Here's who won gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics today
From CNN's Wayne Sterling
Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images
Eleven gold medals were awarded at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Saturday. Here's a breakdown of who clinched gold:
Archery
Mixed Team: Republic of Korea
Cycling
Men's Road Race: Richard Carapaz, Ecuador
Fencing
Women's Epee Individual: Yiwen Sun, China
Men's Sabre Individual: Aron Szilagyi, Hungary
Judo
Women's -48kg: Distria Krasniqi, Kosovo
Men's -60kg: Naohisa Takato, Japan
Shooting
Men's 10m Air Pistol: Javad Foroughi, Iran
Women's 10m Air Rifle: Qian Yang, China
Taekwondo
Women's -49kg: Panipak Wongpattanakit, Thailand
Men's -58kg: Vito Dell'aquila, Italy
Weightlifting
Women's 49kg: Zhihui Hou, China
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the event title for Women's 10m Air Rifle. It has been fixed.
10:10 a.m. ET, July 24, 2021
Dr. Gupta: Officials' Covid plan to make the Games as safe as possible is now being put to the test
From CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Dr. Sanjay Gupta/Twitter
When I first told my medical colleagues that I would be traveling 14 hours to Tokyo, they looked at me with a bit of surprise, then hesitantly told me simply to "be safe." It is the same reaction I have often received when jetting off to cover a natural disaster, like the earthquake in Haiti, or a conflict, like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This time, however, the mission was to report on how people from all over the globe would converge for the Olympic Games in a city under a state of emergency due to the pandemic.
My flight to Japan was nearly empty, just as they often are with my trips into hot zones. Given there were few or no spectators allowed for these games, there were no fans on the plane wearing country colors, speaking excitedly in different languages or exchanging their picks on favored athletes. It was quiet, serene and lonely.
My days prior to departure were filled with detailed planning and lots of testing: a Covid test within 96 hours of departure, and again within 72 hours of departure. Another one immediately upon arrival, and again daily for the duration of my stay. Each time, the possibility of a breakthrough infection lurking in the back of my mind, forcing me into isolation and my team into quarantine for an extended and unplanned stay.
Even under the best of circumstances, planning to host the Olympic Games is one of the most challenging logistical events on the planet. In the middle of an unfolding pandemic, it seemed nearly impossible. On top of that, local support for the Games is anemic: Nearly 8 in 10 Japanese citizens said they preferred to cancel the Games altogether in their home country, according to a recent poll. Many here feel the decision to hold them is irresponsible, because of the health risks involved with having, in essence, tens of thousands of potentially infected out-of-towners arriving on your doorstep in the middle of a pandemic.
But after postponing the games for a year, the Japanese government and the International Olympics Committee decided the show — the Games — must go on.
And so they are — but they're very different: strange and eerily quiet.
Ecuador's Richard Carapaz enjoys "sensational" gold medal ride
From CNN's Matias Grez
Ecuador's Richard Carapaz celebrates after winning the gold medal during the men's cycling road race on July 24. Thibault Camus
With his arms outstretched, barely able to contain his joy, Richard Carapaz was well aware of what he had just achieved.
The Ecuadorian cyclist clinched only his country's second gold medal in Summer Games history on Saturday, crossing the line well ahead of the chasing pack to win a grueling men's road race.
“It is incredible, to see your flag as the top one, and to have this medal with me. It’s sensational," Carapaz said after the medal ceremony. “It gives me a lot of satisfaction. I have worked very hard, and then it works out in a way that makes history for me and for my country. “[I'm] very satisfied. My little ones are still awake, they are in Spain. And my parents in Ecuador must be very happy.”
Ecuador's only previous gold medal was won by Jefferson Perez at the 1996 Atlanta Games in the men's 20-kilometer race walk.
“That’s incredible," Carapaz said. "If I’m not mistaken, it’s been 24 years since Ecuador won its last medal, for the race walker Jefferson Perez, an athlete whom I have always admired very much. “To be able to be a part of the history of my country is very important.”
