New top story from Time: With Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka Off TV Screens, Who Will Be the New Olympic Stars?

https://ift.tt/3BNLClE

If something like this—the stunning premature absence of two global icons from the Olympics—was ever going to happen, really, it would happen here, in Tokyo, in these troubled 2020 Olympic Games.

Assuming the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t going to completely overrun the whole affair once it began—and caution, we’re not in the clear yet— these Olympics were supposed to belong to Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka, full stop. Or Naomi and Simone—with the single-name status, in whichever order you prefer.

Gymnastics is a quadrennial television obsession, and Biles delivered like no one has before or since. She had nothing else to prove, but was back for another Olympic run to thrill an adoring audience once more. She was the surest of bets.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]

Biles pulled out of the team competition on Tuesday and will skip Thursday’s all-around individual competition. In a statement, USA Gymnastics said Biles had withdrawn “in order to focus on her mental health.” She could still take part this weekend’s individual event finals; USA Gymnastics said she will “continue to be evaluated daily.”

So Biles might not be gone from the Tokyo Olympics for good. But the gymnastics team and individual all-around events are the key TV draws for U.S. audiences during the first week of the Games. With Biles’ exit from the marquee events, the Olympics took a stunning turn.

And they were already reeling from Osaka’s shocking third-round loss on Tuesday to no. 42-ranked Marketa Vondrousova, of the Czech Republic, in straight sets. Normally, the Olympic tennis tournament feels like a bit of an add-on; the world’s best already gather four times a year to compete in Grand Slams. Do we really need to do it again?

But Osaka, a four-time Slam champ, was the face of the Tokyo Olympics for the home country, and she has a passionate following in the U.S. She lit the Olympic cauldron during the Opening Ceremony. And her mere presence carried even more importance after she withdrew from the French Open and skipped Wimbledon to tend to her mental health and prepare for the Games. She made a statement, heard loud around the world, on the pressing need for self-care. With that backdrop, millions were pulling for her.

“I definitely feel like there was a lot of pressure for this,” Osaka said after her exit. “I think it’s maybe because I haven’t played in the Olympics before and for the first year (it) was a bit much.”

Make no mistake; combined, Osaka and Biles have propelled mental health to the forefront of sports, and society, like no one else before them. In the long run, this will prove more valuable than any gold medal.

But that doesn’t mean fans can’t feel disappointed. If the Olympics weren’t going to mark a global victory over COVID-19, as imaged by organizers when they postponed them last March, they could at least serve as a welcome distraction from a persistent pandemic. Simone and Naomi were the key distractions.

Outside the U.S., there’s plenty to cheer. Japan, for example, has established itself as a skateboarding powerhouse and stands near the top of the medal count. China is succeeding in its quest for gold and continues to dominate sports like synchronized diving.

But who fills the superstar void for the American audience? Katie Ledecky proved human, finishing fifth in the 200-m freestyle and second in the 400-m freestyle, before winning 1,500-meter freestyle gold on Wednesday. She’s still an all-time great; maybe just not in Tokyo.

The U.S. men’s basketball team lost to France in its opening game; despite rebounding for an expectant win over Iran, Kevin Durant and Co. are vulnerable. The U.S. women’s soccer team, still trying to win a World Cup and Olympic gold back-to-back, has so far been uninspiring, going 1-1-1 in pool play.

Novak Djokovic is here, but at this point he’s practically winning machine; while his talent deserves the upmost respect, the Olympics aren’t banking on him.

Track and field starts Friday; it would have been nice to have Sha’carri Richardson in town. Noah Lyles has swagger, Sydney McLaughlin set a world record at the Olympic Trials, offering hope that she can repeat that feat. Travyon Bromell could be crowned the world’s fastest man. Allyson Felix is writing her final chapter, and chasing the all-time medals mark for a female track and field Olympian.

They all may shine. But these weren’t their Olympics. We can only wish Osaka and Biles well. And can’t help but wonder what might have been, during an Olympics we can never get back.

Comments

Enhancing Safety on Franklin Street

Enhancing Safety on Franklin Street By Mark Dreger We're excited to share an update on the Franklin Street Quick-Build Project, an effort to enhance traffic safety on Franklin Street between Broadway and Lombard Streets. This roadway stretch was the site of 38 collisions between 2017 and 2021, including the tragic loss of a Sherman Elementary School paraeducator in November 2021. Our data-driven approach focuses on several key safety improvements, and we are ready to share the evaluation results and the next steps to bring further safety changes to Franklin Street. The project includes the implementation of a suite of safety measures focused on the intersections where neighborhood stakeholders expressed most concerns during the outreach process. Painted safety zones (PSZs) have been installed to increase pedestrian visibility at crosswalks by keeping the corners of intersections clear. Slow-turn wedges have been added to encourage drivers to turn at safer speeds...

