There is less than a week left in these Olympic Games, and lots of competition left. Here's what you need to know.
Japan's fans find a way: Many of Tokyo's residents appear to be getting into the Olympic spirit. Crowds are shopping for souvenirs and flocking to the Olympic rings to snap photos. Some are lining sidewalks to watch public facing-events, like cycling and the mixed triathlon. On Sunday, people lined a bridge from hundreds of meters away to watch BMX.
This Olympic fervor seemed unlikely two weeks ago. Tokyo remains under a state of emergency due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the country, and polls ahead of the Games showed a majority of the Japanese public opposed holding a massive sporting event in the middle of a pandemic. Protesters came out the day of the opening ceremony to voice their displeasure with the government's decision to push ahead with the competition.
Since the Games have been in full swing, the tide has been turning, and that's in large part due to Japan's unprecedented success. The country has already won a record 17 gold medals.
Though organizers have done a good job keeping the pandemic from affecting most competitions, Covid-19 cases are surging to new highs in Tokyo. Authorities reported another 3,058 cases in the Japanese capital Sunday, more than double from the week before, and are trying to get fans to enjoy the Games from home.
Belarus' unlikely defector: Sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya said in a video on Sunday that Belarus' Olympic team was forcibly removing her from competition and sending her home to the authoritarian regime. Timanovskaya had trained to run the 200 meter race, but said that she had been included on a list to compete in the 4x400 meter relay without her consent.
It does not appear that Timanovskaya is defecting for political reasons. She told Belarusian sports outlet Tribuna that she had never competed in the 400 meters and was "outraged" by the decision.
Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko has ruled the country for 27 years. He was also in charge of Belarus' national Olympic committee for decades before his son, Viktor, took over this year.
Italy's great night: The Italians grabbed two gold medals in an exciting evening of athletics Sunday. Lamont Marcell Jacobs took top prize in the men's 100 meter sprint, the high-profile race that Usain Bolt had dominated since Beijing 2008. Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi shared the gold medal with Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim.
Medal tally: China leads all nations with 24 golds, followed by the US with 20 and Japan with 17. The Americans have 60 total medals, more than any other country.
What's coming later in Tokyo:
- New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will become the first transgender woman to compete in the Olympics on Monday night. Her inclusion in the event generated a fierce debate on gender, sexism and sports.
- There are three more individual gymnastics golds up for grabs: the men's parallel bars, men's horizontal bar and women's balance beam.
- Sifa Hassan will go for gold in the women's 5,000 meter final. The Dutch distance runner is aiming for an unprecedented treble in that race, the 1,500 meters and the 10,000 meters.
