The four-man kayak brings the German canoeists a grand finale on the penultimate Olympic day. The Pentathlon Association calls for rule changes after the riding drama about Annika Schleu. Apart from the competitions, Corona is still in the spotlight with new cases.
One day before the end of the Tokyo Olympics, the German team can celebrate its tenth gold medal. The kayak foursome lives up to its role as favorites, but in the Canadier there is no precious metal that was hoped for. The debate about the consequences of the riding drama about Annika Schleu continues unabated.
Kayak-Jubel
At the end of the Olympic canoe competitions, the German four-man kayak won gold and ensured a somewhat conciliatory Olympic final for the racing canoeists who are otherwise so used to success. Max Rendschmidt, Ronald Rauhe, Tom Liebscher and Max Lemke triumphed on Saturday and won only the third medal in canoe racing at the Tokyo Games – the target was six to seven medals. For the first time in a long time, women failed to make it onto the podium.
After bronze in Sydney 2000, gold in Athens 2004, silver in Beijing in 2008 in kayak two and bronze in Rio in 2016 in one, the 16-time world champion has now added gold in four. The coup, which was safely achieved in the final spurt, was also made possible because of the lack of individual starts. “Of course we could have fought for medals in one or the other competition,” said batsman Max Rendschmidt. But they subordinated everything to the goal of gold.
Canadian disappointment
In the single canoe, the German racing canoeists at the Olympics were without a medal. In the Olympic victory of the Brazilian Isaquias Queiroz Dos Santos on Saturday, Conrad Scheibner was sixth, 9.317 seconds back. The three-time Olympic champion Sebastian Brendel did not make it into the medal final in Tokyo.
Demand for reform
After the Olympic drama about Annika Schleu and her horse drawn in the modern pentathlon, the national association sees “an urgent need for action” and demands that the riding regulations be amended. “Corresponding changes have already been worked out and proposed to the World Association (UIPM),” announced the German Association for Modern Pentathlon (DVMF). Beijing Olympic champion Lena Schöneborn also sees possible adjusting screws in the rules. Winning the gold medal was within reach for the pentathlete from Berlin on Friday in Tokyo, but the loan horse Saint Boy who had been awarded her refused several times. Then there was heavy criticism of the athlete and national coach Kim Raisner.
Marathon sixth
Melat Kejeta missed the first German medal win in the marathon at the Olympic Games in 33 years. The 28-year-old World Championship runner-up in the half marathon from the Kassel running team crossed the finish line in sixth place in Sapporo in 2:29:16 hours on Saturday. Kenya celebrated a double success. Half-marathon world champion Peres Jepchirchir won in 2:27:20 hours and won the duel with world record holder Brigid Kosgei, who needed only 16 seconds more for the 42.195 kilometers. Molly Seidel from the USA secured bronze.
Dream Team
NBA superstar Kevin Durant led the US basketball players to their fourth successive Olympic victory. The gold favorite lived up to its role in the final and beat France on Saturday with 87:82 (44:39). In the Saitama Super Arena, Durant from the Brooklyn Nets was the best thrower of his overall sovereign team with 29 points. After triumphs in Beijing, London and Rio, the Americans also won in Tokyo and celebrated the 16th gold in one of their parade disciplines.
Corona cases
The Olympic organizers in Tokyo have reported 22 more corona cases around the summer games. According to a message from the organizers on Saturday, no other athlete is affected. The total number of people infected with corona in connection with the Olympic Games increased to 404. Of these, 32 have so far been residents of the Olympic village. Almost 600,000 corona tests have been carried out on those involved in the Olympics since July 1.
Semi-final out
Diver Timo Barthel was eliminated from the tower in the semifinals of the Olympic Games. The 25-year-old finished 17th on Saturday morning (local time) at the Tokyo Aquatics Center. The twelve best jumpers qualified for the final (8 a.m. / CEST). Barthel received 364.50 points for his six jumps from ten meters. The athlete from Halle / Saale is taking part in the Olympics for the first time. The second German starter, 16-year-old Jaden Eikermann from Aachen, was eliminated in the preliminary competition. The Chinese Cao Yuan secured victory in the semifinals with 513.70 points.
Trouble for Australia
A celebration of frustration after the lost Olympic final caused a lot of trouble for Australia’s hockey men. The International Olympic Committee announced on Saturday that several players had to go into quarantine in the Olympic village and should leave Tokyo on the next possible flight. The athletes concerned had been to a supermarket outside the athletes’ village the night after their defeat in the final against Belgium and had thus violated the Corona rules. Several had bought beer.
No punishment
The IOC has closed the case for badges with a picture of Mao Tsetung on two Chinese track cycling Olympic champions without harsher sanctions. The team sprint winners Bao Shanju and Zhong Tianshi had been cautioned, said Christian Klaue, spokesman for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Tokyo on Saturday. China’s team has given assurances that such an incident will not happen again. Bao Shanju and Zhong Tianshi had worn a pin with the likeness of the communist revolutionary on their tracksuit on the winners’ podium. Even after Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter has been modified, athletes are prohibited from political messages on the podium.
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
