Lewis Hamilton told an angry Hungarian Grand Prix crowd their jeers "fuelled" him as he took pole position at the start of a potentially historic weekend.
The Mercedes superstar was at the centre of controversy two weeks earlier at Silverstone as his crash saw Max Verstappen ruled out on the first lap.
Hamilton recovered from a 10-second penalty to win the race and close the gap significantly in the title race.
That was the defending champion's 99th Formula One victory and he now has a clear sight of the century, albeit only after another Red Bull flashpoint.
Having already secured provisional pole with a time of one minute and 15.419 seconds, which would ultimately prove enough, Hamilton crept in front of the chequered flag to make a second run, delaying Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez, who was unable to get through in time.
It left Hamilton fighting only against Verstappen, who lacked the pace of previous races and has work to do from third on Sunday.
Hamilton's first win as a Mercedes driver came in Hungary and he could be the first driver to win the same event nine times this week, but he was not popular among the locals as he took the microphone.
Greeted with loud boos, the Briton said: "I appreciate the great support I have here.
"Honestly, I've never felt so great with the booing. If anything, it just fuels me. I don't really mind it. It's alright."
Mercedes had gone six grands prix without pole position, their second-longest barren run in the hybrid era.
But Valtteri Bottas followed Hamilton in second place for the Silver Arrows' 80th qualifying one-two, a joint-record alongside Ferrari.
"It was an amazing qualifying lap," Hamilton said having claimed his 101st pole. "I think it's been amazing teamwork from everyone this weekend, Valtteri included.
"Trying to push the car forwards, developing constantly, the guys back at the factory have not left a stone unturned. It's been amazing to see everyone coming together, rallying and pushing forwards."
Verstappen, using the same Honda power unit from his Silverstone crash, was given a far warmer greeting by the Hungarian fans after coming in 0.421 seconds behind Hamilton.
"It's difficult to say the gap, but clearly the whole weekend so far we've been a bit behind," the Red Bull star said. "It showed again in qualifying.
"Of course it's not what we want, but we're still there in P3 and we'll see what we can do. So far, it's not what I want."
Verstappen will start on soft tyres having switched in Q2 to be sure of his place in the final session, one place ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez.
Q2 had briefly been halted due to a crash for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, with Mick Schumacher also earlier hitting the barriers in FP3 and unable to enter qualifying.
PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:15.419
2. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) +0.315secs
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.421s
4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +1.002s
5. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) +1.064s
6. Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.070s
7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +1.077s
8. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +1.234s
9. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) +1.296s
10. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) +1.331s
Elaine Thompson-Herah insists she did not have any record in mind after her stunning victory in the women's 100 metres final at Tokyo 2020.
The Jamaican defended the title she won at Rio 2016 in sensational fashion, sprinting home in an Olympic-record time of 10.61 seconds to deny Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce becoming the first woman to win the same athletics event at three different Games.
It was the first time Thompson-Herah, who has endured a frustrating time with Achilles injuries since her crowning moment in Rio five years ago, had run below 10.7s.
But the 29-year-old was focused only on winning and believes her benchmark will too eventually be broken.
"Going into the final I didn't have a time in my head, I was just trying to execute the best race and I had the best race tonight because I got the PB," she told a post-race news conference.
"I wasn't looking at any record or any time as I said. But eventually those times will erase, even if it takes four or five years they will [be] erased [by] somebody.
"Other women are coming up, rising, so to run this Olympic record tonight sends out a message anything is possible."
Fraser-Pryce had been the favourite to win the 100m for a third time in her decorated career but had to settle for silver, while Shericka Jackson completed a Jamaica one, two, three.
Thompson-Herah hailed Fraser-Pryce, who said this will be her final Olympics, as a benchmark in the sport.
"I wasn't checking the stats [of my races against Fraser-Pryce] I wasn't even counting," she added.
"She's a talented and a great athlete of course. She set the barrier for us younger generation coming through. As for a mum, she's soon to walk away from the sport, she's left her mark."
On the race itself, which saw Fraser-Pryce tense up over the last 30m with her rival right on her shoulder, Thompson-Herah confessed she had some nerves at the starting block.
"I've not seen the race as yet, I was super nervous but I had to control it. I knew all eight ladies were nervous," she said.
"We had done everything we could have done there is nothing else I could change. I think I had the best race tonight, I don't know if there is more to come but [I have] a PB and Olympic record so therefore tonight is the best race."
American Keyshawn Davis accused Olympic boxing organisers of disrespect after flooring lightweight favourite Sofiane Oumiha and said he now had "no choice" but to win Olympic gold.
