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- Boxing: Aidan Walsh assured a minimum of bronze after welterweight win; Kellie Harrington eases into quarter-finals of ladies’s light-weight
- Golf: Rory McIlroy (66) and Shane Lowry (65) each make large strikes to get to seven below (click here to read full report)
- Equestrian: In dressage, Sam Watson and Tullabeg Flamenco rating 34.3; Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue rating 38.00
- Athletics: Thomas Barr clocks 49.02 to succeed in 400m hurdles semi-finals; Nadia Energy, Louise Shanahan and Síofra Cleirigh Buttner miss out on 800m semi-finals; Eire’s blended 4x400m relay group qualify for Saturday’s remaining
- Crusing: Annalise Murphy misses out on medal race after ending 14th general after Race 9 and 10 of ladies’s laser radial; Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove 14th after Races 7, 8 and 9 of 49er
- Hockey: Eire lose 1-0 to India
- Swimming: Danielle Hill finishes sixth in her 50m freestyle warmth, lacking out on the semi-final; Daniel Wiffen wins 1,500m warmth however misses out on remaining
Boxing
A affected person and composed Aidan Walsh assured Eire their first boxing medal of the Tokyo Olympic Video games with a 4-1 win over Mauritian Merven Clair within the Kokugikan Enviornment.
It brings to a few the variety of medals Eire have gained within the first week of competitors – two in rowing and now the medal gained by the Belfast welterweight, who gained his quarter-final largely within the first two rounds of the bout.
The 24-year-old, boxing in his first Olympics, raced to a wise begin and for the primary three minutes was by far the higher boxer. The judges thought so too with all 5 awarding the Monkstown BC fighter the primary spherical 10-9.
Walsh saved that tempo into the second spherical, and though southpaw Clair got here extra into the bout with scoring pictures, it was the Irishman who impressed a lot of the judges. It was a slender second spherical, however three of the 5 judges noticed it in favour of Walsh, giving him the vital 2-0 lead he was searching for.
It was then desperation mode for the Mauritian, but it surely was Walsh who stepped up within the remaining stanza, with only one choose giving Clair the spherical. Walsh took the struggle 29-28, 28-29, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 and strikes on to the semi-final the place he meets Britain’s Pat McCormack for the prize of an Olympic remaining.
“It’s unbelievable, it’s superb, it’s one thing that I dreamed of since I used to be no age,” stated Walsh.
“The identical as Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan, Hugh Russell, I used to be speaking to Hugh Russell earlier than I got here out right here, and it’s superb now that I’m in the identical state of affairs that he was in. Clearly I wish to go additional. It’s actually, actually good.”
Walsh follows an extended, profitable custom by changing into the ninth Belfast boxer to win a medal on the Olympic Video games. “I’m getting shivers right here simply serious about it.”
The Irishman was additionally spoken to within the final spherical by the referee. However he caught to the type that has confirmed so efficient.
“He advised me to struggle. I’ve been getting that my complete life so I’ve, folks saying ‘struggle, struggle, struggle, hurry up and transfer’,” stated Walsh.
“I’ve at all times had that type of shifting. I’m simply now implementing extra stuff whereas I’m shifting that the coaches are displaying me, and I’m studying increasingly types and strategies and ways whereas on the transfer whereas earlier than I used to only transfer and not likely do as a lot.
“Now I’m rising as a fighter, I’m not simply occurring the transfer, I’m going backwards and going forwards and it’s nice.”
Earlier, Kellie Harrington got here by her first struggle in opposition to Italian southpaw Rebecca Nicoli. The Dublin World Champion from 2018 cleverly negotiated her approach by a tough three rounds in opposition to the devoted counter puncher.
In a cagey opening spherical Harrington saved her distance, scoring with the jab and the occasional mixture in opposition to an opponent who not often made an offensive transfer, preferring to attempt to rating off Harrington’s assaults.
But it surely was the Irish light-weight who landed the cleaner scoring blows with all 5 judges giving her the primary spherical. The identical choreography of sizing one another up continued into the second spherical, however Harrington once more fought with persistence and accuracy because the 5 judges favoured her for a 2-0 lead.
At that stage the Italian wanted a stoppage within the third spherical. However the way in which Harrington was boxing that was not a probability. Whereas the Chinese language choose went with Nicoli within the third spherical, the opposite 4 judges noticed Harrington because the unanimous winner.
