ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, AUGUST 13-14, 2021 SPORTS 14 Won over by the Games Tokyo’s Olympic fears give way to acceptance, to a point TOKYO, Aug. 12, (AP): When the To- kyo Olympics began during a worsen- ing pandemic in Japan, the majority of the host nation was in opposition, with Emperor Naruhito dropping the word “celebrating” from his opening decla- ration of welcome. But once the Games got underway and local media switched to cover- ing Japanese athletes’ “medal rush,” many Japanese were won over. They watched TV to cheer on Japanese ath- In this July 30, 2021 file photo, letes in an Olympics that ended Sun- Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide day with a record 58 medals for the Suga attends a news conference home nation, including 27 gold. on Japan’s response to the coro- There are still worries that Japan navirus pandemic during the To- will pay a price for hosting these kyo 2020 Olympic Games in To- Games; recent days have seen record kyo. (AP) numbers of virus cases. But for now, Beforehand, a lot of Japanese ex- among many, a sense of pride and pressed reluctance or opposition to goodwill is lingering. holding the Olympics during a pan- “Having the games in the middle of demic that, for them, was worsening. the pandemic didn’t seem like a good A series of resignations of Olympic- idea, and I did wonder if they should linked offi cials over sexism, past bul- be canceled,” said Keisuke Uchisawa, lying and Holocaust jokes also hurt 27, an offi ce worker. But the medal the Games’ image ahead of the July 23 haul, he said, was “very exciting and opening. There were protests on Tokyo stimulating. Once the Games started, streets and on social media. we naturally cheered the athletes and After the opening ceremony, how- simply enjoyed watching them.” ever, many opponents started to cheer. His wife Yuki, a medical worker, More than half of Japan’s popula- worried especially about the pandem- tion watched the event, according to ic. But she began cheering when she rating company Video Research - the noticed patients at her hospital beam- highest rating for an Olympic opening ing as they watched the Games. “I saw ceremony in Japan since 61% for the the power of sports, and I thought it 1964 Tokyo games, a time when far was wonderful,” she said. “Athletes fewer people had televisions. made outstanding performances, and Outside the National Stadium, we wanted to cheer for them.” where dozens of demonstrators regu- The couple were recently picking larly held anti-Olympic rallies, many out matching Olympics shirts and pan- fans stood in a line next to the Olympic demic masks from an offi cial goods rings waiting to take selfi es. It was the store in downtown Tokyo. The store, closest they could get to locked-down, almost empty before the Games, was spectator-free stadiums. crowded on a recent weekday toward Opposition to the Olympics has the end of the Olympics. Many cus- steadily dropped in recent weeks. One tomers appeared to be workers from poll taken by the Asahi newspaper the neighborhood dropping by during just ahead of the Olympics showed In this Aug. 8, 2021 file photo, fans watch as runners compete during the men’s marathon at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Sapporo, Japan. (AP) lunch breaks. opponents fell to 55% from around 70% earlier this year, and 56% of the respondents said they wanted to watch the Games on TV. And separate sur- veys taken by the Yomiuri newspaper and TBS Television at the end of the Strus’ ‘3-pointer’ in sudden-death lifts Games showed more than 60% of their respective respondents said it had been good to hold the Games. Heat over Grizzlies in Summer League OLYMPICS Those who felt intimidated by the unwelcome mood in the beginning be- gan to feel relieved. Mobley help Cavs beat Suggs, Magic “It was a bit scary to get on a train wearing an Olympic volunteer uni- form” early on, when people were LAS VEGAS, Aug 12, making ability, driving the lane still more strongly opposing the (AP): Max Strus scored 32 and kicking out to the corner to Games, said Asuka Takahashi, a Bluiett for an open 3-pointer. Kuwait women’s handball team 21-year-old student who helped at points, hitting the winning the beach volleyball venue. She felt 3-pointer in sudden-death Nets 97, Bucks 91 set to compete in 1st int’l event less tension after the Games started, Brooklyn first-round draft pick and thought more people were inter- double overtime to give the Cameron Thomas scored 22 points AMMAN, Aug 12, (KUNA): bekistan, the draw revealed on ested in them than she had initially Miami Heat a 97-94 victory and had four assists, and David Kuwait will face a tough test Wednesday. believed. over the Memphis Griz- Duke Jr. added 10 points and nine in their fi rst international com- This year’s event will be And when Takahashi recently vis- zlies in the NBA Summer rebounds against Milweakee. petitive tournament after being held without the attendance of ited Olympics stores, she also saw Quinndary Weatherspoon added drawn alongside 2018 fi nalists spectators due to fears over the that lots of merchandise was sold out. League. 