Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games Thread

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With just seven days to go until the Opening Ceremony on 23 July 2021, here are the things to know about Tokyo 2020 as Japan prepares to welcome the world's best athletes for 17 days of competition

There is just one week to go until the curtain is lifted on the highly anticipated Games of the XXXII Olympiad.

Running from 23 July to 8 August 2021, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will see medals awarded in 339 events across 33 sports encompassing 46 disciplines.

Postponed for a year to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tokyo 2020 will be the second time the city has hosted the Olympic Games after it staged the event in 1964.

Here's a guide to what to expect from the Olympic Games in 2021, including the new medal events.

What happens this week in Japan?
Athlete selections have been made and teams are busy arriving across the country, preparing to take part in the 33 sports of the Olympic Games including artistic gymnastics, athletics, swimming and basketball.

Although the Opening Ceremony signifies the start of the Games on 23 July 2021, the action actually gets underway two days earlier on 21 July, with Australia facing hosts Japan in the softball (from 09:00 JST in Fukushima), and Great Britain against Chile in the women's football at the Sapporo Dome from 16:30 JST.

Where can I find a schedule of Tokyo 2020?
Throughout the Games, you can find information on the entire Olympic schedule, results, explore the list of all athletes set to compete at the Games and learn more about the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that are taking part in Tokyo 2020.

Watch Funky Fred and Pavarotti in action
In each sport, the athletes would be nothing if it was not have their tools of the trade.

The beloved items that athletes could not do without in competition include everything from lucky underwear to surfboards (other equipment is essential in other sports too). If that's not enough, they are given some great names too. The prime example are the best and most specialised companions in the Olympic sports - the horses in the equestrian disciplines.

Among those set to be in action at the Equestrian Park are Blue Movie (who is ridden by Australia's Rowan Willis), Funky Fred (Germany's Marcus Ehning), Hot Chocolat (France's Isabelle Pinton) and Pavarotti (Canada's Jessica Phoenix).

You can see a full list of horses, their riders and grooms at Tokyo 2020 on this website and app.

New sports and new Olympic stars to come at Tokyo 2020
Surfing
Skateboarding
Sport Climbing
Karate
Baseball/Softball

Familiar sports, new disciplines
A number of sports will have new disciplines or events for Tokyo 2020. This is either to appeal to younger fans or as part of the move towards full gender equality at Olympic Games.

In basketball, countries will compete for the first time in 3X3 matches.

BMX freestyle is a new cycling discipline at the Games, while the madison has been reintroduced to the track cycling programme.

There are three new events in swimming - the women's 1500m freestyle for women, the men's 800m freestyle, and the mixed 4x100m medley relay.

Another mixed relay joins the athletics programme, where there will also be a mixed 4x400m relay on the track.

In shooting, three new mixed team events will take place: mixed trap, mixed 10m air pistol and mixed 10m air rifle.

And in archery, there will also be a new mixed team competition.

Where will the athletes compete at the Olympic Games in 2021?
Tokyo's new Olympic Stadium will be the focal point of the Games in 2021 and will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletics, and various football matches. The stadium was constructed with a hybrid wood and steel frame, with the wood in the roof structure coming from all 47 prefectures in Japan.

The Urban Park concept, which proved so successful at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, will also be in operation. BMX and skateboarding will take place at Ariake Urban Sports Park with Aomi Urban Sports Park staging sport climbing and 3X3 basketball.

There are also four existing venues which were used at the 1964 Olympic Games: the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium (table tennis), Yoyogi National Stadium (handball), Nippon Budokan (judo and karate), and Equestrian Park.

Tokyo may be the hub, but there are a number of events held in outlying venues.

Baseball and softball will be held in the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium in the east of Japan, in the prefecture most affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Just north of Fukushima is Miyagi, another city hit by the tsunami, which will host football preliminary games and quarter-finals.

The furthest outpost for the Games is Sapporo, some 850km north of the capital, which will stage football group matches, as well as the athletics race walks and marathons.

Kashima, on the east coast of Japan's main Honshu island 100km east of Tokyo, will host much of the two football tournaments, including semi-finals and the women's bronze medal match.

https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/news/one-week-to-go-tokyo-prepares-to-host-olympic-games

 

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Schedule

 

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Tokyo 2020: Australia basketball star Liz Cambage withdraws from Olympics citing mental health concerns

Australian basketball player Liz Cambage has withdrawn from the Olympic team citing mental health concerns and fears of heading into the "bubble".

Cambage, who plays for the Las Vegas Aces, said the fact that family, friends and fans would not be in Tokyo to offer support was "terrifying".

The 29-year-old, a four-time WNBA All-Star, said she wanted to take care of herself "mentally and physically".

"At the moment I'm a long way from where I want and need to be," she said.

"It's no secret that in the past I've struggled with my mental health and recently I've been really worried about heading into a 'bubble' Olympics. No family. No friends. No fans. No support system outside of my team. It's honestly terrifying for me.

"The past month I have been having panic attacks, not sleeping and not eating.

"Relying on daily medication to control my anxiety is not the place I want to be right now - especially walking into competition on the world's biggest sporting stage."

Cambage's withdrawal comes amid reports she was involved in an incident during a warm-up game against Nigeria in Las Vegas, where the Australia team is holding a pre-Olympics training camp,

ESPN report she was involved in a physical altercation as well as a "charged verbal exchange".

It has also been reported she broke team protocols to go out in Vegas, in addition to another undisclosed incident.

Cambage, who won Olympic bronze at London 2012, had previously threatened to boycott the Games over a lack of racial diversity in Australia's Olympic photoshoots.

She accused the Australian Olympic Committee of "whitewashing" but later decided to compete at her third Games.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/57860434

 

[finalfantasy7]

amount of athletes have stated they wont come to the Olympics due to the bubble. whats so hard about staying in a bubble?

im a missing something

 

[King_Kohli]

Tokyo 2020 witnesses first COVID-19 case in Olympic Village, confirm organisers

The Tokyo Olympics has registered its first Covid-19 case in the Olympic Village six days before the Games open, organisers said on Saturday.

"There was one person in the Village. That was the very first case in the Village that was reported during the screening test," Masa Takaya, spokesman for the Tokyo organising committee, told a press conference.

The person, whom organisers refused to identify, has been removed from the Village where thousands of athletes and officials will reside during the Games.

"Right now this person is confined to a hotel," Takaya said.

Seiko Hashimoto, the chief organiser of the Tokyo 2020 Games, said: "We are doing everything to prevent any Covid outbreaks. If we end up with an outbreak we will make sure we have a plan in place to respond."

At an Olympics that have already been postponed by a year because of the pandemic, organisers have put in place stringent measures to avoid coronavirus infections in the Village.

https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics/article/first-case-of-covid-19-in-tokyo-olympic-village-organisers/786247

 

[OMB]

amount of athletes have stated they wont come to the Olympics due to the bubble. whats so hard about staying in a bubble?

im a missing something

Yes this is surprising considering that most athletes are waiting for so long to participate and they aren't exactly paid as high Kohli or Messi to pick and choose

 

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First batch of Pakistan’s Olympic squad leaves for Tokyo


LAHORE: While the dope test of eight Pakistan athletes participating in the forthcoming Olympics came negative, the first batch of the country’s Tokyo-bound contingent left for Japan on Thursday night.

