All the overnight news from Paris as our Aussie athletes go for gold

Thanks to the challenging time difference, Australians will wake up to Paris Olympics news for the next two weeks. The Kids News team will be up early to report on the major updates before classes start each day.

AUSTRALIA’S MEDAL TALLY
GOLD: 8
SILVER: 6
BRONZE: 4

MEDAL TALLY:
1. China: 11 gold, 7 silver, 6 bronze

2. USA: 9 gold, 15 silver, 13 bronze

3. France: 8 gold, 11 silver, 8 bronze

4. Australia: 8 gold, 6 silver, 4 bronze

5. Japan: 8 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze

DAY SIX
SWIMMING
Australia has won gold in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay, claiming the country’s fifth gold medal in the pool at these Olympics.

The quartet of Mollie O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell and Ariarne Titmus set a new Olympic record of 7:38.08. They were challenged by China and the USA in the middle legs, but Titmus got the job done with a blistering anchor split of 1:52.95.

USA superstar Katie Ledecky had the rivals nearly even with Australia heading into the last leg, with Ian Thorpe saying: “Ledecky’s range from the 200m to 1500m is extraordinary”.

But Titmus was too good.

As one fan summed it up on social media: “Titmus is ridiculous.”

A second said: “Kind of mad how much ground Katie Ledecky made up there only for Titmus to leave them in the dust.”

Another said: “Titmus the ultimate finisher, was nearly even when she dived in, more than a body length when she touched.”

The Aussies are the world record holders and were desperate to win gold after falling short in Tokyo.

“This one means so much after the bronze medal in Tokyo where they were favourites,” Giaan Rooney said on Nine.

Mollie O’Callaghan gave her medal to Jamie Perkins, who swam in the heats for Australia and will later receive a medal of her own, along with Shayna Jack.

Mollie insisted on giving the gold to her teammate in a show of support for Perkins’ efforts to get the team into the final.

“Jamie is my best friend at training,” O’Callaghan said. “She’s there for me. She’s been my roommate this whole meet.

“She’s gone through a back injury, done everything possible. I think that gold medal means a lot for me to give to her because it represents what she’s been through and she’s well deserving of it and they make up the team.”

It’s a fourth Olympic gold for Titmus and fifth for O’Callaghan, as the Aussie golden girls continue to make history.

With her 13th overall medal, Ledecky is now the most decorated female American Olympian of all time.

HOCKEY
The Hockeyroos have pulled off an astonishing comeback against world No. 2 Argentina with a last-second goal to keep their hopes of topping their pool alive.

Australia went down 2-0 in a horror start against Argentina, then botched two penalties.

After equalising the contest, the Australians went down 3-2 after one of the goals of the tournament, as Argentinian Mario Granatto dived full length with a deliberate deflection to score the go-ahead goal.

But Australia kept fighting and forced a series of penalty corners in the last minute, with Claire Colwill’s drag flick deflected deliberately by striker Mariah Williams.

When that ball hit the back of the net there was a single second left on the clock.

The Kookaburras have reached third quarter finals after Australia smashed NZ 5-0.

It’s the third Olympic victory in a row for Australia against Trans Tasman rival New Zealand.

Australian flag-bearer Eddie Ockenden‘s diving save encapsulated the Kookaburras’ determination, but it was the mid-air deflection from Tokyo Olympics hero Tom Wickham and an Olympic hat trick from lethal striker Blake Govers that delivered the comprehensive scoreline.

WALKING
Aussie walker Jemima Montag has won bronze in the women’s 20km race walk in one of the most picturesque scenes of the Games so far. Montag has also won hearts around the world with a classy act after crossing the finish line.

Racing in front of the Eiffel Tower, Montag put pressure on gold medallist Jiayu Yang, and was also just six seconds behind silver medallist Maria Perez.

Montag helped support Perez as the Spanish walker appeared to be uneasy on her feet. The classy act did not go unnoticed around the world.

GYMNASTICS
American icon Simone Biles has picked up her second gold medal of the Paris Olympics – and the sixth gold of her career.