The 22-year-old from Norfolk, Virginia, who fought on the undercard of the big Arlington showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders in May, is away to a flying start in his Tokyo 2020 campaign.
Frenchman Oumiha won silver at Rio five years ago and the 26-year-old was the top seed at these Games, but he lost by second-round knockout as Davis pulled out a big shot that booked him a quarter-final place.
The USA last won an Olympic boxing gold medal at the 2004 Games, but Davis may have a shot of ending that barren run and he will not be found wanting for confidence.
"I feel like this is my opportunity. I feel like I can't let no competitor beat me or even come close to that," Davis said after his second win in Japan's capital.
"I'm just making sure throughout every fight that I'm putting on a good performance, I'm putting on a show, but I'm also having fun in the ring.
"My confidence has already been high, but looking at my opponents right here, I don't feel like they’re as good [as Oumiha].
"I've got no choice but to get gold. I'm getting gold, and that's what I'm shooting for is getting gold."
Davis then questioned why he should get such a tough opening fight at the match-up with Oumiha.
"They've given me these tougher opponents early. I feel kind of disrespected," he said, "like they're trying to get me out of the tournament early, or that's just how I take it to motivate myself to go into each one of these fights.
"But I don't care if you gave me [world champion] Andy Cruz the first day, I was going to beat him and move onto the next day, and that's how I felt coming into this tournament."
Russian Olympic Committee's Gabil Mamedov is next for Davis, with Cruz on the opposite side of the draw.
GOLDEN CHANCE FOR JAPANESE YOUNGSTER
Japan's Sena Irie will fight for gold on Tuesday in the first final of the Tokyo boxing programme, a thrill for the 20-year-old home boxer.
Featherweight Irie won silver in the Asian and Oceanian Olympic qualifying event, held in Jordan almost 18 months ago. She also finished fifth at the 2019 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships.
Now she could deliver an Olympic title for the hosts after edging out Great Britain's Karriss Artingstall on a split (3:2) points decision in their semi-final.
Irie said: "It was a very close match but if I had lost in the third round I probably would have regretted it for the rest of my life. I honestly did not think I would be going to the finals. Now that I have, I want to get the gold."
She will face reigning world champion Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines who beat Irma Testa, also by split decision (4:1) with the judges. Petecio has been regarded as the title favourite.
Petecio said: "This means so much to me as not only it is my dream, it is my father's dream. It's not for me, it's for my family, my country and for all the people from the Philippines who have prayed for me."
WORTH THE WEIGHT?
Japan's Ryomei Tanaka is fighting in the flyweight division and going great guns, reaching the quarter-finals on Saturday with a points win over China's Jianguan Hu.
But making the 48-52kg class is a strain, Tanaka admits, and the sooner these Games are over, the happier the 27-year-old will be on a personal basis.
"It is not easy getting to the weight to compete. I want to meet up with my friends to drink and eat," he said.
His life in recent times has been built around the objective of success at the Kokugikan Arena, however, and those social treats can wait a little longer.
"I have been preparing for several years for this chance. I don't care about who my opponent is or what he can do. I just think about my style," Tanaka said.
"The next round is for a medal, but I want the gold. But more important than my performance, I just like to knock out my opponent. I sometimes care more about that than the result."
The Czech Republic were no match for the United States as Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant starred in a 119-84 romp.
Team USA's emphatic victory sealed their place in the quarter-finals as the second-placed side in Group A and ensured they will not face one of the pool winners.
Durant put up 23 points and six assists, overturning an early deficit, while Tatum led the team with 27 points, including five three-pointers.
Team USA's 20 threes represented the fourth time they have managed as many in an Olympic game, also doing so against Argentina in 2012 (20), Lithuania in 2004 (21) and Nigeria in 2012 (29).
Due to the margin of defeat, the Czechs – who threatened an upset before falling away dramatically – will not progress into the next round as one of the best third-placed sides.
ROTATION GAME
France were able to rest some star names as they progressed. Les Bleus had won their opening two games and completed a clean sweep in Group A with a 79-62 victory over Iran.
Only one player – Timothe Luwawu Cabarrot – played more than 20 minutes, with star men Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert given limited game time.
Nando De Colo enjoyed a highly efficient cameo in his 15 minutes on court, scoring 10 points on 100 per cent shooting while adding five rebounds and five assists.
Iran talisman Hamed Haddadi finished off his Olympic campaign with an 18-point showing, but it was not enough to keep his team in the tournament.
