Tokyo Olympics LIVE updates Swimmers go for gold Olyroos chase history Boomers open against Nigeria
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The Matildas’ 4-2 loss to Sweden last night certainly wasn’t good, but it hasn’t cruelled their Olympic campaign as much as it could have.
Why? Zambia.
Zambia hold the key to the Matildas’ hopes.Credit:Getty Images
The world No. 104 held No. 15 China to a 4-4 draw last night.
This means China (and Zambia for that matter) have only one point. Australia have three from their win over New Zealand.
To make the quarter-finals a team must finish in the top two in its group or be among the two higher third-place finishers.
Currently, the third-placed teams are Japan (one point, to play Chile, likely to go to four points); China (one point, to play World Cup finalists Netherlands) and Australia (three points, to play world champions the US).
If every result goes as rankings suggest they should, Australia and Japan will progress.
Of course, Australia could also win - they have beaten the US before - and relegate the Americans to third.
And Zambia? They probably won’t beat the dynamite Brazil to progress (Australia might be in trouble if they do), but Barbra Banda has six goals for the tournament and has been a revelation.
Overnight, US athletes have defended themselves after coming under fire for travelling to the Games unvaccinated.
The US Olympic team’s chief medical officer revealed on Friday about 100 of their athletes were unvaccinated.
Sue Bird and Eddy Alvares of the United States of America carry their country’s flag.Credit:AP
Two members of the Olympic archery team publicly defended their right to not get vaccinated, with world No. 1 Brady Ellison labelling the decision “a personal choiceâ€.
“Anyone that says otherwise is taking away people’s freedoms,†Ellison said.
“I said if they made it mandatory that I wouldn’t come.â€
Female archer Mackenzie Brown also said she would have opted out of the Games if the vaccine was made mandatory as she was sceptical of the jab.
“The conversation around unvaccinated US athletes was initially sparked weeks ago after swimmer Michael Andrew declared earlier this month he would not get the vaccine as he had already tested positive for the virus and fully recovered.â€
It’s not long now until swimming fans will catch a glimpse of the two athletes set to square off in the match race of the Games.
American Katie Ledecky, a five-time Olympic champion, will swim her heat of the 400m freestyle on at 9:18pm AEST. She will be followed by Australian star Ariarne Titmus at 9:24pm.
Katie Ledecky and Ariarne Titmus.Credit:Getty
As Phil Lutton reports, if all goes to plan, the pair will then square off in the final tomorrow at 12:20pm.
The Melbourne Cup will always be the race that stops the nation but tomorrow afternoon, the race of the Games may stop two.
The other major story to emerge on Saturday was a typhoon alert.
Organisers have already been forced to overcome the hurdle of COVID-19 and the unrest of a public which are not exactly thrilled to have the Games in their backyard.
Typhoon Nepartak, right, heads for Japan on Saturday. On the left, typhoon In-Far.Credit:Zoom.Earth
Tropical storm Nepartak has formed south-east of Japan and could make landfall north of Tokyo early next week.
Olympic surfers, who begin their competition today, are about the only people in Japan thrilled to hear the news.
“It’s small but there is swell on the way! Let’s go,†Australian surfer Owen Wright said on Instagram.
One of the other stories of Saturday was the Matildas’ loss to Sweden.
Unfortunately, the story of the night was Sam Kerr’s missed penalty.
Sam Kerr after missing a penalty.Credit:Getty
Kerr already had a double when she lined up the penalty with her side trailing 3-2. But the Swedish keeper saved the shot and the Matildas were unable to manufacture an equaliser.
See what Kerr had to say about the missed penalty and the loss here.
If you missed any of the opening day action from the pool, look no further.
Phil Lutton was poolside and he filed this report which detailed the superb start to Australia’s medal hopes.
Cate Campbell and Emma McKeon at the national trials in Adelaide last month.Credit:Getty
Brendon Smith, Elijah Winnington, Jack McLoughlin and the women’s 4x100-metre freestyle relay team are all major medal hopes today.
The 4x100 team will start the race hot favourites largely thanks to Cate Campbell and Emma McKeon, who were able to watch on as their teammates qualified for the final in style last night.
Swimming
Brendon Smith, the fastest qualifier in last night’s heats, is first up in the men’s 400m individual medley final (11.30am AEST), followed by Elijah Winnington and Jack McLoughlin in the 400m freestyle final (11.52am).
The women’s 4x100m freestyle relay final (12.45pm) will round out the morning’s events. The Australians are the world and Olympic record-holders.
Swimming finalists Brendon Smith, Elijah Winnington, Jack McLoughlin and Cate Campbell.
Tonight, Kaylee McKeown, who broke the women’s 100m backstroke record at the Olympic trials, and Ariarne Titmus (400m freestyle) are among a star-studded field in the heats from 8pm.
Surfing
Competition is due to begin at 9.20am AEST at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach - depending on conditions. Stephanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons, Owen Wright and Julian Wilson lead the Australian charge.
Skateboarding
For the first time at an Olympics, we’ll see the men’s street race with Shane O’Neill representing Australia. Competition begins at 9.30am and the final starts at 1.25pm.
Hockey
The Hockeyroos open their campaign at 11am against Spain while at 7.30pm the Kookaburras take on India, who also won their first outing on Saturday.
Tennis
World No.1 Ash Barty will begin her singles campaign, along with Ajla Tomljanovic and James Duckworth. Tennis begins at noon each day.
Ash Barty’s singles campaign begins today.Credit:AP
Cycling
The women’s road race begins at 2pm, featuring Australians Grace Brown, Tiffany Cromwell, Sarah Gigante and Amanda Spratt.
Basketball
Flag-bearer Patty Mills and his Boomers open their Olympic tournament against Nigeria at 6.20pm.
Soccer
At 8.30pm the Olyroos take on Spain in their men’s Group C match, buoyed after their opening round win against Argentina.
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