- The Daily Aus Sport
- Posts
- š¾ Jannik Sinner to miss the Olympics
š¾ Jannik Sinner to miss the Olympics
It's Thursday evening. Here's the sports news you need to know.
If you were forwarded this email (hi! welcome!), you can sign up to the newsletter here.
Good evening!
Itās been 344 days since Sam Kerr slotted āthat goalā during the Matildas eventual loss to England in the World Cup semi-final.
Regardless of the final result, the Matildas had millions of Australians rejoicing in their sheer brilliance throughout the tournament.
At 3:00am tonight, we go again (this time without Sam Kerr) as the Matildas start their Paris Olympics campaign against world number four Germany.
Up the Tillies!
Iāve got 10 seconds
Stat of the day
7
The number of football teams from the 2024 Euros that have been sanctioned for racist or discriminatory fan behaviour. The countries whose football associations have been sanctioned are Albania, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia. The sanctions include fines and bans against selling tickets to away games.
Quote of the day
"Missing the Olympics is a big disappointment, given that it was one of my main goals this season. I couldn't wait to have the honour of representing my country in this extremely important event."
Menās tennis world no.1 Jannik Sinner in a post on Instagram announcing his withdrawal from the Paris Olympics due to tonsillitis. Sinner was one of the favourites for the Olympic tennis tournament which is being held at Roland Garros, where the French Open is played. Novak Djokovic (no.2) and Carlos Alcaraz (no.3) remain as the top-seeded men.
Sinner at Wimbledon (Getty Images)
Random fact of the day
Australiaās first female flagbearer was sprinter Raelene Boyle at the Montreal 1976 Opening Ceremony. At age 17, she won silver in the 200m at Mexico City 1968. Four years later she won silver in the 100m and 200m at Munich 1972. Itās alleged that the athlete who beat Boyle in both races in Munich, East Germany's Renate Stecher, took part in a doping program.
Boyle was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2017 (Getty Images)
Iāve got 30 seconds
In case you missed itā¦
ā½ The opening match of the Olympic Menās Football tournament between Morocco and Argentina was suspended for almost two hours following a pitch invasion by spectators. The match, which Morocco ultimately won 2-1, was finished in an empty stadium after all spectators were asked to vacate the venue.
Several pitch invaders interrupted the match (Getty Images)
š The 2024 NRLW Season begins tonight at 7:45pm when the Newcastle Knights host the Sydney Roosters at McDonald-Jones Stadium. The competition, in its seventh edition, features 10 teams who will all play each other once over nine rounds. Following the regular season, the top four teams will play a finals series over two weeks.
The Knights are seeking a third-straight premiership (Getty Images)
š“āāļø Tadej PogaÄar said the Slovenian Olympic Cycling teamās decision not to select his girlfriend and two-time national champion UrÅ”ka Žigart was a factor in his withdrawal from the Games. PogaÄar said: āItās not the main reason, but for sure it didnāt help. I think she deserves her spot. Sheās the double national champion in road race and time trial.ā
šŗšø The United Statesā right to host the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics (Los Angeles) and the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics (Salt Lake City) is at risk due to an ongoing doping dispute. The World Anti-Doping Agency will conduct a compliance review of the United States Anti-Doping Agency next month. If USADA are found to be non-compliant they will have to forfeit the right to host their upcoming Olympic Games. The review follows USADAās criticism of WADAās handling of a 2021 doping case involving 23 Chinese swimmers.
Iāve got 1 minute
Henry Paterson and Henry Hutchison celebrate a try (Getty Images)
The Australian Menās Rugby Sevens team have secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament after beating Samoa and Kenya in their first two matches in Paris overnight.
What happened?
Australia started nervously against Samoa, throwing an intercept pass that led to a try in the opening minutes of the game, but were ultimately able to find some rhythm and win the game 21-14. They won more comfortably in their second game beating Kenya 21-7.
It is the strongest start to an Olympic campaign that Australia has had in the Menās Rugby Sevens.
Nathan Lawson races away for a try against Samoa (Getty Images)
What is Rugby Sevens?
Sevens is a variation of rugby union where each team only fields seven players each (as opposed to the usual fifteen). This creates a much more open style of play. The game is 14 minutes long with two seven-minute halves.
Whatās next?
Australia will play one of the tournamentās favourites, Argentina, tonight at 10:30pm (AEST). You can watch the game on Channel 9 or Stan Sport.
Australiaās Womenās Rugby Sevens, Olympic champions at Rio 2016, start their campaign early Monday morning.
Help us grow!
Enjoying the newsletter?
