Paris 2024 Day Four: A quiet day, they said.
Day four was billed as one of the quieter days for Team GB. Two gold medals, Andy Murray and an action packed evening in the pool proved it was anything but! Elsewhere, Simone Biles won her fifth Olympic title.
TOP STORIES – An incredible night in the pool and two more golds for Team GB
The Great British quartet of Matt Richards, James Guy, Tom Dean and Duncan Scott have retained their Olympic 4x200m men’s freestyle relay title.
It was a tight race going into the final leg, but Scott pulled away from the pack in the last 25m to win the final in a time of 6:59.43. USA won silver and Australia won bronze.
It is a remarkable achievement for the four swimmers who – according to BBC Sport – became the first relay team in Swimming or Athletics to retain an Olympic title.
Elsewhere in the pool, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen won gold in the 800m freestyle by breaking the Olympic record in a time of 7:38.19. It has been an incredible two years for Wiffen who won the 800m and 1500m freestyle world titles in 2023.
France’s Léon Marchand is still on course for four gold medals in Paris after winning both heats in the men’s 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke.
Earlier on day four, Nathan Hales won Great Britain’s third gold medal in the men’s trap shooting. Hales destroyed the Olympic record by hitting 48 out of 50 shots in his first games.
The British shooter now holds both World and Olympic records at the age of 28. In qualifying, he hit 123 shots out of 125.
China's Qi Ying won silver and Guatemala's Jean Pierre Brol Cardenas won bronze.
GYMNASTICS
Simone Biles received a standing ovation as she helped the USA reclaim the women’s team Olympic title with a score of 171.296
Biles starred in her vault, bar and floor routines in a superb performance that hopefully banishes the bad memories of Tokyo 2020.
She famously withdrew from the event and was then unfairly criticised by sections of the American media.
Biles took a two-year hiatus before triumphantly returning to capture her fifth Olympic gold. She will be back later in the games to compete in the individual events.
Italy took silver in the event and Brazil edged out Great Britain to win bronze.
TENNIS
Andy Murray and Dan Evans are sensationally through to the men’s doubles quarter finals after saving two match points in a championship tiebreaker to beat Belgium’s Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen
Murray and Evans started fast and comfortably won the first set 6-3. In the second set they missed two match points and really should have won it before being forced into a tiebreaker. The Belgians eventually won the second set 6-7 (8-10).
It felt that the momentum had shifted during the decisive championship tiebreaker. The Brits squandered several points on serve before finding themselves 9-7 down.
However, with Murray on the brink of retirement they fought back, winning four straight points to win the match.
Murray was understandably exhausted after another rollercoaster that was reminiscent of his career. But for now, the show rolls on at Roland Garros.
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are also through to the quarter finals after beating Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 10-2 in another championship tiebreaker.
Jack Draper was eliminated from the men’s singles after losing 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 2-6 to American Taylor Fritz.
RUGBY SEVENS
New Zealand beat Canada 19-12 in a fantastic women’s rugby sevens final in the Stade de France.
Canada were in dream land at half time leading the reigning Olympic champions 12-7. However, tries from Michaela Blyde and Stacey Waaka in the second half secured another gold medal for New Zealand. They beat the USA 24-12 in the semi-final earlier in the day.
For Canada, it is a well-deserved silver medal after they shocked Australia 21-12 in their semi-final.
Australia were surprisingly beaten again in the bronze medal final. The USA won 14-12.
HOCKEY
GB men’s team fought back from 2-0 down with eight minutes to play to draw 2-2 with the Netherlands. Lee Morton scored twice late on to earn a point.
They beat Spain and drew with South Africa in their previous matches and are now well placed to qualify for quarter-finals. GB play hosts France and world champions Germany in their remaining matches.
BMX FREESTYLE
Kieran Reilly has qualified for the men’s BMX freestyle final. The reigning world champion finished with a score of 91.68. It was the highest score in qualification. Reilly will go into Wednesday’s final as the favourite.
Unfortunately, Charlotte Worthington – the reigning Olympic champion - was eliminated in the qualification round of the women’s event after finishing 11th.
TRIATHLON
The men and women’s triathlon were again postponed due to pollution in the River Seine. This has been frustrating for the organisers who have yet been unable to showcase the event due to the high levels of e-coli found in the water.
They hope that the events can take place on Wednesday or Friday morning but with bad weather due to return in Paris there is now a nervous wait.
The BBC have reported that if the swimming section of the triathlon cannot be held the event will become a duathlon with just cycling and running taking place.
