Tasmanian paddler Daniel Watkins booked his place in the C1 semi-final after a nerve-wracking day at Tokyo's Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre.
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A disappointing time penalty in his heat left Grove's 25-year-old Derwent Canoe Club member with it all to do in his second run.
But Watkins delivered when the pressure was on with the eighth fastest second run to qualify 10th of the 15 progressing to Monday's semi-finals with the final to follow.
His time of 1.03.07 was 6.18 seconds behind the fastest qualifier Matej Benus, of Slovakia.
Clearly annoyed with his first run, Watkins punched the air after his second, prompting praise from Channel Seven commentator Richard Fox.
"You can see a sense of relief," he said. "That's a pressure run at an Olympic Games and you've got to put it out there."
Watkins will return for the semi-final at 3pm on Monday with the final scheduled for 4.45pm.
"I would really like to make the final," he said.
"That's where everything unfolds and happens and I would like to get a crack at that.
"I'm a huge fan of my home state and it's an awesome feeling and I'm so proud to represent Tasmania here in Tokyo."
Titmus jumps in
Tasmanian swimming sensation Ariarne Titmus is embracing the prospect of renewing her rivalry with American superstar Katie Ledecky in Tokyo.
And the 20-year-old - who began her daunting program on Sunday night in the 400m freestyle heats - insists she remains the underdog despite finally defeating the five-time Olympic and 15-time world champion in their last major meet.
"I'm definitely still saying I'm the hunter," Titmus said. "She has way more experience than me in this competition. This is her third Olympic Games, she's dealt with the pressure before and I'm coming into unknown territory.
"I've been to world championships and become world champion but I feel that Olympics is another level and these Olympics especially there are going to be more distractions than ever."
Titmus defeated Ledecky by more than a second in the 400m freestyle at the 2019 world titles in Gwangju but finished third behind her in the 800m.
The American will feature in all three of Titmus's individual freestyle events at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, and the former Riverside and Launceston Aquatic Club member can understand the media interest in their duels.
"I think you guys like to play along with it. It's a nice story for everyone. I obviously have to look at Katie and see what she's doing because I'm her number one competitor at the moment, but for me I just think about what I have to do to perform my best and she's just another swimmer in the field.
"I just think about what I'm going to have to do and still believe I'm going into my first Olympic Games, I'm unsure what to expect, I'm not reigning Olympic champion but it's still going to be very high pressure for me so I still feel that she has more experience in this than I do.
"When I do see her everything is very civil and normal. She's just a person, it's not like this massive rivalry that everyone thinks."
Now based in Queensland and swimming for St Peters Western under coach Dean Boxall, Launceston-born Titmus will also contest the 200m (beginning on Tuesday) 4x200m relay (beginning on Wednesday) and the 800m (beginning on Thursday). She comfortably won all three individual events at the Olympic trials in Adelaide and is content with the workload.
"Every day we have to do heat and final morning and night. Obviously it's flipped but there's a few back-ups there and it's going to be tough. The 4x200 relay will be in the morning (on Thursday) and that afternoon I'll have my 800 heat and that will probably be the toughest back-up but it's good having a busy schedule. It keeps you on your toes, it keeps your mind switched on for the entire meet and I think I can handle it."
Tough day
Tasmanian cyclist Richie Porte has described Saturday's road race as one of his toughest days on a bike.
In his second Olympic Games, the 36-year-old veteran of 11 Tour de France races came 48th, 10 minutes 12 seconds behind the winner, his INEOS Grenadiers teammate Richard Carapaz, of Ecuador.
After six hours in the saddle, encompassing 244 kilometres and climbing 4865 metres up the slopes of Mount Fuji, Porte said it was a brutal event.
"I'm disappointed it went the way it did," he said.
"Riding with Luke Durbridge and Lucas Hamilton was brilliant. They did a super job for me and put me in a good position on the final climb but I just didn't have the legs.
"It's always nice to represent the country but when you have days like this, it's not ideal.
"There was no hiding. It was seven kilometres (at) 10 per cent. That's a climb straight out of the Vuelta (a Espana) or the Giro (d'Italia). With the heat and everything, it was one of the toughest days I think I've had on a bike."
One of 48 riders backing up from the Tour, Porte has three days to rest before his latest commitment of a huge 2021 season.
"Hopefully I can recover for Wednesday's time trial."
The Launceston-born, Monaco-based father-of-two will be joined by another INEOS teammate, South Australia's multiple world champion Rohan Dennis, for the individual time trial which features two laps of a 22.1km course with 846m elevation.
The story so far
- Nathaniel Atkinson (men's soccer): d Argentina 2-0
- Eddie Ockenden, Josh Beltz (men's hockey): d Japan 5-3
- Sarah Hawe (rowing): women's eights, 3rd in heat
- Richie Porte (cycling): road race, 48th
- Daniel Watkins (paddling): C1, 16th in heat 1, 8th in heat 2
Monday
- 7.30am men's triathlon (Birtwhistle)
- 12.20pm 400m freestyle final (Titmus)
- 3pm C1 semi-final and final (Watkins)
- 8.02pm 200m freestyle heats (Titmus)