“I really feel good. I really feel good to get began,” stated Harrington. “We arrived out right here the thirtieth June and now it’s the thirtieth July so we’re a month out right here.
“So it was good to get going at present and get entering into a great way. Completely happy days. I used to be simply getting anxious [to get started]. It’s an extended wait, it’s sticky, its heat, strolling across the village.
“I didn’t actually stroll round an excessive amount of to be trustworthy. You aren’t actually seeing an entire lot you’re seeing our condo and the meals corridor. I’m dwelling within the meals corridor and for a boxer to have the ability to say they’re dwelling within the meals corridor is one thing else. It is a nice journey, however this isn’t the vacation spot.
The Irish prime seed now meets Algeria’s Imane Khelifi on Tuesday August third in a quarter-final medal struggle.
Athletics
After ready an additional 12 months to truly write this, athletics acquired below approach on the 2020 Olympics, and Thomas Barr discovered himself straight within the thick of it on the empty Olympic Stadium.
With the 400 metres hurdles more likely to be among the many most hotly contested occasions of the lot in right here over the following 9 days, Barr needed to produce one thing assured and assured in his warmth, which is precisely what he did – nailing second place behind current world file breaker Karsten Warholm of Norway.
That acquired Barr into Sunday’s semi-final, the place he’s once more drawn in opposition to Warholm, plus the highest American Benjamin Rai: solely the highest two, and two quickest losers, will progress to the ultimate.
“Good, sure good,” Barr stated, the Waterford athlete making the Rio remaining in 2016, ending fourth. “In my head, the goal was second place, that’s the place I used to be aiming for, knew I might form of get to.
“I might have carried out with a faster time, on the identical time I didn’t want it. I felt like I went out very relaxed, first 200, 250m. So relaxed that I ended up with quite a lot of power coming across the prime bend, and really near hurdle seven and eight, I needed to verify them a bit bit. However I knew by hurdle eight, I might simply see the German on my inside, knew I might catch him.”
Warholm, who ran 46.70 seconds a number of weeks in the past, was on his outdoors, and gained in 48.65, Barr second in 49.03. That ranked him eleventh quickest of the semi-final qualifiers and Barr is aware of a brand new lifetime greatest could also be wanted to make the ultimate.
“Coming down the house straight, I had hundreds left, I used to be like ‘do I stick on this place or go for second?’, and I like go for second, get myself a great lane, do what I must do. Ran 49-dead just about, so proud of the race.
“I don’t really feel too drained, the legs really feel good, and I’ve an entire time without work tomorrow to prepare once more. Positively, I felt very comfy, very relaxed, particularly down the backstraight. I used to be simply working off Warholm actually; he stated he was going to exit pretty simple, and his simple might be my fast. So I’d simply maintain onto him as greatest I can. He was nearly attempting to debate ways with me within the warm-up monitor, saying how would I’m going out, and I stated ‘I’ll simply maintain on to you.’”
Within the first ever working of the blended 4x400m relay on the Olympics, the Irish group of Sophie Becker, Phil Healy, Cillian Greene and Christopher O’Donnell reached the ultimate with a nationwide file time of three:12.88.
Greene acquired Eire off to an ideal begin with a powerful first leg earlier than passing over to Healy who briefly powered into the lead. Her handover to Becker for the third leg was seamless and left Eire in good place however a barely defective handover to O’Donnell for the ultimate leg threatened to carry Eire again.
Nevertheless, the North Sligo man powered by the ultimate leg, consuming up the bottom to make it from fifth as much as fourth. With the highest three routinely qualifying for the ultimate, together with the 2 quickest losers from each heats, it seemed like Eire had been set for a nervous wait.
However then the information filtered by that the US group – who had gained Eire’s warmth – had been disqualified, bumping Eire as much as third and confirming a spot in Saturday’s remaining (1.35pm). That was then adopted by the information that the Dominican Republic – who had additionally completed forward of Eire – had been disqualified as effectively, giving the Irish group second place of their warmth.
In the long run it turned out that Eire’s time would have been adequate to qualify even with out the disqualifications.
“Yeah, we had all of it performed out, that they Individuals and the Dominicans had a really sturdy group, they might be within the lead, however what a leg by Cillin, he completely stood up, his first relay,” stated Healy afterwards.
