The latest on the Tokyo Olympics. They are now under severe restrictions following a year-long delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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After a long wait, the U.S. men’s volleyball team defeated France quickly in the Olympic opener.
Although the U.S. did not take to the court until 11:15 p.m., they set the tone early with five of the match’s first points. As they look to improve on their bronze medal performance of 2016, the Americans won the match 25-18-25-18, 25-18 and 25-22.
Other winners of the first day’s men’s competition included the defending champion Brazil and the Russians as well as Japan, Iran, Russia, Japan, and the Russians.
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Phil Dalhausser, a beach volleyball player, has had a difficult start to the Tokyo Games.
The four-time Olympian, 2008 gold medalist, is currently in modified quarantine. He is close to Taylor Crabb (the U.S. beach volleyball player) who tested positive for COVID-19. Dalhausser was seated next to Crabb during a flight from Los Angeles, California to San Francisco, before heading to Japan.
Dalhausser and his teammate Nick Lucena only practiced together twice between the time they arrived to Tokyo and their first match on Saturday.
American bronze medalists Robert Meeuwsen of the Netherlands and Alexander Brouwer of the Netherlands lost to them. At Shiokaze Park, the Dutch won 21-17 and 21-18.
Xia Xinyi and Wang Fan of China defeated Heather Bansley and Brandie Wikerson of Canada 18-21 and 21-15, respectively, and 15-11 earlier.
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One of the medal favorites lost its initial match of pool play at the Olympic men’s volleyball tournament.
Poland was one of the top men’s contenders in the bracket headed by Wilfredo León, but lost in the first match to Iran in five set. After reaching the quarterfinals in 2016, the Iranians made their Olympic debut and are now a major winner to begin this year’s tournament.
Poland’s hopes of winning a medal are not affected by the loss. Four of the six Pool A teams were able to reach the quarterfinals. Two of the men’s gold medalists in men’s tennis struggled in pool play, with Brazil needing to win its last match in 2016 in order to progress to the knockout round. Russia finished third in 2012.
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MEDAL ALERT
Panipak Wongpattanakit from Thailand and Vito Del’Aquila from Italy won the Olympic taekwondo gold medals in Tokyo.
Wongpattanakit took home her first gold medal in the women’s 49-kilogram final. She scored two points with a body kick in the final 10 seconds, for an 11-10 win over Adriana Cerezo from Spain. Wongpattanakit is only the tenth gold medal in Thailand’s Olympic history.
To win his first Olympic medal, Dell’Aquila beat Tunisian Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi 16-12 in the men’s final of the 58-kilogram weight class. Another thriller was the final, which was tied at 10-10 with just 15 seconds remaining before Dell’Aquila won in a frenzy of scoring strikes.
Chinese veteran Wu Jingyu failed to make it to the quarterfinals in his bid to become the first-ever three-time Olympic taekwondo champ. He was defeated by Cerezo, 33-2.
The four-day Taekwondo tournament continues Sunday with British star Jade Jones trying to succeed where Wu failed, winning her third consecutive gold medal.
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MEDAL ALERT
After beating Luigi Samele 15-7, Aron Szilagyi from Hungary became the first Olympic fencer who has won three individual sabre medals.
Szilagyi made use of his quick reflexes to quickly build a 7-1 lead. He held off an Italian opponent’s brief comeback before clinching the victory.
Szilagyi won the gold medal at both the 2012 London Games as well as the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. In 2008, he lost in the third round of the Olympic individual tournament.
After a stunning win in the semifinals, Samele made it to the final. He won the semifinals with a remarkable win of 12-6 to defeat Kim Junghwan from South Korea 15-12.
Kim won bronze with a win of 15-11 over Sandro Baazadze from Georgia.
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MEDAL ALERT
Sun Yiwen, from China, has defeated Ana Maria Popescu, five-time Olympian of Romania 11-10 in overtime to win the gold medal in women’s epee fencing.
Popescu tied the score at 10-10, with just three seconds to spare before overtime began. However, Sun quickly scored the winning goal in the final period.
After winning team silver and individual bronze at the Rio de Janeiro Games 2016, Sun finished her set of Olympic medals. Popescu has not won an individual gold medal in any of her five Olympic appearances, despite being among the favorites. In 2016, she won team gold.
Estonian Katrina Lehis won the bronze medal by defeating Russian fencer Aizanat Muzazaeva 15-8. Lehis trailed 4-3 in the second half, but she won the next five points and took a lead that she never lost.
