way back for Australia now.
France win men's fencing gold!
A result in the men’s team epee final: Italy, the most successful fencing nation in Olympic history, have been beaten 45-31 by France, the second most successful. The French men won gold in 2004 and 2008, but missed out on a medal completely in 2012 – the first time since 1960 France hadn’t tasted Olympic success.
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The men’s tennis final could be going the distance – Juan Martin del Potro has just won the second set 6-4. Follow all the action here with Jacob Steinberg:
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Russia's Roman Vlasov win wrestling gold!
Another Olympic gold for Vlasov, who beat Denmark’s Mark Madsen in the 75kg Greco-Roman final. Vlasov won gold in the 74kg category at London 2012.
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Men’s hockey: It’s three-quarter-time in the quarter-final and that mountain Australia were facing has gone from Sugar Loaf to Himalayan proportions. They’ll need something special from the final 15 minutes of play if they are to overturn the Dutch three-goal lead. The way they’ve been playing tonight, though, it looks like a big ask.
Thanks Alan. Yep, big expectations for a major night in track and field, including Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin in the men’s 100m final. There’s also Kirani James and LaShawn Merritt in the men’s 400m final, and Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen goes for gold in the women’s triple jump final. The swimming’s all finished now, but there’s action tonight in hockey, basketball, volleyball, table tennis and weightlifting, and we’ll be sure to bring you all the latest, as it happens.
That’s all from me for day nine. I’ll pass the baton on to Tim Hill after five and a bit hours hurtling around the track. Don’t go, though – it’s almost track and field time.
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There are huge queues outside the Olympic Stadium in Rio ahead of Bolt night, with fans snaking round the corner all the way from one gate to the next. This is of course good news for the assembled media, who can now complain instead about the terrible crush, too many people coming in, not enough empty seats etc. It’s a muggy, hot night in the old Nilton Santos. The people in blue blazers are mithering about fiddling with the fixings, photographers are bustling about, the stage being set. The idea of a lightning quick track in Rio De Janeiro seems something of a stretch given the rest of these Games, which have involved for most on the periphery an endless stream of delays and interminable journeys. Who knows, perhaps Bolt will win in 24 seconds tonight having got lost three times long the way. Either way this really is the ultimate test of how well Brazil has managed to stage and sell and fluff the Olympics. Empty seats here and they might as well give the Games back.
Coming soon …
Has anyone written the obligatory "these brave Olympians should make every single English professional footballer ashamed" thing yet?
— Tom Davies (@tomdaviesE17) August 14, 2016
Lasse Hansen has set a new Olympic record of 4min 14.982 sec in the omnium individual pursuit to take control two events in. That record used to belong to Bradley Wiggins, set in Beijing eight years ago.
And another! Midway through the third quarter at Deodoro, the Dutch make it 3-0, Valentin Verga finishing with aplomb into the roof of the net, leaving Australian keeper Andrew Charter down and out in a heap in the back of the net in the process – which serves as a neat little snapshot of where Australia’s chances currently lie.
Andy Murray trails by a break (3-2) in the second set of the tennis final.
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Mark Cavendish leads the omnium after the individual pursuit. More from Barry Glendenning at the velodrome soon, but Cavendish was substantially quicker than in 2012.
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The Netherlands score a second and Australia now have a mountain to climb if they’re to turn this one around. Robert Kemperman shows great individual skill to weave his way through the Kookaburras’ defence before the ball falls kindly for Bob de Voogd, who applies the finishing touch. And it stays 2-0 to the Netherlands until the half-time hooter sounds.
Jessica Ennis-Hill: “I don’t want to be that athlete who fizzles out. I don’t want to spend a year or two chasing medals and being injured. I want to end on a high.” Sean Ingle has more.
Usain Bolt v Justin Gatlin leads up the evening’s athletics programme, but something special will be required to outdo last night’s amazing session. Barney Ronay was in the stadium. Here is his take:
“There were so many obvious symmetries on Rio 2016’s first bravura night of track and field, that perhaps only the more parochial will cast this middle Saturday as glorious but a notch down on the rush of London four years ago. In the event this was an occasion that stood without the need for comparison, three hours of utterly absorbing Olympic athletics on a chilly, slightly wild night in Rio took place.”
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I can now confirm that an Olympic gold medal is really a lot heavier than you expect. Just been chatting with Max Whitlock, who will need all the strength he showed in the pommel horse and floor finals just to carry those two things around on his neck for the next four years. He very kindly allowed me to hold his medals – sorry, I can’t think of a way to make that not sound like a Carry On line – despite having only been given them about half an hour ago.
Also, I can confirm that Louis Smith was not crying with disappointment, but relief that he hadn’t screwed the pooch like he did during the team final. “I pride myself on being someone reliable and stable,” he said. “I’ve been beating myself up quite a lot. It’s on the last day or two I’ve been back to my normal self. I’ve had all these doubts. Even walking up to the pommel horse I was thinking, what happens if it happens like team final?” Smith had planned to do his most difficult routine, but a near-miss on his first skill made him change his mind. “I thought to myself, don’t fuck it up. So I did my easier routine.
(This update initially appeared mistakenly without Emma John’s byline. Emma is in Rio, of course. I am in London.)
Quarter-time at the hockey centre and it’s still 1-0 to the Netherlands but Australia so nearly could have levelled things up just before the break – only a fantastic save by Ducth keeper Jaap Stockmann denied Glenn Turner what would have been a beautifully worked goal. The two sides are playing for a place in a medal match, so there’s plenty at stake.
Andy Murray has taken the first set. And it’s typically dramatic. Join Jacob Steinberg for the latest.
We’re up and running in the men’s hockey quarter-final between Australia’s Kookaburras and the Netherlands – the world’s best two teams. Not the best of starts for the world No1 Aussies though, and the Dutch are ahead after just 49 seconds through Billy Bakker.
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Jason Kenny wins gold for Great Britain, Callum Skinner takes silver
Kenny holds Skinner’s challenge off and for the second time he is Olympic sprint champion. He has five golds sensational.
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Here we go. Kenny leads off and stares back at Skinner, waiting for the bell.
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Yes, he can. He has too much power and wins bronze for Russia as Glaetzer runs out of energy. The second race for gold is moments away.
We’re about to have race two of the men’s bronze medal sprint. Can Dmitriev do it?
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The ultimate downer from this champs is having my phone stolen. Just for the pics and videos of milo 😢
— Greg Rutherford (@GregJRutherford) August 14, 2016
Becky James and Katy Marchant are both safely through to the final eight of the women’s sprint, which continues tomorrow and concludes on Tuesday. Jason Kenny and Callum Skinner are next up in the second race of their men’s sprint final, with Kenny a win to the good.
Becky James and Katy Marchant have got off to a wonderful start in the women’s sprint, finishing first and second in the 200m flying start to qualify for the last 16, guaranteeing them an easier passage through the subsequent rounds. Marchent set a new Olympic record of 10.721, while Marchant was just 0.057 of a second behind her. In the omnium, Mark Cavendish finished a reasonably respectable sixth in the opening discipline, the 15 kilometre scratch race, which was won by defending champion Lasse Hansen from Denmark.
Kenny 1-0 Skinner: Skinner has a big gap when the bell goes but Kenny displays impressive acceleration to make it across the line first.
Now it’s the first race of Kenny v Skinner … they set off, staring each other out.
Denis Dmitriev wins the first race of the bronze medal sprint final against Matthew Glaetzer. It is, of course, best of three.
The main event on the track is imminent: the men’s sprint final, Kenny v Skinner. Lasse Hansen was first over the line in the omnium’s opening event, the scratch, Roger Kluge was second.
