Olympics overnight: Synchro divers spring to silver, while Penny Oleksiak powers relay team to Canada’s first medal in Tokyo

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/07/2021 (1552 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.

That’s more like it.

The Canadian women’s swimming freestyle team bested their Rio bronze and captured Canada’s first medal of the 2020 Olympic Games — a silver in the 4×100-metre relay. Led by a clutch performance from Penny Oleksiak in the final leg, Canada squeaked by the U.S. to come in second, just behind the powerhouse Australians.

But that wasn’t all for Canada overnight. Divers Jennifer Abel and Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu won silver in the women’s three-metre synchronized springboard, giving Canada their second medal of the Games.

Elsewhere, Canadian women’s softball will now play for bronze after a heartbreakingly close loss to Japan, Felix Auger Aliassime’s Olympic debut has come to a disappointing end and a couple of big name golfers test positive for COVID-19.

Oh, and we should probably mention a typhoon is en route to Japan in a day or so.

Here’s what you missed in Day 2 while you were sleeping:

Silver by a sliver: Twenty-one-year-old Penny Oleksiak — who became an overnight sensation in Rio five years ago — propelled Canada’s 4×100-metre freestyle relay team to second place on the podium after getting her hand on the wall before American Simone Manuel, the first time the Canadians have beaten the U.S. at this event. Rounding out the Canadian team were Kayla Sanchez, Maggie Mac Neil and Rebecca Smith.

The Australians, as expected, came in first, and smashed a world record (3:29.69 seconds) while they were at it. Canada’s 3:32.78 edged the U.S. by three hundredths of a second.

Read Dave Feschuk’s column from Tokyo on the silver medal.

Springing ahead: Synchro divers Jennifer Abel, of Laval, Que., and Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu, of Saint-Constant, Que., were in sixth after two dives. But despite the shakey start, the duo was finally able to match up and spring ahead to land a silver in the women’s three-metre synchronized springboard with a score of 300.78.

It was Abel’s second Olympic medal, while it was Citrini-Beaulieu’s debut. The Chinese pair of Shi Tingmao and Wang Han finished first with 326.4 points. Germany’s Lena Hentschel and Tina Punzel were third with 284.97 points.

Read Rosie Dimanno’s column from Tokyo.

Felix fumbles: Despite being ranked 15th in the tennis world, Montrealer Felix Auger Aliassime suffered a first-round 6-4, 7-6 (2) upset at the hands of 190th-ranked Max Purcell of Australia. Auger Aliassime was originally supposed to face Britain’s Andy Murray, but the two-time Olympic medallist pulled out last minute, giving way Purcell.

Read Bruce Arthur’s column from Tokyo

Softball to go for bronze: The Canadian women’s softball team lost a heartbreaker in extra innings to Japan, with the host nation scoring the only run of the game in the eighth inning.

Veteran reliever Danielle Lawrie took the loss for Canada (2-2), while Miu Goto was lights out with strikeouts against all six batters she faced for Japan (4-0) to register the win. Japan will move on to face the Americans for gold while Canada still has a chance for its first-ever medal in softball against the Italians for bronze.

“It’s a tough pill, but at the same time, we’re too good a team not to go home with a medal,” head coach Mark Smith said after the game.

Typhoon trouble: To make matters worse for an already odd and difficult Olympics, Japan is now bracing for Typhoon In-fa to make landfall either late Monday or early Tuesday local time. The tropical storm is currently working its way up the east Chinese coast, forcing the cancellation of several flights. Rowing events originally scheduled for Tuesday have been postponed.

Miracle in water: In the 400 free, 18-year-old Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia — a long-shot to even reach the podium — beat a field of faster and older swimmers. He finished in 3 minutes, 43.26 seconds, punctuating his victory with loud yelling that echoed in the mostly empty 15,000-seat arena.

“I was surprised with myself,” said Hafnaoui, who joined Ous Mellouli as a gold medallist’t believe it until I touched the wall and saw the 1 (on the scoreboard).”

The Canadian Press

More from Canadians:

• Boxing: Canadian Mandy Bujold eliminated in boxing after losing to Serbia’s Nina Radovanovic

• Taekwondo Lo Chia-Ling, Taiwan, defeated Skylar Park, Canada, 18-7, eliminating the Canadian in the quarterfinals

• Fencing:

– Dong Chao of China defeated Canada’s Marc-Antoine Blais-Belanger 15-7

– Larisa Korobeynikova, Russia, def. Kelleigh Ryan, Canada, 15-11, 21:10, in quarterfinals

– In table of 16, Lee Kiefer, United States, def. Eleanor Harvey, Canada, 15-13, 25:31. Arianna Errigo, Italy, def. Jessica Zi Jia Guo, Canada, 15-7, 9:10.

• Badminton: South Korea (Choi Solgyu; Seo Seungjae), def. Canada (Nyl Yakura; Jason Ho-Shue), 21-14, 21-8.

• Women’s road cycling: Karol-Ann Canuel, 16th

The Star in Tokyo:

• Dave Feschuk: Penny Oleksiak, Canadian swim relay team set the tone at Tokyo Olympics pool with clutch silver medal

• Bruce Arthur: Felix Auger-Aliassime wilts in Tokyo heat at Olympics, but upset loss could just be a stumble on road to greatness

• Rosie Dimanno: Jennifer Abel rebounds from Rio disappointment, wins Tokyo silver at Olympics thanks to chemistry with partner

The Star in Toronto:

• Laura Armstrong: The Tokyo Olympics welcome skateboarding’s wow factor, but the sport’s rising popularity is built on community

• Laura Armstrong: Olympic notables: There’s nothing like a little ‘Schitt’s Creek’ to remind you of home

COVID report:

Tokyo organizers say the total of Olympics-related COVID-19 cases in Japan is now 127, with one athlete added to the tally.

Positive COVID-19 tests knocked Spain’s Jon Rahm and American Bryson DeChambeau out of the Olympic golf tournament Sunday, in a pair of surprises that reinforced the tenuous nature of holding a massive sports event during a global pandemic.

For the latest coronavirus news, visit here.

WHAT’S IN STORE TODAY:

• Skateboarding, women’s street. Canadian Annie Guglia was a late addition, 7:30 p.m.

• Rugby sevens, men’s preliminaries; Beach volleyball preliminaries; Fencing, women’s sabre and men’s foil preliminaries; Rowing preliminaries, 8 p.m.

• Women’s 100 m butterfly final, Canadian Maggie MacNeil participating, 9:30 p.m.

• Women’s 400 m freestyle final, Canadian Summer McIntosh participating, 10:20 p.m.

• Men’s field hockey, Britain vs. Canada, 10:45 p.m.

• Men’s 4x100m freestyle relay final, Canada participating, 11 p.m.

• 200-metre freestyle heats, Canadian Penny Oleksiak is back in the pool, 6:05 a.m.

Ouch! Skater takes nasty spill

Skateboarding made its Olympic debut Saturday and as any skateboarder would well know, taking nasty spills is just part of the sport, like this guy:

Oldest Olympic gymnast ever takes a bow

What a legend:

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Paul Samyn | Editor's Note

A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom.

Sign up for Paul Samyn | Editor's Note

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Basketball robot drains half court shot

Should we be scared? The robots are coming for our sports too:

PHOTO OF THE DAY

For yesterday’s gallery of the best shots, visit here:

With files from Star wire services