This sport newsletter is a new addition to TDAās content offering, and we need your help getting the word out there.
If you want your friends to get their sport news from us, send them this:
https://sport.thedailyaus.com.au/?utm_campaign=sport-newsletter&utm_source=referral&utm_medium=email
Iāve got 2 minutes
Eddie Ockenden and Jess Fox following the announcement (Getty Images)
Jess Fox and Eddie Ockenden have been named Australia's two flag bearers for the Paris Olympics. The athletes were honoured at a ceremony held at the Paris Mint on Wednesday (local time). Hereās what you need to know about them before they lead the Australian Olympic team along the Seine.
Jess Fox
Jess Fox is a Canoe Slalom athlete who made her Olympic debut at London 2012. The Paris Olympics will be her fourth Games. The 30-year-old has won four Olympic medals (one gold, one silver, and two bronze) and is the reigning Olympic Champion in Womenās Canoe Slalom.
Fox competes in the C1 (canoe) and K1 (kayak) events. The main difference between the two events is that the canoe requires a single-bladed paddle and the kayak requires a double-bladed paddle.
Fox is the second paddler to carry Australiaās flag after Dennis Green, who was a flag-bearer at Munich 1972. In Paris, Fox will be joined by her younger sister Noemie who is making her Olympic debut in a different event, the Womenās Kayak Cross.
Jess Fox at Tokyo 2020 (Getty Images)
Eddie Ockenden
Eddie Ockenden will become the first Australian hockey player to compete at five Olympic Games in Paris. He is also the second hockey player to carry the flag for Australia, after Ric Charlesworth at Seoul 1988.
Ockenden debuted for the Kookaburras (the Australian menās field hockey team) in 2006 and will play his 450th game for the side during this Olympic campaign. The 37-year-old has won three Olympic medals: one silver (Tokyo 2020) and two bronze (Beijing 2008, London 2012).
Ockenden celebrating a goal at Beijing 2008, his Olympic debut (Getty Images)
Other countries
The U.S. announced tennis star Coco Gauff as a flagbearer overnight. She will join basketballer LeBron James, whose role was announced earlier this week.
Team GB also announced their flagbearers overnight. Diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover will represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the Opening Ceremony on Friday night (local time).
Take noteā¦
Before Tokyo 2020, countries traditionally nominated one flag-bearer. The International Olympic Committee approved a change before the Tokyo Games which allows countries to nominate two flagbearers, a male and female athlete. Australiaās dual flag-bearers in Tokyo were swimmer Cate Campbell and basketballer Patty Mills.
How to watch
The Opening Ceremony will begin at 4:24am on Saturday (AEST). You can watch it on Channel 9, 9Now or Stan Sport.
A message from our sponsor
Deakinās Elite Athlete Program.
Where serious talent meets serious support.
Deakin's Elite Athlete Program (EAP) is home to over 270 student athletes, offering support to balance study and sporting commitments. Think flexible study plans, academic assistance, and access to top-notch training facilitiesāall designed to help students succeed both on and off the field.
From lectures to the world stage, student athletes qualify through being registered with groups like the Australian Institute of Sport, or senior national squads and leagues. As part of the program, students receive course and academic planning advice, to create a schedule that bends to training and competition needs.
From the World Championships to the Olympics and Paralympics ā Deakinās diverse set of athletes can negotiate deadlines, attendance and take a leave of absence when needed. Cycling, taekwondo, athletics, swimming, cricket, Australian rules, soccer, basketball are just a few of the sports where you will find a Deakin elite athlete student.
Think Beyond The Field. Study Sport at Deakin.
Looking backā¦
Menās Football (Olympics)Who: Mali v Israel Who: France v United States Who: Japan v Paraguay | Menās Rugby Sevens (Olympics)Who: Fiji v United States Who: France v Uruguay Who: Argentina v Samoa |
Looking forwardā¦(All times are AEST)
Menās Rugby Sevens (Olympics)Who: Australia v Argentina Time: 10:30pm tonight Talking points: The Aussie Menās Sevens have already secured a quarter-final spot with wins over Kenya and Samoa. Their final Pool B match is against Argentina, who are one of the favourites to win the tournament. Where to watch: Channel 9, Stan Sport | Archery (Olympics)Who: Laura Paeglis Who: Peter Boukouvalas Talking points: Paeglis (22) and Boukouvalas (25) are both making their Olympic debut. The initial round ranking round will determine the archerās opponent for the initial elimination round next week. Where to watch: Channel 9, Stan Sport |
TDA asks
What did you think of today's newsletter? |