Paris Olympics day 12: Australia eyes the pole vault, discus and dinghy finals

From Marseilles to the Stade de France, Australians will be fighting for podium positions on day 12 in Paris.

Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 10

Denny threw the second-longest distance in the qualifying round of the men's discus. Source: Getty / Patrick Smith

The day after and became Australia's youngest medallist, Australian athletes in Paris are looking to secure more podium places.

On the water

Australian Matt Wearn is guaranteed a gold or silver medal in the men's dinghy competition. The gold medal race was rescheduled due to poor wind conditions but Wearn, who took home the gold medal in the event in Tokyo, will face Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus on Wednesday 9.13pm AEST.

Kearn, 28, leads with the lowest points score going into the double-points medal race (sailing operates on a low-points scoring system).
A man on a sailing boat
The dinghy final was rescheduled due to poor wind conditions. Source: Getty / Phil Walter
Sailing duo Conor Nicholas and Nia Jerwood will also compete for an Olympic medal in the mixed dinghy medal race at 11.43pm AEST.

The pair finished their qualifying series in ninth place, with Jerwood commenting that some of the mistakes they made would "haunt" him for a while but that the pair would keep fighting.

In the Stade de France

The women's pole vaulting final will kick off at 2.15am AEST, with reigning world champion Australian Nina Kennedy looking to bag her first ever Olympic medal after qualifying in equal first.

Kennedy shared top spot on the podium at last year's world title with American Katie Moon and only needed to vault twice, clearing 4.40m and 4.55m earlier this week to book her spot in the gold medal decider.

Moon was among six other vaulters who tied for top spot in qualifying with Kennedy.
Paris Olympics Athletics
Six vaulters tied for top spot in the qualifying round. Source: AAP / David J. Phillip/AP
Australian Matt Denny will also be competing for a medal in the men's discus final at 4.25am AEST. Denny threw the second best of the qualifying round on Monday morning at 66.83m, behind the throw of world-record-holder Mykolas Alekna from Lithuania (67.47m).

On the green

The first round of the women's golf tees off at 5pm, with Hannah Green and Minjee Lee representing Australia.

Green has had two Ladies Professional Golf Association wins this season and finished fifth in Tokyo.

Basketball

Following the Boomers' close defeat in the quarterfinals to Serbia, the Opals will take on Serbia's women's team in their quarter-finals at 7pm AEST.

The Opals secured their place in the quarter-finals on Sunday after defeating the previously-unbeaten French team 79-72. The victory came after a shock first-up loss to Nigeria and defeat of Canada.
The margin of victory against France also ensured that the Opals would not meet the US team — the long-term defending champions — in the quarter-finals, who will instead play Nigeria.

The US women's basketball team have won every gold medal since the Barcelona games in 1992 but the Opals will not face them unless they defeat Serbia on Wednesday.

With the Australian Associated Press.

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3 min read
Published 7 August 2024 6:12pm
Source: SBS News


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