7:57 a.m. ET, July 24, 2021
Hosts Japan win first gold medal of Tokyo 2020
From CNN's Matias Grez
Japan's Naohisa Takato poses with the gold medal for the Men’s Judo 60kg Final on July 24.
Naohisa Takato has won Japan's first gold medal of its home Olympics, beating Yang Yung-wei of Chinese Taipei to clinch the men's -60kg judo title.
Takato adds gold to the bronze medal he won in Rio six years ago, a result that was considered something of a disappointment for the three-time world champion.
The 28-year-old's victory ensured the host nation didn't suffer a double disappointment in the Japanese martial art, after Funa Tonaki fell to Kosovo's Distria Krasniq in the women's -48kg final earlier on Saturday.
Yeldos Smetov of Kazakhstan and Luka Mkheidze of France took home the bronze medals.
10:30 a.m. ET, July 24, 2021
Novak Djokovic says current weather conditions in Tokyo are "brutal"
From CNN's Matias Grez
Serbia's Novak Djokovic plays a backhand during his Men's Singles First Round match against Bolivia's Hugo Dellien on July 24. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic made light work of opponent Hugo Dellien in the opening round of the men's singles at Tokyo 2020, beating the Bolivian 6-2 6-2.
However, it was a more grueling afternoon than the scoreline suggested, with the players having to contend with soaring temperatures and stifling humidity.
CNN's weather team said temperatures on Saturday climbed to near 34°C (93°F) across the greater Tokyo region, with "oppressive" humidity levels above 80%.
“Very tough," Djokovic said of the conditions. "Today, from also speaking to the other players, it was the hottest day so far. "Humidity is brutal, because it’s very hot and also very humid, so the hard courts absorb the heat, and it stays trapped in there. Not much wind, not much breeze. "Maybe other days there was a bit more wind, which helped refresh and cool down, but not much today, so it was challenging definitely, but I’m pleased to overcome the first hurdle. “I was solid on the court, can always do better, but first match I’m satisfied.”
Djokovic, who recently claimed his 20th grand slam title with victory at Wimbledon, is aiming to become the first man in history to achieve the 'Golden Slam,' winning all four grand slams and Olympic gold in the same year.
Earlier on Saturday, world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev had suggested the tennis matches be scheduled later in the evening to allow players to compete in cooler conditions.
“I agree with him 100%," Djokovic said. "I actually asked as well. My team captain Viktor Troicki was speaking to the referee a couple of times. To be honest, I don’t understand why they don’t start matches at, say, 3pm. “I’ve heard for tennis there is some kind of curfew they have to finish at midnight, but if that’s the case, I’ve just finished the last match and it’s not even 5pm, we still have 7 hours to play. "They have lights on all the courts, they’re going to make life much easier for all of us tennis players, I just don’t understand why they don’t move it. “It’s actually for the TV broadcasters even better, because the later you play, the better it is for the United States and the time zones in Europe. "I don’t know, maybe ITF (International Tennis Federation) can give you a better answer to why they chose to be played in the middle of the day. I doubt they will change the decision, but we’re hoping that they will.”
6:50 a.m. ET, July 24, 2021
Hosts Japan win first medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics
By CNN's Wayne Sterling
Japan's Funa Tonaki, in blue, competes with Ukraine's Daria Bilodid during their judo women's -48kg semifinal B bout on July 24. Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
Judoka Funa Tonaki won Japan's first medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when she took silver in the women's -48kg judo.
Tonaki lost in the final to Kosovo's Distria Krasniqi, who won gold.
Bronze went to Ukraine's Daria Bilodid and Urantsetseg Munkhbat of Mongolia.
6:24 a.m. ET, July 24, 2021
British pole vaulter tells CNN he had to have tooth removed after training accident
From CNN's John Sinnott
CNN Sports has been in touch with British athlete Harry Coppell to find out how he's doing after a pole vault bar landed on his front teeth while he was training on Wednesday.
In a Twitter thread, Coppell posted video and pictures of what had happened to him.
