TOKYO OLYMPICS: Day 9 action, results

Day 9 Rolling coverage

It’s a big day for two of our four local Olympians who are in action in Tokyo today. Cameron Smith and Evania Pelite begin their quests for gold, while Renee Taylor and Kaylee McKeown are back in the sporting spotlight. Follow the fortunes of all four right here.

11pm: Australia’s women’s hockey team swept its way to a decisive win against Trans-Tasman foes New Zealand this evening.

It takes the team – including former Redcliffe Leagues Hockey Club junior Renee Taylor – to the top of Pool B – and to the Quarter Finals on Sunday.

Along the way, the Aussies have beaten China 6-0, Japan 3-0 and Spain 3-1 – and tonight besting New Zealand 1-0.

It is the team’s fourth consecutive win at the Tokyo Olympics, consolidating their odds as one of the hot favourites as medal contenders. 

On Saturday, Australia takes  on Argentina (Pool B) at 12.45pm

Swimming - Kaylee McKeown

9.30pm: Redcliffe-born Kaylee McKeown has tonight won her heat and eased into the 200m Backstroke semi-finals tomorrow.

The 20-year-old went up through the gears in the third 50m and turned level with the race leader before pulling away to win in 2 minutes 8.18 seconds.

That was the fastest qualifying time for the semis which start at 12.35pm (AEST) tomorrow.

Canada's Kylie Mase was second in 2:08.23 and Taylor Ruck, also from Canada, took third in 2:08.87.

McKeown, who was at Australian Crawl in Burpengary as a junior, won the 100m Backstroke gold earlier this week.

Golf - Cameron Smith

7.30pm: Cameron Smith finished an interrupted first round of the Olympic golf tournament with an even par round of 71.

Smith, whose golf career started at Wantima Country Club in Brendale where he is still a member, reached two under after eight holes.

But the 27 year old dropped shots at the 11th and 14th to slip back to even par where he stayed after a break for bad weather delayed the final four holes.

Austrian Sepp Straka has the first round lead with an eight-under par 63 in hot and humid conditions at The Kasumigaseki Country Club outside Tokyo.

Cameron Smith will be looking to close that gap tomorrow when round two gets under way. Smith is on the first tee at 9.14am.

Women’s Rugby Sevens – Evania Pelite

7pm: Australia’s women’s Rugby Sevens team has won its second match of the day in a decisive 26-10 victory over China.

As in the day’s earlier game against Japan, Evania Pelite’s speed was a key weapon against China, whose Feifei Yang scored the first try of this evening’s match, despite a valiant effort by Charlotte Caslick to stop her.

The world stage is a far cry from where Pelite’s sevens career started - as an Under 12 rugby league match at Deception Bay Raiders (now Moreton Bay Raiders) with Pelite “one of the only girls” in a boys’ side.

Sharni Williams answered China’s challenge just under 90 seconds after the match's first try, converting her own try to take the score to cement Australia’s lead.

In the second half, Faith Nathan continued Australia’s determined push to lengthen the score between the two sides, with a try 33 seconds into the action under energy-sapping conditions.

Maddison Ashby had sealed the deal with another try with just under two-and-a-half minutes to go, despite a goal by China’s Minglin Tang with less than 30 seconds before the match ended.

Australia has conceded only two tries in its first two matches of the Tokyo Olympics, as it strives to make it back-to-back gold after success in Rio in 2016.

Pelite’s back in action with the Aussies tomorrow, as Australia takes on the US at 11.30am ahead of the women’s quarterfinals from 6.30pm.

Noon: Evania Pelite has helped the Australia women’s Rugby Sevens team hold Japan scoreless in a blistering victory at the Tokyo Olympics.

In their first match of the Games, the Australians opened the match with a try from Charlotte Caslick in the first 40 seconds, setting the scene for the remainder of the game.

Pelite dominated the midfield, with big passes setting up tries throughout the first half.

The former Hercules Road School student, who played rugby league for Deception Bay Raiders (now Moreton Bay Raiders), is one of five members of Australia’s winning squad in Rio to be selected for the Tokyo Games where they are in a pool with the US, China and Japan.

In humid conditions at Tokyo Stadium, Maddison Ashby’s big tackles stymied Japan’s attempts to take the ball forward, while former AFL player Maddison Levi demonstrated her athleticism, striding down the field with grace to make two tries.

Emma Tonegato scored three and Demi Hayes two, with Australia ending the match on 48 points.

Australia take on China at 6.30pm.

Swimming – Kaylee McKeown

After the drama and excitement of Tuesday’s sensational gold in the 100m Backstroke, Kaylee McKeown is back in the pool tonight around 9.10pm (AEST) for the 200m Backstroke.

It has been described by some as her ‘pet’ event, but the competition will still be incredibly tough for the Redcliffe-born star.

The 20-year-old, who spent her early years with Australian Crawl at Burpengary, is also likely to be part of the Australian relay team.

It was at Burpengary that she trained under the wing of junior development coach Jodie Smith and head coach Chris Mooney.

Mooney and McKeown are together again at USC Spartans and Mooney is part of the Australian Olympic coaching team.

Hockey – Renee Taylor

The Hockeyroos, which have ex-Redcliffe junior Renee Taylor in their squads, are back in action tonight against New Zealand in Pool B at 10.15pm (AEST).

Unbeaten after three matches, the Australians face another tough night following their narrow 1-0 victory over bottom-side Japan yesterday.

The Hockeyroos tackle second-placed New Zealand tonight and follow that with their final Pool match against third-placed Argentina.

Taylor fell foul of the referee twice against Japan and was yellow carded, then sent off.

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