The veteran gymnast had to come up with perfection to beat Brazilian Rebeca Andrade, who had gone toe-to-toe with her across the first three events.

But there is only one GOAT, and Biles showed her class when it mattered.

Andrade’s final floor routine left Biles needing a 13.86 to win the gold.

But it was never in doubt. The American legend put down a stonking run of 15.055 and was all smiles as she walked off the floor. Her high-difficulty-degree final moves on the floor dropped jaws.

BASKETBALL
The Opals have got their Olympic campaign back on track with a 70-65 win over Canada.

It was a hard-fought result, with 18 turnovers, but Canada were equally wasteful, turning over 16 times. Canada struggled at the offensive end, shooting 20/57 for 35 per cent, while the Opals shot 29/61, just shy of 50 per cent.

But a win is a win and it was a good team effort, with five players scoring double figures for Australia, led by 19 points for Sami Whitcomb, while Cayla George, Marianna Tolo and Steph Talbot each had 11 and Ezi Magbegor had 10.

DAY FIVE
SOCCER
The Matildas’ Olympic dream is officially over.

They came to these Olympics intent on securing a medal but Australia’s darlings have run an Olympics campaign commentators have labelled “disastrous”.

There will no doubt be a great deal of scrutiny to come on all facets of the team’s preparation for the tournament. A wide-ranging review is expected into team management and there are reports of discontent in the Matildas camp about coach Tony Gustavsson.

The Olympics have been a tough reality check for both the players and their fans and the team’s devastation is obvious. But it’s a lesson the Olympics has always taught us and will continue to teach us: it’s not all about winning – and no one wins all of the time.

CANOE
Jess Fox has become the most successful Australian Olympian of all time in individual events after winning a sixth individual medal with her canoe slalom gold.

Fox flew down the course at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium to beat Germany’s Elenda Lilik by an amazing 2.48sec and defend the title she won in Tokyo.

While Emma McKeon has an incredible 12 Olympic medals – including six gold – only two of them have come in individual events. Fox now has three gold, a silver and two bronze medals, ahead of France’s Tony Estangeut, who stood as the greatest paddler at the Olympics, with three gold.

SWIMMING
Kyle Chalmers has taken silver in the 100m freestyle for the second Olympics in a row. And it took a world record to beat him.

Chalmers, our gold medallist from Rio, was behind at the turn, then surged strongly through the back half of the race.

But Chinese sprint sensation Zhanle Pan had opened up a big lead through the first 50m and was just too dominant.

Zhanle set a world record of 46.40 seconds, a full 1.08 seconds in front of Chalmers’ 47.48. Romania’s David Popovici was third (47.49).

Australia’s silver streak got a contribution from France’s Olympic hero Leon Marchand, who denied Zac Stubblety-Cook the gold. The Australian defending champion swam a brave race but could not overcome Marchand in the 200m breastroke.

Stubblety-Cook was in a good position coming into the final 100m but even his speed through the back half that took gold in Tokyo was not enough.

Marchand won the race in 2:05.85, with Stubblety-Cook taking silver (2:07.79) and Casper Cordeau of the Netherlands in third.

A podium finish eluded Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack altogether in the women’s 100m freestyle final, in one of the surprise results of the Games. They were up against a red-hot field and slightly off their best but it was still a shock that neither won a medal.

Already a two-time gold medallist in the French capital, O’Callaghan finished fourth – missing the podium by 0.01 seconds – while Jack finished fifth.

“I knew it was gonna be a tough race from the start. We’re all very close,” O’Callaghan said.

“It’s one of those races. It’s by 0.01, literally everything counts. If you stuff something up it really costs you.

“To be honest, I’m happy with it. It’s not a great time for me. I expected a lot more but at the end of the day, you just have to suck it up and wait another four years.”

The gold medal went to Swedish world record holder Sarah Sjostrom in 52.16, with American Torri Huske getting the silver in 52.29 and Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong the bronze in 52.33.