According to a press release issued on Friday by the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), which also handed cheques of Rs100,000 to each athlete of the Pakistan contingent says that the dope test result of weightlifter Talha Talib was awaited as it was taken late on July 21 after the confirmation of his participation on quota system.

The athletes who cleared the dope test include Arshad Nadeem (javelin throw), Najma Parveen (200m race), Mahoor Shahzad (badminton singles event), Gulfam Joseph (shooting, 10m Air Pistol), Mohammad Khalil Akhtar (25m Rapid Fire Pistol), Ghulam Mustafa Bashir (25m Rapid Fire pistol), Bisma Khan (swimming, 50m freestyle) and Syed Mohammad Haseeb Tariq (100m freestyle).

Meanwhile the first six-member batch of the Pakistan contingent, including Mahoor, Gulfam, Mustafa, Khalil, Bismah and Haseeb, left for Tokyo from Islamabad on Thursday night.

The second batch will leave on July 21 followed by the last one on July 22. The games are scheduled to start from July 23.

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) kept the players and officials in a bio-secure bubble (BsB) established at the Islamabad Sports Complex. The PCR tests of the contingent members were also conducted before their departure as per international protocols and requirements.

“In view of the extraordinary circumstances, due to Covid pandemic, the PSB extended its full support to the POA in every respect especially in travelling arrangements, lodging and boarding of the players. Special travelling kits, uniforms and liveries have also been provided well before time to the contingent members,” the PSB said in a statement.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1635484/first-batch-of-pakistans-olympic-squad-leaves-for-tokyo

 

[King_Kohli]

Tokyo Olympics: First athletes have Covid at athletes village

Two athletes have become the first to test positive for coronavirus at the Tokyo Olympic athletes' village - five days before the start of the Games.

Organisers say the duo are from the same team and sport as the official who tested positive on Saturday.

Other members of the team are being isolated in their rooms.

The pair are the first athletes to test positive in the village, although a further athlete also tested positive on Sunday elsewhere.

In total, organisers on Sunday reported 10 new cases connected to the Olympics including media, contractors and other personnel. That compares with 15 new cases on Saturday.

Infection rates are rising among the general population of Tokyo, topping 1,000 new cases for four consecutive days. Polls show many Japanese people oppose holding the Games with the influx of overseas visitors it entails.

Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said the three cases "were from the same country and sport". They are "isolated in their rooms and Tokyo 2020 is delivering meals to them", he said, adding that the rest of the team - which has not been identified - have also been tested.

Speaking on Saturday, Games chief Seiko Hashimoto said: "Athletes who are coming to Japan are probably very worried. I understand that.

"We are doing everything to prevent any Covid outbreaks. If we end up with an outbreak we will make sure we have a plan in place to respond."

Australia's entire athletics team for the Tokyo Olympics were quarantined in their rooms on Saturday at their pre-Games training camp in Cairns, following a Covid-19 scare.

An inconclusive test had been returned by an official but subsequent tests were negative, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) confirmed on Sunday.

Athletes have since been permitted to compete in a warm-up event

"My understanding is [Athletics Australia] applied an abundance of caution," said David Hughes, the AOC's chief medical officer.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/57844406

 

[MenInG]

Two South Africa footballers have become the first competitors to test positive for coronavirus in the athletes' village in Tokyo - five days before the start of the Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, six athletes and two staff members from Team GB's athletics team are self-isolating after being identified as close contacts of an individual who tested positive on their flight to Japan on 15 July.

South Africa's Football Association confirmed Thabiso Monyane and Kamohelo Mahlatsi as their positive cases.

The South Africa football team's video analyst Mario Masha also tested positive on Saturday and the team is in quarantine pending more test results.

Another athlete from outside the village tested positive on Sunday too.

"We have three positive cases of Covid-19 in the camp here, two players and an official," said South Africa team manager Mxolisi Sibam.

"There is daily screening which included taking temperature and saliva testing, Masha and Monyane reported high temperatures and positive saliva tests and were then taken to do the nasal test, which we all had initially taken and they unfortunately tested positive for Covid through that test. Mahlatsi is the latest player to go through the same process."

Monyane, a right-back with Orlando Pirates in his homeland, posted on social media when the team arrived in Tokyo.

South Africa Sevens rugby coach Neil Powell also tested positive on Sunday on arrival in Japan and is now isolating in Kagashimo, where the squad is based for a pre-Games training camp.

In total, organisers on Sunday reported 10 new cases connected to the Olympics including media, contractors and other personnel. That compares with 15 new cases on Saturday.

Infection rates are rising among the general population of Tokyo, topping 1,000 new cases for four consecutive days. Polls show many Japanese people oppose holding the Games with the influx of overseas visitors it entails.

Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said the three cases were from the "same country and sport". They are "isolated in their rooms and Tokyo 2020 is delivering meals to them", he said, adding that the rest of the team - which has not been identified - have also been tested.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) said six athletes and two staff members from the athletics team were identified as close contacts of an individual who is not from the Team GB delegation in Tokyo.

The group are in self-isolation in their rooms at the association's preparation camp, having all tested negative upon their arrival in Japan, and under the supervision of the Team GB medical team, led by chief medical officer Dr Niall Elliott.

"This is disappointing news for the athletes and staff, but we absolutely respect the protocols in place," said Team GB chef de mission Mark England.

"We will offer them every support during this period and we are hopeful that they will be able resume training again soon."

Speaking on Saturday, Games chief Seiko Hashimoto said: "Athletes who are coming to Japan are probably very worried. I understand that.

"We are doing everything to prevent any Covid outbreaks. If we end up with an outbreak we will make sure we have a plan in place to respond."

Australia's entire athletics team for the Tokyo Olympics were quarantined in their rooms on Saturday at their pre-Games training camp in Cairns, following a Covid-19 scare.

An inconclusive test had been returned by an official but subsequent tests were negative, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) confirmed on Sunday.

Athletes have since been permitted to compete in a warm-up event

"My understanding is [Athletics Australia] applied an abundance of caution," said David Hughes, the AOC's chief medical officer.

BBC

 

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Czech volleyball player Ondrej Perusic tests positive in Olympic Village

Czech beach volleyball player Ondrej Perusic tested positive for Covid-19 in the Tokyo Olympic Village, officials said, after two South African footballers and an analyst were found to be infected in complex.

Czech beach volleyball player Ondrej Perusic has tested positive for Covid-19 in the Tokyo Olympic Village, officials said, after two South African footballers and an analyst were found to be infected at the complex.

Perusic submitted "a positive sample during everyday testing in the Olympic Village on Sunday, July 18", Czech Olympic team head Martin Doktor said in a statement.

"He has absolutely no symptoms. We are dealing with all the details and... naturally the anti-epidemic measures within the team," he added.

On Saturday, the Czech Olympic Committee reported a staff member had tested positive for Covid-19 upon landing in Tokyo for the Games starting on Friday.

Perusic's case appears to be the fourth in the Olympic Village after the infections of two South African footballers and a video analyst were revealed on Sunday.

