Badminton: Olofua, Anuoluwa Beaten

• China wins Tokyo 2020 first gold medal

Team Nigeria’s pair of Godwin Olofua and Opeyori Anuoluwa yesterday lost 2-0 to Japan’s duo of Endo Hiroyuki and Yuta Watanbe in men’s badminton Group B encounter at the Court 1 of Musashino Forest Plaza

In the first game played under 10 minutes, the Japanese had an easy 21-2 win. They however faced a more challenging time in the second game which stretched to 13 minutes before winning 21-7.

Meanwhile, China won the first gold medal of the Games and hosts Japan claimed their first gold on a sweltering opening day of the Tokyo Olympics.

Athletes complained about exhausting conditions given the combination of high temperatures and humidity, with several tennis players asking for matches to be moved to start later in the day.

Cyclists in the men’s road race in particular felt the strain, but Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz managed to defy the conditions, convincingly winning his nation’s second ever gold medal.