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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 huge strikes to get to seven beneath
- Equestrian: Sam Watson finishes with 34.30 penalty factors to lie 14th; Austin O’Connor and Sarah Ennis to come back in session 2
- 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. combined 4x400m relay group to race in heats at 12pm
- Crusing: Annalise Murphy misses out on medal race after ending 14th total 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 in 50m freestyle heats at 11.33am; Daniel Wiffen in 1,500m freestyle heats at 11.48am
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 Area.
It brings to a few the variety of medals Eire have gained within the first week of competitors, two in rowing and now 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 photographs, it was the Irishman who impressed many of the judges. It was a slim second spherical however three of the 5 judges noticed it in favour of Walsh, giving him the crucial 2-0 lead he was searching for.
It was then desperation mode for the Mauritian, however it was Walsh who stepped up within the remaining stanza, with only one choose giving Clair the spherical. Walsh took the battle 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 unimaginable, it’s wonderful, it’s one thing that I dreamed of since I used to be no age,” mentioned 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 wonderful 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 eager about it.”
The Irishman was additionally spoken to within the final spherical by the referee. However he caught to the model that has confirmed so efficient.
“He instructed me to battle. I’ve been getting that my entire life so I’ve, individuals saying ‘battle, battle, battle, hurry up and transfer’,” mentioned Walsh.
“I’ve at all times had that model of shifting. I’m simply now implementing extra stuff whereas I’m shifting that the coaches are displaying me and I’m studying increasingly more types and strategies and ways whereas on the transfer whereas earlier than I used to only transfer and probably not do as a lot.
“Now I’m rising as a fighter, I’m not simply happening the transfer, I’m going backwards and going forwards and it’s nice.”
Earlier, Kellie Harrington got here via her first battle towards Italian southpaw Rebecca Nicoli. The Dublin World Champion from 2018 cleverly negotiated her manner via a tough three rounds towards the devoted counter puncher.
In a cagey opening spherical Harrington saved her distance, scoring with the jab and the occasional mixture towards an opponent who hardly ever made an offensive transfer, preferring to attempt to rating off Harrington’s assaults.
However it 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, once more Harrington combating 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 best way 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,” mentioned 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 immediately and get getting into a great way. Glad days. I used to be simply getting anxious (to get began). 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 sincere. You aren’t actually seeing a complete lot you’re seeing our house and the meals corridor. I’m residing within the meals corridor and for a boxer to have the ability to say they’re residing within the meals corridor is one thing else. This can be 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 battle.
Golf
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry each made huge strikes in the direction of the medal positions within the males’s golf match on Friday.
McIlroy carded a spherical of 66 to get to seven beneath par and right into a tie for fifth whereas Lowry joined him at that mark with a 65 with a variety of gamers nonetheless to complete after one other climate delay.
It was one other scorching and heavy day at Kasumigaseki Nation Membership the place Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz holds the lead at 10 beneath with six holes nonetheless to play in his second spherical.
McIlroy obtained off to a gradual begin with pars via 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 manner 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 beneath par. A disappointing bogey on the 18th put maybe a slight blot on the spherical however it was an excellent day’s work for McIlroy who has put himself proper within the combine for a medal.
Certainly, Eire might nicely have two actual medal possibilities come Sunday after Lowry additionally flew via his first eight holes in 4 beneath 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 have been overwhelmed 1-0 by India in a rain delayed match within the Oi Stadium in Tokyo and now should depend on a efficiency towards Britain of their remaining match of Pool A to safe a quarter-final place within the Olympics Video games.
Eire defended heroically however in the long run seemed like a drained group towards the arduous 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 have been in a position to convert into targets.
It was a disappointing end result 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 targets.
From the off it was a defensive efficiency from Eire, who nervously began towards a excessive urgent 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 predicted to be x-rated, though the Irish defending and goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran notably stood up beneath the fixed Indian risk.
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 compelled a hand save from goalkeeper Savita within the remaining quarter, it was an more and more annoyed India who have been doing many 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 publish discovered the stick of Navneet Kaur, who nicked it in the 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 probably than Eire to make it via to the quarter-final.
“It was a tricky recreation. Credit score the place credit score is due,” mentioned Irish captain Katie Mullan. “India performed a extremely good efficiency. They’d achieved their homework. They actually put it as much as us there immediately. They gained a whole lot of corners. It’s at all times arduous to come back away from a recreation whenever you conceded a whole lot of corners like that.
