Olympics: Day 9 on Nine

Karl Stefanovic is in the chair as Day 9 of the Olympic program gets underway once again on Nine.

It’s shaping up to be a memorable day, with Usain Bolt defending his 100m sprint crown in one of the highlights of London 2012. The women’s marathon will be a feature, plus we return to the velodrome for more track cycling finals, and there are more medals in diving, artistic gymnastics, shooting, sailing, fencing, weightlifting and wrestling.

This session may include:

Athletics – 8pm*
The women’s marathon is raced over 42.195km and will start and finish in The Mall, with Buckingham Palace as a backdrop. Australia will be represented by South Australia’s Jessica Trengove and the Victorian pair of Lisa Weightman and Benita Willis.
Calling for Nine will be Eddie McGuire and former marathon world champ Rob de Castella.

Basketball
The Opals play Canada in their final preliminary pool game of the women’s tournament. A good result is vital as the Aussies seek a strong position in the quarter-finals draw.

Gymnastics
The world’s best artistic gymnastics return for the individual apparatus finals. The men will compete in the floor and the pommel horse. The women tackle the vault. The winners of the individual all-around gold medals, Japan’s brilliant Kohei Uchimura and Gabrielle Douglas of the United States, are among the starters.

Equestrian
Australia is in a great position heading into the second jumping qualifier, with Edwina Tops-Alexander, Julia Hargreaves and James Paterson-Robinson contesting the jumps.

Shooting
Michael Diamond and Adam Vella, two of Australia’s outstanding Olympic competitors, begin qualification in the men’s trap. Diamond, the dual Olympic champion, is alongside Vella, the bronze medallist from 2004.

Meanwhile Daniel Repacholi attempts to qualify for the men’s 50m pistol final. Sixty shots are fired at a target 50m away within a two-hour period.

12.00am London Live continues
Ken Sutcliffe takes us through an evening that promises so much. The standouts will be the cycling from the velodrome and the athletics at the Olympic Stadium.

This session may include:

Cycling – 1am*
It’s the opening round of the sprint qualifying for the women and Anna Meares will be riding for a place in the finals. Meares is hoping for one last showdown with Great Britain’s queen of the track and new Olympic kierin champion Victoria Pendleton. And, it’s quarter-finals time in the men’s sprint. Shane Perkins is Australia’s rider.

The men’s omnium comes to a conclusion today. In this session the men will battle for position in the 15km scratch race and finish with the one kilometre time trial. Glenn O’Shea, the reigning world champion, is in the mix for Australia.

Athletics – 3.50am*
The hugely talented Jamaican sprinters take centre stage. The focus will be on Usain Bolt and whether he can emulate defend his 100m sprint title?

The blue riband men’s sprint will be one of five Olympic gold medals on offer at the Olympic Stadium. The women run for gold in the 400m and the men in the 3000m steeplechase.
Australia’s Lauren Boden reached the semi-finals at the world championships in the 400m hurdles and will open her campaign in London. In a tough field she has to confront world champion Lashinda Demus of the USA and Melanie Walker of Jamaica.

Aussie Steven Solomon contests the semi-finals in the men’s 400m and Ryan Gregson lines up in the 1500m semi-finals.

Also on the program, the women jump for gold in the triple jump and the men throw for gold in the hammer.

Water Polo
It quarter-finals time in women’s water polo. Today, the Aussie Stingers face China, with the winner through to the semis and a real shot at a gold medal.

Diving
It’s the women’s 3m springboard final and Australia has qualified Jaele Patrick and Sharleen Stratton.

Hockey
Great Britain takes on Australia’s Kookaburras in a match that promises to be a beauty. Great Britain is ranked fourth, the Aussie men number one.

Boxing
History is made as the women make their first appearance in boxing at the Olympics at the ExCeL Arena. Opening the card will be bouts in flyweight (51kg), lightweight (60kg) and middleweight (75kg) events. Middleweight boxer Naomi Fischer-Rasmussen will fly the flag for Australia.

Synchronised Swimming
The 24 pairs in the duets competition begin their 2012 quest with the technical routine. Queenslanders Eloise Amberger and Sarah Bombell will represent Australia.

6.00am-9.00am on Nine and GEM
As day nine of competition continues, Cameron Williams and Leila McKinnon host the morning shift. It will include live action and a review of major events.

9.00am-11.00am London Gold on Nine and GEM
Mark Nicholas looks back on the highlights of another great day at London 2012. The program features the best of the gold medal action and a wrap of the Aussies at the Olympics.

4.00pm-6.00pm London Gold (replay) on Nine and GEM
Mark Nicholas looks back on the highlights of another great day at London 2012. The program features the best of the gold medal action and a wrap of the Aussies at the Olympics.

*All Times are for the East Coast unless stated.
*As with all major sporting events there can be unforeseen changes to the schedule and times are subject to change.