Belgium, China assert hockey, diving dominance in Tokyo 2020
Tokyo, Aug 5 (EFE).- Belgium won its first gold medal of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in men’s hockey, after a nerve-wracking penalty shootout win which saw Red Lions goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch put in a stellar performance after the game had ended in a 1-1 tie.
The Belgians arrived in Tokyo committed to improving on the silver medal they earned in Rio 2016, and have successfully cemented their position at the top of international hockey, having won the World Championship in 2018 and the EuroHockey title in 2019.
China again flexed its muscles in the diving, with 14-year-old Quan Hongchan claiming gold in the women’s 10m to continue her country’s undefeated streak in all women’s events of the discipline since Beijing 2008.
Steven Gardiner from the Bahamas and Anthony Zambrano of Colombia recreated the Doha World Athletics Championship gold and silver in the 400m final, whilst Olympic and world icon Kirani James could only bag bronze for Grenada.
Both Team USA’s finalists, Michael Cherry and Michael Norman, were denied a spot on the podium by Gardiner’s time of 43.85 seconds, followed by Zambrano at 44.08 seconds and James, who clocked in at 44.19.
The United States and France will face off in the men’s basketball final on Saturday, as the former smoothly overcame Australia with a 97-78 score, while France struggled its way to a 90-89 win against Luka Doncic’s Slovenia.
Nando De Colo shone throughout the match as France’s best asset, with 25 points scored, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, putting an end to Slovenia’s promising bid to the top of the podium with NBA star Doncic in its ranks, one of the most valuable players of the competition so far. EFE
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