Games day one: Swimming records fall as Australia get better of US – as it happened

Amid one of the bleakest years for human migration the Refugee Olympic Team has already buoyed the hearts of many around the world.

You’ve no doubt already seen the sparkling smile of Yusra Mardini, but as Robert Kitson reports poolside, her remarkable swimming story just continues.

And if you missed the latest at the football, a remarkable result to close the day’s play in the women’s competition.

Five-times world player of the year Marta may have carried the Olympic flag for Brazil, but she’s also continued to carry the hopes of the host nation, with a brace during her side’s emphatic demolition of Sweden, 5-1.

No slouches, the Scandinavians, they’re ranked 6th in the world – two above Brazil – but that might very well change after this result.

Brazil, USA and Canada are the teams to have confirmed their passage to the knockout rounds at this stage.

And from the boards to the beach, China have beaten Switzerland in the women’s beach volleyball, two sets to one, after earlier wins to the Netherlands, Brazil, Spain and Australia.

Good coastline nations, those.

In the men’s, Spain have overcome a first set hammering to best Austria, joining Poland, the Netherlands, USA, Brazil and Italy as today’s winners.

I’ve not trod the beaches from Swinoujscie to Gdansk – can anyone confirm there is sand and not pebbles there? Unless perhaps that’s what gives the Polish their edge. Rugged business.

There is of course one last game happening in the beach volleyball where the US duo Kerri Walsh-Jennings and April Ross currently lead Australian pair, Nicole Laird and the excellently named Mariafe Artache del Solar, 1-love.

Some results in the basketball, Serbia have accounted comfortably for Venezuela in the men’s Group A match 86-62, joining Australia and USA as first round winners.

In the women’s Group A, Japan have edged Belarus 77-73, to join France and Australia in the winner’s circle. An upset there? I’d hazard perhaps, yes.

Hello Stockholm, this is Australia calling, and what a time to pick up the liveblog.

Two golds in quick succession in the pool, courtesy Mack Horton and the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team, has catapulted Australia to the head of the medal tally – drink it in, fellow antipodeans, it may not remain like that.

And as the beaming smiles of sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell, alongside team-mates Emma McKeon and Brittany Elmslie smile down upon us from the dais, there was also another salvo in the ongoing Mack Horton-Sun Yang war of words.

Here’s more on that Venus Williams exit:

Away from the pool, something for the hosts to cheer: in the women’s soccer, Brazil have just scored a fifth against Sweden. Jogo bonito!

So that’s it for the swimming this evening. Gold medals for Japan, Hungary, and Australia (twice). Three silvers for USA, and new world records in the 400m women’s IM and the 4x100m women’s freestyle relay.

[Source:- Guardian]