POLE POSITION

Did you know that Thiago Braz da Silva vaulted more than three times his own height last night? 

BRAZIL ARE BACK!

After a series of defeats in various sports today, Bruno Schmidt and Alison have restored Brazilian spirits with a sensational beach volleyball victory! They beat Dutch pair Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen in a gripping three-set battle (21-17, 21-23, 16-14) to reach the final.

GERMANY REACH FOOTBALL FINAL

Goals in either half from Melanie Behringer and Sara Dabritz have given Germany a 2-0 semi-final win against Canada and set up a final date with Sweden on Friday. The Canadians will face Brazil for bronze.

TROTTING TO GOLD IN STYLE
Team GB's Laura Trott has just pulled off a stunning tactical ride at the velodrome. With one eye on her closest opponents at every stage of the 25km race, Trott's lead at the top of the leaderboard soon became unassailable after the halfway point. She didn't put a foot wrong.

USA's Sarah Hammer and Belgium's Jolien D'Hoore battled until the bitter end over the silver and bronze, and it was not to be for the Belgian. 

HOCKEY GOAL RUSH

A flurry of goals just before half-time in the men's hockey semi-final between Belgium and the Netherlands has ended with the Belgians entering the break 2-1 ahead. There were four minutes between the three goals, the first two of which were scored by Belgium.

ANOTHER FOOTBALL FINAL FOR GERMANY?

It sure looks that way. Sara Dabritz's sweet long-range strike has doubled the German women's lead against Canada. They lead 2-0 with a little under 20 minutes left. A final against Sweden awaits.

EURO NEIGHBOURS VIE FOR PLACE IN HOCKEY FINAL

Belgium are the Netherlands are currently locked in a tense semi-final battle at the Olympic Hockey Centre. The winners will meet Argentina in the men's hockey final.

MEDALS AND RINGS AT TRACK AND FIELD
Congratulations to Christian Taylor on the gold, and congrats to his team-mate William Claye on the silver and for having the guts to jump into the stands and propose to his girlfriend.

WOMEN'S OMNIUM FINAL RACE
Team GB's Laura Trott is bidding to win her second gold in as many events at these Games. She currently sits atop of the leaderboard with a 24-point cushion.

(Photo: Getty Images/Matthias Hangst)
 

NOT A GREAT DAY FOR BRAZIL SO FAR...

Having already been beaten in women's footbal and beach volleyball, Brazil have now crashed out of the men's water polo tourament too. Croatia were too strong for the hosts at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, winning 10-6.

(Photo: Getty Images) 

BRAZILIAN PAIR SINK IN THE SAND
Number one seeds Talita Rocha and Larissa Maestrini have lost their beach volleyball semi-final in straight sets to the German pairing of Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst. 

The Germans are European champions, but the crowd are in shock!

ADVANTAGE GERMANY...

Melanie Behringer has given Germany a 1-0 lead against Canada in the *other* women's football semi-final. The 30-year-old midfielder converted a penalty after Alex Popp was fouled in the box.

(Photo: Getty Images)

HAMBUECHEN RAISES THE BAR

After winning bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and silver at London 2012, Fabian Hambuechen has gone one better at Rio 2016!

The German gymnast won gold in the men's horizontal bar, beating off competition from the USA's silver medallist Danell Leyva and Great Britain's Nile Wilson, who took bronze. 

MAYWEATHER CALLS RIO 2016 BOXER 'THE NEXT MAYWEATHER'
Undefeated boxer turned promoter Floyd Mayweather has been in Rio scouting new talent to fight under Mayweather Promotions. And while thus far he seems to have paid more attention to the heavyweights, one bantamweight in particular has caught the champion's eye.

“I see the next Floyd Mayweather,” he told Yahoo Sports of 19-year-old Shakur Stevenson, who had just cruised to victory over Mongolian Tsendbaatar Erdenebat. “If anybody can break my records, this young kid here can do it. I truly believe in him.” 

Stevenson did look Mayweather-esque. He has a penchant for avoiding scraps and showed maturity in his conscious movements around the ring. 

(Photo: Getty Images/Alex Livesey)

HEATRBREAK FOR BRAZIL, JOY FOR SWEDEN

They say there is no better way to win, or worse way to lose, a football game. And Brazil have now tasted both sides. They beat Australia in a penalty shoot-out after a 0-0 draw in the quarter-finals, but they have just lost in identicial circumstances. 

Still an Olympic Games gold medal eludes Brazil. Now all attention here turns to the men, who face Honduras in their semi-final tomorrow.

For Sweden, who also beat world champions USA in a penalty shoot-out in the last round, the dream continues.