Amber Rutter, the British shooter, was furious about being denied a gold medal in a controversial shoot-off at the end of the women’s skeet. The GB athlete finished with a silver medal but believed she had hit a clay only for it not to explode. Rutter’s ‘miss’ opened the door for her shoot-off opponent, Chile’s Francisca Crovetto Chadid, to hit both her targets and take the gold medal.
The Rutter incident was not the only disappointment for Team GB on Sunday. The men’s hockey team were knocked out in the quarter-finals after they lost in a shoot-out to India. The GB goalkeeper had an iPad confiscated as he attempted to bone up on the opposition penalty-takers. There was also no medal for a strong GB women’s road-race team despite getting three riders in the breakaway from which the race was won.
The biggest British success of the day was Tommy Fleetwood’s silver in the golf, but even that was coloured by disappointment as he was beaten to gold by Scottie Scheffler’s late charge up the leaderboard. Rory McIlroy, who was fifth, called the golf the best tournament outside of the Ryder Cup.
There were bronze medals for Lottie Fry in individual dressage and for Harry Hepworth’s in the men’s vault – all the more impressive from a gymnast who has one leg shorter than the other.
There was no luck for the men’s mixed-medley swimming team, who were fourth behind yet another extraordinary Chinese swim. While on the athletics track the British 100m contenders Louie Hincliffe and Zharnel Hughes were knocked out in the semi-finals. Noah Lyles took victory in the final, winning by just five thousandths of a second.
Despite Jemma Reekie and 17-year-old Phoebe Gill going out in the semi-final of the women’s 800m, Tokyo silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson cruised into the final after winning the final semi-final.
Day nine: As it happened
09:15 PM BST
Two British men into 1500m final
09:08 PM BST
Two triathletes who swam in Seine are ill, with one in hospital with E.coli
“Two Olympic triathletes who swam in the Seine last week are sick, including one in hospital with E.coli, as doubts grow about Monday’s mixed event.
“Belgium’s team has withdrawn from the race as it does not have a replacement for Claire Michel, who has been hospitalised since Wednesday. The Swiss athlete Adrien Briffod also suffered a gastrointestinal infection, although his national body maintains it is “impossible to say” if it is linked to water quality in the Seine. Team GB, Telegraph Sport understands, are fully fit, with no athletes experiencing any ill effects.
“Several outbreaks of rain, including a thunderstorm on Thursday, had already prompted some anxiety for organisers over the weekend. Independent analysis suggested E.coli readings on the Seine were high again but Paris 2024 spokeswoman Anne Descamps said improvement was expected ahead of early hours tests on Monday.”
Tom Morgan has the very latest from Paris.
09:03 PM BST
Why was Kim crying?
“Tom Kim was convulsed in tears here at Le Golf National after finishing eighth at the Olympic golf tournament, although he later denied that this devastation was because a medal would have meant he avoids military service in South Korea.
“The 22-year-old was in contention for bronze for most of the final day until a double-bogey on the 18th saw him fall back. The rules in his home country dictate that he can only circumvent conscription if he gains a medal at the Olympics or a gold at the Asian Games. A win in a major will not do.
“Kim has another Asian Games to go and the Olympics at Los Angeles in 2028 before he passes the cut-off point at 28. Having come so close to earning his exemption, it was perhaps no surprise to see him so upset. But Kim was adamant this was not the reason.”
James Corrigan has the latest from Le Golf National in Paris.
08:56 PM BST
Noah Lyles wins gold
The showman takes gold in an incredible finish in 9.79. It looked like Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson had it but Lyles is given it. They had the same time but Lyles’ PB gives him the gold medal. Just 0.12 between first and last. Fred Kerley wins bronze. Lyles is officially the fastest man on the planet. Go to our dedicated blog to follow all the reaction.
08:45 PM BST
Hester announces retirement as Fry claims another bronze for GB equestrian team
“At this Olympics we have seen 16-year-old gymnasts, 18-year-old swimmers, teenagers tearing across track, field and BMX park. No wonder that Team GB’s oldest and most experienced member has been feeling his age. Now, at 57, the equestrian Carl Hester has announced that he will not be trying to compete in Los Angeles. His time, he reckons, has been called.
“It’s the perfect way to go out,” he said after he had come sixth in the individual freestyle dressage competition at Versailles. “It was probably the best freestyle I’ve ever done. Why should I not retire after that? There’s two ways of looking at it. Either I’m getting better or I should get out now before it all goes downhill.”
Jim White has the story from another good day for GB’s equestrian team.
08:41 PM BST
Fleetwood has to make do with silver
It looked like Tommy Fleetwood might win gold at Le Golf National, the scene of an incredible performance from the British golfer at the 2018 Ryder Cup. But he was pipped by American Scottie Scheffler, who backed up his second Masters win earlier this year with a gold medal in Paris. Fleetwood had to settle for silver.
08:38 PM BST
Rutter loses gold after Olympics opts not to use video replays for shooting
“Team GB shooter Amber Rutter found herself caught up in an extraordinary Olympic refereeing controversy when the absence of video replays denied her the chance of upgrading her historic silver medal to gold.
“Competing for the first time since giving birth just three months ago, Rutter became the first British woman ever to win an Olympic shooting medal before celebrating with her husband and baby boy Tommy, who had secretly flown from home to surprise her.
“But the moment was overshadowed by a bizarre episode late on in the skeet final when Rutter was ruled to have missed her ninth shot in a sudden-death shoot-off with Chile’s Francisca Crovetto Chadid for gold. Rutter immediately spun round to tell her coach to appeal the decision, only to be informed that video replays were not in use at these Olympics, despite their regular use at other international shooting competitions. Crovetto Chadid duly sealed her fate, and Rutter had to make do with silver.”
