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      Wheelchair racer David Weir returns to Paralympics after track retirement in 2016

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      WINNING another Paralympics medal after track retirement would count among David Weir’s “greatest achievements”.The returning South Londoner wheelchair racer quit the GB set-up after crashing in the men’s marathon on the final day of a personally disastrous Rio 2016 Games.
      David Weir has won six Paralympic gold medals on the track and road during 13 yearsCredit: Getty
      The South Londoner finished empty-handed after the Rio 2016 Olympics and quit the GB set-up temporarilyCredit: PA
      Fuming Weir claimed a coach – who is in Tokyo this month – “stabbed” him in the back and unfairly accused him of throwing the 4x400m relay during a nightmare time in Brazil.
      Yet despite being left empty-handed five years ago, the six-time Paralympic champion is glad he has made a high profile U-turn.
      And any form of success in Japan this week would be the crowning glory of a magnificent career.
      Weir, who won four golds at London 2012, told SunSport: “I’ve come here on a positive note that if I don’t even win a medal, it’s a massive achievement for me.
      “Before Rio, a lot of pressure was put on me because of what I did in London. I don’t think people, even myself, I really appreciated what I did in London.
      “But the pressure of delivering four gold medals took its toll.
      Weir has become a household name thanks to eight London Marathon victoriesCredit: Getty
      “Obviously, I’m here to win medals and that’s my gameplan in Tokyo.
      “But I wouldn’t be absolutely distraught if I don’t win a medal because these are my sixth Paralympics – and that’s a massive achievement for any athlete.
      “A medal will be an absolutely bonus in my career, even if I win a bronze medal, as it would be one of my best ever won.”
      Weir, who competes in the 1500m, 5,000m and marathon, said: “It would just be nice this time to finish some races! What happened in the marathon was so unlucky and I was so devastated that it had to finish like that.
      “I don’t want to finish my career and look back it was all doom and gloom in Rio.
      “I’d like to get through the whole week and make myself proud.
      I’ve come here on a positive note that if I don’t even win a medal, it’s a massive achievement for me.David Weir on Tokyo Paralympics
      “This might be my last big international race I ever do. That’s the mindset.
      “I feel comfortable in my own skin and racing chair. I could retire tomorrow if I wanted to.
      “The individual from Rio will be here. But we will stay out of each other’s way I suppose.”
      The 16th summer Paralympics start tomorrow and even at the age of 42, Weir has been posting personal bests following a track event in Switzerland in May.
      The Weirwolf, who became a household name during the summer of 2012, believes it is time that Paralympians receive the same prize money and commercial deals as their Olympic counterparts.
      Amputee sprinter Jonnie Peacock claimed last week a Paralympian might get £500 compared to the £30,000 top deals for Olympic stars.
      Weir said: “We need more athletes to speak out about this.
      “Prize money at major events is not equal pay even though we do the same distances like the marathon.

      “I want to fight for the next generation. I want the next generation of wheelchair racers to be household names.
      “I want them to be like a Mo Farah where they earn enough money where they can retire and not carry on until they are 40-odd.” More

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      CJ Ujah breaks silence on doping ban as ‘shocked’ Team GB relay silver medal winner says ‘I am not a cheat’

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      TEAM GB star CJ Ujah has declared ‘I am not a cheat’ after being provisionally suspended for an alleged anti-doping breach.The 27-year-old won 4x100m sprint silver in Tokyo.
      CJ Ujah declared ‘I am not a cheat’Credit: PA
      CJ Ujah poses alongside his team-mates on the podium after winning 4x100m relay silver in TokyoCredit: Getty
      But Ujah, as well as team-mates Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, could be stripped of his medal if he is found guilty.
      Ujah, however, is adamant that he did nothing wrong.
      Breaking his silence, he told PA: “It’s taken me a few days to process the information I received on Thursday shortly before it was made public.
      “I am completely shocked and devastated by this news.
      “To be absolutely clear, I am not a cheat and I have never and would never knowingly take a banned substance.
      “I love my sport and I know my responsibilities both as an athlete and as a team-mate.

