Two of Australia’s top medal hopes in athletics events in Paris have enjoyed sensational starts to their Olympic campaigns, with men’s discus star Matthew Denny and women’s pole vault world champion Nina Kennedy both reaching their respective finals.

Queenslander Denny was one of just three competitors to meet the automatic qualifying distance, putting himself among the medal contenders after falling less than 5cm short of a medal at the Tokyo Games.

And Kennedy also easily reached the final after just two attempts, but there was chaos in her qualifying event amid a bizarre nine-way tie.

Elsewhere, there were dramatic scenes in the women’s 400m hurdles with Australia’s Alanah Yukich qualifying for the semi-finals after a photo finish produced a dead heat for second in a repechage.

But it was heartbreak for Australia’s Hockeyroos, whose wait for a first Olympic medal since Sydney 2000 will stretch on until Los Angeles 2028 after a gutting 3-2 defeat to China in the quarterfinals.

STILL TO COME

On the men’s side, 2023 world championship bronze medallist Kurtis Marschall is also in action, competing in the pole vault final at 3am AEST.

After the women’s team completed an unbeaten group stage, Australia’s men’s water polo team, the Aussie Stingers, face Japan.

After seeing her champion sister Jess Fox eliminated in the same heat Noemie Fox continues her women’s kayak cross campaign late tonight.

In Tahiti, Jack Robinson competes in the men’s surfing semi-finals early on Tuesday morning.

Plus there are Aussies in action in the diving, sport climbing, athletics, equestrian, sailing, table tennis and track cycling.

CONFUSION, CHAOS IN POLE VAULT

Australia’s Nina Kennedy is safely through to the final of the women’s pole vault – but only after things got very confusing.

Kennedy cleared 4.40m and 4.55m on her first attempt on both heights. Only 11 competitors cleared 4.55m – so they were all comfortably through, given the top 12 qualify for the final.

But there was a lengthy delay as officials tried to figure out what to do with the final qualification place.

In the end, they opted to advance nine other competitors who cleared 4.40m (without a miss) into the final – even though they had already failed at 4.55m.

But it meant heartbreak for competitors who had cleared 4.40m – but not at the first attempt – who were eliminated while first-time clearers at 4.40m progressed.

The nine-way tie for 12th means there will be a whopping 20 competitors in the final, which is likely to start earlier to accommodate all the additional competitors.

The final is currently scheduled for 3am AEST on Thursday morning.

HOCKEYROOS 24-YEAR MEDAL WAIT STRETCHES ON IN QF HEARTBREAK

The Hockeyroos’ bid for a first women’s hockey medal in 24 years has ended in a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to China in the quarter-finals.

Australia won back-to-back gold medals in 1996 and Sydney 2000, but have finished fifth or six at every Olympic Games since then.

This time around, world number four Australia fought gutsily but couldn’t find a late equaliser despite a dominant second half that included FOUR consecutive penalty corners in the fourth quarter.

Australia had qualified top in their group but struggled for possession and control in the first half against the world number eight team, and were not clinical enough in the second half when the chances finally came. Australia finished with nine penalty corners in total.

In the end, the Australians were left in tears of despair as China’s stars streamed tears of joy.

Five minutes into the first quarter, Australia went up a player after a deliberate infringement resulted in a green card (a two-minute sin-bin). But Australia couldn’t convert their advantage into a goal.

But after some exceptional attacking work, defender Claire Colwill drew a short corner when her shot from the top of the arc was blocked by a foot. Colwill’s shot from the corner was blocked but Olympic debutant Alice Arnott followed up from close range with her fourth goal of the tournament.

China drew a short corner soon afterwards and lashed it into inside of the side netting in style through Ma Ning.

China took a 2-1 lead in the second quarter from close range through midfielder Dan Wen, as Australia struggled to get the attack to click. China then won back-to-back penalty corners, but they were brilliantly defended by the Hockeyroos. And with just a couple of minutes before halftime, Australia almost hit back against the run of play when a long-range shot bobbled into the post.

But China deserved their lead at the break with more possession and control.

Australia attempted to fight back in the third but Stephanie Kershaw’s shot went narrowly wide.

Then China took a 3-1 lead in controversial fashion. An Australia save from a penalty corner fell to Zhong Jiaqi who buried her shot – but the goal was reviewed by the umpire after Australia claimed it was deflected to Jiaqi off Zou Meirong’s arm. The video reviews were unable to decisively show either way, so the goal stood.

