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Ariarane Titmus, Grace Brown win gold as Australia dominate Paris Games opening day

July 27, 2024

Ariarne Titmus turned swimming’s race of the century into a glorious golden personal procession while Australia’s women’s 4x100m freestyle relayers stretched their dominance in the event to a fourth Olympics in the opening day of the Paris Games.

In her hyped final, Titmus blitzed her rivals, American legend Katie Ledecky, who finished third, and Canadian teen Summer McIntosh, who placed second.

“It’s fun racing the best in the world, it gets the best out of me,” Titmus said.

The 23-year-old led from start to finish to claim the third Olympic gold medal of her career, after her 200m-400m freestyle double at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

In women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, the team of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris clinched Australia’s fourth-straight Olympic title in the event, winning in Games record time.

Grace Brown dominates for gold in Olympic time trial

Grace Brown put on a commanding performance to win the women’s Olympic road time trial.

After years of near misses in major time trials, the 32-year-old cyclist dominated the 32.4km event in treacherous conditions to win Australia’s first gold medal at the Paris Games.

Grace Brown scorched to victory in the women’s time trial. Source: AAP / Dan Himbrechts

Emphasising the dangers brought by the constant rain in central Paris, compatriot Luke Plapp crashed out of the men’s time trial later and was taken to hospital for scans.

Rising above the rain, Brown won by a whopping one minute 31.59 seconds.

Brown will retire at the end of this season and will close her career as the first Australian cyclist to win an Olympic time trial gold medal.

Other medals for Australia

Australia’s male 4x100m freestyle relayers captured a silver medal on a successful opening night for the nation at the pool.

The Dolphins harvested two gold and two silver medals from four finals, helping Australia to top spot on the overall medals table after day one in Paris.

Credit: SBS News

Elijah Winnington won the silver in men’s 400m freestyle swimming, and in men’s 4x100m freestyle relay Kyle Chalmers hoisted the men’s squad also including Jack Cartwright, Flynn Southam and Kai Taylor to silver behind Team USA.

Headline Gold medalists on Day 1

In men’s rugby sevens, cheered on by a packed house at the Stade de France, Les Bleus became the first team ever to beat two-time defending champions Fiji at Olympic level.

The honour of being the first gold medallists of the 2024 Games went to teenage Chinese shooters Huang Yuting and Sheng Lihao, who won in the mixed 10m air rifle.

What else happened?

With three gold medals and two silver, Australia finished day one on top of the medal table courtesy of the pool haul.

Chris Burton, on board Shadow Man, is in the bronze medal position after the dressage section of the three-day event at Versailles with his Australian team lying eighth overall.

Blake Govers scored the only goal on the stroke of halftime as the Kookaburras won their opener 1-0 over Argentina.

The Stingers overcame a COVID-disrupted preparation to post a hard-fought 7-5 women’s water polo victory over China.

Key quotes from Day 1

“I screamed underwater — I was hoping the under-water cam wasn’t on.” — Aussie synchro diver Anabelle Smith , ending the medal hopes for her and partner Maddison Keeney.

“It’s a bit insane — these are Aussie legends … it’s hard to get your head around other people viewing little old me in the same way.” — Grace Brown on joining the elite Olympic champions’ club.

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