Rio Olympics 2016: Aussie dubbed ‘sex symbol of open water swimming’
Poort burst into the lead of the swimming marathon. Photo: Getty
Jarrod Poort’s brave bid to win the men’s 10km swimming marathon was ultimately unsuccessful.
Despite leading for nine kilometres, Poort, who charged to the front and attempted to hold on in a move very rarely seen in the discipline, ran out of gas and finished 20th.
His father stole the show afterwards, with Gary Poort saying his son’s performance “was heart and balls”.
“I fear that he might have gravel rash on his nuts,” he said in quotes reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Jarrod’s comments followed a similar line: “It’s a bummer, you know. I used a lot of heart and a lot of balls. I was hurting at the end.”
Of Poort’s tactics, his coach Ron McKeon added: “He put everything on the line then and it could potentially change the face of how that 10km is swum.
“We think we put the cat among the pigeons. He wants to see excitement about open water swimming.
“Jarod Poort just made it a little bit more sexy.
“He could be the sex symbol of open water swimming.”
‘We panicked’
Our women’s basketball team wasn’t in the best position with 10 seconds to go against Serbia, trailing 73-71 in the quarter-final.
But they still had every chance of at least forcing extra time until this play from hell.
https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/765575498453749760
Instead of getting the ball to the dominant Liz Cambage (29 points), Leilani Mitchell fired a rushed shot off-target after getting caught in a maze of Serbian defenders.
And, just like that, the Opals were out.
“We panicked a little bit on the last possession,” coach Brendan Joyce said afterwards.
Speaking of basketball …
… how about this for a crazy finish?
There was just 20 seconds to play in Spain’s quarter-final with Turkey and the former led by two points.
https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/765674293891960832
You had one job
The point of hurdles is, well, hurdling.
https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/765698207254917120
Ouch …
Australian javelin qualifier Kim Mickle had shoulder surgery less than a year ago.
And she only just made it to the Rio Games.
History repeated, though, with the WA product dislocating her shoulder in Wednesday’s qualifying.
Mickle knew she was in trouble. Photo: Getty
She was rushed to hospital and is now on the road to recovery. Get well soon, Kim.
‘I’ve been cheated’
Michael Conlan was furious after the Irishman lost a unanimous decision in his boxing quarter-final against Vladimir Nikitin.
“I came for gold and I’ve been cheated,” he said.
“I’ll not do another Olympics. I would advise anybody not to compete for the AIBA (Amateur International Boxing Association).
“I’ve been robbed of my Olympic dream.”
This dancing weightlifter caught our attention
He has some pretty good moves.
https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/765787888172802048
No seat, no worries
In the final stretch of a cycling sprint, the last thing you need is for your seat to break – and then fall off.
Germany’s Kristina Vogel still won, though!
https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/765663874808844288
The Rio moment that will live forever
New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D’Agostino of the United States both fell late in their heat of the women’s 5,000m final.
The injured D’Agostino helped Hamblin up off the track and the latter, who decided she was no chance of catching the pacemakers, waited for her rival to get up and continue to run.
The crowd inside the Olympic Stadium was only sparse – but they rose to their feet and applauded.
Hamblin helps her competitor. Photo: Getty
That’s the Olympic spirit.
What to watch on Thursday
The men’s table tennis final at 8.30am is worth a watch but, really, all the main action is on the athletics track.
Brooke Stratton carries the Aussie hopes and will feature in the women’s long jump final at 10.15am.
At 11.30am, the women’s 200m final is on, and the women’s 100m hurdles follows.
Usain Bolt is in action at 11.16am (AEST) in his 200m semi-final.
He’s no guarantee to make the decider, running 16th fastest in the heats, but his ability to step up when it matters makes that prospect unlikely.
The pick of the bunch:
8.30am: Table tennis – men’s team gold medal match
10.15am: Athletics – women’s long jump
11.00am: Athletics – men’s 200m semi-finals
11.30am: Athletics – women’s 200m
11.55am: Athletics – women’s 100m hurdles
12.59pm: Beach volleyball – women’s gold medal match
The Rio Report will be published on each day of the 2016 Olympic Games.
