BBC Wales at the Olympics

Team GB finished fifth in tonight’s Women’s Final 4x200m Freestyle, won by Australia.

Medi Harris was not included in the final team but played a part in the final leg of the heats.

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Michael ‘Micky’ Beckett has finished the day’s sailing in 11th place overall at the Paris Olympics.

The men’s dinghy saw a delayed start due to low winds in Marseille, but once up and running Beckett made a strong start in race one.

He was in the top 10 at mark 1, but had to complete two penalty turns for a rule breach, pushing him back to 19th.

The second race went far more to plan as he finished ninth.

Beckett is now 11th overall, with races three and four to come from 14:35 BST on Friday.

He needs to finish in the top 10 after the opening series to progress to the medal race.

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Great Britain women’s hockey team claimed their second win of Paris 2024, beating the United States 5-2.

Cardiff’s Sarah Jones scored GB's fifth goal - her first of the Games.

The team are back in action on Saturday at 09:00 BST when they take on Argentina in their final match of the pool stages.

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Medi Harris' sisters Corina and Isabelle have spoken to BBC Sport Wales after the Welsh swimmer helped Great Britain qualify for tonight's final of the women's 4 x 200m freestyle relay.

Harris swam the last leg as the team secured the seventh best time overall.

Corina said: "There was crazy pressure on Medi, she had to stand there and wait for everyone else to go first knowing she’s about to go.

“She’s just like her dad, she’s very cool, calm and collected.

“We thought we were going to have a little nap, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think the plan now will be to have a drink, get some food and get ourselves ready for tonight."

Isabelle added: "I was quite emotional when Medi first got into the pool. The spectacle is so big, and the atmosphere is quite intense, but it was just exciting.

“I do feel that Medi was more excited in this one rather than nervous because she was with her team-mates and they’re a good group of friends.

“Then there’s us, crying and stressing out, she’s the cool one out of us.”

For the third match in a row, the GB men's hockey team - whose squad includes Welsh trio Rupert Shipperley, Jacob Draper and Gareth Furlong - have come from behind to get a result, beating hosts France 2-1.

That puts GB up to second in Pool A, with the top four going through to the quarter-finals.

Their final match of the group stage is tomorrow at 19:15 BST against Pool A leaders Germany.

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Welsh rower Matt Aldridge has spoken of his pride after winning a bronze medal in the men's four.

"Got a lot of pain at the moment, but a lot of pride. I'm Incredibly happy, that was possibly the best race we’ve done all Olympic cycle," he said.

"This year we’ve had our ups and downs, but when it came to the biggest race of them all, we put together the fastest race we could.

"Hats off to every single athlete in that field, everyone is on top of their game, everyone is so strong. The Americans and the Kiwis are outstanding racers.

"Of course we were dreaming of coming here and winning.

"We went into that final believing if we get our race right, we can. We did everything within our power and we weren’t fast enough, sometimes that’s elite sport.

"You have got to take the wins where you can."

Aldridge, who started rowing for Wales in 2013, is already looking ahead to the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.

"Four more years and we’re going to come back and upgrade the colour [bronze] for sure," he added.

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The family of Welsh rower Becky Wilde have been celebrating her bronze medal in the women's double sculls at the Paris Olympics.

Wilde and Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne finished third behind winners New Zealand and Romania who claimed silver.

Wilde's mother Sharon, who is Welsh, was delighted with her daughter's medal.

"It is amazing," she said.

"We believed in them, they have been rowing so well from where they have come from, it has to the surprise medal for rowing. I am absolutely chuffed for them.

"It is so incredible for her. She has worked so hard for so long. She never gave up believing or training, so if anybody deserves if it, she does. With all the injuries and everything, it's incredible.

"She was a swimmer before, she swam for Wales and we have had loads of support from the Welsh community."

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Wales' Medi Harris swam the final leg for Great Britain as they qualified for tonight's final of the women's 4 x 200m freestyle relay.

Team GB qualified as the seventh fastest overall having finished third in the first semi-final behind the United States and Brazil.

The final will take place at 21:03 BST this evening at Paris' La Defense Arena.

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There was further success for Welsh rowers when Matt Aldridge was part of the men's four who won bronze in Paris.

After Becky Wilde had earlier claimed bronze, Aldridge also finished third on the podium alongside his Great Britain crew of Oli Wilkes, David Ambler and Freddie Davidson.

