Kyle Chalmers and Zac Stubblety-Cook both won silver medals in freestyle and breaststroke.

But women’s favourites Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack failed to medal in their 100m freestyle, coming fourth and fifth respectively.

New world record

Kyle Chalmers has swum to a historic silver medal, coming second to China’s Pan Zhanle who set a world record to win the men’s 100m freestyle.

Pan clocked 46.40 seconds, with Chalmers posting 47.48 in Thursday morning’s final.

Chalmers won gold in the event at the 2016 Rio Games and silver three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics.

He has became only the second man to medal in three consecutive Olympics in that men’s 100m event.

Stubblety-Cook took silver in the men’s 200m breaststroke behind French megastar Leon Marchand.

The Paris-born Marchand collected two golds within an hour on Wednesday after earlier saluting in the 200m butterfly — he now has three golds at the Games.

Women’s wipeout

Meanwhile, Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan says she has to “suck it up” after missing the medals in the 100m freestyle final.

O”Callaghan finished fourth and compatriot Shayna Jack fifth on  Wednesday night.

“I expected a lot more,” O’Callaghan said.

“But at the end of the day you’ve got to suck it up and wait another four years.”

O’Callaghan entered the medal race as favourite and bidding to become just the third woman to complete a 100-200m freestyle golden double at the same Olympics.

But Swedish great Sarah Sjostrom trumped the field, winning in 52.16 seconds. The 30-year-old world record holder is racing at her fifth Olympics.

O’Callaghan (52.34) and Jack (52.72) failed to make ground on the last lap after turning in their finishing positions.

O’Callaghan beat teammate Ariarne Titmus for the 200m freestyle gold medal and also featured in Australia’s victorious 4x100m freestyle relay team at the Paris pool.

But the 20-year-old admitted suffering anxiety leading into the 100m final.

“I was really nervous heading into this, didn’t have a lot of sleep over the past few days,” she said.

“I tried really hard to manage myself and get up for this but I knew 100 free was going to be hard because it’s a lot about speed and that’s something I really lack in.

“I knew it was going to be at tough race … if you stuff something up, it costs you.”

Jack, also a part of Australia’s triumphant 4x100m freestyle relay team on Saturday night, missed the Tokyo Games three years ago after serving a two-year doping ban.

“I wanted to walk out, soak up the crowd and enjoy my family being in the stands,” Jack said.

“I tried to reflect but absorb the fact I’m here as an Olympian. A couple of years ago I never thought that would be possible.”

Matildas knocked out

The Matildas have been put of their misery after a woeful Olympic campaign, their medal dream evaporating in the south of France after a dispiriting defeat by the USA.

A tough inquest will doubtless now begin following the comprehensive 2-1 loss in group B to the Americans on a sweltering night in Marseille.

It condemned Australia’s World Cup semi-finalists to a second tournament defeat and their earliest Olympics exit since 2000.

Yet with only four of the 12 teams to be eliminated in the group stages, Tony Gustavsson and his Matildas had been still left clinging on to hope later on Wednesday night they might sneak into the knockout stages as one of the two best third-placed group finishers.

That reprieve was denied them when reigning champions Canada, still in disgrace after being docked six points for their drone-spying exploits, beat Colombia 1-0 in Nice.

The Canadians’ progress in itself will surely cause some outrage but nobody could say the Matildas merited a place in the last-eight after a calamitous tournament that started with them having the luggage mislaid en route to France and really never got much better.

Gustavsson’s own role as coach must now be in serious question after such a tame exit that was only enlivened in the final minutes of stoppage time against the Americans when they managed to pull a goal back through Alanna Kennedy after being dominated for most of the night.

The Swede had set out his side in a defensive formation designed to stifle the bright American attackers and sneak the point that would see them into the last eight.

They were largely outclassed by Emma Hayes’ US side, just as they had been schooled 3-0 by Germany at the Stade de Marseille a week ago.

In between, Australia showed real heart in a freakish 6-5 comeback win over Zambia but that only showcased their defensive frailty.

On Thursday (AEST), they improved in that area in the first half against the Americans, who had won both their previous games but, starved of possession, created precious few chances and were reliant on some fine keeping by Mackenzie Arnold to keep the US at bay.

She made one blinding point-blank save to keep out a Lindsey Horan header in the 40th minute, but the Matildas were finally undone by a controversial goal just before halftime from Trinity Rodman.

The Matildas’ defence couldn’t cope with an inswinging corner headed across goal by Sophia Smith and then dithered fatally while the pink-haired Rodman pounced at the far post.

A 10-minute VAR deliberation then took place to check on a possible obstruction, complicated by the referee’s communication system not working.

Eventually, after more than five minutes of nonsense during which Gustavsson was booked for complaining, the goal stood.

It got no better for the Aussies after the break, with a brilliant Korbin Albert shot in the 78th minute putting the Americans deservedly two up.

Typically, the Matildas only woke up when all seemed lost. Alanna Kennedy foraged forward and ended up getting on the end of a nod down from substitute Michelle Heyman to bundle a goal back after 91 minutes.

With six minutes more of stoppage time still to be played, the Matildas chucked everyone forward – including Arnold at a last-gasp corner.

When Kennedy missed a golden chance, not quite getting her head to an Ellie Carpenter cross, the dream was over.