BBC NI at the Olympics

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland’s men face a must win game against Argentina on Thursday if they are to keep alive their hopes of reaching the Olympic hockey quarter-finals.

A third straight defeat, 2-0, to India, coupled with Argentina’s 2-0 win over New Zealand has left Ireland and New Zealand with no points after three games and lying outside of the four qualifying places in Pool B.

Two first half goals from Harmanpreet Singh, who converted an early penalty stroke after a foul by Shane O’Donoghue and then a late penalty corner, were enough in a game that Ireland contributed much to but couldn’t score.

Meanwhile Team GB, captained by Cookstown’s David Ames, held the world number one side, Netherlands, to a 2-2 draw.

GB are third in Pool A with five points from three games, two behind the Dutch and a win against bottom side France on Thursday would secure a place in the knockout stages.

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Ireland will face Great Britain in the 7th/8th place play-off of the Olympic rugby sevens after a 19-7 defeat to France.

A 40-7 reverse to Australia on Monday evening had dropped Allan Temple-Jones' side out of medal contention and defeat to the host nation was their fourth in five games in Paris.

Back at the Stade de France, Ireland had taken a 7-0 lead through Eve Higgins' first-half score but Seraphine Okemba crossed twice in the second half, with Carla Neisen also going over, to give France victory.

The meeting with Great Britain, which is Ireland's last outing of their first Games, will be held at 17:00 BST on Tuesday.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the Paris Olympics

Image source, Inpho

Whisper it quietly, but there could be a first gold medallist from Northern Ireland in 36 years on day four at the Games.

World champion Daniel Wiffen will race in the 800m freestyle final at 20:00 BST and is one of the favourites for gold after setting the fastest time in the heats.

The last gold medallists from Northern Ireland came when Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood triumphed with GB's hockey team in 1988.

Lady Mary Peters was the last individual athlete to win gold in the pentathlon way back in 1972.

The 23-year-old won world 800m and 1500m freestyle gold in February and stated before the Games that he would not be leaving Paris without a medal.

"If I didn't come away with a medal I would be very disappointed," Wiffen told BBC Sport NI in the build-up to the Games.

"Going in with the times that I've produced, with my PBs (personal bests), they would just put me on the podium if I can replicate them.

"I've done it time and time again so we'll just keep doing what we are doing."

There has already been success in the pool for another swimmer from Northern Ireland with Jack McMillan helping Team GB qualify for the 4x200m relay final on Tuesday evening (21:15 BST).

The 24-year-old produced a strong leg with a time of 1:45.68 but is set to miss out on a place in the final line-up with Matt Richards and Duncan Scott poised to return to GB's team.

In rowing, Philip Doyle and Daire Lynch qualified for the men's double sculls final, which will take place on Thursday (10:30 BST).

Ireland take on India in the men's hockey (12:15 BST), while Team GB, captained by NI's David Ames, drew 2-2 with Netherlands.

In equestrian, County Down's Abigail Lyle competes in the individual dressage.

After defeat in Monday's quarter-final with Australia in the rugby sevens, Ireland will be in the 5th-8th play-off bracket along with France, China and Team GB which begins at 14:00 BST.

You can keep up to date with all athletes from Northern Ireland at the Paris Olympics here.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at La Defense Arena

Image source, Getty Images

Jack McMillan has helped Great Britain qualify in first place for the men's 4x200m freestyle relay final at the Paris Olympics.

McMillan, from Northern Ireland, set off second after James Guy had established an early lead in the second heat.

The 24-year-old produced a strong leg with a time of 1:45.68 to maintain GB's advantage, before Kieran Bird and Tom Dean completed the heat in a time of 7:05.11.

McMillan and Bird are set to drop out of the team for the final, with Matt Richards and Duncan Scott poised to return to GB's line-up for the final.

However, they would still be classed as medallists if GB go on to finish in the top three at 21:15 BST.

Also in the pool on Tuesday night, Daniel Wiffen will look to become the first Olympic gold medallist from Northern Ireland in 36 years when he competes for Ireland in the men's 800m freestyle final at 20:05 BST.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist at Vaires-sur-Marne

Image source, Getty Images

Philip Doyle became the third rower from Northern Ireland to reach an Olympic final in Paris, joining Hannah Scott and Rebecca Shorten.

The Banbridge man, along with partner Daire Lynch, stormed to victory for Team Ireland in the semi-finals of the men’s double sculls.

The in-form duo were bronze medallist’s at last year's World Championships in Belgrade and should be in the medal mix in Thursday's final (10:30 BST).

They seized the lead from Germany with around 650m remaining and held off the strong challenge from the USA and New Zealand who claimed the other two places in the final.

“It's just nice to get it done, to be honest,” said Doyle.

"You always kind of forget between the heat and the semi, you know, there's three days between the two, so you just have to remind yourself that you're fast, you can get it done and [we're] delighted with that result, like really delighted.

Looking ahead to the final, Doyle added: “We always knew we were a boat that was able to step onto a podium, I think that's from our first ever competition together.

"I think now we just need to try and focus on executing our best race, and seeing how it goes on Thursday, and hopefully it'll be nice."