Aldridge hails from Christchurch in Dorset and has a Welsh grandmother.

He began his rowing career competing for Wales before moving onto the Great Britain programme.

Watch Great Britain win their 18th medal of the Games with this brilliant bronze-winning row from Mathilda Hodgkins-Bryne and Welsh rower Becky Wilde.

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Welsh rower Becky Wilde claimed an Olympic bronze in the women's doubles sculls with Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne at Paris 2024.

New Zealand took gold with Romania claiming silver.

The podium position has completed a remarkable rise for Wilde, who is from Taunton but has a Welsh mother.

After spending a decade in the water and swimming for Wales, Wilde switched to rowing.

Wilde and Hodgkins-Byrne left it late to qualify, doing so at the final Olympic qualification regatta in May.

Wilde's preparations had been affected by injury. Last year, she had surgery for compartment syndrome in both her arms, a condition which causes pressure to build inside the muscles.

But she battled back to hit form at just the right time.

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Olympic silver medallist Vicky Thornley was on BBC Radio Wales this morning running the rule over the Welsh rowers.

Becky Wilde, with Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne, finished second in the women's doubles sculls semi-final to progress to the final this morning at 10:18 BST.

"What a story she (Wilde) has," said Thornley.

"This is only her third international rowing race and it's the Olympic Games. It's amazing.

"She has raced one World Cup, the Olympic qualifying regatta and qualified for the Games.

"They had the most incredible semi-final where she competed with such maturity and now she is in an Olympic final.

"It's all to play for and they are in medal contention."

Matt Aldridge will be part of the men's fours going in the final almost an hour later.

"They are in the hunt for a good medal," said Thornley.

"It will be between New Zealand, Great Britain and the USA for the spots."

Ollie Wynne-Griffiths has qualified for the men's pair final on Friday alongside partner Tom George.

"They are definitely in the hunt and they will be aiming for that top spot," said Thornley.

"The semi-final did not go exactly as they would have wanted because I am assuming they would have wanted to win and show a bit more dominance going into the final.

"They are in that final though and that is the one that matters."

Thornley expressed disappointment for Graeme Thomas and Tom Barass who agonisingly finished fourth in the men's quadruple sculls final.

"I am heartbroken for the guys they won't be coming home with a medal because I have an idea about how they will be feeling," said Thornley.

"They raced with such guts and did Team GB proud."

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Three medals are up for grabs for Welsh competitors today - two in rowing and another in the swimming at Paris La Defense Arena with sailing and hockey also the agenda.

Swimmer Medi Harris is part of the GB squad for the women's 4x200m freestyle relay heats, which are scheduled to start at 11:05 BST with the final for that event taking place tonight.

On the water, rower Becky Wilde is hoping for a podium spot in the women's double sculls at 10:18 BST, while Matt Aldridge goes in the men's four finals at 11:10 BST.

Meanwhile in Marseille, Micky Beckett will begin his campaign for a men's dinghy medal with races one and two due to take place from 11:15 BST.

Four Welsh hockey players are involved in group games at Yves-du-Manoir Stadium. Rupert Shipperley, Jacob Draper and Gareth Furlong are in the GB squad who will take on hosts France at 11:45 BST, while Sarah Jones and her team-mates will take on the USA later in the day.

Tom Brown
BBC Sport Wales

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...and breathe.

It's the end of day five and it's felt like a whirlwind start to the these Olympic Games.

We've had the highs. Matt Richards' gold as part of the men's 4x200m freestyle relay last night was exactly that. Add to that his silver medal in the men's 200m freestyle the night before.

That's now two Olympic golds and a silver he's won...and he's still only 21.

Only two Welsh athletes have ever won more in the entire history of the Olympic Games. Paulo Radmilovic in swimming and water polo (four golds) and Richard Meade in equestrian (three golds).

Richards still has one more event to come this week in the men's 4x100m medley relay.

We also need to mention Kieran Bird, who also represents Wales, as he gets an Olympic gold medal for his swim in the 4x200m freestyle relay heats.

We've also had some lows though.

Not least the string of fourth places for Welsh athletes.

Josh Tarling in the men's time trial on day one, Ruby Evans in the women's team final of the gymnastics and today Graeme Thomas and Tom Barras in the men's quadruple sculls.

The sight of a distraught Tarling and Thomas, especially, is a reminder of how cruel sport can be.

But we still have 11 days left of competition...and plenty more medal hopes for the Welsh athletes in Team GB.