      “I am respecting the formal processes and will not be making any further comment until it is appropriate to do so.”
      The presence of banned substances ostarine and S-23 were found in Ujah’s sample.
      These help with building muscle.
      Italy’s shock double-gold winning sprinter Lamont Marcell Jacobs taunted that he ‘smiled’ when hearing the news of Ujah’s provisional suspension.
      He told Tuttosport: “Doping? The situation has not touched me so much.
      After seeing the Ujah investigation I would say that perhaps it is better to look into your own house first and then attack others. It makes me smileLamont Marcell Jacobs
      “I know the sacrifices and the blows I went through to get here and instead I want to enjoy it 100 per cent.
      ‘”After seeing the Ujah investigation I would say that perhaps it is better to look into your own house first and then attack others. It makes me smile.”
      If found guilty, in addition to losing his silver medal, Ujah could be booted out of athletics for four years.
      First, however, he can ask to have his B sample analysed.
      Lamont Marcell Jacobs poses with one of his goldsCredit: AFP
      Team GB Olympic star CJ Ujah suspended over doping violation after helping men’s 4x100m relay team take silver in Tokyo More

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      North Korea airs first Tokyo Olympics broadcast two days AFTER Closing Ceremony with Team GB vs Chile women’s football

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      NORTH KOREA aired its first Tokyo 2020 broadcast a whole TWO DAYS after the Olympic Games’ closing ceremony.The delayed Tokyo 2020 Games came to an end last Sunday with a spectacular closing ceremony at the Olympic Stadium.
      The Tokyo 2020 Olympics came to an end last weekCredit: AP
      But North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has so far only permitted a single three-week-old event from the tournament be broadcastCredit: AFP
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      But the government in Pyongyang have only just begun broadcasting events from the tournament.
      According to Yonhap, the socialist regime’s first broadcast of the Games was the women’s match between Team GB and Chile.
      That match, which Team GB comfortably won 2-0, originally took place THREE WEEKS ago.
      Korean Central Television (KCTV) aired 70 minutes of Team GB’s opening fixture of the tournament.
      Specialist North Korean website NK News claims the game was aired without any commentary and with a low resolution.
      Residents in North Korea would’ve had no knowledge of the Games as they aren’t permitted access to the internet or watch international TV channels.

      North Korea opted against sending a delegation to Tokyo this year due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, insisting they wanted to protect their athletes.
      The regime, however, has publicly claimed there are no cases of Covid in the country.
      A statement from the country’s ministry of sport read: “The committee decided not to join the 32nd Olympics Games to protect athletes from the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus.”
      The International Olympic Committee reached out to North Korea several times to assess the state of the pandemic within its borders.

      An IOC spokesperson said: “The IOC has not received any official application from the NOC of DPRK to be released from their obligation to take part in the Olympic Games according to the Olympic Charter.”
      The Tokyo 2020 games marked the first time North Korea has missed a summer games since 1988.
      The North Korean government opted to boycott the Seoul Games due to the ongoing Cold War, which ended three years later.

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      Olympic marathon runner who knocked over row of water bottles denies he did it on purpose and says they were ‘slippery’

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      THE Olympic marathon runner who knocked over an entire row of water bottles claims it was an accident – and insisted they were ‘slippery’.Morhad Amdouni hit the headlines at the weekend when he reached the water station during the 26.2-mile race in 27-degree heat in Sapporo.
      Morhad Amdouni wiped out a whole row of water bottles at a drinking station during the Olympic marathonCredit: Instagram
      He collected the final bottle in the line but claimed the rest were ‘slippery’Credit: Instagram
      But rather than simply grabbing one bottle like his competitors in front, the Frenchman wiped out the whole line that had been set up.
      To top it off, he grabbed the final drink and went on his way as his rivals and viewers at home watched on baffled.
      But after being branded the ‘biggest d***head of the Tokyo Olympics’ by Piers Morgan, Amdouni has told his version of events – and denied doing the deed deliberately.
      As reported by RMC, the athlete said: “With fatigue and all that, I was gradually starting to lose lucidity and energy while hanging on.
      “I would like to apologise to the athletes. At one point, I tried to hold a bottle of water but I dropped some. It was not easy trying to hang on.
      “Out of principle, I tried to share the bottles of water during the race while respecting everyone and going high and proud, fighting for our colours of the jersey.”
      He later clarified on Facebook: “To put an end to all the sterile controversies generated by the video, I put this video [out to help you] really understand what happened.
      “To guarantee freshness to the bottles, they are soaked in the water which makes them slippery.
      “However, it is clear that I try to take one from the beginning of the row but these slip when I touch them.”
      Amdouni eventually finished in 17th place recording a time of two hours 14 minutes and 33 seconds.
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      The race was eventually won by Kenyan legend Eliud Kipchoge.
      Kipchoge finished in a time of two hours, eight minutes and 38 seconds to take gold.
      In winning the marathon he became one of three to successfully reclaim the title, after his victory in Rio 2016.
      Frenchman Amdouni also competed in the 10,000m at the Tokyo GamesCredit: Getty