Ben Bloom has the full story from Chateauroux.
08:33 PM BST
Deignan’s Olympic career ends 10 days after ‘medical emergency’
“Lizzie Deignan said she had competed in her last Olympics as she led a strong British effort in the women’s road race just 10 days after being hospitalised with a “medical emergency”.
“American Kristen Faulkner, a Harvard graduate and latecomer to cycling, by way of rowing, took a hugely surprising gold medal, riding clear of a high-class final selection that included race favourite Lotte Kopecky (Belgium), Marianne Vos (Netherlands) and Blanka Vas (Hungary).”
Tom Cary has the full report from the women’s road race.
08:26 PM BST
Djokovic completes tennis
He has achieved everything in the game but before today, no Olympic gold medal. But Novak Djokovic has changed that after beating Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets at Roland Garros today. It is safe to say there was plenty of emotion for the Serb.
08:21 PM BST
Hodgkinson through
Her teammates fell at the semi-final stage but Keely Hodgkinson has powered into the women’s 800m final with the fastest time.
08:18 PM BST
Bronze for Hepworth
One of Team GB’s medals on day nine came in the gymnastics as 19-year-old Harry Hepworth took bronze in the men’s vault final. He missed out on a medal in the rings final around an hour earlier but he delivered in the vault to finish just ahead of his teammate Jake Jarman.
08:15 PM BST
Men’s 1500m semi-finals
Team GB have the 2023 world champion Josh Kerr and George Mills in the first, with Neil Gourley to come in the second. Kerr and Mills are up against the defending Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway.
Ingebrigtsen takes it just ahead of Kerr, but both looked like they were taking it easy. Mills is out.
Gourley is safely through from the second semi-final after finishing third.
08:03 PM BST
Sample of the reaction from GB’s athletes
Jemma Reekie, after missing out on the 800m final, speaking to the BBC:
“Not good but going to go away and speak to my coach and get myself together.
“I’m in the best shape of my life and I made some mistakes and that’s what happens. I just need to go away and think about it.”
Zharnel Hughes, after missing out on the 100m final, speaking to the BBC:
“Obviously I’m disappointed but I know where I am coming from. This is my third 100m. Not making any excuses. Today just wasn’t my day.
“To try to get through the rounds of the Olympics after injuring my hamstring with a grade two tear last month wasn’t that easy but I dug deep to give myself a try and that’s what I came here to do.
“I don’t have to focus on the 100m anymore, just focus on the 200m and I’ll be fine.”
07:51 PM BST
Safely through
07:41 PM BST
Women’s 800m semi-finals
17-year-old Phoebe Gill goes for GB in semi-final one and she finishes fourth with Kenyan Mary Moraa taking it. Gill will have to wait to see if she qualifies as a fastest loser.
Jemma Reekie goes in the second semi-final. She is going well for so much of it but down the home straight she tires up and falls backwards. That is a huge shock as she finishes fifth, which means she as well as Gill are out. Just Keely Hodgkinson remaining in the final semi-final.
So, Hodgkinson is the last British woman standing in this event and she won silver in Tokyo. She leads it out from the front and convincingly wins with ease. Great form to take into the final tomorrow night as she is comfortably fastest into the final.
07:34 PM BST
McIlroy: Unpaid Olympic Games up there with Ryder Cup
“Rory McIlroy is not normally full of cheer after finishing fifth, but here at the Olympic tournament he called it “the best tournament I’ve ever played in apart from the Ryder Cup”.
“McIlroy, who as an Ulsterman exercises his right to represent Ireland in the Games, was within one of the lead when he stood in the middle of the 15th fairway with a wedge in his hand and, after reeling off five birdies in the preceding five holes, confirmed that “all I was thinking about was gold at the stage”.”
07:25 PM BST
Men’s 100m semi-finals
In semi-final one, Jamaican Oblique Seville takes it ahead of defending world champion Noah Lyles of the USA. GB’s Louie Hinchcliffe finishes in third and faces an anxious wait to see if he qualifies as a fastest loser.
The defending Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy finishes third in the second semi-final in a time of 9.92 which is going to send Hinchcliffe out. South Africa’s Akani Simbine wins it in 9.87
GB’s Zharnel Hughes is in action in the third semi-final. It is a disaster for Team GB as Hughes is out, finishing in a time of 10.01. Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson wins it in 9.80, the fastest times of the semi-finals. No British representation in the men’s 100m final.
You can follow our dedicated 100m live blog.
07:08 PM BST
Belgium pull out of mixed triathlon relay
Here is the joint statement from the Belgian Olympic Committee (COIB) and Belgium Triathlon, announcing their withdrawal:
“The decision, like this communication, was taken in consultation with the athletes and the entourage.
“Claire Michel, a member of the relay, is unfortunately ill and has to withdraw from the competition.”
Here is the Belgium statement:
“The COIB and Belgian Triathlon hope that lessons will be learned for the next triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games.
“We are thinking here of the guarantee of training days, competition days and the format of the competitions which must be clarified in advance and ensure that there is no uncertainty for the athletes, the entourage and the supporters.”
The statement from the organisers this morning:
“(The) decision has been made to cancel the swim leg of the triathlon familiarisation, which was due to be held on August 4 at 8am (7am BST).
“Given the heavy rain over the nights of July 31 and August 1, which had been particularly intense upstream of Paris, we still see impact on the water quality in our venue.
“We are expecting an improvement on the conditions in the next hours, but not to a level to which the swim familiarisation planned for (Sunday) can take place.”
06:52 PM BST
Men’s 100m coming up
The semi-finals are just over ten minutes away and we have you covered tonight for the semis and the final. Louie Hinchcliffe and Zharnel Hughes are flying the flag for Team GB, going up against defending world champion Noah Lyles of the USA.