France have already beaten the United States, but Fournier dismissed the suggestion they are gold medal favourites.
"To be honest, I'm not even focused on the gold medal, just the quarter-finals," he said. "Any team that we are going to play there will have its strengths and weaknesses, but I can't tell you who I would prefer there because we don't even know who's going to be there."
AUSTRALIA CLAIM TOP SPOT
Patty Mills scored five threes in a haul of 24 points as he led Australia to an 89-76 victory over Germany.
The Boomers needed victory to secure first place in Group B and they did so with a 13-point margin to ensure they will be seeded in the quarter-final draw on Sunday.
Despite defeat, Germany will go through as one of the best third-placed teams.
Mills is heading into unrestricted free agency in the NBA, but his sole focus is on propelling Australia towards a medal.
"This is a lifetime of work in a matter of a couple of weeks. I'm making sure there are no distractions for me or my team-mates," he said.
MANNION SEALS FOURTH-QUARTER FIGHTBACK
Italy clinched a spot in the last eight by overturning an eight-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to beat Nigeria 80-71 in Group B.
Nico Mannion scored 14 points in 16 minutes, including a vital late effort from deep to help seal Italy's comeback success as Nigeria ended winless following a 24-8 fourth quarter.
"I think everybody is surprised with the way he's playing, he's showing everybody that he's a great player. Also, he's only 20 years old," Achille Polonara said of Golden State Warriors guard Mannion.
"I hope that he can help us like this in the next game, too. He's a great guy, he's very happy to stay with us, and we're very happy to have him."
Spain reached the semi-finals of the men's football tournament at the Tokyo Olympics after surviving an almighty scare against the Ivory Coast.
Manchester United defender Eric Bailly was a surprising opening goalscorer but Dani Olmo levelled before half-time at Miyagi Stadium.
Spain were the dominant force on the ball without finding a breakthrough, and it looked as though they were staring at a shock quarter-final exit when Max Gradel's deflected effort gave Ivory Coast the lead in injury time.
Incredibly, substitute Rafa Mir forced extra time two minutes later, scoring just 58 seconds after coming off the bench.
Spain at last went ahead when Oyarzabal swept home from the penalty spot, Bailly having been penalised for handball after a long VAR review.
Mir completed his hat-trick with two goals in the final three minutes to secure a 5-2 win and send Spain into the final four.
JAPAN STILL DREAMING
Spain will now meet Japan after the hosts battled past New Zealand in Kashima.
There was little to split the sides over 120 minutes, Japan out-shooting their opponents 21 to eight but unable to find a breakthrough.
At the other end, captain Maya Yoshida was the inspiration, posting the highest figures for duel success rate (80 per cent), aerial success rate (71.4 per cent) and blocks (three) of any starting player.
Fittingly, it was Yoshida who converted the final penalty after Liberato Cacace and Clayton Lewis had failed to score, giving Japan a 4-2 win in the shoot-out.
MEXICO WIN CLASSIC TO SET UP BRAZIL CLASH
Brazil's quest to defend the gold medal they won on home soil in 2016 will continue in a semi-final against Mexico.
A solitary goal from Matheus Cunha settled the quarter-final contest with Egypt in Saitama.
If that encounter was cagey, the showdown between Mexico and South Korea was anything but, as a nine-goal thriller was played out in Yokohama.
Mexico led 3-1 at half-time through goals from Henry Martin, Luis Romo and Sebastian Cordova, with Lee Dong-gyeong grabbing a lifeline.
A frenetic contest continued after the break as Lee made it 3-2 only for Martin and Cordova to score their second goals and stretch Mexico's advantage.
Substitute Eduardo Aguirre netted the sixth with six minutes of normal time remaining, Hwang Ui-jo scoring an injury-time consolation.
"I think my journey hasn't fully started yet."
For a double Olympic champion to say that may seem strange. But in the case of Elaine Thompson-Herah, who made such a claim in an interview with the Olympic Channel last September, it makes sense.
Five years ago in Rio, Thompson-Herah had toppled the great Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the two-time defending 100 metres women's champion at that point, who had struggled for form having contended with a painful toe injury.
When she followed up with 200m glory she became the first Jamaican to do the sprint double at the same Games. She was only the second from any nation in history do it.
It was as though a ceremonial torch had been passed from Fraser-Pryce, whose rise to stardom had coincided so beautifully with Usain Bolt's in a glorious era for Jamaican sprinting, to Thompson-Herah.
Only the path in sports is never quite so straightforward, and so it proved for Thompson-Herah.
