Tokyo 2020 | Day 6 Updates
Mary Kom slams IOC Boxing Task Force for 'poor judging', says can't believe I've lost
Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom on Thursday slammed the International Olympic Committee's Boxing Task Force for "poor judging" in her flyweight (51kg) pre-quarterfinal at the Tokyo Games which she lost despite winning two of the three rounds.
A look at India's schedule at Tokyo Olympics for July 30
Tears of joy as San Marino becomes smallest Olympic medal-winning nation
Tokyo 2020 served up another slice of history on Thursday when San Marino became the least populated country to win an Olympic medal at the Summer or Winter Games.
Alessandra Perilli clinched bronze in the women’s trap shooting, becoming the first person to win an Olympic medal for the microstate of around 34,000 inhabitants.
San Marino replaced Bermuda as the record holder, two days after Flora Duffy won the island nation’s second medal, but first gold, in the women’s triathlon.
The tiny nation based in northern Italy also became the least populous country to win a medal in the summer or winter games, a record previously held by Liechtenstein, who have won 10 Winter Olympics medals.
Switzerland's Belinda Bencic celebrates after defeating Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina during their Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games women's singles semifinal tennis match at the Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo.
Credit: AFP Photo
Top seed Chen beats Chinese team-mate to win Tokyo table tennis gold
China's Chen Meng defeated compatriot Sun Yingsha to win the women's singles table tennis title at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday, as the country reasserted its supremacy in the sport.
In a battle between the top two seeds and team-mates, Chen lost the first game before prevailing 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9 to grab her first Games gold.
Chen and Sun embraced at the end and then unfurled a large Chinese flag.
China, who have now won 29 of the 34 table tennis golds in the history of the Olympics, will add one more on Friday -- the men's final is another all-Chinese clash between the top two seeds.
USA's Sunisa Lee wins Olympic all-around gold with Biles absent
American teenager Sunisa Lee won the women's gymnastics all-aroundOlympicgold on Thursday, succeeding defending champion Simone Biles who withdrew over concerns for her mental health.
Lee, 18, won ahead of Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, with Russian women's team gold medalist Angelina Melnikova in the bronze medal position.
Solid start by Lahiri in Tokyo as top stars Thomas, Matsuyama trail
Playing in his second Olympics, India's Anirban Lahiri got off to a solid start, carding a 4-under 67 in the first round to be placed tied 8th at the weather-hit Tokyo Games golf competition at the Kasumigaseki Country Club here on Thursday.
The former Asian Tour No. 1 Lahiri had six birdies against two bogeys and shared the 8th spot with Paul Casey (Great Britain) Alex Noren (Sweden) and Sebastian Munoz (Mexico) at the end of the day.
The other Indian in fray, Udayan Mane, who made the field of 60 at a late stage, had a fine start at 2-under after eight holes. But he finished at 5-over 76 and was last on the leader-board.
Play was interrupted in between due to inclement weather when there was a threat of lightning.
Badminton: Malaysian pair knock out Indonesia's beloved 'Minions'
Celebrated men's doubles world leaders Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia lost in the Olympics quarter-finals to a Malaysian pair in about half an hour for the week's second major upset in badminton competition.
Gideon and Sukamuljo - known fondly at home as the "Minions" because of their diminutive stature - lost 21-14 21-17 to world number nine pairing Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.
"I really can't believe we won this today, especially at the Olympics," Soh said. "It was the best game in my life, in my career."
The match comes on the heels of one of the biggest upsets in badminton history on Wednesday, when men's singles world number one Kento Momota's Olympic dreams were crushed by number 38 Heo Kwang-hee of South Korea in the group stage.
Olympics: German cycling sports director sent home after racist remarks
The sporting director of the German cycling federation has been told to return home from the Tokyo Olympics after making racist remarks during Wednesday's men's Olympic road time trial, the German team said on Thursday.
"The team leadership at the Olympic Games in Tokyo has decided that Patrick Moster cannot continue his work as national team leader Cycling and will return to Germany," the team said in a statement.
Moster had made the remarks during the road time trial event as he tried to urge on one of Germany's cyclists.
"Get the camel drivers, get the camel drivers, come on," he was heard shouting at Nikias Arndt, who was chasing opponents Algeria's Azzedine Lagab and Eritrea's Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier.
Swimmer Sajan Prakash recorded 53.45 seconds in 100m butterfly, finishing 46th and thus failing to qualify for the semifinal.
Sajan Prakash records a timing of 53.45 seconds in men's 100m butterfly heats.
Djokovic cruises past Nishikori and into Olympic semis
Novak Djokovic eased into the Tokyo Olympics men's tennis semi-finals on Thursday with a straight-sets thrashing of Japanese hope Kei Nishikori.