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The scratch race in the men’s omnium has begun. It’s bonkers. About 14 minutes in, there is a four-bike breakaway.
Giles Scott wins gold in sailing
He cannot be beaten but it will not be confirmed until the races are completed on Tuesday. That’s Great Britain’s 14th gold of the Games and fourth in just over two hours – though will not officially register on the medals’ table until Tuesday.
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Max Whitlock has been on BBC TV: “The expectations going in, I’ve undone myself. It’s just incredible. It was a surprise, I never expect to get a medal or even think about it … I don’t know what to say, I’m just so, so happy.”
National anthem update following Sam Charlton’s query.
It seems the Brazilians have tampered with the harmonic progression underneath the melody of God Save The Queen,” writes Laura Phipps. “Lots of chord VI (six) replacing other chords (technical term is substitution chord, which is a jazz/Latin ‘thing’).” Simon Blinkhorn adds: “They seem to have reverted to the arrangement used at London 2012. Not sure why, though.”
Anyway, back to the sport. Britain have overtaken China and moved into second on the medals table this evening, allowing plenty of opportunity to gratingly use “medalling” and “to medal” . Murray v Del Potro is about to get going.
USA win gold and silver in mixed doubles tennis final
But in tie break race to 10 Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram let a 6-4 lead slip, conceding five points in a row to give Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock three match points. They can’t take the first, but they win on the second. “It’s gold for America,” says the commentator on my TV feed, which would have been obvious beforehand.
A national anthem query, from Sam Charlton. “I’ve listened to God Save The Queen Three times today, it sounds different into the second part of the verse. Google does not shed any light, I would be grateful for any clarification.” Anybody?
USA have beaten France in the hoops but it was a bit closer than expected. See how it unfolded here.
Max Whitlock wins his second gold of the evening on pommel horse
Sensational. And Whitlock’s compatriot Louis Smith will take silver. The bronze goes to Team USA’s Alex Naddour, who looks the most emotional of all.
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What a story this is turning into. Whitlock overtakes Smith with 15.966 and only Nikolai Kuksenkov, with a previous best of 15.383, can deny him a second gold in a couple of hours.
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Harutyun Merdinyan’s struggles on his dismount incurring a deduction and a total score of 14.933. That will guarantee Smith at least a bronze and Whitlock, the floor champions and all-around bronze medallist, is next up …
Louis Smith sets a marker of 15.833 to move on top of the pommel final leaderboard. There are three more gymnasts to go.
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Alex Naddour leads the pommel horse with a 15.7 but then Oleg Verniaiev, exhausted by winning silver in the all-around final in midweek, falls off. His score of 12.400 sends him to the bottom.
We’re 15 minutes away from the start of the day’s racing, which features the first three events of the men’s omnium: the 15km scratch race, four kilometre individual pursuit and the wonderfully bonkers wacky race that is the elimination. Mark Cavendish is present and correct and was, until about 20 minutes ago, rolling around the track for a few warm-up laps. This is his third tilt at winning a medal in three different events across three different Games and he has hinted it might be his last, so we ought to wish him the very best of luck as it’s blatantly obvious the lack of an Olympic medal in his palmares is bugging the hell out of him. In other velodrome news, Jason Kenny and Callum Skinner will contest an all-British final in the men’s sprint, while the female equivalent begins and features Britons Becky James and Katy Marchant. James comes into the event on a high following her silver medal-winning performance in the keirin yesterday.
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David Belyavskiy, who finished fourth in the all-around final, scores just 15.400 and is quite disappointed.
The men’s pommel horse has started. Whitlock was the best in qualifying. Louis Smith, the other Briton, was the second best in qualifying. France’s Cyril Tomassone will kick us off though. He scores 15.600 – possibly not enough for a medal, unless there are some horror shows.
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Justin Rose became the latest Briton to win a gold medal in Rio, winning the men’s golf tournament by two shots from Henrik Stenson, making a dramatic birdie on the 18th green to seal victory. Rose shot a final round of 67 to finish 16 under par and earn Great Britain’s 12th gold of the Games.
Great Britain's Justin Rose wins the golf competition
He’s done it. He only needed the one putt. What an excellent competition this has ended up being. Revisionists take note.
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Stenson has also missed his par putt. Rose has two from four feet to win the gold medal.
This is well timed. Though those of you watching the gymnastics in the UK will have noticed BBC preposterously switched channels just as Whitlock won his gold on the floor.
@alansmith90 I trust you're enjoying the golf. Spanish TV has abandoned it halfway down the 72nd hole in order to show a yacht race.
— Justin Horton (@ejhchess) August 14, 2016
There’s no Troon-like finish for Stenson here. His birdie putt is pushed past the right of the cup, so Rose has a shot for gold.
“No phones please, put the phones away,” says the same official as Rose lofts the ball on to the green and lands about four feet from the cup. Top quality from the Briton under immense pressure. Stenson, you suspect, will need to hole his mid-range putt to take the gold medal to a playoff.
“Phones and cameras away again please” says an official as Stenson plays his third shot on to the green. There’s backspin on the approach though and the ball spins away from the hole. That’s a testing birdie putt.
The conclusion of the golf competition has been interrupted by clueless morons who are refusing to put their cameras away. At every opportunity some are insistent upon clicking. Anyway, a serious question here as both Stenson and Rose play their approach shots on the 18th.
@alansmith90 RE olympic golf, Does the caddy get a medal?
— Tony Glimmer (@Tony_Glimmer66) August 14, 2016
Stenson and Rose have parred 17 and are heading down the last tied at -15 each.
Simone Biles wins women's vault gold
Biles first vaults earns her 15.900, her second scores 16.033, earning her 15.966 in total and she is being congratulated before that score even comes in. That’s three down for Biles, two golds to go. What a star. Russia’s Paseka wins silver, which she is pleased with. Steingruber takes bronze for Switzerland.
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Paseka leads and is guaranteed a silver thanks to her score of 15.253. Steingruber is guaranteed a bronze … but up next is Simone Biles.
In the women’s fault, Giulia Steingruber leads with 15.216 with two gymnasts remaining. Maria Paseka and Simone Biles. India’s Dipa Karmakar is second, Yan Wang of China is third and North Korea’s Un Jong Hong sits fourth.
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Gabby Douglas, the US gymnast who was criticised for insufficient patriotism during the singing of the national anthem, is having her Olympics ruined by online bullies, according to her mother, Natalie Hawkins.
“She’s had to deal with people criticising her hair, or people accusing her of bleaching her skin,” Hawkins told Reuters. “They said she had breast enhancements, they said she wasn’t smiling enough, she’s unpatriotic. Then it went to not supporting your team mates. Now you’re ‘Crabby Gabby’”.
The 20-year-old has been attacked for not placing her hand over her heart as the US anthem was played during a medal ceremony and for not joining a standing ovation for two team mates. Her mother says Douglas is heart-broken. “You name it and she got trampled. What did she ever do to anyone? I don’t think respecting your country or your flag boils down to whether you put your hand over your heart or not. It’s in your actions towards your country, how well are you abiding by its laws, how well are you helping your fellow citizens?
“Gabrielle’s had her heart broken, but she knows she still has a job to do for Team USA. It’s a huge honour for me to be her mother as she’s the bravest person I know.”
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Bubba Watson has finished up on -7. There are some big crowds on the course today, by the way, along with a fine turnout for the marathon earlier. Yet here is the scene at the doubles tennis …
Mixed doubles #tennis final on at moment at #Rio2016. Estimate stadium is 5 per cent full... https://t.co/zrQi3AHeq8 pic.twitter.com/EstD90wzzD
— Nick Butler (@NickJMButler) August 14, 2016
On the par 3 17th Stenson has gone quite a way past the green, while Rose ends up on the back fringes. Nerves are creeping in here.
