Rio 2016: Wrap of day 10   16 Aug 2016

The New Zealand women’s hockey team’s 4-2 hammering of Australia provided the individual highlight of the Olympics for Kiwi fans today.

In a quarter-final match that was tipped to be a thriller, the New Zealand women were a class above their trans-Tasman rivals.

They weathered some early pressure and then scored through Anita McLaren, Kelsey Smith, Gemma Flynn and Olivia Merry. After leading 2-0 at halftime, New Zealand stretched their lead to 4-1 until the Australians scored a late consolation goal.

So for the second successive Olympics the New Zealand women are into the semi-finals. They missed out on a medal in London in 2012 and there is a steely resolve that that won’t happen again.

They play Great Britain in one semi-final on Wednesday.

Defending champion Lisa Carrington looked in excellent form in her two outings in the women’s K1 200 today. Carrington made excellent starts in both her heat and semi-final and paddled away from all opposition, even breaking the magic 40-second barrier in the semi.

In the men’s K1 1000, Marty McDowell found the pace too hot in his heat and finished seventh.

At the velodrome Dylan Kennett made a brave bid to win an omnium medal. Today he won the time trial and the flying lap and going into the final event, the points race, was staring hard at at least a bronze medal. However, he ran out of steam in the points race and eventually finished in eighth place overall, still a commendable showing for the 21-year-old.

In the women’s sprints, Natasha Hansen was outgunned in her quarter-final and the repechage, but won the ride-off for ninth place.

There was restricted sailing today because of adverse weather conditions, meaning laser man Sam Meech did not get to contest his medal race.

However, both New Zealand 49er crews improved their position. Blair Tuke and Peter Burling had three fine races to stretch their lead in the contest. The New Zealand 49er women, Alex Maloney and Molly Meech, also raced well and improved from third to second in the overall standings.

NZOC

Photocredit: Reuters

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