TRIATHLON
The men’s and women’s triathlon events went ahead but officials are now facing tough questions about the legitimacy of water pollution tests used to green light swimming in the Seine.

Paris 2024 organisers used a 21-hour-old water test to give the go ahead for triathletes to plunge into the River Seine, despite rain in the hours before the event likely causing its quality to deteriorate. Paris 2024 Director of Sports Aurelie Merle insisted organisers were working with the “most accurate information”.

BMX
Natalya Diehm has delivered one of the most satisfying success stories of the Paris Olympics, overcoming five knee reconstructions to secure bronze in an extraordinary final.

The Queensland warrior pumped her fist and held back tears as she finished on the podium in the women’s BMX freestyle final. Diehm put down two monster runs with her score of 88.80 securing her bronze medal and lifelong dream. The stunning result for Diehm is one of the Games’ great stories of tenacity.

DAY FOUR
SWIMMING
Kaylee McKeown has saved the day, winning a gold medal right when Team Australia needed a boost after a disappoint-filled day four, with a stunning swim in the 100m backstroke.

McKeown’s first race at the Paris Olympics, she beat her American rival Regan Smith in a titanic final. Unbeaten in the event since 2019, McKeown defended the title she won in Tokyo three years ago after pipping Smith in a photo finish.

McKeown touched the wall first in 57.33 seconds, just 0.20 outside the world record that Smith set at last month’s US trials. Smith finished just 0.33 behind to take the silver with her fellow American Katherin Berkoff claiming the bronze.

“I wasn’t sure if I could get up and get there tonight, but the Americans gave me a red-hot push. So, it just feels wonderful to be here with my teammates,” McKeown said after the race. “I like to think I have a superpower and that’s my dad. I believe he was with me tonight, I’m just over the moon.”

McKeown now joins Dawn Fraser and Ariarne Titmus as the only Australian female swimmers to win the same individual event at successive Olympics.

She’s also just the sixth Australian to win three individual golds at the Olympics, joining swimmers Dawn Fraser, Shane Gould, Ian Thorpe, Titmus and sprinter Betty Cuthbert.

The 23-year-old now has four Olympic gold medals after also winning the 200m backstroke in Tokyo and being part of the medley relay team that won in Japan.

WATER POLO
The Aussie Sharks pulled off the upset of the Games so far with a rousing 8-3 win over reigning Olympic champions Serbia. This is the water polo equivalent of the Boomers defeating the Dream Team.

The perfect showcase of David taking it up to Goliath* and walking away victorious. The Sharks had never beaten Serbia in 17 attempts. Magic.

BASKETBALL, RUGBY SEVENS
Oh, Canada! Our low-key Commonwealth friends have launched a stealth campaign overnight, breaking hearts in multiple codes.

The land of the maple leaf had a big day out in Paris, all at Australia’s expense. The Boomers went down to Canada first, losing 83-93. Then our 3x3 basketball women fell 22-14 to the Canadians as well.

The trifecta of defeat was capped off with Canada versus Australia in the women’s rugby sevens semis, the 21-12 result dashing the gold medal dream of the Australian team and setting a Canada versus New Zealand gold medal match eventually won by New Zealand.

Then it really did all end in tears. Just hours after being knocked out of gold and silver contention, the bronze medal also slipped through their fingers when the US scored a last-gasp try in the dying seconds of the match, their 14-12 lead denying Australia a podium finish.

DAY THREE
SWIMMING
Teammates turned competitors, Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan have thrilled Australia in the women’s 200m freestyle final. The two Dolphins delivered a gold-silver combo in an electrifying final, with Mollie O’Callaghan pipping Ariarne Titmus for the gold medal.

O’Callaghan was fast out of the blocks and surged to finish with a new Olympic record of 1.53:27. Titmus was just fractionally slower, claiming silver with 1:53.81.

O’Callaghan said racing against Titmus always pushed her further.

“It’s such an honour to be with everyone and compete against Arnie,” O’Callaghan said.