“He completely took over and confirmed them his class, gave me the baton first. Possibly I ought to have pushed a bit extra at 200m. However an Olympic remaining is unbelievable, 4 seconds off the nationwide file, surreal at this stage.
“We’ve job one carried out. The Individuals and Dominicans had been the highest favourites coming in at present, they acquired disqualified. Something can occur in a relay so we simply need to go on the market and execute our race tomorrow and there’s a clean canvas.
“It’s huge for us, for an Irish relay to be right here as effectively. We took a lot from the assist we got, there was three different members on the Irish group that certified this group that performed a large half at World Relays.
“I feel having no spectators was a bonus in methods, we simply knew what we needed to do. We’re in an Olympic remaining, we’re entering into extremely seeded, second in our warmth. It’s unbelievable, it’s going to be at a good Irish time as effectively so it’ll be nice to have the followers at house once more.”
Sophie Becker added after working the second leg: “My head was simply saying ‘keep our place’ and I saved going sturdy and I handed it over the Chris and he ran a belter of a leg.”
Which he did. “Yeah a number of elbows, however the three guys in entrance of me did the job, I simply needed to convey it house, and I just like the problem of the final leg,” O’Donnell stated. “The three guys set me up, and I’m simply blissful to convey it house. Our coach Drew Harrison stated if all of us carried out out if our pores and skin we’d run 3:14, effectively we ran 3:12, so he could be getting sacked within the morning.
“There could be nobody within the stands however we all know there’s a full stadium at house watching us they usually’ve been completely superb, we all know they’ll be again tomorrow working the 4 legs with us once more.”
Greene, like the opposite three competing in his first Olympics, added: “Yeah my first ever leg of a relay, I simply tried to execute the identical race plan, exit fairly conservative, however put ourselves able the place if I gave the baton to Phil we might use are momentum, and fortunately that’s precisely what occurred, and I’m completely delighted.”
No such pleasure earlier within the morning session for the three Irish girls who had certified for Tokyo within the 800 metres. Nadia Energy, Louise Shanahan and Síofra Cléirigh Büttner had been eradicated over three successive heats within the steamy-but-not-quite-yet-sweltering situations. In reality not one of the trio got here near qualifying for the semi-finals.
Energy was first up in Warmth 2, ending seventh of the eight starters, clocking 2:03.74, over two seconds outdoors her greatest. The 2019 world champion from Uganda, Halimah Nakaayi, might solely handle fourth, qualifying as a quickest loser.
“I’m actually assured I used to be in the appropriate psychological area arising right here,” stated Energy. “I wasn’t freaked out by the event, I felt extremely prepared, relaxed, I don’t actually have a actually good excuse, it simply wasn’t my day at present.”
Shanahan went in Warmth 3 with solely the primary three in every warmth, plus the following six quickest, going into Sunday’s semi-finals. Nonetheless tightly packed down the backstretch, Shanahan began shedding contact across the remaining bend, and as laborious and decided as she chased it was in useless and introduced up the rear in eighth place in 2:03.57.
“I can’t consider I’m right here, I’m completely delighted. I’d have favored to make it by, I got here right here to compete, this wasn’t a vacation, however yeah, I can now name myself an Olympian and if that’s the worst factor that occurs at present that’s a fairly good day,” stated Shanahan. That warmth was gained by rising American star Athing Mu, who simply turned 19, working a easy 2:01.10, clearly with lots extra within the tank.
Then got here Büttner in Warmth 4 which was a extra tactical affair with the Dublin runner having to verify herself a number of instances across the bell as she seemed for a greatest place. She ended up seventh too, working 2:04.62, effectively down on her greatest of two:01.67. Victory there went to a different American Raevyn Rogers who ran 2:01.42
“We at all times knew it’d be tactical, it’s rounds, it’s heats, it’s a serious championship,” she stated. “I’m disillusioned I couldn’t do extra however the struggle to get right here was draining in itself. The three of us needed to undergo so much to get right here and safely make it on to the road, I’m happy with that. It’s been a very long time coming and it’s nice to be part of this, even throughout Covid.”
Golf
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry each made big moves towards the medal positions in the men’s golf tournament on Friday.
