TOKYO OLYMPICS: Day 4 action, results

DAY 4 ROLLING COVERAGE

With the Olympic Games now officially open, the competition is coming thick and fast for our region's athletes in Tokyo. 

Football - Teagan Micah

8.30PM: Former Redcliffe State High School student Teagan Micah was given her Olympic debut in goal in a crucial Group G clash with European powerhouse Sweden.

Moments after half-time the Matildas stunned their opponents when Sam Kerr headed home her second goal, but Sweden responded in style with three sharp finishes and were the more dominant side.

Micah, in only her second senior international,  made several sharp saves and got her finger tips to a fierce drive from 20 yards but had little chance of stopping it.

It leaves the Matildas probably needing to beat - or at least draw -with the US on Tuesday to progress to the quarter-finals either as one of the top two from each of the three pools or as one of the best two third-placed sides

The US was one of the pre-Olympic gold medal favourites.

Water polo - Bronwen Knox

5.30PM: The Aussie Stingers have opened their Olympic campaign with a 8-5 win over Canada at Tatsumi Water Polo Centre in their Group A preliminary round. 

Bronwen Knox, pictured above, whose water polo career started at Albany Creek Leisure Centre 20 years ago, made Australian Olympic history today when she became the first woman to represent Australia at four Olympic Games.

She did it in style, with a goal in the second quarter.

There were goals also for Bronte Halligan (3), Abby Andrews, Zoe Arancini and Rowie Webster and Keesja Gofers.

The Stingers' goal keeper Lea Yanitsas frustrated the Canadian side who had more possession during the game but struggled to get past her.

The Aussies play the Netherlands on Monday at 7.20pm. 

Earlier:

Bronwen Knox, pictured above, whose water polo career started at Albany Creek Leisure Centre 20 years ago, will make Australian Olympic history today.

Knox will become the first women to represent Australia in water polo at four Olympic Games when the Aussie Stingers open Pool A against Canada at 4.30pm.

The 35-year-old captained Australia to bronze in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 but says the impact of COVID and lack of matches has hit every team's preparations.

After Canada, the Aussie Stingers face South Africa, Netherlands and Spain in Group A. Group B has Russia, China, US, Hungary and Japan then into the knockout quarter-finals.

Softball - Chelsea Forkin and Jade Wall

1:10PM: The Canadians have beaten the Aussie Spirit team 7-1 in their match at Yokohama Baseball Stadium.

Six of their runs were scored in the first two innings and Australia did well to hold the score to 7-1, but struggled against Canada's captain and star pitcher Jenna Caira. Uncharacteristic errors in the 2nd inning added to the pressure.

The Aussies faced the threat of the mercy rule being invoked with renewed composure in the sixth inning, stopping Canada from scoring more runs, but could not add to their own total.

They will need to bring their best game tomorrow, when they face the United States who are widely tipped to battle it out with Japan for a gold medal.

The top two teams will play for gold and third and fourth will play for bronze in the final two games of the competition. 

Earlier: 

It's a crucial day for the Aussie Spirit team, which includes Redcliffe State High School teacher Chelsea Forkin and former Redcliffe player Jade Wall.

Australia takes on Canada at 11am with both nations having won one and lost one of their first two games in the opening round.

The Aussies went down 8-1 to Japan but won a nail-biter 1-0 against Italy. Canada opened with a 4-0 win over Mexico but lost 1-0 to the US.

The winner of this match will go into the final round of games with a chance of the semi-finals. The loser ....

Football - Teagan Micah

Australia opened its Group G campaign with a 2-1 victory over New Zealand - a game they could have won far more easily.

Now it gets tougher. At 6.30pm today the Matildas take on Sweden who ended the 44-match un beaten run of the USA in their opening game. 

But, the Tillies drew 0-0 with Sweden in a warm-up match last month when former Redcliffe State High School student Teagan Micah made her international debut.

Micah, who grew up on the peninsula, will be on the bench this time as back-up goalkeeper.

Want to see when our other athletes with links to the Moreton Bay Region are competing? Head here