Olympic disappointments in Tokyo 2020

August 7, 2021, 3:9By Jonah Diaz Gonzalez, Special Envoy

TOKYO, Aug. 7 (Prensa Latina) Of all the romantic things about the Olympics, today illusions occupy a divine space, which can be filled with feats or mistakes as happened in Tokyo 2020 with many international sports stars.

Just hours before the closing ceremony, it is worth reviewing some of the events that have become a “common topic” of the most atypical and complex multidisciplinary battles in history, which seem ready to reach a safe place, after the mass of uncertainty that accompanied them from March 24, 2020.

There is no doubt that Serbian Novak Djokovic and his angry attacks have a safe space to choose. The Serbian tennis player traveled in search of gold in the singles tournament, but lost in the semi-finals to Russian Alexander Zverev (1-6, 6-3, 6-1) and said goodbye to the possibility of completing the ‘Golden Slam’. “.

The only member of the so-called “Big Three” (adding Roger Federer and Spaniard Rafael Nadal) to attend the event, was injured again, having paid his respects at the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

And so ended a dream that turned into the heaviest nightmare, when he lost in the bronze debate and did not compete in the duel for the same metal in the mixed doubles, with his compatriot Nina Stojanovic, because of which he returned home without prizes in his bags.

And yes, it is true, there is nothing eternal in the generosity of the Lord, but the world of judo rubs their hands in anticipation of the golden coincidence of the Frenchman Teddy Renner, the legend who shattered before the Russian Tamerlan Bachaev, in a division over 100 kilograms.

In the past 11 years, Rainer, whose physical skeleton deserves a marble statue, has not faced a setback in his resume, with plenty of success in London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016.

The idea? He won his third consecutive gold medal in martial arts, a feat only Japan’s Tadahiro Nomura (Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004) achieved. In the end, the third place had a bitter taste and a lot of frustration.

Off the tatami and in sheer speed, the United States wanted to reclaim a space seen as its own in the Olympic context: the men’s 100m race, to capitalize on the absence of Jamaican Usain Bolt, already retired, despite his status reaching new dimensions.

Trayvon Bromell, seventh in the all-time list, with a score of 9.77, whose story he inspired, Ronnie Baker (9.85) and Fred Curley (9.84) wanted to give the northern country an elusive lead since Athens 2004. However, the national tartan turns Tokyo Stadium into a grounds hostile, and only the latter managed to cross the finish line in second place. On top of that, they were eliminated in the first round of the short relay.

In addition, local star Naomi Osaka got into tennis prematurely. Holland was left powerless in the women’s way and artistic gymnastics monopolized the spotlight, with situations surrounding Simone Biles, the most media figure in the so-called Silence Games.

When the Tokyo 2020 Games have a few hours left, with the farewell scheduled for August 8, one thing is certain: All disciplines left bittersweet sensations, as is common and understandable. Sport, like life itself, also has its hidden faces.

yas / jdg