Team Ireland women's double sculls pair Zoe Hyde and Alison Bergin and the women's four quartet of Imogen Magner, Eimear Lambe, Emily Hegarty and Natalie Long missed out on reaching their respective finals.

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Ireland's hopes of a rugby sevens medal at the Paris Olympics are over after a 40-7 defeat to Australia in the quarter-finals.

Allan Temple-Jones' side had been beaten just 19-14 by the same opposition in a pool stage game earlier in the day, but were undone come the knock-outs by a brilliant Maddison Levi.

The 22-year-old scored her side's first three tries of the evening, taking her personal tally at these Olympics to 11, with Faith Nathan, Isabella Nasser and Bienne Terita also crossing for the victors.

Ireland, whose consolation score came through Stacey Flood, will now go into the 5th-8th place play-off bracket that begins at 2pm BST on Tuesday.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at La Defense Arena

Image source, Inpho

Ireland have their first swimming Olympic medal since the 1996 Games in Atlanta as Mona McSharry takes a stunning bronze in the women's 100m breaststroke.

McSharry finished third in a tight final, which was won by South Africa's Tatjana Smith with Tang Qianting second for China.

The 23-year-old looked in shock as she checked the screen to see where she had finished, as her quiet confidence about securing a medal in Paris became a reality.

You can read more from McSharry's historic success at the La Defense Arena here.

Earlier, Danielle Hill, from Northern Ireland, has missed out on a place in the women's 100m backstroke final after finishing eighth in heat one at the Paris Olympics.

Hill, from Northern Ireland, swam her semi-final in a time of 1:00.80, which was marginally slower than her time from the heats.

In the opening race of the night, Ireland's Ellen Walshe finished in eighth place in the women's 400m individual medley.

Walshe set a time of 4:40.70 in the final, which was won by Canada's 17-year-old superstar Summer McIntosh.

Daniel Wiffen returns to the pool on Tuesday night as he looks to win Olympic gold in the men's 800m freestyle.

Image source, Inpho

Ireland have qualified for the quarter-finals of the women's Rugby Sevens despite a 19-14 defeat by Australia at the Stade de France.

As Ireland qualified as the best third-placed team, the sides will face off again in the last-eight tie at 22:30 BST.

Faith Nathan scored for Australia inside the opening minute but Eve Higgins converted her own score to draw Ireland level in the sixth minute.

Australia hit back and Levi Teagan touched down in the final play of the half for a 12-7 half-time lead.

Levi Maddison extended the Aussie's lead after the restart, and Higgins grabbed her own converted score in the closing stages to set up a grand stand finish.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the North Paris Arena

Image source, Inpho

Ireland's Kellie Harrington has moved one step closer to retaining her Olympic gold medal after defeating Italy's Alessia Mesiano in the last 16.

The victory, by unanimous decision, means that Harrington is one bout away from her second Olympic medal after she won women's 60kg gold in Tokyo.

The 34-year-old Dubliner immediately looked to get to work at the North Paris Arena, landing some strong blows on the Italian who, to her credit, was able to counter - albeit without the ferocity of Harrington.

The first round went to Harrington, and the second followed as more strong connections saw the judges favour the Irish fighter.

She didn't let off in the final round as she wrapped up a convincing victory.

Harrington will fight the winner of Kosovo's Sadiku Donjeta and Columbia's Angie Paolo Valdez in the quarter-finals on Wednesday 31 July.

After a poor start for Ireland's boxers, as Dean Clancy, Aidan Walsh and Grainne Walsh all exited after their first bouts, wins for Jack Marley and Harrington have put the Irish boxing team in a stronger position.

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Ireland have made it through to the quarter-finals of the Olympic rugby sevens despite defeat to Australia in their final pool game.

Allan Temple-Jones' side put in a spirited performance in the 19-14 reverse and will likely feel they could have taken something from the contest if not for some handling errors close to the Australian line.

Having fallen behind with fewer than 30 seconds on the clock, Ireland would strike back when an excellent Erin King offload set up the first of Eve Higgins' two scores.

Teagan Levi had put Australia back in front before the break but the game swung on Maddison Levi's second-half score, coming when Ireland were attacking in search of an equalising try only to be turned over and concede from deep on the counter.

Higgins would go over again in the closing stages but, despite Australia finishing with six after a yellow card for Tia Hands, Ireland could not force another score in the final seconds.

The defeat meant Ireland had to wait for their quarter-final place to be confirmed by later results but they now know they will face either a rematch with Australia or New Zealand in the last eight this evening.

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Conor Hall and Great Britain team-mates Tom Hall and Alex Wise have been eliminated from the Men's Team archery competition.

Belfast's Hall is making his Olympic debut in Paris.

GB were beaten 6-0 by the Chinese Taipei trio of Zih-Siang Lin, Chih-Chun Tang and Yu-Hsuan Tai.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at La Defense Arena

Image source, Getty Images

Double world champion Daniel Wiffen is safely through to the final of the 800m freestyle after winning his heat.

In the fourth and final heat, Ireland swimmer Wiffen settled into the race in third position behind the Australian pair of Elijah Winnington and Samuel Short.