Kei Nishikori is about to win the bronze medal in the men’s singles. Jacob Steinberg has the latest.
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Stenson has birdied 16 to draw level with Rose on -15 before the Briton has to make par. Anybody for a playoff?
In the golf: Matt Kuchar completes a delightful round of 63 and it could have been a couple of shots better. He is the clubhouse leader on -13. Meanwhile, on 15 Stenson has saved par wit a testing putt but Rose now leads on -15 with three holes to go.
Lochte confirms he was held at gunpoint
Ryan Lochte has been speaking to NBC. “We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over,” Lochte said. “They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so — I’m not getting down on the ground. And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, “Get down,” and I put my hands up, I was like ‘whatever’. He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cell phone, he left my credentials.”
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A Rio state police spokesman has told me an investigation was being opened into claims that Ryan Lochte was robbed at gun point by thieves who passed themselves off as police. It is unclear whether a formal complaint has been lodged by the US team but the civil police are launching an inquiry based on the information reported in the media.
Whitlock is back in less than an hour for the pommel horse friendly. Could he win a third medal there?
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The men’s singles tennis final is about to begin. Join Jacob Steinberg for game-by-game action as Andy Murray, the 2012 winner, takes on Juan Martín del Potro.
Max Whitlock already has his flag ready to pose with before the final scores came up in the Floor final here - incredible scenes as Prince of Twist Kenzo Shirai loses his legs during his routine, and Sam Mikulak makes errors under pressure as he goes up last, giving Max Whitlock the first British gold medal in a 116 year history of Olympic gymnastics. He delivered a huge 15.633 routine and his rivals couldn’t handle the pressure… also huge cheers here as the Brazilians Diego Hypolito and Arthur Mariano complete the podium, which kinda makes up for them booing Whitlock’s score earlier.
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There’s a lot of hanging about as a windsurfing spectator. Not a problem when waiting on a sunny beach in Rio in front of Sugarloaf mountain, but rather less fun when shivering in a cagoule on Portsmouth seafront, I imagine. The final of the men’s RS:X was supposed to start an hour ago, but the sailors are all bobbing about in the bay, with no obvious sign yet that the race is ready to get underway. I’m now sitting next to Nick Dempsey’s mum, Olivia. Her son, Nick, is assured a silver medal in this event. The Briton could coast along but he won’t, she insists. “Oh, he’ll race, definitely. There’s no way Nick could go out there and not race. If you cut Nick’s bones you’ll see racing all the way through.” His own seven-year-old son is the same, Olivia says. Understandable when you consider the small boy’s mum, Dempsey’s ex wife, Sarah Ayton, is a double gold-winning Olympic sailor herself.
While that was happening, Stenson has taken the lead in the golf, leading Rose by one shot on -15. They are currently playing into the 14th green.
Max Whitlock takes men's gymnastics floor gold
Few saw that coming. The Briton wins a surprising gold with Brazil’s Hypolito taking silver and his compatriot Mariano earns bronze. The home support have gone bonkers. Japan and the US made up half the field here but did not end up on the podium.
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Mikulak makes a stuttering start, leading to cheers from the home crowd which are quite unsportsmanlike. But they believe they have a silver and a bronze here. We await the judges’ score to confirm but …
Kenzo Shirai of Japan, a two-times world champion, looks so smooth with a 7.6 difficulty routine but he stumbles at the end of a tumble midway through his routine and surprisingly ends up being significantly rattled. That’s a big disappointment – he looked good for gold before that but is not in the medal for a running. That guarantees Brazil at least one medal. Sam Mikulak of the US was the best in qualifying and the last to go here … can he beat Whitlock?
The US gymnast Jacob Dalton has scored 15.133, guaranteeing GB’s Whitlock at least a bronze. There are two more gymnasts to go.
US light-heavyweight boxer Gary Antuanne Russell won his second fight of the Olympics, beating Thailand’s Wuttichai Masuk in a split-decision. Russell won the first and third rounds, with Masuk taking the second. These Olympics have been a sort of mission for Russell who is the sixth of a line of brothers named Gary Russell, four of whom are boxers. The oldest of them, Gary Russell Jr was supposed to compete in the 2008 Beijing Games but passed out on the night before official weigh-in and missed the Olympics. Antuanne Russell has been fighting this week to have at least one Gary Russell medal. He will fight Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Gaibnazarov on Tuesday to win at least a bronze medal.
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Patrick Sandusky, USOC spokesperson, has told the Guardian: “According to four members of the US Olympic Swimming Team (Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, Jimmy Feigen and Ryan Lochte), they left France House early Sunday morning in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village. Their taxi was stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes’ money and other personal belongings. All four athletes are safe and cooperating with authorities.”
Arthur Mariano, the other Brazilian in the floor final, is also incredibly excited by his routine, flexing his biceps in celebration. He earns 15.433, which puts him in third with three more competitors to go.
Whitlock’s compatriot Kristan Thomas takes to the floor next, scoring 15.058, leaving him in fourth.
Whitlock goes ahead with 15.633. That’s the new target. Hypilito’s excitement is immediately tempered.
And back at the gymnastics there are some incredible scenes. The home hero Diego Hypilito nails his routine and is immediately celebrating and embracing his coach. His 15.533 puts him ahead. Next up will be Max Whitlock.
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Ryan Lochte update – more to follow
BREAKING: US Olympic officials say Ryan Lochte, 3 other US swimmers robbed by people posing as armed police.
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 14, 2016
Back at the golf, Stenson and Rose, the joint leaders, are on the fairway of 13. Thomas Pieters, on -9, is the clubhouse leader.
Uchimura is up first and incurs an immediate deduction for hopping off the floor at the beginning of his routine. However he redeems himself immediately and delivers a stunning routine. This is the Japanese’s only individual apparatus final, by the way. He scores 15.241, the early target to beat.
The men’s gymnastics floor final is about to get underway. USA’s Jacob Dalton is worth watching, along with the all-around champion Kohei Uchimura and bronze medallist Max Whitlock. GB’s Kristan Thomas may also look to wrestle in to medal contention.
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If you are looking for live coverage of USA’s latest basketball win, click here. Tony Parker’s France are the next team to be defeated. A fun idea for 2020: force the USA to enter a team of NCAA players.
Hello. I’ve got the baton in my hand and I’m zipping round the first bend. What a few hours we have in store: the conclusion to a golf tournament that may have left many cynics revising their opinions; Simone Biles is back to wow us again; the men’s pommel horse should produce another medal for Great Britain; there is some sprint and omnium action in the velodrome and that’s before mentioning the tennis final and tonight’s athletics programme.
Rose holes out from about five feet to save par – an excellent par bearing in mind his lie after a wayward tee shot. Stenson left his birdie putt a few feet short but taps in his par putt smoothly enough so it’s as you were – both are -15 under with seven holes to play.
And that is that for me I’m afraid to say. I’m handing the baton over to my colleague Alan Smith who will take you through the rest of the afternoon in Rio. Thanks for reading as ever, Cheerio!
Rose has left himself work to do for his par on the 11th after a speedy first putt. Meanwhile, Matt Kuchar has slid a birdie putt just past the hole on the 13th so remains four behind the leaders. This is the same Matt Kuchar, if you remember, that had no idea what format the golf competition was going to take just a matter of days before it started.