06:50 PM BST
History for Saint Lucia
On the same night that Thea Lafond was making history, Julien Alfred was winning Saint Lucia’s first ever gold medal. Saint Lucia has a population of around 180,000 and its national anthem is “God Save The King”.
06:42 PM BST
Peaty set for retirement?
The action has ended at La Défense Arena in the swimming at the 2024 Paris Olympics. After the GB team narrowly missed out on a medal in the 4x100m medley relay final, Adam Peaty has just hinted to the BBC that it could have been his last race. He said that “it is time for me to step away from the sport” and said he was unsure whether he would return.
06:39 PM BST
History for Dominica
At the Stade de France last night, Thea Lafond became the first athlete from Dominica to win an Olympic medal as she won gold in the women’s triple jump. She won gold at the World Indoors Championship earlier this year and delivered when it mattered most. Dominica’s population is around 72,000, which further underlines Lafond’s incredible achievement.
06:30 PM BST
How Paris Olympics developed one of the world’s fastest tracks
“With a tap of his walking stick on the newly unveiled track, the legendary American long-jumper Bob Beaman signalled on Friday morning that the Olympic athletics programme was under way. An expectant 70,000 crowd were also in place and, among the watching millions around the world, we can safely assume that there was one common question: Why the purple track?
“The eye-catching surface has been newly laid inside the Stade de France and, by working with a Sardianian fish farming company to incorporate seashells among its compound materials, the company Mondo claim to have merged sustainability with their fastest ever track.”
Our chief sports reporter Jeremy Wilson has the full story from Paris.
06:19 PM BST
GB miss out on medal
Over at La Défense Arena the 4x100m medley relay team have finished fourth in the final. China take the gold, USA silver and hosts France bronze. Follow all the reaction here.
06:09 PM BST
Athletics
The men’s 400m heats have begun over at the Stade de France. GB’s Matthew Hudson-Smith wins the first heat and it very much looked like he was taking it easy down the home stretch. Charles Dobson is coming up in heat six and you can follow that on our athletics blog.
06:00 PM BST
World record broken in the pool
Not from Team GB but USA’s Bobby Finke, who has broken Sun Yang’s 1500m freestyle world record from London 2012 in 14:30.67. Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen took bronze and you can catch all the action from La Défense Arena with our swimming blog.
05:54 PM BST
Athletics
Over at the Stade de France Team GB will be hoping for good performances from the likes of Keely Hodgkinson, Matthew Hudson-Smith and 100m sprint duo Louie Hinchcliffe and Zharnel Hughes. You can follow our dedicated athletics blog here to keep up with all the action from the Stade de France.
05:51 PM BST
Reaction from Amber Rutter
“I truly believe that I did hit it. This is sport for you, it’s all swings and roundabouts, and it’s just one of those things that you have to live with.
“I do truly believe that I hit that last target, but to come away with a silver medal anyway is something I’m so proud of and that I didn’t even think would be possible. The fact I’m sat here, with a silver medal, I’m just so proud of my result and how far I’ve come.”
05:44 PM BST
Rutter’s journey from giving birth to winning silver
05:36 PM BST
Sailing
The sixth race in the mixed multihull has just finished and the Team GB pair of John Gimson and Anna Burnet have finished ninth, which leaves them in sixth at the halfway stage.
05:33 PM BST
Still to come tonight
18:05- Athletics men’s 400m round one (featuring Matthew Hudson-Smith and Charles Dobson)
18:10- Swimming men’s 4x100m medley relay final (featuring Team GB)
19:05- Athletics men’s 100m semi-finals (featuring Zharnel Hughes and Louie Hinchcliffe)
19:35- Athletics women’s 800m semi-finals (featuring Keely Hodgkinson, Jemma Reekie and Phoebe Gill)
20:50- Athletics men’s 100m final
05:26 PM BST
The three medal winners in the men’s singles golf
05:18 PM BST
Medal in the pool tonight?
Over at La Défense Arena the swimming action is getting under way very soon, with Team GB’s men’s 4x100m medley relay team is going for gold at around 18.10 (BST). You can follow the swimming with our dedicated blog here.
05:12 PM BST
Gold for USA in women’s road race
Kristen Faulkner of the USA has taken gold after a late attack. Nearly a minute later, Marianne Vos of the Netherlands wins silver and Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky takes bronze. Kata Vas of Hungary misses out on the line in that finish with Vos and Kopecky. GB’s Pfeiffer Georgi takes fifth.
Follow all the reaction with our cycling blog.
05:08 PM BST
GB men’s hockey team in iPad penalty shoot-out controversy
“There was a dizzying sense of déjà vu as Great Britain’s men’s hockey team suffered quarter-final heartache against India at a successive Olympics. But this time their defeat was tinged with missed opportunities, penalty shoot-out drama and a burning sense of injustice.
“With the match locked at 1-1 after Britain squandered a flurry of gilt-edged chances late on, Team GB appeared to lose their focus after goalkeeper Ollie Payne had his iPad containing shoot-out notes confiscated in a tense penalty shoot-out.”
Fiona Tomas has the full report from Paris.
05:00 PM BST
Asher-Smith cuts short BBC interview
“Dina Asher-Smith cut short her post-race BBC interview after qualifying for the 200m semi-finals as she tried to contain her anger and devastation at failing to reach the women’s 100m final.
“Asher-Smith crashed out of the 100m semi-finals following what, by her standards, was a poor fifth-place run of 11.10sec and again insisted that she is in excellent form for the remaining events.”
Jeremy Wilson has the full report from Paris.
