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A silver medal, two new Asian records, two new Hong Kong records – Siobhan Haughey has delivered in a big way on Wednesday, and her 200m freestyle triumph means this is now the city's most successful Olympics ever – and we're only on day 5.
Want to know more about Haughey? This piece by Andrew McNicol and Patrick Blennerhasset has everything you need.
There was more success for Hong Kong, with Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet beating Britain's  Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith in the mixed doubles quarter-finals. Unfortunately, Doo Hoi-kem pushed Chen Meng hard, but ultimately lost 4-2 in her quarter-final.
Later, badminton star Angus Ng Ka-long lost his second group game in men's singles, and surrendered his Olympic hopes.
Follow us for live coverage of day five in Japan.
Reporting by Paul Ryding and Jonathan White (in Tokyo), Josh Ball, Patrick Blennerhassett, Chan Kin-wa, Nick Atkin, Andrew McNicol, Nadia Lam, and Cheryl Heng.


Tokyo Olympics: Siobhan Haughey's sensational day in pool highlight of day 5 for Hong Kong - as it happened

Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey after the 200m freestyle final in Tokyo. Photo: Getty Images


Sport

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games


Hong Kong hero Siobhan Haughey sets another Asian record in 52.70 seconds on her return to action in the pool
The 23-year-old earlier smashed her personal best en route to silver medal in 200m freestyle 



Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey sets another Asian record in 52.70 seconds, after earlier smashing her personal best en route to historic silver medal in 200m freestyle final.


Live

Where to start? Siobhan Haughey, Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, Taiwan’s first gold - day four had almost everything you could want from an enthralling day of sport.




Day 4 recap

Hong Kong is going to come to a standstill for two minutes this morning as Siobhan Haughey races in the final of the 200m freestyle, but isn’t just the swimmer who is dreaming big.
Inspired by the gold medal-winning performance of Cheung Ka-long, the city’s other athletes are targeting their own success, none more so than cyclist Sarah Lee, who flew out to Tokyo yesterday.
In an interview before leaving, Lee told the Post: “I am ready to win medals.”


Gold medal fever


Siobhan Haughey will make history for Hong Kong by swimming an Olympic final, but she’s not there to make up the numbers and there’s little doubt her semi-final swim has got the city’s hopes right up.
  Haughey is second fastest going into the biggest two minutes of her career. Only Aussie golden girl Ariarne Titmus was faster, with Katie Ledecky just behind.
The final is being billed as Titmus v Ledecky part two, after their 400m free final earlier in the week, and that could suit our girl. Haughey is in lane 5 while the big guns go at it in 3 (Ledecky) and 4 (Titmus).


She’s already made history

It is as stacked as finals should be, with plenty of pedigree in the pool.  LANE 1  Federica Pellegrini - Italian is world record holder and has been since 2009.  LANE 2  Barbora Seemanova - The Czech beat Haughey in their heat.  LANE 3  Katie Ledecky - Five time Olympic gold medalist from the US. She is the reigning Olympic 200m free champion, winning in Rio in a time of 1:53.73.  LANE 4  Ariane Titmus -Tokyo 2020 400m free gold medal winner and fastest going into the final.  LANE 5  Siobhan Haughey - Second fastest going into the final.  LANE 6  Yang Junxuan - Chinese swimmer finished second in the 200m free at the 2018 Asian Games. Also won silver at that year’s Youth Olympics (beating Seemanova into bronze).  LANE 7  Penny Oleskiak - Canadian won gold in the 100m free in Rio.  LANE 8  Madison Wilson - Australian has an Olympic gold as a heat swimmer in the 4x100m in Rio.


200m freestyle lane order


Bev Wright, team manager of Harry Wright International Swim School, has set up a television at the South China Athletic Aassociation, "the birthplace of Siobhan's career" and swim lessons will stop to watch the action.


Home support chearing Haughey on

There is plenty of important action involving Hong Kong athletes outside the pool this morning. In the badminton, there is a winner takes all match between Rio 2016 silver medalist PV Sindhu and Hong Kong's Cheung Ngan-yi in the women's singles at 11am.
That is followed by Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet taking on Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith in the mixed doubles quarter-finals, before Angus Ng Ka-long plays his second and final group game at 6pm.
Elsewhere, Doo Hoi-kem takes on the top seed Chen Meng in the last 16 of the table tennis at noon. Big day all round.


Big day for Team Hong Kong

Jonathan White in Tokyo
“We are moments away from Hong Kong sporting history. Whatever happens next Siobhan Haughey has made the final, which was the target she set for herself.
“But, as she has said before, her ambition is an Olympic medal and she has an opportunity to reach out and grab one. She's in fine form and that swim in the semi-final was superb. How much more has Haughey got in the tank?
“We will soon find out. Ga yau!”


Moments away

Given some of the media coverage elsewhere, you might be mistaken for thinking that Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky were the only two swimmers in this race.
But Siobhan Haughey qualified second fastest out of the semi-finals, and was just outside world-record pace after 100m yesterday.
This is anything but a done deal.


Here we go

Take your marks

100m

Ariarne Titmus takes it at the death, but what a swim from Siobhan Haughey



Silver for Haughey

So close for Haughey, but she’s taken nearly a second off her record time. She swam 1:53.92, and her previous best was 1:54.89, which she set in April.



New Hong Kong record


Jonathan White in Tokyo
“Hong Kong has a silver medal in the pool and that was another superb swim for Haughey. As in the semi, Titmus stormed back but that is incredible from the Hong Kong swimmer. Titmus needed an Olympic Record to beat her.”


Incredible effort

Siobhan Haughey has also broken the Asian record for women’s 200m freestyle with her time of 1:53:92.
Here’s Jonathan White in Tokyo: “A PB and an Asian record for the Hong Kong swimmer and it needed the fastest swim at an Olympics to beat her. What a swim. Congratulations.
“With Haughey and Cheung Ka-long this has been some Games for Hong Kong. Haughey still has two more solo swims and a relay to come, too.  Hats off to Titmus who is absolutely unstoppable on that last 50m. Remarkable stuff from her yet again.”



New Asian record


Tokyo 2020 is now officially Hong Kong’s best performance at an Olympic Games, thanks to Edgar Cheung Ka-long’s fencing gold and now Siobhan Haughey’s sublime silver.
Here’s Paul Ryding in Tokyo: “Little auld Hong Kong fires into 20th place on the medal table. In your face, Singapore!
“The Hong Kong Olympic delegation wouldn’t have dared to dream that after five days we would have TWO MEDALS – let alone that they would be gold and silver.
“Tokyo 2020 is now officially the best ever Olympic showing from Hong Kong. And we still have (former) Olympic queen Sarah Lee Wai-sze to come next week. An incredible return for the city.”


Hong Kong’s best Games

Hong Kong swimmers in Wan Chai Stadium celebrate Siobhan Haughey's silver medal in the 200m freestyle.
Hong Kong swimmers on the edge of their seats as Siobhan Haughey takes silver at #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/ScAOTpR66p
  — Alkira Reinfrank (@AlkiraReinfrank) July 28, 2021


Swimmers celebrate in Hong Kong

Jonathan White in Tokyo
“That’s not to mention Grace Lau Mo-sheung in the Kata Karate (where two bronzes will be dished out) and the windsurfing, where both Haley Chan Hei-man and Michael Cheng Chun-leung are closing in on the final round, and if they can narrow the gap on the leaders have a strong chance of a medal.
“In the meantime, while we are all still high on hope after a gold and a silver, why not a first career win for Cheung Ngan-yi over No 7 seed PV Sindhu? The Indian shuttler is 5-0 up in their career meetings but if we can’t dream now when can we?”


More medals to come?

In the singles badminton, Cheung and Sindhu both look like they mean business here with all manner of shots being played as they try to feel each other out early on.
Sindhu's height, reach and power are there for all to see and she's being cheered on by a vocal Indian press pack. Cheung is doing plenty right but it is 8-3 at the first break in play.


