China claim early Olympic golds on day one

TOKYO: China claimed three gold medals on the first day of the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday and cyclist Richard Carapaz became just the second competitor in Ecuador’s history to top the podium, with victory in the road race.

As the troubled build-up to the pandemic-postponed Games gave way to the first full day of competition, China secured victories in shooting and weightlifting.

Yang Qian sparked the mini gold rush in the 10-metre air rifle competition, pipping Russia’s Anastasiia Galashina with a dramatic last-shot victory to take the very first title of the Games.

Galashina had looked poised to win heading into the last shot, but stumbled with 8.9 on her final effort to allow Yang to grab gold.

“It’s the 100th birthday of the Chinese Communist Party,” she said. “I’m so happy that this golden medal is a gift to my country. I’m so proud.”

There was more joy for China, with Hou Zhihui taking gold in the women’s 49kg weightlifting event with an Olympic record total of 210 kilograms.

Fencer Sun Yiwen added a third Chinese gold of the day with victory in the women’s epee.

In cycling’s gruelling road race, 2019 Giro d’Italia winner Carapaz outfoxed a heavyweight field led by Slovenia’s Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar.

It was only Ecuador’s second gold at the Olympics after Jefferson Perez’s victory in the 50km race walk at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Japan celebrated the first goal medal of its Games when judoka Naohisa Takato won the men’s 60kg final at the iconic Nippon Budokan, beating Taiwan’s Yang Yung-wei.

But the host nation suffered disappointment when gymnastics great Kohei Uchimura’s campaign came to an early end.

The two-time all-around Olympic champion slipped up in qualifying for the horizontal bar competition, having battled a shoulder injury to be fit for the Games.

“In the last three Olympic Games I’ve been able to match the level of performance I’d reached in training — but not this time,” a dejected Uchimura said.

In another Japanese setback, world champion Daiya Seto failed to reach the final of the men’s 400 metre medley in the pool, although he has two more events.

With spectators barred from almost all Olympic venues due to Covid-19 restrictions, the road race was a rare chance for domestic fans to glimpse the action.

Tens of thousands lined the route of the brutal 234km (145-mile) course to watch as Carapaz prevailed in a thrilling tactical battle.

“It’s an incredible moment for me,” Carapaz said. “You always have to believe. I have worked so hard to be here and it’s a huge moment for me.”

The spectre of Covid-19 continued to stalk the Games when German cyclist Simon Geschke was forced out of the road race while Dutch rower Finn Florijn has also tested positive.

Seventeen new Games-related cases were announced, taking the total number to 123, of which 12 are athletes.

Organisers were also nervously tracking the progress of a tropical storm heading towards Tokyo, with forecasters saying it could arrive on Tuesday.

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Gulfam’s high-class effort goes in vain

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Debutant Gulfam Joseph’s high-class efforts fell just short as he marginally failed to qualify for the last eight in the 10m Air Pistol competition in the Tokyo Olympics Saturday. Eventually, he finished ninth in the 36-men competition.

The 10m Air Pistol competition that got the shooting event underway saw Gulfam getting off to a rather mediocre start but he picked up later and only missed the cut on his final shot. Had he struck the last shot on a perfect ten, he would have qualified for the medal round. The 21-year-old Gulfam was competing in the Olympics for the very first time. “It was the narrowest of misses for me. I hit a few perfect 10 and had I hit the last shot on ten I would have finished amongst the top eight and got a place in the medal round,” Gulfam said in a special interview with ‘The News’ from Tokyo.

“I got nine on the last shot with the closest of margins. It was a great experience for me and I have learned a lot from this outing. Since it was my first Olympics, I got off to a slow start,” he said.

Gulfam accumulated 578.13 points against Damir Mikec (Serbia) who qualified with 578.21 points. Damir ultimately picked up silver.

At one time, Gulfam was tied for No 7 and 8 with the score of 578/600.

“When you miss from such a close margin, you obviously feel low. But I feel I have time and will make all-out efforts in coming months to make the country proud,” the youngster said. “In all, it was my third international outing.”

Gulfam returns home on July 26.

Iranian Javed Foroughi made his country proud by winning the gold in the event with Damir taking silver and Chinese Wel Pang grabbing bronze.

Pakistan shooters Khalil Akhtar and Ghulam Mustafa Bashir will be in action on August 1 in 25m rapid fire pistol event.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/868045-china-claim-early-olympic-golds-on-day-one