Olympics overnight: Penny Oleksiak ready for ‘comeback,’ Canadian rowers win gold, women’s soccer advance to semis

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/07/2021 (1527 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rise and shine, Olympic fans. Here’s what you missed overnight and need to know about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this morning.

For all the Star-related Summer Games content, visit our Olympics page here.

Hey, fourth in the world is still pretty awesome.

That was the sentiment of Canadian swimming superstar Penny Oleksiak overnight after finishing just off the podium in the 100-metre freestyle, despite having a better time than when she won gold in 2016. She took to Twitter and Instagram to respond to many concerned Canadians with some much needed perspective.

“I came 4th in the freakin world and went a best time / Canadian record … I am not sad at all,” she wrote in an Instagram post after receiving apologetic messages from fans and supporters.

Earlier on overnight, Canadian women captured gold in the rowing eight, and their post-race celebration — as per tradition — was to throw their coxswain Kristen Kit into the water. Canada narrowly missed the podium in trampoline, the women’s soccer team advanced to the semifinals and the women’s rugby sevens team was eliminated from medal contention.

Here’s what you missed overnight while you were sleeping:

Rowing redemption

Canada won their third gold medal after the women’s rowing eight team raced to the top of the podium early Thursday night. Five years ago the team finished a disappointing fifth, but they redeemed themselves this time around with an impressive win under six minutes, edging reigning world champion New Zealand.

Following the medal ceremony, the women took part in an unusual post-race celebration by tossing coxswain Kristen Kit into the water.

Read the column on Canada’s redemption from the Star’s Dave Feschuk in Tokyo.

Penny’s got this

No more “sorries” for Penny Oleksiak.

The 21-year-old Olympian narrowly missed out on her seventh career medal and third at these Games after finishing fourth in the 100-metre freestyle, despite racing to 52.59, a Canadian record. On the podium were Australian Emma McKeon, who beat the Olympic record, Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong in second and Australian Cate Campbell in third.

But Oleksiak is unfazed. The six-time Olympic medallist took to social media overnight to say that she’s “not sad at all,” and that this fourth-place finish makes “comeback season all the more fun.” She might have another chance if Canada can get to the women’s 4×100 medley relay final on Sunday.

Read the full column on Oleksiak’s attempt at Canadian history from the Star’s Bruce Arthur in Tokyo

MacLennan misses three-peat

Two-time gold medal winner Rosie MacLennan was so close to getting on the podium for the third Olympics in a row in women’s trampoline. The 32-year-old from Toronto finished fourth in the final with a score of 55.460, less than three-tenths of a point short of Britain’s Bryony Page for bronze.

Xueying Zhu and Lingling Liu, both of China, took gold and silver, respectively.

“The fact that I was able to get here and compete, represent Canada in the sport that I love and do as well as I did, I know I have to be happy with that,” MacLennan said after her performance.

Read the full column fromt the Star’s Rosie RiManno in Tokyo here.

Labbe sends Canada through

Stephanie Labbé came up clutch in Canada’s goal in extra time and penalties, stopping back to back shots to seal the win as the women’s soccer team beat all-time great Marta and Brazil 0(4)-0(3) to advance to the semifinals. They will face the United States next early Sunday morning.

Canada, who won bronze at Rio in 2016, missed their first penalty but were able to score four straight afterward, with Labbé making the final two saves to send Brazil packing.

Read the full analysis from the Star’s Laura Armstrong.

More Canadian results:

• Rugby sevens, women: Canada won bronze in 2016, but won’t have a chance to reach the podium this Olympics after losing out by the slimmest of margins. Russia and Canada (1-2) had identical point differentials (-12) and try differentials, but the Russians scored two more points than Canada over their three matches (47-45).

• Long distance track, 10,000-metres, Mohammed Ahmed, sixth place. He’s participate in the 5000-metre race as well.

• Golf, mens: Canada’s Corey Conners and MacKenzie Hughes are 9 and 10 strokes back in men’s golf after the second round

• Volleyball, men’s: Canada beats Venezuela 3-0 in men’s volleyball. Has a 2-2 record and is in second place in Group A

• BMX racing, women’s final: Drew Mechielsen, eighth

• Rowing, men’s sculls, final B: Trevor Jones, third

• Swimming, men’s 100m Butterfly semifinal: Joshua Liendo Edwards, Canada, 51.50, fifth.

A world-record breaking reaction

South Africa Tatjana Schoenmaker won the women’s 200-metre breaststroke with a time of 2:18.95 seconds, breaking the mark made in 2013. Her elated scream says it all:

The Star in Tokyo

• Bruce Arthur: Tokyo Olympics make clear Russia won in wake of state-sponsored doping scandal — and the IOC let them off the hook

• Rosie Dimanno: An Olympics in Japan can be wonderful (even if these Games aren’t)

• Dave Feschuk: Tokyo Olympics amounts to an unprecedented moment for Canadian distance running

What’s in store today:

• Swimming, 200 metre backstroke, 9:37 p.m. ET, Taylor Ruck, Kylie Masse participating

• Sprinting, men’s 100 metre heats, 10:35 p.m. ET (Top 3 in each heat advances to semifinal next day), Andrew De Grasse, Aaron Brown, participating

• Triathlon, mixed relay, 6:30 p.m., Canada participating

• Weightlifting, men’s 96kg, Canadian 6:50 a.m. ET, Boady Santavy participating

An update on COVID-19 at the Olympics

Three athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 are among the 27 new cases announced by Tokyo Olympics organizers.

World champion pole vaulter Sam Kendricks, whose case was announced Thursday, is among the three, which raises the tally to 225 games-accredited people in Japan infected since July 1.

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Three of the 27 cases were residents of the Olympic Village, including Kendricks, another athlete and a team official or coach — the latter two were not identified. The third athlete with a positive test is staying outside of the village.

Among the new cases are 18 people who live in Japan, as Tokyo and the country each report record numbers of daily cases during the pandemic.

For the latest coronavirus news, visit here.

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