And now for something completely different


Fans were out in force at the APM Mall in Kwun Tong watching a live television stream of Hong Kong silver medal hero Siobhan Haughey’s historic 200m freestyle final swim.
Haughey did not disappoint.



Hong Kong stands still


Siobhan Haughey has been speaking about her impressive performance this morning.
“I am more on the sprinting side and many others from the US and Australia are in a longer distance 400m and they would be very fast in the last 100m. From the beginning, my target was to swim within 1:53. I would like to thank my coaches in Hong Kong and the United States, and also my dad and mum, without them I would not be having such an achievement.
“My achievement, coupled with Cheung Ka-long in fencing, can inspire other Hong Kong athletes who are here in Tokyo, and add oil to them and also those swimmers back home - continue to train hard and you will be the next.
“Five years ago, I reached the semi-finals in Rio and at the 2017 World Championships I came fifth and then fourth at the 2019 World Championships. Every time it was so close, and this time I am so happy.”


Haughey ‘so happy’ with achievement


Jonathan White in Tokyo
“Hong Kong’s gold and silver puts them level in the medal table with Tunisia, who had their own hero in the pool when Ahmed Hafnaoui shocked the swimming world with his 400m free gold.
A bronze right now would move the city level with Serbia, while Romania and Slovenia are also in sight. Heady days for Hong Kong here in Tokyo.”


Heady days for Hong Kong

One of the city’s largest developer, Henderson Land, piled on with their well-wishes and presented Haughey with a cash prize of HK$2.5 million for clinching silver.
Under the company’s commendation scheme for elite athletes, Cheung Ka-long has received prize money of HK$5 million for his fencing gold. The scheme has issued more than HK$9 million so far, also presenting local athletes that come in fourth to eighth places with cash.


Haughey prize money

The city’s biggest opposition group, the Democratic Party, was among the first few to send its congratulations.
The party issued a statement via Facebook: “Haughey is the first Hong Kong swimmer to win a medal at the Olympics, making history in Hong Kong swimming. We are so happy, congratulations to Haughey! And most importantly, she chose to represent Hong Kong!”


Congratulations pour in for Haughey

Sindhu won that first set 21-9 and she is getting the rub of the green too in the second.
A point won off the net is followed by Cheung losing a challenge. She’s going to need for the luck to turn to get back in this.


Back to the badminton


Three young swimmers were at the South China Athletic Association and told the Post’s Patrick Blennerhassett about what Haughey's medal means for them as young swimmers.
“It was very exciting, because she made history in the pool,” said 13-year-old Ethan Au-yeung (pictured, middle).


Inspiring the next generation


Hong Kong’s original queen of the pool Robyn Lamsam, 43, said she was delighted to see Siobhan Haughey win Olympic silver and was confident she could add to her collection.
“Given her incredible form over the past year, I was very confident Siobhan would be getting a medal,“ said Lamsam. ”The question was only which colour. It was an incredible swim – she went out hard and really gave herself the best possible chance at winning gold.
“The last time we won an individual swimming medal before Siobhan came along was my [Asian Games] bronze in 1994. It is absolutely fantastic how far Hong Kong has come along in the past 27 years. This has truly cemented Hong Kong’s standing on the global swimming stage. And Siobhan will only get better.”


From one queen to another


Jonathan White in Tokyo
“Not sure luck is coming into it as Sindhu and Cheung go blow for blow at badminton. The lead has been swapping and the Hongkonger has found ways to cause the Rio 2016 silver medalist a host of problems. It's 14-14 in this must win rubber for Cheung.”


Cheung still fighting

Three-time Hong Kong Olympian and swimming coach Fenella Ng Gar-loc has been talking to Alkira Reinfrank.
“Absolutely fantastic race by Siobhan,” Ng said. “We all thought she had a good chance at getting a medal. It was a very stacked field with [Katie] Ledecky, [Ariarne] Titmus and [Federica] Pellegrini ... absolutely thrilled. She totally committed, took it out super fast, half a second ahead of world record pace and held on for the silver. She’s absolutely the real deal. It’s fantastic for Hong Kong swimming. We all hope that she will inspire a whole generation of new swimmers in Hong Kong.”


