New Zealand's eventing team have picked up two top-10 results at the Paris Olympics.
The team of Tim Price, Clarke Johnstone and Jonelle Price ended the three-day equestrian competition eighth, while Tim Price moved up to sixth in the individual standings at Chateau de Versailles on Monday (Tuesday NZ Time).
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Tim Price managed two clear rounds in the showjumping to finish on 28.5 penalty points, moving up from eighth to sixth, and he was chuffed with his horse.
“He’s a great jumper and I’m very spoilt to be on him,” he said. “He came into this competition very fit and well. Yesterday he had an easy time of it and he has woken up today feeling like he normally does. I’m very pleased with my guy.”
Clarke Johnstone and Menlo Park made it through to the top-25 showjumping final of the individual competition but were disappointed with a rail and time in each, leaving them in 18th spot.
“My horse tried his heart out and he has given everything this week,” he said.
Jonelle Price figured it simply was not her week with Hiarado.
“I’ve had her two years and she hasn’t had a single fence down, so you can see why I went in with confidence. I really thought we had a shot at a top-10 finish individually. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way, but you have to hang in there and keep fighting.”
Great Britain won the teams competition for a record-breaking fifth time, comfortably ahead of hosts France and Japan. German Michael Jung, riding Chipmunk FRH, took individual gold, from Australian Chris Burton and Briton Laura Collett.
In the Paris La Defense pool, Erika Fairweather swam bravely but was unable to make an impression in the women’s 200m freestyle final.
Fairweather, who finished fourth in the 400m freestyle final two days ago, was the seventh-fastest qualifier for the 200m final and swam in lane 1.
The Dunedin swimmer was in top form and her time of 1 minute 55.59 seconds for seventh place was almost a second faster than her semifinals time.
However, two Australians dominated the race as Mollie O’Callaghan won gold in 1:53.27, beating countrywoman and favourite Ariarne Titmus.
New Zealand’s involvement in the Paris Olympics tennis ended when Erin Routliffe and Lulu Sun lost their first-round women's doubles match.
Routliffe and Sun were unfortunate to draw third-seeded Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini, falling 6-2 6-3 in 71 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros on Monday (Tuesday NZ Time).
Paolini was fresh off reaching the Wimbledon singles final and Errani is a former world No 1 doubles player. The Italians made fewer errors and won most of the important points in the twice-delayed match, which followed the 60th clash between two tennis legends, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
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Routliffe, currently ranked No 1 in the world in doubles, played some sharp reflex volleys, but the New Zealanders lacked consistency.
Owen Robinson struggled on the first day of the men’s trap qualification round at Chateauroux.
The Hamilton man shot 23-25-23 for a total of 71 to be in 19th place from 26 shooters after three rounds. The final two rounds of qualification will be held on Day 4.
The leader after three rounds is Australian James Willett on 74. The top-six shooters after the five qualification rounds advance to the final.
In rowing, the New Zealand women’s pair of Kate Haines and Alana Sherman were eliminated after failing to finish in the top-three of their repechage race at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
The Kiwis could manage only fourth, in 7 minutes 46.18 seconds, 12 seconds off the pace.
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