Athletics

Subterms

    More stories

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Athletics

      First Tokyo 2020 Olympic cancellation due to Covid as women’s beach volleyball game scrapped after player tests positive

      by

      THE opening match of the women’s beach volleyball event at the Tokyo Olympics was cancelled due to coronavirus.Czech Republic star Marketa Slukova tested positive for Covid earlier this year – which knocked her and partner Barbora Hermannova out of the Games.
      Czech Republic women’s beach volleyball pair Marketa Slukova and Barbora Hermannova are out of the Olympics due to coronavirusCredit: Reuters
      Their game on Saturday became the first event of the Tokyo Games to be called off due to Covid.
      As a result, Japan’s pair of Megumi Murakami and Miki Ishii have been handed a 2-0 victory.
      So far there have been six confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Czech Republic Olympic team, including Slukova’s husband and coach Simon Nausch.
      Men’s beach volleyball ace Ondrej Perusic has also tested positive, along with table tennis player Pavel Sirucek and cyclist Michal Schlegel.
      Slukova has spoken of her dismay at being unable to compete in the Olympics as she claimed she was reduced to tears.
      She remarked: “It’s awfully sad for me, that Barbora and me, we had to quit this way.”
      Before adding: “We cried, then we swore, then we cried again.
      “I am just hoping that no other athletes will follow us.
      “Because I think that something like this is a nightmare for any athlete, for any Olympian, who gets this far, this close to the Olympic competition.”
      OLYMPICS BETTING SPECIAL: GET ADAM PEATY TO WIN ANY MEDAL IN THE BREASTROKE AT 20/1

      All of those in the Czech team that tested positive arrived in Tokyo in the same charter plane, prompting the country’s Olympic Committee to launch an investigation.
      The Committee said: “The investigation will focus on whether all safety measures against COVID-19 spread were upheld before, during, and after the flight and whether some individuals have neglected their duties.”
      A total of 14 athletes were on the plane from Prague to Tokyo, with the other people on the flight testing negative on their PCR tests.
      Commenting on the cases, Czech team doctor Martin Doktor declared: “The situation is serious.
      “We have done our best to stop spreading the virus. Unfortunately, we didn’t avoid sport tragedies. I’m deeply sorry.”
      Tonga’s oiled up topless flag bearer returns for THIRD straight Olympics More

    • 200 Shares109 Views

      in Athletics

      Tokyo 2020 gold, silver and bronze Olympic medals made entirely from mobile phones and recycled electronics

      by

      TOKYO 2020 medallists will become the first in the history of the Olympics and Paralympics to win medals made out of recycled electrical goods.And the precious prizes have been crafted from more than SIX MILLION reused mobile phone parts.
      Nearly 80,000 tonnes of recycled electrical goods were used to make Tokyo 2020 Olympic medalsCredit: AFP
      The parts of more than six million used mobile phones were also used to make gold, silver and bronze medalsCredit: Getty
      The creation of the environmentally-friendly gold, silver and bronze awards are all part of an effort by organisers to make this year’s competition as eco-conscious as possible. 
      The opening ceremony for the Tokyo Games, which is this year’s biggest sporting event, takes place today. 
      It is the second time the capital city of Japan has hosted the Olympics with the first being back in 1964. 
      COMPETITION: SPOT THE BALL TO WIN A CAR AND CASH
      It is reported a whopping 79,000 tonnes of small electrical goods – including 6.21million used phones – were reconstructed into medals ahead of the contest. 
      The items – which took two years to gather – have been turned into 5000 gold, silver and bronze medals. 
      And two-time Olympic decathlete champion Ashton Eaton, 33, is among the sports aces backing recycled goods being awarded to athletes. 
      The American, who is the heptathlon indoor world record holder, said: “I have always been a fan of people who do things differently – of those who try to move the needle in a positive way.
      “The weight of a medal around your neck is always a good weight,” 
      “And when an athlete at Tokyo wins a medal, the weight of it will not be from the gold, silver or bronze; it will be the weight of a nation.”
      Yuki Arata, the Tokyo Games director of sustainability added: “We hope that the approach we are taking for these Olympics, for example utilising timber to make benches for public facilities for local areas will remain in (people’s) minds as a good memory of these Olympics to be passed on to the next generation.”
      DREAM TEAM IS BACK! SIGN UP NOW FOR THE 21/22 SEASON FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £100,000
      Other recycled inventions include Olympic uniforms produced entirely from reused plastic bottles. 
      The iconic torch used to light the flame to mark the start of the Tokyo Games is among the items made from reused products. 
      The Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch has been crafted from recycled aluminium used for earthquake sheltersCredit: Alamy