“She is an absolute gun. She races like an absolute beast. And it’s an honour to train alongside her and have such a great team around us.”

Titmus paid credit to coach Dean Boxall, who mentored her and O’Callaghan for the race.

“I think he should be so proud of his efforts. He is a brilliant coach,” she said.

“To manage this and have the two fastest girls in the world is a credit to him. It’s not just us, opening night he contributed to every medal that we won, as a coach.”

HOCKEY
The Hockeyroos have claimed a decisive victory over Great Britain, continuing their Olympic campaign with a 4-0 win.

BOXING
Olympic victories and great sporting moments are only half the story – every contest represents another worthy athlete’s crushing disappointment on the world’s biggest stage. So it was on day three for Australia’s Harry Garside.

Our bronze medal hero in Tokyo, Garside arrived in Paris chasing gold, but he was a shattered figure after a shock first-round exit at the hands of hard-punching Hungarian Richard Kovacs.

Garside was so broken he apologised – he felt he had let Australia down.

“I feel pretty numb right now to be completely honest,” the boxer said. “As an athlete you put a lot of expectation on yourself.”

It was a close contest but the gold medal dream can’t always come true. But Garside was at the Olympic Games giving his all for his country and we applaud him with pride.

EQUESTRIAN
Christopher Burton has claimed an equestrian silver atop gelding* Shadow Man after he delivered two faultless jumping rides to snag his first individual medal and add to the tally for his country.

It caps a remarkable Paris campaign for the Queenslander, whose day-one dressage* performance put him third, forcing his competitors to sit up and take notice.

As second-last rider out in the jumping final, Burton posted a score good enough for gold before being forced to endure a nervous 90-second wait as final rider German Michael Jung headed out.

Like the Australian, Jung was mistake free on the 372m course and snatched victory.

“I’m not gonna lie, I thought we had him there for a second,” Burton said. “No shame in coming second.”

The equestrian events at these Paris Olympics are at one of the most stunning venues in the program: the historic Palace of Versailles*, and the sellout crowds are clearly making the most of the unforgettable chance to watch more history being made right before their eyes.

DAY TWO
KAYAK
Paddling great Jessica Fox has fulfilled her destiny to finally win the Olympic gold in her pet kayak slalom* event. It has been a long wait for the one she has always wanted – it’s been 12 years since she took silver in the same event as a teenager in London.

After a nervy semi-final run — Fox suffered a two-second time penalty after hitting a gate and getting caught in an upstream section — the Australian GOAT recovered the way only a champion can.

“I’m speechless,” Fox said, fighting back tears.

“I was really struggling to hold it together at the end.

“I’m so proud to share this moment with Claudia, with my parents and friends here.

“I was so proud to be able to put together a really good run when it mattered.

“My team has really helped me put it together and I am very grateful for everything they have done for me.”

SOCCER
The Matildas are still alive after winning their do-or-die Zambia clash – but only just. Zambia fought hard for a last-minute equaliser after dominating much of the match but the Matildas secured the win they so desperately needed after the mind-blowing game finished 6-5 in Nice.

Michelle Heyman was the hero, but Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord also got into the act as they secured three vital points.

They also needed some impressive late reflexes from Mackenzie Arnold, who stood tall when it mattered most to keep out one last Zambian attack.

The Aussies are still third in their group on goal difference, with the USA beating Germany 4-1 on Sunday night our time. However, they could still progress to the knockout stage as one of the two best third-placed sides.

SKATEBOARDING
She is small in stature but so big on heart. Competing with two fractured fingers in the street skate final, Chloe Covell proved she is still the coolest, toughest 14-year-old in town.

The dream of the Gold Coast teenager to become Australia’s youngest medallist in Olympic history has ended in tears but she was quick to congratulate others with her trademark smile.

Finishing eighth overall, Covell showed spirit that we can all be proud of, taking a series of spills and falls onto the concrete course in her courageous bid to climb the medal rankings.

“I definitely didn’t give up. I wasn’t going to give up (on getting a medal),’’ Covell said.

