July 29 Tokyo 2020 Olympics news and results

The Japanese government plans to extend Covid-19 states of emergency to four prefectures, including three surrounding the capital Tokyo, which is currently hosting the Summer Olympics, according to national broadcaster NHK.

Those four prefectures — Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa and Osaka — are currently under less restrictive, quasi-emergency measures, according to NHK.

Tokyo and Okinawa are already under states of emergency.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said, “the government is dealing with the situation with a strong sense of urgency” and he has called a meeting of experts for Friday to discuss the state of emergency.

It comes as Tokyo reported its third consecutive day of record high Covid cases on Thursday, with 3,865 new infections, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Nationwide, Japan reported 10,385 new cases, topping 10,000 for the first time since the pandemic began.

Australia's Emma McKeon won gold in the highly-anticipated women's 100-meter freestyle in a time of 51.96 — an Olympic record.

McKeon is the third swimmer representing Australia to win gold in the women's 100m freestyle at the Olympic Games, after Dawn Fraser (1956, 1960, 1964) and Jodie Henry (2004).

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey won her second medal at the Tokyo Games, earning silver with a time of 52.27. She also won silver in the 200-meter freestyle — the first Olympic swimming medal for Hong Kong.

Australian Cate Campbell earned bronze in in 52.52. She already had three Olympic gold medals (including in Tokyo 2020) and one Olympic bronze medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.

Russian Olympic Committee swimmer Evgeny Rylov won gold in the men's 200-meter backstroke, setting a new Olympic record with a time of 1:53.27.

USA's Ryan Murphy won silver in a time of 1:54.15 and Great Britain's Luke Greenbank took bronze in 1:54.72.

South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker swam to victory in the women's 200-meter breaststroke, breaking the world record with a time of 2:18.95.

Schoenmaker is the first woman ever to go under a time of 2:19.

Team USA swept the rest of the podium with Lily King winning silver in 2:19.92 and Annie Lazor taking the bronze in 2:20.84.

The rowing competition in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is complete, and it finishes with New Zealand winning gold in men’s eight.

Germany, which has won the men’s eight at each of the past three world championships (2017, 2018 and 2019), edged Great Britain for silver.

Great Britain settled for bronze in Japan, but their Olympic medal streak stays alive, having collected a medal in this event at each of the previous three Olympic Games: silver in 2008, bronze in 2012 and gold in 2016.

South Africa's Paula Reto will miss the Olympics after she tested positive for Covid-19 before she was set to travel to Tokyo to compete, the International Golf Federation said on Thursday.

Following the federation’s late athlete replacement policy, Reto's slot in the competition will be taken by India's Diksha Dagar. 

The women’s golf competition begins Aug. 4. 

Stefanos Ntouskos of Greece has won gold in the men’s single sculls final, posting a time of 6:40.45, an Olympic best.

Ntouskos is also Greece’s first Olympic rowing champion.

Taking the silver medal is Norway’s Kjetil Borch, the 2018 world champion. He is the second athlete representing Norway to earn an Olympic medal in this event; Olaf Karl Tufte won gold in 2004 and 2008. Borch won bronze in Rio in 2016 in the men’s double sculls with Tufte.

Bronze went to Damir Martin of Croatia. He won silver in this event at the Rio Games in 2016 and silver in men’s quadruple sculls in London in 2012.

Emma Twigg of New Zealand has won gold in the women’s single sculls final, posting a time of 7:13.97, an Olympic best.

She is the first athlete from New Zealand to finish on the podium in this event at the Olympic Games.

Twigg has five world championship medals in women’s single sculls, including gold in 2014 and silver in 2019. Tokyo 2020, Twigg's fourth Games, marks her breakthrough Olympic performance after she previously finished fourth at Rio 2016 and London 2012.

The silver medal went to Hanna Prakatsen, representing the Russian Olympic Committee. Magdalena Lobnig earned Austria’s first Olympic medal in rowing since 1992, winning bronze. This is also Austria’s first Olympic medal in women’s rowing.

Former Olympic champion Carly Patterson feels that the United States can do more to help its gymnasts cope with the stresses of international competition and the rigors of the sport.

Patterson's comments come as a newly intensified light has been shone on the topic of mental health amid Simone Biles' withdrawal from multiple events. When Biles pulled out of the event she took gold in five years ago, the decision was met with scrutiny and criticism from those doubting her competitiveness and mettle. It's a critique Patterson takes issue with.

"She is doing the hardest skills that you can do," said Patterson of Biles. "Gymnastics is a dangerous sport to begin with. When you're doing dangerous skills like she's doing of that crazy caliber, it can be life-threatening if you're not mentally there and prepared."

Biles' withdrawal opened the door for USA teammate Sunisa Lee, who followed in the powerful footsteps left by the American women who came before here, including Patterson.

"Thinking about having all of your hard work and all of the hours and dedication and years in the gym culminating at just the perfect time," said Patterson's of Lee's win. "Now you have this Olympic gold medal to show for it. It's probably going to take her a few days for it to sink in."

Patterson notes that Lee's life is about to "get flipped upside down for sure and in the coolest way," encouraging the freshly minted champion to "stay grounded" and lean on her support system amid what is certain to be an uptick in demands and attention.

"Keep the community around you that's been around you, your family, your friends. Keep all of those people close that have helped you on the rise on the way to that gold medal."