14 Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Andino beats Florence in heavyweight US match-up at Olympics

ICHINOMIYA: ousted hurt knee. Surfing legend — that good’, so I let her have it and she fellow American in the who has 11 world titles — was on stand- turned it into a seven. That was the most third round of the surfing competition at by to replace either one of them on the frustrating thing for me,” said Gilmore, the Tokyo Olympics yesterday, as US team. one of the favorites for the gold medal. ’s suffered a Florence, who said he felt “pretty close “There were a lot of waves but maybe not shock exit in the women’s event. to normal” this week, accepted defeat a lot of good ones. But in saying that, I The heavyweight US pair were forced with good grace. “I’d rather see each oth- probably got too picky.” into an early showdown after Florence er go further, but that’s what happens,” he Gilmore was joined in an early exit by failed to qualify from his first-round heat said. “You come to these events to surf French world number two , and had to advance through the against the best in the world, so I’m not who lost to ’s Yolanda Hopkins. repechage. But Andino set the tone with a bummed that we came up against each The two giant-killings opened up the field massive aerial maneuver as soon as the other. That’s the challenge of being here.” for American world number one Carissa contest got under way, leaving two-time Moore, who safely came through her world champion Florence with too much Gilmore exit contest against ’s Sofia Mulanovich. work to do. In the women’s competition, “It was crazy to see some of the top “I was paddling into that wave going, Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore, who has seeds bow out early this morning,” said ‘what am I doing? This wave looks terri- seven world titles to her name, admitted Moore. “It just goes to show that these ble’,” Andino said of his gargantuan first she had been “too picky” after making conditions are very tricky.” effort, which scored 8.50 from the an early exit. Gilmore was bundled out in But Gilmore was left with nothing but judges. “It’s nice that the judges reward- the third round by unheralded South regrets after failing in her bid to add the ed it. John and I, our best surfing is aeri- African — seeded 17 Olympic gold medal to her bulging col- CHIBA: USA’s Kolohe Andino crides a wave during the men’s Surfing third round al surfing, so it was going to be an air out of 20 surfers. lection of world titles. Buitendag, who at the Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, in Chiba, yesterday during the Tokyo 2020 show no matter what.” Buitendag took the lead at Tsurigasaki needed to come through the repechage Olympic Games. —AFP Andino and Florence both underwent Beach by jumping on the first big wave of second round to reach the head-to-head surgery just weeks before the Games, the contest, and Gilmore was left to rue knockout stage, was happy to throw cau- pressure,” said the 1.85-metre (six feet) was a really comfortable spot to be in. It with Andino recovering from an ankle her decision to let her have it. “I looked at tion to the wind. South African. “I’m the underdog, coming takes away all the nerves and pressure. It injury and Florence coming back from a that wave and I thought, ‘it doesn’t look “I had nothing to lose, absolutely no in as the 17th seed for this event. So it just seemed to go my way.” —AFP

hard to be here. It’s a lot of work and dedication, and Bigger than Neymar? they know that. And they like a winner.” Medina and Ferreira — the 2019 world champion — Brazilian surfer Medina both booked their places in the quarter-finals yester- day, with also progressing in the women’s event. ’s phenomenal surfing success over the past eyes golden future decade has established the country as a global power- house, dubbed the “Brazilian Storm”. ICHINOMIYA: Brazilian surfer thinks Medina said his 2014 world title was a life-chang- he could be as big as football superstar Neymar in his ing experience, and sparked an interest among home country if he wins Olympic gold, with the sport Brazilian fans usually more interested in football and enjoying a popularity boom. Medina became the first volleyball. “After 2014, I feel like everyone started to Brazilian to win the world title in 2014, catapulting him watch and try to understand more about surfing,” said into the national spotlight and igniting an unprecedent- Medina, who also won the world title in 2018. ed run of success for the country’s surfers. “Everywhere I go in Brazil, people recognize me as a CHIBA: Brazil’s Gabriel Medina rides a wave during a Medina, Italo Ferreira and have all surfer. It’s crazy. Before 2014 was one life, and after free training at the Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, in claimed the world title since then, but Medina believes that was a different life.” Chiba, on July 23, 2021 during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic winning Olympic gold would send surfing’s popularity Ferreira, who learned to surf standing on the foam Games. —AFP into the stratosphere. “Probably, yeah,” he said on box his father sold fish from, believes a gold medal in Monday, when asked if winning the sport’s first-ever Tokyo would cement Brazil’s recent rise in world surf- gold medal would make him as popular as Neymar in ing. “It’s special representing your country and having surfers in Brazil, it’s special because in the past, Brazil. “A medal here means a lot to us because it’s so support from the Brazilian guys,” he said. “To the Australia and the USA has dominated surfing.” —AFP

