Tokyo Olympics 2021

Spain go into the Games as clear favourite for a medal with players such as Unai Simon, Mikel Oyarzabal, Mikel Merino, Pau Torres, and Eric Garcia in a squad with plenty of experience, reports Xinhua. "It's a dream come true," said de la Fuente, who usually coaches the Spain under-21 side. "We can compete against everyone, and I want the players to think they can battle for the top prize."

The 34-year-old from Bengaluru, the only Indian with playing rights on the PGA Tour in the US, the best golf Tour in the world, shot a superb seven-under par 65 round on the final day at the Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky. That helped him finish on 20-under par total, tied for the third place alongside American Sam Ryder and just one behind the joint leaders JT Poston of the US and Seamus Power of Ireland.

Both teams were tied 1-1 at the time of the incident, which the Honduras team said was due to a misunderstanding. The German Football Association (DFB) tweeted after the incident on Saturday evening that, "The game has ended 5 minutes early with the score at 1-1. The Germany players left the pitch after Jordan Torunarigha was racially abused."

For overseas Olympians, the efforts to keep them safe start at the Narita International Airport, Japan's major gateway, as they are kept inside a "bubble" from others before they leave for their next destination. When athletes enter Narita's arrival hall after several hours of health and immigration procedures, they are cordoned off from fans and media, who are required to wait at designated areas to keep a two-metre distance from the athletes.

On Saturday, Mirabai was seen in a high intensity training session, lifting weights with a mask on her face and trying to work on her snatch lift. In a short video provided by the Sports Authority of India, her coach Sharma is praising and encouraging her to do the lifts well. The 26-year-old is seen as a big medal contender in the women's 49 kg category.

Not all of the expected 11,000 participants that would assemble at the Olympics can win medals, but they will compete to the best of their ability -- exerting every sinew in their body to achieve personal goals like setting personal bests, eclipsing national records or winning a match. There will be many who will be going about their job with zeal and enthusiasm trying their best.

While several Indian contingents training abroad, including shooters, sailors and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, among others, have already reached the Games Village in Tokyo, an 88-member contingent -- which comprises the first batch -- will leave India on Saturday night to join their compatriots in Tokyo. The contingent includes 54 athletes, support staff and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) representatives.

"There was one person in the Village. That was the very first case in the Village that was reported during the screening test," said Masa Takaya, spokesperson for the Tokyo organising committee, in a press conference. The person, whose identity organisers have refused to reveal, has been removed from the Village and transferred to a medical facility.

Suhas, a bronze medallist at the 2018 Asian Para Games, expressing happiness over the development, has sounded confident of winning a medal the prestigious event. Suhas LY, whose full name is Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, is from Kerala. The world no. 3 will represent the nation in the Olympics, scheduled to be held from July 23-August 8.

The 23-year-old Nagal, ranked 154th in the world according to the latest ATP rankings, is currently in Germany, where he lost the Round-of-32 match in the Hamburg European Open to Juan Pablo Varillas of Peru. Nagal expressed his joy at making the Tokyo cut, tweeting on Friday, "No words can express my emotions. A surreal feeling to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. Grateful to all your support and wishes."