Alanah Yukich is through to the 400m Hurdles Semi-Finals with a personal best and Torrie Lewis winning her 200m Repechage to progress to the Semi-Finals in the evening session. 

Ellie Beer ran a personal best in her 400m heat but will head to the Repechage while Mia Gross (200m) and Sarah Carli (400mH) were unable to force their way into their respective Semi-Finals.  

Denny delivers in Discus qualifying

In the men’s Discus Throw, Matthew Denny began his campaign for gold with a second-round effort of 66.83m to automatically advance to the medal round.

Denny placed just off the podium in fourth at Tokyo 2020 and a top-three finish here is well within his reach, despite a self-described less-than-perfect first attempt of 64.27m that would have had his family on edge.

“I don’t think my wife would have appreciated that first round, but it’s nice, I’m in great shape,” Matthew joked.

“Qualifying is a bit of a different beast, everyone going out there, there can be a bit more expectation because it could be three throws and all over. It’s about battling the thoughts of that, then repeat, repeat and repeat.”

For Denny, his outstanding preparation and confidence in performance gives him the chance to be the best version of himself in the thrower’s circle, focused on making a mark in his own way at every attempt.

“Part of our process is that the best version of me is enjoying my space, playing discus and we say, be a bit country about it,” he said.

“Have fun, enjoy what it is, show off your style and own that I’m good at what I do and shouldn’t be second guessing it.”

Nina hopes to vault onto the podium

Since the challenges at the Tokyo Olympics where she was in isolation due to COVID contact, then missed qualification for the final, pole vaulter Nina Kennedy has never failed to deliver at the three majors.

She finished on the podium at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships and 2022 Commonwealth Games. In the qualifying rounds in Paris, she was perfection, requiring just two first attempt clearances at 4.40m and 4.55m, to proceed smoothly into the final.

While Nina’s progression was smooth, it was not so for world leader, Great Britain's Molly Caudery who no-heighted.

Nina spoke about the respect required for the qualifying round.

“I did what I had to do,” she said. 

“You know, the qualifying is always a tricky one. You want to give it the respect it deserves, and you want to jump well yet trying to maintain some physical energy, emotional energy for the final.

“I'm really excited. I believe in myself, I believe in my team and I'm ready to roll the dice and I'm really excited to see what happens.”

Yukich progresses with dramatic PB as Carli just misses.

Six months ago, few in Australian athletics had heard of Alanah Yukich. Now she is Australia’s second Olympic 400m hurdles semi-finalist in 20-years and recorded the fastest time by an Aussie in a major race since 2007 – 17 years ago.

After placing seventh in her heat, Alanah’s path would have to be via the Repechage. 

A strong last 150m saw her run into the top-two but qualification to the Semi-Final required a sprint to the line against Belgium’s Naomi van der Broeck as they desperately chased the qualification. 

After what seemed like an eternity, the photo finish team couldn’t spit the athletes, awarding them both the same time of 55.107, rounded up to 55.11. 

With a lane available in the semi-finals, both were advanced. For Alanah, it was her sixth personal best in four months.

“I was so happy with my race, compared to yesterday where I went a bit too hard,” she said.

“It was hard to see on outside where the other girl was, but it was frantic and I gave it everything I could. 

“Even if I didn't get into that semi-final, I could definitely walk away with my head held high and with pride representing my country.”

In heat 3, dual Olympian Sarah Carli was in a qualifying position throughout the race, until the last hurdle when a wall of five athletes were locked in a sprint to the line. 

Sarah finished fourth in a time of 55.12 – just 0.01 second slower than Alanah.

“I just wanted to come out here and run what I'm capable of,” Sarah said. “And if my best just wasn't quite good enough, I'm okay with that.”

Her journey in the sport, and particularly leading into the Tokyo Olympics, was very challenging.

“My success isn't determined by one race, it's the accumulation of my experience and the courage and strength I've shown to make it to the start line,” she said.

“That was my motto leading into the Tokyo Olympics, and it's something that I've used over the last three years. So I'm just proud of being here, cause it's not always easy.”

Lewis progresses to 200m Semi-Final with Gross not able to progress

Torrie Lewis ran a strong bend from the inside and led into the straight and looked strong and comfortable to take the win in 23.08s. This follows on from her personal best in the heat of 22.89s.

“I was pretty annoyed I got lane two, until I just thought of it like a pro race down in Victoria,” she said.

“I used to do heaps of them when I was younger. I'd always be at the back on the inside, so I was like, just treat it like a pro race and try to get to them as quickly as possible and then just stay in front.”

The 19-year-old Australian has a fast turnaround for the semi-finals later tonight.

“I'm a bit dead, but I'm gonna leave it all on the track tonight,” she said.

“Like a bat out of hell. That's been in my mind, so I don't know why I said that, but that's been in my mind, so that's how I'm gonna treat it tonight.”

Mia Gross started well and looked good around the bend but wasn’t able to lift down the home straight. She finished fourth in her Repechage heat in 23.34s and won’t progress to the Semi-Final.

“I'm feeling a bit flat that I didn't perform the way I would have liked to have,” Mia said.

“I definitely feel like I'm a sub 23 runner, so just to go out there and run a 23.3s is pretty gut wrenching to be honest. I woke up today with a wryneck, but I was like, unless I'm on my deathbed, I'm running.

“It was kind of cool, the crowd out there. When I started, there's heaps of Aussies at the 200m mark and they were singing ‘Sweet Caroline’ when the song was playing. I was really enjoying myself. 

“So to have that experience with the whole Australian crowd, I think that'll be a core memory until the day I die.”
Marschall and Davies compete for medals on Monday evening in Paris 

In the second session, World championship bronze medallist Kurtis Marschall will jump in the Men’s Pole Vault Final at 3am AEST. 

Matthew Clarke and Ben Buckingham race the 3000m Steeplechase heats from 3:05am AEST. 
Calab Law makes his Olympic debut in his 200m heat at 3:55am AEST. 

Torrie Lewis has a quick turnaround from her Repechage win to race the 200m Semi-Finals from 4:45am and at 5:10am Australian record holder Rose Davies will race in the 5000m final.

Andrew Reid