Samuels Just Misses Discus Medal

It was just short of a medal but still the best Olympic result in the distinguished athletics career of NSWIS discus thrower Dani Samuels.

The 2009 world champion finished fourth in the discus final with a throw of 64.90m on her sixth attempt.

It was just 44 centimetres short of the bronze medal.

“I’m finding words a little hard to process right now,” Samuels told the AOC website.

“I’ve come ninth in an Olympics and just missed a final and come fourth and just missed a medal.”

“I’ll be back for Tokyo as it’s the only medal I don’t have.”

NSWIS runners Eloise Wellings and Madeline Hills have created more Australian athletics history in the heats of the women’s 5000m.

Days after becoming the first ever Australian to record a top 10 finish in the final of the 10,000m, Wellings has booked a spot in the final of the 5000m with the sixth fastest time in qualifying.

She clocked 15:19.02, a time that was quicker than the winning time in heat one.

Hills finished sixth in heat one in 15:21.33.

It means Australia will have a starter in the women’s 5000m final for the first time. The NSWIS duo will be joined by Genevieve LaCaze, giving Australia three representatives in the race for medals.

Two days ago Hills and LaCaze became the first two Australians to ever qualify for the women’s Olympic steeplechase final.

Hills recorded a personal best in finishing seventh in the final.

“It’s just so exciting, especially for distance running in Australia,” Wellings told the AOC website.

“It’s a reward for all three of us that the hard work is paying off.”

Michelle Jenneke made her Olympic debut in the 100m hurdles, finishing sixth in her heat.

The dancing hurdler was well in contention early, sitting in the top three, only to fall back through the field over the second half of the race.

“My actual race was probably one of the worst races I have ever done,” Jenneke said.

“I am pretty disappointed. There were just a few things that went wrong.”

Brandon Starc jumps in an Olympic final this morning at his first Games.

The NSWIS high jumper secured his place in the final with a gutsy 2.29m amid the euphoria of golden performances by Usain Bolt and Wayde van Niekerk on Monday.

And there are high hopes for Ella Nelson when she runs in the second semi-final of the women’s 200m this morning.

She goes into the semis as the 11^th fastest qualifier after running 22.66 in her heats, just outside of her personal best.