Unvaccinated swimmers stir up debate

A debate is brewing between former gold medalist Maya DiRado and some American swimmers over U.S. medal threat Michael Andrew’s decision not to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus as he prepares to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.

DiRado sparked the discourse this week with a lengthy thread on Twitter in which she wrote that she’s “disappointed” in Andrew’s decision to compete unvaccinated and his reasoning behindit.

Andrew revealed earlier this month that he isn’t vaccinated after being asked about his status by a reporter.

Tokyo Olympic organizers and the International Olympic Committee didn’t make it mandatory for athletes to be

Olympics notebook

vaccinated to compete. The IOC has reported 13 positive cases among all athletes in Japan.

“That Michael would make a decision that puts even a bit of risk on his teammates for his own perceived well-being frustrates me,” DiRado wrote. She is one of three athlete representatives on USA Swimming’s board of directors, having retired after the 2016 Rio Games, where she won four medals, including two golds.

Match canceled: COVID

The very first match of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament was canceled because Czech player Marketa Slukova tested positive for COVID-19, knocking her and partner Barbora Hermannova out of the Games. The Japanese pair of Megumi Murakami and Miki Ishii earned the victory by default.

100 unvaccinated

About 100 of the 613 U.S. athletes at the Olympics are unvaccinated, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s medical chief said Friday. Medical director Jonathan Finn off said 567 of the American athletes had filled out their health histories as they prepared for the trip, and estimated 83% had replied they were vaccinated.

Overheated archer

Russian archer Svetlana Gomboeva lost consciousness in 86-degree heat in Tokyo, collapsing shortly after completing the qualifying round. “It’s the first time that I remember something like this happening,” coach Stanislav Popov said.

South Korea’s An San broke the women’s Olympic archery record with a 680 score in the qualifying round. Kim Je Deok of South Korea posted the top mark of 688 in men’s qualifing, with American Brady Ellison second (682).

Games first gold

Qian Yang of China won the first gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics in women’s 10meter air rifle. Yang overtook Anastasiia Galashina when the Russian missed the center two rings for an 8.9 on her final shot. Yang had a 9.8 on her final shot and finished with an Olympic record 251.8. Galashina finished at 251.1.