Tag: Olympics

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ROGER FEDERER OUT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER FURTHER KNEE SURGERY

Roger Federer has revealed he faces “many months” out of the game as he prepares to undergo further knee surgery.

The 40-year-old, who missed the Tokyo Olympics with a knee injury after losing in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, said he had opted for another operation to give himself “a glimmer of hope” of returning to competition.

“I’ll be on crutches for many weeks and also out of the game for many months,” he said in a video on Instagram on Sunday evening.

Federer, who will miss the upcoming US Open, said: “I just wanted to give you a bit of an update about what’s been going on since Wimbledon, as you can imagine it’s not been simple.

“I’ve been doing a lot of checks with the doctors as well on my knee, getting all the information as I hurt myself further during the grass court season in Wimbledon and it’s just not the way to go forward.

“Unfortunately for the medium to long term to feel better I will need surgery so I decided to do it.”

The former world number one, who has won a joint record 20 grand slam titles with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, admitted he did not know whether he would be able to return to top-level tennis, only that his desire to come back to the tour remained.

He added: “It’s going to be difficult of course in some ways, but at the same time I know it’s the right thing to do because I want to be healthy, I want to be running around later as well again and I want to give myself a glimmer of hope to return to the tour in some shape or form.

“I am realistic. Don’t get me wrong, I know how difficult it is at this age to do another surgery and try it. I want to be healthy, I will go through the rehab process I think also with a goal, while I’m still active, which I think is going to help me during this long period of time.

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BRITISH OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST SUSPENDED FOR ALLEGED ANTI-DOPING BREACH

Great Britain sprinter CJ Ujah, part of the men’s 4x100m team who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit for an alleged anti-doping breach.

Ujah (27) was part of the British quartet alongside Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake who were beaten on the finish line by Italy.

The AIU announced on Thursday that following the conclusion of the Games, the doping control laboratory in Tokyo also notified the International Testing Agency of an additional ‘adverse analytical finding’ from testing during the Olympics.

Ujah was found to have presence/use of a prohibited substances ostarine and S-23, which are selective androgen receptor modulators (SARM) and help with building muscle.

If the case against Ujah is proven, he could face losing his relay silver medal along with the rest of the British team.

As well as the British athlete, Bahrain’s 1500m runner Sadik Mikhou, Georgian shot-putter Benik Abramyan and Kenya sprinter Mark Otieno Odhiambo have also been provisionally suspended following adverse tests, the AIU confirmed.

A statement from the AIU read: “The AIU now awaits the conclusion of the ITA proceedings against the above athletes, which will determine whether any anti-doping rule violations have been committed and what consequences (if any) should be imposed in relation to the Olympic Games.

“Any consequences beyond the Olympic Games to be imposed upon the athletes under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules will be determined following the conclusion of the ITA proceedings.”

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LION KING INSPIRES HUMBLE HARRINGTON TO IRISH BOXING GOLD

Humility and quotes from the movie The Lion King are not qualities normally associated with boxers, but they carried Ireland’s Kellie Harrington to Olympic gold in the women’s lightweight division on the final day of the Games.

As Harrington carried the Irish flag into the stadium at opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games, she stopped her team to bow to the Japanese people to show their gratitude for the Games taking place.

She swapped bowing for a serene mantra as she made it through to the gold medal bout taken from the Disney movie The Lion King – “hakuna matata”, which means “there are no worries” in Swahili.

It’s par for the course for the 31-year-old, whose technical displays saw her crown her amateur career in the best way possible by beating Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira on points to claim the gold.

“We’re Irish. We’re a country of people who just love to give, and that’s just what we showed on that day. I’m so thankful that the Olympics was able to go ahead, and I just wanted to thank the people of Japan for allowing this to happen,” she told reporters of the Irish bow.

“I just felt we wanted to say ‘thank you’, and that’s what we did as a team, we bowed because I know that bowing is a mark of respect in Japan.”

Harrington gave credit to her opponents, especially those who won medals in her class.

“It’s just an amazing feeling, to be getting in there and knowing that two of the best are putting it all on the line, I just think for anyone who steps through the ropes, we’re already champions,” she said.

“I said it before I was standing on that podium today, and the four of us are cream. We rose to the top.”

Asked what her colleagues and the patients at St Vincents Hospital in Dublin where she works would have to say about her gold medal, Harrington’s smile broadened.

“Hakuna matata!” she beamed.

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TOKYO PASSES BATON TO PARIS AS PANDEMIC OLYMPICS COME TO A CLOSE

Tokyo doused its Olympic flame on Sunday in a ceremony that echoed the restraint of a Games held without spectators and transformed by the global pandemic, dazzling sport and deeply person turmoil.