The Olympic Village, a complex of apartments and dining areas in Tokyo, will house 6,700 athletes and officials at its peak when the delayed 2020 Games finally get underway.

https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics/article/czech-volleyball-player-ondrej-perusic-tests-positive-in-olympic-village/787047

 

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Khalil, Mahoor to hold national flag at Tokyo Olympics’ opening ceremony

Both players will take part in the march past holding green crescent flags. POA President Lt. Gen (retd) Arif Hassan approved names of Khalil and Mahoor.

It must be noted that 10 athletes from Pakistan will participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The list of Pakistani participants in the Olympics includes Arshad Nadeem (Javelin Throw), Najma Parveen (200m sprint), Mahoor Shahzad (Badminton), Shah Hussain Shah (Judo – 100kg category), Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Mohammad Khalil Akhtar, Gulfan Joseph (Shooting), Bisma Khan, Syed Muhammad Haseeb Tariq (Swimming) and Talha Talib (Weightlifting – 67kg category).

https://arysports.tv/khalil-mahoor-to-hold-national-flag-at-tokyo-olympics-opening-ceremony/

 

[MenInG]

Poll added.

 

[KingKhanWC]

UK did great in 2016 coming 2nd in the table!

It will prob be USA again, followed by China this time.

 

[MenInG]

UK did great in 2016 coming 2nd in the table!

It will prob be USA again, followed by China this time.

I voted for GB - think they can improve considerably.

 

[MenInG]

At the moment, dodging COVID-19 seems to be like an Olympic event!

==

A female United States gymnast tested positive for Covid and a team member has been identified as a close contact.

The gymnast, who is not displaying any symptoms, tested positive at the team's training camp in the city of Inzai.

Both athletes have now been transferred to a hotel to quarantine with the rest of the squad having moved to athletes' village in Tokyo.

The US Olympic Committee (USOC) told BBC Sport the athlete was an alternate - a team member included as a reserve.

"The health and safety of our athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority," read a USOC statement.

"We can confirm that an alternate on the women's artistic gymnastics team tested positive for Covid-19.

"Out of respect for the individual's privacy, we cannot provide more information at this time."

Superstar gymnast Simone Biles, 24, is part of the US team competing at the Tokyo Games.

Biles needs just four more medals to surpass Vitaly Scherbo's all-time record of 33 Olympic and world medals, while the US have won team gymnastics gold at the last two Olympic Games.

On Monday afternoon Biles posted pictures on social media from inside the Olympic Village.

The news comes after the Czech Olympic Committee announced earlier on Monday that beach volleyball player Ondrej Perusic had tested positive in the athletes' village, two days after a staff member had tested positive following their arrival in Tokyo on a charter flight from Prague.

Two South Africa footballers became the first competitors to test positive for coronavirus in the village over the weekend.

Organisers say 21 South Africa players and officials have also been identified as close contacts and will self-isolate in their rooms, where they must also take daily PCR tests.

All the results on Sunday were negative and as long as that continues, the squad will be allowed to train in a bubble as they prepare for their match against Japan on Thursday.

South Africa Sevens rugby coach Neil Powell also tested positive on Sunday on arrival in Japan and is now isolating in Kagoshima, where the squad is based for a pre-Games training camp.

Earlier organisers confirmed six new cases connected to the Olympics including media, contractors and other personnel, bringing the total number of positive cases to 62.

On Monday evening, USA Basketball announced Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine is in health and safety protocols and will not travel with the team, but it "hopes he will join the team in Tokyo later this week".

Meanwhile, six Team GB athletes have been cleared to resume training after they were identified as close contacts of an individual who is not from the Team GB delegation in Tokyo.

The athletes and two staff members from the athletics team were required to isolate in their rooms at the association's preparation camp, but are able to leave after they all produced multiple negative PCR results.

They are training away from other Team GB athletes at present as a precaution.

Dr Brian McCloskey, who has overseen the Covid counter-measures at Tokyo 2020, has suggested the positive cases announced were proof the system to reduce infection was working and that the risk of the virus spreading during the Games is minimal.

"What we're seeing is what we expected to see," said McCloskey, who is an expert in emergency planning and led the planning operation for public health services at the London 2012 Olympics.

"If I thought that all the tests we did were going to be negative then I wouldn't bother doing the tests in the first place. We do the tests because they are a way of filtering out people who might be developing an infection who might become a risk later.

"There are no absolute certainties in the world, coronavirus or anything else, so I'm not going to start guaranteeing people won't be close-contacted out of the Games. All I will say is it is as unlikely to happen as we can make it.

"If it happens, we manage the situation to ensure it doesn't pose a risk to anybody else."

BBC

 

[Giannis]

Usa

 

[MenInG]

Poland have sent six swimmers home from the Tokyo Olympics after selecting too many by mistake.

Poland initially picked 23 athletes but had to cut that to 17 based on world governing body FINA's qualifying rules.

Polish Swimming Federation (PZP) president Pawel Slominski has apologised and said he understood the anger of those who have returned home.

"I express great regret, sadness and bitterness about the situation," he said in a statement.

"Such a situation should not take place, and the reaction of the swimmers, their emotions, the attack on the Polish Swimming Federation is understandable to me and justified."

Slominski added the error was due to the "desire to allow as many players and coaches as possible to take part in the Games".

One of the six athletes Alicja Tchorz, who represented Poland at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, expressed her anger at the mistake on social media.

"Imagine dedicating five years of your life and striving for another start at the most important sporting event, giving up your private life and work, sacrificing your family and your dedication results in a total flop," she wrote on Facebook.

Another of the six, Mateusz Chowaniec, said on Instagram: "I'm deeply shocked by what happened. This is an absurd situation for me that should never have happened. In fact, I hope to wake up from this nightmare eventually."

The majority of the Poland swimming team have signed an open letter to the PZP calling for the board to resign over the incident.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

The Tokyo Olympics - due to begin on Friday - could be cancelled at the last minute because of rising coronavirus cases, the Games' chief has admitted.

Toshiro Muto said discussions are continuing because it is impossible to foresee what may happen with COVID-19 infections.

With cases rising in the Japanese capital and a state of emergency declared, it has already been decided to hold the various competitions in empty venues in and around the city.

There have been 67 cases among those accredited to the Games since the start of the month, Reuters reported.

"We can't predict what will happen with the number of coronavirus cases," Mr Muto, who heads the organising committee, said during a news conference.

"So we will continue discussions if there is a spike in cases.

"We have agreed that based on the coronavirus situation, we will convene five-party talks again. At this point, the coronavirus cases may rise or fall, so we will think about what we should do when the situation arises."

Major sponsors will not be present at the opening ceremony, it has been decided.

The Japanese public has been concerned about a spike in cases being triggered by athletes and other attendees arriving from abroad.

Organising committee president, Seiko Hashimoto, said she wanted to "apologise from my heart for the accumulation of frustrations and concerns that the public has been feeling towards the Olympics".

Meanwhile, a Ugandan athlete reported missing from his hotel last week after missing a coronavirus test has been found and is being interviewed by police.

Julius Ssekitoleko, a 20-year-old weightlifter, went missing from his pre-Olympic training camp in Osaka Prefecture on Friday and left behind a note saying he did not want to return to his home country.

Officials said he expressed his desire to stay in Japan and work.

He has now been discovered in Mie Prefecture.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

Action at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games finally got under way in Fukushima on Wednesday, with hosts Japan beating Australia 8-1 in their opening softball fixture.

