Tokyo Olympics LIVE updates Jess Fox wins gold Titmus Ledecky make 800m freestyle final Australian athletics team cleared after COVID scare but three athletes face restrictions
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Richard and Jess got to have a chat on national television, too.
“I love you. I love you. Through the finish and beyond the finish, that was amazing. I was crying too. That was fantastic,†Richard said on Channel Seven.
Jess responded: “I love you too. I can’t hear everything but thank you for all the love, the support the messages. I can’t wait to show you this one, Dad.â€
Jess’ mum and sister, one a former paddler and one a current paddler, were in Tokyo with her to embrace after the finish.
“I think we have all been through so much and they have been a part of this journey. My sister is my training partner and also my competitor and mum is my coach … just missed the gold herself.
“All the tears, all the screams, all the love and the joy. I am speechless.â€
The Aussie Sharks will have to work hard to beat Serbia in their water polo clash tonight.
Serbia are the defending champions and they come with intimidating credentials. They took home gold at Rio, bronze in London and Beijing, and silver in Athens and at these Olympics have already won against Kazakstan 19-5 and lost by one to Spain.
Tonight, Serbia are up by six in the first quarter. The Sharks have not been shooting well so far. To make matters worse, one of Serbia’s goals was scored off a penalty shot after a major foul by the Aussies. While 25-year-old goalie Anthony Hrysanthos has defended some cracking shots, there’s not much he can do about close-range penalties.
The Greek team of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari clinically dismantled their Australian opponents, Ash Barty and Maria Sakkari, to win the second set, 6-4.
That’s one set apiece, and we go into a super-tiebreak, with the first to 10 points the winner.
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari of Team GreeceCredit:Getty Images
Some of Tsitsipas’ ground strokes in that set were sublime, while Sakkari used the lob with great skill and impact.
They broke the Australians in the first game of the second set, with both Barty and Peers missing shots at the net.
Tsitsipas and Sakkari wobbled to be 30-love down in the deciding game but recovered to win the set.
The winner of this match will play Russia’s Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the semi-finals.
Caeleb Dressel is just getting started.
The 100m freestyle champion just tied the Olympic record in the 100m butterfly, leading the field into the semis over 200m champion Kristof Milak from Hungary.
Matt Temple from Australia gets through in the eighth spot.
Australia’s Matt Temple has finished third in his heat of the 100m butterfly which will lead to a nervous wait.
Bulgaria’s Josif Miladinov and Guatemala’s Carlos Liuz finished first and second in the heat.
There are two heats to go including Australia’s David Morgan in the last heat.
Novak Djokovic is into the medal rounds of the Olympic tennis tournament.
The top-ranked Serb rolled past home favourite Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-2, 6-0 to reach the semi-finals and extend his bid for a golden slam.
Novak Djokovic celebrates his win over Kei Nishikori.Credit:AP
Steffi Graf in 1988 is the only tennis player to achieve the golden slam by winning all four grand slam tournaments and Olympic gold in the same calendar year.
Djokovic has already won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon this year and needs the Tokyo Games title and the US Open trophy to complete the golden slam.
Djokovic’s semi-final opponent will be either Alexander Zverev of Germany or Jeremy Chardy of France.
AP
Ariarne Titmus is into the final of the 800-metre freestyle, sixth fastest, as is countrywoman Kiah Melverton.
Titmus told Seven poolside that she is running low on petrol and can’t believe Michael Phelps managed to win eight golds in a single Games in Beijing.
I think you could see some clear signs of that fatigue in the relay lead-off, just didn’t have that acceleration we have been used to seeing.
The fastest qualifier? That would be one Kathleen Ledecky. If she wins this again, that’s three in a row, which is Dawn Fraser-Krisztina Egerszegi-Phelps territory. They are the only swimmers to have won the same event at three consecutive Games.
The women’s 800-metre freestyle final is set for late on Saturday morning AEST.
Katie Ledecky handled business in her 800-metre heat and her 15-year-old protege Katie Grimes followed her in second place.
Ledecky finished in 8:15.67 and went over to Grimes’ lane for a high five after the young American finished in 8:17.05.
Katie Ledecky enjoys the moment after winning her heat.Credit:AP
Earlier, Ariarne Titmus was asked whether it was nice to be in a different heat to Ledecky.
She told Channel Seven: “Definitely. I love racing Katie. [But] it is nice to be on my own a little bit. It’s been really good this week. We’ve been getting along really well. We’ve really enjoyed racing each other. I mean, we don’t get to do it often. It’s so fun for us to be able to race. So, I am looking forward to two days’ time.â€
Titmus told Channel Seven she was exhausted after a huge few days of swimming.
“I knew I wanted to be under the 8:20 mark to be safe through. It’s a big day today. I had 1.5 hours in my room today. I’m absolutely buggered. I will swim down quickly and get home,†she said. She will next race on Saturday in the final.
“This is probably my toughest back-up and it’s not an easy 800 in the morning. This is a really deep field. I knew I had to be tough and swim a solid swim to get through. I think should be fine with that time.
“Honestly, I’m exhausted. I keep thinking back to Beijing, it was the same as this morning’s heats. [Michael] Phelps won eight gold. I have done two and I’m wrecked. It puts into perspective for me how amazing he was. I’m going to rest up as much as I can and get ready for my last race at the Olympics.â€
Ash Barty and John Peers have won the first set of their mixed doubles quarter-final clash against Maria Sakkari and superstar Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Sakkari made a crucial error to hand set point to the Australians, with the set mostly an arm wrestle to that point.
Ash Barty.Credit:Getty Images
The Australians were broken in the third game of the set but quickly broke back in the next game.
Tsitsipas’ serve is menacing but has not proved too difficult to handle for Barty and Peers, who have more doubles experience than their opponents.
The winner of this match will play Russia’s Andrey Rublev and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the semi-finals.
Australians Ariarne Titmus and Kiah Melverton have finished second and third in their heat for the women’s 800-metre freestyle.
ROC’s Anatastia Kirpinichova won the heat in 8:18.77 with Titmus just behind her on 8:18.99 and Melverton on 8:20.45.
Melverton told Channel Seven she had hoped to break the 8:20 mark but hoped it would be enough.
“Fingers crossed it’s enough. I knew if I could be top three it would give me a chance. I race to the wall. I had to get in and finish as fast as I could,†she said.
“I would have liked to be under the 8:20 mark. I did a big PB at trials, to be back on that it gives me confidence if I go into the final.â€
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