04:53 PM BST
Sailing
In the mixed multihull the GB duo of John Gimson and Anna Burnet have moved up to fourth after finishing fourth in race five.
However in the women’s dinghy Hannah Snellgrove has had a disastrous couple of races to drop down to 10th overall after eight races. In both of these events the top ten boats after the opening series (12 races in the mixed multihull, 10 in the women’s dinghy) progress to the medal race.
04:46 PM BST
Success for Harry Hepworth in the men’s vault
04:44 PM BST
Completing tennis
04:41 PM BST
Scheffler wins gold, Fleetwood silver
It looked like Tommy Fleetwood was going to seal gold for Team GB at Le Golf National but it is not to be as USA’s Scottie Scheffler, who won The Masters for the second time earlier this year, takes gold on 19-under-par. That means back-to-back golds for Team USA in the men’s singles golf after Xander Schauffele won in Tokyo. Fleetwood has to settle for silver, one shot behind Scheffler on -18. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama takes the bronze medal on -17. Spain’s Jon Rahm had a four-shot lead at one point this afternoon but does not make the podium. Follow all the reaction on our golf blog.
04:31 PM BST
Closing stages of women’s road race
They are into the final 30km on the streets of Paris. GB’s Pfeiffer Georgi is in the lead group, with teammates Anna Henderson and Lizzie Deignan dropping off the pace in the last few kilometres. You can follow the closing stages with our cycling live blog.
04:23 PM BST
Canoe Slalom
Great Britain have Kimberley Woods and Mallory Franklin in action in the women’s kayak cross heats. Woods has won heat six to progress to the quarter-finals and Franklin has joined her after winning the final heat.
04:19 PM BST
Controversial ‘miss’ denies furious Rutter gold
An incorrect shoot-off call has cost Amber Rutter a gold medal in the women’s skeet final. She was forced to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics due to a positive Covid test and has now had to contest with an incorrect decision.
04:12 PM BST
Bronze for Hepworth
Over at the Bercy Arena, GB’s Harry Hepworth has bounced back from missing out on a medal earlier in the rings and has taken the bronze in the vault final with a score of 14.949. Philippines’ Carlos Yulo takes gold on 15.116 with Armenia’s Artur Davtyan taking silver on 14.966. Jake Jarman narrowly missed out in fourth. Follow our live gymnastics blog for all the reaction.
04:07 PM BST
Rutter gets her silver medal
04:04 PM BST
Gold for Novak Djokovic
The 24-time Grand Slam winner has claimed his first Olympic gold medal against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic has won 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2) and is in tears as he completes tennis. You can follow all the reaction to Djokovic’s gold here.
03:58 PM BST
Rutter with her son Tommy
03:56 PM BST
Sailing
Plenty of action down in Marseille. In the women’s dinghy Hannah Snellgrove sits in sixth through seven races, after a poor 20th-place finish in race seven.
Meanwhile in the mixed multihull the GB duo of John Gimson and Anna Burnet are in fifth through four races after finishing third in race four.
03:51 PM BST
Support from family
03:44 PM BST
The controversial ending
Amber Rutter’s ‘miss’ actually hit but it did not explode. Her appeals fell on deaf ears.
03:40 PM BST
Reunited with her son
03:38 PM BST
Rutter cannot believe it
03:33 PM BST
Chile gold, GB silver
Rutter cannot believe it. She hits one and hits the other, but one does not explode. She protests but the officials only give her one. Crovetto Chadid steps up to hit the next two which seals gold for Chile but that was controversial. Why did Rutter not get given two there? That is stunning. How can it end like that? Austen Smith of the USA takes bronze.
03:30 PM BST
Shoot-off still going
Rutter hits the first two. Crovetto Chadid also gets her first two.
Back to Rutter, who nails third and fourth. Over to the Chilean, who follows suit. This is women’s skeet shooting of the highest quality.
Rutter gets her fifth but misses so sixth so can Crovetto Chadid take the gold? No she cannot as she also misses one. How are their nerves? I can tell you mine are shot!
03:26 PM BST
Shoot-off
Drama as Rutter has to pause as a bird flies by. She then misses her penultimate target but finishes on 55. Crovetto Chadid also misses one despite claiming she hit it. Crovetto Chadid also finishes on 55 so we head to a shoot-off. I am not sure my nerves can take this. This is the beauty of the Olympics.
03:23 PM BST
Four targets left
Both nail the next two and it comes down to the final four targets for the gold medal. Will it be Rutter or Crovetto Chadid?
03:21 PM BST
Shooting
Down to the final two; GB’s Amber Rutter, who is on 46, and Chile’s Francisca Crovetto Chadid, on 48. 10 more targets to come.
Four targets later and we are all square as Crovetto Chadid missed two on that lot of four.
03:15 PM BST
Rutter guaranteed a medal
GB will get a medal but which colour will it be? Amber Rutter is up against the USA’ Austen Smith and Chile’s Francisca Crovetto Chadid.
Update from Ben Bloom:
“A frankly astonishing achievement from Amber Rutter. An Olympic medal three months after giving birth is mind-boggling. I don’t know how these shooters keep their cool because my nerves are shredded up in the tribunes. No matter what colour the medal ends up being Rutter has done something extraordinary today.”
03:13 PM BST
Shooting
We are into the closing stages of the women’s skeet final. Slovakia’s Danka Bartekova and Greece’s Emmanouela Katzouraki are out, with GB’s Amber Rutter in a good position to secure a medal.
03:08 PM BST
No medal for Rebecca Downie
She is bumped out of the top three and there will be no medal for her. Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour wins gold, ahead of China’s Qiyuan Qiu and USA’s Sunisa Lee.
