Tokyo Olympics - The Purbottar

26 Jul

Tokyo Olympics: Table Tennis star Sharath Kamal begins singles campaign with dominant win, reaches Round 3

editor0 CommentsSportsTokyo Olympics

He may have lost the mixed doubles opener at the Tokyo Games but there was no stopping veteran table tennis star Achanta Sharath Kamal in his men's singles opener on Monday, July 26. Overcoming a sluggish start, Sharath Kamal dominated Portugal's Tiago Apolonia, showcasing his class on the biggest stage. Sharath Kamal will next face defending champion Ma Long in the third round on Tuesday, July 27. The 39-year-old Sharath struggled in the first game but pulled himself up just in time to win 2-11 11-8 11-5 9-11 11-6 11-9 in the 49-minute second-round contest. The Indian paddler now has…

25 Jul

Tokyo Olympics: PV Sindhu off to winning start, outclasses Israel’s Polikarpova in straight games

editor0 CommentsSportsPV Sindhu, Tokyo Olympics

Reigning world champion PV Sindhu opened her Olympic campaign with an easy straight-game win over Israel's Ksenia Polikarpova in the women's singles group J match on Sunday. The 26-year-old Indian, seeded sixth, beat the 58th ranked Polikarpova 21-7 21-10 in a lop-sided opening match. The world number seven Indian will next play Hong Kong's world number 34 Cheung Ngan Yi in the group stage. Rio Games silver medallist Sindhu started on an attacking note but briefly found herself lagging 3-4. However, she moved ahead quickly with Polikarpova making unforced errors and entered the break with a 11-5 lead. Soon, Sindhu…

22 Jul

Tokyo Olympics: Mandeep Singh has over 150 international caps for India.

editor0 CommentsIndia, SportsMandeep Singh, Tokyo Olympics

Making his maiden appearance at the Olympic Games, star India striker Mandeep Singh has been enjoying every experience since the team arrived in Tokyo on Sunday. Recounting the moments, Mandeep said, "It has been great so far. Although it took us some time at the airport due to testing and other procedures, ever since we checked into the Games Village it has been incredible. Everything is well-organised and everyone is very careful about all the protocols." Mandeep also said that the team is quite used to the routine testing and maintaining social distancing and other norms that are mandatory at the…

22 Jul

Olympics set to begin amid Covid-19 gloom

editor0 CommentsInternational, SportsTokyo Olympics

The Olympic Games, beginning on Friday, is the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza but in the Japanese capital, which is the host city, there is clear lack of enthusiasm. According to media reports, the local public is largely indifferent which is understandable, considering that the Games are being held in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic. “For Tokyo locals, concern has been replaced by indifference. A thriving city enthusiastically hosting a global sporting event is a sight to behold. Right now, Tokyo is not one. That is hardly the fault of the Japanese. With about 80% of the population opposed to…

18 Jul

Covid-19 hit Tokyo 2020: Two athletes in Olympic athletes’ village test positive, say official

editor0 CommentsCovid-19, SportsTokyo Olympics

Tokyo Olympics organisers on Sunday reported three new cases of Covid-19 infection among athletes, up from one new case a day earlier, as the population of the athlete's village swells ahead of the start of the pandemic-hit Games next week. The competitors are the first athletes to return positive tests for the virus while staying at the Village. Another unnamed athlete has also tested positive upon arrival in the Japanese capital, Tokyo 2020 said, but they are not a resident of the Village. The cases were revealed a day after an unidentified person became the first to test positive in…

17 Jul

Tokyo Olympics: Ugandan athlete missing from training camp in Japan

editor0 CommentsSportsTokyo Olympics, Ugandan

Local officials are searching for a Ugandan athlete who went missing in western Japan on Friday in a case raising questions over Japanese organizers' oversight of Olympic participants amid local coronavirus concerns. The missing 20-year-old Julius Ssekitoleko was training as part of the nine-member Ugandan team in Izumisano, Osaka prefecture, city officials said. Teammates realized the athlete was absent around noon Friday when his saliva test sample was not delivered and they found his hotel room empty, city officials said. There was no training Friday morning and he was last seen in his room in the early hours of Friday.…

17 Jul

Tokyo Olympics 2020: Did the third wave hit the Olympics? Authorities said one person was attacked in the village

editor0 CommentsCovid-19, Health, InternationalTokyo Olympics

There are six days left until the start of the Tokyo Olympics. Before that, Corona Hanna was in the Olympics Village. Authorities say a Corona was attacked in the Games Village. However, his identity has not been revealed yet. The Olympics are going to start from July 23. Many players have already reached there. A spokesman for the organizing body for the Tokyo Olympics said: This is the first corona infection in the village. Although it was planned to host the Olympics last year, it was not possible for Corona to do so. This year it has been organized. However, the authorities have to face protests in Japan again and…

16 Jul

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic confirms he will compete at Tokyo Olympics

editor0 CommentsSportsTokyo Olympics

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic announced on social media on Thursday that he will compete in the Tokyo Olympics. "I booked my flight for Tokyo and will proudly be joining #TeamSerbia for the Olympics," Djokovic said in a tweet. "I am very proud to pack for Tokyo and join our national team in the fight for the brightest medals on the Olympic arenas. For me, the game for Serbia has always been a special joy and motivation and I will do my best to make us all happy! Let's go." Some of the sport's biggest names, including Roger Federer, Rafa…

09 Jul

Tokyo Olympics: Got a good draw, but won’t be easy, says PV Sindhu

editor0 CommentsSportsPV Sindhu, Tokyo Olympics

A strong medal contender at the Tokyo Olympics, Indian shuttler PV Sindhu on Friday admitted that she has got a favourable draw but insisted that she has to be on top of her game since no match will be easy at the mega event. "It's a good draw in the group stage. Hong Kong girl plays well and it's going to be a good match," Sindhu, who is world number seven, said in a release issued by Badminton Association of India (BAI). Reigning world champion and Rio Games silver medallist, Sindhu has been drawn with Hong Kong's Cheung Ngan Yi…

05 Jul

Mary Kom, Manpreet Singh to be India’s flag bearers at opening ceremony

editor0 CommentsSportsManpreet Singh, Mary Kom, Tokyo Olympics

Celebrated boxer MC Mary Kom and men's hockey team skipper Manpreet Singh will be the country's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympics, the Indian Olympic Association announced on Monday. One of India's biggest medal hopes, wrestler Bajrang Punia, will be the flag bearer at the closing ceremony on August 8. The IOA has communicated the decision in this regard to the organising committee of the Tokyo Games. In a first, India is having two flag-bearers -- one male and one female -- at the upcoming Tokyo Games to ensure "gender parity". "It would be a huge moment…