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      Tokyo 2020 medal table: USA beat China to top spot after landing three golds on final day of Olympics

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      AMERICA once again claimed top spot in the medal table as they pipped China on the final day thanks to three golds.The USA scooped gold medals in the women’s basketball and women’s volleyball, while Jennifer Valente won in her omnium event in track cycling.
      Team USA finish the Tokyo 2020 Games at the top of the medal table thanks to three golds on the final day
      Track cyclist Jennifer Valente poses with her gold medal after winning the women’s omniumCredit: EPA
      The US Olympic team also won the most medals at Tokyo 2020 with a whopping 113 in total.
      They won an incredible 39 golds – one more than China – while also taking home 41 silvers and 33 bronze medals.
      It is the third Games in a row that America have finished top of the pile and sixth out of the last seven Olympics.
      The only Games they have failed to come top in the table since Atlanta 1996 is Beijing 2008 where hosts China finished in first place.
      Incredibly, Team USA have won the most medals at every Games since hosting the global tournament in 1996.
      Another astonishing achievement is that America have never finished outside of the top three in either the medal table or medals won since the very first Athens 1896 Games.
      And they could have had two more gold medals on the final day at Tokyo, but boxers Keyshawn Davis and Richard Torrez Jr lost in their respective lightweight and super-heavyweight bouts.
      Swimmer Caeleb Dressel won the most medals in the 2020 Games, having claimed five golds to bring his total Olympic medal count to seven.
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      Team GB finished fourth in the medal table after winning 22 golds
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      It was another memorable games for Team GB, who finished in fourth spot with a fantastic 22 gold medals.
      Two more golds were won on the final day, with boxer Lauren Price beating China’s Li Qian in the middleweight event.
      And Jason Kenny created British history by becoming the first Olympian to win seven gold medals after he defended his keirin title.
      Great Britain have now finished in the top four for the fourth consecutive Games, having finished fourth in Beijing, third in London and second in Rio.
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      Team GB’s Jess Judd has to be helped off track after 10,000m final as she struggles in energy-sapping humidity

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      TEAM GB star Jess Judd had to be carried by medical staff after collapsing on the track following a sweltering run in the 10,000m finals.Judd collapsed to the ground after finishing 17th in the gruelling race at the Tokyo Stadium, which she completed in 32 minutes.
      Team GB’s Jess Judd collapsed to the track after completing the 10,000mCredit: GETTY
      The Rochford runner needed assistance after collapsing to the track
      Two medical officials help the striken Judd leave the trackCredit: REX
      Judd was placed in a wheelchair before she was taken off the track and given fluidsCredit: REZ
      The 26-year-old laid on the ground for several minutes and begged for water before team-mate Eilish McColgan, who came ninth, brought her a bottle.
      Judd was promptly checked over by medical officials, who briefly placed her into a wheelchair following the gruelling 32-degree run.
      And she was eventually taken away from the track and given fluids to help her rehydrate.
      After the race, the Rochford runner said: “That is the closest I’ve come to not finished.
      “When it gets to you, it gets to you.
      That is the closest I’ve come to not finishedJess Judd
      “I was desperate for water, I’ve never been this sweaty in my life.”
      Judd’s Team GB team-mate McColgan said of the arduous conditions: “It’s definitely one of the hardest races I’ve ever run in my life.
      “I couldn’t have done much more.
      ‘Those girls at the front, it’s absolutely incredible they can run those times in this weather.”
      Although the race kicked off at 7:45pm local time, the temperature was well over 32 degrees.
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      And to make matters worse for the competitors, the humidity was over 80 per cent.
      Four athletes failed to complete the energy-snapping race, which was won by Holland’s Sifan Hassan.
      Hassan, however, also fell victim to the horrific conditions, crawling on her hands and knees after crossing the finish line as she begged the slow officials to provide the finishers with liquids.
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      Team GB star puts Tokyo 2020 merchandise up for sale on eBay in bid to raise funds to continue career

