TOKYO OLYMPICS: What you need to know right now

TOKYO (Reuters) – A Belarusian sprinter said she had sought the protection of Japanese police at a Tokyo airport after being taken there to board a flight against her wishes.

Here’s what you need to know about the Tokyo Games:

ITALIAN SPRINTER WINS

Lamont Marcell Jacobs won the most coveted https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/athletics-italys-jacobs-takes-stunning-100-metres-gold-2021-08-01 crown in athletics on Sunday, giving Italy its first 100 metres gold on a night of high drama in Tokyo.

Jacobs stormed to the first Olympic title of the post-Usain Bolt era.

“I’ve won an Olympic gold after Bolt, it’s unbelievable,” said the sprinter, who was born in the United States but moved to Europe with his Italian mother when he was a month old.

Gianmarco Tamberi made it double gold for Italy with an emotional, and unusual, high jump victory on a night to remember. The 29-year-old shared the gold with Qatar’s world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim.

BELARUSIAN SPRINTER AT AIRPORT

Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya told Reuters she planned to avoid https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/exclusive-olympics-belarusian-athlete-says-she-was-taken-airport-go-home-after-2021-08-01 getting on a plane home after being taken to Haneda airport against her wishes on Sunday following her complaints about national coaches at the Olympic Games.

“I will not return to Belarus,” she told Reuters in a message over Telegram.

Tsimanouskaya, 24, said coaching staff had come to her room on Sunday and told her to pack. She said she was taken to the airport by representatives of the Belarusian Olympic team.

The Belarusian Olympic Committee said in a statement that coaches had decided to withdraw Tsimanouskaya from the Games on doctors’ advice about her “emotional, psychological state”.

The committee did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.

A SIT IN AND A KO

A dramatic day of action before the gold medal boxing bouts featured a knock-out that won one happy Filipino a medal and a disqualification that resulted in a furious Frenchman refusing to budge from the ring.

French super heavyweight Mourad Aliev was disqualified for what the referee deemed an intentional headbutt – a call he protested with an hour-long ring-side sit-in https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/boxing-frances-aliev-disqualified-protests-with-sit-in-ringside-2021-08-01.

“It’s totally unfair – I was winning the match,” Aliev told a throng of reporters after finally abandoning his ring-side spot. The first round had gone to Aliev 3-2.

The day turned out far better for Filipino middleweight Eumir Marcial, who knocked out Armenia’s Arman Darchinyan with a right hook to cruise into the semi-final.

RICHARDSON PRAISES JAMAICANS

American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who was ruled out of the Olympics after testing positive for cannabis, on Sunday applauded Jamaica’s sweep https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/athletics-us-sprinter-richardson-applauds-jamaicas-100m-clean-sweep-2021-08-01 of the 100 metres sprint that she missed competing in.

“Congratulations to the ladies of Jamaica for the clean sweep,” Richardson tweeted https://twitter.com/itskerrii/status/1421603429936414726?s=20. “Powerful, strong black women dominating the sport.”

Elaine Thompson-Herah, 29, earned the moniker fastest woman alive https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/athletics-thompson-herah-leads-jamaican-sweep-womens-100m-2021-07-31 when she clocked a lightning quick 10.61 seconds, beating Florence Griffith-Joyner’s Olympic record from 1988. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took silver in 10.74 with Shericka Jackson third in 10.76.

BILES OUT AGAIN

Simone Biles has withdrawn https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/simone-biles-withdraws-event-final-floor-exercise-tokyo-2020-usa-gymnastics-2021-08-01 from the event final for floor and will make a decision later this week on the beam, the one remaining event she is qualified for at this Games.

“Either way, we’re all behind you, Simone,” USA Gymnastics said in a tweet. https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1421667062401802240

DRINKING PROBE

Tokyo Games organisers were investigating https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/olympics-organisers-investigating-after-athletes-drank-alcohol-together-village-2021-08-01 after a group of athletes were caught drinking alcohol in a park in the Olympic village on Friday night, violating measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Drinking and celebrating are usually features of the Olympic village, as athletes let off steam once their competitions end.

Athletes at Tokyo 2020 are limited to drinking only in their rooms, one part of strict social distancing measures.

“We’re all fine with putting off any celebrating,” said U.S. swimmer Ryan Murphy. “We’re not going to be in a gathering where other people are there. We’re going to continue to be safe and make sure the Japanese public feels safe with us being here until we’re gone.”

SWIMMING ENDS

Australia’s Emma McKeon became the first female swimmer https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/swimming-dressel-mckeon-complete-sprint-gold-doubles-2021-08-01 to win seven medals at a single Olympic Games, while American Caeleb Dressel powered to victory in the 50m free and clinched his fifth Tokyo medal as Team USA triumphed in the men’s medley relay.

The United States ended an enthralling swimming competition https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/review-olympics-swimming-heroes-rivals-records-tokyo-swimming-had-it-all-2021-08-01 in Tokyo with 11 gold medals, five less than in Rio and London.

Australia won nine, their most swimming golds at a Games, and Britain left with four golds as part of a record haul of eight total medals.

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