Discus thrower and three-time Olympian Dani Samuels saw 44 centimetres separate her from a bronze medal.
And Kim Mickle had to be rushed to hospital after dislocating her shoulder in the women's javelin qualifier.
In a repeat of Australia's London 2012 success, Tom Burton has won gold in the men's laser sailing race.
Burton staged a tactical race, ensuring he finished five places ahead of Croatia's Tonci Stipanovic to win the title.
"He's super quick down-wind, normally he would pass the whole fleet sometimes down-wind, he's just that fast, so I never looked back to see where he actually was, but on the last reach back I had a quick look back to see where he was, but I wasn't sure."
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Burton says he knew gold was a possibility but didn't quite believe it would happen until he crossed the finish line.
"I said before the regatta the goal was to stand on the podium, and ultimately the top step, but I would've been happy with any medal and to have the chance to win the gold on the last day was as good as I could ask for and to walk away with it sailing so well is perfect."
Nacra 17 mixed sailors and cousins, Lisa Damanin and Jason Waterhouse, won silver in their race, watched on by Lisa's parents Ed and Sally from the Manly Skiff Club.
(Ed) "It's not over until it's over, and they've done us very proud."
(Sally) "Oh, we're thrilled for them, they look really happy, which makes us very happy."
Kim Mickle had a horror qualifying round in the women's javelin, throwing her shoulder out of its socket.
Mickle was transported to hospital with Australia's team doctor while her fellow Australian, Kathryn Mitchell, went on to qualify for the final.
Sprint kayaker Murray Stewart finished out of the medals in the men's 1000 metres.
Stewart, who had qualified as a medal favourite, says the race was close with only a couple of seconds separating the top four finishers.
"I had to put myself in the race and at the end of the day a lot of the favourites didn't end up performing. The guy who won was definitely not one of the pre-race favourites, he had an incredible race and I think for me it's a pity that I couldn't have been in those medals, but I guess I'll try and hold my head up high."
There was more bad news for Australia in team sports.
The women's basketball team went down in a shock loss to Serbia in the quarterfinal, ending 73-71.
Opals' captain Penny Taylor says it was not how they wanted to represent Australian basketball.
"It's incredibly disappointing. Not at all how we wanted this tournament to go. Not at all what we'd worked for - worked towards - and disappointing I mean for everyone."
She says the team has a very proud culture and history of doing well at the Games and although they knew what they had to do, there was no denying there were some trials.
"We had some real struggles. We came away with five straight wins but it came down to the wire in a lot of them and, you know I think that's as you go on in these tournaments, you can't keep relying on a great comeback. It takes a lot of energy to do that, and it definitely took a lot of energy to get those wins."
On the field Australia's Brandon Starc bowed out of the men's high jump finals.
In the women's 5000 metres, three Australian women have qualified for the final for the first time.
Eloise Wellings has qualified sixth while Genevieve LaCaze and Madeline Heiner-Hills qualified twelfth and thirteenth.
Elsewhere, Alana Boyd has made it through to the pole vault final and Brooke Stratton has qualified for the women's long jump final.
And Sweden is set to win its first Olympic football medal after the women's team beat Brazil in a tense penalty shootout.
They will face Germany in the gold medal match.
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