      Aluminium waste from homes built as temporary shelters following a major earthquake in Japan in 2011 was used to construct the torch. 
      And competitors staying in the Athletes Village will be sleeping in recyclable cardboard beds.  
      At least 18,000 of these beds have been provided for athletes staying in the Village located at Tokyo Bay.
      🥇 TOKYO OLYMPICS LIVE: All the latest from the Games with our live blog
      🥇 WHAT’S ON TODAY? Best bits to watch at the Olympics and UK times for your favourite stars
      Dream Team 2021/22PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR THE 2021/22 SEASON!

      £100,000 in prize money up for grabs
      £50million budget to build your best XI
      Play in Mini Leagues against your mates, colleagues, etc
      Click here to play for FREE
      Dream Team app available through Apple Store and Google Play Store

      The Olympic torch relay ends in Tokyo ahead of the opening ceremony of the delayed Game More

    • 200 Shares109 Views

      in Athletics

      Tokyo 2020: Russian archer Svetlana Gomboeva COLLAPSES in blistering 33C heat and stretchered out of qualifying

      by

      RUSSIAN archer Svetland Gomboeva lost consciousness during a qualifying Olympic round after collapsing in the brutal Tokyo heat.The 23-year-old was checking her final scores before she fainted in the blistering 33 degrees Celsius sun, with medics and team-mates rushing to her aid.
      Russian archer Svetlana Gomboeva collapsed in the blistering Tokyo heat on FridayCredit: Reuters
      Gomboeva quickly regained consciousness after passing out while checking her final scoresCredit: Getty
      Gomboeva, who qualified 45th of 64 archers in the women’s event on Friday, had to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher.
      Ice bags were given to the female athlete in an attempt to cool her down, with Gomboeva quickly regaining consciousness.
      She is said to now be recovering well, with the 2021 Archery World Cup recurve gold medallist to compete in the individual and team events later in the Games.
      The Tokyo heatwave forced coaches and staff to huddle under trees for shade.
      And Gomboeva’s coach Stanislav Popov declared that the unbearable temperature was too much for her.
      In quotes published by the Russian Olympic Committee, he said: “We hope that she will be okay.
      “It turns out that she couldn’t stand a whole day out in the heat.
      “This is the first time I remember this happening. In Vladivostok, where we were training before this, the weather was similar. But humidity played a role here.”
      🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Желаем здоровья и скорейшего выздоровления Светлане ГомбоевойВо время олимпийской квалификации в стрельбе из лука нашей спортсменке стало плохо😔#КомандаОКР #ROCTeam #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/ZYpHTGsfKZ— Olympic Russia (@Olympic_Russia) July 23, 2021

      Gomboeva’s team-mate Ksenia Perova added: “It’s probably heatstroke.
      “It’s very hot here and the asphalt is really baking. Of course there are also nerves, but the main reason is still the weather.”
      South Korea’s Kang Chae-young, who came third in the individual ranking rounds, said she had not experienced anything like Tokyo’s heatwave conditions in other recent events.
      Meanwhile Australia’s Alice Ingley has offered some simple advice for her fellow competitors on how to beat the heat.
      She told Reuters: “Cooling vest, slushies, fans, umbrellas, just all that, just try to keep out of the heat as much as possible.
      “And drink water as much as possible.” 
      🥇 TOKYO OLYMPICS LIVE: All the latest from the Games with our live blog
      🥇 WHAT’S ON TODAY? Best bits to watch at the Olympics and UK times for your favourite stars
      Team GB still OK to train and compete as authorities happy with preparation and precautions More

