It transpired to be a stroke of luck for Jacobs, who had the slowest reaction time out of the blocks in the first start
TOKYO 2020 HIGHLIGHTS
[caption id="attachment_152990" align="alignnone" width="453"]
Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas set a new world record on Sunday (1 August) in women’s triple jump[/caption]
# Swimmer McKeon sets medal record on ‘burning day’
Australian Emma McKeon set a medal record in the pool on a day of hot temperatures and frayed tempers at the Tokyo Olympics yesterday. Trackside thermometers showed 40 degrees Celsius earlier in the day.
McKeon became the first female swimmer to win seven medals at a single Olympics with two golds on Sunday, as a fascinating swimming competition drew to a close, hours before the blue-riband men’s 100 m final takes centre stage in the athletics.
# Zverev first German man to win Olympic gold
Alexander Zverev became the first German tennis player to win gold in the men’s singles with commanding 6-3, 6-1 straight sets victory over Karen Khachanov, representing the Russian Olympic Committee. Steffi Graf won the women’s title in 1988. Zverev produced yet another dominant display in yesterday’s final, claiming the victory in just 70 minutes. Earlier in the week, the fourth seed battled from a set down to defeat world No. 1 Novak Djokovic to reach the final. That performance included a 10-game winning streak which turned the contest on its head.
# US’s Dressel picks up fifth gold
American swimmer Caeleb Dressel picked up his fifth gold medal in the men’s 50 m freestyle, joining an exclusive club of swimmers to win at least five medals at a single Olympics. Michael Phelps did it three times, including a record eight golds at the 2008 Beijing Games. The others are Mark Spitz (seven golds in 1972), East German Kristin Otto (six golds in 1988), and another American, Matt Biondi (five golds, also in 1988).
# Venezuela’s Roja sets triple jump world record
In athletics, Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas set a new world record in the women’s triple jump, landing 15.37 m in her final attempt to take the gold.
# Schauffele win men’s golf title in close finish
American Xander Schauffele clinched the Olympic men’s golf gold medal on a nail-biting final day Sunday that ended with a seven-way play-off for the bronze medal. C.T. Pan of Chinese Taipei finally claimed it on the fourth knockout hole, with Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Great Britain’s Paul Casey eliminated earlier. Schauffele’s overnight lead was wiped out on Sunday before he birdied the 17th to win by one stroke on 18 under par at Kasumigaseki Country Club. Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini closed with an Olympic record 10-under round of 61 to finish in silver at 17 under. The drama continued as Pan pipped Open champion Collin Morikawa to bronze in a play-off that also included McIlroy, Casey, Japan’s Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, Chile’s Mito Pereira, and Colombian Sebastian Munoz.
# First-ever BMX freestyle gold goes to Australia
Logan Martin won Australia the first ever gold in BMX freestyle, which was making its Olympic debut. Great Britain’s Charlotte Worthington put on a show to claim the women’s title, landing the first 360 back-flip in women’s competition.
Tokyo 2020 Medal Tally - Top 5
(As on 01-08-21, day 9/16)
Key: No. / Country / Gold / Silver / Bronze / Total
1. China / 24 / 14 / 13 / 51
2. U.S.A. / 20 / 23 / 16 / 59
3. Japan / 17 / 5 / 9 / 31
4. Australia / 14 / 3 / 14 / 31
5. Russia* / 12 / 19 / 13 / 44
* Participates in Tokyo 202 as ‘ROC’
[caption id="attachment_152992" align="alignnone" width="455"]
Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs was crowned the world’s fastest man as he won men’s 100 m at the Tokyo Olympics yesterday, 1 August, the ninth day of the 16-day event ending on Sunday, 8 August[/caption]
Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs was crowned the world’s fastest man as he claimed a shock victory in the men’s 100 m at the Tokyo Olympics yesterday, 1 August, the penultimate Sunday of the 32nd Supper Olympics.
Jacobs set a new European record of 9.80 seconds on Sunday, finishing 0.04 seconds ahead of the U.S.A.’s Fred Kerley in second, and 0.09 seconds ahead of Canada’s Andre De Grasse in third.
Glorious minutes for Italy
It capped a glorious few minutes for Italy at the Olympic Stadium with Jacobs’ victory coming shortly after Gianmarco Tamberi’s gold medal in the high jump.
The two men embraced as Jacobs --the first Italian man to win 100 m gold at the Olympics and the first European champion since Great Britain’s Linford Christie in 1992-- crossed the finish line.
The race got off to a nervy start with Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes disqualified for a false start.
Stroke of luck
It transpired to be a stroke of luck for Jacobs, who had the slowest reaction time out of the blocks --more than half a second-- in the first start.
Jacobs, Kerley, and De Grasse all ran personal bests in the final, with De Grasse adding another bronze medal to the one he won at the Rio Olympics five years ago.