Justin Rose is in trouble on the par fourth 11th. He’s in the shrubbery off the tee and his ball appears to be plugged. His second sounded clean – and it’s a superb recovery shot on to the green. It’s greeted with a huge big grin grin from the man himself.
Stenson plays from the middle of the fairway … and he’s on the green but not particularly happy with how far he is from the hole.
The Washington Post has spoken to Thiago Pereira’s spokesman, Flavio Perez, about the Lochte “hold-up”. Pereira is a Brazilian swimmer and a friend of Lochte
Thiago Pereira and his wife Gabriela Pauletti were in Club France, the French house in Brazil, and they were celebrating the birthday of a friend in common,” said Perez. “Lochte was also in the same place, commemorating the same birthday. Ryan and Thiago are friends. Thiago and his wife left earlier, they left alone, the two of them. Thiago and his wife went back to their hotel. Then Thiago, on finding out what happened, called Ryan. Ryan is well, and Thiago said that the robbery, according to Ryan, was in the taxi. The taxi was robbed.”
There can be few better spots to watch the fairly baffling spectator sport of RS:X windsurfing than Marina da Gloria. Backdropped by Sugarloaf mountain, the sea today looks blissfully blue, even if we know it’s basically a bay of bacteria. Waiting to watch Britain’s Nick Dempsey win his third Olympic medal - he’s assured a silver but cannot get gold - his dad, Mike, tells me that all the sailors were worried about swallowing the water but that so far only one windsurfer has succumbed to “Rio belly”. Not Dempsey, who won silver in London 2012 and bronze in Athens 2004. He can do what he wants in this final. He can cross the line half an hour after everyone else and he’ll still get silver. I confessed to Mike that I was making my windsurfing reporting debut. “Oh, you won’t have a clue what’s going on sitting here on the beach. Just enjoy it! What you need to know is that Nick is getting another silver,” he said, cheerfully.
Stenson is back level with Rose – after 10 holes they’re both at -15. Kuchar is a further four back.
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And here’s a Ryan Lochte update from the Associated Press …
The U.S. Olympic Committee said it was gathering more information. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said the USOC denied the story at first but it looks like that denial “is not correct.”
Should Olympic basketball be your bag, you’d best join Hunter Felt for the USA against France here.
The sailing action isn’t about to get under way after all …
Those keenly awaiting today's #Rio2016 #Sailing should fetch the kettle; lack of wind causing delays. Updates soon. pic.twitter.com/Y59PVTypMm
— Team GB (@TeamGB) August 14, 2016
Boxing now and Brazil’s Robson Conceicao is through to the final of the men’s lightweight competition after defeating Lazaro Alvarez.
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Great Britain’s John Whitaker is one of 19 competitors to complete their jumping qualifying round cleanly so all four of the Brits are safely through.
Justin Rose has retaken the lead at -15, one ahead of Henrik Stenson. And the USA’s Matt Kuchar has picked up five shots in six holes to move into contention – he’s currently -11 through 10 holes.
I thought that China were giving the US a hell of a game for a few seconds until I realised that the USA are playing in China’s traditional red (China are in white). In reality, it’s a familiar story: the US women’s basketball players - arguably the most dominant team at this Olympics - are leading 60-26 at halftime.
It’s a busy day at the sailing venue today and action is due to get under way shortly. There’s race six of the women’s 470 class, currently led by Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark of Great Britain while in the men’s 470, Britain’s Luke Patience and Chris Grube are in third place with race six to come.
It’s race nine of the Finn class where Great Britain’s Giles Scott has a commanding lead, in the men’s RS:X windsurfing, Great Britain’s Nick Dempsey is already assured of silver before the medal race with the defending champion Dorian van Rijsselberghe too far out in front and in the Nacra 17 class – which is making its Olympic debut – Great Britain’s Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves are currently third but just three points behind Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin of Australia who lead.
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Justin Rose has dropped a shot on the seventh so it’s all square at -14 between him and Henrik Stenson with 11 holes to play.
Patrick Reed is motoring on the golf course – he’s too far off the pace to challenge Rose and Stenson but he’s seven under for the day, six under for the tournament.
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The Guardian has spoken to the USOC about the alleged Lochte hold-up. They say they are “currently investigating the reports”.
Here’s a quick race report on Kenya’s first ever women’s marathon Olympic gold medal.
Katie Clark and Olivia Federici – Great Britain’s non-UK Sport funded synchronised swimmers – are currently in ninth place after their duet free routine. The Japan pairing are leading.
News from the equestrian now and Michael Whitaker has accrued four penalties, just as team-mates Nick Skelton and Ben Maher did in the jumping qualification round. All three have qualified though – John Whitaker is still to go.
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In the boxing arena, the bantamweight preliminaries are under way and Ireland’s Michael Conlan has made a winning start, comfortably overcoming Aram Avagyan of Armenia.
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Perhaps inevitably, Great Britain have lost to China in the quarter-finals of the men’s table tennis competition. If you have a house put it on China to win gold.
Justin Rose has been given a free drop after a spectator tried to stop his ball following an errant tee shot in the final round of the men’s golf competition. Rose is currently at -14, one ahead of Stenson – famous last words but it looks like the winner will be one of those two.
Kenya's Jemima Sumgong wins gold in the women's marathon!
Jemima Sumgong has pulled clear to win the women’s marathon for Kenya with a brilliant finish in 2:24.04. Kirwa takes silver, nine seconds back, and Mare Dibaba holds on for bronze.
Sumgong won the London marathon earlier this year but was just out of the medal places at last year’s word championships so this victory will be all the more sweet.
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We’re entering the closing stages – and a member of the crowd has just jumped the barriers, waved a sign and jumped the barriers on the other side! He was quickly set upon by police, there are a lot of police around.
Sumgong is pulling clear of Kirwa … but Kirwa is coming back at her. Dibaba is way off in the distance and will have to battle to stay in the bronze medal position.
One kilometre to go …
Great Britain’s Rajiv Ouseph is into the last 16 of the men’s singles badminton competition following a 21-15, 21-9 victory over Japan’s Sho Sasaki.
They’ve reached 40km and Dibaba is indeed slipping off the front. It looks like it’s between Sumgong and Kirwa.
It’s still Kirwa, Dibaba and Sumgong at the front of the women’s marathon – Sumgong is looking very strong and putting the pressure on Dibaba.
There’s a three strong breakaway in the women’s marathon with five kilometres to go – it’s Kirwa, Dibaba and Sumgong.
Ryan Lochte update
BREAKING: IOC spokesman: Report of swimmer Lochte robbed at gunpoint ‘absolutely not true,’ according to Lochte and USOC #rio2016
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) August 14, 2016
Henrik Stenson has made another birdie so he and Justin Rose are both leading at -13. He’s clearly feeling confident, judging by this video. (Apologies but it’s for UK viewers only).
Ten kilometres to go and it’s the same seven out in the lead – Tsegaye, Dibaba, Chelimo, Kirwa, Sumgong, Mazuronak and Flanagan.
Table tennis news and both Liam Pitchford and Paul Drinkhall have lost their opening matches against China. It means Drinkhall and Sam Walker must win their doubles match to stay in the hunt.
Here’s more on the news that the USA swimmer Ryan Lochte has reportedly been held up at gunpoint in Rio …
Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson are both on the course for their final rounds of the men’s Olympic competition. Both have made birdies on the first so Rose leads at -13, one ahead of Stenson.