Japan won gold when softball was last in the Olympics at Beijing 2008, and began with a convincing 8-1 victory in a match held two days before the official opening ceremony.

But the match took place in an empty Azuma Baseball Stadium and the Games begin amid widespread opposition in the country, with Covid-19 cases rising.

 

[PakLFC]

China jeet jayega! Ahho!

 

[OMB]

Spain were held to a goalless draw by Egypt in the opening game of the Olympic men's football competition despite the inclusion of Euro 2020 young player of the tournament Pedri.

A frustrating result for Spain was compounded by an ankle injury to Real Madrid's Dani Ceballos as they struggled to break Egypt down.

Ceballos had Spain's best effort, hitting the post in the first half.

Former West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi played a key role in keeping Spain out.

Along with Pedri, there were several members of Spain's Euro 2020 squad on display, with Mikel Oyarzabal, Dani Olmo, Pau Torres and Eric Garcia all in the starting line-up.

Spain were knocked out of the Euros by champions Italy on penalties in the semi-final.

France thrashed & Wood makes history for New Zealand
France's Olympic tournament got off to a disastrous start as they were thrashed 4-1 by Mexico.

The best chance of a tight first half fell to Diego Lainez but his shot was cleared off the line.

Lainez was the creator of Mexico's second-half opener, crossing for Alexis Vega to head home. Sebastian Cordova then doubled the lead with a neat finish at the near post.

Pierre-Andre Gignac pulled one back for France from the penalty spot, but two late goals for Mexico from Uriel Antuna and Eduardo Aguirre sealed the win.

Elsewhere, New Zealand made history with their first ever win in men's football at the Olympics - a 1-0 victory over South Korea.

The goal came from Burnley striker Chris Wood, who tapped in from close range. Former West Ham defender Winston Reid played a critical role in keeping their clean sheet.

AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie scored in Ivory Coast's 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/57926170

 

[OMB]

 

[MenInG]

The Tokyo Olympic Games are upon us. They look and feel different to any other Games of times gone by, but they are here. At last.

With an unexpected additional year of preparation under their belts, more than 11,300 athletes from 207 nations will compete over the next couple of weeks, all vying to get their hands on the medal they've worked so long for.

When the Games were postponed in March 2020, organisers said the Olympic flame "could become the light at the end of the tunnel". With the Covid-19 pandemic still raging worldwide, that metaphorical tunnel is still being traversed, but Friday's opening ceremony offers a glimmer of that light.

"I think it will be a moment of joy and relief when entering the stadium, a moment of joy in particular for the athletes because I know how much they are longing for this moment," said International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.

"Then they can finally be there, they can enjoy this moment under very special circumstances."

An Olympics in a pandemic

Masks, quarantine, saliva tests. Make no mistake, these are an Olympics like no other.

With Tokyo in a state of emergency throughout the Olympics after a spike in Covid-19 infections, the Games have come under huge criticism from the Japanese public, the majority of whom have said they want the Olympics to be cancelled or postponed again.

But safety is paramount for the organisers, and huge precautions are being taken, including holding the Games behind closed doors with no fans, from either Japan or overseas, being permitted inside venues.

As for the athletes, they are under strict restrictions too. They must wear a face mask at all times - except when eating, drinking, training, competing or sleeping - and minimise physical interaction with others, and are being tested for Covid-19 every day.

But unfortunately the virus has affected the Games already, before they have officially started.

On Friday, 19 new cases of Covid-19 were reported, bringing the total of cases related to Games personnel to 106. There have been 11 positive cases among athletes in Tokyo.

Six Team GB athletes have had to isolate in their rooms after being identified as close contacts of someone on their flight who later tested positive for Covid-19.

US tennis player Coco Gauff had to pull out of her debut Games after testing positive before arriving in Tokyo, while Team GB's Dan Evans and Johanna Konta and world number one shooter Amber Hill withdrew for the same reason.

What's new?

There will be a record 339 medal events held across 33 sports, with five new sports - and 34 new events in total - added to the Tokyo 2020 programme by the IOC. Some 48.8% of athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics are women - a record figure.

The five new sports are karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, baseball/softball and surfing. Baseball and softball technically aren't 'new' sports on the Olympic programme, but they haven't been contested at a Games since Beijing 2008.

New events have been introduced to the boxing, canoe slalom, canoe sprint, cycling, rowing and swimming programmes, while there are new mixed-gender events including a 4x100m mixed medley relay in swimming and a mixed relay in triathlon.

These sports have been introduced in a bid to attract younger audiences and reflect "the trend of urbanisation of sport".

IOC president Bach said: "We want to take sport to the youth. With the many options that young people have, we cannot expect anymore that they will come automatically to us. We have to go to them."

This year's Games are also doing their bit for sustainability. The medals are made from recycled mobile phones, while the Olympic torch was made from aluminium waste from temporary housing built in the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Only eight new competition venues have been built from scratch, while much of the energy powering Tokyo 2020 comes from renewable sources.

In total, the Games will cost £11.5bn, up 22% because of the one-year delay.

Global stars to watch

American gymnast Simone Biles was one of the standout stars in Rio five years ago.

The 24-year-old won four golds and one bronze at her debut Games and is set to compete in all five events again. If she defends her all-around title she would be the first Olympic gymnast to do so since 1968.

Two more Americans are expected to dominate in the swimming pool. Caeleb Dressel has 'just' the two Olympic golds so far but the 24-year-old is favourite to win up to six gold medals in Tokyo, while Katie Ledecky, who won four golds in Rio to add to her one from London 2012, is expected to compete in up to six events.

In the Olympic Stadium, look out for Jamaica's six-time Olympic medal-winning sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as well as Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis.

Serbia's tennis world number one Novak Djokovic continues his pursuit of a Golden Grand Slam, having won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles this year, and needing the Olympic and US Open titles to complete the feat.

But arguably one of the most anticipated performances of the Tokyo Games will come from 43-year-old transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard.

New Zealand's Hubbard, who broke male national records as a junior, will be the first trans athlete to compete at the Olympics in an individual event - the women's 87kg category.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Opening ceremony starting soon

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan Olympic Association, Pakistani shooter Khalil Akhtar and badminton player Mahoor Shahzad will bear the national flag during the march past of the Tokyo Olympics.

 

[MenInG]

Just 950 people or so in the stadium

 

[OMB]

Muted affair this time.

 

[MenInG]

 

[Firebat]

Pakistan Olympic Association, Pakistani shooter Khalil Akhtar and badminton player Mahoor Shahzad will bear the national flag during the march past of the Tokyo Olympics.

View attachment 110629

 

[guna]

Most overrated event. Hope it ends soon.

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan flag bearers - no masks!

 

[Firebat]

Algerian judoka withdraws over potential meeting with Israeli

Algerian judoka Fethi Nourine has withdrawn from Tokyo 2020 after the draw set him on course for a potential meeting with an Israeli opponent.

Nourine, 30, was due to face Sudan's Mohamed Abdalrasool in Monday's first round of the men's -73kg class.

Victory would have meant he would take on Israel's Tohar Butbul next.

Speaking to Algerian TV, he said he would not "get his hands dirty" and his political support for the Palestinian cause made it impossible to compete.

Nourine pulled out of the 2019 world championships, also in Tokyo, after being paired with Butbul - who has a first-round bye.

