July 31 Tokyo 2020 Olympics news and results

Japan recorded its highest daily increase in new Covid-19 infections since the pandemic began, reporting 12,341 new cases on Saturday, according to the country’s public broadcaster NHK.  

Ten out of Japan’s 47 prefectures recorded their highest new daily cases, NHK reported.  

The Japanese capital city of Tokyo saw a record high 4,058 new cases Saturday, according to Tokyo Metropolitan Government data. 

The number of coronavirus cases linked to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has risen to 241 – up 21 from the previous day – according to Games organizers.

This comes as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday extended the state of emergency for the Tokyo Metropolitan area and Okinawa amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.   

Tokyo and Okinawa were under a state of emergency until August 22, but Suga has now extended it until August 31. 

Suga also expanded a state of emergency to four other prefectures – Saitama, Chiba, Osaka and Kanagawa – in effect until August 31. 

Qatar’s Fares El-Bakh celebrates on the podium after winning the gold medal in the 96kg weightlifting event on July 31.

Qatar’s Fares El-Bakh finished with an Olympic record 402kg to capture the men’s 96kg weightlifting gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games. The gold medal is the first-ever in Qatar’s history. 

El-Bakh put up 177kg in the snatch, and then set an Olympic record in the clean and jerk with a weight of 225kg. Overall, the Qatari finished with a combined score of 402kg to set his second Olympic record of the night. 

Keydomar Giovanni Vallenilla Sánchez of Venezuela finished in second (387kg) to earn the silver and Anton Pliesnoi of Georgia took home the bronze. 

Team USA's Jayson Tatum shoots over Czech Republic's David Jelined during their game on July 31.

The Team USA men’s basketball team powered into the quarterfinals of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a convincing 119-84 rout of the Czech Republic on Saturday.

Superstar Kevin Durant led the team with 23 points, eight rebounds and six assists and in the process became the US’ all-time leading scorer in the Olympics.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum added 27 points for the Americans, while the Czechs were led by 17 points from Blake Schilb.

The win confirmed Team USA would finish at least second in their group, assuring them a spot in the Olympic quarterfinals.

Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah celebrates after winning the gold medal in the 100m final on July 31.

Elaine Thompson-Herah reflected on her gold medal victory in Tokyo today in the women’s 100 meter, saying, “I knew I had it in me, but obviously, I’ve had my ups and downs with injuries.”

Thompson-Herah said she looks forward to competing in the 200 meter and 4x100m relay.

Earlier today: Thompson-Herah defended her women’s 100-meter title in Olympic record time of 10.61, breaking Florence Griffith Joyner’s 33-year-old mark set in Seoul.

Completing an all-Jamaican podium, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished second to claim silver in 10.74 and Shericka Jackson finished third in 10.76 – a personal best – to earn the bronze.

“I can’t just imagine if we didn’t have the pandemic what would be happening in Jamaica, just speaking about the legacy that we have back home, all the athletes, young and old, you are all inspired by something that happened tonight, we were just really excited that we were able to come and to have a wonderful show tonight,” Thompson-Herah said following the medal sweep.

Thompson-Herah is the fourth athlete to win two Olympic gold medals in the women’s 100 meter after Wyomia Tyus in 1964 and 1968 for the US, Gail Devers in 1992 and 1996 for the US and Fraser-Pryce in 2008 and 2012 for Jamaica.

This is the sixth straight Olympic Games that the gold medal-winning time was faster than in previous Games. 

Team Poland celebrates after winning the 4x400 meter mixed relay final on July 31.

Poland won the gold medal in the inaugural mixed 4x400 meter relay in a thrilling race on Saturday.

Made up of two men and two women, the new race has become an immediate favorite with fans at Tokyo 2020.

And Poland had to produce a remarkable late comeback in the final, with the Dominican Republic leading after both 800 meters and 1,200 meters.

However, a brilliant last lap from Poland shot them into the lead and earned them the first ever gold in the discipline with a new Olympic record of 3:09.87.

The silver went to the Dominican Republic and the bronze to the US.

Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah wins the 100m final on July 31.

Jamaica swept the top three spots in the women’s 100 meter final tonight in Tokyo.

Elaine Thompson-Herah defended her 2016 Olympic 100 meter title with a time of 10.61, a new Olympic record.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took home silver with 10.74 and Shericka Jackson won bronze with 10.76.

Among those celebrating their win was fellow countryman and Olympic legend Usain Bolt:

Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith reacts after failing to qualify for the 100m final on July 31.

British star sprinter Dina Asher-Smith said she has withdrawn from the 200 meter race at the Tokyo Olympics due to a hamstring injury.  

She made the announcement in an emotional interview to the BBC on Saturday moments after failing to qualify for the women’s 100m final. 

Asher-Smith, the current 200m world champion, said she tore her hamstring before the Games and has spent weeks trying to recover.  

“I’ve spent four weeks trying to run again … It’s the Olympics, but there will be another one,” she told the BBC.  

“I apologize for my tears, I can’t help it,” she added, before briefly breaking down on camera. 

Asher-Smith was a leading contender for an Olympic medal in the 100m sprint in Tokyo but failed to advance through her semifinal round with a time of 11.05 seconds.

The Olympic Village is seen on July 19.

A resident of the Olympic Village had their credentials taken away after going on an unauthorized sightseeing trip. 

Olympic officials have called the action “unacceptable,” and said the decision to revoke the resident’s credentials was formally made on Friday.

“[The person banned] will not be allowed to enter any Tokyo 2020 venues,” Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya told reporters during a press conference Saturday.

Takaya did not provide any details on the nationality of the person involved, or whether they are an athlete or staff member.

Sightseeing is a direct violation of the International Olympic Committees Covid-19 ‘playbook,’ as it breaches restrictions on movement which have been placed on participating athletes and staff. 

All Tokyo 2020 staff and participants must follow a series of strict protocols to prevent the Games from becoming a super-spreader event, and it is strictly forbidden to venture outside Olympic venues or use public transport. 

This is the first reported breach of these playbook protocols since the Olympics began.

American Katie Ledecky holds her gold medal for the 800-meter freestyle on July 31.

As the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games head into the second weekend of competition, medals will be awarded in swimming, fencing, judo and tennis, to name a few. 

Here are some of the events to watch. Remember, Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Time.

Here’s your full guide on how to watch the Olympics and the entire schedule. In between watching events, check out our gallery of the most memorable photos of the Games so far.

Turkey's Mete Gazoz celebrates after winning the individual archery final on July 31.

Just two months ago, Mete Gazoz wasn’t sure whether or not he’d be competing at Tokyo 2020.

And now, he is an Olympic gold medalist and the winner of Turkey’s first ever archery medal.

Gazoz beat former Olympic champion Mauro Nespoli of Italy by 6-4 in the men’s individual archery final to claim the gold at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field on Saturday.

The 22-year-old reigning World Cup Champion had trailed to the 34-year-old but rallied to claim a historic medal for Turkish archery.

“Two months ago, I don’t have any quota or team place, but I think it is good because one month ago, I have to make a performance high and I just keep my (performance) up, and it worked,” he said afterwards.

The gold is Turkey’s first of Tokyo 2020 and their third total medal of the Summer Games.

He is the first archer to win gold at Tokyo who isn’t from South Korea.

After competing in 2016 in Brazil – getting knocked out in the round of 16 – Gazoz said a promise he made drove him to success in Japan.

“This feels so good, I have been (at) 2016 and I give my promise to my coaches, my mother and my father, I will go to the next Olympic Games and I will win gold medal.”