Aug. 9, 2021 Lionel Messi was in floods of tears at his final press conference as a Barcelona player as he confirmed the end of his 21-year career at Camp Nou on Sunday, 7 goal.com reported.

IRNA ANN WANG/REUTERS LEAH MILLIS/REUTERS ’s Sajjad Ganjzadeh poses for a photo with his kumite +75kg gold medal at the Javad Foroughi of Iran celebrates on the podium after winning the men’s shooting 10m Mohammadreza Geraei celebrates with the Iranian flag after winning the men’s Greco- Tokyo Olympics on August 7, 2021. air pistol gold at the Tokyo Olympics on July 24, 2021. Roman 67kg gold at the Tokyo Olympics on August 4, 2021.

Sports Desk short of finishing on the podiums, while the three- he Tokyo Olympics man side had to settle for saw Iranian athletes the sixth place in the team Tcollect seven medals, competition. including three golds, which Iranian discus thrower led the country to a 27th spot , a silver in the medal table. medalist in 2012, The closing ceremony also feels he could have done of the Olympics was held better than the 26th spot, had Sunday, bringing the cur- it not been for a couple of tain down on probably the untimely injuries hampering most awkward edition of the his perorations. Games in the modern era, held in empty venues due to Overall performance coronavirus restrictions. While some Iranians did A total of seven med- not match the expectations IRNA PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS als meant Iran finished in certain sports, most nota- Iran’s Ali Davoudi is in action during the men’s weightlifting +109kg event at the Tokyo Olympics Iran’s is in action against American David Taylor in the men’s freestyle wrestling one short of the tally in Rio bly volleyball and taekwon- on August 4, 2021. Davoudi won the silver. 86kg final at the Tokyo Olympics on August 5, 2021. Yazdani lost the bout to settle for the silver. Games, where the country do, others still saw years of also collected three golds for practice and hard work pay giant Lasha Talakhadze, mir Alekno’s men, as three the 25th place in the overall off with an Olympic glory. who set three new world re- consecutive defeats against table. Sajjad Ganjzadeh cords en route to the +109kg Canada, , and saw The London 2012 Games summed up years of prog- gold. them being knocked out in remain the most glittering ress in karate for Iran, grab- The Games perhaps will the group stage. campaign for Iran, where bing the ultimate prize in the be one to forget for Iranian The story was the same a total of seven gold med- men’s kumite +75kg con- wrestling sensation Hassan in taekwondo, as three Ira- als, five silvers, and a single tests. Yazdani, who, despite win- nian representatives, Armin bronze saw the country stand Ganjzadeh’s triumph ning a silver, failed to emu- Hadipour, Nahid Kiani, and 12th. came after Javad Foroughi late his Rio 2016 success, Mirhashem Hosseini were On the final day of the had won a historic men’s suffering a third successive eliminated in the early stag- Tokyo Games, USA leap- 10m air pistol shooting gold defeat in four years against es. frogged for the top on the first day, while Mo- American David Taylor in In fencing, Iranian sa- spot of the medal table, ISNA LEAH MILLIS/REUTERS hammadreza Geraei went the freestyle 86kg final. Iran’s Mohammad-Hadi Saravi poses for a photo with his bronze Iran’s Amir-Hossein Zare’ celebrates after winning the men’s ber participants, highly after victories in women’s all the way to finish atop the A victory would have seen medal in the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling 97kg contests at freestyle wrestling bronze at the Tokyo Olympics on August 6, tipped for a historic suc- basketball and volleyball men’s Greco-Roman wres- Yazdani become the only the Tokyo Olympics on August 3, 2021. 2021. cess prior to the Games, finals, as well as Jennifer tling 65kg weight class. Iranian with double Olym- were unlucky to leave the Valente’s gold in women’s Meanwhile, Ali Davoudi pic golds in the history of the on his performance in Tokyo Mohammad-Hadi Saravi Blow-par campaigns followed by an easy win Olympics empty-handed, track cycling omnium con- again proved to be the sec- sport. for future achievements after also finished the Olympics against Venezuela, suggest- as Mojtaba Abedini – a test, saw the Americans ond best in the men’s super- Yazdani’s 21-year-old bagging the 125kg bronze in with a decent result, taking In volleyball, a five-set ed a memorable campaign semifinalist in Rio Games conclude the Games with heavyweight weightlifting, teammate, Amir-Hossein his maiden seniors competi- the 97kg bronze in Greco- victory over powerhouse for Iran, before the mood – Mohammad Rahbari, 39 golds, while China re- standing behind Georgian Zare’, will be hoping to build tions. Roman wrestling. Poland on the first day, suddenly changed for Vladi- and Ali Pakdaman came mained with 38.

Tokyo Olympics Day 16 in pictures

CHRISTIAN HARTMANN/REUTERS CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/GETTY IMAGES MARKO DJURICA/REUTERS Jason Kenny of Great Britain is in action in the men’s track cycling keirin final at the Tokyo Olympics on Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the men’s marathon gold at the Tokyo Serbia’s players and coaching staff celebrate after beating 13-10 to win the men’s water polo August 8, 2021. Kenny won the gold to become the most successful Briton in the history of the Games. Olympics on August 8, 2021. gold at the Tokyo Olympics on August 8, 2021.