Good evening!

It’s been 344 days since Sam Kerr slotted ‘that goal’ 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!

I’ve 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."
Men’s 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. 

Random fact of the day

Australia’s 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. It’s alleged that the athlete who beat Boyle in both races in Munich, East Germany's Renate Stecher, took part in a doping program.

I’ve got 30 seconds

In case you missed it…

⚽ The opening match of the Olympic Men’s 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.

🏉 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.

🚴‍♂️ Tadej Pogačar said the Slovenian Olympic Cycling team’s decision not to select his girlfriend and two-time national champion Urška Žigart was a factor in his withdrawal from the Games. Pogačar said: “It’s not the main reason, but for sure it didn’t help. I think she deserves her spot. She’s the double national champion in road race and time trial.”

🇺🇸 The United States’ 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 USADA’s criticism of WADA’s handling of a 2021 doping case involving 23 Chinese swimmers.

I’ve got 1 minute

The Australian Men’s 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 Men’s Rugby Sevens. 

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. 

What’s next?

Australia will play one of the tournament’s favourites, Argentina, tonight at 10:30pm (AEST). You can watch the game on Channel 9 or Stan Sport.

Australia’s Women’s Rugby Sevens, Olympic champions at Rio 2016, start their campaign early Monday morning. 

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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). Here’s 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 Women’s 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 Australia’s 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 Women’s Kayak Cross. 

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 men’s 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).

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 note…

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. Australia’s 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.

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