Marathon update …
Volha Mazuronak back leading the group of seven. Comments that she is/was coached by Russian Lilya Shobukhova https://t.co/N13Ei5npJa
— Athletics Weekly (@AthleticsWeekly) August 14, 2016
Irish cyclist Nicolas Roche says he developed a serious case of bacterial pneumonia while in Brazil to compete in the Olympic road race and will be forced to miss the Vuelta a Espana.
Roche suggested on Twitter that he may have gotten sick from a “bad aircon in Rio,” though he did not say how he knew that it was caused by air conditioning, nor did he specify whether it was from a unit in the Olympic village.
“Riding the Vuelta was a big target for me this year and I was looking forward to being part of the team,” Roche said. “The illness couldn’t have come at a worse time, really, and after speaking to the medical staff, it’s pretty clear that I’m not going to be ready in time.”
The swimming events in the pool may have finished but that has not stopped the war of words between Lilly King and Yulia Efimova, who has had more to say.
Hot in the Sambódromo. Tough on marathon runners. Tougher still on carnival dancers who are parading up and down. pic.twitter.com/HRx25ZeI5l
— jonathanwatts (@jonathanwatts) August 14, 2016
The leading group in the women’s marathon is down to nine after 25km. Bahrain’s Rose Chilemo leads them now but the nine are very much together and ahead of the rest.
Equestrian update for you now – in the jumping qualifying, Ben Maher, like his British team-mate Nick Skelton, has accrued four penalties.
Still awaiting confirmation on reports that the American swimmer Ryan Lochte was held at gunpoint at a party last night. It’s Fox Sports News currently reporting it – and the broadcaster is reporting that he is thankfully OK.
Some distressing breaking news – the USA’s multiple Olympic swimming gold medallist Ryan Lochte has reportedly been held up at gunpoint in Rio. More on that as soon as I have it.
After 20km and it’s still the usual suspects on the front, and they’re still struggling with the poorly staffed feeding stations. The coaches are trying to hand out water bottles, said water bottles are going to ground. Some athletes from the same countries are sharing …
Trust the first day of the Greco-Roman wrestling to throw up a huge upset on day one of competition.
The first match of the Olympic wrestling tournament produced one of the biggest upsets the Rio Games will likely see. Unheralded Japanese wrestler Shinobu Ota stunned seven-time world champion Hamid Soryan of Iran 5-4 in the opening set of Greco-Roman bouts in Arena Carioca 2.
The loss was the second straight international flame-out for Soryan, who has won six world titles in addition to gold at the London Games in 2012.
At last year’s world championships in Las Vegas, Soryan was flagged for excessive brutality and ruled ineligible for a medal.
Iran is still expected to factor heavily in the medal chase in Rio. But Soryan’s first match wasn’t exactly how the wrestling-mad nation wanted to start the week.
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In the men’s table tennis quarter-final between China and Great Britain, Liam Pitchford is currently 2-1 down in games and it’s 5-5 in the fourth. China have already won the gold and silver medals in the individual men’s and women’s tournament and many aficionados argue that the Olympics is far weaker than other tournaments but it restricts the number of Chinese competitors to just two. Good luck then Great Britain …
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After 15km in the women’s marathon, there is still around 12 athletes at the front. Its currently headed by Jepkesho of Kenya.
Green water update
Synchronised swimmers were greeted by clear blue water in the competition pool on Sunday after officials worked through the night to replace murky green water that’s become a big embarrassment for Rio 2016 organisers.
Replacing the water in time for the early-morning training and competition at 11am was a significant challenge the pool holds nearly one million gallons. But divers were training as expected Sunday morning.
Organizers have insisted there are no health risks posed by the discolored water seen in the pool during and earlier water polo competition and in a different diving pool. Still, visibility underwater is a major issue in synchronized swimming, where competitors spend lots of time underwater and need to be able to see their teammates.
Courtesy of Associated Press
The women’s marathon is approaching 13km and there’s a group of about 12 that have established a bit of a lead. The area of Rio that they’re currently in is, it has to be said, a picturesque part of the city but shade is in short supply. There’s also a pretty good turnout. It’s obviously free to watch – there’s a lesson for the organisers in there somewhere.
Golf update for you. The final pair – including Great Britain’s Justin Rose – isn’t out until 2:39pm but there are a fair few on the course at the moment. Ireland’s Seamus Power is four under for the day, five under for the tournament, after just five holes today. Rose will resume at -12, one shot ahead of Henrik Stenson.
Almost the perfect start for Nick Skelton, who accrues four penalties at the very last fence aboard Big Star in the jumping qualifiers.
Horses! The qualifiers of the jumping has just started. Great Britain’s Nick Skelton, competing at his seventh Olympics is in action shortly.
Also under way at 10am is Great Britain v China in the men’s table tennis quarter-finals. I’ll be bringing you updates from there as well.
Venzuela have finished up comfortable winners in their last 16 clash in the men’s epee against Brazil, prevailing 45-25. Up next for them is France.
The athletes are going at a fair old lick in the marathon but the organisation seems pretty shoddy. It’s baking hot and it seems organisers have not made it particularly easy for the athletes to grab a drink on their way round.
The women’s marathon is getting a little strung out now but all those expected to contest are at the front – Mare Dibaba and her Ethiopian team-mate Tigist Tufa have been clocked at 17.23min after 5km, as has Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya.
Portugal’s Sara Moreira, the European half-marathon champion, has slowed to a halt. She must be injured which is a great shame for her.
Woof!
Slow-mo of start of women's marathon. pic.twitter.com/EJ4lh5RwWb
— jonathanwatts (@jonathanwatts) August 14, 2016
Whenever I think of Olympic marathons, it’s not just your man running from Marathon to Athens to deliver a message that springs to mind, rather it’s also Abebe Bikila’s mind-boggling shoeless victory at Rome 1960. Relive that victory here in this rather excellent gallery.
Among the 157 athletes taking place in the women’s marathon are the Estonian Luik sisters – reckoned to be the first triplets to compete alongside each other at the Olympics. And having featured them in our 100 athletes to watch in Rio, why not have a look at it again … how’d we do?
It’s the final day of the fencing competition today and on the piste at present are Venezuela and Brazil, competing for a place in the men’s epee quarter-finals. Venezuela current lead 23-15.
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The women’s marathon is under way. It begins and ends at the Sambódromo, traditionally the scene of carnival samba school parades. Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba, the reigning world champion, is the gold medal favourite but she will be challenged by the Kenyan duo Jemima Sumgong, the 2016 London marathon winner, and Helah Kiprop.
They’ve been running for a minute and I’d have already been dropped …
This is a valid point, but swimming is always a grey area – it’s actually a discipline of the Olympic sport of aquatics, just as diving, water polo and synchronised swimming (which begins today!) are.
It has been Great Britain’s best Olympics haul in the pool since 1908 and it could well be added to in the two open water events, but that said the open water events have only been on the Olympic programme in their current guise since 2008 so comparisons with previous Games are difficult.
Complicating matters further, there was open water swimming at Athens 1896 while past swimming events no longer on the schedule include the 200m obstacle event and the 100m freestyle for sailors. But these myriad exceptions to every rule are why we love the Olympics.
I'm confused about this British swimming record, and how "It was Great Britain’s best medal haul since 1908" (emphasis added)
Aren't there two more swimming events left? The Women's 10km is on Monday, Men's 10km Tuesday. Both of which are swimming events, unless they're planning to walk somehow, or maybe waterski, or something. Indeed, if I were Keri-Anne Payne or Jack Burnell, I'd be pretty disappointed that British Swimming don't consider them part of the team.
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Something for readers in the UK … hen party … BBC presenter on live TV … you get the idea …
Staying with cycling, and here’s a bit of and ode to Australia’s Anna Meares who captured her sixth Olympic medal on Saturday with bronze in the keirin. Considering there was no women’s team sprint or women’s keirin until London 2012 that is mightily impressive.
