Tokyo 2020 Olympics: cycling, boxing and more on final day – live!

Handball – Norway are spanking Sweden in the women’s handball bronze medal match. They’re up 23-10 early in the second half.

Water polo – Croatia are up 11-8 over the USA into the final quarter of their battle for fifth place.

Kelsey Mitchell controlled that final from go to woah. She’s only been riding seriously for four years, now she’s an Olympic champion. Olena Starikova (UKR) has to settle for bronze.

Women’s sprint – Bronze for 34-year-old Wai Sze Lee (HKG). She defeated a pretty flat Emma Hinze (GER) who lacked pep in her final race after missing out on gold.

Women’s omnium – Heading into the final points race Valente (USA) has the overall lead by two points from Yumi Kajihara (JPN). That pair are in a race of their own for gold. Laura Kenny (GBR) is down to ninth and a long shot for bronze.

Women’s omnium – Valente (USA) continues her superb omnium with her third strong result of the event, coming in fourth. Clara Copponi (FRA) held off Yumi Kajihara (JPN) in the final sprint.

Women’s omnium – And now Kenny’s gone! Huge upset for the British Olympic legend. It was tight on the line between her and Stenberg (NOR) but it went against Kenny, and her medal hopes have taken a huge hit. But only two laps later Wild (NED) is out. This is a crazy race. Jennifer Valente (USA) is sitting pretty in the race, and the overall.

Women’s omnium – Disaster for Annette Edmondson (AUS)! Second eliminated and her chances of a medal have been crushed. Such a strong opening race led to hopes of a medal, but two shockers have ended her dreams.

Women’s omnium – Back to the omnium, and leg three, the elimination race. This is where the rider at the back of the field is dropped until there are only two riders remaining.

Women’s sprint – Kelsey Mitchell (CAN) wins the first leg of the gold medal race against Olena Starikova (UKR). Wai Sze Lee (HKG) defeated Emma Hinze (GER) in the first race for Bronze.

Men’s keirin – The second semi was a cracker. Awang (MAS), Levy (GER), and Lavreysen (NED) are all through to the final where Kenny (GBR) and Glatezer (AUS) await.

Men’s keirin – Kenny (GBR) rode a superb race to nick the semi on the line. Glaetzer (AUS) defended his place well throughout to come second. Both progress into the final. Carlin (GBR) misses out in fourth.

Men’s keirin – Semi-final time for the men’s keirin. Up first we have Glaetzer (AUS), Carlin (GBR), and Kenny (GBR) gunning for a spot in the top three in a field of six.

Women’s basketball: The gold medal match between the USA and Japan tips off shortly. Follow all the action here:

Women’s sprint – Kelsey Mitchell (CAN) will race Olena Starikova (UKR) in the final of the women’s sprint. The Canadian defeated Emma Hinze (GER) in their decisive final semi-final race. The German moves on to take on Wai Sze Lee (HKG) in the bronze medal race.

Women’s omnium – Superb comeback from Laura Kenny (GBR)! After falling in the opening sprint race she rode superbly in the tempo to make up plenty of lost ground. She won the most sprint points (7) and was part of the leading group of seven that established lap points. She moves up to fifth overall, chasing Valente (USA) and Wild (NED). Edmondson has dropped back into the pack.

Women’s omnium – Seven riders, including Kenny (GBR), Wild (NED), and Valente (USA) have been awarded 20 lap points. Edmondson (AUS) was in the wrong group and will suffer greatly in the final classification.

Women’s omnium – Leading riders Kirsten Wild (NED) and Jennifer Valente (USA) are both hoovering up points.

Women’s omnium – Annette Edmondson (AUS) is also in the sprint points, backing up her strong finish in the first race.

Women’s omnium – Laura Kenny (GBR) is up and riding after her crash earlier, and she has collected a couple of early sprint points. Hopefully she’s not expending too much energy to disadvantage her later in the race.

Women’s omnium – the second event in the women’s omnium is underway. This is the 30-lap, 26-sprint tempo race.

Water polo – At the end of a gruelling competition, exactly what you want is a battle for seventh place that goes to penalties, isn’t it? Well, that’s what the men of Italy and Montenegro endured, with the Italians coming out on top 4-3 following a 14-14 draw.

USA take on Croatia for fifth, soon.

Women’s sprint – Starikova’s final opponent is yet to be decided. Mitchell (CAN) and Hinze (GER) are locked 1-1 with a deciding race to come.

Women’s sprint – Olena Starikova (UKR) has cruised into the gold medal race with a race to spare following a 2-0 semi-final victory over Wai Sze Lee (HKG).

Men’s keirin – Glaetzer (AUS) controlled the early stages of the third quarter-final from the front, but then he found himself boxed in as the attacks came from the outside, and did well to force his way into fourth position and qualify for the semis.

Men’s keirin – Another Team GB rider, Jack Carlin, is through to the semis.

Matthew Glaetzer (AUS) is up next.

