Tokyo Olympics: Canada's Mac Neil and McIntosh compete for two more medals in the pool - The Globe and Mail

Canada's Maggie Mac Neil, pictured July 24, 2021, during the women's 100m butterfly heats at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

KAI PFAFFENBACH/Reuters

Latest Olympic updates

OLYMPIC EVENTS FOR JULY 25

• Swimming: After helping claim Canada’s first Olympic medal in Tokyo, Maggie Mac Neil gets another shot at adding to her haul when she competes at 9:30 p.m. ET in the women’s 100 m butterfly. Canadians will also be cheering on Summer McIntosh as she competes in the women’s 400 m freestyle final at 10:20 p.m. ET.
• Triathlon: Canada’s Tyler Mislawchuk of Oak Bluff, Man. finished 15th in the triathlon event in Tokyo’s Odaiba Marine Park this evening, which began with an uncharacteristic false start after a boat blocked the way for a portion of the competitors. Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway won the gold, Alex Yee of Britain took silver with Hayden Wilde Of New Zealand taking bronze. Reuters
• Judo: Jessica Klimkait, a 24-year-old from Whitby Ont. with a shot at a medal, competes in the first elimination round of the Games this evening at 10:50 p.m.
• Tennis: Felix Auger-Aliassime’s opponent Max Purcell of Australia pulled off a surprise upset by defeating the Montrealer in men’s singles play. Purcell, ranked 190th overall, replaced two-time defending gold medallist Andy Murray last minute after Murray withdrew due to a right quadricep sprain.
• Diving: Jennifer Abel and Melissa Citrini-Beaulieu secured Canada’s second medal of the Tokyo Games, with a silver in the women’s three-metre synchronized springboard event this morning. The Canadians were placed sixth after the first two dives but overcame their nerves as the event wore on. In the final three dives, the pair pulled away to finish with a total score of 300.78.

OFF THE FIELD

• Olympic friendships: Bailey Andison knew that qualifying for the Canadian Olympic swimming team meant she’d get the chance at competing in Tokyo alongside her childhood best friend Brook Henderson, representing Canada in golf. The two made a pact that if they both qualified, then they would attend the Games.
• Photo-op: Athletes are allowed to briefly remove their masks while on the podium for photo opportunities according to a new policy from the International Olympic Committee. Outside of the 30-second window to snap photos, masks are still mandatory.
• COVID-19: Top-ranked golfers Bryson DeChambeau of the U.S. and Jon Rahm of Spain are no longer competing in the games thanks to COVID-19. The last official count of COVID-19 cases linked to the Games was 137.

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Situation in Tokyo, by numbers

WHAT IS THE OLYMPIC MEDAL TALLY IN TOKYO SO FAR?

So far, China has the most gold medals, six, followed by Japan with five and the United States with four. Canada has two silver medals.

JAPAN’S LATEST COVID-19 DATA

WHAT TIME IS IT IN TOKYO RIGHT NOW?

Olympic highlights for July 25

Photos of Canada's medal winners at Tokyo Olympics and other highlights

Video moments from Canada’s first silver medals at the Games

Canada has won its first medals at the Tokyo Olympics, taking silver in the women's 4x100m freestyle relay and women's three-metre synchronized diving. Penny Oleksiak surged home in the last leg to secure the relay silver and the divers came back from being in sixth. Also at the pool, Japan won its first swimming gold medal at the Games and Tunisia won gold in an upset over Australia and the United States. The Globe and Mail

Skylar Park planning ahead for next Olympics after elimination from Tokyo Games in taekwondo

Skylar Park of Winnipeg fell to Taiwan’s Chai-Ling Lo after reaching the women’s taekwondo quarter-final. Earlier this morning, Park bested Australia’s Stacey Hymer to advance to this stage in the competition. The highly-touted 22-year-old from Winnipeg – ranked number three in the world in her 57-kg weight class – spoke through tears on Sunday after losing out in the quarter-finals at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.

COVID-19 precautions at Olympics merely a “theatre of safety” during Sunday’s swimming events

The stands at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre may be mostly barren of spectators, but about two- or three-hundred athletes, coaches and officials were still in attendance. During introductions, cheering echoed through the arena. As the events kicked off, so too did the sparse audience kick off their masks. When their countrypeople won, COVID-19 protocols went out the window in favour of hugging. This performance begs the question, if athletes and officials are “permitted to whoop it up in the stands, why weren’t the Japanese people invited to attend an event they paid for?” Columnist Cathal Kelly writes, “The people forced to stay home aren’t watching the safest major sports tournament ever staged. They are watching the theatre of safety. They are watching farce.”

Legendary Olympians are great performers, and Penny Oleksiak is one of them

Penny Oleksiak has done it again, driving the women’s freestyle relay team to a silver place finish and securing her fifth Olympic medal. At just 21, Oleksiak is only one medal behind the two greatest Canadian Olympians by overall medal performance – Cindy Klassen and Clara Hughes, who both brought home six medals each. In the intervening years between the Rio and Tokyo Olympics, Oleksiak kept a low profile. But now that all eyes are on her, she’s doing what she does best – winning.

Tokyo Olympic events to watch tomorrow, July 26

• Swimming, 6 a.m.: Canadians Penny Oleksiak and Summer McIntosh hit the pool for the 200-metre freestyle heat at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.
• Basketball, 4:20 a.m.: Flag-bearer Miranda Ayim competes in the women’s basketball tournament where Canada will be facing off against Serbia – one of the favourites to win.
• Volleyball, 6:40 a.m.: The Canadian men’s team will square off with Japan in volleyball – a shot at redemption after dropping their opening match against Italy. Canada has yet to win an Olympic medal in volleyball.
• Softball, 1:30 a.m.: Canada will attempt to bring home its first Olympic medal in softball during this bronze medal game against Italy.

Check the full Olympic schedule for the latest event times and competitors.

The Tokyo Olympics: Essential reads

What athletes and teams should Canadians look out for? Consult our guide.

How did Canada’s swimmers use data to get stronger? Grant Robertson and Timothy Moore explain.

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Tokyo Olympics: Canada's Mac Neil and McIntosh compete for two more medals in the pool - The Globe and Mail
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