Olympics overnight: Canadian cyclist Michael Woods misses podium by milliseconds, China grabs first gold at Tokyo

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/07/2021 (1508 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rise and shine, Olympic fans. Here’s what you missed overnight and need to know about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this morning.

For all the Star-related Summer Games content, visit our Olympics page here.

That was a heartbreaker.

Cyclist Michael Woods, Canada’s first legitimate chance at medalling on Day 1 of the 2020 Summer Olympics, finished fifth in the men’s cycling road race final, despite leading at points during the six-hour race.

Canadian women in soccer and softball won overnight, plus Olympic medals are starting to be handed out, with China claiming the Games’ first gold medal in rifling. Also, some of the new — and dare we say, cool? — sports are making their Olympic debut this weekend, like skateboarding (did you see that 52-year-old Tony Hawk’s still got it?).

Here’s what you missed overnight while you were sleeping:

Close, oh, so very close: Ottawa cyclist Michael Woods finished just milliseconds away from finishing on the podium overnight in the gruelling 234-kilometre road race at Fuji International Speedway.

It was a thrilling, back-and-forth affair, with Woods leading the pack with 40 kilometres to go. He eventually fell behind when Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz, third in this year’s Tour de France, began to break away within the final 24 kilometres.

So, uh, how close was it really? Just look at these times:

1. Richard Carapaz, Ecuador, 6:05:26.

2. Wout van Aert, Belgium, 6:06:33.

3. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, 6:06:33.

4. Bauke Mollema, Netherlands, 6:06:33.

5. Michael Woods, Canada, 6:06:33.

Read the Star’s Dave Feschuk’s column from Tokyo on Woods’s finish.

Double damage: Janine Beckie might’ve missed a penalty, but the Canadian striker made up for it by scoring both of Canada’s goals in a 2-1 win over Chile in women’s soccer. The win guarantees the Canadians, who tied host Japan 1-1 in their opener on Wednesday, a berth in the quarterfinals.

The Canadians will face Britain next on Tuesday.

Read the analysis from the Star’s Laura Armstrong here.

China takes first gold: Yang Qian won the first gold medal of the Tokyo Games on Saturday, setting an Olympic record in 10-metere air rifle with 251.8 points despite a shaky final shot.

Russia’s Anastasiia Galashina held a lead of 0.2 points over Yang with one shot to go, but both made less-than-impressive final hits, with Yang’s score of 9.8 slightly edging Galashina’s 8.9, the worst shot made in the eight-woman final. Yang squeaked by to take gold, with Galashina taking silver and Nina Christen of Switzerland taking bronze.

Youngest athlete out at Tokyo: The youngest athlete at the Tokyo Olympics is out after losing in a preliminary table tennis match. Hend Zaza, 12, of Syria lost in straight sets to Liu Jia, a 39-year-old from Austria. She was also the youngest table tennis player to ever compete at the Olympics.

Other Canadian results:

• Canadian swimmers Kayla Sanchez, Taylor Ruck, Rebecca Smith and Penny Oleksiak had the third fastest time (3:33.72) in the 4×100-metre relay heats Saturday morning, propelling them to the final tonight. Canada won bronze in this event at Rio in 2016.

• Canada beat Australia 7-1 in women’s softball to go to 2-1 so far in the group stages

• In tennis, Canadian Leylah Annie Fernandez defeated Dayana Yastremska, of Ukraine, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, in her Olympic debut

• In women’s doubles play, the seventh-seeded duo of Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa and Sharon Fichman of Toronto dropped a 7-6 (3), 6-4 decision to Brazil’s Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani.

• World beach volleyball champs Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes won in straight sets over Netherlands. They hit the court again tomorrow night at 11 p.m. EDT

• Canada’ men’s indoor volleyball team led 2-0 against powerhouse Italy but eventually fell in five sets

• And in rowing, women’s pair, men’s pair, women’s lightweight double sculls advance to semifinals. Men’s lightweight double sculls, women’s four, men’s four, women’s eight go to repechage

• Badminton: Indonesia (Mohammad Ahsan; Hendra Setiawan), def. Canada (Nyl Yakura; Jason Ho-Shue), 21-12, 21-11.

• Men’s field hockey: Germany 7, Canada 1

Tokyo Daily podcast:

• Latest episode: ‘This is a different Olympics.’ Teeing up an unprecedented Summer Games with Bruce Arthur

The Star in Tokyo:

• Bruce Arthur: What could have been a great Olympics has become something where nobody seems to know what to do except blunder forward

• Dave Feschuk: Markham badminton star Michelle Li is prepared to make her own Olympic memories

• Rosie DiManno: One path cleared, another blocked in clash over who can compete at Tokyo Olympics

COVID report:

As of Saturday morning, Tokyo organizers say the total of Olympics-related COVID-19 cases in Japan is now at 127, with one athlete added to the tally.

For the latest coronavirus news, visit here.

WHAT’S IN STORE TODAY:

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• Skateboarding, men’s street (sport makes its debut), at 7:30 p.m. EDT

• Badminton, women’s doubles, group stage, 8 p.m. EDT; Badminton, men’s doubles, group stage, 10 p.m. EDT

• Women’s swimming, 4x100m relay final, 10:45 p.m.

• Softball, Canada vs. Japan, group stage, 1:30 a.m. Sunday EDT

• Beach Volleyball, women’s preliminary, 7 a.m. Sunday EDT

PHOTO OF THE DAY

The Hawk’s still got it.

He may not be a competitor, but skateboarding legend Tony Hawk tested out the skateboarding course in Tokyo as the sport makes its Olympic debut Saturday night.

For yesterday’s gallery of the best shots, visit here.

With files from the Canadian and Associated Press