The world number one, chasing a calendar Golden Grand Slam, ended home interest in the tennis with a ruthless 6-2, 6-0 victory in only 70 minutes.
Djokovic has never won the Olympic singles title, with a bronze medal in 2008 his best result at the Games, but will face either Alexander Zverev or Jeremy Chardy in the last four.
India's Mary Kom bows out after 2-3 loss to ColombianIngrit Valencia
India's MaryKom in Round of 16 action against Ingrit Lorena Valencia (Colombia) in Women's 51kg.
Swimming: 'Weirdo' Dressel turns lone wolf to focus on gold quest
Newly crowned Olympic champion Caeleb Dressel describes himself as a loner and a "bit of a weirdo" as he blocks out distractions in his quest for a gold-medal haul in Tokyo.
The American set an Olympic record of 47.02 seconds on Thursday to win by a fingertip in the men's 100 metres freestyle, denying Rio champion Australian Kyle Chalmers a second successive title in a thrilling contest in swimming's marquee event.
It was Dressel's first individual Olympic gold and his second in Japan after Monday's U.S. 4x100m freestyle relay win, with 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly and relay golds still within his grasp.
"I don't really talk to many people at these meets, I'm kind of a loner, a little bit of a weirdo," said Dressel, 24.
He is also shunning social media and keeping contact with family back home to a minimum.
Indian sailors continue to languish at bottom in Tokyo Olympics
Indian sailing pair of KC Ganapathy and Varun Thakkar finished a creditable seventh in one of the two races in men's skiff 49er but still languished at 17th position overall at the TokyoOlympicshere on Thursday.
Ganapathy and Thakkar ended at 16th in Race 5 before pulling off a seventh-place finish in the next to occupy 17th place out of 19 competitors with 76 net points.
Six races and medal round still remain in the competition at Enoshima Yacht Harbour. (PTI)
Atanu Das says he expected to be part of mixed team alongside wife Deepika
Indian archer Atanu Das on Thursday expressed his disappointment for being denied the chance to play the mixed team event with his world no 1 wife Deepika Kumari, whom he credited for his stunning win over two-timeOlympicchampion Oh Jin Hyek here.
A week after their mixed team partnership was split up, the duo's bonding was well evident during Das' upset last-32 win over Oh Jin Hyek, who had won the men's team gold here.
Deepika was seen shouting from the gallery to cheer her husband who came from being 2-4 down to win in the shootoff.
The duo thus remains the only Indian archers in medal fray, advancing to their respective pre-quarter finals. (PTI)
Luka Doncic's Slovenia powers past Japan in men's basketball
Slovenia rolled over Japan 116-81 inOlympicmen's basketball on Thursday, overwhelming the heroics of Rui Hachimura for the host nation.
Slovenia improved to 2-0 in the group stage, scoring more than 100 in both games. Luka Doncic, who plays for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, led with 25 points, but he got ample help in scoring from the starting five and the bench.
"That's the thing that separates Luka from other stars. Even in the NBA, he makes the team better," said team mate Luka Rupnik. "We have a lot of talent, and Luka just finds the better solutions."
By contrast, Hachimura was practically alone on the Japan side. The Washington Wizards star had 34 points, up from the 20 he had in Monday's loss against Spain. (Reuters)
Solid start by Lahiri in Tokyo as top stars Thomas, Matsuyama trail
India's Anirban Lahiri playing his secondOlympicsgot off to a solid start with a 4-under 67 in the first round of the Tokyo Games golf competition at the Kasumigaseki Country Club here on Thursday.
The former Asian Tour No. 1 Lahiri had six birdies against two bogeys and was Tied-sixth though many players were yet to finish.
The other Indian, Udayan Mane, who made the field of 60 at a late stage, also had a fair start as he 1-under through 10 holes. He was T-30 though his position will change as the round ends. (PTI)
Alessandra Perilli secures San Marino's first-ever Olympic medal, wins bronze in shooting trap women's final
A look at medals tally on Day 6
Australia track and field athletes isolating in Covid scare: Official
Multiple members of Australia'sOlympictrack and field team were placed in isolation on Thursday after a positive coronavirus case involving US pole vault world champion Sam Kendricks, Athletics Australia said.
"Members of Australia's track and field team at the TokyoOlympicGames are isolating in their rooms as a precautionary measure following news of a Covid-positive finding with a member of the US track and field team," Athletics Australia said.
"Members of the Australian track and field team are now undergoing testing procedures in line with AustralianOlympicteam protocols."
The development came shortly after USOlympicchiefs said Kendricks was out of theOlympicsafter testing positive for Covid-19. (AFP)
Sailing: Vishnu Saravanan finishes 26th in race 7 of the men's laser event
China's 'butterfly queen' Zhang wins 200m butterfly, sets Olympic record
Zhang Yufei wrapped herself in a Chinese flag and beamed with joy after setting anOlympicrecord to win gold in the 200m butterfly at the Tokyo Games on Thursday.
