Swimmer Kyle Chalmers is seeking a slice of Australian Olympic history when he defends his 100m freestyle title in Tokyo.
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Chalmers was sixth-fastest qualifier for Thursday's final as he aims to extend Australia's bouyant mood.
He has the chance to become the first Australian to win two Olympic gold medals in the men's event.
Dawn Fraser won her third 100m freestyle gold at the 1964 Tokyo Games.
Australia begins Thursday's competition in fifth spot on the medal table with six gold, one silver and nine bronze.
Chalmers is the only Australian defending an individual title in Tokyo and emerged from his semi-final with confidence.
"I've always delivered at the end of the competition," he said.
Chalmers' teammate Zac Stubblety-Cook (200m breaststroke) and the women's 4x200m freestyle relay combination also carries gold medal hopes into Thursday.
Ash Barty and John Peers are the last Australian hopes in tennis, with the mixed doubles pair to face Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere in competition, trap shooters Laetisha Scanlan and Penny Smith are well-placed to qualify for their final.
Scanlan is fifth and Smith holds sixth place for the next two qualifying rounds, with the top six through to the final later on Thursday.
The women's rugby sevens team start their Olympic gold medal defence on Thursday, with games against the host nation and China.
K1 canoe bronze medallist Jessica Fox has qualified fifth-fastest in new women's event the C1 ahead of Thursday's semi-finals and medal races, while Lucian Delfour is third going into the business end of the men's K1.
The unbeaten Hockeyroos can strengthen their hold of top spot in Group B when they play second-placed New Zealand in women's hockey.
Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith tee off in the opening round of men's golf and the Sharks play Serbia in men's water polo.
Saya Sakakibara will lack nothing for inspiration when she rides in the opening rounds of BMX racing.
Her brother Kai was on the way to qualifying for Tokyo in the same sport when he crashed heavily in a race and was put into a coma with traumatic head injuries.
Kai is in Tokyo to support his sister and his remarkable recovery has progressed to him being able to ride a bike again.
Anthony Dean and Lauren Reynolds will also compete in the BMX racing.
Australian Associated Press