    • 225 Shares149 Views

      in Athletics

      Why isn’t Usain Bolt competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and who is favourite for the men’s 100m?

      by

      THE Tokyo Olympics is getting underway and no event will be more eagerly anticipated than the men’s 100m sprint.However, it won’t feel quite the same without Usain Bolt competing.
      Usain Bolt will be playing no part in this summer’s OlympicsCredit: Reuters
      Why isn’t Usain Bolt at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?
      Usain Bolt will not be at the Tokyo Olympic Games because he has retired.
      The Jamaican, who would be competing in Tokyo at the age of 34 if he had continued, last raced at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London.
      There, he picked up a bronze medal after being beaten by American duo Christian Coleman and Justin Gatlin.
      That marked the first time he had been beaten in a sprint final since the 4x100m relay at the 2007 World Championships.
      And in the 4x100m in London, Bolt pulled his hamstring and was carried over the line in agony by his Jamaican team-mates in his final ever race.
      Trayvon Bromell is favourite to win the men’s 100m in TokyoCredit: AFP
      A year later, Bolt attempted to live a lifelong dream of pursuing a career in football as he signed for Australia’s Central Coast Mariners.
      However, after eight weeks he was unable to agree a contract extension and said: “My sports life is over.”
      He added that it was “fun while it lasted,” saying he “really enjoyed just being in a team and it was [much] different from track and field.”
      Bolt concluded: “I’m just doing many different things … the sports life is over, so I’m now moving into different businesses.
      “I have a lot of things in the pipeline, so as I say, I’m just dabbling in everything and trying to be a businessman now.”
      BETTING SPECIAL – CLAIM £180 IN FREE BETS FOR THE OLYMPICS

      Who will win the 100m in Tokyo?
      American Trayvon Bromell is the favourite to take up Usain Bolt’s mantle as the fastest man on the planet.
      As of Monday, July 19 the latest odds from Paddy Power are as follows:

      Trayvon Bromell (USA) Evens
      Ronnie Baker (USA) 7/2
      Akani Simbine (RSA) 9/2
      Andre De Graase (CAN) 5/1
      Fred Kerley (USA) 12/1
      Yohan Blake (JAM) 17/1
      Marcell Jacobs (ITA) 17/1
      Zharnel Hughes (GBR) 22/1 More

    • 188 Shares149 Views

      in Athletics

      Tokyo 2020: Dina Asher-Smith hopes to take ‘moral leadership’ baton from Marcus Rashford and England

      by

      HAVING watched the heroics of England’s footballers at the Euros, Dina Asher-Smith is now ready to inspire the nation at the Olympics.Team GB have been lifted not just by the Three Lions’ run to the final, but also by the words published on their social media accounts.
      Dina Asher-Smith is ready to star at the Tokyo OlympicsCredit: Getty
      The Brit wants to express her voice, like Gareth Southgate and Marcus RashfordCredit: Reuters
      Star sprinter Asher-Smith is hotly-tipped to become just the TENTH British female champion in track-and-field.
      Yet away from the starting blocks, the sprinter is part of a new generation of athlete activists who want to win medals and change the world at the same time.
      It is similar to what England and Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford did, taking on Prime Minister Boris Johnson and helping feed starving children.
      Asher-Smith, 25, said: “What Marcus and all the other players have been doing is fantastic.
      “It made me so proud to watch them and see how they conducted themselves.
      “They did fantastically throughout the Euros and England surpassed all of our expectations in the nicest way. They performed fantastically.
      “They’re a credit to our nation and are showing a really good sense of moral leadership.
      “As sportspeople we are really proud, and definitely as a Brit, as a black Brit, I was really proud of them during the Euros.
      It would be entirely selfish not to give back when you’ve had so many opportunities in your career.Dina Asher-Smith
      “I thought they represented our nation and our communities incredibly well.
      “Definitely social activism is something I’d love to increase. You do have to give back.
      “It’s an essential part of being not only an athlete but also somebody who had an opportunity.
      “The only reason I am here today is the goodwill and hard work of other people in teams and throughout my community.
      “It would be entirely selfish not to give back when you’ve had so many opportunities in your career.
      “I’m really proud of how the footballers have done that increasingly through the year and proud of how they conducted themselves at the Euros.”
      England might have fallen short in the Wembley final, losing on penalties to Italy, but the 374-strong Team GB squad can certainly continue the feelgood factor in Tokyo after 18 months of Covid hell.
      Asher-Smith said: “I’m so unbelievably excited to be here. I feel like I’ve been capping my excitement for over a year because it’s been postponed and pushed back.