McIlroy carded a spherical of 66 to get to seven below par and right into a tie for fourth, whereas Lowry joined him at that mark with a 65 with a variety of gamers nonetheless to complete after one other climate delay.
McIlroy carded a spherical of 66 to get to seven below par and right into a tie for fourth, whereas Lowry joined him at that mark with a 65 to sit down 4 pictures behind Xander Schauffele who birdied every of his final three holes to get to 11 below.
McIlroy acquired off to a gradual begin with pars by the primary 5 however then discovered his vary with a birdie on the sixth earlier than including one other on the Par 3 seventh and an eagle on the Par 5 eighth. The four-time Main winner was racing his approach up the leaderboard and, whereas a bogey on the eleventh slowed him down, he picked up additional birdies on the twelfth, 14th and seventeenth to get to eight below par. A disappointing bogey on the 18th put maybe a slight blot on the spherical, but it surely was a great day’s work for McIlroy who has put himself proper within the combine for a medal.
Certainly, Eire might effectively have two actual medal possibilities come Sunday after Lowry additionally flew by his first eight holes in 4 below par with birdies on the second, sixth, seventh and eighth. His solely bogey of the spherical got here on the ninth, however he rolled in additional birdies on the thirteenth, 14th and sixteenth to maneuver into that tie for fourth. And it might have been even higher for the Offalyman when he knocked his method to the seventeenth in to some toes however sadly couldn’t convert the putt for birdie.
Hockey
Eire 0 India 1
Eire had been crushed 1-0 by India in a rain-delayed match within the Oi Stadium in Tokyo and now should depend on a efficiency in opposition to Britain of their remaining match of Pool A to safe a quarter-final place within the Olympics Video games.
Eire defended heroically however ultimately seemed like a drained group in opposition to the laborious working Indians, who dominated each possession and territory all through the match. The extent of that domination was 10 penalty corners within the first half and 7 within the second half, none of which they had been in a position to convert into objectives.
It was a disappointing consequence for Eire who had focused the match for one of many two they wanted to win to get fourth place within the pool and declare a spot among the many final eight groups.
Britain, who Eire play on Saturday within the remaining pool recreation, are the Olympic Champions from Rio, whereas India meet South Africa, who haven’t but gained any of their 4 matches and have conceded 15 objectives.
From the off it was a defensive efficiency from Eire, who nervously began in opposition to a high-pressing Indian facet. That paid off for India early with their first penalty nook coming after simply eight minutes, which Sarah Torrans efficiently blocked. That was to be a theme of the day, defending corners.
India earned 5 corners within the first quarter and 5 extra within the second. That video evaluation session is anticipated to be X-rated, though the Irish defending and goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran significantly stood up below the fixed Indian menace.
The match didn’t actually change complexion within the second half because the Indians stayed in full assault mode, Eire’s slim possibilities coming from occasional breakaway runs.
Whereas Anna O’Flanagan hit a reverse slap which pressured a hand save from goalkeeper Savita within the remaining quarter, it was an more and more annoyed India who had been doing a lot of the attacking and circle penetrations.
Lastly three minutes from the top, the tiring Irish defence was once more stretched. A tough drill from the crown of the circle to the far put up discovered the stick of Navneet Kaur, who nicked it in direction of the Irish aim. This time there was little the goalkeeper McFerran might do with India ending the sport with a 1-0 win and now extra doubtless than Eire to make it by to the quarter-final.
“It was a troublesome recreation. Credit score the place credit score is due,” stated Irish captain Katie Mullan. “India performed a very good efficiency. They’d carried out their homework. They actually put it as much as us there at present. They gained quite a lot of corners. It’s at all times laborious to come back away from a recreation once you conceded quite a lot of corners like that.
“We’d be disillusioned that we acquired mainly to the final three minutes. We’ve one other alternative and we simply have to organize for that. Now every little thing in our management is how we carry out in opposition to GB. So we’ll put together now for that. We’ve performed them quite a lot of instances this 12 months, so that may add one thing to the sport.
“It’s been a very good week,” added Mullan. “We’ve been monitoring very well till now. We’ve been performing very well and are simply having a good time within the village. It’s been a beautiful expertise to this point and we don’t need it to finish. We’ll simply exit tomorrow and play with our hearts on our sleeve and provides it our greatest shot.”
