Hannah Osborne and Brooke Donoghue, of New Zealand, compete in the women's double sculls. Photo / AP
Hannah Osborne and Brooke Donoghue, of New Zealand, compete in the women's double sculls. Photo / AP
Seasoned sports journalist and renowned broadcaster Phil Gifford singles out five events to watch on day five of the Tokyo Olympics.
1) Rugby heads rejoice
Men's sevens - Semifinal 2pm. Final 9pm.
Yes, there is a bronze medal final, and if the All Blacks sevens team gets beaten in thesemi by Great Britain they won't be playing the final, but facing instead the kissing your sister option of a playoff for the bronze medal. But let's look on the bright side.
The men's sevens in Rio had the great misfortune to play Fiji, of all teams, in a quarter-final, lost 12-7, and had to watch Fiji sweep on to a gold medal. The All Black Sevens in Tokyo look a different, infinitely more composed. Great Britain are no pushovers, having showed backbone just to get the Games, when only a deal with the National Lottery when their funding was cut keeping them going, but if I had to bet. I'd be taking a ticket on New Zealand.
Eric Murray once told me that sometimes, when he was on the start line with Hamish Bond, he'd glance across at the other pairs and think "you poor buggers." He knew he and Bond were so fit and dominant, that no matter what their opponents tried, a fast start, or a slow start with a big finish, they couldn't beat the Kiwis. We'll know better after this race whether Gowler and Prendergast are starting to assert the same vice like mental grip on their rivals around the world.
Live updates: nzherald.co.nz. Live commentary: Newstalk ZB. Watch live: SKY Channel 56, TVNZ.
3) I'm with Venus
Black Sticks v Spain - Women's hockey. 2.45pm
"Win pretty, win ugly, just win," said Venus Williams at the height of her tennis career. It's true the Black Sticks 2-1 win over Japan looked a little scratchy after their amazing 3-0 whipping of Argentina in their opening pool game. But what team, in any sport, at these Games wouldn't be happy to start with two wins? The New Zealand women are world class, and Tokyo is their chance to show they deserve better than to be tagged as the gallant fourth place getters they were in 2012 and 2016.
Live updates: nzherald.co.nz. Watch live: SKY Channel 58, TVNZ.
Olivia Loe and Donoghue starred in one of the great races at the 2019 world championships in Poland, hauling in a flying United States duo to win gold by 0.27s. Loe was expecting to be in the double sculls in Tokyo, but with just six weeks to the Games, she was switched to the quad, who row today in what's called the B final, with no medals at stake. Donoghue and Osborne in their final will be out to disprove the old theory that you never change a winning team.
Live updates: nzherald.co.nz. Live commentary: Newstalk ZB. Watch live: SKY Channel 56, TVNZ.
5) One man doesn't make a team, but he can make a difference
Winston Reid is the Oly Whites captain, an inspiration, and a terrific player. When he limped off with a serious knee injury just two minutes into game eventually lost 3-2 to Honduras who could not worry that New Zealand's hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals were leaving with him? How well the side has rallied will be perfectly measured by the game with Romania. New Zealand are third in a pool of four, and, as well as beating Romania, need South Korea to beat Honduras tonight to advance to the knockout stage.
Live updates: nzherald.co.nz. Watch live: SKY Channel 58, TVNZ.