Welsh rowers Tom Barras and Graeme Thomas were part of the Team GB boat that finished fourth in the men’s quadruple sculls final.

The quartet finished outside the medal positions in a race won by Netherlands, who retained their Olympic crown.

It was another fourth-place Games finish for Thomas to mirror what he achieved in Tokyo three years ago.

Thomas also has the disappointment of having to fly home from Rio in 2016 before competing due to illness.

Wales' Ollie Wynne-Griffith and his rowing partner Tom George are into the Olympic final of the men’s pair after finishing second in their semi-final this morning.

The British pair qualified third fastest for Friday's final.

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Former Olympic silver medallist Jazmin Carlin and former mentor and coach of Matt Richards, Mark Stowe, have praised the "spectacular" swim from team GB that earned the quartet Olympic gold in Paris last night.

Welshman Richards helped team GB's 4x200m freestyle relay team retain their Olympic title, becoming the first team to do so in the event.

"To defend an Olympic title, something that has never been done before is almost dream swimming, it was spectacular," said Stowe.

"I keep saying it, something special happens when these four men come together, and it did again last night."

Carlin told BBC Radio Wales: "It’s the first time ever the same four team-mates have won the gold in both events, it’s absolutely crazy. I think it's only the third time that team GB have ever won it.

"It was an incredible race to watch, they all brought out their best performances and to see all their families there this time around was just amazing."

Welsh hockey player Sarah Jones was part of the Team GB women's squad who have finally won a game in Paris by beating South Africa 2-1.

Hannah French's second-half goal was the difference, handing them a much-needed boost and, crucially, lifting them off the bottom of pool B for now.

GB face the United States on Thursday in their penultimate match, before taking on Argentina on Saturday.

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Swimmers Matt Richards and Kieran Bird last night became the first Welsh competitors to claim gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics as part of the GB 4x200 men's relay squad.

It was the second medal of this Games for Richards following his 200m freestyle silver and a third Olympic medal in all after his relay gold in Tokyo three years ago.

So Richards is climbing the rankings of Welsh Olympic medallists.

Paulo Radmilovic is top with four golds in swimming and water polo between 1908 and 1920.

Equestrian rider Richard Meade won three golds, while Richards is level with sailor Hannah Mills with two golds and a silver.

Geraint Thomas (cycling), Tom James (rowing), Jade Jones (taekwondo) and Hugh Edwards (rowing) have all won two golds.

Richards will next take part in the men’s 4x100m medley relay, with the heats set for Saturday, 3 August and the final the following day.

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Good morning, here we are on day five of Paris 2024.

After the thrills of the pool yesterday, today's menu remains water-based as Welsh eyes turn to the rowing.

Graeme Thomas and Tom Barras go for gold just after 11:00 BST in the final of the men's quadruple sculls, alongside Callum Dixon and Matthew Haywood.

The British quartet row from lane two and will hope for a better outcome than the 2023 World Championships, when they placed fourth.

The Netherlands (lane four) are reigning world and Olympic champions and will start as favourites.

Before that, Ollie Wynne Griffith is in the men's pair semi-finals at 09:44 BST.

Just before Wynne-Griffith and rowing partner Tom George compete at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, Sarah Jones will be in action as part of the GB women's hockey team taking on South Africa (09:30 BST).

Team GB’s women start the day bottom of Pool A after a loss to Spain and heavy defeat to Australia, and cannot afford another slip-up at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium.

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Matt Richards has failed to reach the 100m freestyle final at the Paris Olympics, but went on to help the 200m freestyle relay team retain their title.

He finished sixth in his semi-final in 48.09 - 12th fastest overall. Only the quickest eight make tomorrow’s final.

The setback came 24 hours after Welshman Richards won silver in the 200m freestyle final.

However, Richards won gold later in the day with fellow Welshman Keiran Bird, who had helped GB qualify for the final, also took home gold.

Cardiff gymnast Ruby Evans just missed out on becoming Wales' youngest Olympic medallist as she finished fourth as part of the GB squad in the women's team final.

Team GB just missed on a bronze medal with the gold going to the United States with Simone Biles part of that squad.

Italy claimed silver while Brazil won a bronze just pipping Evans and the rest of the GB squad.

Evans, 17, competed in the floor and vault exercises in the final.

Boxer Ralph Evans remains Wales' youngest Olympic medallist having won a bronze in Munich in 1972 aged 18 years and 252 days.