Haughey performance ‘absolutely fantastic’


Doo Hoi-kem is just a couple of minutes away from her quarter-final clash with China's Chen Meng. The Hongkonger will have her hands full with the Chinese world No 1. The 27-year-old is an Asian Games silver medallist and the reigning World Cup gold medal-winner.


Table tennis star up next


It is all over at the Misushino Forest Sports Park Plaza. 
PV Sindhu powers ahead and then into the next round of the women’s badminton singles. It finishes 2-0 but that was a heck of a fight Cheung Ngan-yi put up in the second game.


Cheung falls short

A tropical storm brought strong winds and heavy rain to Japan’s northern coast on Wednesday after moving away from the Tokyo region and relieving the host city of a feared disruption to the Olympics.
So far, Nepartak has caused no damage, but the Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to take caution against mudslides. The storm had winds of 65 km/h (40 mph) and was expected to weaken and move off the western coast of Akita by this evening. (AP)


Tropical storm spares Games

China has wrapped up a record-setting first day of rowing finals by smashing the world record in women’s quadruple sculls and winning gold.
The Chinese boat finished in 6 minutes, 0.13 seconds and shaved nearly two seconds off the previous mark set by the Netherlands in 2014. The race was never close. Poland won silver more than 6 seconds behind the Chinese. Australia won bronze for that country’s fourth medal of the day.
Windy conditions produced a strong tailwind for the rowers at Tokyo’s Sea Forest Waterway, and new world or Olympic records were set in each of Wednesday’s six medal races.


China’s golden display on water

Siobhan Haughey’s father Darach has spoken to the Post.
“We are very proud that through her hard work, dedication and determination and with the benefit of great coaches at each stage in her career and excellent support professionals throughout her career, Siobhan has achieved her goal of making the podium at the Olympics,” he said.


Proud dad alert, again

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has extended her congratulations to Siobhan Haughey. 
“This is the first medal that Hong Kong has clinched in swimming events,” the chief executive said. “She performed brilliantly and won the glory for Hong Kong with her spirit. I and the people in Hong Kong feel very proud.  “The Hong Kong delegation has won a gold and a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics so far, making historic breakthroughs in fencing and swimming. I am confident that with the support of Hongkongers, our athletes will continue to do their best and achieve stellar results.”
Lam’s cabinet also offered their praises to Hong Kong’s “Little Fish”, the star swimmer’s nickname, and Financial Secretary Paul Chan added his words of encouragement to the Hong Kong team. 
“To all our athletes, let’s keep going, we will show our fullest support,” he wrote on Facebook. 
  Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui Ying-wai praised her “excellent performance at the Olympics”. He added: “Although the delay of the Olympics affected the race and training, Haughey has overcome many challenges to win at the highest level of competition. We are very thrilled and proud. I hope that she will continue to sparkle in the sports world.”


Carrie Lam leads praise from lawmakers

Jonathan White in Tokyo
“A teary Cheung Ngan-yi just said she did her best but there was regret at letting the chance she had in the second set slip by.
“She’s away back to Hong Kong to reflect on her debut Games.”


Tears and regrets

Hong Kong swimmers have a long history at the Olympic Games.
At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, a 17-year-old young swimmer Yeung Sau-king, who was then a Hong Kong champion swimming for the South China Athletics Association, was selected to represent the then Republic of China.
And she also became the first Hong Kong swimmer to appear at the Olympics. Since the Hong Kong Olympic Committee was set up in 1952, the city has sent teams to every Games and has been represented in swimming at every one - including the largest squad of 10 swimmers for the 1988 Games in Seoul.


