Simone Biles made a breathtaking return to Olympic action on the balance beam as the American gymnastics great won the bronze medal.
There was a China one-two as Guan Chenchen snatched gold with the last routine of the final, a flawless performance from the 16-year-old bringing her the glory with a 14.633 score.
Tang Xijing had looked like topping the podium, having set a high standard as the second competitor in action, only for the 18-year-old to see her team-mate scoop the top prize.
But there was no doubting who was the centre of attention in the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, with Biles being introduced to a huge cheer from the small crowd of Games and gymnastics officials inside the venue before the competition got under way.
Biles then majorly turned up on her first appearance at Tokyo 2020 since stepping away from the team final last week.
She cited mental health concerns for her withdrawal from that event, and then pulled out of each of the individual disciplines other than the beam.
The 24-year-old could not quite match Tang's early benchmark of 14.333, but a 14.000 from the four-time Rio Olympics gold medallist was a timely reminder of her exceptional ability.
"I don't trust myself as much as I used to," Biles said last week, pointing to a nervousness and the sense she was no longer enjoying the sport as she once did.
Yet here on the beam, Biles displayed all the self-assuredness in the world, finishing off with back handsprings and a double pike on the dismount.
She strode away with a huge smile, and perhaps it will prove to be her farewell to the Olympics.
Biles shared a big hug with team-mate Sunisa Lee and waited for her score to come through.
It was not a gold-winning effort, but for the woman who had taken a deep breath before acknowledging a small crowd prior to the competition beginning, it was validation.
Perhaps it was valediction, too. A silver and a bronze for Biles in Tokyo is not what she came for, but that will be her medal cargo when she sets off for home.
By any standards, after her inspiring honesty of recent days, this was a triumph of the Olympic spirit.
Russia and Belarus must remain sanctioned, says IOC president Bach
Russian and Belarusian athletes are not yet sure of being able to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said sporting sanctions against the nations must remain in place.
The two nations have been excluded from world sport in varying guises since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February, with both banned from March's Winter Paralympics.
Athletes were allowed to compete under a neutral flag then, and Bach says he does not wish for them to suffer as a result of sanctions against the pair.
But Bach stressed those penalties cannot be relaxed amid the continued conflict in Eastern Europe.
"The sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian state and government must firmly remain in place," he said at the IOC's executive board meeting in Lausanne.
"These sanctions were imposed because of the breach of the Olympic truce, which means also a breach of the Olympic charter."
Bach conceded, however, the IOC did not wish for athletes representing both nations to be barred from competing entirely in France.
"I will never get tired enough to repeat, to make it clear all over again, that this question of the participation of athletes is very different to the question of sanctions for their government," he added.
"The position of the Olympic Movement was always, is and remains, that athletes cannot be punished for acts of their government as long as they do not contribute to it or support it.
"Therefore the question of athletes participation was always a protective measure, and not part of the sanction, to safeguard the integrity of international sports competition and to ensure safety of athletes from these two countries."
IOC in discussion with 10 potential hosts for 2036 Olympic Games
There are 10 potential candidates in discussion with the International Olympic Committee over host applications for the 2036 summer games, the organisation told national leaders on Thursday.
With Paris 2024 set to kick off a three-olympiad cycle that includes Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032, early interest is starting to be tendered for the next available berth to host.
The IOC previously changed their system for awarding the games after French-led investigations into alleged-vote buying surrounding Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
At the Association of National Olympic Committees meeting in Seoul, International Olympic Committee director general Christophe de Kepper confirmed conversations have been held over expressions of interest.
"We are currently working with 10 interested NOCs and regions across four continents," he told members. "[They] are at very different stages and are developing their ambitions according to their own regional or national timelines"
Nations including Egypt, India, China, Qatar and England have expressed an interest in hosting the event.
NFL backs bid to bring flag football to 2028 Olympics
The National Football League (NFL) has given its backing to a bid to introduce flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
American football has not been seen at the quadrennial sporting event since a demonstration event at Los Angeles 1932.
But with the event returning to California following Paris 2024, the sport's leading governing body is now looking to secure a spot for flag football - a non-contract variation - at the subsequent Olympiad.
Executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent will co-chair the "Vision28" group alongside International Federation of American Football president Pierre Trochet, the NFL announced on Wednesday.
"We see flag football as an all-inclusive sport, which makes it a great vehicle to spread the values of American football around the world," Vincent issued in a statement.
"As co-chair of the Vision28 mission, the NFL is committed to place critical assets such as technological, broadcast, commercial, sports science, youth engagement, fan engagement at the service of the Olympic movement and our shared global goal of football for all."
Flag football - in which a pair of five-on-five sides play over a 50-yard by 25-yard field, with 10-yard end zones, and are tackled through the removal of a flag on their belt - is not the only new sport in the conversation for 2028.
Baseball and softball will likely be pursuing inclusion after a return at Tokyo 2020, while cricket will also push for some form of representation.
Elsewhere, the new NFL campaign is less than two months away, with defending Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams to host the Buffalo Bills in the Kickoff Game on September 8.
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