The 23-year-old, who finished runner-up to Canada's Margaret MacNeil in the 100m, touched the wall in 2:03.86, well ahead of USpair Regan Smith and Hali Flickinger, to win China's first swimming gold of the Games.
Waving her arms and cheering after the win, a teary-eyed Zhang soaked up the moment, beaming at her team mates in the stands after exiting the pool as they chanted her name.
(Reuters)
USA swimmer Caeleb Dressel celebrates after winning the men's 100m freestyle event
Two foreign Olympic-related individuals hospitalised after positive Covid-19 test
Two Games-related people from overseas with Covid-19 have been hospitalised but neither case is serious, Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said on Thursday.
Boxing: Sathish Kumar enters 91 kg event quarterfinals
Indian boxer Satish Kumar (+91kg) enters quarterfinals ofOlympicGames, defeating Ricardo Brown of Jamaica 4-1. (PTI)
Shooting: Manu Bhaker finishes 5th in 25m women's pistol qualification event
Atanu Das is through to the pre-quarterfinals! The Indian archer defeated Korea's Jinhyek Oh 6-5
Three athletes among 24 new Covid-19 cases at Tokyo Olympics
TokyoOlympicsorganisers on Thursday reported 24 new Games-related Covid-19 cases, including three athletes.
The latest daily cases have brought the total Games-linked number since July 1 to 193. (Reuters)
Late surges bring gold for US and Australia in swimming
With two astonishing late surges, American Bobby Finke won the men's 800m freestyle and Australia's Izaac Stubblety-Cook took the men's 200m breaststroke at the Tokyo Games on Thursday.
Finke pulled off a major upset by winning gold ahead of Italian world champion Gregorio Paltrinieri, who led all the way until the 750m turn when German Florian Wellbrock moved in front for the last length.
In the 200m breaststroke, Arno Kamminga of the Netherlands led at the 150m turn and was inside world record time as he fought with Finland's Matti Mattsson.
Stubbletly-Cook was third on the last turn, 1.2 seconds adrift of the lead, but then delivered an astonishing final lap to secure the country's fifth gold medal in the pool so far and the first for their men. (Reuters)
Archer Atanu Das defeats Chinese Taipei's Deng Yu-Cheng 6-4, advances to last 16 in men's individual event
Indian men's hockey team defeat Argentina 3-1, book quarterfinal berth
Superb Sindhu enters quarterfinals at Tokyo Olympics
Reigning world champion P VSindhusailed into the women's singles quarterfinals after beating Denmark's Mia Blichfeldt in straight games at the Tokyo Olympics badminton competition here on Thursday.
The 26-year-old Indian, who won a silver in the 2016 Rio Olympics, notched up a 21-15 21-13 win over 13th seed Blichfeldt in a 41-minute match.
Sindhuwill next face the winner of the match between Akane Yamaguchi of Japan and Korea's Kim Gaeun. (PTI)
P V Sindhu wins first game of Women's Singles badminton 21-15
Rahi Sarnobat scores 287 in Women’s 25m Pistol Qualification Precision Stage
Rowing: New Zealand win Olympic gold in the women's pair at Tokyo's Sea Forest Waterway
Rowing: Croatia win Olympic gold in the men's pair at Tokyo's Sea Forest Waterway
Rowing duo of Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh finished 5th in the Lightweight Double sculls Final B and 11th overall with a time of 6:29.66
Anirban Lahiri begins his Tokyo 2020 journey as he teeds off with +1 in Round 1
Caeleb Dressel targets second swimming Olympic gold
American swimmer Caeleb Dressel seeks a second gold medal at the Tokyo Games on Thursday as he pursues his quest for Olympic greatness while the absence of Simone Biles will be keenly felt in the women's all-around gymnastics event.
Venezuelan Paralympic athletes dream of winning medals in Tokyo
Jose Gregorio Montilla began swimming when he was seven years old to help him recover from operations to treat a joint condition called arthrogryposis.
Now, the 20-year-old Venezuelan journalism student hopes to bring home a medal in the 50-meter breaststroke at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, which begin on Aug. 24.
How Olympic tracking systems capture athletic performances
This year’s Olympic Games may be closed to most spectators because of Covid-19, but the eyes of the world are still on the athletes thanks to dozens of cameras recording every leap, dive and flip. Among all that broadcasting equipment, track-and-field competitors might notice five extra cameras—the first step in a detailed 3-D tracking system that supplies spectators with near-instantaneous insights into each step of a race or handoff of a baton.
Brothers face off against each other at Tokyo Games
Playing against his younger brother at the Olympic hockey tournament is not something New Zealand goalkeeper Leon Hayward had thought would ever happen.