said Djokovic. “Being a Grand Slam champion and Djokovic, Osaka being number one in the world carries a lot of weight.” TOKYO: Japan’s Momiji Nishiya competes in the Osaka raced into the last 16 as she powered past skateboarding women’s street final of the Tokyo cruise at Olympics as Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 6-2 in just over 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Sports Park in an hour, playing her second match in as many days Tokyo yesterday. —AFP women’s seeds tumble after lighting the Olympic cauldron on Friday. “Honestly, I feel like I was a bit more nervous before TOKYO: Novak Djokovic strolled into the third the match,” said Osaka. “I felt a lot of butterflies, but round of the Tokyo Olympics tennis tournament I think as I started playing and feeling more com- Japan’s Nishiya, 13, yesterday as Japanese star Naomi Osaka’s path to fortable, I knew that no matter what it would be a gold opened up further after a host of leading great match.” Before arriving at the Games, Osaka first women’s Olympic women’s seeds exited. had not played since May, when she walked out of Djokovic smacked 14 aces in a 6-4, 6-3 win over the French Open saying media commitments were harming her mental health. skateboard champion Germany’s 48th-ranked Jan-Lennard Struff and will TOKYO: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates after play Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a defeating Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff during their TOKYO: Japan’s Momiji Nishiya became one place in the quarter-finals. The world number one Sabalenka, Swiatek and Kvitova lose Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games men’s singles second of the youngest individual Olympic champi- had led calls for organizers to push back start times The second seed is the highest-ranked player round tennis match at the Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo ons in history when she won the inaugural to avoid the worst of the punishing heat after blaz- left in the women’s draw following the shock first- yesterday. —AFP women’s skateboarding gold at the age of 13 ing sunshine brought the extreme weather policy round exit of world number one and Wimbledon into play in round one. champion Ashleigh Barty. Third seed Aryna years and 330 days yesterday. Nishiya fin- of Barty with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Fiona Ferro. ished ahead of Brazil’s Rayssa Leal — who at But a gentle breeze and slightly overcast skies at Sabalenka was beaten by Donna Vekic in the sec- ond round yesterday. Elina Svitolina was in danger of joining the exodus 13 years and 203 days could have become Ariake Tennis Park made for less brutal conditions “It definitely would mean a lot for me to win gold of top players, but the Ukrainian scrapped her way the youngest ever individual Olympic cham- on the third day of the Games. “I was struggling with certain things in the first round, but today was here, but I know it’s a process,” said Osaka, who past Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. French Open pion — and Japan’s Funa Nakayama, 16. far more pleasant to play, just a higher level of ten- next plays 2019 French Open runner-up Marketa champion Barbora Krejcikova beat Canadian teenag- Nishiya starred in the tricks section to nis on my side,” said Djokovic. “I’m very pleased Vondrousova. “I know that these are the best play- er Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-4 and two-time Grand score 15.26 and give the hosts a clean-sweep with the way I felt on the court.” ers in the world and I honestly haven’t played in a Slam winner Garbine Muguruza swatted China’s of the street discipline as skateboarding As Djokovic edges closer towards a Golden while so I’m trying to take it one match at a time. Wang Qiang aside for the loss of just three games. makes its Olympic debut. Her performance Grand Slam, after already snapping up the But all in all I’m just really happy to be here.” Alexander Zverev is a potential semi-final oppo- mirrored that of Japan teammate Yuto Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon Sabalenka lost 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3) to Vekic, while nent for Djokovic. The German strolled past Horigome, who won the men’s title with a titles this year, he appears unfazed by the rising 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek was left in Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan 6-2, 6-2 and second stunning sequence of tricks on Sunday. pressure. “I think that once you reach the top spots tears after going down in straight sets to Spain’s seed Daniil Medvedev thrashed Sumit Nagal 6-2, 6-1. “I’m so glad to become the youngest in the rankings and start winning Slams, you’re Paula Badosa. Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck Medvedev will play the volatile Fabio Fognini in round (Japanese gold medalist) at my first going to experience different kinds of expectations knocked out Czech 10th seed Petra Kvitova in three three, with Spanish sixth seed Pablo Carreno Busta Olympics... tears came to my eyes,” Nishiya and pressure from yourself and people around,” sets as Sara Sorribes Tormo backed up her defeat getting the better of Marin Cilic 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. —AFP told reporters after receiving her medal. Skaters each have two 45-second runs on the equipment and five shots at a one-off plishment. Everybody in Japan will continue to where he won the Silver Cup for finishing as low trick. Their best four scores out of the seven Golf idol Matsuyama have high expectations, although that’s a big load amateur and placed in a tie for 27th overall behind make up their final total. for him. He gave us a big dream. That’s what I winner Charl Schwartzel. “I was nervous on the first run but I was looks to turn green think he did. Japan’s experiencing a golf boom Matsuyama won a gold medal at the World not nervous later,” Nishiya said, adding that right now. Because of that, the number of junior University Games as he led Japan’s team to victory. she wants to claim a second gold at the Paris jacket to Olympic gold golfers who want to become the next Hideki will He then secured a second Asia-Pacific crown and Olympics in 2024. But first, to celebrate her increase for sure.” placed 54th at the 2012 Masters, becoming the first victory, she will “go and eat at a beef bar- TOKYO: There will be no spectators at the Matsuyama was asked recently what his aims amateur to make consecutive Masters cuts since beque restaurant”. Kasumigaseki Country Club next week, but golf- were at Tokyo 2020. “Go there and win a gold Manny Zerman in 1991-92 and rising to amateur Skateboarding is one of four sports mak- mad Japan will hang off Hideki Matsuyama’s every medal,” he replied. “That’s my goal and I’ll do my world number one. ing their debut in Tokyo, along with surfing, drive, chip and putt as he attempts to add Tokyo best to accomplish it. I still have an active role to After turning professional, Matsuyama shared sport climbing and karate as part of an Olympic gold to his Masters green jacket. play for probably another 10 to 15 years and I want 10th at the 2013 US Open and cracked the top attempt to bring the Olympics to younger Asia’s first US Masters champion is revered like a to do my best to be an example and role model to 50 in the world rankings as a result. In 2014, he audiences. US diver Marjorie Gestring god in Japan and will have to cope with the extra all the kids and young golfers out there.” won the Jack Nicklaus-hosted Memorial remains the youngest individual Olympic pressure of carrying his nation’s golden hopes when Tournament, the first US PGA win by a Japanese champion after winning the 3m springboard he tees off on Thursday. But he will relish teeing up ‘It’s a happy thing’ golfer in six years. at the 1936 Berlin Games at 13 years and on a Kasumigaseki Country Club course where he Matsuyama said he had managed to handle all In 2016 he became the first Japanese to win a World Golf Championships (WGC) individual event 268 days. has enjoyed enormous success in the past, winning the extra attention and commitments that have when he dominated a field containing 40 of the Philippine finalist Margielyn Didal, 22, the first of his two Asia-Pacific Amateur come since he captured the green jacket at world’s top 50 at the WGC-HSBC Champions in missed out on a medal but said competing in Championships and a Japan Junior Championship. Augusta National in April. “There are a lot more Shigeki Maruyama, a three-time winner on the Shanghai to triumph by a record seven-stroke margin. Tokyo was a “really, really big achievement” demands than before, but actually it’s a happy US PGA Tour and the Japan golf team’s coach for A year later, he finished runner-up at the US for her. Having started skateboarding a thing,” Matsuyama said. “Hopefully I can keep the Olympics, believes the growth in the game Open to Brooks Koepka and jumped to a career- decade ago in the streets of Cebu city, Didal playing well and the demands will become even sparked by Matsuyama winning at Augusta greater,” he said. “I’ve proved that a Japanese can high second in the world golf rankings. Also in burst onto the scene in 2018 with an Asian National would explode in Japan should he deliver 2017, Matsuyama won at Phoenix and gained a Games gold. Didal said she would call her wear the green jacket.” a gold medal. Matsuyama first burst into prominence as an second WGC title in Akron, but that marked his parents, a carpenter and a street vendor, to “The economic effect would be huge. We last victory before an 87-start drought that end- hear their reaction. “I know that they’re amateur a decade ago. His maiden victory in the shouldn’t put too much burden on his shoulders, Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at the Olympic ed with his green jacket — a first win in four proud of me,” she told reporters. —AFP but Hideki obviously grew to that level,” said venue of Kasumigaseki Country Club in 2010 years. A second at the Tokyo Olympics would be Matsuyama. “Everybody is proud of his accom- secured Matsuyama a first trip to Augusta National pure gold. —AFP