Paris 2024 Olympics Day 6: Live Updates on Golf, Rowing, Tennis, Gymnastics, and More
Paris 2024 Olympics Day 6: Highlights from Swimming, Race Walking, and Football
Paris 2024 Olympics Day 6: Live Updates on Golf, Rowing, Tennis, Gymnastics, and More As I swam laps at Sydney’s Andrew “Boy” Charlton pool, I reflected on the 1924 Paris Olympics, where Charlton won gold in the 1500m. The pool, located near Sydney’s Domain and overlooking Russell Crowe’s apartment at Garden Bay, witnessed Charlton’s dramatic victory over world record holder Arne Borg. The upset was so surprising that Borg celebrated by rowing Charlton in a dinghy, declaring him “the new king.”
At the 1924 Games in Paris, Charlton and Borg exchanged world records in the heats. Charlton ultimately bested Borg’s record by a minute in the final to secure the gold. Charlton also earned a silver medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay, losing to Johnny Weissmuller, who later gained fame as the iconic Tarzan. In the 1928 Amsterdam Games, Weissmuller again triumphed, relegating Borg and Charlton to silver and bronze in the 400m, while Borg won the 1500m over future film star Buster Crabbe, who portrayed Flash Gordon.
In current Olympic news, Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has been dismissed by Football Australia following the team’s early exit from the Olympic tournament.
In race walking, Brazil’s Brian Bonfim has taken the lead in the men’s 20km race walk, surpassing Italy’s Massimo Stano. Spanish competitors Paul McGrath and Álvaro Martín are in third and fourth, respectively, while Ethiopia’s Misgana Wakuma is in fifth. Australian Declan Tingay has moved up to sixth position.
The lead in the Men’s 20km race walk has shifted, with Ecuador’s BD Pintado now in front. The race, which began amid threatening electrical storms, is being contested under tough conditions with 88% humidity and slippery cobblestones. The event, which has been a staple since the Melbourne Games in 1956, originally featured distances of 3500m and 10 miles in the early Olympics. The current world record is held by Yusuke Suzuki at 1:16:36, while the Olympic record, set by Ding Chen in London in 2012, stands at 1:18:46.
As competitors navigate the challenging conditions, Australia’s Rhydian Cowley, Kyle Swan, and Declan Tingay are among those to watch. Early in the race, Italy’s Francesco Fortunato leads, with Ukraine’s Ihor Hlavan closely trailing.