Just a year later, while Fraser-Pryce was absent having gone into labour with her first child, she placed fifth in the 100m final at the 2017 World Championships in London and did not even compete in the 200m.
Two years later, in Doha, disappointment struck again. Fraser-Pryce had returned to the top of the 100m food chain to reclaim gold. Thompson-Herah placed outside the medals in fourth. In the 200m, she was forced to pull out prior to the semi-finals with a nagging Achilles injury that had plagued her since 2018.
Those injuries were never used as an excuse. Instead it only fuelled a fire inside to return to the top.
"Disappointments do come, but I have to continue to work hard because no athlete goes into a championship to lose. I didn't go to a championship to lose. It was beyond my control," she said in the aforementioned Olympics Channel interview.
"Because sometimes when you have pain you don't want to share it on social media and share it with everybody. When you have pain, you think you can still do your best. I always tell myself that even if I am having pain, I am going to give my 100 per cent, even if it's not going to be 100 per cent, I know I am going to do my best."
Then, as it did for every athlete whether for better or worse, fate intervened. The coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of the Games. For some, opportunity was denied. For others, there was a chance to hit the reset button.
Thompson-Herah was frustrated that the chance to defend her titles had been delayed but, having started training late in 2020, the extra time proved a blessing.
It has been a very competitive year in the women's 100m. Eight women had clocked a time under 10.90 seconds this season prior to these Games. Jamaicans Fraser-Pryce, Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson, the trio who ultimately occupied the podium in the Japanese capital, had gone below 10.80.
The injury niggles continued to trouble Thompson-Herah and forced her to miss a Diamond League Meeting in Gateshead. It also left her fearing she may not be able to compete at the Jamaican trials in June, where she placed third behind Fraser-Pryce and Jackson.
But just earlier this month she ran a 10.71 in Hungary, her fastest since 2017 and just outside her previous personal best of 10.70.
The confidence was growing and yet the spotlight was largely still on Fraser-Pryce, who was attempting to make history as the first woman to win a single athletics event three times.
But Thompson-Herah has now emulated her great compatriot by going back-to-back in the 100m – something Fraser-Pryce achieved at Beijing in 2008 and London 2012.
What is even more impressive is the way she did it. A final tipped to thrill lived up to its billing at a time when Tokyo 2020 needs its marquee events to deliver the goods.
Fraser-Pryce got off to a flier but from 60m onwards there was only ever winner. A time of 10.61 marks a new Olympic record, and the second fastest ever run in the women's 100m. There could have been no more perfect moment to pull the performance of a lifetime out of the bag.
Her victory in an event dubbed the "Race of the Games" completes an emotional return to the pinnacle. From bursting onto the scene, through the injury troubles, peaking at the right time – all have culminated in Thompson-Herah once more scaling the mountain.
This was the moment her journey began again.
Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah defended her Olympic title in emphatic fashion, as the country made a clean sweep of the medals in the Women’s 100m on Saturday.
In a superb display of sprinting, the Jamaican powered to the line in a time of 10.61, the fastest in the world this year, and now the second-fastest in history. Fraser-Pryce, the world champion, who had gone into the event as favourite, was second with a time of 10.74, with Jackson, previously a 400m athlete who stepped down to the sprints earlier this year, third in 10.76.
Heading into the Games, it was Fraser-Pryce who had received all of the headlines, as the 34-year-old looked to be in prime position to secure a historic third Olympic gold medal in the event. She had run the fastest time in the world at 10.63 and netted a win over both her compatriots at the Jamaica National Championships.
Thompson-Herah had, however, looked in superb form since and sent warning signs when she effortlessly coasted to win in 10.82 to open the competition. She then followed that up with another fast 10.76 clocking, in the semi-final, run in a manner that suggested she plenty left in the tank. She clearly did.
Thompson-Herah’s time also broke the Olympic record set by American Florence Griffith Joyner at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Novak Djokovic blamed mental and physical exhaustion after another desperate day for the Serbian at the Olympic Games meant he will leave Tokyo empty-handed.
The world number one lost 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 to Pablo Carreno Busta in the singles bronze medal match, smashing one racket against a net post and tossing another into the stands in gestures of frustration.
Djokovic then cited a shoulder injury as he pulled out of the mixed doubles third-place match. That decision meant Ash Barty and John Peers of Australia took bronze, with Djokovic and his unfortunate Serbia partner Nina Stojanovic finishing fourth.
