Tag: Tokyo 2020

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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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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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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.

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KARSTEN WARHOLM SHATTERS WORLD RECORD TO WIN 400M HURDLES TITLE IN TOKYO

Norway’s Karsten Warholm shattered his own world record to win the men’s 400 metres hurdles at the Olympics.

The new champion only broke the 29-year-old record last month but clocked 45.94 seconds in Tokyo on Tuesday.

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

He finished ahead of the USA’s Rai Benjamin (46.17s) and Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos (46.72s) – with both coming inside Kevin Young’s time of 46.78s the American set nearly 30 years ago.

Warholm told the BBC: “You know the cliche that it hasn’t sunk in yet? I don’t think it has but I feel ecstatic.

“I cant believe the time, it’s so fast. A lot of the time I am asked about the perfect race. I said it didn’t exist but this is the closest I’ve ever come.

“I told myself going in to the race, remember all the work you have put in. It was the only thing missing from my (medal) collection. I can’t describe how important this is for me. This is what I do morning until night, it’s huge.”

Warholm led from the start but Benjamin looked like he was about to reel him in with 90 metres to go.

Yet Warholm found an extra gear to pull away in the final 60 metres and add the Olympic title to his two World Championship crowns and European gold.

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OLYMPICS: SIMONE BILES WINS BRONZE MEDAL IN BALANCE BEAM FINAL

Simone Biles retook the gymnastics stage on Tuesday after a week’s absence, electrifying the Tokyo Olympics on a day that saw world records smashed and organisers probe Belarus’s treatment of an athlete now in diplomatic protection.

The return of the American, considered by many the greatest gymnast ever, ensured a blockbuster finale. She scored 14.000 on the balance beam to finish third.

She had abruptly dropped out of the team event earlier in the Games citing mental health issues and increasing the global spotlight on the pressures elite athletes face.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it expected a report later in the day from the Belarusian team on the case of sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who sought protection in the Polish embassy in Tokyo on Monday after refusing her team’s orders to fly home.

She was expected to fly on Wednesday to Poland, which has offered her a humanitarian visa. The IOC spoke twice on Monday to Tsimanouskaya, who was in a safe and secure place, spokesman Mark Adams said.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken accused Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko’s regime of intolerable “transnational repression” in the matter.

On the track, Norway’s Karsten Warholm shattered his own world record in the men’s 400 metres hurdles final with a blistering 45.94-second run, besting American Rai Benjamin, who also beat last month’s record of 46.70 seconds.

“Man, it’s so crazy. It’s by far the biggest moment of my life,” Warholm said after carving his name among the greats of athletics history and crouching in apparent disbelief on the track. “You know the cliche that it hasn’t sunk in yet? I don’t think it has, but I feel ecstatic.”