Australian decathlete Cedric Dubler has endured a disastrous moment during the second day of his event.

Australian Damien Birkinhead has been eliminated from the men's shot put final after failing to make the top eight after three throws.

Unlucky 13. Unfortunately it's not just superstition for Australia's Josh Robinson.

Australian decathlete Cedric Dubler has said what everyone's been thinking: the crowds at these Olympics are "a little bit of a let down."

Her Olympics campaign was shattered, she faces more rehabilitation and she's never felt worse pain, but Kim Mickle wouldn't change a thing following her dramatic exit from javelin qualifying on Tuesday night.

For Abbey D'Agostino, who helped symbolise Olympic sportsmanship when she fell during a 5000m heat, the Olympics are over.

Australian Brandon Starc entered Tuesday night's high jump final as a rank outsider, and proceedings played to form.

Brooke Stratton came to these Games to make the long jump final. She achieved that aim, but wouldn't mind doing it a bit easier next time.

American triple jumper Will Claye's Tuesday morning was all about jewellery.

Ryan Gregson knows he isn't "someone like Conor McGregor".

Canberra athlete Lauren Wells has advanced to the semi-finals of the Olympic 400-metre hurdles, after an anxious five-minute wait. 

Kurtis Marschall speaks with the youthful exuberance and endearing language of a teenager. It's probably because he is one.

One hadn't wanted to be an Olympian, the other endured a "piggy-back" ride in her heat, but in any case two Australian women have reached the final of the 3000m steeplechase.

Ethiopian athlete Etenesh Diro was left distraught after missing the final of the 3000m steeplechase having run the last 800m of her heat with just one shoe.

Canberra sprinter Melissa Breen's Olympic Games campaign ended in less than 12 seconds, but the 25-year-old was beaming with pride after being eliminated from the 100 metre event.

There was confusion on the track at the Estadio Olimpico on Friday morning as the first athletics medals of these Games were being contested.

Luke Mathews and Jeff Riseley are at opposite ends of their 20s, but the Victorians' disappointment was the same on Friday morning.

John Steffensen, long considered an enfant terrible of Australian athletics, has joined the national sports federation as a director.

John Steffensen is calling it straight. Of course he is. Big things have changed since he was cast an enfant terrible of the last Australian Olympic team. But in sporting retirement the man who generated hot headlines aplenty during his 12-year professional sprint career has hardly become a wallflower.