"I am dealing with injuries. Not one, more than one," Djokovic said in an interview with Serbian media, according to tennismajors.com. "I hope that it won't stop me from going to the US Open, which is my next big goal.
"I feel bad for Nina because we did not fight for a medal in mixed, but my body said 'enough'. I have played under medications and abnormal pain and exhaustion."
The 34-year-old Djokovic said he had put his "very last source of energy" into the tournament and was satisfied with his effort, with a semi-final defeat to Alexander Zverev on Friday having left him resigned to a battle for what by his standards was perceived as a consolation prize.
But Djokovic added: "I know I've not played well today, and yesterday in the second and third set.
"The exhaustion, both physical and mental, got to me and it's unfortunate that in the most important matches I just didn't deliver, but I gave it all."
Djokovic suggested the Paris Olympics in 2024 were a possible target, although he must be becoming sick of Olympic tennis by now, having only one bronze to show for four attempts to win gold.
He took bronze in 2008 but lost to Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro both in the third-place match at London 2012 and the first round at Rio 2016.
Now there is more Games agony to digest, as well as a need to reboot ahead of the upcoming North American hardcourt swing and that US Open campaign. His hopes of a calendar Golden Slam are over but a sweep of the grand slams remains a possibility, having already landed the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles.
"I've had some heart-breaking losses at the Olympics Games," Djokovic said. "I know that those losses have usually made me stronger. I know that I will bounce back. I will try to keep going for the Paris Olympic Games. I will fight for my country to win medals."
Carreno Busta's reaction was thoroughly refreshing, with the Spaniard jubilant to secure a medal.
He said: "This week has been a very harsh week mentally for me. When I saw Novak lost, and I had to play him for this medal, I had my doubts.
"But last night I slept like I haven't slept in Tokyo. I slept for nine hours straight, that was an advantage to me. I came on to the court today knowing Spain was behind me.
"This is even more incredible than winning other tournaments. I've won Davis Cup, I've gone far in other tournaments, but winning an Olympic medal is indescribable. Words fail me, I felt Spain rallying behind me. A bronze medal is a dream come true for me."
The knock-on effort of Djokovic's withdrawal from the mixed doubles meant Barty and Peers added to Australia's medals haul without having to step on court for the third-place play-off.
Barty insisted she and Peers were worthy bronze medallists, saying: "It's incredible. It's unique circumstances and heartbreaking for Team Serbia not to get out on court.
"But for Johnny and I this is a dream come true for us. I feel like we've really deserved this one."
Dina Asher-Smith has withdrawn from the 200-metre race at Tokyo 2020 after struggling in the 100m semi-finals having torn her hamstring shortly before the Games.
A tearful Asher-Smith revealed the decision to pull out of an event where she is the reigning world champion as she reflected on a tough 100m outing.
The Briton, who took silver in the 100m at Doha 2019 and gold in the 200m, missed out on the final over the shorter distance with a semi time of 11.05 seconds, good enough for only third in her heat.
"Obviously I'm so disappointed to not make the final – it's Tokyo 2020, everything I've trained for for the last two years – but the last few weeks of my athletic life have been absolutely insane," Asher-Smith told BBC Sport.
She explained she had suffered a hamstring injury in the British Olympic trials final last month, prompting her withdrawal from events in Stockholm and Gateshead.
Asher-Smith expected she would not be able to travel to Tokyo.
"I was actually initially told it was a rupture and I'd need surgery and three to four months to get back," she said. "It's been a lot to deal with.
"Quite frankly, with that diagnosis, I couldn't have come to Tokyo. We had a statement ready to go.
"Thankfully, I went and got a second opinion and it was a misdiagnosis; it wasn't a rupture, it was a tear, but it was still attached, so we turned over every single stone to make sure I could stand on the line."
The 25-year-old still was not herself in the 100m, though, and was subsequently forced to make a call on Tuesday's 200m.
Asher-Smith had been the foremost British hope for a first athletics gold medal in an individual event since Jessica Ennis-Hill's 2012 heptathlon triumph.
"I am going to pull out of the 200m," she continued as the tears began. "As reigning world champion, I was in such good shape – you know that the Olympic champion is not much of a further step.
"Because of having three weeks off running, a week running slowly, I'm really proud to have been able to execute today and proud of doing everything I've done to this point.
"But when you're talking about the standard I know I'm capable of, there's plenty more championships for me to come and kill. We're in the middle of a four-to-five-year cycle.
"Yes, I've got a hamstring tear at the most inconvenient time but it doesn't change the calibre of athlete that I actually am.
