Tokyo Olympics Day 9: De Grasse wins bronze in 100 metres; Oleksiak becomes Canada’s most decorated Olympian; Abel eighth in springboard diving
The latest Olympics news from Tokyo and around the world on Sunday. Web links to longer stories if available:
9:20 a.m.: Canada's Andre De Grasse has claimed the bronze medal in the men's 100 metres for the second straight Olympics.
The 26-year-old from Markham, Ont., overcame a rough start and raced to third in a personal-best time of 9.89 seconds.
Italy's Lamont Jacobs took the gold in 9.80 seconds, followed by American Fred Kerley in 9.84 seconds. All three medallists ran personal bests.
It's Canada's first track and field medal at the Tokyo Olympics. It's also the latest piece of hardware in the event for De Grasse, who won bronze in the 100 in both the 2016 Olympics and 2019 world championships.
Two hours earlier, De Grasse ran 9.98 to finish second in his semifinal and seventh overall.
De Grasse is the first Canadian male to climb the medal podium in Tokyo. Led by swimming superstar Penny Oleksiak, women had captured all of Canada's 13 previous medals.
De Grasse will have a day off before he's back on the track for the 200 heats and semifinal on Tuesday. He captured silver in the 200 at both the 2016 Olympics and 2019 world championships.
There was no clear-cut favourite in the men's 100 this year with the retirement of Usain Bolt. The Jamaican superstar and world record-holder (9.58) captured gold and silver in the 100 and 200 in the Beijing, London and Rio, and what the media dubbed his bromance" with fellow Puma athlete De Grasse was an entertaining storyline in Rio.
American Christian Coleman, the reigning world 100-metre champion and the sprinter considered De Grasse's biggest challenge in Tokyo, is serving a doping suspension through May of next year.
8:55 a.m.: Canada's Andre De Grasse has won bronze in the 100 metres with a time of 9.89 with a furious charge at the end.
Italy's Lamont Marcell Jacobs won in 9.80 and Fred Kerley of the U.S. won silver in 9.84.
It was a new personal best for De Grasse and it's his second straight bronze in the 100.
It's Canada's 14th medal at the Tokyo Olympics, and the first won by a male.
8:30 a.m.: Canada's Django Lovett finished eighth in high jump with a best jump of 2.30 metres.
6:25 a.m. (updated): Canada's Andre De Grasse finished second in the semifinals of the 100 metres and advanced to the final later Sunday at 8:50 a.m. ET. He finished in a time of 9.98.
Fred Kerley of the U.S. won the semifinal in 9.96.
6:07 a.m.: Alexander Zverev followed up his comeback win over Novak Djokovic by winning the gold medal in men's tennis at the Tokyo Olympics.
The fifth-ranked German overwhelmed Russian opponent Karan Khachanov 6-3, 6-1 at the Tokyo Games on Sunday for the biggest title of his career.
4:45 a.m.: Taiwan's CT Pan won a seven-man playoff to earn bronze.
3:30 a.m.: Xander Schauffele of the U.S. wins gold in men's golf, one stroke ahead of Slovakia's Rory Sabbatini.
There's a seven-man playoff for bronze including Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.
3:25 a.m. (updated): Sailor Sarah Douglas was overcome with emotion after she saw her coach Vaughn Harrison on the dock at Enoshima Yacht Harbour, and started crying as they hugged.
Douglas fell out of medal contention in the final race of the women's laser radial class on Sunday, placing sixth overall for what is an all-time best finish for a Canadian in the event at the Olympics. The Toronto native had entered the final in fourth, but dropped two places after finishing ninth in the medal race.
Going into today I was just going for a medal. I knew I could drop to seventh but I was like no matter what happens, I'm going to be super proud,'" said Douglas. It took me a moment, obviously, coming off the medal race you're very upset and I couldn't stop crying."
3:20 a.m.: Simone Biles will not defend her Olympic gold medal on floor exercise.
USA Gymnastics announced Sunday that the six-time Olympic medalist has opted not to compete on floor, where she won gold in Rio de Janeiro and placed second in qualifying last week.
Jennifer Gadirova of Britain will replace Biles in the finals, which are scheduled for Monday.
3:10 a.m. (updated): Jennifer Abel's wait for an individual Olympic medal continues after the Canadian diver finished eighth in the three-metre springboard final Sunday at Tokyo 2020.
The 29-year-old missed her entry into the water on her third dive and that misstep put her in ninth position, hurting her podium chances.
2:29 a.m.: Canadian marathoner Dayna Pidhoresky is permitted to train again after spending a week in quarantine ahead of her race at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 34-year-old from Windsor, Ont., had been in isolation at the Canadian team's camp in Gifu, after she was informed upon arrival that a passenger on her flight had tested positive for COVID-19.
1:50 a.m.: Canadian diver Jennifer Abel will dive for a medal in women's three-metre springboard starting at 2 a.m. ET.
Abel previously took silver with Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu in the three-metre synchronized springboard.
1:30 a.m.: French super heavyweight boxer sat on the Olympic ring apron in protest after he was disqualified from his quarterfinal bout because of an intentional head butt.
Mourad Aliev reacted with outrage when referee Andy Mustacchio disqualified him with four seconds left in the second round Sunday. The referee determined Aliev had intentionally used his head to clash with British opponent Frazer Clarke, who had significant cuts near both of his eyes.
After the verdict was announced, Aliev sat down on the canvas just outside the ropes and above the steps leading down to the arena floor. He remained there unmoving, and French team officials came up to speak with him and brought him water.
