It was after sundown by the time the Irish women’s team took to outdoor court number two for their 3x3 basketball quarter-final against Russia, and after a high earlier in the day of 41 degrees, things at least were a little cooler.
The Russians, however, just kept turning on the heat, a late push from the top seeds giving them a 21-15 victory. The sides were level at 7-7 midway through, but in the end there was no holding the Russian quartet.
"I'm disappointed we gave up the 21 points against them because we were right in the thick of it the whole game," said Niamh Dwyer. "They just caught us with a bit more experience but it's the quarter-finals of the European Games and we've earned the respect of everyone over here. We can be proud."
It was also an emotional moment for captain Suzanne Maguire: “I never thought I’d put on an Ireland jersey after I left many years ago but it’s been nothing but a joy for me to do it again. It’s probably one of the highlights of my basketball career.”
Earlier in the day, in the roasting heat on centre court, Ireland pulled off one of the shocks of the tournament to knock out the Czech Republic 17-13, Gráinne Dwyer scoring eight points.
Swimming
It was a little cooler at the Aquatics, immediately adjacent, where the Irish juniors made one final, two semi-finals and set two Irish junior records.
Ireland’s quartet of Danielle Hill, Mona McSharry, Emma Reid and Rachel Bethel qualified for the 4x100m medley relay final: there, Bethel brought Ireland home with 57.75 second freestyle to secure sixth place, with Russia setting a new world junior record and taking gold in 4:03.22.
Emma Reid also set a new Irish junior record of 1:01.97 in the 100m butterfly semi-final and came agonisingly close to a final.
Sam Magee and Chloe Magee booked their place in the quarter-finals of the mixed badminton doubles, beating Samuel Cali and Sadowski Fiorella Marie of Malta, and Scott Evans also progressed to his quarter-finals of the singles after victory over Blagovest Kisyov of Bulgaria.
Evans now faces Emil Holst in today's quarter-final, while Sam and Joshua Magee are into the semi-finals of the men's doubles, and at 2pm Irish time today they face the Russian pairing of Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozomov; the winner of this match will be guaranteed a medal.