"We were unlucky with the draw. We got an Israeli opponent and that's why we had to retire. We made the right decision," Nourine's coach Amar Ben Yaklif told Algerian media.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has taken place over decades, with tensions flaring again in 2021 as confrontations in contested Jerusalem triggered cross-border clashes.

Athletes from other countries, including Iran and Egypt, have also previously refused to compete against Israelis.

Iran was banned by the International Judo Federation (IJF) for four years after it ordered Saeid Mollaei to pull out of the world championships in Japan in 2019.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/57944242

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Most overrated event. Hope it ends soon.

Yeah. Just because we are not good at it?

 

[MenInG]

JAPAN: Tokyo Olympics 2020 kicked off on Friday with a glittering opening ceremony held at Olympic Stadium in the host city.

As many as 10 Pakistani athletes will participate in the mega event which was postponed last year due to viral COVID-19. Badminton player Mahoor Shazad and shooter Khalil Akhtar hold the Pakistani flag in the opening ceremony followed by their compatriots.

As the competition will go on track fluently tomorrow, here we share the complete schedule of Pakistani athletes in the event.

July 24:

Badminton; Mahoor Shahzad vs Akane Yamaguchi (Japan) at 5:40 am (PST)

Shooting; Gulfam Joseph, men’s 100m AirPistol Qualifications at 10:00 am (PST)

July 25:

Weightlifting; Talha Talib in men’s 67kg at 3:50 pm (PST)

July 27:

Badminton; Mahoor Shahzad vs Kirsty Gilmour (UK) at 10:00 am (PST)

Swimming; Haseeb Tariq in heat#2 of men’s 100m freestyle at 3:04 pm (PST)

July 29:

Judo; Shah Hussain Shah vs Ramadan Darwaish (Egypt) in men’s 100kg Ro32 contest at 7:00 am (PST)

July 30:

Swimming; Bismah Khan in heat#4 of women’s 50m freestyle at 3:27 pm (PST)

August 1:

Shooting; Khalil Akhtar & GM Bashir in men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, stage 1 at 4:30 am (PST)

August 2:

Athletics; Najma Parveen in Women’s 200m heats 6:30 am (PST)

August 4:

Athletics; Arshad Nadeem (Javelin Throw), Group stage at 5:05 am/6:35 am (PST). (Final on August 7 if he qualifies)

It must be noted here that Pakistan last won a medal at Olympics in 1992 when the Pakistan hockey team, led by Shahbaz Ahmed, had won a bronze medal in Barcelona.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Competing for Pakistan in the pool is former Lions swimmer, Haseeb Tariq! Haseeb broke York's 50-year old 50m backstroke record in 2016 and will be competing in Tokyo in the 100m freestyle. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/alwaysalion?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#alwaysalion</a> <a href="https://t.co/M5fu9A170B">pic.twitter.com/M5fu9A170B</a></p>— York Lions (@yorkulions) <a href="https://twitter.com/yorkulions/status/1418589044355837955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[sweep_shot]

USA or China probably.

 

[MenInG]

The honour fell to Naomi Osaka to light the flame, the beacon of hope the Olympics attempts to be.

It marked the official opening of Tokyo 2020, a year later than planned, and in the midst of a global pandemic.

Perhaps as expected, Friday's opening ceremony was not of the usual ilk. No carnival like Rio, no skydiving monarchs like London, but a more sombre tone, a sobering reminder that this is a Games taking place in a world still facing its toughest challenge.

"Today is a moment of hope," said Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"Yes, it is very different from what all of us had imagined. But let us cherish this moment because finally we are all here together."

This Games is going to be different, dampened by masks, positive tests and the absence of fans. But it is still the Olympics; still the greatest show on Earth, still faster, higher, stronger and now together.

The opening ceremony had faced many a scandal before it even started on Friday, its director fired on the eve of the Games for historic jokes about the Holocaust, days after its composer resigned after it emerged he had bullied classmates with disabilities at school.

The ceremony itself was modest, a reminder of all the world has gone through yet offered hope for what is to come.

But the lack of a crowd was stark as socially distanced and masked athletes - though some went without - waved to empty stands, no roar accompanying their march into the stadium.

A 22-strong Team GB delegation was among them, led by flag bearers Moe Sbihi and Hannah Mills of rowing and sailing respectively.

Smatterings of applause sounded from the few inside. Just the media and some 900 dignitaries watched on in the 68,000-seater venue, including US First Lady Dr Jill Biden and French president Emmanuel Macron.

The build-up to these Games has been long, and it's not one that all are welcoming with open arms. Outside the stadium, as the hours ticked down to the start of the ceremony, hundreds of locals had gathered, simmering with excitement and pride and desperate to join in.

But as day turned to night, the mood soured, protesters making their voices heard with chants of "stop the Olympics" heard by the few seated in the stadium.

To inside, where all was subdued yet intimate, a nod to the world's resilience and its togetherness in the fight against a global threat.

The ceremony also paid tribute to the universality of sport, its power to unite those of different cultures and backgrounds and provide a sense of hope, even in the most troubling of times.

"Here is a vision for the future, one that embodies 'unity in diversity', one of peace and respect for one another," said Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto.

"This is the power of sport, and an expression of the fundamental values of the Olympic movement. This is its essence."

At the heart of the stadium stood the Olympic cauldron, a representation of the sun atop Mount Fuji. It later opened like a flower, embodying "vitality and hope".

Earlier, the Japanese flag had entered carried by athletes, but also by healthcare workers, after which a moment of silence was held to remember those lost.

The Olympic rings were then formed, crafted of timber from trees grown of seeds brought by athletes in 1964 - the last time the Games came to Tokyo.

After the athlete parade - as lengthy as ever - the performances continued. Some 1,824 drones formed a revolving globe above the stadium, before musicians including John Legend and Keith Urban delivered a moving rendition of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 'Imagine'.

A somewhat surprising inclusion came after the speeches and the raising of the Olympic flag - Susan Boyle. Yes, you read that right.

The Scottish singer hasn't made the trip to Tokyo, but her rendition of 'Wings To Fly' - a song released in 1971 by a Japanese folk group - accompanied the symbolic release of doves.

Not live doves, fear not, but rather projections and special effects acknowledging the "peaceful intent" of the Games.

A clever display of the sport pictograms followed, but the final act was reserved for four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, a representation of the new Japan, a person bringing change to her homeland.

The 23-year-old was delivered the torch by 14 others, a group featuring past and present athletes, including a summer and winter Paralympic gold medallist, doctors, nurses and students.

She ascended 'Mount Fuji', lighting the flame, before fireworks adorned the Tokyo night sky.

And so to the sport. While some is already under way, the first medals will be awarded on Saturday, with four Britons taking on the men's cycling road race and shooter Seonaid McIntosh competing in the women's 10m air rifle.

Swimmer Adam Peaty, rower Helen Glover and the men's artistic gymnastics team are among those also starting their campaigns.

And with that, there are just four words left needing to be said.

Let the Games begin.

BBC

 

[Saj]

I see some of the press already trying to say the event will be a flop, even before it has started.

For some press, only events in the UK are allowed to be successful.

 

[KingKhanWC]

I see some of the press already trying to say the event will be a flop, even before it has started.

For some press, only events in the UK are allowed to be successful.

