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Paris Olympics 2024: The big moments from day 10, including Noemie Fox, Armand Duplantis and Jack Robinson

Aaron Kirby and Ben SmithThe West Australian
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PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Gold medalist Noemie Fox of Team Australia poses on the podium during the Canoe Slalom Women's Kayak Cross medal ceremony on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Vaires-Sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Camera IconPARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Gold medalist Noemie Fox of Team Australia poses on the podium during the Canoe Slalom Women's Kayak Cross medal ceremony on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Vaires-Sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images) Credit: Alex Davidson/Getty Images

There was a world record set in the pole vault final and more Australian gold as some WA athletes went hell for leather in pursuit of Olympic medals. Here’s our pick of the action from day 10.

1. Golden Fox - again!

After Jess Fox was eliminated in the second heat it was up to Noemie to carry the Fox name into the finals of the Kayak Cross.

She stepped out of her sister’s shadow to blitz both the quarterfinal and the semifinal, before winning the gold medal in the final.

An ecstatic Jess - the holder of two Paris gold medals of her own - jumped into the water post-race to celebrate with her sister, creating one of the most touching moments of the tournament, while their father fought back tears on live TV.

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Jessica Fox of Team New Zealand jumps in the water to congratulate her sister Noemie Fox on winning gold in the Canoe Slalom Women's Kayak Cross Final on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Vaires-Sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Camera IconJessica Fox jumps in the water to congratulate her sister Noemie Fox on winning gold. Credit: Alex Davidson/Getty Images

The Game Cricket 2024-25

2. Long Jack’s silver

It was a case of close but no cigar for the Margaret River surfer as he fell agonisingly short of an Olympic gold medal in Tahiti.

The day began promisingly for Robinson as he was overcame Brazilian Gabriel Medina in the semifinal, a benefactor of some fortunate luck as the Brazilian was left stranded by flat conditions waiting on a wave which never came.

TEAHUPO'O, FRENCH POLYNESIA - AUGUST 05: Jack Robinson of Team Australia rides a wave during the men's gold medal match of surfing on day nine of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on August 05, 2024 in Teahupo'o, French Polynesia. (Photo by Ed Sloane/Getty Images)
Camera IconJack Robinson rides a wave during the men's gold medal match. Credit: Ed Sloane/Getty Images

Against Tahiti’s Kauli Vaast, Robinson produced a tidy opening round score of 7.83 — only for the Frenchman to respond with a belter of a performance, to score 9.5.

Robinson then found himself in the same boat Medina was in earlier, needing a near-perfect score, but mother nature failed to provide the waves for him to mount a serious challenge as the gold medal slipped away.

3. The Mondo show

Steve Hooker put it best: there were two finals going on in the pole vault — one involving Armand Duplantis and the world record, the other involving the rest of the field.

Part of the field was WA’s Kurtis Marschall, and while he will be disappointed to miss out on a medal, his 5.85m jump was good enough for sixth.

He will be proud of his improvement on his Tokyo campaign, where he failed to clear a bar in the final.

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Gold medalist Armand Duplantis of Sweden sets a new world record during the Men's Pole Vault Final on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Camera IconGold medalist Armand Duplantis of Sweden sets a new world record. Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Duplantis barely raised a sweat, waiting for opponents to falter before clearing an Olympic record 6.10m on his first attempt.

With the crowd and even his rivals cheering him on, Duplantis attempted a world record 6.25m and while he failed his first two attempts, he cleared the bar on the third count to beat his own record before racing off into the crowd as the stadium erupted in jubilation.

4. Double hockey failure

The Hockeyroos made it double heartbreak for Australia’s hockey teams as they were upset in the quarterfinals by China.

It means the Aussie women have now been knocked out of the Olympics at the quarterfinal stage six times in a row.

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Team People's Republic of China celebrate victory in the Quarter Final Women's match between Australia and People's Republic of China on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade Yves Du Manoir on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Camera IconIt was a heartbreaking loss for the Hockeyroos. Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Australia scored first but held the lead for just one minute, China seizing control in a boilover reminiscent of the Hockeyroos’ shock loss to India at the same stage in Tokyo three years ago.

To make matters worse a crucial video review decision went against the Hockeyroos with the referees failing to notice the ball brushing a Chinese player’s leg in the build-up to their third goal.