Haughey following in their footsteps


No rest though here on the badminton courts as our mixed doubles hopes are under way against the Brits. This is being played at some pace. It's 11-7 to the Hongkongers at the first break in play where the players take a word from the coach.
Tang has got some arm on him. The lefty does five or six leaping smashes in a row with the last of them leaving the British duo stranded. Tse gets in on the act too with a rather less leaping affair that it is no less effective. It is 14-10 to the Hong Kong pairing in the first game.


Tang and Tse ahead in mixed doubles


Paul Ryding in Tokyo
“Super start from Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi-kem against the world No 1 Chen Meng, taking the first game 11-6. She’s looking very fired up for this one.”


Super start

The International Olympic Committee has “huge respect and support” for American gymnast Simone Biles, who pulled out of Tuesday’s team event at the Tokyo Olympic Games, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said on Wednesday.
Multiple Olympic champion Biles, one of the biggest names at the Games, decided to pull out of her team gymnastics finals, saying mental health was more important than sports. (Reuters)


IOC backing for Biles

Michael Fasching, who coached Siobhan Haughey when she was at the South China Athletic Association, and is credited with being instrumental in her early development as a swimmer, has also spoken to the Post.
“I am very happy for Siobhan and Hong Kong swimming,” he said. “This was an incredible race and a fantastic time.”


‘An incredible race’

Tang and Tse look in menacing mood and the British duo have no answer. It is 1-0 to Hong Kong now as they close that out 21-13. They have one foot in the semi-finals in these mixed doubles. We're about to go again here and it is telling that the Hongkongers are on court waiting as the Brits are still speaking to the coach.
Let's get this finished.


Hong Kong pair 1-0 up

Paul Ryding in Tokyo
“Wow. Doo goes 2-0 up against top seed Chen in their table tennis quarter-final match. The Hongkonger is on fire and Chen is struggling to find the answers to deal with her here.
“Chen scurries to her coach, the legendary Ma Lin, for some guidance as Doo struts to her chair at the change of ends. Brilliant stuff so far from the 24-year-old. A long way to go yet, mind.”


Doo on fire


Here’s the new 200m freestyle Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus on how she felt after the race, and her battle with Siobhan Haughey.
“Bloody exhausted. That was a hell of a tough one,” Titmus said. “I knew Siobhan really wanted this. I could tell by the way that she swam yesterday morning, so I knew it would be tough to beat her.
“It’s not the time (1:53.50) I thought I could do this morning, but it’s the Olympics and there’s a lot of other things going on. So, it was just about winning here. I’m very happy.”


Titmus on ‘hell of a tough race’


They were neck and neck in a very tight game for a while, going at it hammer and tongs to 5-5, but the Chinese ace dug deep and went out to 10-5 in front in the space of 90 seconds.
She prevails in game three 11-6. Chen definitely looked to have her tail up at the conclusion of that game. Has momentum swung to the mainlander?


Chen battles back

Siobhan Haughey’s Hong Kong teammate Jamie Yeung Zhen-mei, who cheered her on from the stands at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, has congratulated the silver medallist on Instagram.
“You are absolutely amazing. Thank you for inspiring hundreds and thousands of us. To witness this in person, and the six-year process in person – I have no words,” said Yeung, who was also Haughey’s teammate at the University of Michigan.
“Congratulations QUEEN you are a champion,” she added. 
Yeung is expected to swim for Hong Kong in the women’s relay competition in Tokyo.
  
  
 
  
 
 


 


  
View this post on Instagram

 
  
  
 
 
 

  
 
 

  
 
 
 


  
 
 

A post shared by Jamie Yeung (@jamieyyyyy)




Jamie Yeung: I have no words


This second set is much closer and the Brits have been better. They need to win or it is back to Blighty but our Hong Kong duo are still within touching distance at 16-14.
Drama here as Tang and Tse hit each other’s racquets mid point and then Tang hits one wide he really should have got in. He has a look at his strings and a word with himself before walking off and binning the offending racquet. It seemed to do the trick. The next two points are Hong Kong’s. But then Ellis judges Tang has gone long. 18-16. Tse smashes the next point with her trademark efficiency. 18-17. This is on a knife edge.