Not just the press, check out this olympic boxers having a real moan. He was nearly in tears because of some cockroaches. Safe to say with this attitude we wont be seeing any medals in boxing!

 

[MenInG]

Latest medal tally

 

[King_Kohli]

Tokyo Olympics 2020 Day 1 Live Updates: Sumit Nagal, Mirabai Chanu in action

Tokyo Olympics 2020 Live Updates Day 1: Archery, Shooting and Weightlifting could provide some early joy to India on Saturday, while the Badminton, Hockey, TT and Boxing campaigns also begin.

Tokyo Olympics 2020 Live Updates Day 1: The biggest joy for the Indians in the morning on Saturday came in archery, with the mixed team of Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav outclassing Chinese Taipei to make their way into the last 8. The Indian men’s hockey team then beat New Zealand 3-2 in their first group match to make a triumphant start to their campaign. Saurabh Chaudhary qualified for men’s 10m Air Pistol event with a score of 586.

Elavenil Valarivan and Apurvi Chandela, however, failed to progress to the 10m air rifle final. Table tennis players Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra lost to third seeds from Chinese Taipei, Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching, in the mixed doubles round. The rowing pair of Arvind Singh and Arjun Lal Jat qualified for the repechage round after finishing fifth in the men’s lightweight double sculls heat. Indian judoka Sushila Devi’s challenge came to an early end as she lost her contest to Hungarian Eva Csernoviczki.

In other events on Saturday, Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal plays his opener against Uzbek opponent Denis Istomin. Indian women hockey team also open their campaign on Saturday. Mirabai Chanu participates in medal event. India’s badminton campaign also starts with Sai Praneeth in men’s singles and Satwik-Chirag in men’s doubles. Fans also await boxer Vikas Krishan’s opening match against Japanese S Okazawa in the men’s welter-weight round of 32 on July 24. Vikas will also need to win three bouts to secure a medal. Remaining events of the day: Men’s Welterweight Round of 32 — Vikas Krishan 3:50 PM | Hockey Women’s Pool A — India vs Netherlands, 5:15 PM.

https://indianexpress.com/article/olympics/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-2-live-updates-7419499/

 

[Swashbuckler]

India opens its account, silver for Mirabai Chanu in 49kg women's weightlifting. Great start on day 1.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Saurabh Chaudhary finished 1st in the qualification round but kinda choked in the final, 10m pistol event. A Pakistani shooter named Gulfam Joseph narrowly missed final spot by finishing 9th in the qualifiers. Were Pakistani PPers following that event? You guys have a potential star, has the ability to be a medal contender in 2024 Paris.This was the best ever performance by a Pak shooter in Olympics history.

 

[Babbar]

indian Badminton doubles team of Satvik and Chirag upset the world #3 Taipei team in league matches. Good start!

 

[MenInG]

Tokyo: Pakistani badminton player Mahoor Shahzad lost the badminton opener playing against her Japanese opponent Akane Yamaguchi in Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.

According to details, Mahoor was outplayed by Akane, who is also world number five in global badminton rankings.

Mahoor suffered a 21-3 and 21-8 defeat with Yamaguchi taking only 10 minutes to win the first game. The Pakistani badminton champ tried giving hard time to her opponent in the second, but only to lose that too by a score of 21-8.

The Japanese player scored eight consecutive points in the first game and seven on in the second game.

Mahoor will now face Britain’s Kirsty Gilmour in her next match scheduled to be played on July 27.

 

[MenInG]

July 25:

Weightlifting; Talha Talib in men’s 67kg at 3:50 pm (PST)

For Pakistan today.

 

[Babbar]

Manila Batra won her first single in TT against a Brit-Chinese girl. Another Indian girl Suthirtha is 1-1 set against a Swedish player in 1st round.

 

[Babbar]

Indian upcoming player, Sumit Nagpal won first round tennis match against former world top 30 player Dennis Istomin in 3 sets.

 

[Babbar]

Bad losses for India. Indian shooters world #1 Abhishek Verma and world #2 Saurabh Choudhari both lost in 10 mt shooting, despite Saurabh leading the world at the end of Qualifying round. They were favourites to win 1 or even 2 medals.

Sai Praneeth lost to a lower ranked Israeli player in Badminton.

 

[Babbar]

Suthirtha won 4-3 in best of 7 sets against a higher ranked swede. She was trailing 1-3 at one stage and won the last three sets. Good work!

 

[MenInG]

Dutch rower Finn Florijn has tested positive for #COVID19 AFTER competing in the men's single sculls race on Friday.

Florijn is the fourth member of the Dutch team to test positive. He is now in quarantine & out of Olympics

 

[hamzi]

Saurabh Chaudhary finished 1st in the qualification round but kinda choked in the final, 10m pistol event. A Pakistani shooter named Gulfam Joseph narrowly missed final spot by finishing 9th in the qualifiers. Were Pakistani PPers following that event? You guys have a potential star, has the ability to be a medal contender in 2024 Paris.This was the best ever performance by a Pak shooter in Olympics history.

Missed his last shot or would have qualified..amazing story and hopefully a great prospect for the future. Unfortunately hardly anyone even follows our events..its been more than 5 hours and not a single post is there about it. There is a reason our sports are on the downfall and that is simply the fact that noone gives a damn. Hopefully Arshad or Talha can spring a surprise and win a medal as that would hopefully turn peoples attention to sports a little.

 

[OMB]

Tokyo Olympics 2020 Live Updates Day 1:


Mirabai Chanu opened India’s medal tally at the Tokyo Olympics Saturday, clinching a silver medal in the women’s 49kg weightlifting category. The 26-year-old lifted a total of 202kg (87kg+115kg), becoming the second weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari (2000 Sydney Olympics) to win a medal at the Games. The gold was won by China’s Hou Zhihui with an effort of 210kg and the bronze by Indonesia’s Aisah Windy Cantika with an effort of 194kg.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am really happy on winning silver medal in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> for my country ���� <a href="https://t.co/gPtdhpA28z">pic.twitter.com/gPtdhpA28z</a></p>— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) <a href="https://twitter.com/mirabai_chanu/status/1418856186980470794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

After topping the qualification rounds, Saurabh Chaudhary finished seventh in the 10m air pistol final.

In archery, the pair of Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav progressed to the quarters in the mixed team event but bowed out to South Korea.
The men’s hockey team beat New Zealand 3-2 in their first group match to make a triumphant start to their campaign.
In badminton, B Sai Praneeth lost his men’s singles opener but Satwiksairaj Reddy and Chirag Shetty pulled off an upset by beating Chinese Taipei’s Yang Lee/Chi-Lin Wang 21-16, 16-21, 27-25 in their men’s doubles opener.
On the other hand, Sumit Nagal became the first Indian to win a tennis singles match since Leander Paes in 1996 Atlanta Games. Elavenil Valarivan and Apurvi Chandela failed to progress to the 10m air rifle final.
Table tennis players Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra lost to third seeds from Chinese Taipei, Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching, in the mixed doubles round. But both table tennis women’s singles players, Manika Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee, registered first round wins.
The rowing pair of Arvind Singh and Arjun Lal Jat qualified for the repechage round after finishing fifth in the men’s lightweight double sculls heat.
Indian judoka Sushila Devi’s challenge came to an early end as she lost her contest to Hungarian Eva Csernoviczki.

https://indianexpress.com/article/olympics/tokyo-olympics-2020-day-2-live-updates-7419499/

 

[OMB]

Next up for India

Welterweight boxer Vikas Krishan will be in action against Quincy Mensah Okazawa of Japan in a R32 bout.

