By Ian Chadband in Paris

Australia has added two more silvers to its Olympic medal treasure chest in Paris through running ace Jess Hull and the women’s water polo team.

AUSTRALIAN MEDALLISTS

SILVER

• Jessica Hull (athletics, women’s 1500m) powered to a magnificent silver at the Stade  de France behind Kenyan great Faith Kipyegon, the first time an Australian woman has won an Olympic metric mile gong.

*Australia’s water polo Stingers couldn’t manage to emulate the famous Aussie class of 2000 that struck gold in Sydney, but there was a silver lining to their 11-9 defeat by new champions Spain in the gold-medal match.

OTHER HEADLINE GOLD MEDALLISTS 

• The United States beat Brazil 1-0 in the women’s football final, marking a fabulous triumph for the States’ new coach Emma Hayes, the Englishwoman who helped Sam Kerr grab a hatful of medals when boss of Chelsea.

• Jakob Ingebrigtsen bounced back from his shock fourth-place finish in the 1500m to win the 5000m.

• New Zealand’s Lydia Ko won the women’s golf tournament at Le Golf National, adding the gold to her previous silver and bronze medals.

• Lisa Carrington was hailed by Aussie paddler Alyce Wood as New Zealand’s answer to Jessica Fox after she roared to her eighth Olympic gold in sprint canoeing

• The Chinese divers completed an astonishing eight-event clean sweep at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, when Cao Yuan won the final event, the men’s 10m platform.

• Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men’s 800m to become the youngest ever winner of the event at the age of 20 in a race of historic depth where four men broke 1min 42sec and seven broke 1:43.

• High jumper Hamish Kerr won New Zealand’s ninth gold, boosting the country to its best-ever Olympic medal haul.

WHAT ELSE HAPPENED 

• Hannah Green, Australia’s world No.6 golfer, made a charge at Le Golf National, but just missed out on a medal by one shot, having to settle for a four-way tie for fourth place.

• Fijian-born Aussie weightlifter Eileen Cikamatana was left in tears after a disappointing clean-and-jerk ensured she could only finish fourth in the 81kg class when she had been tipped for a medal.

• Last year’s world diving champ Cassiel Rousseau just missed out on a medal in the 10m platform – not a bad effort in an event where he felt he had no chance of making the podium.

• International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach announced he wouldn’t seek to stay in the post at the end of his second term next year, despite calls from members for him to keep going.

• Swimming ace Kaylee McKeown has jetted back from Croatia amid a family holiday to be an Australian flag bearer at the closing ceremony, along with gold-winning sailor Matt Wearn.

• Team USA stretched their dominance in men’s basketball to five successive Olympic titles, downing France in the final.

• Boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan won gold in the women’s featherweight division following Imane Khelif’s lead a day earlier with a glittering response to the intense scrutiny faced by both fighters amid the gender controversy which marred the Games boxing.

WHO SAID WHAT? 

“I love Rachael. What has occurred on social media with trolls and keyboard warriors, and taking those comments and giving them air time, has been really disappointing. Raygun is an absolutely loved member of this Olympic team.” Australia’s Olympic chief Anna Meares jumps to the defence of Australia’s b-girl.

“This morning, I woke up and I said to myself, ‘play for little Bronte’, do it for that little four-year old that fell in love with the Olympics. And I just had the best time – and the only way I can describe it is joy.” Stingers’ star Bronte Halligan savours her silver.

MEDAL TABLE (after day 15) 

G   S   B   Tot

1. China                39  27  24  90

2. United States  38  42  42  122

3. Australia          18  18  14  50

4. Japan               18  12  13  43

5. France              16  24  22  62