Tokyo Olympics: Sunisa Lee and Caeleb Dressel take gold; Simone Biles in gymnastics stands

[Animous]

American Sunisa Lee won gymnastics all-around gold as defending champion Simone Biles celebrated in the stands following her withdrawal from the event.

The United States also enjoyed success in the pool on day six of Tokyo 2020, with Caeleb Dressel continuing his pursuit of six gold medals by earning his first individual Olympic title.

The 24-year-old will become one of the most successful athletes at an individual Games if he succeeds in winning all six events he takes part in.

Meanwhile, conversations about wellbeing in sport continued after golfer Rory McIlroy backed Biles, who has so far pulled out of the team and all-around finals in order to prioritise her mental health.

The four-time major winner said he was "impressed" with the 24-year-old for putting her mental wellbeing first after her decision to withdraw from the all-around final.

"Just as I thought Naomi Osaka was right to do what she did, I 100% agree with what Simone is doing as well."

McIlroy spoke to the media after he shot a two-under-par 69 in the first round of the men's Olympic golf tournament.

"I'm certainly very impressed, especially with those two women to do what they did and put themselves first," he said.

"I'm glad that at least the conversation has started... it's not taboo any more."

In the baseball, Israel suffered heartbreak in their Olympic debut as South Korea secured a 6-5 walk-off win in a dramatic extra innings.

Lee 'follows in Biles' footsteps'

After 18-year-old Lee took gold, American former artistic gymnast Katelyn Ohashi described her as "a real competitor" and said "she's followed in the footsteps of Simone".

Lee took top spot with one apparatus to go after an impressive beam routine, and concerns over her floor routine after she broke her foot in June 2020 proved unfounded as the American's score of 13.700 was enough for gold.

The Olympic debutant finished on 57.433, with Brazil's Rebeca Andrade taking silver - Brazil's first women's gymnastics medal - on 57.298.

Russian Angelina Melnikova earned bronze with a total score of 57.199 in a thrilling final.

Biles, who is yet to confirm whether she will compete in the individual apparatus finals beginning on Sunday, enthusiastically cheered on the competitors from the stands.

Simone Biles (second from right) cheered on Lee from the stands with her United States team-mates

Dressel stays on course for six golds

At the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Dressel stormed to victory in the men's 100m freestyle.

It is his second gold of the Games, having been part of the US 4x100m freestyle relay team, and his fourth Olympic gold in all, but this is his first individual Olympic title.

China's quartet set a new world record in taking 4x200m freestyle relay gold

He could win as many as six golds in Tokyo, with the 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle to come, and the expectation he will be named in two further relay teams.

Day six's medal races in the pool concluded with a thrilling women's 4x200m freestyle final, with China breaking the world record to win gold.

Their time of seven minutes 40.33 seconds was just enough to hold off the American quartet anchored by 1500m freestyle champion Katie Ledecky.

Pre-race favourites Australia had to settle for bronze.

There was more gold for China as Zhang Yufei took the women's 200m butterfly title.

Zac Stubblety-Cook of Australia won gold in the men's 200m breaststroke and American Robert Finke won the men's 800m freestyle final, being held at the Olympics for the first time since an 880-yard race in 1904.

More athletes isolating

Positive coronavirus tests continue to disrupt the Games, with reigning pole vault world champion Sam Kendricks the latest athlete affected.

Sam Kendricks is the current world champion and will now not compete for the Olympic title

Three Australian athletes are in isolation after being considered close contacts of Kendricks, although they have since returned negative PCR test results.

The athletics competition starts on Friday.

'Small but very proud'

Perilli has been named Athlete of the Year at the San Marino Sport Awards four times

The tiny nation of San Marino has a population of just over 34,000 - but it now has its first ever Olympic medallist.

Alessandra Perilli scooped a bronze in the women's trap shooting, having just missed out on a medal in 2012, when she finished fourth.

"During the final, when the fifth shooter went out, I thought, I don't want to be one more time in fourth place, so I have to make it," she said.

"This isn't my first Olympics but this is the first medal for me and for my country. We are a small country but very proud."

Perilli's achievement means San Marino becomes the least-populous nation ever to win an Olympic medal, superseding triathlete Flora Duffy's gold for Bermuda earlier this week.

Olympic champion fears mother's wrath

Fintan McCarthy (left) and Paul O'Donovan said the achievement in itself was more important than the medal

After winning their nation's first ever rowing medal at Rio 2016, Irish brothers Gary and Paul O'Donovan became local celebrities in their home town of Skibbereen.

Their amusing, nonchalant interviews even earned them a spot on Graham Norton's chat show soon after the Olympics.

The younger of the brothers, Paul, has returned to Olympic rowing, and with the help of new lightweight double skulls partner, Fintan McCarthy, has improved on the silver medal he won in Rio.

The pair, who are the reigning world and European champions, broke away from closest challengers Germany in the home stretch to win in six minutes 6.43 seconds.

It is Ireland's first gold medal since Kate Taylor's boxing victory in 2012 and the nation's first rowing gold ever.

Speaking to Irish television after the race, O'Donovan joked that he would probably have to accept his mother's phone calls now.

"I've been ignoring her here all the while, so she will be fairly annoyed when I get home."

Asked about how it felt to hear the Irish national anthem played, O'Donovan said: "There is a great tune to it, I really enjoyed it. But I was very hot and tired and stuff after the race, so I couldn't concentrate. I could barely get the words out myself!"

Nigerian federation 'bears responsibility' for ineligible athletes

Ten Nigerian athletes who had already arrived in Tokyo and were preparing for the start of the Olympic track and field events on Friday, have been banned from competing by the Athletics Integrity Unit.

The ruling was made because of insufficient out-of-competition drug testing, an oversight that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria said it would take full responsibility for.

The 10 athletes were among 20 competitors from "high-risk" nations who failed to meet requirements, World Athletics' independent anti-doping arm said on Thursday.

With athletics accounting for 13 of the 25 medals won by Nigeria at all Olympic Games, including two of their three gold medals, this latest incident has caused an uproar in the country.

Beijing 2008 long jump silver medallist Blessing Okagbare has criticised the federation for "fighting over power" and forgetting the athletes.

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