The 23-year-old edged past Short at the halfway mark, and made his move on Winnington with 300m remaining.

His time of 7:41.53 meant he was the fastest qualifier for the final, which takes place on Tuesday at 20:00 BST.

Earlier in the pool, Danielle Hill produced a strong swim to finish in fourth place in her heat and sneak into the semi-finals in 16th position.

In the first event of the day, Ireland's Ellen Walshe produced a stunning final leg to go from seventh to fourth and qualify for the 400m individual medley final the in seventh overall.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium

Image source, Inpho

Ireland put in a battling performance against the world number three side Australia, losing 2-1.

Australia took control from the first quarter, and opened the scoring through Corey Weyer after Ireland failed to clear their lines from a penalty corner.

Ireland had a far more attacking philosophy than in their opening game against Belgium and levelled the game through Lee Cole in the second quarter.

Mark Tumilty's side were less than a minute away from taking that score line into half-time when from another corner, the shot hit Cole on the shin pad and from the resulting penalty stroke, Blake Govers made no mistake.

Ireland stuck to their task in the second half and created a number of half chances but just couldn’t find the equaliser as they fell to their second defeat in Paris.

“I thought we left a few chances out there but Australia had plenty of chances as well so I think we can be very proud of that performance today,” explained Tumilty after the match.

”We asked a lot of the players to be braver with the ball and I definitely think we were and we created a lot more, so I think we've played ourselves into the tournament now.

“I think people need to recognise the challenge we have at the level of teams we're playing against and we're the second lowest ranked team in the tournament, but I think we've proven out there today that we can definitely compete.

“I think the next three games are the three games we would always have targeted, so I look forward to tomorrow and later in the week.”

India are the next opponents for Ireland on Tuesday (12:15 BST).

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Tyrone rower Rebecca Edwards and Chloe Brew have progressed to Wednesday's semi-finals of the women's coxless pair after finishing third in their repechage event on Monday.

The pair recorded a time of 7:37.11 at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

The Denmark boat won in 7:34.57, followed by Spain with 7:38.98. New Zealand were fourth and were eliminated.

The GB crew will join the Czech Republic, Romania, Netherlands, Greece and Denmark in their semi-final at 09:54 BST on Wednesday.

Edwards, 30, from Aughnacloy, also took part in the Tokyo Olympics as part of the women's eight and last year was part of the GB crew which won gold at the World Cup in Lucerne in the women's eight.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium

Image source, Inpho

Ireland’s men are set to face Australia in their second game of Pool A in the hockey.

After a 2-0 defeat by Belgium it doesn’t get any easier for Mark Tumilty’s side as the world number 3 side are next on a beautiful morning in Paris.

The temperature is expected to rise to the high eighties as the day goes on so both sides will be pleased to have the early start.

The first weekend of action has been extremely well received by the hosts, France, who have won a number of medals so far.

From a Northern Ireland perspective, three of our big medal hopes, Rhys McClenaghan, Hannah Scott and Rebecca Shorten have all reached their respective finals in gymnastics and rowing and Philip Doyle looked really good on the lake as well.

This morning we will see what shape Daniel Wiffen is in when he makes his Paris debut in the pool in the 800m freestyle heats and Danielle Hill will be looking to make the semi-finals of the women’s 100m backstroke.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the Paris Olympics

Image source, Getty Images

Monday blues? Not in Paris!

It's been a busy start to the Paris Olympics for athletes from Northern Ireland, and day three is no different.

Let's take a look at who will be in action on the third day of competition.

At Le Defense arena, which has provided one of the best atmospheres at the Games, Ireland swimmer Daniel Wiffen is in action for the first time in the Games.

The 23-year-old is one of three world champions from Northern Ireland at the Olympics - along with gymnast Rhys McClenaghan and rower Hannah Scott, who have both already been in action.

Wiffen is set to be in the fourth 800m freestyle heat around 10:30 BST and will also compete in the 1500m on Friday. He is world champion in both events.

Danielle Hill, who was in Ireland's women's freestyle relay on Saturday, will go in heat three of the 100m backstroke at 10:15 BST.

Later in the pool, Sligo swimmer Mona McSharry is in contention to win Ireland's first medal of the Games in the 100m breaststroke final.

After a disappointing heat, Rebecca Edwards will go in the repechage for Team GB in the women's pair.

At the hockey, Ireland take on Australia while the Women's Rugby Sevens team face Australia in their final Pool match before a placing match later on Monday.

Conor Hall will be competing for Team GB in the team archery competition while Ireland's eventing jumping team round out their Games in the equestrian.

It's been a difficult start in the ring for team Ireland but reigning Olympic champion Kellie Harrington will make her Paris bow against Italy's Alessia Mesiano.

Image source, Inpho

Mona McSharry qualified second fastest for the final of the women’s 100m breaststroke.

The Sligo swimmer impressed in her heat and then improved her Irish record to 1:05.51 in the semi-final to finish second behind Tatjana Smith from South Africa.

She will now return to La Defense Arena to compete in Monday's final at 20:25 BST.

The 23-year-old will hope to improve upon her eighth-place finish in the final in Tokyo three years ago.