03:05 PM BST
Canoe slalom
The men’s kayak cross heats are ongoing and GB’s Joe Clarke has won heat one to progress to the quarter-finals. However Adam Burgess has finished fourth of four in heat four and therefore is out.
03:02 PM BST
Downie falls off
It was going so well but Rebecca Downie falls. She registers a score of 13.633 to move into third but still half the competitors in the final are still to go so a medal is extremely unlikely now. That is the nature of a high-pressure final. You can follow all the gymnastics action here.
03:00 PM BST
Djokovic in control
The first set has gone to Novak Djokovic against Carlos Alcaraz in the men’s tennis singles. Plenty of celebrities on show at Roland Garros:
02:53 PM BST
Shooting
We have reached the final of the women’s skeet. The top six athletes in qualifying have progressed to the final, where scores are reset.
Each finalist shoots, in sequence, at 20 targets. The sixth-placed athlete is then eliminated. The lowest-ranked competitor is knocked out after every subsequent 10 targets until only two athletes remain. They both shoot at another 10 targets (giving a total of 60) to decide gold and silver.
Currently Great Britain’s Amber Rutter is in the joint-lead on 19 alongside Chile’s Francisca Crovetto Chadid. Just three months ago Rutter gave birth to her son Tommy.
02:51 PM BST
Men’s rings final results
GB’s Harry Hepworth finished seventh in the end with a score of 14.800. The gold medal went to China’s Yang Liu with 15.300. China took both gold and silver with Jingyuan Zou taking second, with Greece’s Eleftherios Petrounias winning the bronze medal.
02:48 PM BST
What is ahead of us
Thank you for Alan, still so much to look forward to for the rest of the day. We will updates from shooting, gymnastics, tennis, sailing amongst other sports so stay with us.
02:47 PM BST
Loads more action to come
I’ll hand you over to Kieran Crichard for the rest of the day.
02:32 PM BST
More on rings
Harry Hepworth 💪🏻
An outstanding performance by Harry on the rings, superb composure and control and a tidy dismount scores him 14.8
That’s 6th pace for Harry with one gymnast to go. 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/CgF3p5qGOv— British Gymnastics (@BritGymnastics) August 4, 2024
Get full details of this over on our dedicated blog.
Olympics gymnastics live: Team GB’s Jake Jarman and Becky Downie go for gold at Paris 2024
02:24 PM BST
Amber means ready
Ben Bloom has an update:
“It’s almost time for Amber Rutter to bid for what would be a remarkable Olympic medal just three months after giving birth. She is currently warming up alongside the other five finalists at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre. I have to say, I do feel sorry for shooters at these Olympics, having to compete in a very sleepy town 270km south of Paris. There is almost zero sense that this is actually part of an Olympics. It’s bizarre.”
02:12 PM BST
Gymnastics: men’s rings starting
Gymnastics action ahoy. The men’s rings. One of the most awe-inspiring events for my money.
Reigning Olympic and World champion Liu Yang’s 🇨🇳 strength parts on Rings are so good that each elicits its own round of applause. He lifts his chin during his iron cross, a little signature. Chest low and small hop on double double tuck dismount but still. 15.3 — Liu leads!
— FIG (@gymnastics) August 4, 2024
Olympics gymnastics live: Team GB’s Jake Jarman and Becky Downie go for gold at Paris 2024
02:12 PM BST
Post
01:44 PM BST
Dingy dinghy news
Shame, a setback for Team GB in the Mixed Dinghy this afternoon. Vita Heathcote and Chris Grube are in 11th and you need to be top ten to qualify for the final on Wednesday.
They were disqualified from race six for “starting under a U flag”. That’s a false start basically.
01:30 PM BST
Let’s have a tour around the grounds
There’s the final of the men’s table tennis. And also the men’s archery. They’re both coming up fairly soon.
At 2pm, it’s the men’s rings final. Harry Hepworth carries GB’s hopes in that but I see the bookies have him as a 90/1 shot in an eight-runner field. There’s also vault: Harry’s got a significantly better chance in that by all accounts, and Jake Jarman is the favourite.
01:12 PM BST
Women’s road race cycling
Lizzie Deignan and Team GB face huge test in women’s road race
01:11 PM BST
Jim White on the dressage
Well goodness me that was unexpected. And rather delightful. Lottie Fry has just secured bronze in the individual dressage after the Danish world number one Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour underperforms on her horse Freestyle. If not quite total vindication, that is at least a mighty relief for the British team who have seen their sport cast under the darkest of spells this last two weeks by the behaviour of their colleague Charlotte Dujardin.
Fry can return to competition delighted with her bronze, Carl Hester will probably announce his retirement after his seventh games, while Becky Moody can take the holiday she had planned before Dujardin’s self-immolation. While those of us who have watched them in action here can stop pretending we know the difference between a piaffe and a passage at least until Los Angeles in four years time.
01:10 PM BST
Watch party, St Lucia style
12:28 PM BST
Lottie Fry wins bronze!
So tense for Fry….. Has Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour gone ahead of her to pinch bronze? No! She’s only got 79% for her technical and despite smashing it on the artistic with a score of 97%, it’s only good enough for fifth and it means that Lottie Fry wins a bronze medal in the individual dressage freestyle.
Rishi Persad: “Extraordinary day of drama. We had faint hopes in reality becuase of how strong the German riders are. Tough couple of weeks for the dressage team but they have responded.” Rishi says that Carl Hester says he’s 85% sure he won’t compete again.
12:25 PM BST
Ryan’s in
12:24 PM BST
Women’s 400m hurdles.
“GB’s Lina Nielsen is into the semi-finals of the women’s 400m hurdles. She came second in her heat in a time of 54.65 seconds to avoid the jeopardy of the repecharge. The two fastest qualifiers, as expected, were Femke Bol and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone who look to be a cut above their rivals,” writes Greg Wilcox.