Given how painful the accident looked, the British pole vaulter sounded in remarkably good spirits on Saturday, telling CNN: "I was lucky that I got to see a few of the dentists in the Olympic village.
"Unfortunately, [they] had to remove one of my teeth because it was fractured near the root but [I] should have some type of retainer in for the comp!"
8:35 a.m. ET, July 24, 2021
Athletes under pressure as they contend with "spiking temperatures" and "oppressive' humidity"
From CNN's John Sinnott
Nao Hibino of Japan cools down between games during her Women's Singles First Round match on July 24. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
There's the pressure of competition, but at Tokyo 2020 the athletes are also having to contend with another challenge -- intense heat and humidity.
"Temperatures have spiked today (Saturday) to near 34°C (93°F) across the greater Tokyo region," according to CNN's weather team. "This combined with oppressive humidity levels above 80% puts a strain on the human body as it exerts itself in outdoor competition. When humidity levels are high, your body can't properly cool itself and over-heating can easily occur."
Richard Carapaz won Ecuador's first gold medal of the Tokyo Games in the 234-kilometer men's cycling road race in brutally hot conditions.
Meanwhile, Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev cooled himself down with a mobile air conditioner during his Tokyo 2020 tennis match at the Ariake Tennis Park.
After he beat Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik 6-4 7-6 in the men's singles first round, Medvedev described the conditions as "some of the worst (heat) I've ever had."
On Friday, Olympic Russian Archer Svetlana Gomboeva Gomboeva fainted during the Olympic archery qualification tournament, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
"With Sveta everything is normal. She was seen by doctors, they gave ger to drink water. They said it was a normal sunstroke, she needs to go home and sleep," the Russia Olympic said in a statement Friday. "She has already been released, now we all together are returning to the Olympic Village. Sveta is with us, she is feeling well. So she will be part of the competing team," the statement added.
5:30 a.m. ET, July 24, 2021
Spectators gather to watch Olympic event in one of Japan’s rare public viewing sites
From CNN’s Emiko Jozuka, Blake Essig and Daishi Kusunoki in Oyama city, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan
Fans watch the Men's road race at Fuji International Speedway. Christian Hartmann/Reuters
Five hundred excited spectators gathered Saturday at one of Japan’s rare public viewing sites in Shizuoka prefecture to watch the men’s road cycling race.
“Tokyo was chosen to host the Olympics. Even though the Games were delayed a year and are being held in very tough circumstances without spectators, as a Japanese person I feel proud the Games are happening,” Joji Matsubara, a Shizuoka resident and local spectator, told CNN.
Matsubara, who said he was lucky to get a ticket to the public viewing event, out of 2,000 other applicants, said he had been looking forward to watching the road race.
The race sees athletes begin at Tokyo’s Musashinonomori Park, cycle through Kanagawa and Yamanashi prefectures and make their way to the finish line on the Fuji International Speedway in Oyama in Shizuoka prefecture, which is around 2 hours from Tokyo.
The Fuji Speedway is allowing 10,000 ticket holders to witness the last leg of the road race in a venue that usually seats more than 20,000 people.
The public viewing site in Oyama city allows spectators to watch the road cycling race on a screen, enjoy a small bouldering wall and is one of the few events open to the public in Japan.
Currently, spectators will be able to attend less than 12% of Olympic venues during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games.
The peloton passes through the Fuji International Speedway circuit during the Men's road race on July 24. Michael Steele/Getty Images
Just five of the 42 total Olympic venues across Japan will be open to fans. Tokyo is home to 25 of the venues, with the rest in seven prefectures.
Tokyo venues and four prefectures -- Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama and Fukushima -- will not have spectators at Olympic competition venues.
Miyagi, Ibaraki and Shizuoka prefectures with a total of five venues can be filled to 50% of capacity with a maximum of 10,000 spectators.
In Shizuoka prefecture, only three locations are organizing public viewing sites for the road cycling race.
“We had wanted to invite more people to see Shizuoka and see the road race, but we had to turn down many applicants due to the pandemic and keep this a very local event,” Rie Watanabe, an official from Oyama in Shizuoka prefecture, told CNN.