"I know if I want to come and showcase that I need a few more weeks of power training to fill that gap that we had when I was trying to walk again, stretch my knee and trying to load my hamstring.
"John [Blackie, her coach] told me it's a no [for the 200m]. I would do it, because that's the kind of athlete that I am, but he's wiser than me. It's the Olympics, but there's another one."
Of her failure to make the 100m final, Asher-Smith said: "The most frustrating thing for me is that I was in really good shape. I was in the shape of my life.
"If you asked me six weeks ago, I was very confident I was going to win this because, being completely frank, every part of my race – my start, my transition and my finish – was better than some of the fastest women in the world.
"But when you have a hurdle like that, it's really hard to have a rejig."
Asher-Smith was part of a British team that took the bronze medal in the 4x100m at Rio 2016, also finishing fifth in the 200m.
“Disappointed, hurt, and entirely confused”. That is how Jamaican national champion Tyquendo Tracey described his emotions following the first round of the men’s 100 metres on Saturday.
Tracey did not start in heat 1 of the event, this morning, leaving many fans to wonder why.
The 28-year-old took to his personal Instagram page to provide some clarity on the situation.
“A few days ago, while training, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my leg while running from the blocks," Tracey explained.
“The pain was enough for me to have to stop training for the evening," he said.
After doing an ultrasound, Tracey was under the impression that the injury was not serious. However, whilst getting ready for this morning’s heat, the sprinter said that the pain worsened. His injury was kept quiet in hopes that he would be ready to compete in round 1 but he did not recover in time.
Heat 1 was eventually won by the USA’s Ronnie Baker in a time of 10.03 seconds. It is not yet known whether he will be fit in time for the men’s 4x100 metre relay.
He ended his Instagram post by saying, “To everyone who supported me, just want to say thanks and I will make it up to everyone including myself. Nuff love and respect!”
Novak Djokovic smashed one racket and threw another into the stands on the way to losing his bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday.
Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta beat the world number one 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 to finish third in men's singles.
The shock result followed a day on from Djokovic's hopes of a Golden Slam being crushed by defeat to Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
In the wake of his singles third-place match setback, Djokovic also pulled out of the mixed doubles bronze match, citing a left shoulder injury.
Having already clinched the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon titles, Djokovic was eyeing gold at the Games before heading to the US Open in August, aiming to land the five biggest prizes in tennis in the same season.
That has never been achieved in a calendar year by a man, and Djokovic could not even manage a consolation prize from his singles mission in Japan. How serious his injury is now remains to be seen.
After levelling the singles match by taking the second-set tie-break, Djokovic boiled over in the first game of the decider, firstly when flinging his racket several rows back from the middle of the court after Carreno Busta put away a volley at the net.
Djokovic picked another racket from his bag but petulantly demolished that against a net post after dropping the third game to slide 3-0 behind, receiving a warning from the umpire for that violent outburst.
His anger may have been explained by injury or by his disappointment on Friday, when, as well as losing to Zverev, Djokovic and Serbian team-mate Nina Stojanovic were beaten in the semi-finals of the mixed doubles.
Djokovic would have had one final shot at a medal from his Tokyo trip to come later on Saturday, with the 34-year-old and Stojanovic due to face Ash Barty and John Peers in another match for bronze.
However, shortly after his singles exit, it was announced that Djokovic had pulled out of that match, handing Barty and Peers the medal.
Amid the anger and frustration exhibited on court by Djokovic, it was a banner day for Carreno Busta, as Spain celebrated another tennis medal, having won at least one in eight of the last nine Olympics.
The 30-year-old fell to the court in joy at the end of the two hours and 47 minutes it took him to defeat the world number one, his elation a sharp contrast to the emotions of his beaten opponent.
Dominica’s Thea LaFond set a new national record, in the Women’s Triple Jump, to lead four of the region’s women into the final as session 2 and more Caribbean athletes beginning their quest for success.
Lafond jumped a national record of 14.60 to advance, the second-longest jump of the qualifying round behind the 14.77 done by Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela who is the gold medal favourite.
Liadagmis Povea of Cuba qualified in 5th with a jump of 14.50. Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts, a silver medalist at the 2019 Doha World Championships, needed only one jump to qualify in 6th place.
To qualify for the final automatically an athlete needs to jump 14.40 and Ricketts did 14.43 on her 1st attempt.
Kimberley Williams of Jamaica was the last Caribbean athlete to qualify for the final, jumping 14.30 to finish 9th.