Australia desperately tried to fight back as the third quarter wound down, and their pressure began to tell on China as the sides traded penalty corners. Claire Colwill had one saved, before Australia staved off one of their own. Penny Squibb’s attempt from another short corner in the final minute of the quarter was blocked, but Australia immediately called for a video referral – and it was upheld, handing Australia another penalty corner with 16 seconds left in the quarter. This time, Tatum Stewart’s shot was deflected into the net from a pair of Chinese players, with Australia just one goal down as the final term began.

In the fourth minute of the fourth quarter, Australia won FOUR consecutive penalty corners after the first three attempts were illegally blocked by the bodies of Chinese defenders. Australia appeared to win a fifth in a row when a follow-up shot from a penalty corner was once again blocked, but China called for a video referral which found the ball had struck her dangerously high – meaning China was given the ball.

Australia successfully defended a penalty corner of their own then won another at the other end, but once again just couldn’t convert.

Australia was dominating the quarter though, having far more possession as China sought to defend their lead and hit on the counter.

China’s goalkeeper Jiao Ye made a stunning save to deny Stephanie Kershaw with five minutes to play, with the Australians putting the defence under siege with constant attacking forays.

But Australia bizarrely opted not to substitute their keeper for an outfielder in the final minutes and couldn’t fashion one last chance.

STRONG START IN DIVING

Two Aussies – a star veteran and a gifted debutant – are safely through to the women’s 10m platform semi-final after navigating a tense preliminary round.

Each competitor had five dives, with their combined total counting – meaning any big mistake could prove disastrous.

The top 18 made the semi-final, before the field is cut to 12 for final. Scores reset for each round.

Melissa Wu, a five-time Olympian, started her campaign with a forward three-and-a-half somersault, claiming a solid 54.00. She followed it up with a 62.40, a 61.60, a disappointing 49.60, and a clutch 57.60 on her final dive. It saw her finish with 285.20 to qualify in 13th of 18 qualifiers.

Ellie Cole, a 17-year-old Olympic debutant who is still in year 12 at school, was the other Aussie in action. Cole slightly over-rotated on her first dive for a 48.00. But she rebounded immediately with a brilliant 73.60. She had a 57.60, a 53.20, and another 57.60 to finish with a total of 290.00 and qualify ninth.

17-year-old Quan Hongchan of China – the reigning gold medallist who broke the Olympic record in Tokyo – led the way with a whopping 421.25, miles ahead of Chinese teammate Chen Yuxi’s 382.15. The duo also teamed up for gold in the synchronised 10m platform in Tokyo.

STUNNING DEAD HEAT KEEPS AUSSIE’S DREAM ALIVE

There was stunning drama in the women’s 400m hurdles as an Australian survived her repechage race to reach the semi-finals in a dead heat after a photo finish.

26-year-old Alanah Yukich – a former 400m runner who converted to medals in a stunning late surge to the Olympics – was forced into the repechage after finishing seventh in her heat yesterday.

The Aussie gun was well off the pace halfway through the repechage race but pushed hard to rise into second at the last hurdle. With a stunning late charge, Yukich nearly overtook the leading athlete of Italy, Ayomide Folorunso, but the Italian just held on to win in 55.07s.

Yet Belgium’s Naomi van den Broeck came flying from even further back to threaten the win – or at least claim second and knock the Australian out.

It came down to a photo finish for second, with both athletes finishing in 55.11s.

But in a stunning twist, even a photo (and timing it to the thousandths of a second) couldn’t separate them, with both athletes being awarded a dead heat with an identical time of 55.107s.

Yukich’s time was a personal best, with all three of the top athletes progressing.

But it wasn’t such good news for fellow Australian Sarah Carli, who missed out on the semi-finals after finishing fourth in her repechage in 55.12s.

The semi-finals take place on Wednesday morning at 4:07am AEST.

TOP AUSSIE MEDAL CHANCE REACHES FINAL

Australia’s Matt Denny, who heartbreakingly missed bronze in Tokyo by under 5cm in the men’s discus, is through to the final in Paris.

Denny’s first throw of 64.72m was short of the automatic qualifying mark of 66 metres (though he only needed to finish as one of the top 12 competitors to make the final anyway).

