Lee wins gold as Biles celebrates
TOKYO. — American Sunisa Lee won gymnastics all-round gold as defending champion Simone Biles celebrated in the stands following her withdrawal from the event.
The United States also enjoyed success in the pool on day six of Tokyo 2020, with Caeleb Dressel continuing his pursuit of six gold medals by earning his first individual Olympic title.
The 24-year-old will become one of the most successful athletes at an individual Games if he succeeds in winning all six events he takes part in.
Meanwhile, conversations about wellbeing in sport continued after golfer Rory McIlroy backed Biles, who has so far pulled out of the team and all-around finals in order to prioritise her mental health.
The four-time major winner said he was “impressed” with the 24-year-old for putting her mental wellbeing first after her decision to withdraw from the all-around final.
“Just as I thought Naomi Osaka was right to do what she did, I 100% agree with what Simone is doing as well.”
McIlroy spoke to the media after he shot a two-under-par 69 in the first round of the men’s Olympic golf tournament.
“I’m certainly very impressed, especially with those two women to do what they did and put themselves first,” he said.
“I’m glad that at least the conversation has started... it’s not taboo any more.”
In the baseball, Israel suffered heartbreak in their Olympic debut as South Korea secured a 6-5 win in a dramatic extra innings.
After 18-year-old Lee took gold, American former artistic gymnast Katelyn Ohashi described her as “a real competitor” and said “she’s followed in the footsteps of Simone”.
Lee took top spot with one apparatus to go after an impressive beam routine, and concerns over her floor routine after she broke her foot in June 2020 proved unfounded as the American’s score of 13.700 was enough for gold.
The Olympic debutant finished on 57.433, with Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade taking silver — Brazil’s first women’s gymnastics medal — on 57.298.
Russian Angelina Melnikova earned bronze with a total score of 57.199 in a thrilling final.
Biles, who is yet to confirm whether she will compete in the individual apparatus finals beginning on Sunday, enthusiastically cheered on the competitors from the stands.
At the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Dressel stormed to victory in the men’s 100m freestyle.
It is his second gold of the Games, having been part of the US 4x100m freestyle relay team, and his fourth Olympic gold in all, but this is his first individual Olympic title.
He could win as many as six golds in Tokyo, with the 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle to come, and the expectation he will be named in two further relay teams.
Day six’s medal races in the pool concluded with a thrilling women’s 4x200m freestyle final, with China breaking the world record to win gold. Their time of seven minutes 40.33 seconds was just enough to hold off the American quartet anchored by 1500m freestyle champion Katie Ledecky.
Pre-race favourites Australia had to settle for bronze.
There was more gold for China as Zhang Yufei took the women’s 200m butterfly title.
Zac Stubblety-Cook of Australia won gold in the men’s 200m breaststroke and American Robert Finke won the men’s 800m freestyle final, being held at the Olympics for the first time since an 880-yard race in 1904.
Positive coronavirus tests continue to disrupt the Games, with reigning pole vault world champion Sam Kendricks the latest athlete affected. Three Australian athletes are in isolation after being considered close contacts of Kendricks, although they have since returned negative PCR test results.
The athletics competition starts today — BBC Sport.