Where is Bradley Wiggins' gold medal?
Great Britain’s most successful Olympian was in the velodrome last night, cheering on his compatriots but when he, Owain Doull, Steven Burke and Ed Clancy appeared on TV Wiggins was the only one not wearing his medal. Asked where it was, he replied (with tongue firmly in cheek it must be said): “I’ve lost it.”
Anyone found it or is Wiggo playing silly beggars?
Here’s what HColider1 has to say on Great Britain’s swimming performance: “I don’t think this medal haul quite eclipses Adlingtons double gold. They aren’t directly comparable but that was a real moment in time as an event. For me anyway. Peaty is as impressive as a swimmer. But there is something amazing about the Adlington double and what it has inspired that I think it stands the test of time. The overall haul being better is however an impressive tribute to the efforts made to make British swimming great and we now have a rounded team who can medal across many events with more to come.
It’s difficult to mark the exact halfway point of the Olympics, what with the action starting in dribs and drabs before the opening ceremony but it’s safe to say it’s the middle Sunday of the Games.
So have a read of Owen Gibson’s half-time report on the first Olympic Games in South America.
The beach volleyball arena on Copacabana, placed in a prime telegenic site on the world’s most famous strand and housing one of Brazil’s favourite sports, was supposed to be one of the focal points of South America’s firstOlympic Games.
Instead it has come to symbolise many of the issues in the first week of Rio 2016, as organisers try to stage 28 simultaneous world championships in one of the most logistically challenging cities in the world.
That they must do so in the teeth of an economic meltdown that has put huge pressure on budgets, and a political crisis that has inevitably left many Cariocas with other priorities, should invite sympathy rather than opprobrium. In truth, things are going as well as can be expected.
Read the full story here.
Here’s a question for you … after Great Britain won 4x100m medley silver in the final session in the pool it took their swimming tall to five medals – one gold and five silvers. Add in the fact that James Guy, Hannah Miley, Chloe Tutton, Andrew Willis and Fran Halsall all finished fourth (apologies to anyone I’ve forgotten) and you have to had it to Bill Furniss and Chris Spice for turning around GB’s fortunes in the pool. They were ever so disappointing in London and the swimmers’ approach to media relations did them no favours, but credit where credit is due four years later.
It was Great Britain’s best medal haul since 1908 – but my question is does it eclipse Beijing 2008 when Rebecca Adlington’s two gold medals would have placed GB higher in the medals table? Food for thought …
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Hello world! Who wants to kick things off with one of our snazzy interactives? Yeah you do. Here’s exactly how Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam won heptathlon gold, forcing the defending champion Jessica Ennis-Hill to settle for silver.
Meanwhile, the debate about the best British Olympian is warming up nicely below the line. “Seb Coe,” says John Smith, whose name suggests he might know a thing or two about best of Britishness. “By defending his 1500m Olympic title he did not only something no Briton has ever done, but something that no other athlete from anywhere has done before or since.” Fair enough, John, although let’s not overlook Tatyana Kazankina, who won 1500m gold in Montreal in 1976 and successfully defended her title four years later in Moscow. And with that, I’m going to leave you in the very capable hands of Gerard Meagher, who will guide you through the next phase of day nine in Rio.
I’ve just taken a moment to watch Jessica Ennis-Hill’s interview after the conclusion of the heptathlon, where she narrowly lost out to Belgium’s Nafi Thiam in her attempt to defend the heptathlon title she won in London four years ago. Emotional stuff. But also a reminder, dare I say it, that there is more to life than sport alone. She hinted at the possibility of retirement but, whether she goes or stays, what an inspirational figure she has been – Olympian, world champion, mother, wife … Katarina Johnson-Thompson could have no better role model.
Who is the greatest British athlete in history? For my money, it has to be Daley Thompson, winner of Olympic decathlon gold in Moscow and Los Angeles, to name but two of his numerous achievements. Ask Roger Black, though, and he’ll tell you it’s Mo Farah. “If we’re going to judge who are the greatest athletes, the only thing missing for Mo Farah is he doesn’t hold a world record,” said Black. “But all athletes know although records are important the mark of an athlete is, ‘Can you race when it matters, the Olympic final?’ … and Mo is one of the great racers of all time. I’m not sure it’s about records for Mo, it’s about medals and they are the most important things. It’s corny but records are there to be broken. I don’t see him getting a world record in the 10,000m or 5,000m but I don’t think he needs to for us to at least talk about him as the greatest British track and field athlete of all time. How do you compare Seb Coe, Daley Thompson, Mo Farah … it’s a subjective question in an objective sport. But I think Mo is the best British athlete of all time.” So there you have it. Feel free to add your thoughts below the line.
My favourite below the line comment of the day so far comes from funkapuss, who writes: “Phelps and the other big names are great and all, but the really lovely moments come from the looks of utter joy mixed with disbelief of unlikely winners from tiny nations. Yesterday, Monica Puig was the one to cut through my cynicism and remind me what still makes the Olympics such a great event despite all the crap the goes along with it, amazing performance, wonderful scenes.” Couldn’t agree more, funkapuss. The tennis event has been fantastic all round, with dramatic early exits for Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, the spectacular renaissance of Juan Martin Del Potro – who, on a tearful day at the tennis centre, greeted his semi-final win over Nadal in similarly lachrymose style – and Puig’s unlikely takedown of Angelique Kerber. I wouldn’t be surprised if Puig is still weeping now. Between that outpouring of emotion and the bouncy celebration with which she marked her semi-final win over Petra Kvitova – move over Derek Drouin, there’s a new jump specialist in town! – she’s been a joy to watch in Rio.
“US sports fans confront an uncomfortable question as Sunday night’s showdown between Justin Gatlin and Usain Bolt in the 100m final draws near: is it OK to root for Gatlin?” So writes Bryan Armen Graham. Want to know the answer? You know the drill.
Remember Samir Aït-Saïd, the French gymnast who broke his leg in sickening fashion on the vault on day one in Rio? Of course you do. Well, thankfully he’s of a sanguine cast of mind. “There are worse things in life,” he said to l’Equipe. “I’m in good health, that’s the main thing.” Simon Burnton salutes Aït-Saïd’s forbearance – and says Mauricio Pochettino, the Tottenham manager, could learn a thing or two from him.
Jess flying, Mo crying and a whole lot more … yes, it’s the best pictures from day eight for your delight and delectation. Because we’re good like that.
Golf clubs are being wielded in anger as the first action of day nine gets started in Barra da Tijuca. To recap, Justin Rose leads by a shot from Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, who is on 11 under par, with Marcus Fraser of Australia in third on nine under. Anirban Lahiri of India and Japan’s Shingo Katayama are out already, with the group two trio of Siddikur Rahmann, Miguel Tabuena and Julien Quesne – Bangladesh, the Philippines and France, since you ask – hot on their heels. Rose, Stenson and Fraser tee off at 10.39am local time. We’ll keep an eye on events there.
British rowers claimed nine medals at London 2012. In Rio, where the target was six to eight, they won five. Success or failure? Emma John ponders the issue in the piece below.
I should also mention that, before hopping on to the pommel horse tonight, Max Whitlock will be aiming to pip Japan’s Kenzo Shirai to gold in the men’s floor event. Could he do it? Well, Shirai, whose gold medal-winning floor routine at the World Championships in Antwerp three years ago included a historic first quadruple twist, will take some beating. But Whitlock won a silver medal at the worlds last year and can’t be discounted. The action starts at 2pm Rio time.
