Australia Day 16 live updates, schedule, medal chances, Sinead Diver pulls out with injury in women’s marathon, Lisa Weightman, track cycling medals

Well, here we are.

After two weeks of blood, sweat and tears, the Paris Games wrap up on Sunday evening, ending Australia’s most successful overseas Olympic campaign in history.

The Australians have secured 18 golds in the French capital, with the potential for a couple more medals to be added to the nation’s tally on Day 16.

Cyclists Matthew Glaetzer and Matthew Richardson (men’s keirin) have both secured a podium finish while Georgia Baker (women’s omnium) is also going for gold.

Meanwhile, the Opals have claimed their first Olympic medal since 2012 beating Belgium in the women’s basketball bronze medal match.

That’s all before the Paris Olympic Closing Ceremony, which kicks off Monday morning at 5am AEST.

Follow along below for the latest updates from the key events, plus check out the full Day 16 schedule to see all the Australians in action!

AUSSIES WIN SILVER AND BRONZE AFTER ‘BRADBURY’ FINISH

Having had a strong Games at the velodrome, Australia’s Matthews Richardson and Glaetzer are both medallists after finishing second and third respectively in the men’s keirin final.

Richardson and Glaetzer qualified first and second for the gold medal race but it was Harrie Lavreysen, who beat Richardson for gold in the sprint, taking top spot on the podium.

There was chaos late in the race after a three-way crash off the final turn helped Glaetzer to a medal, with Australian Olympic cyclist and commentator Scott McGrory declaring he had “done a Bradbury”.

“Three riders in front went down and Glaetzer went through to collected the bronze medal for third place,” McGrory said.

Meanwhile, Georgia Baker eyes the podium in the women’s omnium.

Baker finished third in the scratch race to begin the four-stage omnium, a second place in the tempo race propelling her to second overall. She backed it up with a second in the elimination race with the final points race (9:56pm EST) to come.

EARLY HEARTBREAK IN WOMEN’S MARATHON OPENS ‘PANDORA’S BOX’

Questions will be asked of Athletics Australia after one of three runners in the women’s marathon pulled up injured just 1.5 kilometres into Sunday’s race, reigniting a selection controversy that bubbled away ahead of the Olympics.

Sinead Diver, Genevieve Gregson and Jess Stenson were selected to race for Australia in the marathon, with Gregson and Stenson finishing 24th and 13th respectively.

The biggest talking point to come out of the race was the fitness of Diver, the Australian record holder who finished 10th at the last Olympics.

She was left in tears after her race was cut short in what three-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Tamsyn Lewis-Manou described as a “heartbreaking” scene.

Athletics Australia said in a statement that Diver withdrew “after experiencing bilateral cramping in both quadriceps”.

“She is devastated and being supported by team officials and medical staff,” the statement added.

“Despite managing Plantar fasciitis at times this year, there was no physical reason for Sinead to not compete today.”

OPALS BRONZE MEDAL GAME LIVE: Latest updates from LJ’s farewell game

Gregson told Channel Nine that Diver had a “tough prep” but added “she never made it about her”.

“She never complained to us,” Gregson said.

“She just has been one of the most supportive teammates I think I’ve ever had. We love her.”

“She was my roommate and having Sinead there… she’s just such a beautiful person,” added Stenson.

The withdrawal reignited debate that took place in the athletics community before the Olympics had even got underway after Lisa Weightman was overlooked for selection in the marathon.

Weightman ran the third-fastest time (2:23:15) in the qualification period, with her non-selection causing a stir in the running community as Olympian Sally Pearson expressed her shock.

“This is about so much more than her [Weightman’s] omission from the team,” Pearson wrote in a column for news.com.au.

“I’m disappointed with the national selection panel, but I’m more shocked at the integrity of Athletics Australia and how this has become a total farce.”

Stenson, who won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, ran 2:24:01 although her time came just six months after giving birth to her second child and in the particularly challenging South Korean Daegu marathon.

The selection drama caused quite the stir, with Weightman’s husband even angrily tweeting at Stenson asking her to remove the header image on her Twitter account which saw both families happy after a race.

Weightman expressed her disappointment at the decision in a statement at the time.

“I am of course disappointed by the decision given that I fought hard and fair to gain my qualification time,” Weightman said.

“However, what I am most disappointed about is AA’s own internal systems and procedures that have allowed this outcome and which, unless corrected, will negatively impact future Australian athletes and their legitimate claims to represent Australia.”

Weightman, who was one of six women qualified to run in Paris, was Australia’s reserve for Sunday’s marathon.

“She (Weightman) is in shape,” Lewis-Manou said in commentary.

“You can tell no matter what is unfolding in the race, we’re obviously going to watch Gen Gregson and Jessica Stenson carefully… there’s going to be a lot said in the community of running back home.”

Gerard Whateley, meanwhile, said Diver’s DNF would open a “Pandora’s box”.

“The fact we had one runner unfortunately not make it past the first 1.5km is opening so many questions that, to be honest, unless we get the right answer, it’s got a question mark on what’s been an unbelievable campaign for Australia,” he said.

“There are questions around Sinead Diver’s participation in this event and what the alternatives might have been,” Whateley later added.

“There is a flow of information in the weeks leading up to this marathon that raises concerns about her preparedness for the race, and the possibility of a foot injury. This is all to be investigated, and it is all to be confirmed or otherwise, but there is a level of accountability that obviously sits over this right now.”

AUSSIES IN ACTION — DAY 16 HIGHLIGHTS