Closer second set


They’ve only gone and done it!
The badminton ends 21-18 in a hard-fought second game and Hong Kong duo Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet are into the semi-finals of the Olympic Games.
This is some day for Hong Kong sport. Great performance and 2-0 means a bit more of a rest for the duo.


Shot at another medal


Paul Ryding in Tokyo
“Goodness, these two are very evenly matched here. It’s a real battle we have out there, each clawing the other back throughout game four.
“They were locked at 8-8 when Chen played an excellent spin shot that Doo could not reach. Doo dragged it back to 9-9. Chen edged ahead with a long serve for game point and then wrapped it up with an outstanding point.
“A pin-point lob from Doo – almost perfection, but Chen thrashed it back past her. 2-2. What a match!”


Table tennis thriller

After beating Great Britain, Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet will take on the number one seeds Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China in the mixed doubles semi-finals. The Chinese pair beat Tang and Tse 2-0 in the 2018 Asian Games final for the gold medal.


Hong Kong face China in semi-finals


Uh-oh, ominous for Doo.
Chen runs away with game five. It’s been so tight till now, but Chen blasts Doo away 11-1 to go 3-2 in front. Momentum has definitely shifted here.


Momentum swings

Semi Radradra scored the decisive try as defending champions Fiji set up an Olympic rugby sevens final against New Zealand at the Tokyo Stadium on Wednesday.
Fiji, running a solid defensive pattern, ran out 26-14 winners over Argentina, who had surprisingly knocked out Rio bronze medallists South Africa in the quarter-finals yesterday.
New Zealand outmuscled Great Britain 29-7 in the other semi-final. The British team will play Argentina in the bronze medal match. (AFP)


Fiji face New Zealand in sevens final

Paul Ryding in Tokyo
“Chen Meng wins 4-2, but what a match. Doo Hoi-kem goes down swinging, a fine performance.
That game six was just epic rally after epic rally. But Chen shows why she's ruled women’s table tennis for years. More heartbreak for Doo.



Chen too strong in the end


Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet are into the semi-finals of the mixed doubles, where they face Chinese top seeds Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong (pictured).
“We’ll try our best,” was the message from Tse when asked if she and Tang could win an Olympic medal.
Still, Hong Kong will have to do it the hard way, and it has to be said that the Hong Kong pair were beaten by China’s No 2 seeds, Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping, in the group stage.
The second seeds are still playing their quarter-final against South Korea’s Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yoo-jung but are 1-0 up. In the other quarter final there was an upset as Thai second seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai were beaten by Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino.


More medal glory in badminton?

Taiwan golfer C.T. Pan has found an ingenious way around the “no-family” rule at spectator-free Tokyo 2020 - he employs his wife as his caddie.
Pan, who has enjoyed one win on the PGA Tour, said his wife Michelle Lin could be key to a podium finish when the men’s event starts at Kasumigaseki Country Club on Thursday.
“Since this is the biggest event in my life, and for the whole world, I needed to bring out my best. She’s my best caddie,” said the 29-year-old Pan, who tied 30th in Rio de Janeiro five years ago.
“She wanted to be with me. Most importantly, we’ve got a great record together,” said Pan, who finished joint runner-up at the 2018 Wyndham Championship with Michelle on the bag. (AFP)


A family affair


Jonathan White in Tokyo
Considering there are no fans, there is plenty of support for the shuttlers. Sindhu was backed by plenty in here and the Chinese press have been even more vocal, greeting every point with cheers and applause.
They can now celebrate the second seeds making up the last four. Let’s hope the mainland media have less to cheer about when Hong Kong take on China tomorrow. You’ll have to be up early to see it – it starts at 9am local time.


Frenzy of support

Siobhan Haughey, who has an Irish father and a Hong Kong mother, spoke at the 2016 Olympics in Rio about choosing to represent her home city.
“I could choose to represent Ireland, but I was born in Hong Kong and live in Hong Kong. I am always connected with Hong Kong. I am proud to represent Hong Kong,” she said.