From Geraint Thomas crashing last weekend to 2008 silver medallist Emma Pooley finishing 14th in the individual time trial, the Games began inauspiciously for Team GB’s cyclists. But victory for the men’s team sprint trio, and for Bradley Wiggins and co in the team pursuit, was followed by another world record for the team pursuit foursome of Laura Trott, Elinor Barker, Joanna Rowsell-Shand and Katie Archibald, suggesting British Cycling’s obituary writers can rest for a while yet. So says Helen Pidd. You can read her piece below.
Writing below the line, “spleenius” remarks: “GB has some male gymnasts competing too. Their prospects are decent, I think?” That they are, spleenius – and it’s not all about Max Whitlock, either. After claiming Britain’s first all-round medal in 108 years when he won the bronze behind Japan’s Kohei Uchimura and Oleg Verniaiev of Ukraine earlier in the week, Whitlock goes in to the men’s pommel horse final tonight as favourite. Victory for the reigning world champion would mean a first gymnastics gold medal in history for Great Britain. But with fellow countryman and London 2012 silver medallist Louis Smith also in contention, Whitlock is unlikely to have things all his own way. The final is scheduled to start at 3.34pm Rio time.
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Their work in Rio done, the British swimming contingent could be forgiven for still being awake, albeit for very different reasons to Greg Rutherford. And frankly, having just helped themselves to a little slice of sporting history, why not wash it down with a caipirinha or three? Here’s a taste of Stuart Goodwin’s piece on Team GB’s performances in the pool.
Britain’s Great Britain’s silver in the men’s 4x100m individual medley relay meant the team ended the Olympic swimming programme in the pool with six medals, the country’s best medal haul in the sport since 1908. The list of one gold and five silvers also exceeded the three-to-five-medal target set by UK Sport prior to the Games.
In the final swimming event at the Olympic Aquatic Centre in Rio, the quartet of Chris Walker-Hebborn, Adam Peaty, James Guy and Duncan Scott finished behind a dominant US team led by Michael Phelps, but even the 23-times gold medallist was said to have been stunned with Peaty’s astonishing breaststroke leg, which was timed at 56.59sec. The Uttoxeter-born swimmer, whose effort was almost half a second quicker than the world record he set in the individual 100m finallast week, said of Phelps’s reaction: “He was swearing and said ‘56.5 is mad’. He was pretty impressed.”
You can read the full story here.
It’s coming up to 6am in Rio, and you could be forgiven for imagining that the athletes who competed on Saturday are sleeping off their endeavours. Not so Greg Rutherford, who has been up into the wee small hours mulling over his inability to defend his long jump title. Rutherford was inconsolable after Jeff Henderson of the US took gold ahead of the South African Luvo Manyonga, leaving him with “only” a bronze medal to show for his efforts. “I come here to win and when I don’t it’s difficult … It’s a very hard bronze medal to take,” he said in the immediate aftermath of the competition. And eschewing his bed, he’s since been baring his soul further on Twitter. Chin up, Greg.
2/3 I'm really disappointed with today and that may sound mad to some, but I wanted this so bad and gave everything to try and win.
— Greg Rutherford (@GregJRutherford) August 14, 2016
3/3 When your best isn't good enough it hurts and I want to rectify what's happened. Thank you again for the love. It means so much
— Greg Rutherford (@GregJRutherford) August 14, 2016
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Today’s prize for verbal accuracy goes to Pummeluffpapa, who makes the valuable distinction between “reprisal” and “reprise”. In my defence, it was still early. But if Mo did go in for reprisals, Pummel, I wouldn’t want to be Galen Rupp … training partner or no training partner.
the latest reprisal of the Mobot
I rather hope that Mo is above such pettiness and that it was a reprise instead (or perhaps Galen Rupp is a marked man).
Whatever happens to Justin Rose, Andy Murray and the other Brits in action on day nine, Team GB is assured of at least one gold medal. That’s down to the endeavours of track cyclists Jason Kenny and Callum Skinner, who will contest the final of the Olympic men’s sprint. Over to you, Helen Pidd.
Britain’s track cyclists are assured of yet another gold and silver medal after both Jason Kenny and Callum Skinner reached the final of the individual sprint.
The two friends, who won gold in the team sprint with Philip Hindes on Friday night, will go head-to-head in the Rio velodrome on Sunday at 5.04pm local time. They are sharing a room in the Olympic village, which may make pre-race preparation a little tricky on Sunday morning.
Given that Kenny is the reigning Olympic champion, it was something of a surprise that Skinner was the first to reach the final, after beating Australia’s Matthew Glaetzer in two straight matches. Kenny lost his first semi-final to Denis Dmitriev by some margin, which meant his match went to three agonising races. He won the latter two, however, leaving the Russian to fight it out for bronze with Glaetzer.
You can read Helen’s full story right here.
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Toilet fishing and a half wombat, half dog? It looks very much like the latest edition of our Rio diary.
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Back to today, and there’s an early start too in the women’s marathon final, in which Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba, the reigning world champion, is the gold medal favourite. It promises to be a suitably epic contest, with Dibaba facing stern challenges from the Kenyan duo Jemima Sumgong, the 2016 London marathon winner, and Helah Kiprop, who pushed her all the way in Beijing. The action gets underway at the Sambódromo, traditionally the scene of carnival samba school parades but reappropriated for use as an archery and marathon venue during the Olympics, at 09.30am Rio time.
We can’t mention the tennis without pausing for a moment to reflect on the remarkable achievement of the unheralded Monica Puig in winning the women’s singles against Angelique Kerber on Saturday. Her gold medal, the first of that hue for Puerto Rico in any discipline, was just reward for a typically fearless, free-hitting third-set performance to which Kerber – the Australian Open champion, world No2 and recent Wimbledon finalist, if you please – simply had no answer. She’s a thoroughly likeable character, is Puig, and her breakthrough moment feels long overdue, her best previous showing in a major competition having been a fourth round appearance at Wimbledon three summers ago. That is scant return for such a gifted player, but at 22 she has time on her side. Her Rio victories over major winners Garbiñe Muguruza, Petra Kvitova and Kerber point to a big future in the game.
Farah’s win shunted Britain’s gold medal tally up to 10 – Team GB are now third in the overall standings, behind China and the US – and day nine could bring further joy if Andy Murray can chart a course around the 6ft 6in obstacle that is Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro. That won’t be easy, however, because Del Potro – still feeling his way back into the sport after his prolonged struggles with injury, which have included three wrist operations – has played some inspired tennis in Rio. His semi-final win over against Rafael Nadal on Saturday was a sight to behold, with his serve in fine fettle and that extraordinary forehand in full flow in the final stages of a third set steeped in tension and drama. There were no such problems for Murray, whose straight-sets dissection of Kei Nishikori was nothing less than clinical, but he will need to be at his best against the man who conquered world No1 Novak Djokovic in the opening round. Del Potro left the court in tears after beating Nadal and, with his backhand much improved since his tentative return to the circuit earlier this year, he looks intent on riding that wave of emotion all the way to Olympic gold. The men’s singles final, which will be played over five sets, is scheduled for 3.30pm Rio time.
While we’re on the theme of the incomparable, how about Mo Farah’s dramatic 10,000m gold? Non-nocturnal Brits may be waking up to the disappointment of learning that Jess Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford fell agonisingly short of the gold standard they set at London 2012, but news of the latest reprise of the Mobot should bring a little cheer to the breakfast tables of the UK. You can relive the highlights of Farah’s victory – and indeed the glittering end to Michael Phelps’ Olympic career – below … although only if you’re in the UK, alas.