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      TEAM GB hammer thrower Taylor Campbell has listed his Tokyo 2020 merchandise on eBay in a desperate bid to raise funds.Campbell, 25, finished 14th in his heat but said he will not receive any extra money for reaching the Games.
      Taylor Campbell revealed his UK Sport funding is not enough to live off
      Campbell showed off his goods in the eBay auction
      And he says the funding from UK Sport is not enough for him to train and live off – he even had to dip into his savings to go to the Tokyo Olympics.
      Every Olympic athlete received some Samsung goods from the Games’ sponsors.
      They include a Samsung Galaxy S21 bearing the design of the Olympic rings.
      As well as the phone, Campbell has put his wireless earbuds up for sale.
      The current bid stands at £3,230 but is constantly growing, with the public keen to get their hands on a piece of Olympic history.
      Campbell is currently looking for a job so hopes his memorabilia sells for a good price, with his earnings set to go towards his training for the Commonwealth Games, which take place in Birmingham next year.
      He told Sky News: “I get some funding from UK Sport but it’s not enough to live off.
      “It has blown up a bit and there has been an overwhelming amount of support.
      “Unfortunately making it to the Olympics doesn’t get you any more money, you do it for the pride.
      “I am an iPhone guy and the Samsung will have just sat in a box as memorabilia, so I put it on eBay.”
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      Some fans on Twitter were disheartened at Campbell’s need to sell the goods, and suggested other ways to raise money.
      One wrote: “Just set up a go fund me man. The Athletics community will donate more than what you’re selling all that for.”
      Another added: “Set up a go fund me – I don’t play the lottery but really want to support athletes directly – would actually be really chuffed to know I’ve helped in a small way!”
      Since the outpour of support after auctioning the items Campbell tweeted: “Overwhelmed by the messages of support I have received since posting this. So many kind individuals out there. I will keep you all posted over the next day or so for those that have reached out offering support!”
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      Meet the Australian Olympic runner with NO sponsors who had to work in Woolworths to fund her Tokyo Games dream

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      THE OLYMPICS brings together athletes from all over the world and many different walks of life – but few work a day job in a supermarket.That is, apart from Riley Day, the Australian sprinter who has funded her dream by running the aisles of her local Woolworths grocery store.
      Riley Day earned thousands of fans with a personal-best in the 200m semi-finalsCredit: AFP
      The Aussie works part-time in a Woolworths store, helping customers such as John (left)Credit: Linkedin
      The Aussie chain, which bears no relation to the defunct British retailer, wished one of their own well via social media as Day began her Tokyo 2020 quest.
      Having competed in the 200-metres at the 2017 World Championships and 2018 Commonwealth Games, the 21-year-old is no stranger to the big stage.
      Day qualified out of her heats in Tokyo but was reportedly physically sick afterwards, due to her huge exertion to clock in a time of 22.94.
      She admitted to nerves post-race, and said: “I was trying to just remember that it is just a race.
      “The Olympics isn’t going to change how fit I am, how fast I am and how well I run. If anything it can make me lift even more, so I feel a lot more relaxed now that the first run is over.”
      But it was in the semi-finals where she shot to fame.
      A personal-best time of 22.56 may not have been enough to earn a spot in the final, having come home fourth behind Jamaican star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, but it stunned the Aussie for her television interview.
      Day remarked on Australia’s Channel Seven: “Holy s**t! That was a much better race than this morning.
      “I’ve got my groove. Now I hope it’s the fastest heat so I can get in the final. Because that is a massive PB. That’s awesome.
      “I want to be the best and nothing is going to stop me from being the best.”
      INSTA FAMOUS
      Day is refusing to let her humble day job dampen her dreams and, without a sponsor to plug, she urged new fans to follow her online.
      She added: “I mean, if you do want to follow my journey, My Instagram is @_rileyday.
      “That’s where I post most of my stuff, so. If you wanna follow along, that’s where it is.”
      It certainly had the desired effect, as her following leapt by 25,000, up from 21,000, in just half an hour.
      At time of writing, three days after the semi-final, Day now has a hefty 89,000 fans on Instagram.
      Supporters have called for a sponsor to step in and provide Queensland native Day with better funding to hunt down a medal.
      But she has reportedly vowed to stay on at Woolworths while studying for a business degree in sports management at Griffith University.
      The shop wrote ahead of her race: “Our very own team member, Riley Day, is proudly representing Australia at the Tokyo Olympics. We’ll be cheering her on in the 200-meter sprint today.
      “Riley is an adored team member of our Beaudesert store in regional Queensland and is known for going the extra mile for our customers.
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      Day impressed as she qualified from her heats in the 200mCredit: AP
      The sprinter cheekily plugged her Instagram after the raceCredit: Reuters

      “For the past 18 months, she’s helped 90-year-old local John, who is visually impaired, with his weekly shop. She’s even memorised his grocery list and calls him on Sundays if he doesn’t turn up for his weekly shop.
      “When the ambitious 21-year-old, nicknamed the Beaudesert Bullet is not replenishing stock or helping our customers, she’s working tirelessly on the track, training for at least three hours a day, six days a week.
      “We’re proud to see one of our team members represent Australia on the world stage. Good luck Riley, we can’t wait to see you on the track!”
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