15 points for the Nets, but strug- “Many Japanese,” she said, “are enjoy- Japan in the 2021 Asian Wom- spread of COVID-19, organis- ing the Olympics in the end.” Summer league rules dictate gled with eight turnovers. en’s Handball Championship, ers said. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, the first basket wins in double Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn’s oth- slated for Amman on Septem- The group draw was admin- criticized for insisting on hosting the overtime. er first-round draft selection, looked ber 15. istered by Kuwaitis Bader Al- Olympics despite the virus, was likely Strus grabbed the opening tip in solid with 11 points on 5-of-7 shoot- The Kuwaitis will also face Theyab, International Handball hoping for this evolution in sentiment. double OT, took a few dribbles to Los Angeles Clippers guard Reg- ing. He also had eight rebounds. Afghanistan, India, Iran and Federation (IHF) Vice-Presi- He has been trying to reverse nosediv- gie Jackson (1) goes to the basket ing support ratings for his government set up the defender and then rose up Jordan Nwora finished with a host nation, Jordan, in Group dent and Asian Handball Fed- as Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, team-high 22 points for the Bucks, B, while Group A includes eration (AHF) Treasurer, and ahead of general elections expected in in the air to bury the jumper from (right), defends during the second the autumn. the top of the key. Strus walked half of Game 5 of a second-round but was just 1 of 11 from beyond reigning champions, South Asian Handball Federation Ex- the 3-point arc. Milwaukee was 5 “Japanese Olympians’ outstanding away confidently after the shot hit NBA basketball playoff series in Korea, Hong Kong, Kazakh- ecutive Director Ahmed Abu achievements will give us strength, too,” the net and teammates ran on to the Salt Lake City, in this June 16, of 25 from long range and was out- stan, Qatar, Singapore and Uz- Al-Lail. said Tateo Kawamura, a veteran law- 2021, file photo. Reggie Jackson is floor to celebrate with him. rebounded 44-33. maker of Suga’s governing party. Suga returning to the Los Angeles Clip- called and congratulated judoka Naohisa The small forward was 7 of 17 pers after helping the team reach Pelicans 80, Thunder 65 Toronto’s Scottie Barnes, the Knicks 91, Lakers 82 the Western Conference finals for Naji Marshall had 18 points and No. 4 overall pick, was limited to New York guards Immanuel Takato, who won the fi rst gold for Japan, from 3-point range and had nine and has since publicly congratulated rebounds. the first time. The team announced 11 rebounds, Kira Lewis Jr. added 13 points on 2-of-8 shooting from Quickley and Miles McBride com- the re-signing of the free-agent 12 points and the New Orleans beat the field. He had eight rebounds. bined for 47 points, and the Knicks medal winners on Twitter. point guard on Aug 11. (AP) Suga has repeatedly said there is no BASKETBALL Oklahoma City going away. First- Malachi Flynn led the Raptors scored 33 fourth-quarter points to evidence linking the upsurge in cases to pick Jalen Suggs and Orlando. round pick Trey Murphy chipped with 16 points and Precious Achiu- hold off Los Angeles. the Games - and, in fact, barely more than Strus played in 39 games last Mobley scored from every level, in with 10 points, six rebounds and wa had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Quickley, named to the All- 400 positive cases were reported inside season for the Heat, averaging 6.1 knocking down 3s, short-range jump- three steals. Jazz 81, Mavericks 80, 2OT Rookie second team last season, the Olympic “bubble” from early July points. ers and down in the low post. He also Aaron Wiggins led Oklahoma In the second sudden-death game made all 10 of his free throws and until the closing ceremony. City with 16 points. Josh Giddey, the of the night, Trent Forrest scored scored 25 points with seven assists. But whether the Games lift public Miami center Omer Yurtseven showed his ability as a passer, thread- sentiment in a lasting way could hinge had a big game with 23 points and ing the needle on a slick pass to Isaac No.