12:20 PM BST
A blow for GB
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl has gone into the gold medal spot!
Now Lottie Fry has to hope that the final competitor, Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark, doesn’t push her out of bronze.
12:14 PM BST
Age-gap
12:13 PM BST
Two competitors left in the dressage
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany (I mean obviously) and Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour of Denmark. Interestingly, the Dane will ride the horse who was previously partnered with Charlotte Dujardin. The horse is called Freestyle. BBC commentator has just said that “the irony will be lost on few people that this horse was trained and produced by Dujardin.”
12:05 PM BST
Anxious waits all round in fact
If it is possible in a sport as refined as dressage, things are getting tense in the Versailles Arena. Lottie Fry has just taken second place in the leaderboard behind the great German Isabell Wurth with a fine round aboard Glamourdale. 88.971 she scored. Now in silver position, just above her team mate Carl Hester, Fry has to wait and see what the remaining three riders do to see if she manages to get on the podium. Anxious times for the British number one.
Update: Dutch woman has just gone into third. Hard lines for techno’s Carl Hester.
12:01 PM BST
Knight faces anxious wait in hurdles
“In the third heat of the women’s 400m hurdles Jessie Knight came fifth in a time of 55.39 secs. She’ll have to wait to see whether that’s good enough for a fastest loser spot or if she’ll have to rely on the repechage. The race was won by the Netherlands’ Femke Bol who eased to a time of 53.38 secs which, considering her personal best is 50.95 secs, is positively pedestrian,” writes Greg Wilcox.
11:52 AM BST
Charlotte Fry
is doing her routine. BBC commentator Bobby Hayler notes that you can see how much the horse is enjoying it. If you say so. I guess you might call that part of a larger story.
Glamourdale now doing the extended canter. A bit of The British National Anthem, a bit of La Marseillaise, a bit of Bond themes. Oop, here’s The Verve. Is it The Drugs Don’t Work? Don’t be silly. It’s Bitter Sweet Symphony. The Beatles.
In so far as I can tell, it’s a good effort but it is not going to topple the German. “At times cheeky, a little whimsical,” says the BBC chap. 88.971 totally. 96% for her artistic but only 82% for technical. It puts Lottie into second, with Carl in third.
11:51 AM BST
Fleetwood under way
Olympics golf live: Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy in hunt for gold at Le Golf National
11:48 AM BST
Isabell Werth of Germany
has produced a magnificent routine (or so the experts are telling me) and it looks like Carl Hester’s position at the top of the leaderboard is under threat.
She’s scored 97.5% on artistic.
11:35 AM BST
More insanity in the horsey dancing
A Danish lady is making a horse do its thing as a slowed-down orchestral interpretation of ‘Shout’ by Tears For Fears rampages through the PA system. I cannot tell you if it’s good or not but it’s certainly a vibe.
A German competitor after that and then it’s Team GB’s Lottie Fry.
11:33 AM BST
110m hurdles updates
“Bit of a shock in the 110m hurdles as defending champion Hansle Parchment will have to rely on the repechage to make the semi-finals. The Jamaican finished fifth in his heat with a time of 13.43 seconds, with China’s Zhuoyi Xu winning a close race in 13.40 secs. In the fourth heat GB’s Tade Ojora finished fourth in 13.35 secs. There are three fastest loser spots so he may not need the repechage,” writes Greg Wilcox.
11:12 AM BST
Freddie Crittenden
“US hurdler Freddie Crittenden spoke to Eurosport and said he was slightly injured so saved himself for the repechage on Tuesday, when he’ll hopefully be better and make the top six and get into the semi-finals that way. Slightly cynical but all above board,” writes Greg Wilcox
11:09 AM BST
Jim White
A fortnight ago, Becky Moody thought she was heading for a holiday in France. Instead, after Charlotte Dujardin’s hasty retreat from competition, at the age of 44 she has just made her Olympic debut in the individual dressage. Not a bad one either. An excellent artistic score of 91.571 was slightly undermined by a technical total of 77.143. Averaged out they gave her a total of 84.357 which puts her in the silver medal position behind her team mate Carl Hester.
11:05 AM BST
Athletics
“The men’s 110m hurdles heats are under way and in the second heat Freddie Crittenden of the US never got going. He finished fourth in the World Championships but even before the first hurdle in Paris it appeared as though he wasn’t even racing. He looked as though he was jogging and finished in 18.27secs. Whatever the story behind that it was slightly bizarre…” writes Greg Wilcox
11:05 AM BST
Tom Jones Megamix vs Horse
Becky Moody gets her routine under way to the soundtrack of It’s Not Unusual. Technically untrue, of course: dancing horses around my way are extremely unusual. Anyway, the Team GB equestrian appears a bit of a Tom Jones fans as It’s Not Unusual segues into Sex Bomb.
“This music is so Becky. Jolly, upbeat,’ says the commentator.
10:49 AM BST
Jeremy Wilson at the athletics
A big improvement on last night’s 100m semi-final exit for Dina Asher-Smith, who is qualified as the third fastest through the heats in the women’s 200m in 22.28sec. She was at a complete loss to explain her performance in the 100m and, with Daryll Neita, has an outside shot at a medal over the longer sprint distance.
10:47 AM BST
Jim White on Carl Hester
A lovely round by one of the most engaging personalities in his sport, has seen Carl Hester take the lead at the individual dressage. And quite a lead too. He and his horse Fame secured 85.161 points, putting him a good two and a bit points ahead of the field. Still early days yet, with the heavyweight performers from Germany yet to ride. But Hester will be delighted with his effort on what is almost certainly the last of his seven Olympic appearances.
