The highlight reel from the Games of the 32nd Olympiad with a Malaysian perspective.
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After being postponed for a year due to the ongoing pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has reached a conclusion
When the dust has settled, the final medal tally sees usual suspects USA take top spot, with 39 gold medals and a staggering 113 medals won. They have topped the Olympic standings in every edition since 1996 bar Beijing 2008.
In second place, the indomitable sporting juggernaut China. The people’s republic had a relatively subdued showing this time out, but still finishes just shy of top spot with 38 gold, 32 silver, and 18 bronze.
The hosts Japan rounds up the top three, with 27 gold, 14 silver, and 17 bronze; while Malaysia matched its joint second best Olympic medal tally, taking home one silver and one bronze (a feat achieved before in Atlanta 1996 and London 2012).
A total of 339 medals were awarded across 33 sports at Tokyo 2020.
Lets take a look at the top 10 moments from what proved to be a historic Games
1. Swimmer Caeleb Dressel gives his gold medal to benched teammate
The new king of the pool and Michael Phelps successor, American Caeleb Dressel, won his first of five gold medals at Tokyo in the 4×100 meter freestyle swimming event.
Dressel did not spend long basking in the moment however, as he rushed to share his gold medal with benched teammate Brooks Curry during the medal ceremony.
Curry had swam in the qualifying heats in place of Dressel, as to keep him fresh for the final amid multiple other events.
While the organisers later confirmed Curry would receive a medal of his own for his role, it was a true gesture of sportsmanship from 24-year-old Dressel.
The final of the badminton men’s singles event at Tokyo saw defending champion Chen Long of China come up against Dane Viktor Axelsen.
The unfancied Danish shuttler came out on top in a straight set victory, becoming only the second non-Asian ever to win the event.
In a changing-of-the-guard moment, Chen was gracious in defeat, and went up to congratulate a visibly teary-eyed Axelsen after the match.
They had exchanged jerseys, and although Chen would not repeat the exploits of his mentor Lin Dan to win two consecutive gold medals, he won top marks for his benevolence.
3. Two 13-year-old skaters take the women’s street skateboarding event by storm
Skateboarding made its Olympics debut at this edition of the Games, and in the women’s street category, two 13-year-olds took top spots, making them their respective country’s youngest-ever medallist.
Momiji Nishiya of Japan won gold with a performance belying her tender years, landing confident trick after trick, with grinds down rails taller than her.
In second came Rayssa Leal, the Brazilian skater who earlier became an internet sensation at the age of seven, proving that talent is not defined by years.
Incredibly, their podium was rounded off by Funa Nakayama of Japan, herself only just turning 16, completing a Gen Z sweep in the event.
4. Triathlete consoles opponent with rousing words after finishing last
The triathlon is one of the most gruelling events at the Olympics, and the one held at Odaiba Marine Park is no exception.
Of the 55 women’s triathletes to have started the race, only 34 completed, with Flora Duffy of Bermuda coming out on top to claim her nation’s first Olympic gold.
However, the headlines were shared with those at the other end of the rankings.
Belgium’s Clair Michel, who crossed the finishing line in last place, had dropped to the floor crying inconsolably.
Norwegian Lotte Miller, herself only finishing 24th, took it upon herself to give her fellow athlete a pep talk, saying “You’re a f—ing fighter, this is Olympic spirit, and you’ve got it 100%.”
In the semifinal heats of the 800 metre running event, medal hopeful Nijel Amos of Botswana tripped in the final lap.
He went down with 200 metres to go, and inadvertently took down American Isaiah Jewett with him.
In one of the picture perfect moments from Tokyo 2020, they both duly got to their feet, and joined arms to jog to the finish line together.
Out of respect for his mistake, the Motswana even allowed the USA runner to cross ahead of him, sparking jubilant scenes.
6. Retiring divers receive standing ovation from fellow athletes
Hometown hero Ken Terauchi, who turned 41 during the Olympics, was participating in his record-breaking sixth outing in Tokyo.
At the final of the men’s 3m springboard, he was aiming to become Japan’s first diving medallist ever, but it was not meant to be.
After his sixth and final dive, also likely the last professional dive of his career, he emerged from the pool with a standing ovation from the stadium.
Placed just behind him on the start list, Mexican diver Rommel Pacheco was also given a standing ovation after his final dive, after the 35 year old indicated this Olympics will be his last one.
A fitting tribute to two long-serving stalwarts of the diving world.
7. Defending Olympic champion and world record holder is beaten by 17-year-old teammate
Heading into the final of the women’s 100m breaststroke, all eyes were on Lilly King of the USA, and for good reason.
Reigning Olympic champion from her dominant display last time out in Rio, she also holds the World Record in this particular event, which she set 4 years ago.
Enter Lydia Jacoby. The young American swimmer produced a performance of a lifetime to take gold ahead of Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa and King.
Hailing from Alaska, where swimming programmes pale in comparison to their continental American counterparts, she proved neither geography nor age will hold her back.
8. Muhammad Shah Firdaus Sahrom comes back from an enervating crash to progress in repêchage
In the first round of the men’s keirin event at the Izu Velodrome, national track cyclist Shah Firdaus suffered a crash after colliding with the elbow of British rider Jack Carlin.
He went down hard on to the track, tearing his skin through the jersey, and was run into by onrushing Kazakh Sergey Ponomaryov.
Shah Firdaus was chalked up as a ‘Did Not Finish’ in the race, and contemplated pulling out after complaining of chest pains.
However, after a moment of calm, he saddled up and put in a titanic performance in the ensuing repêchage, finishing only a millisecond behind Trinidadian Kwesi Brown to progress to the quarter finals.
He would later be rushed to the hospital, where they confirmed no debilitating injuries sustained, but the crash proved damaging enough for him to exit in the following round.
What can’t be denied is that his exploits have already made him a national hero.
9. Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik snatch bronze with never say die attitudes
Malaysia’s badminton men’s doubles pair progressed from the group stages with two straight set wins, and a loss to world number two pair Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan sandwiched in between.
There would be no rest for the weary in the quarter finals, after being matched up against the world number one duo also from Indonesia, nicknamed ‘The Minions”.
However, the world number eight pair smashed their opponents in straight sets, lifting hopes of a medal into the last four. Facing China has proven more than an Achilles heel for Malaysia, as our familiar foe won the semifinal battle.
There would be a happy ending for these special two, as they came back from a set down to defeat Ahsan-Setiawan in the bronze medal match. Cue jubilant scenes all across Malaysia after we secured our first medal at Tokyo 2020.
