Team GB in Tokyo: BMX double delight for Shriever and Whyte

Tokyo 2020 30 Jul 21

Bethany Shriever struck gold and Kye Whyte silver as Britain's BMX stars dominated to win Team GB's first Olympic medals in the sport. Here’s what happened today at Tokyo 2020.

  • BMX gold and silver in 11 minutes 

  • Silver for Scott and bronze for Greenbank in the pool

  • Bryony Page bounces her way to bronze in trampolining

  • Men’s eight round off regatta with bronze

  • Dina makes semis as athletics underway

  • Coming up on Day 8: Relays, shooting and sevens

BMX history made in just 11 minutes in Tokyo

Shriever's gold and Whyte's silver delivered one of Team GB's moments and enduring images of these Games, the latter hoisting the former into the air in scenes of celebration.

Whyte won Britain’s first medal in the event before cheering on his teammate to a stunning gold just 11 minutes later at the Ariake Urban Sports Park.

Shriever went unbeaten through her three semi runs and surged out the start gate to open up a lead on her rivals.

But round the final corner, Colombia's Marian Pajon came charging, the 22-year old from Essex - a former world junior champion - crossing the line just 0.090 seconds ahead.

Whyte also got a flying start in his race and was always in the medal places, as Holland's Niek Kimmann took gold.

“Honestly, I’m in shock. To even be here is an achievement in itself. To make a final is another achievement – to come away with a medal, let alone a gold medal, I’m so over the moon," said Shriever.

Whyte added: “I'm more happy for her than I am for me, that girl puts in some serious graft.

“If there was ten more yards, maybe I would have had a gold too, I'll accept the silver though and change it up in Paris."

Double joy on the BMX bike for Team GB

Scott on cusp of history after second silver

Duncan Scott is one medal away from becoming the first British Olympian to claim four at the same Games after winning silver in the men’s 200m individual medley.

Scott, who won gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay and took silver behind teammate Tom Dean in the individual event, smashed his personal best to surge onto the podium once again.

The Glaswegian said: “I definitely have to be proud. The winner did a big PB as well, I think it’s a lot quicker people anticipated the final to be so credit to everyone in the race.”

Scott’s hat-trick means he is the sixth Team GB athlete in any sport to win three medals in one Olympics, with a chance of becoming the first to win four when he takes part in Sunday’s 4x100m medley relay.

Five medals in total, having won two silvers at Rio 2016, also mean he is the joint-most decorated British swimmer in Olympic history, and the first swimmer to win three at a Games since 1908.

Scott the silver bullet in the pool

Earlier, Luke Greenbank became the first British athlete to win a men’s 200m backstroke Olympic medal with bronze.

Greenbank watched Scott’s success before his medal ceremony as his third place helped make it a haul of six medals for Team GB in the pool.

“It’s amazing, a dream come true. I’m so happy, over the moon and I’m lost for words," said the 23-year-old.

Greenbank elated with backstroke bronze

Page puts injuries behind her to claim bronze

Bryony Page claimed her second Olympic medal with a brilliant trampolining bronze in Tokyo.

The 30-year old became the first Brit to win an Olympic medal in the discipline five years ago when she won silver in Rio.

In the years since she has had to overcome a series of injuries, which knocked her confidence on the global stage, but the year’s delay to the Games allowed Page to boost her confidence and fitness levels.

“I can’t quite believe it still. The day went painfully slow and painfully quick at the same time," she said.

“I’m extremely happy and relieved, I can’t believe I’ve got a second Olympic medal, it’s amazing.”

Page claims second medal in as many Games

Rowing regatta concludes with men’s eight bronze

Great Britain’s men’s eight finished off the regatta on a high as they claimed bronze in the final rowing race of Tokyo 2020.

Britain’s rowers were left with several near-misses on the water with six fourth-placed finishes in total, including Vicky Thornley in the women’s single sculls earlier in the day.

However, the men’s eight, led by Mohamed Sbihi, who had been the flag bearer for Team GB at the opening ceremony, finished behind New Zealand and Germany for a second medal of the meet after the men’s quad sculls took silver.

The young crew of Josh Bugajski, Jacob Dawson, Tom George, Sbihi, Charles Elwes, Oliver Wynne-Griffith, James Rudkin, Tom Ford and Henry Fieldman were therefore able to take their place on the podium as the curtain came down on rowing at Tokyo 2020.

Flagbear Mohamed Sbihi and men's eight come third

Athletics underway with Asher-Smith into 100m semis

Athletics captain Dina Asher-Smith got her Olympics underway by finishing second in her 100m heat to safely qualify for the semi-finals tomorrow.

The 2019 100m world silver medallist ran 11.07 but left plenty in the tank for Saturday when the medals will be dished out in Tokyo.

Asher-Smith is joined in the next round by Daryll Neita who put in a phenomenal display to become just the second British woman to run sub-11 seconds.

Neita smashed her PB with a time of 10.96 to qualify sixth fastest overall while Asha Philip also made it through.

Tom Gale sensationally cleared 2.28m, a season’s best, to secure his place in Sunday’s men’s high jump final.

In the women’s 800m heats, Jemma Reekie, Keely Hodgkinson and Alex Bell all progressed into the next round.

Super Saturday?

The Tokyo 2020 reaches its eighth day on Saturday with plenty more scope for British success across the sports.

Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita will both hope to feature in the women’s 100m final as the athletics continues.

Joseph Brier, Zoey Clark, Emily Diamond and Cameron Chalmers will race in the mixed 4x400m relay final after qualifying as fastest losers from the heats today.

After silvers in the individual triathlon for Alex Yee and Georgia Taylor-Brown, Team GB will be hoping to make it onto the podium as the mixed relay event makes its Games debut.

The mixed relays continue in the pool with the 4x100m medley and Britain will also be hoping for a medal in shooting’s mixed trap team event.

In the same sport, Seonaid McIntosh competes in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions while Team GB’s women’s rugby sevens side face France in the semi-final.

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