Tokyo 2020 – 'Our first gold' - Yang Qian puts on own gold medal in strange ceremony at Olympic Games
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Published 24/07/2021 at 08:27 GMT
China won the first Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020 with the final shot as 21-year-old Yang Qian held her nerve in a dramatic final round – an event followed by a strange victory ceremony, which will become commonplace due to Covid restrictions. Watch every unmissable moment live from Tokyo 2020 across Eurosport, Eurosport app and discovery+
'Our first gold' - Yang picks up own winners’ medal in strange ceremony
We have our first gold medal! China’s Yang Qian set an Olympic record to take top spot in the women’s 10m air rifle at Tokyo 2020.
But it was an unfamiliar affair with just a handful of support staff dotted around an otherwise empty stadium as Yang pipped Russia’s Anastasiia Galashina with her final shot to take victory.
We're used to seeing emotional medal ceremonies, with athletes belting out anthems after having their medal put round their neck, but in Tokyo they will be more subdued.
Yang had to put on her own gold medal and sing the national anthem through a mask in a strange ceremony, which was held under strict Covid rules.
No spectators will be allowed into venues at the Olympics after a state of emergency was declared in Tokyo due to rising Covid cases in the capital.
There have been a number of cases in the Athletes’ Village while some people gathered to protest against the Games outside the Opening Ceremony on Friday.
IOC president Thomas Bach, fresh from opening the Olympics, handed out the medals at the ceremony.
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China's Yang Qian seals first gold of Tokyo 2020
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