July 28 Tokyo 2020 Olympics news and results

By Joshua Berlinger, Aditi Sangal and Adam Renton, CNN

Updated 12:05 a.m. ET, August 3, 2021
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12:25 a.m. ET, July 28, 2021

Katie Ledecky wins women's 1500m freestyle in dominant fashion

US swimmer Katie Ledecky celebrates after crushing the field in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Wednesday, July 28. It is her sixth career gold medal and her eighth Olympic medal in all.
US swimmer Katie Ledecky celebrates after crushing the field in the 1,500-meter freestyle on Wednesday, July 28. It is her sixth career gold medal and her eighth Olympic medal in all. (Charlie Riedel/AP)

American great Katie Ledecky crushed the first-ever women's 1500m freestyle final to win her first gold medal of Tokyo 2020.

Ledecky was the favorite to win the event and she didn't disappoint.

The US swimming star clocked a time of 15:37.34, leading the field for most of the race and finishing more than four seconds ahead of silver medalist, fellow American Erica Sullivan.

German Sarah Kohler finished third, with a time of 15:42.91.

This is Ledecky's sixth Olympic gold medal and her eighth Olympic medal in total.

It's is her second medal of the Tokyo Games, after she earlier won silver in the 400-meter freestyle. Earlier today, however, she failed to make the podium in the 200-meter freestyle.

10:48 p.m. ET, July 27, 2021

What it's like to attend an Olympic event in a pandemic — and why every venue feels different

From CNN's Amanda Sealy in Tokyo

A volunteer has her body temperature checked at the entrance of Nippon Budokan on July 25 in Tokyo.
A volunteer has her body temperature checked at the entrance of Nippon Budokan on July 25 in Tokyo. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)

Attending each Olympic event in Tokyo starts with the same ritual.

Press the clever foot pedal to release a mist of hand sanitizer; get your temperature checked; scan your credentials and have your belongings scanned at security.

If your temperature is too high, you’re escorted to a pleasant tent to cool down from the Tokyo summer heat for five minutes — and then you can try again.

Despite the Games being almost completely devoid of crowds, there’s still a rigid process in place for those in attendance, with plenty of rules to follow. Once you’re actually in the venue, there’s usually a maze of barricades to guide you to the press seating area — so no, you cannot sit wherever you want, it’s all assigned despite thousands of other seats sitting empty.

But every Olympic venue offers a slightly different experience — the larger stadiums where you might catch rugby sevens or football are haunted by their emptiness, while the smaller venues, like for gymnastics, provide an intimate show of Olympic greatness.

The bottom line: There is no bad seat in the house.

11:58 p.m. ET, July 27, 2021

Fukushima's baseball fans are happy the Games have come, but disappointed not to have fans

From CNN’s George Ramsey, Emiko Jozuka, Blake Essig and Daishi Kusunoki in Fukushima, Japan

Baseball is part of Japan's culture, with fans tuning in every season to cheer on their favorite teams.
Baseball is part of Japan's culture, with fans tuning in every season to cheer on their favorite teams. (Daishi Kusunoki/CNN)

After a 13-year hiatus, baseball is returning to the Olympics — although no fans will be there to witness it.

Japan goes head-to-head with the Dominican Republic on Wednesday in Fukushima.

Unlike Tokyo, Fukushima prefecture is not currently under a coronavirus state of emergency, but a decision was still made to host the seven games at the Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium — six softball and one baseball — without fans present.

That's despite spectators being allowed to attend other sporting events outside the Olympics in the region.

The Red Hopes Fukushima prepare to play a game against a team from Gunma at a stadium in Izumizaki village in Fukushima prefecture.
The Red Hopes Fukushima prepare to play a game against a team from Gunma at a stadium in Izumizaki village in Fukushima prefecture. (Daishi Kusunoki/CNN)

It's particularly disappointing for the city of Fukushima, where the Olympics was supposed to celebrate the region's recovery from a nuclear disaster more than a decade ago.