After postponing the Tokyo 2020 Games for a year, organisers said the event would serve as a symbol of world triumph over the pandemic. But with strict pandemic countermeasures and as Covid-19 variants have surged back around the world, the Olympics fell short of the triumph and financial windfall Japan had wanted.

The ceremony, although lustreless, gave athletes something of a glimpse of everyday Tokyo life as the Olympic Stadium was transformed into a park with grass, buskers and BMX riders.

The scene was meant so the visitors could “experience Tokyo”, organisers said, a poignant reminder of the many restrictions of the Games.

It was a duly odd ending to an unprecedented event. Japan is now saddled with a $15 billion (€12.8 billion) bill, double what it initially expected, and with no tourist boom.

The president of the International Olympic Committee thanked the Japanese people and acknowledged the difficulty of staging the Games during the pandemic.

“For the first time since the pandemic began, the entire world came together,” Thomas Bach said. “Nobody has ever organised a postponed Games before.”

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TOKYO OLYMPICS: BAHAMAS’ MILLER-UIBO WINS WOMEN’S 400M FINAL

Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas won the women’s 400 metres in 48.36 seconds on Friday, retaining her Olympic title, as American Allyson Felix took bronze, her record 10th Olympic medal.

Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic took silver.

Miller-Uibo wrested control of the lead on the second bend and delivered her trademark final surge to become the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic titles in the event since France’s Marie-Jose Perec in 1996.

She finished more than eight tenths of a second faster than Paulino, her place on top of podium seemingly never in doubt.

It was the fastest performance of the season in the event, after Miller-Uibo set the previous season’s best 49.08 in Eugene, Oregon, in April.

Felix’s bronze made her the most decorated woman in Olympic track and field history, edging ahead of Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey.

She also equalled compatriot Carl Lewis’s Olympic medal count and is widely expected to contend in Saturday’s 4x400m relay final for one more shot at the podium in her fifth and final Games.

Already one of the sport’s greats, Friday’s performance capped a remarkable saga for the 35-year-old, after she gave birth to daughter, Camryn, via an emergency C-section in 2018.

It was another speedy event at the Olympic Stadium, where records have fallen in a dazzling athletics programme, as Paulino set a national best to finish second.

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CANADA WIN WOMEN’S OLYMPIC FOOTBALL GOLD AFTER DRAMATIC PENALTY SHOOT OUT AGAINST SWEDEN

Canada have won gold in the women’s Olympic soccer tournament after a 3-2 sudden death penalty shootout win against Sweden, following a 1-1 draw at the end of extra-time.

Stina Blackstenius put Sweden ahead in the first half before Jessie Fleming equalized with her second penalty of the tournament.

Sweden started the stronger of the two sides, controlling the ball and peppering the Canadian goal with shots.

Some lovely link-up play between Kosovare Asllani and Blackstenius saw Peter Gerhardsson’s side break the deadlock on 34 minutes.

The European team went into the break looking confident but Canada came out in the second half with renewed energy.

Their tenacity was rewarded on 64 minutes when Amanda Ilestedt brought Christine Sinclair down in the penalty area.

Initially the referee waved away the challenge but after a lengthy VAR review she awarded the spot-kick.

Fleming, who had scored a penalty against the United States women’s national team in the semifinal, was handed the ball by Sinclair and sent Hedvig Lindahl in the wrong direction to bring the sides equal.

With the match ending 1-1 after 90 minutes, the game went to extra-time and then penalties.

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OLYMPICS 2020: MEXICO BEAT JAPAN TO CLAIM FOOTBALL BRONZE MEDAL

Mexico eased to the bronze medal in the men’s Olympic football tournament with a 3-1 victory over hosts Japan at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama on Friday.

First-half goals from Francisco Cordova and Johan Vasquez put El Tri in control and Alexis Vega added a third after the break before Kaoru Mitoma got a late consolation in a repeat of the 1968 bronze medal match, which Japan won in Mexico City.

Mexico, beaten on penalties by Brazil in their semifinal, were ahead within 13 minutes after Vega was fouled by Wataru Endo. Following a VAR review, the penalty decision was upheld and Cordova sent Japan goalkeeper Kosei Tani the wrong way to open the scoring.

Cordova then turned provider as his free kicks led to headed goals from Vasquez, on 22 minutes, and, on 58 minutes, Vega to put Mexico in total control.

Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa pulled off a stunning stop to Mitoma pulling a goal back on 75 minutes as Japan piled on the pressure but the Kawasaki Frontale striker eventually did find the back of the net with an emphatic strike three minutes later.