10:47 AM BST
Team GB lose to India
A magnificent win for India! They played with ten men for much of that, but they were superb in the shootout. Two of Team GB failed to find the net.
Heartbreak for Britain, who lose the shootout 4-2 after Conor Williamson and Phil Roper fail to convert. Williamson skied his effort high and wide before Roper was denied by Sreejesh, as India converted all four of their penalties. Kumar Pal Raj is as cool as a cucumber as he dribbles past Ollie Payne and bundles the ball in. That’s Britain men’s Olympic campaign over. For the second Games in a row they come unstuck against India.
10:42 AM BST
Hockey shoot out
GB score their first two… India score their first one. There’s a bit of a delay because a ref has taken an iPad (clipboard?) away from the British goalie after protests from the Indian players and staff. If you cast your mind back to Rio 2016, Maddie Hinch had notes written on a water bottle. She saved four in the shootout.
Anyway, India have scored their second.
But Williamson has shot high and wide. Advantage India.
10:39 AM BST
Purdue out of marathon
Charlotte Purdue has pulled out of next weekend’s women’s marathon because of an ankle injury.
Purdue was set to make her debut Olympics appearance after hitting the required qualifying time last year but she has now been substituted by Clara Evans.
“Charlotte Purdue has withdrawn from the women’s marathon on the 11 August due to an ankle injury,” a Team GB statement said.
“Clara Evans has been called up as a late athlete replacement for Team GB in the marathon. It will be her debut appearance at the Olympic Games.”
10:37 AM BST
Pens in the hockey – with Indian keeper having game of his life!
That’s it, we’re heading to penalties. Britain spent much of the third and fourth quarters thwarted by India’s magnificent defence and weren’t able to make any of their pressure count. Shipperley struck the post and Calnan was denied by India’s PR Sreejesh, whose sublime goalkeeping has kept his side in this match. Tees him up nicely to save some pens, you suspect. Massive 10 minutes coming up… who’s going to be the hero?
First up for Team GB…
Scores!
10:31 AM BST
Lin guaranteed a bronze at least
10:28 AM BST
Team GB pushing for hockey win
We’ve had another VAR intervention and India’s Sumit Sumit has been shown a green card for an illegal stick tackle – which means he’s off for two minutes and will miss the start of the fourth and final quarter. It’s do or die now for Britain, who’ve looked the better side as the match has worn on but have seen all roads blocked into the circle. You get the sense that India are holding out for penalties.. Yves-du-Manoir stadium is now full and there’s a cracking atmosphere. Worth mentioning there’s no extra time in Olympic hockey so if we don’t see a goal in the next five minutes we go straight to a penalty shootout.
And it has indeed gone to penalties!
10:25 AM BST
Jeremy Wilson on athletics
A quick turnaround this morning for Daryll Neita who, fresh from her 100m fourth last night, has qualified through her heat of the women’s 200m, winning in 22.39sec.
The new Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred also won her heat in 22.41sec and one of the big favourites, the USA’s Gabrielle Thomas, cruised through in 22.20sec.
Lizzie Bird also qualified this morning for the final of the 3000m steeplechase.
10:18 AM BST
Tom Morgan on Lin’s fight
Unanimous victory for Lin. Never in doubt. Opponent sits on the rope as sign of respect as the Taiwanese is congratulated. Another guaranteed medal for the boxer at the centre of a furore.
10:14 AM BST
Techno with Carl
I have just learned that Carl Hester’s full on techno soundtrack for his turn in the individual dressage this morning will include musical snippets from Michael Buble and Mary Hopkin. Down with the kids or what, Carl.
10:12 AM BST
Team GB have hit the post
in the hockey. Here’s Fiona:
“Britain have piled on the pressure in this third quarter and would have taken the lead had Rupert Shipperley’s effort from a short corner not struck the post. They’re desperately trying to problem-solve their way around India’s well-drilled defence but haven’t yet managed to get the breakthrough.”
10:11 AM BST
Lin at the boxing
Meanwhile, the Bulgarian Staneva has thrown Lin to the floor in round two. First round was close, three judges gave it to Lin and two to Staneva.
10:09 AM BST
Tom Morgan at the boxing
This is nothing like the tinderbox scenes of last night. Taiwanese congregation is pretty small but there are no boos for Lin amongst a largely French, three-quarter full arena.
10:07 AM BST
Skeeter
Amber Rutter going well in women’s skeet final, she’s second as it stands.
10:04 AM BST
HT in the men’s hockey
The hooter sounds and it’s 1-1 at half time. Both sides had their chances in that eventful first 30 minutes and you’d back the British boys to make that extra player count and push on in the second half. The giant sprinklers are out watering the pitch as the players go down the tunnel. Would give a lot to go and stand in the middle of one of them right now and soak up a bit of that spray.
10:02 AM BST
Boxing: Lin Yu-ting v Svetlana Staneva
Lin Yu-Ting is about to get her quarter-final with Svetlana Staneva under way. Yu-Ting is one of two fighters, the other being Algeria’s Imane Khelif, who are banned from International Boxing Association competition for having failed a gender test that reveals the presence of XY chromosomes in their DNA, but are allowed to fight in the IOC governed Olympic boxing event. For many, awareness of this controversy dates back either to the IOC confirming the two are eligible to fight in the build up to the event, or to Khelif’s shocking 46-second victory in her first round bout against Angela Carini.
Follow all the action here.
09:42 AM BST
But GB hit back in the hockey
It’s 1-1. Here is Fiona.
Well that didn’t last long. We’re all square in the hockey after Lee Morton squeaks a close-range shot past the India keeper. GB on balance deserved that.. They’ve piled on the pressure and have got their reward.
