It is the superstar’s last chance to win an individual medal in Tokyo after she withdrew from earlier events, citing mental health concerns
Simone Biles and Team USA arrive ahead of Tokyo 2020 balance beam final
Simone Biles has arrived with Team USA at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo ahead of the women’s balance beam final.
It is the superstar’s last chance to win an individual medal at this year’s Games after she withdrew from competition during the women’s team final last week, citing mental health concerns.
Biles has since spoken about experiencing ‘the twisties,’ but is currently warming up ahead of the last event in the women’s artistic gymnastics schedule.
On Monday, USA gymnastics confirmed that Biles, bidding for her fifth Olympic gold medal, will be joined by compatriot and close friend Sunisa “Suni” Lee in Tuesday’s final.
Team USA beats Spain to reach men’s basketball semifinals
Team USA beat Spain, the second-ranked team in the world, 95-81 to reach the semifinals of the men’s basketball competition.
Kevin Durant, the Brooklyn Nets superstar and all-time points leader for Team USA, led the Americans with 29 points.
The game was tied 43-43 going into the half, but Team USA pulled away in the fourth quarter despite a 38 point-outburst from Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio.
The US will next face the winner of the Australia-Argentina quarterfinal, which takes place later Tuesday in Tokyo.
Here’s 3 of the best freebies for Tokyo 2020’s gold medalists
From journalist Lauren Lau
Winning an Olympic medal can come with serious perks. Here are some of the best freebies given to stars of Tokyo 2020:
Hidilyn Diaz, Philippines: The 30-year-old weightlifter won the Philippines’ first-ever gold medal — and she’ll be getting a new condominium and free flights for life on AirAsia Philippines and Philippine Airlines.
Edgar Cheung, Hong Kong: Cheung, 24, won Hong Kong its first gold in 25 years. The MTR corporation, which runs the city’s subway, is giving him free rides for life.
Mirabai Chanu, India: The 26-year-old weightlifter won her country’s first medal of the Tokyo Olympics by taking silver in women’s 49kg weightlifting. Dominos India offered to treat her to free pizza for life.
Japan’s Sena Irie wins historic women’s boxing gold medal
From CNN’s Gawon Bae
Japanese boxer Sena Irie clinched featherweight gold on Tuesday — the country’s first-ever Olympic women’s boxing medal.
Irie defeated the Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio by a unanimous 5-0 decision.
Great Britain’s Karriss Artingstall and Italy’s Irma Testa both took bronze.
Japan has now won 18 gold medals at Tokyo 2020, its most ever in a Summer Games.
Karsten Warholm trained like a “maniac” before shattering the 400 meters hurdles record
Norwegian runner Karsten Warholm said he had a “special feeling” on Monday. The kind he’d felt as a 6-year-old, but an excitement that had eluded him until the day before the biggest race of his life.
“I’ve spent thousands of hours thinking about this,” he said, adding that he’d been training like “a maniac.”
Warholm already held the world record in the men’s 400 meters hurdles before the Olympic final Tuesday. Then he smashed his previous best, becoming the first person ever to run the event in under 46 seconds.
“It’s by far the biggest moment of my life,” he said. “It defines everything, all the hours I put in, everything that my coach has been working for.”
The race was one of the Games’ most exciting events to date. World Athletics called it the “the highest quality 400 meter hurdles race in history.” Second-place finisher Rai Benjamin also managed to beat Warholm’s previous world record, but had to settle for silver.
Warholm said he didn’t touch a single hurdle and, coming to the race’s final stretch, he “found another gear.”
“The Olympic gold medal is what everybody talks about. I knew this race was going to be the toughest of my life, but I was ready,” he said. “It’s just so big. It’s almost like history here.”
Tough loss for Benjamin: The silver medalist was in tears on the track after posting the second-fastest time in the event in history, only to come in second.
Benjamin said he was “full of emotion.”
“Knowing that you want to be the best, this is what it costs. It’s hard. It hurts. But it is what it is,” he said. “I have worked so hard. This is what matters. I got a medal but it just hurts to lose.”
Benjamin said he plans to spend some time with his family but then come roaring back.
“Next year, man, I’m coming, I can tell you,” he said. “I’m a dog. I’m a fighter. It’s my first Olympics. I made some mistakes that cost me, but it’s all right. I’ll fix it.”
IOC to launch formal investigation into Belarus sprinter situation
From CNN’s Gawon Bae
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it will launch a formal investigation into the situation with Belarus sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya, spokesman Mark Adams said in a news briefing Tuesday.
“We have decided to launch, not surprisingly, a formal investigation which will be led by the IOC Administration. We need to establish the full facts, we need to hear everyone involved, that obviously can take time,” Adams said.