      “It feels like it’s been a long time in the making. I’m really excited to go and put a really good series of runs together.
      “The Olympics are the pinnacle of our sport. It’s what so many of us have dreamed of since we were babies.”
      Lost amid all the cynicism and scepticism — not to mention the growing number of positive Covid tests — is the fact that the Olympics on their day, when gold medals are won, can encourage people to get fit and active.
      Asher-Smith said: “The next fortnight has a great potential to inspire an entire generation of young women.
      “We do have significant drop off rates of young women when they hit their teenage years.
      “I really hope the next fortnight shows that you can make a viable career out of this, being a sportswoman in whatever sport you want to do.
      “It’s fun, it can change your life, you can develop lifelong friendships, you can lose weight, it’s good for self-esteem, your mind and your mental health.
      “This is a great platform and showcase for the sports we all love and I hope I can do you all proud over the next two weeks.”
      UNIQUE CHALLENGE
      Slowly but surely the jetlag is getting out of Asher-Smith’s system as she adjusts to the eight-hour time difference following eight hours of unbroken sleep.
      The tight hamstring that put her out of the Gateshead Diamond League this month is fine but left her feeling grumpy for a few days.
      The Londoner will run in the 100m, the 200m — in which she is the current world champion — and the 4x100m relay.
      Yes, it will be in front of empty stands and for the first time her proud parents Julie and Winston will not be there to watch.
      For so many reasons it will be an Olympics like no other, but for Asher-Smith it is still a time to shine in front of billions.
      She said: “Honestly, I just like a challenge.
      “I like the events, I love the spectacle. I love the championships and I love the vibe.
      “When people talk about this other stuff — the poster girl — whatever, it’s cool. But I don’t pay attention to the noise, the chatter and the predictions.
      “At Heathrow loads of the British Airways people said to me, ‘Are you nervous?’.
      BETTING SPECIAL – CLAIM £180 IN FREE BETS FOR THE OLYMPICS

      “No, what’s there to be nervous about? Obviously this is on a different scale but I line up for a race and I’ve done that since I was eight and I’m very, very good at it.
      “There’s absolutely nothing to be scared of. I love a show, I love a stage.
      “I love putting together a great performance when it matters, when the lights are really on. That’s just part of me.”
      🥇 TOKYO OLYMPICS LIVE: All the latest from the Games with our live blog
      🥇 WHAT’S ON TODAY? Best bits to watch at the Olympics and UK times for your favourite stars
      Man Utd hero Gary Neville pulls hamstring during race with Team GB’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics star Dina Asher-Smith More

