Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Olympics Day 6: Chinese Tennis Players Make History , As Biles gifts U.S. 2nd gymnastics gold

POSTED ON August 2, 2024 •   Sports      BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara
Zheng Qinwen of China competes during the women's singles semifinal of tennis against Iga Swiatek of Poland at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 1, 2024. l Credit: Xinhua/Gao Jing

Chinese tennis favourite Zheng Qinwen upset the world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland to reach the women's singles final, while her compatriots Wang Xinyu and Zhang Zhizhen also made history by sailing into the Paris Olympics tennis mixed doubles final on Thursday.

The victories marked China's best result in both of the events at the Olympics, after two-time Grand Slam winner Li Na finished fourth in the women's singles at Beijing 2008.

After a three-set tough win over German veteran Angelique Kerber in quarterfinal on Wednesday, Australian Open finalist Zheng fought even harder to defeat Swiatek 6-2, 7-5 at Roland Garros, ending her six straight losses to the four-time French Open winner.

"I finally showed I could beat the world No.1 on her best surface. I always knew I could do it, but there is a difference between knowing you can and showing it. Now, I feel my mental strength is at another level, and I am just going to give everything I have in the final," said Zheng, who will face the 13th seed Donna Vekic of Croatia on Saturday.

The 21-year-old added, "I am so happy that I can make this history for Chinese tennis. I always wanted to be one of the athletes who can get a medal for China, for our country, and right now I'm one of them."

Chinese pair Wang and Zhang rallied past Demi Schuurs and Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands 2-6, 6-4, 10-4 in the mixed doubles semifinal. 

The 27-year-old Zhang said, "We just tried to fight every single match, down in the first set, coming back in the second, and winning the super tiebreak. That was amazing. I am super happy about this."

Wang/Zhang will confront Czech's pair Katerina Siniakova and Tomas Machac in the final on Friday.

Early on Thursday, world record holder Yang Jiayu claimed China's first athletics gold at the Paris Olympics, winning the women's 20km race walk in one hour, 25 minutes and 54 seconds.

Ecuador's Brian Daniel Pintado finished first in the men's 20km race walk in one hour, 18 minutes and 55 seconds.

"I started my Olympic journey as a substitute in 2016. At that moment, I started to dream of being a regular athlete to compete at the Olympics even to fight for the gold. So, this is an exciting moment for me.

I have been waiting for this gold medal for eight years," said the 28-year-old Yang, who set the world record in 2021 with 1:23:49 and led the Paris Olympics race almost from the start.

At the Chateauroux Shooting Centre, China's Liu Yukun bagged a gold medal in his Olympic debut after winning the men's 50m rifle 3 positions with 463.6 points, followed by Serhiy Kulish of Ukraine and India's Swapnil Kusale in the second and third place, respectively.

"I am very lucky because the Olympics happened at a time when I was in a good form," said a modest Liu, who has the word "LUCKY" emblazoned on the right leg of his shooting outfit.

Elsewhere, the reigning world champion Biles, 27, who won the all-round gold at Rio 2016 but pulled out of the event in Tokyo three years ago, reclaimed the title at Paris 2024 with 59.131 points, 1.199 ahead of the silver medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, while the bronze went to another American gymnast Sunisa Lee.

"I'm super proud of my performance and the fight I have had for the last three years, mentally and physically, to get back competing on a world stage. The Olympic Games is an amazing experience, so I couldn't be prouder," Biles noted.

The United States also seized a gold in the swimming pool, as Kate Douglass won her first Olympic gold medal by winning the women's 200m breaststroke final in two minutes, 19.24 seconds.

The Australian team of Mollie O'Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell and Ariarne Titmus finished in an Olympic record time of seven minutes, 38.08 seconds to clinch the women's 4x200m freestyle relay title.

Hubert Kos clinched Hungary's first gold medal at the Paris Olympics by winning the men's 200m backstroke final, while Canada's Summer McIntosh won her second gold medal of the Games in the women's 200m butterfly.

Another three swimming golds will be produced at La Defense Arena on Friday. 

READ ALSO
Chelsea Advances to Last 16 of Club World Cup with 3-0 Win Over Esperance
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 25, 2025 0

Liam Delap netted his first goal for Chelsea during a 3-0 victory over Tunisian champions Esperance...

READ ALSO
Osimhen Willing to Join Manchester United for Under £200,000 a Week
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 24, 2025 0

Victor Osimhen is reportedly willing to accept a weekly wage of just under £200,000 at Manches...

READ ALSO
Mertens Announces Retirement from Football, Cites Age and Fatigue
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 24, 2025 0

Belgian football star Dries Mertens has officially announced his retirement from professional footba...

READ ALSO
AFN Will Not Block Favour Ofili’s Switch to Turkey – Okowa
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 23, 2025 0

President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has stated that the federatio...

READ ALSO
Kylian Mbappé to rejoin Team after Food Poison Treatment
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 20, 2025 0

France and Real Madrid of Spain forward, Kylian Mbappe, has been discharged from hospital after bein...

READ ALSO
Atlético de Madrid Secures First Win in FIFA Club World Cup with 3-1 Victory
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 20, 2025 0

Spanish football giant, Atlético de Madrid, has secured their first three points of the Feder...

READ ALSO
Messi Scores 50th Goal for Inter Miami in Historic Club World Cup Victory
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 20, 2025 0

Argentine forward, Lionel Messi, scored his 50th goal for the United State football club, Inter Miam...

READ ALSO
Nigerian Boxers Shine with Four Bronze Medals at Championship in Morocco
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 20, 2025 0

Nigeria's Armed Forces are vying for their first gold medal at the 6th African Military Boxing Champ...

OUR CHANNELS:

PDP Rejects Expanded National Caucus Proposal, Sticks to Planned NEC Meeting June 30th
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

As the People’s Democratic Party faces internal conflicts, Deputy National Chairman (South), T...


Boston's Museum of Fine Arts Returns Looted Benin Artworks to Oba Ewuare II
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has returned two looted artworks from the Benin Kingdom, which wer...


Nollywood Actors Accuses Tinubu , Sanwo-Olu Campaign Teams of Betrayal
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

Nollywood actor Fatai Adetayo, known as Lalude, has accused the campaign teams of President Bola Tin...


NDLEA Nabs Ex-International Player in Major Drug Bust
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has detained former international footballer Segun...


Tinubu's Visit to Saint Lucia: A Diplomatic and Cultural Milestone- Presidency
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

The Presidency defended President Bola Tinubu’s current state visit to Saint Lucia on Sunday,...


Canada Tightens PGWP Eligibility, New Fields of Study Added, Others Removed
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 29, 2025 0

Canadian authorities have made it more difficult for international students to qualify for post-grad...


Fubara Expresses Disappointment Over Conditions for Return to Office
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

RIVERS, Nigeria- Suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed his disappointmen...


Tinubu to Discuss Sustainable Governance at BRICS Summit in Rio
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 30, 2025 0

President Bola Tinubu arrived in Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia, on Saturday for the first leg of his two-p...


NDLEA Seizes Over 6,700 kg of Illicit Drugs in Cross River, Arrests 191 Suspects
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 29, 2025 0

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported the destruction of 30 hectares of cann...


UTME Mop-Up Sees Over 80% Absenteeism Amid Security Measures
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 28, 2025 0

Over 80% of the 98,232 candidates eligible for Saturday's nationwide mop-up Unified Tertiary Matricu...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu