Canada's Penny Oleksiak and Simone Manuel of the United States dead-heated for the 100 metres Olympic swimming freestyle gold on Thursday when they both touched the wall in 52.70 seconds.

Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom took the bronze in 52.99.

There was disappointment for Australia’s Campbell sisters with world champion Bronte finishing fourth and world record holder Cate, leading in world record time at the turn, fading at the finish to sixth.

London Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands finished fifth.

Simone, still only 19, is the first black woman to medal in an individual event in swimming.

Team USA hadn’t won a gold in women’s 100m freestyle since 1984 - when they also shared the medal.

Earlier Japan’s Rie Kaneto won the Olympic gold medal in the women’s 200 metres breaststroke on Thursday, edging out controversial Russian Yulia Efimova who won her second silver of the Games.

Shi Jinglin of China took the bronze.

Efimova, who was disqualified for 16 months from October 2013 to February 2015 after testing positive for an anabolic steroid, has found herself at the centre of fierce controversy in Rio, after US rival Lilly King directed pointed comments at her over drug cheating and said she was “not a fan”.

King beat Efimova in the 100 breaststroke on Monday, when the Russian was loudly booed by the Rio crowd and broke down in tears after the race.

She was jeered again before Thursday’s race as she came out wearing headphones.