heartbreaking defeat for boxer Kurt Walker and a late charge from golfer Rory McIlroy to enter a bronze medal play-off were the two big storylines among the Irish during overnight action at the Tokyo Olympics.
Walker came up agonisingly short in his bid to win a medal, the Lisburn featherweight losing to American Duke Ragan in their quarter-final bout at the Kukugikan Areana on a split 3-2 decision which many saw as contentious.
Elsewhere, Aidan Walsh was forced to withdraw from Sunday’s Olympic welterweight semi-final against British boxer Pat McCormack after picking up an injury during his ring celebrations after securing at least a bronze medal on Friday.
In golf, McIlroy was one of seven players to finish on 15-under, with USA’s Xander Schauffele taking gold on 18-under and Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini silver on 17-under. Shane Lowry finished in a tie for 22nd on 10-under.
However, McIlroy would miss a birdie putt on the third playoff hole to just miss out on a medal with Chinese Taipei’s CT Pan clinching bronze ahead of Collin Morikawa on the next sudden-death hole.
In athletics, Eilish Flanagan produced a superb performance in the 3000m steeplechase heats, carving six seconds off her lifetime best, her 12th-place finish in 9:34.86 not enough to see her through. Her fellow Irishwoman Michelle Finn clocked 9:36.26 in her heat to finish ninth.
The Irish eventing team of Austin O’Connor, Sam Watson and Sarah Ennis moved into eighth on a score of 161.00 after some strong performances in the cross country discipline at Sea Forest Island in Tokyo today.
Meanwhile, Rhys McClenaghan, who was bidding to win Ireland its first ever Olympic medal in gymnastics in the men’s pommel horse had an unfortunate slip after catching a finger on one of the bars, which completely scuppered his medal chances. The Newtownards gymnast finished 7th with Britain’s Max Whitlock winning the event.
McClenaghan gave a hugely positive interview afterwards despite his misfortune, vowing to “come back a way better gymnast, a way better man.”
Finally this afternoon, Thomas Barr will aim to make his second 400m hurdles Olympic final when racing the semi-final at 1:05pm Irish time.
TODAY
Athletics
1.05pm – Men’s 400m hurdles semi-finals: Thomas Barr
TOMORROW
01:00am – Athletics: Ciara Mageean, Sarah Healy, 1500m heat; Phil Healy, 200m heat
07:00am – Diving: Oliver Dingley, 3-metre springboard preliminary
09:00am – Equestrian: Sam Watson, Sarah Ennis, Cathal Daniels, eventing team and individual
10:30am – Athletics: *Phil Healy, 200m semi-final
*pending qualification