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The U.S. swimming team cheered from the stands and chanted for Jill Biden, the first lady of the United States. She sat across to the pool and waved at swimmers as they began.
The 15,000-seat Tokyo Aquatics Centre was empty on Saturday so the masked teams could spread out in socially distant seats. While the U.S. contingent held tiny American flags as they pounded the red-white and blue Thunderstix with their hammers, the Germans spread their huge flag across two rows of seats.
The Americans sang “Dr. Biden, Dr. Biden” was chanted by the Americans as they clapped.
The usual electricity that runs through the Olympic pool wasn’t present. During the race, the swimmers’ names were shouted by the teams. The sound of water splashing and music was heard clearly.
Biden sat down earlier in the day to watch a 3-on-3 basketball match with French President Emmanuel Macron. He also hosted a softball party at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence.
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Naohisa Takato, a Japanese Olympic gold medalist, has defeated Yang Yung-wei in a final of 60-kilogram judo.
Just over an hour after Japan’s Funa Toki beat Japan’s Distria Krasniqi in the women’s 48-kilogram final, Takato ensured that his team didn’t suffer double heartbreak in the first day of competition in their beloved martial art.
Takato won the sudden-death gold score final three rounds, but Yang’s fouls made it difficult for him to win them all.
The success of Takato, the charismatic athlete, and Tonaki’s heartbreaking loss in the last minute could give a boost to a nation that is still deeply ambivalent about the Olympics and discouraged at the scandals and coronavirus setbacks.
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Distria Krasniqi from Kosovo defeated Funa Tonaki at the women’s 48-kilogram Olympic Judo final. Japan was denied its first gold medal at its own Olympics, and Kosovo won its second Olympic medal.
Krasniqi won a throw with just 20 seconds remaining, scoring a waza-ari and taking home a title that brought her to tears.
Krasniqi was the top-seed, but she was severely beaten by Tonaki, a 4-foot-10 woman who defeated a number of tough opponents to reach the final.
Tonaki was unable to win a gold medal in Japan’s popular, domestic martial art. For a nation still deeply ambivalent about the Olympics, and discouraged by the coronavirus and scandals surrounding them, her success would have been a welcome boost of optimism.
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MEDAL ALERT
Distria Krasniqi from Kosovo defeated Funa Tonaki at the women’s 48-kilogram Olympic Judo final. Japan was denied its first gold medal in their home Olympics, and Kosovo won its second Olympic medal.
Krasniqi won a throw with just 20 seconds remaining, scoring a waza-ari and taking home a title that brought her to tears.
Krasniqi was the top-seed, but she was greatly challenged by Tonaki, a 4-foot-10 woman who defeated a number of tough opponents to reach the final.
Tonaki was unable to win a gold medal in Japan’s popular, domestic martial art. For a nation still deeply ambivalent about the Olympics, and discouraged by the coronavirus and scandals surrounding them, her success would have been a welcome boost of optimism.
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The French President Emmanuel Macron was accompanied by Jill Biden, the first lady of the United States. They attended a 3-on-3 Olympic basketball match in Tokyo.
As the French women’s soccer team was playing the U.S., the two sat next to one another. The U.S. won 17-10.
This Olympics marks the debut of 3-on-3 Olympic basketball.
Macron and Biden were both present at the Games’ opening ceremony on Friday night.
Biden was invited to a watch party at U.S. Ambassador’s Residence for staff members to view the U.S. vs. Mexico softball game. The U.S. won by 2-0.
She expressed excitement about the game and apologized for being unable to offer food or drinks due to COVID protocols. She thanked the families of foreign service personnel for their service.
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Maxim Agapitov, a Russian weightlifting champion, has defeated the IOC in court to regain his right to the Tokyo Olympics despite having been banned from doping 27 years ago.
According to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Agapitov appealed to regain his games certification. This was taken away by the International Olympic Committee this month.
Agapitov was to “not have any personal history connected to any anti-doping violation,” in order to remain at the Olympics as International Weightlifting Federation.
CAS claims that its three-judge panel ruled it “clearly disproportionate” to punish anyone for a violation at any stage of their athletic career.
Agapitov was a doping victim in 1994 before he became the world champion. He is now the president of the Russian weightlifting Federation and an executive member of the troubled IWF.