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Speaking of the golf, one wonders what thoughts will be going through the minds of Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy et al come the medal ceremony. It’s one thing to talk dismissively about watching “the stuff that matters” at the Olympics rather than golf, as McIlroy did ahead of the Games, but quite another to watch a fellow professional claim a medal that might have been yours had you bothered to turn up and compete. I’d wager there will be the odd pang of regret among some of the sport’s absentees come anthem time, whether they admit it or not.
Rose certainly seems to be enjoying his time in Brazil. “It would mean an awful lot to win, especially when you see what it means to other athletes here,” he said after claiming the lead on day eight. “It would be unbelievable.” And his message to absent friends? “I would just tell them I had a great time, a positive experience and a lot of fun. It’s a unique experience and something you should be able to make room for in your schedule once every four years … You can’t compare it to anything else.” Hear hear.
Good morning from London and thanks to Russell for that excellent briefing. So then, day nine. Apparently there are one or two things happening in Rio today, as you’ll have gleaned. Most notably, perhaps, Usain Bolt’s bid for a triple-treble of Olympic golds, which starts in earnest with the men’s 100m sprint semi-finals and – should he make it (it couldn’t happen, could it?) – final. Still, as a grey dawn breaks over London, that seems a very long way off right now. And you know what? It is. It’s just coming up to 4am in Rio, and Usain will no doubt be tucked up in bed dreaming of Justin Gatlin and rear-view mirrors. With the Games’ blue riband event not taking place until late evening, it falls to the golfers to get us underway. Erstwhile Ryder Cup partners Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, respectively placed in the gold and silver medal positions heading into the final round, tee off in just over three hours. They do like their early starts, the golfing fraternity. I’m Les Roopanarine, by the way, and I’ll be guiding you through the day nine build-up until lunchtime UK time.
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Day nine briefing
Welcome back for day nine at Rio, where we’ve witnessed Mo Farah quite literally picking himself up off the ground to take back-to-back golds with a rousing win in the men’s 10,000m final, while Michael Phelps signed off on his Olympic career with his 23rd gold medal – and his fifth at these Games – in the 4x100 medley relay.
The big picture
Day eight quite simply belonged to two phenomenal athletes: Phelps having finished his Olympic career with 23 gold medals in a Rio campaign whose statistical complexity staggers us all anew, while Farah’s brave and brilliant gold medal run to defend his 10,000m title after stumbling onto the track early served as a reminder of how singularly monumental each and every gold medal is at Olympic level.
There was also gold for Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson in the women’s 100m dash, which thwarted her compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s attempt at a third successive Olympic crown, though the latter still took home bronze. “There is a big screen back home in my community in Jamaica,” Thompson said afterwards. “I can’t imagine what is happening there right now.” A decent old party, one would suspect.
You should also know:
- Despite gunfire, green pools and logistical chaos, Rio’s efforts have actually been pretty decent so far
- Ibtihaj Muhammad’s bronze medal is a vital one in this US summer of Trump
- Russian whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova’s data has been hacked, says Wada
Team GB roundup
It was a day dominated by Farah’s remarkable efforts across at the Olympic stadium, but Team GB’s golden run at the velodrome also continued today with Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell-Shand, Katie Archibald and Elinor Baker taking gold in the women’s team pursuit. It was, according to our own Barry Glendenning, a “seamless, perfect performance: poetry in motion on eight wheels”. Becky James was equally impressive rising from her sick bed to claim silver in the keirin.
Great Britain also might be looking at a medal in the golf, where Justin Rose has moved ahead of Australian Marcus Fraser and Swede Henrik Stenson for the overall lead with a single round left. The 36-year-old began the day four shots off Fraser’s lead but stormed back to take a one stroke lead by the end of the day. Andy Murray will also be playing for gold in the men’s tennis singles when he takes on Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro. The swimming is now done and dusted, but with silver in the men’s 4x100 medley relay, Team GB has had its best Olympics in the pool since 1908 with one gold and five silvers.
The unhappiest medalist of the day was Team GB’s reigning long jump champion Greg Rutherford, who scraped into the final with his last attempt of the heats and was then beaten into third place by American Jeff Henderson and South African Luvo Manyonga in a dramatic final. But at least he put the disappointment in perspective: “It’s a very hard bronze medal to take. If you’d told me 10 years ago I would be gutted with an Olympic bronze, I’d have told you not to be so stupid,” Rutherford said afterwards.
Team USA roundup
What you are reading now is not template text, it’s just that Michael Phelps keep winning gold medals. There’s only so many ways you can say it, especially once our own Andy Bull had pointed out a few days back that Phelps has now even usurped the greatest ancient Olympians. You might not have heard of Leonidas of Rhodes, who dominated the Games between 164 and 152 BC (I think NBC might be showing his events on a tape delay sometime in the next few days) but we assure you, Phelps is now better than him. His team-mates who took gold in the men’s 4x100 medley relay don’t go too badly either.
So many emotions! #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/N5NYojqWHk
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) August 14, 2016
Australia team roundup
Kim Brennan wasn’t all Australia had to crow about on day eight, but the veteran rower broke a considerable drought with her gold medal win in the women’s single sculls – it was Australia’s first rowing gold in eight years and only the country’s second ever women’s triumph. Yet for all of the excitement at the end of the race, the 31-year-old was more concerned by the whereabouts of her dog Ernie, who was waiting with Brennan’s husband Scott. “Scott was very proud of me,” Brennan said after collecting her medal, “but I wanted to see how Ernie was doing, but he wasn’t too interested in watching my race. He wanted the attention to himself.” A new mascot for the Australians?
A wonderful silver for our women's 4x100m medley to cap off the Rio campaign.https://t.co/7QGBfMJumE#OneTeam pic.twitter.com/Qw7jgdnjRt
— AUS Olympic Team (@AUSOlympicTeam) August 14, 2016
Picture of the day
It has to be Mo Farah, who even got the thumbs up from his vanquished opponents Paul Kipngetich and Tamirat Tola.
Diary
All times below are local to Rio: here’s the full timetable tweaked for wherever you are. Or add four hours for UK, add 13 hours for eastern Australia; subtract one hour for east-coast US and four for west coast.
- All eyes will be on Usain Bolt and the men’s 100m sprint final, which takes place at 22:25 local time in Rio, 25 minutes after the 400m final
- Justin Rose and Marcus Fraser will tee off early in the day in the hope of securing gold, with the golf starting at 07:00
- American Andrew Thomas Bisek will wrestle for gold against Cuban Rios Hernandez after 10:30
- From 14:00 Team USA is in the unusual position of having two entrants in the mixed doubles tennis final as Jack Sock and Bethanie Mattek-Sands take on Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram, while Andy Murray takes on Juan Martin Del Potro in the men’s singles gold medal match at 15:30.
- In the evening Australia’s Boomers take on Venezuela in the basketball, while the evening athletics session brings us finals in the women’s triple jump.
Underdog of the day
Goes to women’s singles tennis champion Monica Puig, who became Puerto Rico’s first gold medallist in any sport. In an almost unbearable climax, she saved six break points and had four match points before closing it out for a rousing win.
Tweet of the day
Samuel L Jackson has really nailed his lingo with this one.
Mo Farah! The man with the plan!! Got up & handled his Biz!! Righto GB!!
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) August 14, 2016
If today were a song
It would be – and I really do apologise for this in advance and hope you don’t flood my inbox with hate mail, because it has to be done – Tubthumping (I get knocked down). It probably won’t be on the playlist at the Farah household but does seem apt.
And another thing
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