09:41 AM BST
India 1-0
Oh dear. First blood India, who have been galvanised by their one-player deficit and take the lead! To be fair they’ve deserved it, having piled on the pressure in Britain’s half since that red card. A goal-mouth scramble ensues deep inside the penalty area and Britain’s keeper lies horizontally across the goal to try and avert all danger but India inevitably win the short corner and India execute it brilliantly. Hardik Sing rifles in the first goal of the match. He punches the air and wheels away in celebration.
09:36 AM BST
India take the lead in the hockey after red card drama
Drama in the hockey, where VAR seems to work a lot more efficiently than in football (guess it isn’t hard). India’s Amit Rohidas has been shown a red card for a cynical foul on William Calnan. Replays on the big screen showed he appeared to strike Calnan in the face with his stick, but it’s so hard to see any screen clearly in this sun trap of a press box if I’m honest. GB, who’ve enjoyed a couple of shots on target but really need to make the extra one-man advantage count now.
But shortly after that, a shot from India, Payne saved but there was a penalty corner for India after a scramble. Harmanpreet Singh drilled it home.
09:19 AM BST
Jim White on Carl Hester in the Dressage
Carl Hester, at 58 the grand old man of Team GB, has announced that he has brought himself up to the minute. Often the butt of other dressage riders’ jokes because of his preference for old school romantic music for his horse to dance to, he has promised that in his seventh and probably final Olympic effort he will have a much more modern musical selection. He is going, he says, full techno. Which will make a change, given that all the music chosen thus far at these Olympics would suggest that the nearby lifts have been pilfered for their soundtrack.
09:04 AM BST
Men’s hockey quarter-final under way
A classic match-up as India face team GB. And here is m’colleague Fiona Tomas at the stadium.
I’m in position at Yves-du-Manoir Stadium in Colombes, which you can’t tell is an old track and field stadium with the way it’s been vibrantly decked out for le hockey. Weird to think this place with its 15,000-capacity staged the opening ceremony and athletics the last time France hosted the Olympics in 1924. Big match for Britain’s men.. who reached the quarter-final stage in Tokyo three years ago and lost 3-1 to… India.
08:55 AM BST
Beach house
Beach volleyball is by far the best Olympic sport, you even get a teeny tiny beach to play on! Why faff about with decathlons when you can just have a cute time
— Sophie Hall (@SophLouiseHall) August 4, 2024
08:54 AM BST
The hockey guys are out
on the pitch.
08:54 AM BST
Rishi Persad on the BBC
“We are up against some very good riders from Germany but Lottie Fry is the best hope.”
I learn that they go in three groups of six. The ones who qualified best go last, a la golf I guess.
08:48 AM BST
Dressage individual freestyle
Is coming up at 9am. Team GB have three entries in this.
Carl Hester is at 1135. Becky Moody 1155. Charlotte Fry 1250.
18 individual competitors will contest the final. I am trying to work out how comes you can have three from one country. The Germans and the Danes also have three. Couple each from Sweden and Netherlands.
08:27 AM BST
China and Switzerland
are locked in a battle in the women’s beach volleyball.
The Swiss, above, are 27-26 ahead in the first set – the Chinese defending a SIXTH set point.
08:12 AM BST
Golf’s underway
Tommy coming up later, we’ll have plenty of updates about him on a dedicated blog.
08:07 AM BST
Men’s Hockey: Team GB vs India
Kate Richardson-Walsh says: “If I could choose an advert for our game it would be this. We should see loads of attacking hockey. I think Team GB can do it.”
08:01 AM BST
There’s badminton semis
action on right now in the women’s comp.
07:52 AM BST
The golf gets underway at 8am UK time
Tommy Fleetwood will tee off in the final trio.
07:34 AM BST
Great pic
07:26 AM BST
Tommy ready to go
07:19 AM BST
Team GB’s medals?
How have Team GB done so far? Here’s details of every medal, with links to more info about how the deeds woz dun.
Every Team GB medal-winner at the Paris 2024 Olympics
06:51 AM BST
Day nine: could be a classic
Good morning and welcome to our live blog of day 9 of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. We have all sorts of good things to look forward to today, and I am confident to predict that we will be hearing the phrase ‘Super Sunday’ quite a bit. For British readers that will be especially the case if Team GB delivers some medals.
Possible opportunities for that will include Tommy Fleetwood in the men’s golf, he is one shot off the lead in third place going into the final round. Defending champion Xander Schauffele and Jon Rahm are tied on -14 in the lead.
They’ve already secured a team bronze, and now Charlotte Fry, Carl Hester and Becky Moody will compete individually in the dressage final. That happens at 9am UK time and I think we will probably cover that in this very blog. Some of the other events we will do as separate blogs but I’ll mark your card as to what we’ve got where. Fry is the world champion incidentally so maybe she’s the woman most likely of that trio.
Amber Rutter goes into the two final rounds of women’s skeet qualification as the joint-leader. She missed Tokyo 2020 due to COvid and she’s got a three-month year old baby. Amazing, what a story that would be.
Worthy events all but of course all of these bend the knee to the men’s 100m final in terms of global interest. Britain sends forth Zharnel Hughes and Louie Hinchliffe to the semis, which take place at 8pm and then we’ve got the big one, the men’s 100m final, at about 8.55pm.
Harry Hepworth is in the rings final at 2pm and he then takes his tilt at the vault at 3.25pm. Jake Jarman has already got himself a bronze and will join in the rings. And Becky Downie goes on the uneven bars at 2.40pm.
In the pool, the men’s 4x100m medley relay team are in their final at 6.06pm. Basically, there’s absolutely loads! So get comfy and let’s hope for a day to remember.
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