Women’s Shot Put – Trinidad and Tobago’s Warren claims spot in final
The women’s shot put only saw one Caribbean athlete advance to the final, Trinidad & Tobago’s Portious Warren. Warren threw a personal best 18.75 to finish 9th and advance to the 12-competitor final.
Jamaicans Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydrica Cameron both missed out on a place in the final.
Thomas-Dodd, a silver medalist at the 2019 World Championships, finished 13th with a distance of 18.37, one spot outside a place in the final.
Cameron finished 21st in qualifying with a distance of 17.43.
Caribbean teams were also involved in the heats of the mixed 4x400m relay.
The Dominican Republic qualified for the final after finishing 2nd in heat 1 with a time of 3:12.74.
The 2nd heat saw the Jamaican team qualify for the final after a 3rd place finish.
The team comprising of Sean Bailey, Junelle Bromfield, Stacey Ann Williams, and Karayme Bartley ran 3:11.76.
Women’s 400mh – Jamaica’s Russell advances but mishaps for Nugent, Whyte
The women’s 400 Hurdles saw four Caribbean women advance to the semi-finals and two suffering unfortunate mishaps.
Jamaica’s Janieve Russell advanced to the semi-finals after finishing second in heat 2 with a composed 54.81 clocking.
Russell’s Jamaican teammate, Leah Nugent, originally finished second in heat 3 but was later disqualified due to lane infringement.
Gianna Woodruff of Panama originally finished third in heat 3 but was upgraded to second after Nugent’s disqualification and subsequently advanced to the semis.
Ronda Whyte of Jamaica lined up in heat four and was expected to comfortably advance but it was not to be as she, unfortunately, committed a false start.
Tia-Adana Belle of Barbados finished second in heat 4 with a time of 55.69 to advance.
Zurian Hechavarria of Cuba finished fifth in heat 5 and advanced to the semi-finals as one of the fastest losers.
Women’s discus – Jamaica’s Lawrence, Cuba’s Perez advance to final
The women’s discus saw Shadae Lawrence of Jamaica and Yaime Perez of Cuba advance to the final.
Lawrence threw 62.27 to finish 11th in qualifying. Perez, the gold medalist at the 2019 Doha World Championships, threw 63.18 to finish seventh in qualifying.
Denia Caballero of Cuba was the only other Caribbean woman in qualifying, throwing 57.96 to finish 23rd overall in qualifying.
No Caribbean men advanced past the heats in the men’s 800 metres.
Women’s sprint hurdles – Jamaica’s Tapper runs personal best
The women’s sprint hurdles heats were largely successful for Caribbean athletes.
Haiti’s Mulern Jean was the only Caribbean woman that failed to advance past the first round after finishing fifth in heat 2 in 12.99.
Heat 3 saw both Yanique Thompson of Jamaica and Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas advancing to the semi-finals, with Thompson running 12.74 to finish second and Charlton finishing fourth in 12.84.
Heat 4 also saw two Caribbean women advance as Brittany Anderson ran 12.67 to win and Pedrya Seymour of the Bahamas ran 13.04 to finish fourth.
Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ran 12.41, the fastest time in the heats, to win heat 5 ahead of Megan Tapper of Jamaica, who ran a personal best 12.53 for 2nd.
The Caribbean made a big wave in the pool at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games earlier today.
It all started with Vincentian Shane Cadogan winning heat 4 of the Men’s 50m Freestyle in a time of 24.71 seconds. He finished ahead of Nigeria’s Alassane Seydou Lancina (24.75) and Bangladesh’s Ariful Islam (24.81).
Trinidad’s Dylan Carter and Cayman’s Brett Fraser tied for second in heat 6 of the same event. Their times were faster than Cadogan’s, finishing in 22.46 seconds. Renzo Tjon-a-joe of Suriname was also in that heat. He finished 6th in a time of 22.56 seconds. Serbia’s Andrej Barna won the heat in 22.29 seconds.
Meanwhile, Aleka Persaud finished second in heat 4 in the women’s equivalent. The Guyanese swam a time of 27.76 seconds. St.Vincent’s Mya de Freitas also swam in heat 4, finishing 4th in a time of 28.57 seconds. The heat was won by Papau New Guinea’s Judith Meauri in a time of 27.56 seconds. More Caribbean swimmers turned out in the following heat. St. Lucian Mikali Charlamagne (26.99) and Antigua’s Samantha Roberts (27.63) finished 2nd and 6th respectively. Cameroon’s Norah Milanesi finished 1st in a time of 26.41 seconds. Elinah Phillip from the British Virgin Islands swam well for second place in heat 6. She finished behind Ecuador’s Anicka Delgado (25.36) in a time of 25.74 seconds.
None of these competitors were able to advance to the semifinals of their event. The semifinals of the men’s and women’s 50m Freestyle will take place tomorrow.
Katie Ledecky is eyeing up the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2028 Games in Los Angeles after claiming her seventh gold medal with victory in the women's 800 metres freestyle on Saturday.
Ledecky, who holds the world record over the distance, fended off rival Ariarne Titmus for her latest swimming triumph, backing up success in the 1,500m.
The 24-year-old American was clear of Titmus throughout the race and held off the Australian's familiar late push to win in eight minutes and 12.57 seconds. Italy's Simona Quadarella claimed bronze.
Ledecky's victory takes her Olympic medal tally to 10, including the gold haul, and she is targeting more.
“I'm still young, 24 is not that old," Ledecky said. "People are sticking around in this sport into their 30s. I still love this sport, I love it more and more every year. I feel I'm going to give every ounce I have to this sport.
“I love the training, I love the day-to-day. I'm just going to keep doing it until I feel like it's time. Obviously the Olympics in 2028 are in LA so that's kind of out there and appealing also."
USA's Michael Phelps holds the record for most Olympic gold medals with 23, with the next most going to gymnast Larisa Latynina, distance runner Paavo Nurmi, swim great Mark Spitz and athlete Carl Lewis who all claimed nine golds, which Ledecky could plausibly match or eclipse.
Ledecky has already become the first US female swimmer to win three consecutive golds in the same event.
Caeleb Dressel revealed he was not feeling 100 per cent despite breaking his own world record to win the men's 100m butterfly gold medal from Kristof Milak.
American Dressel triumphed in 49.45 seconds, bettering his own mark of 49.50 from July 2019 in Gwangju, to beat Milak, with Switzerland's Noe Ponti taking bronze.
"It was well executed, my body wasn't as good as it could have been, it was the body I was given on this day, I felt better yesterday," Dressel said. "It hurt really bad but it was fine. I knew what my race plan was and stuck to it, got the job done. What a close race. Two of the fastest times in history.
"You don't get that very often so to be a part of that is very special. The event is only going to get faster. I'm aware of that and it's just exciting that it took a world record to win."
Milak also remarked after the race that the pair would push and inspire each other on to future world records.
Australian Kaylee McKeown backed up her 100m backstroke gold with victory in the 200m, ahead of Canada's Kylie Masse and compatriot Emily Seebohm.
Great Britain, powered by Adam Peaty, won the mixed 4x100m medley relay, ahead of China and Australia.
BROWNLEE TRIUMPH AS GB MAKE HISTORY
Great Britain made history by claiming the first-ever gold medal in the mixed triathlon, with victory by 14 seconds ahead of the USA.
Jonny Brownlee, who won individual bronze in 2012 and silver in 2016, opened up a good lead for the British in the second leg which they did not relinquish.
Jessica Learmonth had started off for Team GB, before Brownlee's leg, with Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee finishing it off.
"Olympics? Completed it," Brownlee said. "It feels absolutely amazing. It's my third Olympics and I've finally got gold."
Great Britain finished in 1:23:41, with France claiming bronze behind the US team.
PERFECT GROUP PHASE FOR HOCKEYROOS
Australia's Hockeyroos completed a perfect group phase after final-quarter goals from Savannah Fitzpatrick and Emily Chalker sealed a 2-0 win over Argentina.
The victory means Australia have topped Pool B with five wins from five games and will play the fourth-ranked nation from Pool A, either Great Britain, India or Ireland.
The Australia hockey team are three-time Olympic gold medallists but have not won a medal since Sydney 2000 and endured tumult in the lead-up to Tokyo 2020 with a change of coach.
China were eliminated despite beating New Zealand 3-2, while Japan also bowed out after a 4-1 loss to Spain, who finish second in Pool B.
Germany and the Netherlands meet on Saturday evening to determine top place from Pool A ahead of the quarter-finals on Monday.
SAN MARINO'S MEDAL RUSH
Tiny European nation San Marino claimed a second-ever Olympic medal, only 48 hours after grabbing their first.
Alessandra Perilli, who won bronze on Thursday in the women's trap shooting, teamed up with Gian Marco Berti to claim silver in the mixed team trap, beaten 41-40 by Spain in the final.
San Marino, which has a population of 33,600, is the least populous country to win an Olympic medal, having competed at the Games since 1960.
USA beat Slovakia 42-42 (3-2) in the bronze medal final.
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