 

[Babbar]

Next up for India

Welterweight boxer Vikas Krishan will be in action against Quincy Mensah Okazawa of Japan in a R32 bout.

Vikas lost from a local favourite in R32. He has not been doing well at intl level for the last few years. Unfortunately, no one better than him has come up in his weight category!!

 

[OMB]

Vikas lost from a local favourite in R32. He has not been doing well at intl level for the last few years. Unfortunately, no one better than him has come up in his weight category!!

lost horribly. was bleeding from an upper eye cut.
Hope India does well in other weight category. As usual we will be relying again on Mary Kom

 

[MenInG]

Team GB's hopes of a cycling medal on the first day of the Tokyo Olympics came to an early end after Geraint Thomas pulled out of the men's road race following a crash.

Thomas and teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart fell around 70km (43 miles) into the 234km (145 mile) event which finished at the Fuji International Speedway on Saturday.

Thomas, the 2018 Tour de France winner who crashed in a similar way in last month's competition, managed to get back on the bike with a bloodied arm and shoulder.

But he pulled into the pits and retired with 60km (37 miles) to go before Ecuador's Richard Carapaz took his country's second ever gold.

 

[MenInG]

Latest medal count

 

[Babbar]

Indian women hockey team playing against world #1 Netherlands. 1-1 at half time. Can a miracle happen! Even a draw will be great.

 

[MenInG]

An San and teenager Kim Je Deok paired up to lead South Korea to a gold medal in the Olympic debut of archery’s mixed team event at the Tokyo Games.

On a sizzling Saturday at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field, they held off Gabriela Schloesser and Steve Wijler of the Netherlands by a tally of 5-3 to bring home yet another archery gold for South Korea. The country has now captured 14 of 17 gold medals in archery team competitions since the current format was introduced to the Olympics in 1988.

What’s more, it was the 24th Olympic gold medal for South Korea’s archery program, matching short track speed skating for most by the country in a particular sport.

Alejandra Valencia and Luis Alvarez combined for Mexico and knocked off Yasemin Anagoz and Mete Gazoz of Turkey to earn the bronze medal.

___

CYCLING

MEN’S ROAD RACE

Ecuador won its first cycling medal as Richard Carapaz took gold in the Olympic road race.

Embracing his nickname of “The Locomotive,” Carapaz rode away from American breakaway buddy Brandon McNulty as they approached the finish at Fuji International Speedway.

He slapped his handlebars in celebration as he crossed the line, where he was greeted by one of the few crowds allowed at the Olympics.

The chasing group rounded the corner in sight of him at the finish line, then played a game of cat-and-mouse for the other two medals. Belgian star Wout van Aert wound up edging Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia in a photo finish.

___

FENCING

WOMEN’S EPEE INDIVIDUAL

Sun Yiwen of China defeated five-time Olympian Ana Maria Popescu of Romania 11-10 in overtime to win gold in the women’s épée fencing competition.

Popescu tied the score at 10 with 3 seconds remaining to go to overtime, but Sun soon scored the winning point in the deciding period.

Sun completed her set of Olympic medals after winning individual bronze and team silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. Popescu has yet to win an individual gold medal at any of her five Olympic appearances despite often being among the favorites. She won team gold in 2016.

Katrina Lehis of Estonia took the bronze by beating Russian fencer Aizanat Murtazaeva 15-8.

___

JUDO

WOMEN’S 48-KILOGRAM

Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo beat Funa Tonaki in the women’s 48-kilogram Olympic judo final, depriving host Japan of its first gold medal in its home Olympics and winning Kosovo’s second-ever Olympic medal.

Krasniqi won on a throw with 20 seconds left, scoring a waza-ari and claiming a title that moved her to tears moments later.

Although Krasniqi was the top seed, she was severely challenged by the 4-foot-10 Tonaki, who beat a series of difficult opponents to reach the final.

Tonaki fell agonizingly short of claiming a gold medal in Japan’s beloved, homegrown martial art. Her success would have provided a much-needed jolt of positivity for a nation still feeling profoundly ambivalent about these Olympics and discouraged by the scandals and coronavirus setbacks surrounding them.

___

MEN’S 60-KILOGRAM

Naohisa Takato has won Japan’s first gold medal at its home Olympics, beating Taiwan’s Yang Yung-wei in the men’s 60-kilogram judo final.

Takato won his final three bouts in sudden-death golden score, but took the final a bit anticlimactically after Yang committed too many fouls.

The charismatic Takato’s success in Japan’s homegrown sport could provide a much-needed jolt of excitement for a nation still feeling profoundly ambivalent about these Olympics and discouraged by the scandals and coronavirus setbacks surrounding them.

___

SHOOTING

WOMEN’S 10-METER AIR RIFLE

China’s Yang Qian won the first gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics in women’s 10-meter air rifle.

Yang overtook Anastasiia Galashina when the Russian missed the center two rings for an 8.9 on her final shot.

Yang had a 9.8 on her final shot and finished with an Olympic record 251.8. Galashina finished at 251.1.

Switzerland’s Nina Christen took bronze.


MEN’S 10-METER AIR PISTOL

Javad Foroughi has become the oldest Iranian athlete to win an Olympic medal, earning gold in men’s 10-meter air pistol.

Foroughi set an Olympic record with 244.8 points, finishing 6.9 ahead of silver medalist Damir Mikec of Serbia. China’s Pang Wei, the 2008 gold medalist, took bronze.

The 41-year-old Foroughi surpasses Iranian weightlifter Mahmoud Namdjou, who was 38 when he took bronze at the 1956 Melbourne Games.

Foroughi, ranked fourth in the world, qualified fifth and immediately jumped to the lead in the finals with a series of shots in the 10-ring. He led Mikec by 4.2 points entering the final two shots and celebrated by waving his towel before kneeling on it to pray.

___

WEIGHTLIFTING

WOMEN’S 49-KILOGRAM

Hou Zhihui won China’s second gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics with a commanding showing in the women’s 49-kilogram weightlifting category.

Hou lifted a total 210kg, 3kg short of her world record, to take gold ahead of Indian lifter Chanu Saikhom Mirabai on 202. It was India’s first Olympic silver in weightlifting.

Indonesia took bronze as Windy Cantika Aisah lifted a total of 194kg.

Jourdan Delacruz of the United States was third after the snatch portion of the contest but failed on all three or her lifts in the clean and jerk.

https://apnews.com/article/2020-tok...-team-europe-45ec715c2cf116a9b8790bf0a2c75fc8

 

[Local.Dada]

Indian women making us proud yet again in the Olympics . So happy for Mirabai

 

[street cricketer]

Latest medal count

View attachment 110668

The only time India is going to be in the top 10 of this year's Olympic medal tally. Let's enjoy it while it lasts

 

[Local.Dada]

The only time India is going to be in the top 10 of this year's Olympic medal tally. Let's enjoy it while it lasts

You must be fun at parties. Do you realize the effort for an Indian woman to go through all hurdles and win a medal at an Olympic level. No one is delusional that India will win a 100 medals. It’s a big deal for us and let’s celebrate and hope at least a few more bring us laurels.

