Paris Olympics 2024: Plenty of medals already on offer as day one of competition gets underway
![Ariarne Titmus with her gold medal.](https://images.thenightly.com.au/publication/C-15496615/2a7bb7030f2bf0d7a8d03972292e844916412535-16x9-x0y115w4284h2410.jpg?imwidth=810)
Australia made a brilliant start to the Paris Games, snaring three gold medals on an action-packed opening day. Recap the best of the day one action here!
What a night!
A glittering night in the pool and Grace Brown’s rapid time trial have made for Australia’s most successful opening night at an Olympics ever.
And, we finish at the top of the medal tally! That couldn’t have gone much better.
In her final year of competing, cyclist Brown won our first gold of the games.
Then Titmus blew a stacked field out of the water in a race that had been touted as one of the greatest ever in the women’s 400-metre freestyle and the dominant 4x100m relay team won gold for the fourth-straight time.
It also meant Emma McKeon became our most decorated ever Olympian on an historic night.
Plus the Kookaburras, the Boomers and the Stingers all had wins to launch into their campaigns.
Thanks for joining us on night one of the Games from Paris - keep it locked on thewest.com.au for all the fallout and tomorrow night’s blog!
Arnie blows it out of the water
ANALYSIS: It was dubbed the race of the century, but it won’t even finish as the race of these Games.
That’s because Ariarne Titmus blew away one of the most stacked fields swimming has ever seen.
Unboxed medal
Elijah Winnington snared silver in the pool earlier in the night, and later made a startling revelation: He’s never opened his Olympic bronze medal from three years ago.
And that’s that
Canada hold on for a seven-point win: 86-79.
The Aussies will face the Canadians on Tuesday evening in a match that will likely deliver the winner of Group A.
Tight finish!
Greece have made their move!
They close the gap to just two points before Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comes up with a big bucket... Canada leading 82-78 with 43 seconds to go.
A reminder: A Canada win is likely the preferred result for our Aussies.
Hoops in the balance
Hold that thought on the basketball - this result is not quite in the books just yet!
Giannis Antetokounmpo has poured in 25 points to help Greece back into the contest, cutting that 16-point deficit in half with a quarter to play.
It’s Canada holding a 68-60 edge at 3QT.
Golden girls
Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris have golden smiles as they receive their gold medals on top of the podium!
![Australian swimmers Meg Harris and Emma McKeon celebrate after winning gold in the Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final at Paris La Defense Arena as part of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in Paris, France, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING](https://images.thenightly.com.au/publication/C-15496615/221c3c83bbf93ecb4c2ec610b922f0d778ec616a.jpg?imwidth=810)
Meanwhile, as we check in on the basketball and a significant game for Australia... Canada are heading towards a first-up victory with a 56-40 lead over Greece midway through the third period.
A Canada win is likely good for the Aussies, who will be keen to finish above Greece - and the team they beat earlier on day one in Spain - to seal a top-two berth in the tricky Group A and avoid meeting the mighty US team in a cutthroat quarter final.
Top of the pops!
That medal tally makes for brilliant reading as we approach the end of day one... Australia are sitting on top!
Three golds and two silvers, with the women leading the way with a superb start.
The 4x100m medley champs are speaking now. “To be part of this team... I feel really honoured to be a part of it,” says Emma McKeon.
McKeon has become a six-time gold medallist - surpassing Ian Thorpe for the most golds in Aussie Olympic history.
... AND A SILVER TO FINISH!
Kyle Chalmers comes home like a train to secure silver in the men’s 4x100m freestyle medley!
The US men were resounding favourites and get the job done, with Caleb Dressell anchoring the swim, but it’s a brilliant result to cap an outstanding first day for Australia in the pool.
IT’S RELAY GOLD FOR AUSTRALIA!
What a start to the Games for the Aussies! A third gold medal on day one!
Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris get it done in style, holding off the US and China and snaring an Olympic record in the women’s 4x100m free medley.
Jack’s second leg was pivotal in opening up the advantage, and Harris held her nerve late. It continues a fine tradition for the Aussie women in this event. What an opening day for Australia!