Men’s keirin – Kenny (GBR) is safely through to the semis but Richardson (AUS) finished fifth and is out. The Aussie found himself boxed in when the push came on the outside and he didn’t have enough time to make up the deficit.

Men’s keirin – Quarter-final time for the men’s keirin, and in the first heat we have Jason Kenny (GBR) husband of Laura in action, as well as Matthew Richardson (AUS).

Women’s omnium – Valente (USA) collected 40 points for winning the scratch race. The good news for Kenny (GBR) is because so many riders were collected in that huge stack she picks up 16 points despite a DNF. It’s still a lot of ground to make up, but it could have been much worse.

Volleyball – Serbia have destroyed South Korea 3-0 in the women’s bronze medal match. Brazil take on the USA for the gold medal in around three hours from now.

Women’s omnium – That was like watching ten-pin bowling. Bikes and riders strewn all over the track. About half the field went down.

Women’s omnium – Disaster for Laura Kenny in that first race. Firstly – let’s hope she’s ok (she appears to be). Secondly – let’s hope that doesn’t end any hopes she carries of another medal.

Women’s omnium – Laura Kenny hit the front around 5 laps to go as the jostling began in earnest. Kirsten Wild, then Annette Edmondson, followed, then there were two separate crashes with bikes strewn all over the track!

Jennifer Valente (USA) timed her run to perfection, getting her wheel across the line first, Yumi Kajihara (JPN) second, Edmondson (AUS) third. Kenny was unfortunately caught up in the second of those stacks.

Women’s omnium – The first event in the women’s omnium is a 30-lap first past the post scratch race. At the halfway stage it’s a leisurely cruise, building up to a massive bunch sprint, no doubt.

I’ll hand over to the capable hands of Jonathan Howcroft now. Thanks for reading during the Olympics and see you for Paris 2024 (sudden firing notwithstanding).

Indoor women’s volleyball: Serbia’s Tijana Bošković can hit serves as fast as 62mph. With that kind of weaponry at their disposal, it’s little wonder her team are now 2-0 up in sets after they won the second 25-15 against South Korea. They’re one set from a bronze medal.

Like photos of very fit people doing very impressive things but with excellent lighting and shot composition? Then why not peruse our gallery of the best images from Day 15:

Women’s indoor volleyball: It’s South Korea v Serbia for bronze. Serbia won the first set and are 4-2 up in the second. Serbia were silver medalists in 2016, so have some pedigree.

One striking thing from the end of the marathon was the (small) crowd on the streets of Sapporo cheering Kipchoge and Co home at the end of their heroic efforts (everyone I could see was wearing a mask). It was lovely to hear the athletes get the cheers they so richly deserve but there was also a melancholy at what could have been if this Games had taken place in Normal Times.

Men’s marathon: USA’s Galen Rupp, the 2016 bronze medalist, finishes in eighth. A great effort – and it also means the US men’s track team will finish without an individual gold for the first time since 1980.

Men’s marathon: Now an actual race is on for silver and bronze. The Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye sprints away for silver and Belgium’s Bashir Abdi stays with him for bronze. Lawrence Cherono looked like he was going to make it a Kenyan 1-2 but his legs betrayed him at the last.

What a race and what a champion. He’s just the third athlete to defend the men’s marathon title. He stayed with the pack for most of the race and then drifted off to the horizon when he wanted to – and no one was catching him. The heat was intense today but he doesn’t look in the least bit tired after a marvelous 26.2 miles. He wins by more than a minute over a field of the best runners in the world. His winning time is 2hr 8min 38sec. Wow.

Men’s marathon: We pass the two-hour mark and Kipchoge runs through the shady lanes of the Hokkaido University campus. He has 2km to go and his lead is up to 1min and 17 seconds.

Men’s marathon: Two miles to go. What a shame Kipchoge won’t be rewarded for this wonderful performance by the roar of a packed stadium. There are, at least, a scattering of cheers from the people of Sapporo as he glides through the streets.

Men’s marathon: Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono, Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, Spain’s Ayad Lamdassem and the Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye are still bunched tight in the chasing pack. I think there’s going to be a sprint for silver and bronze. Suguru Osako of Japan is making a move from behind though, and could maybe grab a medal.

Men’s marathon: I’m going to risk this and say Kipchoge is the nailed on champion. It’s maybe the least risky statement I have ever made. The 36-year-old is around 5km from becoming a double Olympic champion and looks very, very comfortable. The interesting part will be who finishes in silver and bronze.

Men’s marathon: 7km to go and Kipchoge’s lead is now 28 seconds ahead of the pack. He ran the last 5km in 14min and 28sec. The previous one was around 15 seconds. Yikes. The chasing pack now consists of Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono, Belgium’s Bashir Abdi and Spain’s Ayad Lamdassem. The Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye is a few seconds back from them and still in with a chance of a medal.

Men’s marathon: It must be so demoralising to run at this pace, in that heat and then just see Kipchoge accelerate off into the distance. He grabs some ice from the cooling station, dabs himself down and scampers away from his competition.

