Two fourth placings in judo

De Villiers, who carried the baton for New Zealand in the opening ceremony, had a big day.

The South African-born de Villiers is vastly experienced, having competed at the 2012 Olympics and at three Commonwealth Games before 2026. She won Commonwealth Games silver in 2014 and bronze in 2022.

De Villers, 36, began her women's -70kg campaign with a quarter-final victory by an Ippon over Rachael Hawkes of Northern Ireland in their quarter-final.

The Christchurch judoka then lost a tough match against Australian Aoife Coughlan. Neither judoka could gain the ascendancy, but de Villiers incurred three warnings and so lost the fight.

She returned to the mat for her bronze medal bout against Englishwoman Jemima Yeats-Brown and it turned into a torrid, strength-sapping affair that ran into golden time before Yeats-Brown won by an Ippon.

De Villers was not happy with the outcome of her medal match. 'I just switched off for five seconds and it let her get in and attack. I thought I was doing well the rest of the time, so it's disappointing.'

Noah Walliss opened his day with a win by an Ippon over Scotland's Scott Cusack in their men's -90kg quarter-final.

He was back on the mat soon after and lost a tough semi-final to Canadian Guillaune Gaulin.

Wallis then met Englishman Jamal Petgrave in the bronze medal bout. He fought doggedly but Petgrave wore him down after a rugged encounter.

Elliott Connolly lost his men's -90kg round of 16 match against Karanjit Singh of India by an Ippon.

Joel Robinson beat Trinidad and Tobago's Jelanie Boyce by an Ippon in their men's 73kg round of 16 match. He faltered in the quarter-finals against Gambian Faye Njie, losing the bout decisively. The New Zealander came out on the wrong side of a closer bout with Welshman Ben Moore in the quarter-final repechage, losing 10-1, though Moore did incur one warning.

Qona Christeie lost her quarter-final bout to Indian Unnati Sharma 11-0 and was then beaten by Nigerian Enku Ekuta after a gruelling and close bout.