Tokyo 2020 Day 7: Fighting till the last stroke

Day 7 of the Olympic Games in Tokyo was packed to the brim. But Team Belarus has not yet opened the medal count. On 29 July, Belarusian athletes took part in qualifying competitions.

The rowing program is nearing the end. Belarus’ men’s coxless pair Siarhei Valadzko and Dzmitry Furman were 2nd in Final B (7 to 12 places) to secure the 8th place overall.

Belarus’ lightweight doubles scullers Alena Furman and Ina Nikulina clocked 6:57.84 to finish 5th in Final B.

"We did well in the final race. We kept fighting till the last stroke. It is a pity that we did not make it to the main final yesterday. But today we proved that we can fight. First of all, we proved it to ourselves,” Dzmitry Furman said.

Belarusian Mikita Sviryd lost in the Judo Men -100 kg Elimination Round of 32 to Karl-Richard Frey of Germany (ippon). After the tournament, Mikita needed emergency medical care: the athlete injured his elbow joint.

“I was well prepared for the Olympics, but in the extra round against the opponent from Germany I used the wrong elbow movement. It’s a shame, because I was counting on a better result in Tokyo,” Mikita Sviryd said.

Another Belarusian judoka, Maryna Slutskaya, will face Gabriella Wood of Trinidad and Tobago in the Women +78 kg Elimination Round of 32 on 30 July.

At Yumenoshima Park Archery Field, Karyna Dziominskaya and Karyna Kazlouskaya competed against a strong opponent from Mexico. As a result, the Belarusian archers dropped out of the individual archery event at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. In the 1/32 eliminations, Karyna Kazlouskaya was defeated by Mexico’s Alejandra Valencia, while Karyna Dziominskaya beat Diya Siddique of Bangladesh. She advanced to the 1/16 eliminations where she was also bested by Alejandra Valencia 3:7. Hanna Marusava is the only Belarusian archer remaining in the competition. Her next event will take place on 30 July.

Chief coach of the Belarusian women’s archery team Ekaterina Timofeyeva commented on the performance of Karyna Dziominskaya and Karyna Kazlouskaya. “There has been intense rivalry in the individual archery event from the start. Karyna Dziominskaya was shooting well, even hitting the 10-ring several times, but a lot depended on the weather and the wind. For example, even Ksenia Petrova of Russia had to be very careful. Hanna Marusava is still going strong. This season is successful for her. We are looking forward to her performance on 30 July,” Ekaterina Timofeyeva said.

Victoria Chaika of Belarus was off to a good start in the Women’s 25m Pistol qualifications, scoring 291 points to place 8th among 44 competitors on the first day. Ahead of her are all prominent athletes including Russia’s Vitalina Batsarshkina who has already won a gold medal in Japan. The qualifications will continue on 30 July after which eight best athletes will advance into the final scheduled for the same day.

At the Tokyo Aquatics Center on 29 July Yauhen Tsurkin of Belarus clocked 52.90 seconds in a Men’s 100m Butterfly heat and failed to advance further. The Belarusian team of Mikita Tsmyh, Ilya Shymanovich, Anastasia Kuliashova and Anastasiya Shkurdai placed 8th in Mixed 4x100 Medley Relay Heat Two.

Press service of the Belarusian NOC

Photos by the Belarusian NOC