    • 250 Shares109 Views

      in Athletics

      Tokyo 2020: Reece Prescod needed a crash DIET after lockdown… but plans another takeaway binge if he wins 100m gold

      by

      FOOD lover Reece Prescod plans to DELIVEROO gold for Team GB – despite gorging on too many cakes and desserts.The 100m sprinter admits he got FAT before the June British trials after stuffing his face with takeaways and sweets from coffee outlets.
      Sprinter Reece Prescod says he ‘got fat’ – and so decided to do something about itCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The fourth fastest man in British athletics history has since gone on a crash diet, losing FOUR kilograms in weight over the past three weeks.
      But should he win an Olympic medal on August 1 – in the first final since Usain Bolt retired – then he will stuff his face in celebration.
      Prescod, 25, said: “I went to the British trials and wasn’t in the best shape. I was a bit overweight and a bit rusty.
      “I don’t know if it was American food or what – or if I love Deliveroo too much.
      “I was bloody like 87kg. My race weight is normally 79/80kg.
      “I don’t know if I spent too much time in the gym doing rehab, smashing my upper body and eating a bit too much food. Just happy food, happy weight.
      “But I gained a bit of welly. I’m 83kg right now so I’ve gone down a little bit.
      “I’m not going to have lunch the next few days. I’m just going to have breakfast and dinner and make sure I follow the plan.
      “If I get down to 80/81kg I’ll lose my lockdown weight.
      “My happy food? It’s just Deliveroo is the problem. It’s very convenient sometimes.
      “Where I live by Canary Wharf, you’ve got Joe & The Juice in the morning, Pret a Manger, then you come back for lunchtime and there’s a Nando’s or GBK.
      “Then I’ll jump on Call of Duty with the boys, and we’re eating snacks. Instead of having a fruit salad, I might order from Cake and Custard Factory.
      DREAM TEAM IS BACK! SIGN UP NOW FOR THE 21/22 SEASON FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £100,000

      “Before you know it it’s a jam tart, a pink icing cake with some custard, and then I’ve ordered two and an Appletiser and then I go to bed.
      “You’ve done that for a week and it ends up going on.
      “This holding camp I need to stick to the fruit salads and the water, chicken and ease up a little bit. There will be no Cake and Custard factory.
      “At dinner the other day there was carrot cake. It looked amazing to be fair.
      “The coaches and staff were eating it. I was eyeing it up. I had a fruit salad instead.
      “If I medal win or do well, you’ll see me at the desert bar definitely.”
      Prescod, who ran 9.94seconds in Birmingham in 2018, has aspirations of one day breaking Linford Christie’s national record of 9.87sec set in Stuttgart in 1993.
      It is a target that both he, CJ Ujah and Zharnel Hughes will aim for in the wide open 100m final for more than 16 years.
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      The Londoner moved to the United States earlier this year but lasted just ONE DAY before deciding he wanted to return home.
      Prescod, who speaks as quickly as he runs, was in confessional mood when he addressed the media this week from the Yokohama holding camp.
      It was not just food that was on his deadly sin list, but also an addiction to gaming, which has held him back.
      Prescod said: “Me and CJ we were looking at Power of 10 last night. I think we’re capable of the record.
      “Two of us need to run 9.8sec at least and get there regularly.
      “It’s like we cannot leave athletics without our PBs being 6.4 for the 60m, 9.8 for the 100m and 19 for the 200m.
      “Now, being back home, I’ve got no excuse. I need to knuckle down.
      “I have dropped Call of Duty. I was a serious Warzone gamer. I’ve eased down on that, don’t play it as much anymore.
      “Back in lockdown, it was a serious commitment. I was a serious gamer. I was a serious soldier.
      “I was jumping on eight-hour shifts a day at least. But I’ve taken a break.
      “You think you are a gamer but you aren’t really. I’ve got a very addictive personality so once I get into something, I get into it fully.”
      The fourth fastest man in British athletics history has since gone on a crash dietCredit: GettyDream Team 2021/22PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR THE 2021/22 SEASON!