Adams reiterated the IOC has spoken to Timanovskaya again and she “reassured us once again she’s feeling safe and secure.” He said the IOC has requested a report from Belarus’ National Olympic Committee.
Timanovskaya received a humanitarian visa from Poland on Monday, hours after she refused to board a flight out of Japan. She said she was being forced to return to Belarus against her will and that she feared she would be arrested upon returning.
Earlier Monday, Reuters reported that Timanovskaya had been seen entering the Polish embassy in Tokyo.
Tokyo prefecture is under a heat illness alert
From CNN’s Michael Guy
The entire Tokyo prefecture is under a heat illness alert on Tuesday, with the maximum temperature forecast to reach up to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) on each of the next three days.
But the heat index values will be even higher, and the temperatures will feel as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) or more.
Because of these conditions, Japan’s Meteorological Agency may issue a code red heat alert, the highest level on the scale. Heat stroke alerts have been issued as a result through this forecast period for the prefecture as well.
The stifling heat and humidity has made it difficult for athletes competing outdoors in events like tennis and distance running.
Simone Biles’ potential return highlights Tuesday’s Olympic action
It’s Tuesday, August 3, the 11th official day of Tokyo 2020. Here’s what you need to know.
Biles is back: Simone Biles is expected to compete in the final women’s gymnastics event of Tokyo 2020: the balance beam. The American superstar withdrew midway through the women’s team final last week, and has not competed since, citing mental health concerns.
Biles is a favorite to win the event. She’ll be competing alongside fellow American Sunisa Lee, who won the women’s individual all-around title last week.
Warholm makes history: Norway’s Karsten Warholm became the first athlete ever to run the 400 meters men’s hurdles in under 46 seconds on Tuesday morning.
Hassan’s big night: Sifan Hassan is a third of the way toward her goal of a historic distance triple crown. The Dutchwoman obliterated the rest of the field to win gold in the women’s 5,000 meter final to complete the first leg of what could be an unparalleled treble.
Hassan is aiming to become the first athlete in Olympic history to win the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters gold medals at a single Games.
She had a dramatic Monday morning in her 1,500 meter heat. Hassan fell on the last lap and had to make up more than 20 meters on the field, but somehow ended up winning the race.
Timanovskaya likely headed to Poland: Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya received a humanitarian visa from Poland on Monday, hours after she refused to board a flight out of Japan. She said she was being forced to return to her native country against her will and feared being arrested upon her arrival.
Timanovskaya was set to compete in the women’s 200 meters in Tokyo but said representatives of the Belarus national team tried to forcibly send her back to her home country after she criticized national sporting authorities for entering her into the 4×400 meter relay without her consent.
The medal update: China is pulling ahead. It has won 29 gold medals, seven more than the second-place US. Japan remains in third with 17.
The US leads the total medal tally with 66, followed by China with 63. The Russian Olympic Committee sits third with 50.
What’s on tap:
- Basketball: It’s win or go home for the six teams left. Tuesdays’ first game saw Slovenia beat Germany by 24 points to advance to the semifinals. the Americans take on Spain in the next game at 1:40 p.m. Tokyo time. They’re followed by Italy vs. France, and the day ends with Australia vs. Argentina.
- Boxing: Britain’s Pat McCormack fights Roniel Iglesias of Cuba for men’s welterweight gold. More boxing medals are also up for grabs throughout the day.
- Gymnastics: Biles headlines the last night of artistic gymnastics in Tokyo. The men will compete in the individual horizontal bar and parallel bar finals. Competition starts at 5 p.m. Tokyo time.
- Climbing: Sport climbing will make its Olympic debut when qualifications begin at 5 p.m. in Tokyo (4 a.m. ET) at the Aomi Urban Sports Park
- Athletics: Gold medals will be handed out tonight in Tokyo in the men’s pole vault, women’s hammer throw, women’s 800 meters final and the women’s 200 meters final.
The full Olympic schedule can be found here.
Karsten Warholm smashes world record to win the men’s 400 meters hurdles
History was made on the track Tuesday morning in the men’s 400 meters hurdles final.
Norway’s Karsten Warholm took gold, setting a world record of 45.94 and breaking the 46-second mark for the first time.
American silver medalist Rai Benjamin pushed Warholm all the way, clocking in at 46.17 — easily inside the previous world record of 46.70, set by the Norwegian on July 1. Before that, the 400 meters hurdles world record hadn’t been broken since 1992.
According to NBC, three of the four fastest times ever in the event were run in the Tokyo final.
Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_topstories/~3/mcnHg1DOv4Q/h_f41865108e3c438d4ee90a9635060d07
