Waterpolo: Italy’s women’s team advanced to the waterpolo final in Rio with a victory over Russia. They will compete for gold against the US who beat Hungary 14-10 in the other semi-final last night. With a tighter defence and precision shooting, Italy edged out Russia, winning 12-9. The champions at the 2004 Athens Games, Italy’s women’s waterpolo team have failed to make the podium in any Olympics since then.
Hockey: Belgium set up an intriguing men’s Olympic Games final against Argentina after they dumped out the world’s second-ranked team the Netherlands with a resounding 3-1 semi-final victory. Goals from Jerome Truyens, Florent van Aubel and John-John Dohmen guaranteed Belgium a place in their first ever Olympic final.
Women’s SF: Netherlands vs Germany 1-1 (Netherlands through after shootout).
Weightlifting: Security forces were called to the Olympic arena on Tuesday after Iranian coaches reacted furiously when Georgia’s Lasha Talakhadze beat Behdad Salimikordasiabi with a world record tally in the men’s super-heavyweights. Tensions rose when Salimi’s second 245kg clean and jerk attempt was approved by two of the three judges only to be overruled by all five members of the jury because the Iranian’s left arm was deemed not straight. Talakhadze claimed gold with a 473kg total, eclipsing the 472kg world record mark of another Iranian, Hossein Rezazadeh, set 16 years ago at the Sydney Games.
Handball: Defending champions Norway will face world second-ranked team Russia, while France take on the Netherlands in the women’s handball semi-finals of the Rio Olympics today. Fourth-ranked Norway, who are seeking a third successive gold, hammered rivals Sweden 33-20, as Russia dumped out Angola with a 31-27 victory. France narrowly edged out Spain, who won bronze in the 2012 London Games, in a 27-26 overtime thriller, while the Netherlands stunned hosts Brazil 32-23.
Boxing: Lightweight Robson Conceicao (picture) won Brazil’s first ever Olympic boxing gold medal, with a raucous home crowd roaring him on to a unanimous points victory over French opponent Sofiane Oumiha. Oumiha, greeted upon his entrance by loud boos from fans who continued to crank up the volume throughout the bout, took the silver. Cuban top seed Lazaro Alvarez, beaten by the Brazilian in the semis, and Mongolia’s Otgondalai Dorjnyambuu won bronze.