The defending women’s rugby sevens champions from Tokyo, the Black Ferns Sevens were near perfect on day one beating China and Canada. They
play Fiji to round out pool play before a quarter-final tomorrow morning.
Final day of the three-day equestrian eventing sees the riders enter the show jumping course, with New Zealand sitting sixth after the cross country.
Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie will look to continue their fine start as they sit first heading into day two in the 49er class. The 49fx crew sit last while the foil racers in Veerle ten Have and Josh Armit should begin their campaigns after day one was postponed.
The wait for doubles partners Lulu Sun and Erin Routliffe moves into day three as rain has denied the chance to take the court for their round one match against Italian duo Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.
Meanwhile, trap shooter Owen Robinson begins qualification.
New Zealand’s medal chances today
The equestrian team are a slight outside chance in the eventing. They sit sixth in the team standings in a bunched race for bronze. Great Britain (82.50), France (87.20) and Japan (93.80) sit in the medal positions. It’s four penalties for a dropped rail, so New Zealand need to make up six combined dropped rails to even get near third-placed Japan. The 20-point penalty for a refused entry by Jonelle Price’s Hiarado in the cross country looks to be too costly.
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Tim Price is the best of the Kiwis in ninth (28.50 penalties) but again might be just too much off the pace, but could be a better chance than the team sitting 6.50 penalties outside third. He will likely need to go clear and a few dropped rails from his rivals to catch up to the top three.
Sam Gaze in the mountain bike cross country tomorrow at 12.10am. Commonwealth Games champion, winner on the world circuit. Can’t be ruled out but not sure if track suits him.
And Erika Fairweather could be an outside chance in the women’s 200m freestyle final at 7.48am. She finished fifth in a stacked semifinal to go into the final with the seventh best time.
