Reuters Sports News Summary

Macron and Biden are among the few dignitaries attending https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/us-first-lady-jill-biden-arrives-japan-games-2021-07-22 the delayed Games, with Japan and much of the world still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. Olympics-Volleyball-Japan claim first win in 29 years, Iran beat Poland in epic clash Hosts Japan began their men's volleyball campaign with their first victory at the Olympics in 29 years while Iran edged Poland in a five-set epic in their Pool A openers at an empty Ariake Arena on Saturday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Olympics-Water Polo-U.S., Spain set scoring records on dire day for debutants

World champions the United States began their quest for a third straight Olympic gold medal in women's water polo by storming into the record books with a 25-4 humbling of hosts Japan at the Tatsumi Water Polo Centre on Saturday. But the U.S. record for most goals scored in a single match at the Olympics stood just a few hours before being overhauled by reigning European champions Spain, who crushed South Africa 29-4 to lay down a marker of their own.

Olympics-Equestrian-Tokyo's Oldest Olympian says ready for Paris 2024 "unless body breaks"

Tokyo 2020's oldest competitor, 66-year-old Australian horse rider Mary Hanna, said on Saturday she also aimed to take part in the 2024 Olympics unless her body gave way. Hanna represents her country in dressage, one of the three equestrian disciplines that are the only Olympic events that do not differentiate on the basis of gender and often feature athletes aged over 50 competing at the highest level.

Olympics-Soccer-U.S. rebound with 6-1 win over NZ, Britain and Sweden enter quarters

The United States women's soccer team returned to winning ways with a clinical 6-1 victory over New Zealand at Saitama Stadium on Saturday, while Britain and Sweden maintained perfect starts to book their places in the Olympic tournament's knockout stage. After suffering a first defeat in 30 months to Sweden in their Group G opener, the Americans, who are world champions, made a much-improved start against New Zealand, breaking the deadlock inside 10 minutes with a Rose Lavelle strike.

Olympics-Glittering gold distracts from Tokyo woes

Sport stretched out over Tokyo on Saturday and gold medals rained down as the Olympic Games burst into life, finally casting aside some of the shadow of COVID-19 and controversy that has plagued the global showpiece. China made an instant statement of intent when Yang Qian grabbed the Games' first gold, and Japanese judoka Naohisa Takato lifted home hearts with gold on the mat a day after the nation's global superstar https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/slimmed-down-ceremony-open-pandemic-hit-tokyo-games-2021-07-23, tennis player Naomi Osaka, had lit the cauldron to officially open the pandemic-delayed Olympics.

Fencing-Hungary's Szilagyi makes history, China's Sun faces heartbreak after winning gold

Hungarian Aron Szilagyi became the first man to capture a hat-trick of Olympic gold medals in the same fencing event when he triumphed in the individual sabre final on Saturday. When he won the final point over Italy's Luigi Samele, Szilagyi took his mask off and broke into a wide smile, pointing a finger to the sky.

Olympics-Taekwondo-Teenagers cause upsets, Thai flyweight queen nabs gold

On a day of many upsets, Thailand's taekwondo flyweight queen Panipak Wongpattanakit did not disappoint in the end, winning her first Olympic gold by a hair on Saturday to add to her two world championships. In the final bout, Spanish 17-year-old Adriana Cerezo Iglesias was seven seconds away from gold when a 2-point body kick from Panipak reversed a 1-point lead, sending her crumpling on the mat in tears.

Olympics-Basketball 3x3-Macron and Jill Biden look on as France lose to U.S

French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. first lady Jill Biden watched their countrywomen tangle on the 3x3 basketball court at the sport's Olympic debut https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/on-3x3-basketball-tokyo-olympics-2021-06-21 in Tokyo on Saturday, with the Americans pulling out an upset victory. Macron and Biden are among the few dignitaries attending https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/us-first-lady-jill-biden-arrives-japan-games-2021-07-22 the delayed Games, with Japan and much of the world still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Olympics-Volleyball-Japan claim first win in 29 years, Iran beat Poland in epic clash

Hosts Japan began their men's volleyball campaign with their first victory at the Olympics in 29 years while Iran edged Poland in a five-set epic in their Pool A openers at an empty Ariake Arena on Saturday. Japan's win over Venezuela in straight sets was their first since the 1992 Barcelona Games and they were led from the front by Yuki Ishikawa (15 points) and 19-year-old Ran Takahashi (11 points) who delivered a barrage of spikes.

TOKYO OLYMPICS: What you need to know right now

The first host nation gold is often one of the loudest spectator highlights of an Olympic Games. On Saturday, Japan won its first Tokyo 2020 gold medal in the men's 60kg judo in front of a few press and athletic staff. Here's what you need to know about the Tokyo Games:

Olympics-Swimming-Powerhouse Peaty shakes off the 'cobwebs' in style

Adam Peaty said he was just shaking off the cobwebs, and felt weird without fans watching, but he still won his Olympic 100m breaststroke heat on Saturday with a time faster than any other man has ever swum. The world and Olympic champion's time of 57.56 seconds, while way off his world record 56.88, meant he now has the top 16 fastest swims of all time in the event -- and he has yet to shave his moustache.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)