Big names who fell flat in Tokyo
Tokyo, Aug. 8: Tokyo wasn’t a great Olympics for some of the big names who failed to live up to their billing. Here are a few of the stars who didn’t shine on sport’s biggest stage:
KOHEI UCHIMURA Japanese gymnast Uchimura came into the Games hoping to add a fairytale final chapter to his Olympic career.
Instead, his Tokyo campaign became a horror story when the hometown favourite slipped off the horizontal bar on day one, failing to qualify for the final.
The 32-year-old had chosen not to defend the backto-back all-around titles he won in 2012 and 2016 due to persistent shoulder problems, preferring to focusing on a single apparatus.
“In the last three Olympic Games I’ve been able to match the level of performance I’d reached in training – but not this time,” he said after the gamble backfired.
But a dejected Uchimura hinted he may delay retirement until after the world championships in Japan in October, giving him a chance to go out on a high.
NOAH LYLES silver medallist Marketa Vondrousova, saying the pressure of trying to win Japan’s first tennis gold on her Olympic debut was “a bit much”.
KENTO MOMOTA Hometown expectations weighed heavily on badminton star Momota, a two-time world champion who entered the Tokyo Games as top seed after winning a record 11 titles in 2019.
The 26-year-old crashed out in the first round to an unseeded opponent, admitting he felt overwhelmed in the Olympic spotlight.
Swim star Daiya Seto hoped to defend his 400m and 200m medley titles in Tokyo but failed to make the final in the former and finished fourth in the latter.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC With the Australian
Open, Roland
Garros and Wimbledon titles already in the bag, Djokovic came up short in his quest to become the first man to win a Golden Slam — all four majors and Olympic gold in the same year.
Djokovic powered into the semi-finals and led Alexander Zverev by a set and a break before collapsing. He then self-destructed in a racquet-smashing bronze-medal defeat to Pablo Carreno Busta, before pulling out of the mixed doubles match for third place.
US WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM Driven by bitter memories of a 2016 quarter-final exit, the United States again arrived in Tokyo as gold medal favourites seeking to become the first women’s team to achieve the World Cup and Olympic double.
But a 3-0 loss to Sweden in their opening game snapped a 44-match unbeaten run and it never really clicked for a side still built around ageing stars Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan.
A first loss to Canada in 20 years in the semi-finals meant the Americans had to settle for bronze.