Simone Biles is the brightest star of the Olympics. Finland’s Pihla Kaivo-oja dazzled on the second day of the Olympics.
Paris Olympics on channels 26.7.–11.8. Go to the competition website here. You can find the entire program of the games here.
Who squealed?
21 year old boxer Pihla Kaivo-oja gave a very mature impression of himself in his Olympic debut. He advanced to the second round by defeating Zambia Margaret Tembo to display style 5–0.
Coach Maarit Teuronen stated that the young protégé executed the match plan very well.
– There were some incredibly cool things that have been practiced. He got to bring them to the ring. Looked good. It’s always shaky, but I’m satisfied.
Watch the highlights of Kaivo-oja’s match in the video below:
The concentrated Kaivo-oja listened to the instructions shouted by his coach.
– He had the idea with him the whole time. I yelled at one point to keep a branch. He made it happen.
Kaivo-oja operates in the ring like a seasoned fighter. According to Teuronen, outside the ring, you can see from the 21-year-old Finn that he is in his first Olympics.
– Is an inexperienced athlete. It’s a bit of how he handles this. I fully support him in that matter.
Kaivo-oja did not give interviews after his victory.
In Thursday’s quarter-final, Kaivo-oja will face the tournament’s sixth-ranked USA Jennifer Losato. He is familiar to Finns from training camps.
– I’m looking forward to a really good match. I’m expecting a really good match. He is shorter and left-handed. Keeping your distance is key, Teuronen said.
What speaks?
Earlier in the 2000s, among other things, a sprinter Usain Bolt and a swimmer Michael Phelps were the most prominent names at the Summer Olympics. Now a superstar even more glamorous than them is a gymnast Simone Biles.
Biles charmed eight years ago in Rio by winning no fewer than four Olympic golds (jumping, vaulting, quadruple, team competition). In addition to these, he brought one bronze from Brazil.
Three years ago, the spotlight was big at the Tokyo Corona Games. The American won one silver and one bronze, but he also missed the Games. Biles has since spoken out about her mental health issues.
Now in Paris, the 27-year-old athlete enjoys mega-popularity. On Sunday, several celebrities witnessed on the spot how Biles sparkled in the qualifying competition despite her small calf. He is currently at the top of the individual quadruple.
Biles’ glory was watched by, among others, an acting star Tom Cruisethe artists Snoop Dogg and Ariana Grande and performed at the opening ceremony Lady Gaga.
There were also well-known athletes among the spectators, for example a French soccer player Antoine Griezmann and a big name in snowboarding Shaun White.
Frustration?
A Brit was expected in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke by Adam Peaty and China Qi Haiyang’s from the intervening screen. Peaty’s two-gold Olympic streak ended, but he still took silver for Italy Nicolo Martinengh when winning.
Instead, Haiyang only finished seventh. The Chinese, who won last year’s distance world championship with a time of 57.69, was almost two seconds short of his World Championship winning time in the Olympic final.
The collapse is huge.
– The Chinese contribution was a big disappointment, Urheiluin Ville Kallinen summed up on Olympiaradio.
What next?
Along with Kaivo-oja, judoka was one of the cheeriest Finnish athletes on the second day of the Games Luukas Sahawho struggled in the second round in an exemplary manner against the Moldovan number one Denis Vierua against.
Vieru was better in the end and moved on. Japan celebrated the victory in the 66 kg category in question Hifumi Abewho repeated his trick of three years ago.
Watch the highlights of Saha’s fight against the world number one in the video below:
On Friday, he suddenly lost his father Aleksi Leppä missed the air pistol qualification. Field riders Veera Manninen and Sanna Siltakorpi are in the 39th and 40th places after the school and cross-country tests. The show jumping test is competed on Monday afternoon.
Ronja Grönblom & Veera Hokka compete in the 49er FX sailing class. After three starts, Finland is in 15th place in the overall results. In addition to them, the sailors in action on Monday are Jakob Eklund.
Competing in mountain biking Joni Savaste and in badminton Kalle Koljonen.