5. Velodrome Aussies on fire

Australia made a stunning start to action in the Velodrome as the men’s team pursuit set a new track record.

West Aussies Oliver Bleddyn, Sam Welsford and Conor Leahy teamed up with Kelland O’Brien to qualify for the semifinals ahead of giants Denmark and Italy, who they will face first up, in a blistering time of 3:42.958.

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Sam Welsford, Oliver Bleddyn, Conor Leahy and Kelland O'Brien of Team Australia compete during the Men's Team Pursuit Qualifiers on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
Camera IconSam Welsford, Oliver Bleddyn, Conor Leahy and Kelland O'Brien in the Men's Team Pursuit Qualifiers. Credit: Alex Broadway/Getty Images

Fellow Sandgroper Matthew Richardson then set the tone for a great start in the men’s team sprint, helping the Aussie trio qualify third.

6. 5000m controversy

It was a Kenyan one-two in the women’s 5000m — until it wasn’t.

Faith Kipyegon thought she had snared the silver medal, only to watch on in disbelief as it was announced she had been disqualified post-race, with Italian Nadia Battocletti bursting into tears as she realised she had been promoted to a bronze medal.

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Faith Kipyegon of Team Kenya competes during the Women's 5000m Final on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Camera IconFaith Kipyegon of Kenya competes during the Women's 5000m Final. Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Officials noticed a tangle between Kipyegon and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay and deemed the former was guilty of pushing, although video evidence suggested the decision was extremely harsh on the medallist.

Thankfully, reason prevailed as Kipyegon appealed and officials sided with her, reinstating her as a deserved silver medalist.

7. Wearn-ing it

Perth’s Matt Wearn is zeroing in on back-to-back gold medals, and can do no worse than silver as he enters the medal race in the men’s dinghy competition.

MARSEILLE, FRANCE - AUGUST 04: Matt Wearn of Team Australia prepares to compete in the Men's Dinghy ILCA class on day nine of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Marseille Marina on August 04, 2024 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Camera IconWearn in the Men's Dinghy ILCA class on day nine. Credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images

The Tokyo champion leads the competition, but did not enter the water on Monday afternoon due to poor weather conditions.

Wearn has a 14-point lead over Cyprus’ Pavlos Kontides, meaning a shock, bad result coupled with a strong showing from Kontides, would topple him from first place.

8. Mixed day for Biles

Another event, another medal for the golden girl of gymnastics — but this time, she had to settle for silver.

Simone Biles wrapped up her Paris campaign with her fourth medal of these Games and her 11th overall with a second-place finish in the floor exercise finals.

PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Gold medalist Rebeca Andrade (C) of Team Brazil, silver medalist Simone Biles (L) of Team United States and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles (R) of Team United States celebrate on the podium at the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Floor Exercise Medal Ceremony  on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 05, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Camera IconRebeca Andrade saluted by Simone Biles (L) and Jordan Chiles (R) after the Women's Floor Exercise Medal Ceremony. Credit: Naomi Baker/Getty Images

It was not one of Biles’ best performances as she made a few costly mistakes she otherwise would not have, but the rest of her routine was good enough for a deserved silver medal.

It came after Biles has fallen in the beam final earlier on Monday, ruining her chances of medalling in that event.

9. Easy does it for Nina

Nina Kennedy was so confident of making the final she passed on the first qualification jump height in the pole vault.

The tactic proved successful as she needed just two jumps to cruise into the final, where she will be gunning for gold on Thursday.

And Kennedy’s medal case will be strengthened by the absence of two British rivals, with Molly Caudrey and Holly Bradshaw both spectacularly crashing out in the heat.

10. Aussies upset

It was a much-needed reality check for the Aussie Sharks as they went down to a previously winless Japan in the men’s final water polo group game.

Australia coughed up a 4-0 lead to lose 14-13, although thankfully it did not effect their group placing as they finished second.

NANTERRE, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was captured using a robotic camera positioned above the field of play.) Tim Hamill, Head Coach of Team Australia, gives the team instructions in the Men's Preliminary Round - Group B match between Team Australia and Team Japan on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on August 05, 2024 in Nanterre, France. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Camera IconTim Hamill, Head Coach of Team Australia, gives the team instructions. Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

They will be hoping for an improved showing against the USA in Wednesday morning’s quarterfinal as they look to win a first Olympic gold for either a men’s or women’s Australian team since the Sydney 2000 Games.

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