‘Always connected with Hong Kong’


Some controversy is brewing after Hong Kong’s Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet beat Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith to reach the badminton mixed doubles semi-finals. Britain’s Ellis was upset with Tang’s serving, and spoke to the umpire during the match. 
“I think a lot of the time he is serving right behind the girl, and the shuttle has to be visible when it’s being struck. I’d say half of the serves actually, they almost hide behind her head or back,” Ellis said.
“It [speaking to the umpire] is very disruptive to the game, but if you can’t see the shuttle being struck, it’s quite a disadvantage, so you have to stop and say: ‘You need to do it again’ or ‘She needs to move’.
“It doesn’t particularly bother me and I don’t think it had an impact today [but] we’ve played them in the past and had the exact same issue, and from what other games I’ve seen they’ve also had the same issue.”
Tse defended her teammate when she was asked about Ellis’ interruptions.
“It had a small impact on us, we were just looking to keep the rallies going. We didn’t care too much about their nuisance, we are just doing our job to the best of our abilities,” she said.


Badminton controversy brews

Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines and Italy’s Irma Testa have clinched their nations’ first Olympic women’s boxing medals by advancing to the semi-finals at featherweight.
Petecio hammered her way into a Tokyo Olympics gold medal shot with a convincing unanimous points win over Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda at the Kokugikan Arena
She now faces Italian Irma Testa.
In the men’s competition, two world champions have been knocked out in the round of 16, blowing open the brackets at men’s featherweight and men’s light heavyweight.
Irish featherweight Kurt Walker pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament with a 4:1 win over Uzbek world champion Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov.
Two hours later, Russian light heavyweight Imam Khataev surprised Kazakh world champ Bekzad Nurdauletov with a 4:1 victory. The 26-year-old Khataev has nearly a decade of high-level amateur experience, but no victories to compare to this upset.


Boxing first for Philippines

Fly over LeBron James and Steph Curry? Fire Gregg Popovich mid tournament? The American press are all over the US men's basketball team after their shock loss to France in their opening group game.
Luckily, Iran, ranked 23rd in the world, are up next, in a game that starts in about 30 minutes. Can the US flex their offensive muscles and start to create some chemistry, or does this have shades of 2004 in Athens when James and company lost to Argentina in the semi-finals in an upset for the ages?
Iran, of course, are the team that stopped China getting here. OK, they were the first team that stopped China's men's basketball team from keeping up their run of appearing at every Olympic Games since Los Angeles in 1984. Iran took the spot for the highest ranked Asian team at the last Fiba World Cup, which was held in China in 2019.
Canada and Greece ended CBA chairman Yao Ming's hopes of keeping the run going with wins over China in the final qualifier last month. This should have been China v Team USA.


Does LeBron need to ride to the rescue?


Hong Kong windsurfers Hayley Chan Hei-man and Michael Cheng Chun-leung finished seventh and 15th in their three respective women's and men's RS:X races today.
This leaves them in ninth and 10th in their divisions with three races to go tomorrow. The top 10 in each qualify for the medal race on Saturday, when double points are up for grabs.


Windsurfers still in medal hunt

Jonathan White in Tokyo
The women’s 200m freestyle champion Ariarne Titmus touched on a lot in her medal press conference, but one of the most interesting points was about social media and focus.
“I don’t know much about Simone Biles, but personally I’ve deleted every social media app off my phone,” she said. “I think as much as messages from everyone is really beautiful… it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, so I’ve only been speaking to my family a tiny bit.
“I got my best friend to log in to my Instagram last night to post for me. She said like ‘mate your notifications are out of control’ so when I log back on it’s going to be a bit hectic I think.”
Her comments when asked about the reaction to Simone Biles pulling out from those in the Olympic Village gives an insight into the mind of a champion — a double gold winner at these Tokyo Games.
“Honestly, I’ve been kind of living in my own little world. I heard that maybe Simone had pulled out of a team event, but I haven’t read anything about it. I’m just honestly really focussing on myself and what I have to do here. It’s a little bit strange actually at the Olympic Games and there’s multiple events going on, but I feel like when you’ve got such a narrow focus you’re only really thinking about what you’re doing.”