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The International Surfing Association confirmed that Carlos Munoz will be surfing for Costa Rica when the sport makes its Olympic debut.
Frederico Morais, Portugal’s president, announced Friday that he was positive for COVID-19. He would not travel to Japan while quarantined at home.
Munoz’s confirmation comes at a very crucial moment, as the association had previously set Saturday afternoon Tokyo time as the deadline to approve alternates.
The world tournament rankings determine who surfers are, but each country can only have one surfer per gender.
Italian Angelo Bonomelli was the first alternative for Morais’ spot. The association didn’t say why, but it did confirm that Bonomelli will not participate. Munoz was the next male surfer who was eligible.
Sunday, Tsurigasaki beach will host the eight-day shortboard surfing competition.
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As the Olympics begin, Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s Prime Minister, and Emmanuel Macron, France’s President, met in Tokyo.
According to a joint statement by the Japanese foreign ministry, they welcomed the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics “a powerful symbol for global unity” in victory over COVID-19.
Macron represented France at the opening ceremony for the delayed Olympics because of the pandemic.
They have also agreed to share their experiences with Japan for the 2024 Games, which will take place in Paris.
Japan is struggling to balance preparations for the Olympics and virus prevention, amid increasing public concern about the potential health risks associated with the games.
Suga and Macron also agreed that they would cooperate in many areas, including defense, climate change, and the economy.
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MEDAL ALERT
Richard Carapaz, the Olympic road racer from Ecuador, won gold for Ecuador’s first cycling medal.
Carapaz, who adopted his nickname “The Locomotive”, rode away with American breakaway buddy Brandon McNulty at the Fuji International Speedway.
As he crossed the line, he slapped his handlebars to celebrate. He was then greeted by one the few Olympic crowds.
After the finish line was clear, the chasing group made a turn and caught sight of Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia. They then played cat-and mouse for the two remaining medals. Belgian star Wout Van Aert ended up beating Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar from Slovenia in a photo finish.
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MEDAL ALERT
Kim Je Deok, a teenager and An San have teamed up to help South Korea win a gold medal at the Olympic debut of mixed archery team events at the Tokyo Games.
They defeated Steve Wijler and Gabriela Schloesser of the Netherlands 5-3 on a hot Saturday to bring home another archery gold for South Korea. Since 1988, the country has won 14 of 17 gold medals at the Olympics’ archery team competitions.
It was also the 24th Olympic gold Medal for South Korea’s Archery Program, matching the short track speed skating record for the most countries in one sport.
Alejandra Valencia, Luis Alvarez and Mete Gazoz from Turkey combined to win the bronze medal.
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Players at the Olympic Tennis Tournament in Tokyo are experiencing heat and humidity.
The temperature soared to 91 degrees F (33 degrees C) and the heat index made it feel like 100 F (38 C).
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, French Open finalist, said she was not feeling well, but she still beat Sara Errani, Italy, 6-0, 6-1.
Mona Barthel was unable to throw the ball as the scorching sun made it almost impossible to see 10 double-faults.
Daniil Medvedev from second place, who also competes at the Tokyo Games for ROC, described it as “some of the most difficult” heat he had experienced after eliminating Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan.
Medvedev said, “I’m not going lie.” Medvedev stated that you must play. Medvedev said, “That’s the Olympics. You go for the medal. You’re not here to complain about the heat.
Medvedev suggested that organizers shift all matches to the evening in order to avoid the heat during the day.
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Novak Djokovic is still on track for a Golden Slam after a routine win 6-2, 6-1 over Hugo Dellien (139th) in the Tokyo tennis tournament’s opening round.
The highest-ranked Serb hopes to be the first man to win all four major tennis tournaments as well as an Olympic singles gold in the same year.
Steffi Graf was the only tennis player who won the 1988 Golden Slam.
Jan-Lennard Struff, 48th in Germany, will be Djokovic’s next opponent.
Thiago Monteiro, Brazil, was eliminated by Struff 6-3 and 6-4.
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Out of the Tokyo Games, is the youngest player of table tennis in Olympic history.
Hend Zaza, a Syrian player, lost in straight sets against Liu Jia, an Austrian 39-year-old, in Saturday’s preliminary match.
Olympics.com spoke to the 12-year-old, saying she was happy with her performance and had learned from it. She hopes for another chance at Paris’s next Olympics.
Zaza hails from Hama, which was heavily damaged in war.
She is the youngest at the Tokyo Games.
