OLY-Tokyo Olympics Digest
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Your support makes all the difference.Here are AP’s Olympic coverage plans. All times are Eastern. For questions, please email Shelley Acoca at sacoca@ap.org. Find the latest Olympics coverage plans on Coverage Plan. For expanded content, visit AP’s Olympics hub on AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 877-836-9477.
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TOP STORIES
OLY-ATH-TRACK-AND-FIELD - Usain Bolt might be long gone from the sprint scene. It doesn’t mean Jamaica has slowed down one bit. Nobody on the women’s side of the sport anyway. An opening day at the Olympics that’s supposed to produce little more than a brisk jog for the world’s best at 100 meters turned into something very different. Reigning world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica ran her heat in the nearly empty Olympic Stadium in 10.84 seconds. Defending Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah finished in 10.82. And Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast kept saying “Wow! Wow!” after she crossed the finish line in a blistering personal best of 10.78. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 700 words, photos.
OLY--SWM-SWIMMING — Tatjana Schoenmaker knocked off the first individual world record in swimming at the Tokyo Olympics. The 24-year-old South African won the women’s 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2 minutes, 18.95 seconds, breaking an 8-year-old record. It was the third world record set at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, with the first two coming in women’s relays. Evgeny Rylov and Emma McKeon also shined in the pool. Russia’s Rylov completed a backstroke double, knocking off American star Ryan Murphy again in the 200 back. McKeon gave the mighty Aussie women another gold in the 100 freestyle. By Sports Writer Paul Newberry. SENT: 900 words, photos.
OLY--FUKUSHIMA’S HEARTACHE -The coronavirus has left venues eerily empty and prompted concern over an Olympic-driven COVID-19 surge. But for many in Japan’s northern prefectures, the greatest heartache of these Pandemic Games is the missed chance to tout their recovery following the Tōhoku earthquake of 2011 and the ensuing tsunami and nuclear disaster that ravaged the area. By Sports Writer Jake Seiner. SENT: 800 words, photos.
OLY--CYC-BMX RACING - Niek Kimmann kicked off his second Olympics by colliding with a race steward who had wandered onto the track during training. The Dutch rider spent the next three days doing everything he could to rehabilitate a knee injured in the crash. Kimmann was eventually cleared to ride and not even a sore knee could slow him down. Kimmann shook off the freak accident to give the Netherlands its first gold medal in BMX racing by edging Kye Whyte of Britain at the finish line. Bethany Shriever of Britain spoiled Colombian rider Mariana Pajon’s bid for a third straight Olympic gold medal. Shriever jumped out to an early lead and held off Pajon at the finish in her first Olympics.. By John Marshall. SENT: 800 words, photos.
OLY-GYM-LEE-MINNESOTA - Family and friends in Minnesota broke into cheers and screams for Sunisa Lee. She was one of their own, and the 18-year-old gymnast had captured the women’s all-around gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Her triumph delighted all of Minnesota but carried special resonance in the state’s large and close-knit Hmong American community. The Hmong fought for the U.S. in Laos during the Vietnam War and many resettled in Minnesota. By Steve Karnowski. SENT: 900 words, photos.
OLY--BKL-JAPAN-US - A’ja Wilson scored 20 points and Breanna Stewart added 15 to help the U.S. beat Japan 86-69 in the women’s basketball tournament. The U.S. has now won 51 consecutive games dating back to the bronze medal game in the 1992 Olympics although the team has looked far from sharp in its first two victories at the Saitama Super Arena. By AP Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg. SENT: 560 words, photos.
OLY--ROW-ROWING – Canada ended American dominance in the rowing women’s eight and New Zealand won a pair of gold medals on the final day of rowing at the Tokyo Games. By AP Sports Writer Jim Vertuno. SENT: 835 words, photos.
OLY-RGU-RUGBY-7S - The U.S. women rallied from 12 points down to beat defending champion Australia 14-12 and advance to the women’s Olympic rugby sevens quarterfinals. By AP Sports Writer John Pye. SENT: 600 words, photos.
OLY--WRE-STEVESON-NIL - United States Olympic wrestler Gable Steveson has taken advantage of the new opportunities for college athletes to cash in on their name, image and likeness by signing with clean energy drink company Kill Cliff. SENT: 200 words, photos.