Eire: A McFerran, S McAuley, H McLoughlin, R Upton, L Tice, C Watkins, Okay Mullan, A O’Flanagan, S Hawkshaw, D Duke, S Torrans.
Subs: S McCay, H Matthews, L Holden, N Carroll, N Daly.
India: Savita, Navjot Kaur, G Kaur, D G Ekka, Monika, Nisha, V Katariya, Udita, Navneet Kaur, Rani, Neha.
Subs: S Devi, N Pradhan, Lalremsiami, S Pukhrambam, S Tete.
Umpires: A Rostron (RSA), A Neumann (AUS).
Crusing
There was disappointment for Annalise Murphy on Friday as she completed in thirtieth and fortieth place in Races 9 and 10, respectively, within the laser radial to see her end out in 18th place general – outdoors of the top-10 qualifying place wanted to advance the medal race.
A powerful sail yesterday noticed her end in first and second place in Races 7 and eight to depart her at 14th general, so an enormous push was nonetheless wanted at present to qualify into the top-10 at present, however with gentle winds at Enoshima, it was a troublesome sail for Murphy.
This was the Dublin sailor’s third Olympics, the spotlight of which was a silver medal in Rio 5 years in the past, and he or she advised RTÉ Sport afterwards that she doesn’t see herself going to Paris in 2024.
“I’m wanting ahead to a traditional life,” she stated. “I can’t see myself going for one more Olympics.
“Aoife (Hopkins) and Eve (McMahon) are each going to be contenders in three years’ time and I wish to assist them out. I hope I may give them a few of my information and perhaps they’ll surpass all of my achievements. That will the dream, that I’ve left some legacy behind.
“I’m happy with myself for managing to make it to a few Olympics. I got here right here pondering this was my probability to win a gold medal but it surely wasn’t.
“However I’ve managed to win races in any respect three Olympics I’ve gone to in order that’s fairly good.”
The 49er duo of Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove, in the meantime, are at the moment sitting in 14th general after 9 races. The pair completed in ninth, 18th and ninth place in Races 7, 8 and 9 respectively this morning, with the ultimate three races to happen tomorrow.
The pair had been well-placed after yesterday’s motion however slipped from seventh all the way down to thirteenth after they had been disqualified from Races 5 and 6 for a harness that was 90 grams too heavy.
Equestrian
Sam Watson with Tullabeg Flamenco acquired the Irish eventing group off to a constructive begin in dressage, scoring a 34.3. This leaves the pair in twenty fifth place after the primary two classes, with yet one more to comply with tomorrow morning.
Austin O’Connor with Colorado Blue is in twenty ninth place out of 36 rivals on the finish of the primary day after they scored 38.0. Sarah Ennis with Horseware Woodcourt Garrison begin their dressage take a look at at 2.32am on Saturday.
With Watson on prime, the eye-catching Tullabeg Flamenco was composed and relaxed all through your entire take a look at.
A small error within the flying adjustments in direction of the top of the take a look at price them a number of marks however the pair are wanting ahead to the following two phases, cross nation and present leaping.
“I used to be happy with the horse and I feel the foundations had been there,” stated Watson afterwards. “The softness, suppleness, and leisure had been all there. I presumably didn’t give him sufficient punch and sufficient X-Issue for what they’re searching for on the Olympic Video games. It was a bit secure after which I made a small mistake, which was on me, I shouldn’t be lacking adjustments on the Olympic Video games. I’m fairly proud of the horse; I’m a bit disillusioned with the mark and there are some things that I might have carried out higher.
“I’m wanting ahead to cross nation. It’s a rider’s course as a result of he has given us quite a lot of decisions. You’ve got to make selections on the course and decide to your strains and keep targeted and concentrating. I like that. I prefer to be pondering when I’m on a course.”
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue taking to the stage.
Swimming
Within the pool, Danielle Hill was left disillusioned by a time of 25.70 seconds to complete sixth in her girls’s 50m freestyle warmth, leaving her outdoors the top-16 to qualify for the semi-finals.
In the meantime, Daniel Wiffen missed out on the ultimate of the boys’s 1,500m regardless of successful his warmth. The Lisburn man got here house in 15:07.69 however he was handed out within the subsequent three heats with solely the highest eight advancing to the ultimate.
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