Rio 2016: Joe Clarke slaloms to gold but Chris Froome is defeated

After the agony of David Florence’s last-placed finish on Tuesday, British kayaker Clarke lit up a gloomy Whitewater Stadium with the race of his life.

Clarke not only won Britain’s first Olympic medal in the men’s K1 since Campbell Walsh at Athens 2004 but secured gold in a time of 88.53 seconds.

A jubilant Clarke was stunned by his success.

“I just can’t really put it into words,” he said. “I’m just so made up.

“I have so many amazing memories of this sport and this just tops all of them in one day.”

Clarke admitted his new status as Olympic canoe slalom champion was one to savour.

“It has a nice ring to it,” he said.

“Everything pieced together so nicely. I knew I was capable but to put down that run in the Olympic final, it is a dream come true.

“I have spent a lot of time here, I know this course like the back of my hand and it has paid off.

“There has been lots of ups and downs but it is just fantastic

“When I woke up I struggled to have breakfast I was so nervous with all the emotions. I thought if it goes to plan I could come away with a medal but to be Olympic champion it is something you dream about.”

Steven Scott won a bronze medal in the men’s double trap at Deodoro after beating Great Britain team-mate Tim Kneale in a head-to-head contest.

Both men failed to reach the gold medal match, and then faced a shoot-out with James Willett to decide which two progressed into the scrap for third, with the Australian missing out to leave the two Britons to fight it out for the final podium position.

And it was 31-year-old Scott, from Sussex, who produced the goods, beating Kneale 30-28 and giving Britain a second shooting bronze medal of the Rio Games after Ed Ling finished third in the trap on Monday.

Sally Conway secured an unexpected bronze medal for Great Britain in the judo.

The 29-year-old from Edinburgh beat Bernadette Graf of Austria in a tense contest in the -70kg category, securing victory with a single throw midway through the contest.

Conway, who was knocked out at the last-16 stage in the same category at London 2012, raised her hands above her head in delight at the end.

Chris Froome was satisfied after giving his all in pursuit of Olympic gold, only to fall short in yesterday’s road time-trial.

Fabian Cancellara rolled back the years to win a second Olympic time-trial gold as Froome had to settle for a second bronze.

Froome was bidding to emulate Sir Bradley Wiggins by winning the Tour de France and Olympic gold in the same year, 17 days after riding into Paris in the yellow jersey for a third time.