Paris Olympics 2024 LIVE updates: Day 6 - Montag claims bronze in race walk; Chalmers denies rival’s snub claim; Matildas, coach part ways; Kookaburras up against NZ in hockey

Aussie Jemima Montag has claimed the bronze in the 20-kilometre women’s race walk.

She had a huge last five kilometres to get third place, and ran out of track to chase down winner Yang Jiayu from China, and silver medallist Maria Perez.

That is one of the gutsier performances you will see.

Montag looked gone at the 15km mark, adrift in fifth place in the chasing pack and seeming to stray.

But she knew her race. She knew she had a kick to push home and so, almost on cue at the 15km mark, she accelerated.

In the final five kilometres she blew away the rest of the chasing pack, hunted down third place and closed the gap on silver to just six seconds.

She trimmed nearly 20 seconds from the gold medallist Yang who won in a time of one hour, 25 minutes and 24 seconds, 25 seconds ahead of Perez, with Montag in bronze six seconds later in a time of 1:26.25.

Final lap. Jemima Montag is five seconds off silver and going hard.

Doubt she can make up 22 seconds for gold. But she is hunting silver.

Well, that escalated fast. No sooner had I pressed send than Jemima Montag made her big move.

She has put the foot down and cleared from the chasing pack.

She is in outright third after 18km and is now just 11 seconds off Spaniard Maria Perez in second and 26 seconds off China’s leader Yang Jiayu.

She has closed 15 seconds on Yang in last two kilometres. This is seriously gutsy.

Australia have scored two quick goals to take a 2-0 lead over New Zealand in their men’s hockey group game.

The two rivals have been battling it out in what appears to be pretty hot and sweaty conditions.

The Kookaburras went on the attack midway through the second term with Tom Wickham tipping home a powerful strike which went between the legs of New Zealand’s goalkeeper.

Just a few minutes later, Blake Govers was the man on the spot as Wickham’s shot bounced off the post and into his path. All he had to do was hit it into the open goal, which he did.

It’s Australia 2, NZ 0 with under four minutes to go in the second term.

The chasing group of five in the women’s race walk has started to open a gap with two walkers making a break; Jemima Montag is now seven seconds off third place at the 15km mark.

This is worrying. But she is a proven performer so can’t be written off just yet. And she does finish well.

OK, readers, I simply must share this with you. Yesterday to get in the Parisian spirit, I bought some croissants to munch on during the Games.

I cut one in half, lathered it in gouda cheese and popped it under the grill. On the side of this, I had some rich tomato soup (not the canned type) and it was one of the best meals I’ve had to date.

So, just a fun food tip, I guess. Perhaps I’ll see if Good Food have an opening.

Is anyone else getting into the Olympic spirit cuisine wise while they watch from home? Let us know what you’re eating in the comments!

She’s in the front pack that has let Yang Jiayu open up a 33-second break at the halfway mark.

The group she is in has either conceded they are all now racing for the minor medals, or they doubt that Yang can hang on at this pace for another 10km.

That is a risk. Yang is the world record holder and a former world champion, so she has the credits to say that she can keep up the pace.