"We have genuinely dreamed of people all over the world coming to visit Fukushima, and we expected them to find out the attractiveness of Fukushima," Akinori Iwamura, a former Major League Baseball player and manager of semi-pro baseball side the Red Hopes Fukushima, told CNN.
"Although our towns haven't fully recovered, we wanted to tell everyone how Fukushima has been rebuilt in the last 10 years. It is pretty unfortunate to have no spectators at the games," added Iwamura.

Over in Koriyama city — about an hour drive from Fukushima city — residents said they felt elated by Japan's victory over the US in women's softball on Tuesday.

The Red Hopes Fukushima want to use sport to highlight the recovery of their region.
The Red Hopes Fukushima want to use sport to highlight the recovery of their region. (Daishi Kusunoki/CNN)

And while fans can’t be in the stands for Wednesday' game, some, like local resident Yuko Aikawa, said they were looking forward to watching on TV.

"Of course, I would've wanted to buy tickets to see the competition at the stadium, but I understand the decision to ban spectators," Aikawa said. "My friends and I have been following all the events on TV."
8:58 p.m. ET, July 27, 2021

Simone Biles' withdrawal reminds us that she's human — and still very much the GOAT

From CNN's Scottie Andrew

Simone Biles came to the Tokyo Olympics looking to earn another gold medal or four and deliver yet another stellar performance before potentially retiring. But then she did something her fans had never seen before: She faltered.

She was attempting an advanced vault move known as the Amanar, which she'd executed perfectly in a previous competition. The move involves a back handspring with two-and-a-half twists in the air before landing. It's a feat for the average Olympian, but when Biles nails it, she looks effortless.

On Tuesday, though, Biles "looked like she got lost" somewhere in the air, CNN sports analyst Christine Brennan said. She nearly landed on her knees and left the field of play close to tears. Minutes later, word came that Biles would not compete with the team.

"Worst nightmare coming to pass here," Brennan said of Biles exiting the event.

Her departure stunned the sports world and her many fans in the US who've seen her repeatedly make the most difficult moves in gymnastics look like standard playground stunts. Biles' talent and charisma has catapulted her to a pedestal so high and seemingly untouchable that any mistake is magnified, and it's all the more devastating — to Biles and to her many fans — when she falls.

Biles isn't one to hide how she feels. After her less-than-perfect performance in the preliminary round Sunday, she said she feels like she has "the weight of the world on [her] shoulders at times."

"I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn't affect me but damn sometimes it's hard hahaha!" she wrote on Instagram.

Biles, the most decorated American gymnast, defies gravity like a superhuman, but even our near-perfect heroes are fallible. Seeing her slip reminds her many fans of what pressure, however well-intentioned, can do to an international idol.

Read more:

9:20 p.m. ET, July 27, 2021

Olympians' tattoos are out in full force in Tokyo, where the art form has a complex history

From CNN's Leah Asmelash

An Olympic swimmer, with a striking bright blue shark tattoo on their rib cage, during a training session at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre venue for the swimming competitions on Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
An Olympic swimmer, with a striking bright blue shark tattoo on their rib cage, during a training session at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre venue for the swimming competitions on Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Martin Meissner/AP)

There was a time when tattoos were taboo, even in the US — associated with criminals or societal rejects.

But since the 1970s, tattoos have seen a rise in popularity in Western societies especially. And it's a trend that's reflected in this summer's Olympics in Tokyo.

From solid Olympic rings to bright blue sharks, many of this year's athletes are sporting a wide range of ink. But it's a far cry from what one sees in Japanese society in general, where tattoos are still largely rebuked.

Dominican Republic women's volleyball player Brenda Castillo during a training session on July 22, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Castillo has multiple visible tattoos, including on her neck, arms and hand.
Dominican Republic women's volleyball player Brenda Castillo during a training session on July 22, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Castillo has multiple visible tattoos, including on her neck, arms and hand. (Manu Fernandez/AP)

Tattoos have a long history in Japan, with the first record of decorative tattooing dating all the way back to 247 C.E., according to research out of Banaras Hindu University in India.