“We’d be dissatisfied that we obtained mainly to the final three minutes. We’ve one other alternative and we simply have to organize for that. Now all the things in our management is how we carry out towards GB. So we’ll put together now for that. We’ve performed them a whole lot of instances this yr, so that may add one thing to the sport.
“It’s been a extremely good week,” added Mullan. “We’ve been monitoring very well till now. We’ve got been performing very well and are simply having a good time within the village. It’s been a beautiful expertise up to now 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 total – exterior of the top-10 qualifying place wanted to advance the medal race.
A robust sail yesterday noticed her end in first and second place in Races 7 and eight to depart her at 14th total, so an enormous push was nonetheless wanted immediately to qualify into the top-10 immediately, however with gentle winds at Enoshima, it was a tricky sail for Murphy.
The 49er duo of Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove, in the meantime, are presently sitting in 14th total 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 have been well-placed after yesterday’s motion however slipped from seventh all the way down to thirteenth after they have been disqualified from Races 5 and 6 for a harness which was 90 grams too heavy.
Athletics
After ready an additional yr to truly write this, athletics obtained underway 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 strictly what he did – nailing second place behind latest world document breaker Karsten Warholm of Norway.
That obtained Barr into Sunday’s semi-final, the place he’s once more drawn towards Warholm, plus the highest American Benjamin Rai: solely the highest two, and two quickest losers, will progress to the ultimate.
“Good, sure good,” Barr mentioned, 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 type of get to.
“I might have achieved with a faster time, on the similar time I didn’t want it. I felt like I went out very relaxed, first 200, 250m. So relaxed that I ended up with a whole lot of vitality coming across the prime bend, and really near hurdle seven and eight, I needed to test them a bit of 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 just a few weeks in the past, was on his exterior, 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 an excellent lane, do what I have to 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 a complete time without work tomorrow to prepare once more. Undoubtedly, I felt very snug, very relaxed, particularly down the backstraight. I used to be simply working off Warholm actually, he mentioned he was going to exit pretty straightforward, and his straightforward might be my fast. So I’d simply maintain onto him as greatest I can. He was virtually attempting to debate ways with me within the warm-up monitor, saying how would I am going out, and I mentioned ‘I’ll simply maintain on to you.’”
No such pleasure earlier within the morning session for the three Irish ladies who had certified for Tokyo within the 800 metres, Nadia Energy, Louise Shanahan and Síofra Cléirigh Büttner eradicated over three successive heats within the steamy however not fairly but 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 exterior 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 suitable psychological area developing right here,” mentioned 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 immediately.”
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 arduous and decided as she chased it was in useless and introduced up the rear in eighth place in 2:03.57.
“I can’t imagine I’m right here, I’m completely delighted. I might have appreciated to make it via, 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 immediately that’s a reasonably good day,” mentioned Shanahan. That warmth was gained by rising American star Athing Mu, who simply turned 19, working a easy 2:01.10, clearly with loads extra within the tank.
Then got here Büttner in Warmth 4 which was a extra tactical affair with the Dublin runner having to test herself just a few instances across the bell as she seemed for a greatest place. She ended up seventh too, working 2:04.62, nicely 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 mentioned. “I’m dissatisfied I couldn’t do extra however the battle to get right here was draining in itself. The three of us needed to undergo lots 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.”
Equestrian
Sam Watson obtained the Irish eventing group off to a constructive begin in dressage, scoring a 34.3. This leaves the pair in 14th place after the primary session, with two extra to observe. The attention-catching Tullabeg Flamenco was composed and relaxed all through your entire check.
A small error within the flying modifications in the direction of the top of the check price them just a few 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 believe the foundations have been there,” mentioned Watson afterwards. “The softness, suppleness, and leisure have 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 of protected after which I made a small mistake, which was on me, I shouldn’t be lacking modifications on the Olympic Video games. I’m fairly proud of the horse; I’m a bit of dissatisfied with the mark and there are some things that I might have achieved higher.
“I’m wanting ahead to cross nation. It’s a rider’s course as a result of he has given us a whole lot of decisions. You’ve got to make choices on the course and decide to your traces and keep centered and concentrating. I like that. I wish to be considering when I’m on a course.”
Motion continues within the second session later immediately with Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue taking to the stage.
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