Another great day for Australia at the Olympics in Rio. After leading the medal tally for most of the day, we are now sitting third on the table.
17 Aussies have now shared in the six medals won by Australia. We are comfortably ahead of the London Olympics Day 2 tally of three, including one gold.
SHOOTING – Women’s trap
We hoped Catherine Skinner and Laetisha Scanlan would be in medal contention in the women’s trap – but a gold for Skinner was a pleasant surprise for the for the 26-year-old from Mansfield, Victoria. In a thrilling final against New Zealand’s Natalie Rooney, Skinner rallied to win Australia’s second ever women’s shooting gold. Scanlan, who made the final (top-6) shared in her own piece of Australian Olympic history as it was the first time in shooting we had two in the final.
DIVING – 3m synchronised springboard event
The second unexpected medal for Australia on Day 2 was clinched by the pairing of Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith. Competing in the 3m synchro event, Australia sat in fifth place going into the final round. A good forward two-and-a-half somersault one-twist pike dive left them with a final score of 299.19 points and in a medal position which the Canadians were unable to pass on their final dive. The medal was the first for Australia for 12 years in this event.
ROWING
Windy conditions on Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas were deemed unsafe for racing, delaying a number of events Australians were scheduled to contest on Day 2, including the women’s eight who received a late call-up to the team following withdraw of the Russian team.
RUGBY SEVENS
It was a mixed day for Australia in the women’s Rugby sevens, but they remain on track for a shot at a medal when they play their semi-final against Canada on Monday. In their final pool game they claimed a last minute draw against the USA, to keep their undefeated record intact. A few hours later they were back on the pitch for their quarter-final game against Spain, comfortably winning 24-0 to progress to the semi-final.
EQUESTRIAN EVENTING
After Day 2 of competition Australia are in line for two medals. The eventing team are placed third after the dressage phase while team member Chris Burton is in the silver medal position in the individual standings. The battle for medals on Monday will be tight with just 10 penalty points separating the top four nations. Points are: GER 122.00, FRA 122.20, AUS 126.40 and GBR 127.70.
BASKETBALL
The Australian women’s basketball team held off Turkey 61-56 in their second Group A match held at Deodoro. Australia rallied late to win the game, lagging behind Turkey until just before the third quarter. The win puts Australia at the top of the group with two wins and a superior for-and-against over France. Australia meets Japan, Belarus and France in its remaining pool games.
TENNIS
It was a mixed day for Australia with one athlete progressing, while two bowed out of the competition. Sam Stosur lost the first set 6-1 before coasting home 3-6 2-6 over Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. Sam Groth went down 4-6 2-6 to number eight seed, David Goffin (BEL), while Dario Gavrilova was gallant in her 6-4 6-2 defeat to top seed Serena Williams (USA).
HOCKEY – MEN
Behind from the first quarter in their clash against Spain, the Australian men’s hockey team threw everything they could at the opposition in the latter stages in an attempt to find an equaliser. There were extraordinary scenes in the last few minutes when the Australian goalkeeper, without pads, became an extra field player. But it was to no avail as Australia lost 1-0. Australia is now placed third in Pool A with three games remaining against Belgium, Great Britain and Brazil.
SWIMMING
Australia’s men’s 4x100m relay team claimed bronze behind the USA and France in another exciting night of action in the pool. Cameron McEvoy produced a blistering last leg to ensure the team that included James Roberts, Kyle Chalmers and James Magnussen claimed Australia’s second relay medal in Rio. It was Australia’s only medal on the night with Emma McKeown finishing seventh in the women’s 100m butterfly final, while Tamsin Cook finished sixth and Jessica Ashwood seventh in the final of the women’s 400m freestyle. Australia will be in the hunt for more medals on Day 3 with Mitch Larkin qualifying for the final of the men’s 100m backstroke while both Madi Wilson and Emily Seebohm qualified for the final of the women’s 100m backstroke.
2016 Olympics – Superlatives
DAY 2
Medal Tally
Australia
Gold 3
Bronze 3
Total 6
Australia is placed third on the medal tally after leading most of the day.
Medallists – Roll of Honour
GOLD
Shooting:
Trap Women Catherine SKINNER
BRONZE
Diving:
Women's Synchronised 3m Springboard
Maddison KEENEY & Anabelle SMITH
Swimming:
Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay
James ROBERTS
Kyle CHALMERS
James MAGNUSSEN
Cameron McEVOY
Matthew ABOOD
MEDALS – 17 Australians have now won six medals for Australia
MEDAL TALLY – Australia’s best place on the medal tally at the end of Day 2 is second, twice, in 2004 and 2000. In those Games we won 4 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze for a total of 8 medals in 2004 and 3/2/4/9 in 2000.
MEDAL TALLY – Australia’s second place on the medal tally after day two equals our achievement in 2000 and 2004.
SHOOTING – The gold medal is just the second by an Australian woman in in shooting. Two athletes in the top-6/final is the first occasion ever in a shooting event.
DIVING – The medal in the women’s 3m synchro is the first in the event for 12 years and our first diving medals for 8 years.
RUGBY – Australia remains undefeated in Olympic rugby competition for the last 108 years. Australia won gold in 1908 and has not participated again until the introduction of rugby sevens in Rio.
TABLE TENNIS – Jian Fang Lay’s ninth place equals the best ever by an Australian in the Olympics.
Personal bests
Tamsin Cook 400m Freestyle 4:04.36
David Tarbotton
olympics.com.au