      Tokyo 2020 chief Muto doesn’t rule out cancelling Olympic games More

    • 213 Shares139 Views

      in Athletics

      Tokyo 2020: Norway women’s handball team fined £1,300 for refusing to wear bikini bottoms days before Olympics

      by

      NORWAY’S women’s handball team has been fined £1,300 for refusing to wear bikini bottoms.The Scandinavians were charged with wearing “improper clothing” as they instead wore shorts during the European Beach Handball Championships in Bulgaria.
      Norway’s women’s handball team has been fined £1,300 for refusing to wear bikini bottomsCredit: Instagram / @elisabethhammerstad
      A European Handball Federation statement read: “In the bronze medal game against Spain, the team of Norway played with shorts that are not according to the athlete uniform regulations defined in the IHF Beach Handball rules of the game.”
      Norway’s handball federation stood by its athletes, saying: “We are very proud of these girls who raised their voices and announced that enough is enough!
      “Together we will continue to fight to change the rules for clothing, so that players can play in the clothes they are comfortable with.”
      The fine comes a day after British Paralympian Olivia Breen said she had been told by an official at Sunday’s English Championships that her competition briefs were too SHORT.
      The double world champ sprinter and long jumper, 24, said: “It made me feel really angry and it’s very wrong.
      “You know they can’t comment on what we can and can’t wear. They are like high-waisted bikini bottoms.
      “I’ve worn them for nine years, I’ve never had a problem and we should feel comfortable with what we wear.”
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      DREAM TEAM IS BACK! SIGN UP NOW FOR THE 21/22 SEASON FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £100,000

      It seems the ‘acceptable’ length of shorts for female athletes remains under discussion.
      Teams in the Olympic handball competition, not played on a beach, DO wear shorts.
      Norway start their campaign against South Korea on Sunday.
      Dream Team 2021/22PLAY DREAM TEAM FOR THE 2021/22 SEASON! More

    • 213 Shares129 Views

      in Athletics

      Team GB Paralympian Olivia Breen left ‘speechless’ after being told her sprint briefs ‘too short and inappropriate’

      by

      PARALYMPIAN Olivia Breen was left ‘speechless’ after being told her sprint briefs were ‘too short and inappropriate’.The Welsh star, 24, was competing in a long jump event at the English Championships in Bedford at the weekend when a volunteer raised concerns about her Adidas attire.
      Olivia Breen was left ‘speechless’ after being told her sprint briefs were ‘too short and inappropriate’Credit: Gary Mitchell
      The comment was made by a volunteer during the English ChampionshipsCredit: Gary Mitchell
      The 24-year-old will represent Team GB at the Tokyo Paralympics beginning on August 24.
      Breen, from Guildford, won bronze at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London for the 4x100m Relay T35-T38.
      She failed to medal four years later in Rio, but brilliantly bounced back to win gold in the long jump title at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
      Breen posted on Twitter: “I am always grateful for the incredible volunteers who officiate at athletics events.
      “They do an amazing job and make it possible for us to compete.
      “However, tonight I feel disappointed because just as I finished my long jump competition one of the female officials felt it necessary to inform me that my sprint briefs were too short and inappropriate. I was left speechless.
      “I have been wearing the same sprint style briefs for many years and they are specifically designed for competing in.
      “I will hopefully be wearing them in Tokyo. It made me question whether a male competitor would be similarly criticised.
      “I hope no other female athletes had similar issues.
      “I recognise that there needs to be regulations and guidelines in relation to competition kit but women should not be made to feel self-conscious about what they are wearing when competing but should feel comfortable and at ease.”
      Breen, who has cerebral palsy, revealed to The Guardian that she intends on making an official complaint to UK Athletics.

      British shot putter Amelia Strickler backed up Breen’s comments and believes officials who make ‘unnecessary’ comments should not officiate.
      Strickler, 27, said: “Female athletes shouldn’t be subjected to such criticism when there is already so much pressure on women to be ‘perfect’.
      “We are there to compete. You don’t like the outfits? Don’t officiate. We don’t need officials adding unnecessary stress in those moments.”
      Ugandan weightlifter Julius Ssekitoleko goes missing from Tokyo 2020 training camp and ‘leaves behind just a note’ More