Men’s marathon: Eliud Kipchoge, the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion and all-around superhuman, has basically said: “Nah, let’s get this nonsense over with,” and accelerates away from the pack looking very comfortable. What a superb athlete. Everyone else looks like they are hurting. Kipchoge looks like he’s nipped out to get some bread (the shop must be very far away). His lead is 14 seconds and growing with 10km to go.

Men’s marathon: If you’re wondering how the Aussies/Brits/Kiwis/Canadians/Americans are doing (I’m just doing our biggest markets, we love all marathon runners) then here you go. At 18 miles, USA’s Galen Rupp has just dropped off the leading pack, NZ’s Zane Robertson is 19th around a minute off the leaders, Canada’s Ben Preisner is 50th, GB’s Callum Hawkins is 57th and Australia’s Liam Adams is 46th. There are other runners from each of those countries but they’re further back. Basically none of those runners will will gold.

Men’s marathon: For the first time since 1980 (and they didn’t participate then so had a good excuse) the US men’s track team has failed to win an individual Olympic gold (they did win in the 4x400m replay). Their last chance is in this race in the form of Galen Rupp. He’s in the leading pack but I’d be very surprised if he won a medal, let alone gold.

Men’s marathon: Brazil’s Daniel do Nascimento, who was at the front of the pack for a long time, stumbled and fell and looked like he was in trouble. But he’s got up and is running again. I hope he’s OK and isn’t ploughing on when he needs medical help. And he’s stopped again. The right decision to stop and medics quickly attend to him.

Men’s marathon: A reminder that the race is being run in Sapporo, 500 miles or so north of Tokyo to avoid the capital’s brutal heat. Current temperature in Sapporo: 26C. Current temperature in Tokyo: 24C. In fairness, weather is hard to predict (although the word on the street is the long-term trend is WARM). In other news, the New York Mets, are being destroyed by the Philadelphia Phillies. Again. What are we going to turn over to in disgust now the Olympics are (all but) over?

Men’s marathon: We’ve reached the halfway point and Stephen Mokoka of South Africa leads. But it’s a halfhearted-yeah-whatever kind of lead of two seconds and the pack soon gobble him up again. Still about 30 athletes within a few seconds of each other.

Hello! And bad news for fans of 24-hour liveblogs of quadrennial multi-sport events because it’s our last one of the Games. But the good news it’s the Summer Olympics again in three years! And the Winter Olympics in, maybe … two months? I dunno, around then. I think the World Cup is next week.

Anyway, on to Day 16 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics! The marathon is currently being run, but here’s what else is on today courtesy of my colleague Martin Belam:

All events are listed here in local Tokyo time. Add an hour for Melbourne, subtract eight hours for Cardiff, 13 hours for Albany and 16 hours for Seattle.

• 9am and 1.30pm Volleyball – the women’s bronze medal match is up first, Serbia v Not Russia, with the women’s final at lunchtime featuring the US and Brazil 🥇
• 9.30am-4.30pm Water polo – after two ranking matches and then the battle for the bronze, the final is at 4.30pm 🥇
• 10am-12.25pm Track cycling – the medal races start from 11.45am and feature the women’s sprint, the men’s keirin, and the women’s omnium points race concludes at all at 12.25pm 🥇
• 11am Rhythmic gymnastics – it is the group all-around final. There are two rotations before the medals are determined 🥇
• 11am and 3pm Handball – it is the sharp end of the women’s tournament. The bronze medal match between Norway and Sweden first and then the 3pm final featuring France and Not Russia 🥇
• 11.30am Basketball – it’s the women’s final, where Japan face a US team who have won their last 54 consecutive matches at the Olympics 🥇
• 1.40pm and 4.30pm Water polo – Hungary play Spain for the men’s bronze, and then it is Greece v Serbia for men’s gold 🥇
• 2pm-3.55pm Boxing – today’s session consists of four finals bouts – women’s and mens light, women’s middle and men’s super heavy to round it off. Team GB’s Lauren Price fights at 2.45pm 🥇
• 8pm closing ceremony – don’t dream it’s over.

You can find our full interactive events schedule here.

As it stands

Here’s how the emoji table stands with one day to go:

1 🇨🇳 China 🥇 38 🥈 31 🥉 18 total: 87
2 🇺🇸 USA 🥇 36 🥈 39 🥉 33 total: 108
3 🇯🇵 Japan🥇 27 🥈 12 🥉 17 total: 56

4 ◽️ Not Russia 🥇 20 🥈 26 🥉 23 total: 69
5 🇬🇧 Great Britain 🥇 20 🥈 21 🥉 22 total: 63
6 🇦🇺 Australia 🥇 17 🥈 7 🥉 22 total: 46
7 🇩🇪 Germany 🥇 10 🥈 11 🥉 16 total: 37
8 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🥇 10 🥈 11 🥉 12 total: 33
9 🇮🇹 Italy 🥇 10 🥈 10 🥉 19 total: 39
10 🇫🇷 France 🥇 9 🥈 12 🥉 11 total: 32