Paris Olympic Games Moreton Bay coverage – July 28

Former Redcliffe Hockey Club junior Renee Taylor has helped Australia make a winning start to their Olympic pool B campaign tonight.

The Hockeyroos, world ranked five, came from 1-0 down in the 14^th minute to win 2-1 against South Africa, who are ranked 18.

Stephanie Kershaw equalised in the 16^th minute and Tatum Stewart hit the winner, after 40 minutes, from a penalty corner on a hot day in Paris.

Taylor, born at Everton Park and now based in Perth, played in central midfield, helping the Hockeyroos steadily take control after half time.

She left the field with seven minutes to go, holding her right wrist and was seen with an ice pack on it, but returned for the closing stages.

Australia will be back in action on Tuesday at 1am (AEST) when they face arch rivals Great Britain in their second Pool B match.

The Hockeyroos then take on USA on Wednesday at 9.15pm, Argentina on Friday at 4.15am and Spain in the final Pool B match on Saturday at 8.45pm.

Sam Short, the former Albany Creek Swimming Club member, was just a fraction short of Olympic bronze in this morning’s 400m freestyle final in Paris.

Short, now at Rackley, was fourth just behind the leaders, after a fast opening 200m where many in the field were initially under world record pace.

By 300m the Bunya resident had moved into third and was closing on the leader Lukas Maertens,

But, in the final 50m, Short was caught and missed an Olympic medal by just 14 one hundredths of a second.

The Bunya resident, who was world champion in 2023, clocked 3 minutes 42.64 seconds, a fraction behind bronze medallist Korea’s Kim Woomin, who finished in 3:42.50.

Fellow Aussie Elijah Winnington stormed through to take silver in 3:42.21 behind gold medallist Lukas Maertens, of Germany who won in 3:41.78.

However, Sam Short will be back in the water tomorrow evening for the men’s 800m freestyle heats.

He is scheduled to be in heat four which starts at 7.58pm AEST and will follow that with the 1500m freestyle.

Winning start

Charlize Andrews and Alice Williams, from North Brisbane Polo Bears also at Albany Creek Leisure Centre, have helped the Australian Stingers to victory this morning in the opening match of Pool B.

The Stingers proved too strong for China, winning 7-5, with Williams scoring twice, in the first and fourth periods.

The Stingers led 3-2 after the first quarter and 5-3 at halfway. China pulled back to 5-5 but Williams’ second goal restored the Stingers’ advantage.

Australian will be back in Pool B action on Wednesday evening against Netherlands at 10pm AEST.