Olympics Day 3

The Olympics are officially underway, and although New Zealand is still shy of getting our first medal, we have sure had some outstanding sorting performances.

Mountain Biking: Sam Gaze

Sam Gaze finished sixth in the mountain bike cross country event. He started 19 seconds behind after the first of eight laps, placing 16th. Defending champion Tom Pidcock led the race, but Gaze steadily moved into the top 10. When Pidcock had a puncture on the fourth lap, Gaze had a chance at a medal. However, Pidcock recovered and won gold despite boos from fans upset by his aggressive move against French silver medallist Victor Koretzky. Gaze ended up 1 minute and 30 seconds off the bronze medal.

Equestrian: New Zealand Equestrian Team

Tim Price and his horse, Falco, finished sixth in the individual showjumping event. Clarke Johnstone came in 18th, and Jonelle Price placed 40th. Germany’s Michael Jung won his third consecutive gold. Great Britain won the team gold, beating France, while Japan took bronze. New Zealand’s eventing team hasn’t won an equestrian medal in three Olympics, with the last individual medal by Mark Todd in 2000.

Canoe Slalom: Luuka Jones

Rio medalist Luuka Jones finished eighth in the canoe slalom final after incurring a gate penalty. Despite a strong effort, she couldn’t secure another medal. Australia’s Jessica Fox took the gold. Jones remains hopeful for her upcoming kayak cross event, where she feels confident in her abilities.

Football and Hockey: Tough Losses for New Zealand Teams

The New Zealand women’s football team faced a 0-2 defeat against Colombia, while the men’s hockey team narrowly lost to Belgium with a score of 1-2. Despite the losses, both teams said that they are excited and have some work ons for the coming games.

Women’s Sevens: Black Ferns

The New Zealand women’s sevens team began their Olympic campaign with two impressive victories, defeating China 43-5 and Canada 33-7. Key performances included Michaela Blyde’s four tries against China and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe’s decisive play against Canada. The New Zealand women’s rugby sevens team then secured the top ranking after pool play with a 38-7 victory over Fiji. This morning, our rugby sevens faced China in the Quarter Finals and dominated a 55-5 win. Now they will face the winner of the Great Britain vs. USA match in the semifinal

Swimming: Erika Fairweather and Lewis Clareburt

Erika Fairweather advanced to the 200m freestyle final, finishing seventh fastest in the semi-finals. She will compete in the final on Tuesday, aiming for a medal. Swimmer Lewis Clareburt finished sixth in the 400m individual medley final.

Sailing: Men’s 49er Crew
Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie are leading the men’s 49er sailing competition in Marseille. They had another successful day, winning two more races and holding 14 net points, five ahead of the Irish team and 14 ahead of Spain. With six races left before the medal race, they are close to securing a medal. On the other hand, the women’s 49er crew, Jo Aleh and Molly Meech, improved slightly but remain in 19th place out of 20 crews after a tough start.

Tennis – Women’s Doubles Team Out in First Round
Erin Routliffe and Lulu Sun were defeated 6-2, 6-3 by Italy’s Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini, ending New Zealand’s tennis hopes at Roland-Garros. In the men’s singles, Novak Djokovic triumphed over Rafael Nadal with a 6-1, 6-4 victory.

Shooting – Men’s Trap Qualification
Owen Robinson scored 71 out of 75 in his first three rounds, placing him 19th with two rounds remaining. The top six shooters will advance to the final, and currently, two shooters are leading with just one missed target.