Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany was crowned Olympic dressage individual champion on Wednesday, ending British star Charlotte Dujardin’s nine-year reign. The 35-year-old posted a score of 91.732 percent after a sublime performance on TSF Dalera to add the gold to her team title on Tuesday. Her compatriot Isabell Werth took silver (89.657 percent) to extend […]
2020
Simone Biles withdraws from Olympics all-around gymnastics: official
Defending champion Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final of the Olympic individual all-around gymnastics competition due to ongoing concerns over her mental health, USA Gymnastics confirmed on Wednesday. “After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental […]
Japan tennis star Osaka crashes out of Tokyo Olympics
Japan’s Naomi Osaka suffered a 6-1, 6-4 defeat to Marketa Vondrousova in the third round of the Tokyo Games on Tuesday, crushing her dreams of winning Olympic gold at home. Osaka, who lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony, struggled in an error-strewn display under the centre court roof at Ariake Tennis Park and […]
World Rugby hope for Japan tournament news this year – Gilpin
World Rugby considers Japan to be at “rugby’s top table” and are hoping for news later this year on which tournament the top Asian nation will slot into after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, according to chief executive officer Alan Gilpin. Japan have shown interest in being included in the Rugby Championship, the southern hemisphere’s […]
Dutch tennis player tests positive for virus at Olympics
Dutch tennis players Jean-Julien Rojer and Wesley Koolhof have pulled out of the Olympic men’s doubles tournament after Rojer tested positive for coronavirus, the International Tennis Federation announced on Monday. “The ITF has been informed that the athlete Jean-Julien Rojer… has tested positive for Covid-19 and placed in isolation as per the set procedures,” the […]
German gymnasts bring bodysuits to Olympic competition
Germany’s women’s gymnastics team made a statement the minute they stepped into the venue for Tokyo Olympic qualifying on Sunday, swapping leotards for full-length bodysuits. Several German gymnasts debuted the one-piece outfits, which cover all of their legs and most of their arms, at the European championships. And the Olympic team were wearing them in […]
Champions Brazil held as Gignac rescues France in Olympic football
Reigning champions Brazil were held to a goalless draw by the Ivory Coast in the men’s Olympic football competition on Sunday, while Andre-Pierre Gignac’s hat-trick in a 4-3 win over South Africa kept France’s hopes alive. Brazil, who won gold for the first time five years ago on home soil in Rio, could have moved […]
Indonesian badminton ace playing Tokyo Games for Covid-victim brother
An Asian champion badminton player is gunning for glory at the coronavirus-delayed Tokyo Olympics in memory of his brother who died of the disease. Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie was competing at a tournament in Thailand earlier this year when he learned that his older brother, Ivan, had contracted the illness back home. The 23-year-old Christie’s mother, […]
Upsets in Olympic pool as Japan, Tunisia strike gold
Japan and Tunisia celebrated shock gold medals on a day of upsets in the Olympic swimming pool on Sunday while Tokyo youngster Yuto Horigome claimed a fairytale hometown victory with the first ever skateboarding gold medal in Olympic history. On the second full day of Olympic competition, the Tokyo Aquatic Center took centre stage for […]
Tunisia’s Hafnaoui in shock after Olympic 400m freestyle win
Tunisian teenager Ahmed Hafnaoui said he was as surprised as anyone after producing a huge upset on Sunday to win 400 metre freestyle gold. The 18-year-old only scraped into the final after posting the eighth fastest time in qualifying but he delivered a sizzling last 50m to touch in 3:43.36. It was almost three seconds […]