 

[MP2011]

Well done Meerabai Chanu. Great work.

First wish she had post her win was to eat pizza. Lol.

 

[Local.Dada]

Well done Meerabai Chanu. Great work.

First wish she had post her win was to eat pizza. Lol.

I have seen a lot of athletes say that after their competition ends. Can you imagine how much sacrifice one has to make to get to that elite level.

On the other hand we have cricketers indulging in cake every week for someone’s birthday or the other.

 

[MP2011]

I have seen a lot of athletes say that after their competition ends. Can you imagine how much sacrifice one has to make to get to that elite level.

On the other hand we have cricketers indulging in cake every week for someone’s birthday or the other.

That's correct. I read somewhere how Sindhu was saying before she left for Tokyo Olympics that she'll have an ice cream once she is done with Olympics!

 

[MP2011]

Compared to these athletes, our cricketers are definitely an entitled lot except for may be Kohli as he lets everyone know his diet. Apart from him, not sure. Certainly not Rohit. He certainly loves his vada pao and Pani puri!

 

[Firebat]

Updated medals table:

 

[King_Kohli]

The only time India is going to be in the top 10 of this year's Olympic medal tally. Let's enjoy it while it lasts

What's there to laugh?

 

[Firebat]

Talha Talib is representing Pakistan in weightlifting 67kg weight category in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Last time Pakistan participated in Weightlifting competition in 1976.

He is a National Champion and National Record Holder since 2017.

 

[Firebat]

Pakistani shooter Gulfam Joseph missed qualification to the next round by finishing at ninth in men’s 10m AirPistol Qualifications with 578 points.

 

[street cricketer]

You must be fun at parties. Do you realize the effort for an Indian woman to go through all hurdles and win a medal at an Olympic level. No one is delusional that India will win a 100 medals. It’s a big deal for us and let’s celebrate and hope at least a few more bring us laurels.

What's there to laugh?

When did I belittle the achievements of our women athletes?

I just said it feels great to be in the top 10 of the Olympic table for once and let's savour the moment before it ends.

 

[guna]

Yeah. Just because we are not good at it?

Spending billions to find out who is the fastest runner or fastest swimmer or who can do best acrobatics etc is a total waste of money. These skills would have been appreciated a few centuries ago or back when these games started. Fastest sprinters or long distance runners and swimmers would make good hunters and were valuable to society. It would be a matter of life and death for many. Those skills are useless now.

It’s all about brain power now. Our physical skills are pretty useless other than for recreational purposes and good physical shape.

 

[MenInG]

Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev have called for Olympic organisers to change the tennis schedule because of the sweltering conditions players said were the "toughest" they had experienced.

World number one Djokovic, who launched his bid for gold with a quick first-round win, said matches should be pushed back to later in the day.

"I don't understand why they don't start matches at, say, 3pm," he said.

"We still have seven hours to play. They have lights on all the courts."

The Serb, who beat Bolivia's Hugo Dellien 6-2 6-2 in his opening match, said the conditions meant that players were "constantly dehydrated".

"You feel you have weights on your shoulders because there's so much heat and humidity and stagnated air," the 34-year-old said.

"You don't feel yourself, you feel slow with your legs. It's not the first time we get to experience tough conditions. I spoke to a couple of guys in the locker room and all of them said this is the toughest that they have experienced day to day.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Pakistani shooter Gulfam Joseph missed qualification to the next round by finishing at ninth in men’s 10m AirPistol Qualifications with 578 points.

He was brilliant, great comeback towards the end where he jumped from 20s to top 10. Unlucky to miss out on qualification to the final, he and another shooter were tied but tie-breaks were based on who hit more 10s and the Pakistani was eliminated. Painful way to go out, could have been a historic moment for Pak sports. I think no Pakistani individual sportsman has come this close to an Olympic final berth in more than 2 decades if not longer, this lad deserves a hero's welcome in Karachi or Lahore wherever he is from.

Very young shooter, just 21 and for many others it was 3rd or 4th appearance at the Olympics. Realistically he is a strong medal contender for Paris, just 3 years from now and may participate in 3 or 4 more Olympics. Will he get the support back home to make him a champion?

 

[Swashbuckler]

Missed his last shot or would have qualified..amazing story and hopefully a great prospect for the future. Unfortunately hardly anyone even follows our events..its been more than 5 hours and not a single post is there about it. There is a reason our sports are on the downfall and that is simply the fact that noone gives a damn. Hopefully Arshad or Talha can spring a surprise and win a medal as that would hopefully turn peoples attention to sports a little.

Really surprised to see lack of response from Pakistanis as well as twitter. In fact more Indians are discussing about Gulfam Joseph compared to Pakistanis. Pity that such an amazing performance is going unnoticed, even PM Imran Khan could have sent in a tweet praising him, since he is from sports background himself.

People cheer for cricket all the time, nothing wrong. But Olympic is Olympics, scale of participation and competition is so much bigger. And athletes from Pakistan come up with almost zero support, no system, no money or great coaching.

 

[SangasCoverDrive]

I dont know why Pakistan is so bad at Olympics, even war ridden countries like Afghanistan have won medals in the last few games but Pakistan can't

 

[dildilpak]

Spending billions to find out who is the fastest runner or fastest swimmer or who can do best acrobatics etc is a total waste of money. These skills would have been appreciated a few centuries ago or back when these games started. Fastest sprinters or long distance runners and swimmers would make good hunters and were valuable to society. It would be a matter of life and death for many. Those skills are useless now.

It’s all about brain power now. Our physical skills are pretty useless other than for recreational purposes and good physical shape.

I agree with this, who cares about these sports & these skills apart from the players themselves? No ordinary person on the street will care if a country wins x amount of medals or not. The whole concept of Olympics itself is outdated & irrelevant in the modern world.

 

[MenInG]

Britain's two-time defending champion Andy Murray has withdrawn from the men's singles at the Tokyo Olympics with a minor thigh strain.

The Scot, who won his opening men's double match with Joe Salisbury on Saturday, had been due to face Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime on day two.

The 34-year-old will still compete in the doubles but was advised not to compete in both events in Japan.

He has been replaced in the singles draw by Australian Max Purcell.

"I am really disappointed at having to withdraw but the medical staff have advised me against playing in both events," a statement from Murray read.

"I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the singles and focus on playing doubles with Joe."

BBC

 

[MenInG]

LAHORE: Pakistan’s campaign at the Tokyo Olympics was off to an ordinary start on Saturday as shooter Gulfam Joseph failed to qualify in the 10M Air Pistol competition while invitational place entrant Mahoor Shahzad was beaten by world number four Yamaguchi Akane of Japan in her opening match of the badminton event.

Gulfam finished ninth in 10M Air Pistol Olympic Qualification. As per rules, the first eight shooters were to enter the finals but Joseph was unlucky on the day as he was tied with No. 7 and No. 8 with the same score of 578/600 and was edged out.

Mahoor, a prolific player and a former national champion, lost to Akane 21-3, 21-8. Mahoor’s next match is against Kirsty Gilmour of Great Britain on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, another Invitational Place entrant from Pakistan, weightlifter Talha Talib, will be appearing in the 67kgs contest on Sunday.