The Gold Coast prodigy arrived at the Games rated number six in the world and produced some incredible skating to advance to the eight-person final.

Covell will almost certainly turn her focus to using her Paris Games experience to prepare for Los Angeles 2028.

“Hopefully I can go well there (in Los Angeles), I’ve just got to train hard and get there,’’ Covell said.

“It was very hard work to get here, but I tried my best and I’ve just got to come back better and stronger for the next time.”

SWIMMING
The big day two highlight in the pool wasn’t about us – it was all about host nation France. There was utter pandemonium* at La Defense Arena as French superstar Leon Marchand put on a swimming masterclass to win his first gold medal.

The noise was deafening as Marchand won the men’s 400m individual medley in an Olympic record time of 4.02.95.

A huge roar from the hometown crowd at the start of the race only got louder.

There was a constant cheer of “Allez*” for each bob down into the water and up again for the breaststroke leg as Marchand put a huge gap over his rivals and the crowd noise was overwhelming when he won.

Marchand had enough energy to jump out of the pool and greet his adoring crowd.

It was a true Cathy Freeman moment for France and arguably the best win for the host country by a superstar athlete since Freeman’s spine-tingling sprint in 2000.

DAY ONE
Following an incredible first day of the Games, Australia briefly enjoyed its moment at the top of the medal tally. Ariarne Titmus, our female 4x100m relay swimmers and cyclist Grace Brown all led the charge by winning gold on the opening day of competition.

Additional reporting for Kids News by Diana Jenkins

POLL

GLOSSARY

• gelding: a male horse that has been gelded, or castrated
• dressage: horse and rider perform a series of choreographed manoeuvres called “figures” or “movements”
• Palace of Versailles: World Heritage listed, the Palace of Versailles is one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century architecture and art. Louis XIII’s old hunting pavilion was transformed by his son, Louis XIV, who moved the Court and government there in 1682. A succession of kings then improved the palace until the French Revolution (1789-1799)
• slalom: a race on skis or in canoes/kayaks in which competitors have to avoid a series of obstacles in a twisting and very difficult course
• pandemonium: chaos, mayhem, bedlam
• allez: a French expression meaning “let’s go” or “come on”
• David and Goliath: based on a bible story of a boy defeating a giant in combat, it has come to be a popular saying when any underdog triumphs against a seemingly more powerful opponent

EXTRA READING

Olympics Education Kit: the world’s biggest sporting event

Merci, Paris: Opening Ceremony stuns

Tacos aplenty in Olympic Village

REFLECTIONS

1. What has been your favourite Olympic moment so far?
2. What was the biggest win in the pool for a country other than Australia?
3. Which athlete has inspired you most by overcoming injury to compete?
4. Who got Australia to the top of the medal tally on day one?
5. Whose loss at the Olympics have you felt most deeply?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY
DAY 6 UPDATE

DAY 5 UPDATE

DAY 3 UPDATE

DAY 2

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

To celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event, Kids News has produced a dedicated Paris Olympics Education Kit.

The free digital kit comes with a workbook of 35 classroom activities designed to help students from Year 3 onwards learn all about the Olympic Games, from its ancient beginnings to the modern spectacle it has become.

Activities are created by a teacher for teachers and are aligned to the national curriculum.

The kit content covers:

The Ancient Games

The Modern Games

Olympic values

Olympic Torch and the Olympic Flame

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies

Life in the Olympic Village

Medals and mascots

Sports and teams

Host nation Paris/France profile

The Paralympics

Australia’s Olympic heroes

The Winter Olympics

Australia’s Olympic Games

The workbook is supported by feature stories on the Paris Olympics, collected and published on our Education Kits topic page HERE.

We’ll cover breaking Olympic news stories each day but these feature stories will assist your students to answer the questions in the workbook.

The Olympics Education Kit is FREE to teachers who sign up to the Kids News newsletter.

A link and a special access code will be included in next Sunday’s newsletter but new subscribers can email Kids News to request the kit code prior to Sunday at kidsnews@news.com.au