Rio Olympics 2016: our medal breakthrough
Australia's trio kept their cool in the bronze medal match.
Australia has won its first medal of the Rio Olympics with its men’s archery team claiming bronze at the Sambodromo.
Taylor Worth, Alec Potts and Ryan Tyack teamed up to defeat China 6-2 and open Australia’s medal account on day one of competition in Rio.
Australia had not previously won a medal in the team event and it is the first podium finish it has achieved in the sport since Tim Cuddihy took bronze in the individual at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Australia: fourth following preliminary ranking round. Photo: Getty
The Australians began confidently to edge ahead of China when it won the opening two sets, 56-55 and 56-53.
China struck back, however, to secure the third when it outscored Australia 57-54.
Worth, Potts and Tyack only needed to draw the fourth and final set to collect the bronze but they went on attack and iced their triumph by nailing a score of 59 out of a possible 60.
They hit 10 on 12 occasions during the match to China’s eight.
Australia, who was fourth following the preliminary ranking round, had earlier qualified for the semi-finals with a 5-3 defeat of France.
But it found the going much tougher in the semi-final when it was soundly beaten 6-0 by the slick Korean outfit.
Worth, Potts and Tyack had entered the Games as a medal contender, having finished eighth at last year’s world championships in Copenhagen.
South Korea defeated the United in the final to take the gold medal.
Australia sets record in pool
The Campbell sisters Cate and Bronte have helped Australia’s women’s 4x100m relay team set a new Olympic record time in Rio.
Madison Wilson and Brittany Elmslie gave the sisters a strong start in the first two legs with the team in third place behind the US and Canada when Bronte entered the pool.
Madison Wilson, Bronte Campbell and Brittany Elmslie set a new record. Photo: Getty
The sisters then chased down their competitors to see the Australian combination qualify fastest for the final.
Elmslie admitted to some nerves, but said the expectation was not overwhelming.
“You’ve got to rise the occasion when Australian needs you,” she told Channel 7.
Cate, who swam the last leg, said the atmosphere was “electric”.
“It’s so exciting finally starting to swim, we’ve been waiting so long and to finally get that first one off the blocks is awesome.”
Bronte said the team had “saved a bit on the tank for tonight and [was] holding up well so far”.
The US came second with a time of 3:33.59, followed by Canada third.
Horton second fastest in men’s 400m freestyle
Emma McKeon secured a place in the 100m women’s butterfly semis, but Madeline Groves missed out.
In the men’s races, Mack Horton was the second fastest through to the men’s 400 freestyle final with a time of 3:43.84, behind Conor Dwyer of the United States.
David McKeon also made the finals with a time of 3:44.68.
Travis Mahoney (4.13.27) and Thomas Fraser-Holmes (4.12.51) both made the 400m individual medley men’s final after competing in the heats.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Adam Peaty launched his Rio Olympic campaign with a world record 57.55 seconds in the heats of the 100m breaststroke.
Peaty lowered the world mark of 57.92 that he set in London on April 17, 2015 — when he became the first man to break through the 58-second barrier.
“As soon as we walked in it’s fight or flight and I chose to get something out of it,” Peaty added of waiting in the ready room for the first Olympic race of his career.
“You can either be shy of the arena or you can take advantage of it.”
Australian Jake Packard, second to Peaty in their heat in 59.26, was sixth-fastest overall.
Defending Olympic champion Cameron van der Burgh of South Africa was seventh.
