Belarus sprinter ‘safe’
Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who feared for her safety at home after criticizing her coaches on social media, flew into Warsaw on Wednesday night on a humanitarian visa after leaving the Tokyo Olympics, a Polish diplomat confirmed.
Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz said the 24-year-old athlete had arrived in the Polish capital after flying from Tokyo via Vienna, a route apparently chosen to confuse those who would endanger her safety. In a statement, the diplomat said he “wanted to thank all the Polish consular & diplomatic staff involved, who flawlessly planned and secured her safe journey.”
The plane that she was reportedly traveling on from Vienna was directed to a separate airport building used by government officials, and couldn’t be seen. Passengers from the flight told reporters that one young woman was left on board as they left the plane and were put on buses to the main terminal.
In a dramatic weekend standoff at the Tokyo Games, Tsimanouskaya said Belarus team officials tried to force her to fly home early after she criticized them, and some European countries stepped in to offer assistance.
It’s not clear what’s next for the runner — either in her sporting life or her personal one. Before she left Japan, she said she hoped to continue her running career but that safety was her immediate priority. Her husband fled Belarus shortly after his wife said she would not be returning, and Poland has also offered him a visa.
“We are very happy that she is here safe,” said Magnus Brunner, a top Austrian government official, after Tsimanouskaya’s plane arrived Wednesday from Tokyo. “But she is scared about her future and about her family.”
U.S. women’s volleyball advances: Five years after their quest for a first Olympic gold medal was denied in the semifinals, the U.S. women’s volleyball team has returned to that stage after a relatively easy quarterfinal win.
The short-handed Americans overcame the absence of two starters to beat the Dominican Republic 25-11, 25-20, 25-19 on Wednesday and advance to the semifinals.
The U.S. will play Serbia on Friday for a spot in the gold medal game in a rematch of a semifinal the Americans lost five years ago in Rio de Janeiro.
This marks the sixth time in the last eight Olympics that the U.S. has made it this far in the tournament but the country is still seeking their first gold in the sport. The U.S. won a medal at the past three Olympics, getting silver in 2008 and ’12 and bronze in 2016.
“This program has had great success over the years,” U.S. coach Karch Kiraly said. “But we haven’t stood at the top of the podium yet. So our goal, our objective is always to try to do something that’s never been done before. But the opponent has a lot of say over how that works out. ... There are great teams here who have the same objective. But we’re going to keep hurling ourselves at that door and try to break it down.”
That five-set loss to Serbia in 2016 after star middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson left following the first set with a knee injury has served as fuel ever since and Kiraly’s crew is ready to try to avenge it.
The U.S. came into the quarterfinals short-handed with starters Jordyn Poulter and Jordan Thompson both sidelined by right ankle injuries. But both could have played in an emergency.
South Korea outlasted Turkey in five sets earlier Wednesday to make it into the other semifinal against Brazil. The Brazilians beat the team representing the Russian Olympic Committee in four sets to get back to the semifinals after losing in the quarterfinals at home five years ago.
Brazil won gold in 2008 and ’12.
Weightlifter breaks own records: Lasha Talakhadze pumped everyone up with three world records on the final day of Olympic competition in weightlifting.
The defending champion from Georgia lifted 223 kilograms in the snatch and 265kg in the clean and jerk for a total 488kg on Wednesday. All three figures broke his own world records in the over-109kg men’s superheavyweight category.
Ali Davoudi of Iran was left in second place by the vast margin of 47kg.
Talakhadze immediately pledged to return for a third Olympic gold in 2024.
Man Asaad of Syria took the bronze with a total 424kg for his country’s first medal since its civil war began a decade ago. Syria’s last Olympic medal in any sport was a boxing bronze in 2004.
Class act: Russian Svetlana Romashina claimed her record sixth Olympic gold in artistic swimming, teaming with Svetlana Kolesnichenko to win the duet Wednesday night.
The Russians were heavy favorites in a sport they have dominated for more than two decades. Their last Olympic loss in what was then known as synchronized swimming came at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Romashina had been tied with fellow Russians Anastasia Davydova and Natalia Ishchenko with five golds apiece.
Now, Romashina is in a class by herself.
“I don’t count medals,” she said. “I just want to feel this moment.”