12:50 a.m.: The credentials of 14 participants in the Tokyo Games have reportedly been revoked due to COVID-19 rules violations, according to Rachel Axon of USA Today.
Games CEO Toshiro Muto said Sunday that of the 14 people, six had their credentials removed, while another eight had theirs suspended temporarily. An additional 10 cases of strict warning incidents" have been reported, as well as four signed pledges on top of those warnings.
12:30 a.m. (Updated): Canadian wrestler Erica Wiebe lost her opening bout Sunday morning at the Tokyo Games and was officially eliminated from the women's 76-kilogram competition later in the day.
Wiebe dropped a 5-4 decision to Estonia's Epp Maee in a round-of-16 matchup at the Makuhari Messe Hall.
12:02 a.m.: The slow start had almost been overcome. Canada was creeping back into the game. And then it came, the onslaught that may have dashed an Olympic medal dream.
Spain, which had a strong first quarter, played seven minutes of wonderful basketball to begin the third - aggressive and swarming on defence, precise on offence - on the way to a 76-66 win over Canada.
Read more from the Star's Doug Smith: Canadian women a long way from Tokyo podium in basketball after digging a hole they can't get out of
11:20 p.m.: Genevieve Lalonde has reclaimed her Canadian record in the women's 3,000-metre steeplechase to clinch a spot in the Tokyo Olympic final.
The 29-year-old from Moncton, N.B., ran nine minutes 22.64 seconds in sizzling 39 C heat at Olympic Stadium, the eighth fastest time in Sunday morning's heats.
11:15 p.m.: Canada's women's basketball team fell 76-66 to Spain on Sunday to wrap up its round-robin schedule at the Tokyo Olympics.
10:59 p.m.: Canada's Markus Thormeyer; Gabe Mastromatteo; Joshua Liendo Edwards; Yuri Kisil missed the podium in the men's 4X100-metre relay, finishing seventh with a time of 3:32.42.
The U.S. took gold, while Britain and Italy took silver and bronze, respectively.
10:23 p.m. (UPDATED): Penny Oleksiak makes history after Canada swam to a bronze medal in women's medley relay.
The 21-year-old swam anchor alongside Kylie Masse, Sydney Pickrem and Maggie Mac Neil.
Australia finished first with an Olympic-record 3:51.60 and the U.S. claimed silver.
The Star's Bruce Arthur has the story: Penny Oleksiak is Canada's most decorated Olympian after swim medley relay bronze
9:45 p.m.: Swimmer Penny Oleksiak will get another shot at becoming Canada's most decorated Olympian.
Oleksiak will team up with Kylie Masse, Sydney Pickrem and Maggie Mac Neil in the 4x100-metre medley relay for a shot at her third medal in Tokyo and seventh overall.
The race starts at 10:15 p.m. ET.
8:40 p.m.: Lydia Jacoby has a history with the pink goggles she has worn since childhood, but the pair hit a bump in the road in their relationship at the Olympics on Saturday.
Jacoby, the American swimmer who claimed a surprise gold medal in the 100-metre breaststroke earlier this week, was forced to swim her portion of the mixed 4x100 medley relay with her goggles over her mouth instead of her eyes, after they moved when she dove in the pool.
The latest from Laura Armstrong: The glasses in Tokyo can be half empty, half full or halfway down a swimmer's face
6:30 p.m.: Canada's Corey Conners is swinging for a medal in round four of the men's individual stroke play at the Kasumigaseki Country Club.
More to come.
6:00 p.m.: The London 2012 Olympics was a coming-out party for the Canadian women's soccer team. In capturing the country's first medal - bronze - in a traditional team sport since 1936, the team also captured the hearts of a nation.
That group of enchanted supporters included the likes of Ashley Lawrence, Jessie Fleming, Jordyn Huitema and many of their colleagues on the current Canadian team, which will face the United States in a rematch of a devastating semifinal loss nine years ago.
The Star's Laura Armstrong has the story: Tokyo soccer semifinal pits Canada against the U.S. again, and the Americans just might be beatable
5:30 p.m.: Her jaw dropped in astonishment, her left hand pointed toward the clock in disbelief, she scorched through the finish line already in full-medal-jacket exhilaration mode, untouchable. Then she collapsed to the ground, rolling and squirming in delight, tattooed limbs flexing like a ladybug on its back, screeching: Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"
Had Elaine Thompson-Herah not begun her celebration just a tad precipitately, she might very well have broken the women's 100-metre world record that has been held by the late, great Florence Griffith Joyner since 1988.
As it is, Thompson-Herah is the fastest woman alive.
The latest from the Star's Rosie DiManno in Tokyo: The women's 100 metres in Tokyo ended with Elaine Thompson-Herah's celebration. It might have cost her a world record
11:20 a.m.: On Tokyo Daily, Brendan Dunlop talks Olympic basketball with Doug Smith of the Toronto Star after Team USA's blowout win over the Czech Republic in the men's tournament, and ahead of the Canadian women's final group game versus Spain on Saturday night.
Watch the latest Tokyo Daily: Olympic basketball heats up in Tokyo
Previously: Kylie Masse scored her second silver, making 12 medals total for Canada - all won by women; Nigerian sprinting star Blessing Okagbare suspended for doping hours before the 100-metre semifinals; Canada's Andre De Grasse zooms to the finish with the fastest qualifying time in the men's 100-metre-sprint.
For a full write-up of what you missed on Day 8 of the Tokyo Olympics, click here.