I’ve deleted all my social media, says Titmus


Chen Meng and Doo Hoi-kem spoke to the press after their epic quarter-final battle, which Chen won 4-2.
The Chinese world No 1 said she was struck by a bout of nerves at the start, and had to be resolute to fight back from 2-0 down.
“Once I entered the playing arena I could feel myself tighten up,” Chen said. “I felt nerves, my body felt a bit heavy. I think this is what the coaches have been telling me – at the Olympics, what to expect.”     She was full of praise for Doo, saying their matches were “always exciting. I met her at the world championships. She knows my game. I’ve prepared for such difficulties.”
Doo admitted she had been outclassed, and knew she had “to win on spirit and be really aggressive...my standard is not as high as hers”.
She added: “When I was training with the national team, I saw her [Chen] professionalism and spirit. Sometimes at night she would have extra training, working on her body. I think she was very determined today. I tried to be too, I gave it my all, I didn’t want any regrets.”


Chen full of praise for Doo

Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final of the individual all-around gymnastics competition at the Olympics because of concerns over her mental health, USA Gymnastics confirmed on Wednesday.
“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement.
The US federation said a decision on whether Biles would compete in other individual event finals would be taken following daily evaluation.
USA Gymnastics confirms that Simone Biles will not participate in Thursday's women's all-around final to focus on her mental health.
  "Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many," the governing body said.@USAgym | @TeamUSA
  — Olympics (@Olympics) July 28, 2021


Simone Biles’ future at Games in doubt

German judoka Martyna Trajdos said being shaken and slapped by her coach was all part of her pre-fight ritual after footage from the Tokyo Olympics was widely shared on social media. Film of the incident, where the coach shakes Trajdos roughly by her judo uniform and slaps her across each cheek, drew bemusement and concern.
But Trajdos explained on Instagram: “That’s the ritual which I chose pre-competition! My coach is just doing what I want him to do to fire me up!”
A czo tu się odpoliczkowało w ogóle?! pic.twitter.com/mX2r9rMMTA
  — Mischa Von Jadczak (@michaljadczak) July 27, 2021
The former world championships bronze medallist, 32, lost the women’s -63kg round-of-32 elimination bout to Hungary’s Szofi Ozbas. “Look’s like this was not hard enough,” she posted, next to footage of her unusual warm-up. “I wish I could have made a different headline today.”


Viral slap video no cause for alarm, says athlete


The US basketball team got back to winning — and winning easily.
Damian Lillard (pictured) scored 21 points and the Americans rebounded from an opening loss with their first victory of these Olympics, romping past Iran 120-66 on Wednesday.
Devin Booker scored 16 points and Jayson Tatum had 14 for the Americans, who had their 25-game Olympic winning streak snapped with an 83-76 loss to France on Sunday. (AP)


US bounce back with statement win


China’s Wang Zongyuan and Xie Siyi won gold in the men’s synchronised 3 metre springboard diving at the Tokyo Olympics this afternoon. Andrew Capobianco and Michael Hixon of the US claimed silver, with Germany’s Patrick Hausding and Lars Rudiger taking a dramatic bronze with their final dive.
There was disappointment for reigning champions Britain, who finished second from last, while the Russians were looking good for bronze before a failed final dive left them bottom of the pile.


More diving gold for China

Sixteen more people associated with the Tokyo Olympics, none of them athletes, have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total since the start of this month to 169, Games organisers said today.
This comes as Tokyo’s daily confirmed coronavirus cases to be announced later topped 3,000 for the first time, a government source said. The high comes just a day after Tokyo logged 2,848 daily coronavirus infections, which had exceeded the previous record of 2,520 cases recorded on January 7.
The Games figures exclude those announced by central and local governments. Two cases previously reported proved to be negative and were removed from the cumulative total.