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RAPINOE, LLOYD SCORE BRACE AS USWNT WINS OLYMPIC FOOTBALL BRONZE VS AUSTRALIA

The United States women’s national team beat Australia 4-3 to win the Olympic bronze-medal match Thursday, with Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd both scoring braces.

It was a record-breaking evening for Lloyd, who became the USWNT’s top scorer in Olympics history with 10 goals and its second-most-capped player of all time, after Kristine Lilly, with 312 appearances.

Sam Kerr also became the Matildas’ all-time top scorer with her first-half strike, while Caitlin Foord added a second for Australia.

Emily Gielnik scored in the final moments of the game to set up a tense finish.

The seven-goal thriller was a marked difference to the group-stage game between the two, which ended 0-0.

Rapinoe — who said during the week she was “gutted” not to be competing for the gold medal — opened the scoring after eight minutes with an Olimpico goal.

Kerr pulled one back to bring the game level on 17 minutes. Foord found the Chelsea star in plenty of space, and while USWNT goalkeeper Adrianna Franch did get a touch on the ball, it wasn’t enough as it slid under her and into the goal.

Rapinoe added her second on 21 minutes after Australia defender Alanna Kennedy failed to clear the ball in the box and instead handed it straight to Rapinoe, who volleyed the ball perfectly into the back of Teagan Micah’s net.

Lloyd scored her first goal at the end of the first half with an assist from Lindsey Horan and completed her brace on 51 minutes after another mix-up from Kennedy.

It looked like the USWNT was going to dominate for the rest of the second half, but Foord headed home for Australia on 54 minutes after a cross from Kyah Simon to keep Vlatko Andonovski’s side on its toes.

Lloyd could have had a hat trick 20 minutes from the end of the match but was called offside, the 10th time the USWNT have been found offside in this tournament.

Gielnik’s superb strike on 89 minutes gave the Matildas a final chance to draw the game level, but they were unable to find an equalizer.

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SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN SMASHES OWN 400M HURDLES WORLD RECORD TO TAKE GOLD

USA's Sydney Mclaughlin competes to win the women's 400m hurdles final setting a new world record during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 4, 2021. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) (Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)

The USA’s Sydney McLaughlin broke her own world record to clinch the 400 metres hurdles gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 21-year-old clocked 51.46 seconds having previously set a world best of 51.90secs to become the first woman to break the 51-second barrier in June.

Dalilah Muhammad was second in 51.58s – which also broke McLaughlin’s previous record. The Netherlands’ Femke Bol claimed bronze.

“I’m absolutely delighted. What a great race. I’m just grateful to be out here celebrating that extraordinary race and representing my country,” she said.

“I saw Dalilah ahead of me with one to go. I just thought ‘run your race’.

“The race doesn’t really start until hurdle seven. I just wanted to go out there and give it everything I had.

“It’s just about trusting your training, trusting your coach, and that will get you all the way round the track.

“I can’t really get it straight in my head yet. I’m sure I’ll process it and celebrate later.”

McLaughlin powered through in the last 20 metres to take the title and beat defending champion Muhammad having been third on the final bend.

It came after the men’s 400m hurdles on Tuesday – already labelled one of the greatest races – when Karsten Warholm broke his own world record to win in 45.94s.

He took almost a second off his previous world best of 46.70s he set in Oslo at the start of July.

The USA’s Rai Benjamin (46.17s) was second with Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos (46.72s) third – with both coming inside Kevin Young’s long-standing previous world record of 46.78s the American set 29 years ago.

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OLYMPICS 2020: BRAZIL BEAT MEXICO ON PENALTIES TO REACH FOOTBALL FINAL

Brazil beat Mexico 4-1 on penalties in their men’s Olympic football semifinal in Saitama on Tuesday following a 0-0 draw after extra-time.

The match was a repeat of the London 2012 Olympic final, which Mexico won 2-1.

Brazil, the holders having won gold in their home Olympics in 2016, had the better of the first half, but the second failed to live up to expectations.

Richarlison came close to winning it in normal time when he hit the post with a header from a Dani Alves cross.

The game went to extra time and, while Brazil looked more likely to break the deadlock, the match finished goalless after 120 minutes and it went to spot kicks.

Dani Alves scored Brazil’s first penalty before Eduardo Aguirre saw his spot kick saved. Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli then put Brazil 2-0 ahead with a cool penalty and Mexico’s second effort through Johan Vasquez hit the post.

Bruno Guimaraes stepped up and put Brazil in total control before Carlos Rodriguez got Mexico on the board. With the scores at 3-1, Reiner knew a goal would clinch it for Brazil and made no mistake.