Team GB’s superb Tokyo Olympic Games continued on Saturday with golds for Galal Yafai in boxing and Joe Choong in the men’s modern pentathlon.
Yafai became Olympic flyweight champion after beating Carlo Paalam of the Philippines to deliver Britain’s 19th gold in Tokyo.
Yafai Dominant
The 28-year-old, who only started boxing six years ago, knocked Paalam down inside the first round and went on to win 4-1 on points and admitted afterwards it was a dream come true to win gold.
He said: “I’m Olympic champion, and I’m over the moon. I’ve worked hard – six years ago, I took up boxing and thank God it worked out for me and shows if you work hard, you can reap the rewards.”
Choong Adds Another Gold
Britain added their 20th gold of the games soon after on Saturday when Choong made it a double in the modern pentathlon after Kate French had triumphed in the women’s event on Friday. Choong sprinted to the finish ahead of Ahmed Elgendy of Egypt in the final laser run in the event, which covers fencing, swimming, riding, shooting and running.
Diving star Tom Daley won his second medal of the Tokyo games, picking up bronze in the men’s 10m platform diving to add to the gold he’d won earlier in the 10m synchro, while in the velodrome, Matt Walls and Ethan Hayter picked up silver in the men’s madison cycling.
Kerr Claims Brilliant Bronze
In athletics, Josh Kerr won a shock bronze for GB in the men’s 1500m, and the Scot admitted afterwards he was “blown away” by the achievement, which was Britain’s first medal in the men’s event since Peter Elliott won silver in Seoul in 1988. In the women’s 4x400m relay, GB’s women finished a gallant fifth as the USA, as expected, took gold.
Olympic bronze medallist Josh Kerr on how he bounced back from a disappointing start to the Games.
Kerr becomes the first British man to win a medal in the 1500m since Peter Elliott in 1988
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Team USA also won their fourth straight Olympic basketball gold medal, beating France 87-82 in the final, and Norway won their first-ever Olympic beach volleyball medal when their men’s team beat the Russian Olympic Committee in the gold medal match.
Brazil Edge Out Spain
In golf, Nelly Korda won the USA’s first women’s Olympic golf title since 1900, and Brazil beat Spain 2-1 to win gold in the men’s football competition for the second successive games thanks to Malcom’s extra-time winner.
Britain’s could land more medals on Sunday, including in Boxing when Lauren Price, who is 2/5 to win, takes on Chinese star Li Qian (9/5), the 2018 world champion, in the women’s middleweight final.
*All odds correct at time of writing