But he became the third man to cross the magic 66m mark with his second throw, launching the discus 66.83m to book his place in the final.

Denny won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Diamond League suggesting he’s one of the favourites to medal.

The final is on Thursday at 4:25am AEST.

WILD FINISH IN MIXED TRIATHLON RELAY

Australia’s team of Luke Willian, Natalie van Coevorden, Matthew Hauser and Sophie Linn finished in 12th place in the mixed triathlon relay after a thrilling photo finish for second place.

It was a dramatic race as Great Britain lead twice only to be caught up, with Germany’s Laura Lindemann making a move 150m from the finish line and holding off GB’s Beth Potter and USA’s Taylor Knibb.

Knibb and Taylor finished just 0.01s behind the winner, with the USA just edging out the Brits for silver in the photo finish.

Sophie Linn said to Nine: “I think I can speak for the whole team that we expected more from ourselves today… disappointing a little bit, but we did all we could and that’s all we can ask for.”

It’s just the second time the event has been in the Olympics.

She added: “The crowds love it, we love it… you saw the sprint finish, what a way to finish the triathlon in these Olympics.”

But the triathlon was again struck by controversy before the race after numerous racers were forced to pull out due to getting sick from their individual triathlon races last week. A handful of athletes were forced to go to hospital after swimming in the Seine river.

AUSSIES IN ACTION — DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS

All times AEST

4pm — Triathlon: Mixed Relay (Luke Willian, Natalie van Coevorden, Matthew Hauser and Sophie Linn)

5pm — Shooting: Skeet Mixed Team Qualification (Aislin Jones, Joshua Bell)

6pm — Women’s Diving: 10m Platform Prelims (Melissa Wu and Ellie Cole)

6pm — Women’s Hockey Quarterfinal, Australia vs China (Hockeyroos)

6pm — Men’s Sport Climbing: Boulder & Lead, Semifinal Boulder (Campbell Harrison)

6.10pm — Athletics: Men’s Discus Throw Qualification (Matthew Denny)

6.40pm — Athletics: Women’s Pole Vault Qualification (Nina Kennedy)

6.50pm — Athletics: Women’s 400m Hurdles, Repechage Round (Sarah Carli, Alanah Yukich)

7.55pm — Athletics: Women’s 400m, Round 1 (Ellie Beer)

8.50pm — Athletics: Women’s 200m Repechage Round (Torrie Lewis, Mia Gross)

9.35pm — Men’s Water Polo: Australia vs Japan (Water Polo)

10pm — Equestrian: Jumping Individual Qualifier (Hilary Scott, Thaisa Erwin, Edwina Tops-Alexander)

10.45pm — Men’s Sailing: Dinghy Race 9/10 (Matt Wearn)

11pm — Men’s Table Tennis: Team Round of 16, Australia vs Japan (Finn Luu, Nicholas Lum and Hwan Bae)

11.30pm — Canoe Slalom: Women’s Kayak Cross Quarterfinal (Noemie Fox)

11.52pm — Canoe Slalom: Men’s Kayak Cross Quarterfinal (Timothy Anderson, Tristan Carter)

12.15am — Canoe Slalom: Women’s Kayak Cross Semifinal (Noemie Fox)

12.28am — Canoe Slalom: Men’s Kayak Cross Semifinal (Timothy Anderson, Tristan Carter)

12.55am — Canoe Slalom: Women’s Kayak Cross Final (Noemie Fox)

1am — Canoe Slalom: Men’s Kayak Cross Final (Timothy Anderson, Tristan Carter)

1.27am — Men’s Cycling Track: Team Pursuit, Qualifying (Oliver Bleddyn, Sam Welsford, Conor Leahy and Kelland O’Brien)

3am — Athletics: Men’s Pole Vault Final (Kurtis Marschall)

3.04am — Athletics: Men’s 300m Steeplechase, Round 1 (Ben Buckingham, Matthew Clarke)

3.09am — Men’s Cycling Track: Team Pursuit, Qualifying (Leigh Hoffman, Matthew Richardson and Matthew Glaetzer)

3.30am — Artistic Swimming: Team Technical Routine

3.36am — Men’s Surfing Semifinals, Australia vs Brazil (Jack Robinson)

3.55am — Athletics: Men’s 200m, Round 1 (Caleb Law)

5.15am — Athletics: Women’s 5000m Final (Rose Davies)

6.46am — Men’s Surfing: Final