BUENOS AIRES 2018: Cormac Kennedy-Leverett added another medal to Australia’s Tally on Day 4 of Buenos Aires 2018, taking home bronze; while Liam Christie and Lidiia Iakovleva were members of the gold and bronze winning Multidiscipline Gymnastics Team Event.
18-year-old Kennedy-Leverett flashed home in the 500m single sculls drag race in 1.33.84, behind winner Ukrainian Ivan Tyshchenko and Belarussian Ivan Bryzna in the A-Final. Read the full event wrap HERE.
The Aussie 3x3 basketball team of Rosie Deegan, Alexandra Fowler, Sara-Rose Smith and Ruby Porter had a phenomenal start to their campaign, taking down the Netherlands 11-7 before knocking over 2017 Under-18 World Cup runners up Czech Republic 15-11.
The team’s hot start is even more impressive considering they had only played one match together as a team before Buenos Aires 2018. For Smith, today’s opening match against Netherlands was just her third ever 3x3 game.
“It’s crazy to think this is so new, and we’re already competing at a high level. We’re still getting to know each other’s games and really enjoying it,” Smith said.
The 3x3 continues Saturday at Urban Park, with more bumper crowds expected to see the Aussie ballers continue their run to the finals.
The Aussie golfers continued their hot form with both heading into tomorrow’s third and final day at the top of the leader board.
Grace Kim shot the day’s best score of 1-under 69 in the women’s strokeplay, drawing level with overnight leader Alessia Nobilio of Italy. Birdies on three of the first four holes set Grace up for her round in windy conditions at Buenos Aires Hurlingham Golf Club.
Karl Vilips carded a day’s best 2-under 68 to take outright lead in the men’s strokeplay, one shot clear of USA’s Ashkay Bhatia.
Australian trampolinist Liam Christie was part of the gold medal-winning Multidiscipline Gymnastics Team Event. The competition consists of 12 teams of 13 gymnasts, competing across all disciplines – acrobatic, artistic, rhythmic and trampoline.
Australia’s four gymnasts were split up across different teams, however Christie was captain of the victorious ‘Team Simone Biles’. Australia’s rhythmic gymnast Lidiia Iakoleva was also part of the bronze medal-winning ‘Team Oksana Chusovitina’.
In Hockey 5s, the men took on India in round four. Both teams headed into the match as the two undefeated teams in Pool B, and both teams knew they had a battle on their hands. Miles Davis was the first to score, putting Australia on the board in the first minute. James Collins put another one in the net at the two-minute mark before India scored at 5-minutes to take the score to 2-1 at half time.
Both teams went out hungry in the second half. With three minutes in the match remaining, Australia and India went one-for-one in goals, both teams putting two goals in the net in a space of two minutes.
Australia managed to hold them out for the last 60 seconds to take the 4-3 victory and remain the only undefeated team in the pool.
“That was a great game, better than I expected,” Goal Keeper Jed Snowden said.
“We knew this would be a hard game and I was a it nervous, and sometimes when I’m nervous I don’t play the best, but I played better than I thought I would because of the awesome atmosphere, the great Aussie crowd and my team getting up early and scoring first.”
In the women’s game, Australia took on the undefeated China team. China took the 3-1 victory, however the Aussies were positive about their efforts, especially as they have been the only team to score a goal against China so far this competition.
In more gymnastics results, Artistic gymnast Kate Sayer is currently in 9th place on the All-Around competition. She placed 14th in Beam today with a score of 11.766. Combined with her 13.400 in Vault, 12.200 on Bars and 12.566 on Floor, the 15-year-old is on a total of 29.932, and has easily qualified for the 18-athlete All Around final.
Rhythmic gymnast Lidiia Iakolveva finished 23rd in the Individual All-Around competition on a total of 51.6000 points (see the full results HERE) before helping her team to bronze in the Multidiscipline Team event.
The men’s beach volleyball duo of Mark Nicolaidis and James Takken took another victory on Day 4 in straight sets against Bolivia (21-19, 21-17).
Lewis Blackburn set a new PB of 25.99 in the men’s 50m backstroke, placing fifth in the final, after qualifying in seventh place. Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov won the gold and set a new World Junior Record of 24.40 in the process.
Three-time YOG medallist Kaylee Mckeown has also qualified fastest for Thursday night’s 50m backstroke final in a time of 28.14.
Australia’s sole tennis representative Rinky Hijikata has kept his YOG dreams alive and will advance to the doubles semi-finals with his Bulgarian partner Adrian Andreev. The pair defeated their Brazilian and Columbian opponents in three tough sets in the quarterfinal (7-6, 4-6, 10-7).
In sailing, our Nacra 15 pair of Will Cooley and Evie Haseldine are still in fifth position on 48.8 points after nine races. In Windsurfing, Alex Halank is in 15th place and Hailey Lea is in 20th place with three races to go.
Unfortunately, Australia’s kitesurfer Mani Bisschops had a nasty crash yesterday and damaged his kite. He has been forced to miss three races as he tries to repair his kite and is currently down the bottom of the rankings.
Thursday October 11 will see the final day of golf, with Aussies in top contention for medals. The sailing, hockey, swimming and beach volleyball competitions continue, plus the athletics competition kicks off, with Australia’s Flag Bearer Keely Small up in the women’s 800m at 4.30pm (6.30am Friday AEDT).
Never miss a second of the action by following us on social media.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Georgia Thompson
olympics.com.au
