No medal this Wednesday 28 July at the Olympic Games in Tokyo but some good performances with the qualifiers for the quarterfinals for the Ivorians at the football tournament. The Egyptians excelled in handball and fencing.
FOOTBALL
The team of Ivory Coastqualified for the quarterfinals of the men’s Olympic tournament thanks to their draw against Germany at Miyagi Stadium (1-1). Second in Group D after Brazil, the Ivorians will still face Spain undefeated, first in Pool C, on Saturday. Egypt also qualified by beating Australia 2-0. As for South Africa, its Olympic tournament ends after a defeat against Mexico (3-0).
HANDBALL
Egyptian has one foot in the quarterfinals. After a victory and a loss, they won their third match against Japan (33-29) at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo.
With two games to the end of the group stage, Egypt is third out of six. It will be necessary to finish in the first four to reach the quarter-finals, which the Egyptians have not done since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
BASKETBALL
Second match and second defeat for Nigeria, beaten by Germany (92-99) in Group B. However, the D’Tigers led by 11 points in the third quarter before collapsing in the fourth.
They must absolutely win their third and final group match against Italy on Saturday to hope to be among the best third groups, qualified for the quarterfinals.
VOLLEY-BALL
The Tunisian men’s team lost to the United States 3 sets to 1 in Group B.. This is the third defeat in a row for the African champions who still managed to win their first set of these games against bronze medals in 2016.
The Tunisians, in search of their first Olympic victory since 1984, face Argentina on Friday, then Russia on Sunday. A qualification for the quarterfinals is still possible, but very unlikely.
RUGBY UNTIL SEPT
Disappointment over elimination in the quarterfinals melted, South Africans ended the tournament with two victories against Australia (22-19) and the United States (28-7). Blitzboks, bronze medalists at the Olympics in Rio, are therefore fifth in this tournament won by Fiji.
The Kenya team did better than 2016 by finishing ninth. Most recently in their group, the Kenyans then beat Japan (21-7) and Ireland (22-0) in a classification match.
HOCKEY
The South Africans lost for the third time in three matches against the Netherlands (5-0). Most recently in Pool A, the six-time reigning African champions must win their last two matches against Germany and India to hope to reach the quarter-finals.
BOXING
It is a day without fantastic results for African boxing, while they were still several in battle. Among men, only Ghanaian Samuel Takyi won his fight against a representative of Ecuador in the featherweight division. In the same category, the Zambian Everisto Mulenga fell at the roadside. In the light heavyweight category, the Egyptian Abdelrahman Salah did not do better. On the middleweight side, Mozambican Rady Adosinda Gramane has passed. The Algerian Ichrak Chaib is out. In light heavyweight, his compatriots Mohammed Houmri also come home. Ditto for the Ghanaian Shakul Samed.
JUDO
No African judoka managed to make it to the first round on Wednesday.
In the men’s category under 90 kg, Seychellois Nantenaina Finesse, Beninese Celtus Dossou Yovo, Mauritian Remi Feuillet and Ghanaian Kwadjo Anani were beaten by Ippon.
This is also the case with the Tunisian Nihel Landolsi, Chadian Demos Memneloum and the Cameroonian Ayuk Otay Arrey Sophina among those under 70 kilos. Moroccan Asmaa Niang she lost on a Waza-Ari in the golden score (extra time in judo).
FENCING
A nice fifth place for Egyptian in lagsabel. After beating Japan in the quarterfinals (45-32), Ziad Elsissy, Mohab Samer and Mohamed Amer lost in the quarterfinals to South Korea (45-39). They then remobilized to dominate the Olympics in Russia (45-41) and Iran (45-24) in the classification matches.
This is the best result in Egyptian fencing since Alaaeldin Abouelkassem’s silver medal in foil at the 2012 Olympics.
SWIMMING
South Africa in the spotlight just as often, with first and foremost a disappointment: Chad le Clos fifth place in the final of the 200 meter butterfly. The 2012 Olympic distance champion lasted a long time before he exploded in the last 50 meters and released the Hungarian Kristof Milak, the world record holder. Le Clos will have the chance to catch up with the 100-meter butterfly, for which he is a double Olympic vice-champion. Playoffs begin this Thursday.
In the 200 meter backstroke, his compatriots Martin Binedell failed to qualify for the semifinals.
Among the ladies, after her silver medal in the 100 meter breaststroke, Tatjana Schoenmaker broke the Olympic record of the specialty’s 200 meters during his series, 2’19”16. She will compete in the semifinals as Kaylene Corbett.
In the 4X200 meter freestyle, the South Africans improved their African record to 8:01:56, but they could not do better than sixth and will not see the final.
In the 100 meters freestyle, the Nigerian Abiola Ogunbanwo, the Angolan Catarina Sousa, the Senegalese Jeanne Boutbien, the Algerian Amel Melih, the Egyptian Farida Osman and the South African Erin Gallagher were eliminated from the playoffs.
ROWING
The South Africans placed fourth and last in the B final in the cox-free four. They therefore finished as tenth in Australia to win.
KAYAK
Moroccan Mathis Soudi qualified for the slalom semifinals thanks to his 15th place in the playoffs. They will be twenty starting this Friday.
ROAD CYCLING
After the road race, the individual time trial by the Slovenian Primoz Roglic won. The first African, the South African Stefan de Bod, 2019 African champion, is ranked 14th, almost three minutes after the gold medal. Eritrean Amanuel Gebrezgabihier and Algerian Azzedine Lagab could not do better than 33 and 36 of 39 riders.
Among the women, the only African representative, South African Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio finished in a beautiful 8th place, 2 minutes and 24 seconds behind the Dutch gold medalist Annemiek Van Vleuten. This is his best performance at the Olympics after his tenth place in the road race in 2016.
TABLE TENNIS
Egyptian Omar Assar advanced to the quarterfinals of the individual tournament. After passing three laps, he lost to Chinese Long Ma (4 sets to 1). This is his best performance at the Olympics.
ARCHERY
Egyptian Amal Adam was eliminated in the first round of the individual competition by South Korean Minhee Jang (6 ends to 0).
WEIGHTLESS
In Group A, in the category under 73 kg, Tunisia’s Karem Ben Hnia, who won three medals at the last African Championships, takes a nice 6th place. Moroccan Abderrahim placed last in Group B.
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