Tokyo Olympics LIVE: Games brought to an end in closing ceremony as Paris 2024 welcomes handover
Follow all the latest from the Olympic Games in Tokyo
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
As the Tokyo Olympics comes to an end, the 16th and final day of the Games has not been without its drama. With two late golds, Team GB have now equalled their medal tally of 65 from the home Games of London 2012, and the USA have overtaken China at the top of the table.
Cyclist Jason Kenny won Team GB’s first gold of the day with an extraordinary performance in the keirin final. He started at the front and saw a gap, tearing away with more than three laps to go – and the chasing pack simply couldn’t keep up. It makes him the most decorated Briton in Olympic history, with an unmatched seven gold medals.
Hopes were also high for Laura Kenny, who was looking to wrap up her Games with a second gold in Tokyo in the women’s omnium. The reigning champion was initially leading the race before she suffered an early blow after being involved in a huge crash in the opening scratch race. She was able to ride on but unable to climb back up the leaderboard, with Team USA’s Jennifer Valente eventually claiming gold.
In the boxing, Lauren Price has also taken gold for Team GB in her women’s middleweight final against China’s Li Qian at the Kokugikan Arena. It denies China the opportunity to match Team USA on 39 golds – with the Americans winning both the women’s basketball and volleyball today.
Earlier, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge won the final athletics event of Tokyo 2020 with a commanding performance in the men’s marathon in Sapporo, winning his second straight gold medal after the Rio marathon and cementing his place among the all-time greats of the sport.
Follow all the latest news, results and medals below.
Tokyo Olympics: Jason Kenny wins keirin gold
Jason Kenny of Team GB has won an historic gold medal, dominating the keirin final in extraordinary fashion to reclaim the title he also won in Rio 2016. In the process, Kenny becomes the first Briton to win seven Olympic gold medals.
Mohd Azizulhasni Awang of Malaysia took the silver medal, with Harrie Lavreysen of the Netherlands in third for bronze.
Tokyo Olympics: Canada win gold in women’s track cycling sprint
Kelsey Mitchell of Canada has won the gold medal in the Olympic women’s track cycling sprint, beating Olena Starikova of Ukraine who takes the silver medal.
Wai Sze Lee of Hong Kong takes bronze after beating Emma Hinze of Germany.
Tokyo Olympics: Laura Kenny left with mountain to climb
Team GB’s Laura Kenny, one of the favourites for the omnium, is out early in the elimination race and finishes 13th. The defending champion, who crashed in the opening scratch, had rekindled GB hopes after finishing first in the tempo race, but now sits ninth in the overall points table and only has the final points race to go to salvage any chance of a medal.
Team USA’s Jennifer Valente, who finished fourth in the elimination, is now comfortably leading on overall score.
Tokyo Olympics: Jason Kenny through to keirin final
Team GB’s defending champion Jason Kenny has won his semi-final in the men’s keirin, making his way to the final. Matthew Glaetzer of Australia took the second spot while Jair Tjon En Fa of Suriname finished third, giving him the chance to win his country’s first medal since Barcelona 1992.
Tokyo Olympics: Laura Kenny wins tempo race
Laura Kenny, who crashed in the opening scratch, moves up the standings after winning the tempo race. She wins 40 points for the overall omnium competition while Kirsten Wild of the Netherlands finished second, earning 38 points. Jennifer Valente, who led the scratch event, took third spot and 34 points.
Tokyo Olympics: Serbia win bronze in women's volleyball
Serbia, who had won the silver medal in volleyball in the 2016 Rio Olympics, sealed a place for themselves on the podium for the second consecutive year after they beat South Korea in straight sets in the third place play-off, thereby winning bronze.
Serbia crushed South Korea to win 25-18 25-15 25-15.
Tokyo Olympics: Laura Kenny involved in huge crash in omnium
Hopes were pinned on Laura Kenny, who is looking to wrap up her Games with a second gold in Tokyo in the women’s omnium. The reigning champion was initially leading the race before she suffered an early blow after being involved in a huge crash in the opening scratch race.
The pile-up took down Kenny along with nine other riders and she was unable to finish the race, which was won by Jennifer Valente of the USA.
Kenny was able to walk away from the crash and is expected to continue in the other races. She and the other riders involved in the pile-up have been awarded the same number of points, 16. This puts Kenny 24 points behind the leader with three events to go.
Good morning, and welcome to The Independent’s live blog on the 16th and final day of the Tokyo Olympics.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments