Dina Asher-Smith has withdrawn from the 200-metre race at Tokyo 2020 after struggling in the 100m semi-finals having torn her hamstring shortly before the Games.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.
Cincinnati Reds in-form slugger Joey Votto scored a home run for the seventh consecutive game as his side won 6-2 over the New York Mets in the MLB on Friday.
At the top of the sixth inning with the Reds up 2-1, Votto hammered Mets reliever Drew Smith deep over the fence at center field, which breaking his own franchise record.
The 37-year-old also now has nine home runs in seven games, with nine of his last 10 hits leaving the ballpark. He becomes the eighth player in MLB history to hit home runs in seven straight games.
Reds second baseman Jonathan India hit two home runs in the victory, but was overshadowed by Votto's remarkable run of form.
"I’ve never been in a place like this before. It’s exciting," Votto said. "It’s so much more fun doing it on a winning team and doing it in connection with wins."
The Reds have now won four games in a row and six of their past eight to improve their record to 55-49 and second in the National League Central.
Rizzo starts with a homer
Trade deadline acquisition Anthony Rizzo homered for the first time for new franchise, the New York Yankees, in a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins.
Rizzo went two-for-three in his first appearance for the Yankees following his trade from the Chicago Cubs, scoring his 15th home run for the year.
Eduardo Escobar also marked his first game for the Milwaukee Brewers with a home run in their 9-5 win over the Atlanta Braves.
Santiago Espinal took a bare-handed catch to complete the Toronto Blue Jays' 6-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Espinal can backwards from Jarrod Dyson's flare and reached up to snatch the ball.
Blue Jays teammate Bo Bichette said: “That was insane. Everything, the situation, the fact he used his hand and the fact he even thought to use his hand. It was crazy, but we’ve come to expect things like that from Santiago."
The benches cleared after James Karinchak's 96 mph fastball hit Jose Abreu flush on the helmet, leaving the batter floored, in the Chicago White Sox's 6-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.
Emotions stayed in check and there were no ejections while Abreu was able to stay in the game, before White Sox short-stop Tim Anderson delivered the go-ahead hit in the eighth inning.
Tatis re-injures shoulder
Home-run machine Fernando Tatis Jr re-injured his left shoulder diving for third base in the San Diego Padres' 9-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Tatis, who has hit 31 home runs this season, had previously had three issues with his left shoulder this season. Ryan McMahon's grand slam was decisive for the Rockies.
Altuve stars for Astros
Jose Altuve starred for the Houston Astros in their 9-6 win at the San Francisco Giants, with two home runs, including a grand slam, to total up five RBI. Altuve has 25 home runs this season, along with 105 hits and 65 RBI.
Friday's results
Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0 Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals 4-3 Chicago Cubs
Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 Kansas City Royals
Cincinnati Reds 6-2 New York Mets
New York Yankees 3-1 Miami Marlins
Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 Boston Red Sox
Baltimore Orioles 4-3 Detroit Tigers
Milwaukee Brewers 9-5 Atlanta Braves
Seattle Mariners 9-5 Texas Rangers
Chicago White Sox 6-4 Cleveland Indians
St Louis Cardinals 5-1 Minnesota Twins
Oakland Athletics 2-0 Los Angeles Angels
Arizona Diamondbacks x-x Los Angeles Dodgers
Houston Astros 9-6 San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies 9-4 San Diego Padres
Red Sox at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays (62-42) will host the Boston Red Sox (63-42) will both sides jousting for top spot in the competitive American League East.
Tokyo 2020 chiefs have banished an Olympic Village resident from the Games after they broke strict rules by going sightseeing.
The individual has had their accreditation withdrawn, said Tokyo Olympic organising committee spokesperson Masa Takaya.
Takaya did not identify the person concerned and would not comment on whether they were a competitor.
It is the first case of a resident of the Olympic Village being thrown out for such a breach of the Games 'playbook', which includes restrictions on movement due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Takaya told a media briefing on Saturday: "To leave the Olympic Village for sightseeing, that should not be tolerated and therefore accreditation was removed
"I can't give you any more than that. That decision was made yesterday."
Asked whether the person was an athlete, he added: "I can't tell you. It is a person related to the Games.
"As long as the accreditation is deprived, this person cannot enter into any Tokyo 2020 relevant venues."
Regarding whether any others were involved, Takaya said: "In terms of the number of people, I can't disclose that number."
He said more detail may be provided by Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto on Sunday, when he attends the daily Games briefing.
Takaya also said there had been a breach at a hotel housing athletes that are in isolation due to COVID-19 protocols, with two people said to have left.
"According to the facility manager – in this case it's a hotel – I have to say the communication was not adequate. When the hotel faced the people who insisted on leaving, the hotel wanted to retain them, trying to convince them of not leaving, but they have forcefully left the facility," Takaya said.
That news came in the wake of Germany's athletes' body Athleten Deutschland criticising quarantine conditions.
The German organisation complained of "insufficient supply in basic areas", including fresh air.
"The food supply is neither rich nor balanced, nor does it meet the sometimes specific nutritional requirements of top athletes," Athleten Deutschland added.
"Athletes who have resumed training activities in the room have to wash sweaty clothes in the sink, which hardly dry afterwards.
"You feel left alone and have to obtain a lot of information yourself. It is unclear to you what the exact sequence of the quarantine is and what steps have to be taken after it has ended."
Fifth seed Taylor Fritz defeated compatriot fourth seed Reilly Opelka in a three-set epic in the quarter-finals at the Atlanta Open on Friday.
Fritz, who reached last week's Los Cabos Open semi-finals and is currently ranked 36th in the world, edged out Opelka 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-4) in just under three hours.
The pair sent down a combined 48 aces, with Fritz claiming 25 of them, with all sets going to tiebreakers, with no breaks of serve.
Third seed Cameron Norrie was bundled out by Finnish world number 78 Emil Ruusuvuori in straight sets.
Norrie, who won last week's Los Cabos Open for his maiden ATP Tour title, was beaten 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 by the Finn.
Ruusuvuori will take on teenager Brandon Nakashima in the semi-finals, after the American – who was runner-up to Norrie in Los Cabos - beat Jordan Thompson 7-6 (7-5) 7-5.
Sixth seed John Isner sent down 30 aces as he got past Australian qualifier Chris O'Connell 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (3-7) 6-4.
United States BMX racer Connor Fields has been moved out of intensive care following the crash that ended his Tokyo 2020 medal hopes and caused a brain haemorrhage.
The 28-year-old, who won gold at the Rio Olympics, came off his bike in Friday's semi-finals, taking a heavy fall as two other riders hit the deck with him – Twan van Gendt of the Netherlands and Sylvain Andre of France.
Fields was carried off the course on a stretcher and taken to hospital by ambulance, with mother Lisa Fields stating he had sustained a "head injury with brain bleed possibly needing surgery to relieve".
That was confirmed by USA Cycling, who said doctors advised that Fields had suffered a brain haemorrhage.
The news appeared more positive on Saturday as his mother waited to learn more about the USA star, saying she had been told he did not currently need to undergo surgery.
She wrote on Facebook: "Connor still constantly sleeping but is cogent and communicative when awakened.
"Latest CT scan shows no additional brain injury and no additional bleeding so he has been transferred from ICU critical care to high level care and does not require surgery at this time.
"Brain function evaluation is ongoing and I will continue to update as I know more and after I get to speak with him."
USA Cycling stated: "The doctors reported that Fields sustained a brain haemorrhage at the venue. After a night in the ICU, the doctors are pleased to report that there has been no additional bleeding, and no new injuries were found. Fields has been moved out of the critical care unit and will remain in the hospital until cleared."
In the absence of Fields for the final, Netherlands rider Niek Kimmann won the gold medal.
The emerging rivalry between Caeleb Dressel and Kristof Milak can inspire the pair to more world records after the American broke his previous mark to win the men's 100m butterfly gold medal.
Dressel won the final in 49.45 ahead of Hungarian Milak by 0.23 seconds, with the American breaking his previous world record of 49.5 set in Gwangju in July 2019.
The American had already won the men's 100m freestyle on Thursday, before Saturday's gold medal.
Milak, who won the 200m butterfly in an Olympic record time on Wednesday and holds the world record for that event, said Dressel pushed him to get better, eyeing off a time under 49 seconds.
"It is very good for us that we can inspire each other," Milak said. "The result will be many world records and personal bests, and better times, maybe under 49 seconds.
"I’ve no personal relationship with him - we didn’t have the chance to get to know each other. But as a competitor, he’s a tough guy, very competitive."
First-time Olympian Milak, 21, said it was the beginning of a long rivalry with 24-year-old Dressel, who went to Rio in 2016, where he won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay but not in any individual events.
“This is the beginning," the Hungarian said. "We all know our place in the Games, in the competition. Everyone wants to win, we have to respect each other."
Switzerland's Noe Ponti claimed the bronze medal, with a time of 50.74 and gushed in praise of Dressel and Milak.
“Before these Olympics, the goal was to get into semifinals," Ponti said. "Behind Kristof, who I know pretty well, and Caeleb, it’s very inspiring.
"It means me and the other guys, the other guys behind me, we have a lot of work to do to catch them.
"That’s what motivates us a lot. It was a crazy race, very fast, for them too and for myself."
Caeleb Dressel stormed a world-record time in the men's 100 metres butterfly to win a third gold of Tokyo 2020, while Katie Ledecky earned a measure of revenge on Ariarne Titmus in Saturday's action at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
It has been some week for Dressel, though he later missed out on a fourth gold in the mixed 4x100m medley final.
There was more success for Kaylee McKeown and Australia in the 200m backstroke, while Adam Peaty was a gold medal winner again.
THREE UP AND A WR AS DRESSEL WINS THRILLER
He had to do it the hard way but Dressel scooped a third gold of the games and broke his own world record in the men's 100m butterfly after a thriller with Kristof Milak.
Dressel exploded off the block and had a healthy lead but Milak roared back down the home 50m to give his rival a scare.
But the American found an extra gear in the final few strokes to post a 49.45. He now has seven of the best 100m butterfly times in history, while five of the sub-50 second times in the event have come in 2021.
LEDECKY TREBLES UP, SCORES TITMUS REVENGE
Ledecky's prowess in the 800m free came to the fore again as she exacted revenge on Australian rival Ariarne Titmus.
American great Ledecky was pipped by Titmus – who also took out the 200m – in an astonishing 400m race earlier this week.
But for the third straight Games Ledecky is the 800m champion, stealing a march in the opening 50m and, though Titmus stayed close throughout, came home in 8:12.79 - the 17th-fastest swim of all-time.
Ledecky is just the third woman after Australian Dawn Fraser (100 free, 1956-64) and Hungarian Krisztina Egerszegi (200 back, 1988-96) to win three consecutive golds in the same swimming event.
MCKEOWN DOUBLES UP
Kaylee McKeown made it a backstroke double by taking out the women's 200m race having won the 100m earlier in the meet.
The Australian had to do things the hard way to reel back in Canada's Kylie Masse who was eight tenths clear of McKeown after 100m.
But McKeown charged down the final stretch doing the final 50m in 31.08 to touch home in 2:04.68, becoming the first Australian woman to gold medal in the event.
PEATY STRIKES GOLD AGAIN AS GB ROMP TO MEDLEY GLORY
Earlier this week, Adam Peaty defended his title in the men's 100m breaststroke in convincing style and he won his second gold of the Games as Great Britain smashed the world word in the in the 4x100 mixed medley.
Peaty, now a three-time Olympic gold medallist, swam an astonishing 56.78 leg, as he, Kathleen Dawson, James Guy and Anna Hopkin topped the podium.
Dressel was part of a Team USA quartet who were fifth.
Blessing Okagbare is out of the women's 100 metre competition at Tokyo 2020 after being provisionally suspended for a failed drugs test.
The Nigerian sprinter came through Friday's heats in a time of 11.05 seconds and was due to go up against Dina Asher-Smith and Elaine Thompson-Herah in the semi-finals on Saturday.
However, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) informed Okagbare she had tested positive for a human growth hormone following an out-of-competition test on July 19.
The AIU added that a provisional suspension is mandatory for an adverse analytical finding for such a substance under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules.
It said no further comment would be made at this stage.
Okagbare was competing in her fourth Games and won a silver medal in the long jump at Beijing in 2008.
She was a strong medal hope and her provisional suspension follows the news 10 Nigerian athletes were declared ineligible for Tokyo 2020 due to non-compliance with out-of-competition drug testing requirements in the run-up to the Games.
Simone Biles has pulled out of two further events at Tokyo 2020, USA Gymnastics has confirmed.
The American superstar was involved in just one rotation of Tuesday's women's team final, in which she registered the lowest score, before sitting out the rest of the event.
It was later confirmed she would also not defend the individual all-around title she won at Rio 2016 in order to focus on her mental health.
On Saturday, USA Gymnastics confirmed Biles – a four-time gold medallist at Rio – will now not take her place in the finals of the vault and uneven bars, with further decisions to be taken on her participation in the floor and balance beam finals.
A statement from the governing body read: "After further consultation with medical staff, Simone Biles has decided to withdraw from the event finals for vault and the uneven bars. She will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether to compete in the finals for floor exercise and balance beam.
"We remain in awe of Simone, who continues to handle this situation with courage and grace, and all of the athletes who have stepped up during these unexpected circumstances."
Earlier this week, Biles took to Instagram to explain how her body and mind are "simply not in sync" and attempted to describe the different aspects that go into performing at the highest level when dealing with a mental block.
"For anyone saying I quit, I didn't quit, my mind and body are simply not in sync as you can see here," Biles wrote on her story. "I don't think you realise how dangerous this is on a hard/competition surface. Nor do I have to explain why I put health first. Physical health is mental health.
"It's honestly petrifying trying to do a skill but not having your mind [and] body in sync.
"Literally cannot tell up from down. It's the craziest feeling ever, not having an inch of control over your body."
USA Gymnastics said MyKayla Skinner, who had the fourth highest score in qualification, will compete in the vault finals alongside Jade Carey.
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