The art form's popularity grew during the Edo period, which lasted from the early 1600s to 1868. It is thought to have stemmed from woodblock printmaking, and the first tattoo artists were typically woodcarvers, according to the Center for Asia Pacific Studies at the University of San Francisco. Though the Edo government worked hard to keep lower social classes in line at the time — including having strict rules regarding the types of clothing certain classes were allowed to wear — colorful tattoos were one way the lower classes attempted to push back against the restrictions, according to the center.

United States men's 4x100m freestyle relay team Bowen Becker, Blake Pieroni and Caeleb Dressel celebrate after winning the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics on Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Dressel has a full sleeve on his left arm, while Pieroni sports the Olympic rings.
United States men's 4x100m freestyle relay team Bowen Becker, Blake Pieroni and Caeleb Dressel celebrate after winning the gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics on Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Dressel has a full sleeve on his left arm, while Pieroni sports the Olympic rings. (Matthias Schrader/AP)

In 1872, under the Meiji regime, that changed. Concerned that the tattoos would be looked down upon by Western powers, the new government banned both the act of tattooing and the display of tattoos, according to Center. Though traditional Japanese tattoo style, sometimes called "wabori" or "irezumi," has now become famous and highly sought after around the world, it was initially suppressed.

Almost a century later, in the 1960s, tattoos became associated with the Yakuza, powerful criminal gangs. The connection between Yakuza members and tattoos was so strong, that often bathhouses and hot springs would ban those with tattoos from entering, in an attempt to ban members of the Yakuza. In many places in Japan, those bans are still enforced.

In recent years, though, the popularity of tattoos in Japan has been growing — but it hasn't been easy.

Read more:

8:53 p.m. ET, July 27, 2021

Here's why Simone Biles withdrew from the women's gymnastics team finals

From CNN's Alyssa Kraus

World-renowned gymnast and four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles withdrew from the women's gymnastics team finals over mental health concerns on Tuesday.

Here's everything you need to know about Biles' decision:

The withdrawal:

  • Biles withdrew midway through the women's team finals after leaving the field to be attended to. After visiting a trainer, she returned to the arena, but did not warm up for uneven bars. Instead, 20-year-old Jordan Chiles took Biles' place.
  • From the sidelines, Biles supported her teammates — chatting with them and cheering after each routine. Biles was a lively presence, jumping up and down in support of her teammates.
  • Biles said she told the rest of the team, "you have done all the training, you can do this without me, and it will be just fine."

The results:

  • Team USA took silver in the women's team finals, settling with a score of 166.096. The Russian Olympic Committee edged out Team USA to win gold with a score of 169.528.
  • "For me, I’m proud for how the girls stepped up and did what they had to do. I owe this to the girls, it has nothing to do with me. I am very proud of them," Biles said.

Mental health:

  • Biles broke down in tears as she addressed the media following the competition. “Whenever you get in a high stress situation you kind of freak out," she said. “I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and wellbeing." Biles also said those competing are "not just athletes, we’re people at the end of the day."
  • Biles also said the team will have a "mental rest day" Wednesday.
  • On Sunday, as Biles began to prepare for the team finals, she took to social media to describe the pressure she faces as a world-renowned gymnast. In an Instagram post, Biles said competing often leaves her feeling as if she has "the weight of the world on my shoulders."

What's next:

  • Speaking Tuesday, Biles did not commit to her remaining events at this year's Games. When asked if she would compete in Thursday's individual all-around final, she responded, "We're going to take it a day at a time. I know tomorrow we have a half day, at least the morning off. So it will be a good mental rest. So we will take it from there.” Following an unrelated question, Biles added, “Hopefully, I’ll get back out there and complete (in) a couple more events…”
  • The gymnast is scheduled for four remaining events: the women's all-round final on July 29, the women's vault and uneven bars finals on Aug. 1, the women's floor exercise final on Aug. 2 and the women's balance beam final on Aug. 3.
  • After Tuesday's withdrawal, Biles will be assessed daily to get medical clearance for future competitions, USA Gymnastics said in a tweet.