Around the Games: Day Five of Paris 2024

Paris 2024 31 Jul 24

Two Brits faced off in the archery while first wins were secured in boxing and for the women’s hockey team on Day Five of Paris 2024.

Battle of the Brits in archery elimination round

Hall took on Hall in the men’s individual 1/16 elimination round in the archery, but there were no family bragging rights for Tom Hall.

Despite sharing a name with teammate Conor Hall, the pair are not related, but there was no animosity between the two teammates who shared a hug after Tom knocked out Conor in a shoot-off to triumph 6-5.

Tom opened his day with an impressive victory over 14th seed Tarundeep Rai while Conor defeated home hopeful Jean-Charles Valladont, shooting a perfect 30 to claim victory.

Teenager Megan Havers, 16, also reached the 1/8 elimination round as the 16-year-old triumphed in shootout, beating home hope and 17th seed Amelie Cordeau of France and 16th seed Elia Canales of Spain.

Havers and Hall do not compete again until Sunday and are both waiting to confirm who their opponents will be, with Alex Wise, Bryony Pitman and Penny Healey beginning their individual campaigns tomorrow.

Richardson earns first boxing win

Lewis Richardson secured Team GB’s first victory in boxing at Paris 2024.

Colchester’s Richardson won in a split decision, beating sixth seed Vakhid Abbasov of Serbia 3-2 to reach the men’s 71kg quarter-finals and move one match away from a guaranteed medal.

He will next face Zeyad Eashash of Jordan on Saturday and is now the only British boxer left in contention.

Chantelle Reid was unable to join him as the women’s 75kg fighter lost 3-2 to fourth seed Khadija Mardi in her first-round fight.

In judo, Jemima Yeats-Brown progressed to the round of 16 before tasting defeat.

She scored a waza-ari to beat Aina Laura Rasoanaivo Razafy of Madagascar 1-0 before being on the wrong side of a golden score in the round of 16 against world number three Michaela Polleres.

Franklin already looking ahead

Mallory Franklin’s dreams of repeating her Tokyo silver medal in the canoe slalom ended in the C1 final.

The 30-year-old qualified for the final sixth-fastest, delivering the second-fastest raw time before incurring six seconds in penalties for gate touches.

The final was a different experience as while she again picked up six seconds of penalties during the course, she was also given a 50-second penalty after finishing to see her finish sixth.

She will compete again in the women’s kayak cross on Saturday but is also already looking ahead to LA 2028.

She said: “I’m pretty disappointed. I struggled a bit on the move around gates six and seven and from there it just snowballed a bit.

“Obviously I picked up a few little clumsy touches and then being given a 50 at the end just to top it all off.

“I’m just happy to be here and try to put it all out there and it wasn’t for me today.

“I think there’s definitely scope for some learning and come back into the rest of the season and hopefully into the next Games fighting and ready to go.”

Wilson riding the waves

Emma Wilson is still top of the standings in the women’s iQFOiL after a near-perfect day fo windsurfing.

Wilson has scored 11 points from 11 races so far, with Sharon Kantor of Israel her nearest challenger on 30.

The Tokyo bronze medallist won three of four races contested on Wednesday with her lowest result of third not counting towards her score.

With six races left, Wilson is in pole position to claim the sole direct qualifying spot to the final.

Sam Sills climbed one place up to eighth in the men’s event to sit 21 points off gold while Fynn Sterritt and James Peters progressed to the men’s 49er medal race in seventh place.

Saskia Tidey and Freya Black did not progress in the women's 49er as their campaign ended with a 16th-place finish.

In the calmer waters of the pool, three Brits made it through to the semi-finals with Laura Stephens and Keanna MacInnes progressing in the women's 200m butterfly.

In the men's 200m backstroke, Ollie Morgan also reached the semi-finals before Stephens was the only one of the trio to make it through to their respective final.

Racquet sports face different fates

Tennis players Katie Boulter and Heather Watson powered to the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles as they knocked out the sixth seeds.

Playing Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia and Luisa Stefani, the pair triumphed in 6-3 6-4 and will face Italy’s Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini, the third seeds.

In table tennis, Liam Pitchford lost 4-2 to 13th seed Darko Jorgic to end Britain’s involvement at the round of 32 stage.

There were happy times for the women’s hockey team who picked up a crucial first win with a comeback 2-1 victory over South Africa and are in action again tomorrow.

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