OLY-BBI-BASEBALL - Melky Cabrera hit a run-scoring single with two outs in the fifth inning, Jose Bautista threw out the potential tying run at home plate and the Dominican Republic beat Mexico 1-0 at the Olympics to even its record at 1-1. Charlie Valerio doubled leading off the inning against Theodore Stankiewicz and Cabrera sliced a single to left. Bautista made a one-hop throw to the plate in the sixth to cut down Isaac Rodriguez. Winner Ángel Sánchez allowed two hits in five innings. By AP Baseball Writer Ronald Baum. SENT: 375 words, photos.
OLY--BKO-AUSTRALIA-BAYNES OUT - Australia center Aron Baynes will miss the remainder of the Tokyo Olympics with a neck injury. It’s a significant blow for the medal hopefuls who have already qualified for next week’s knockout stage. The team said Baynes got hurt during Wednesday’s game against Italy and will “recover in the coming weeks.” The injury means Australia will finish the tournament with 11 players available. By AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 300 words, photos.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
OLY-SWM-RUSSIA-DOPING - American backstroke star Ryan Murphy says doping remains a huge problem in swimming and he wonders if all his competitors are clean. Murphy’s comments came after he lost for the second time this week to Russia’s Evgeny Rylov, who took gold in the 200-meter backstroke. Murphy says he’s not accusing Rylov of wrongdoing. But Murpy was clearly taking aim at a country that has repeatedly run afoul of doping rules. Russia was allowed to compete in Tokyo, but can’t use its national anthem during medal ceremonies and is referred to as the Russian Olympic Committee. Rylov, who has long been one of the world’s top backstrokers, denied being involved in any doping schemes. By AP Sports Writers Paul Newberry and Beth Harris. SENT: 700 words, photos.
THE SPIT GAME - About 30,000 people from scores of nations are spitting into tiny plastic vials every day at the Olympics in a routine that’s grown crucial in going ahead with the pandemic-era Games, according to organizers. By Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 770 words, photos.
OLY--JUD-RINER’S QUEST - French heavyweight Teddy Riner’s quest for a third consecutive Olympic gold medal in judo ended with a strange loss to Russian athlete Tamerlan Bashaev in the quarterfinals. The 6-foot-8 Riner lost 29 seconds into golden score when he slipped and fell onto his back as he attempted to throw Bashaev. Bashaev was given credit for a waza ari on a sumi-otoshi throw after video review. Riner appeared to be confused by the decision. The decision ended Riner’s attempt to tie the Olympic record of three straight gold medals set by Tadahiro Nomura of Japan from 1996 to 2004. Riner will still compete for bronze. By AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham. SENT: 350 words, photos.
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EXPLAINERS
OLY--EXPLAINER-WHAT KIND OF CHAMPION - Is an Olympic champion by definition a world champion? Can you be a world champion without being an Olympic champion? What’s the difference, anyway? SENT: 400 words, photos.
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DAILY FIXTURES
— OLYMPICS ROUNDUP — Highlights of the day from the 2000 Summer Games.
— TOKYO OLYMPICS-THE LATEST — Real-time updates and photos from every venue around the 2020 pandemic-delayed Summer Games.
— TOKYO OLYMPICS-WHAT TO WATCH — A guide to key storylines each day. Moves after 1 a.m.
— MEDAL BRIEFS — A roundup of the day's gold medals.
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GRAPHICS
— TOKYO OLYMPICS-MEDAL COUNT — Keep track of who’s ahead in the medal race with our nation-by-nation medal tabulation.
— TOKYO OLYMPICS-MEDAL BRIEFS — A roundup of the day’s medals at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.
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FEATURED IMAGES
OLYRB211 - Canada’s Julia Greenshields passes off the ball as she is tackled by France’s Anne-Cecile Ciofani, in their women’s rugby sevens match at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
OLYAB139 - Empty .22 LR caliber shell casings are swept up after the women’s 25-meter pistol at the Asaka Shooting Range.
OLYMG152 - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, of Jamaica, Ajla Del Ponte, of Switzerland, Nzubechi Nwokocha, of Nigeria, and Gina Bass, of Gambia, compete during the first round of the women’s 100-meter.
OLYDA130 - Japan’s Yuta Watanabe nd Arisa Higashino celebrate after defeating Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet during their mixed doubles badminton bronze medal match.
OLYJL102 - Germany players walk off the field after their women’s field hockey match against South Africa was delayed because of rain.
OLYFS124 - Mohamed Tindouft, of Morocco, falls during his heat of the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.