Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Archery - Women's Individual - Ranking Round - Yumenoshima Archery Field, Tokyo, Japan - July 23, 2021. An San of the Republic of Korea in action. (Photo: Reuters)   

Republic of Korean women archers took the top three places in qualification on Friday (Jul 23), with one breaking an Olympic record that stood for 25 years along the way, as the team takes aim at the longest gold medal streak at the Olympics.

All 128 archers, 64 women and 64 men, shoot a qualifying round for the individual event. Each one's position after the ranking round becomes their seed for matchplay. An San (Republic of Korea) topped the field, with the 20-year-old shooting 680 points to beat the record set at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

* Four-time Olympian Emma Twigg's latest battle for the podium got off to a roaring start on Friday, as compelling matchups in the men's and women's single sculls began to take shape on the first day of Olympic rowing at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo. The 34-year-old New Zealander posted the fastest overall time of the women's opening heats in her first race since 2019, cruising through to a 7:35.22 finish at the fan-free venue after two heartbreaking fourth-place finishes at the London and Rio Games.

* Japan's Naomi Osaka will return to the spotlight on Sunday, kicking off her Olympic campaign as a home crowd favourite after taking a mental health break two months ago. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion and world number two, has not played a competitive match since pulling out of the French Open in May amid controversy over her decision to skip all press conferences at the tournament in an effort to protect her mental well-being.

* History-chasing Novak Djokovic launches his quest for Olympic tennis glory, while Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar goes for one of 11 gold medals on offer Saturday as the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics finally rumble into life.

* Monday's Olympic rowing races have been moved to Sunday, the World Rowing Executive Committee said on Friday, citing concerns over an inclement weather forecast.

* German cyclist Simon Geschke tested positive for COVID-19 at the Tokyo Olympics and has pulled out of Saturday's road race, his team said on Friday. Geschke was staying at a hotel with cycling teammates outside the Olympic village. All 13 other cyclists and team officials had previously tested negative and will undergo further tests.

* Dutch rower Finn Florijn tested positive for COVID-19 at the Tokyo Olympics, the Royal Dutch Rowing Federation (KNRB) said in a Twitter post on Friday (Jul 23). The 21-year-old Florijn, who was scheduled to take part in a men's single sculls repechage race on Saturday, has gone into quarantine and will no longer participate in the tournament, the KNRB said.

* Belgium's Jelle Geens will miss the Olympics men's individual triathlon on Monday after testing COVID-19 positive but is still hoping to travel for the mixed relay on July 31. Geens, 28, is the first Belgian to be affected by COVID-19 restrictions and had been considered a medal contender.

* Former European 400 metres hurdles champion Kariem Hussein is out of the Tokyo Olympics after the Swiss athlete was given a nine-month doping suspension, officials said on Friday. The 32-year-old, a surprise winner of the European title on home soil in 2014 but not expected to be a medal prospect in Tokyo, tested positive for a banned stimulant earlier this month.

Reuters