New top story from Time: China Sentences a Former Lawyer Who Reported on the Coronavirus Outbreak to Four Years

https://ift.tt/3nVF2lP BEIJING — A Chinese court on Monday sentenced a former lawyer who reported on the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak to four years in prison on charges of “picking fights and provoking trouble,” one of her lawyers said. The Pudong New Area People’s Court in the financial hub of Shanghai gave the sentence to Zhang Zhan following accusations she spread false information, gave interviews to foreign media, disrupted public order and “maliciously manipulated” the outbreak. Lawyer Zhang Keke confirmed the sentence but said it was “inconvenient” to provide details — usually an indication that the court has issued a partial gag order. He said the court did not ask Zhang whether she would appeal, nor did she indicate whether she would. Zhang, 37, traveled to Wuhan in February and posted on various social media platforms about the outbreak that is believed to have emerged in the central Chinese city late last year. She was arrested in May amid tough n...

New top story from Time: Want Unity For Real? Then America Needs to Get Back to Facts

https://ift.tt/3pZWgj1 Philadelphia had never seen such a spectacle. On Friday, July 4, 1788—a dozen years since the Declaration of Independence—the city celebrated the narrow ratification of the Constitution with parades, fireworks, and speeches. The patriot-physician Benjamin Rush appreciatively noted the “pleasant and cooling breeze” and took satisfaction in the evidence of unity after the divisive debates to replace the Articles of Confederation with a more coherent and lasting form of government. “The Rabbi of the Jews, locked in the arms of two ministers of the gospel, was a most delightful sight,” Rush wrote. “I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am as perfectly satisfied that the union of the states … is as much the work of divine providence as any of the miracles recorded in the old and new testament were the effects of a divine power.” Rush’s happy conclusion: “’Tis done! We are become a nation.” That nation, however, was...

FOX NEWS: California couple gets married at 'most beautiful' Taco Bell: 'It was the best of both worlds' Analicia Garcia, 24, and Kyle Howser, 25, from Sacramento, California, got married on Tuesday, Oct. 26 and had their reception at the famous Pacifica, California, Taco Bell.

California couple gets married at 'most beautiful' Taco Bell: 'It was the best of both worlds' Analicia Garcia, 24, and Kyle Howser, 25, from Sacramento, California, got married on Tuesday, Oct. 26 and had their reception at the famous Pacifica, California, Taco Bell. via FOX NEWS https://ift.tt/3BKWsrb

Traffic Collisions have Decreased on San Francisco’s Slow Streets

Traffic Collisions have Decreased on San Francisco’s Slow Streets By Julia Malmo As a whole, Slow Streets are safer than they were before being designated Slow Streets Streets that are part of the SFMTA’s Slow Streets Program have become measurably safer since the program began in 2020, with the number of traffic crashes falling by almost half. On average, these corridors have seen a 48% drop in collisions following their designation as Slow Streets, compared with a 14% drop in collisions citywide over the same period. Slow Streets also are more welcoming for people who walk, bike and roll. Fewer than 1,000 vehicles per day use all but four of the current Slow Streets (20th Street, Minnesota Street, Noe Street, and Page Street). The goal of the program is to create safe, shared streets that are comfortable and enjoyable for people of all ages and abilities, using any mode of transportation. We now can see how it’s doing in a new evaluation report . When t...

New top story from Time: Judge: U.S. Must Free Migrant Children Detained With Parents

https://ift.tt/2Vn00hg (HOUSTON) — A federal judge on Friday ordered the release of children held with their parents in U.S. immigration jails and denounced the Trump administration’s prolonged detention of families during the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee’s order applies to children held for more than 20 days at three family detention centers in Texas and Pennsylvania operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Some have been detained since last year. Citing the recent spread of the virus in two of the three facilities, Gee set a deadline of July 17 for children to either be released with their parents or sent to family sponsors. The family detention centers “are ‘on fire’ and there is no more time for half measures,” she wrote. Read more: If You’re Shocked by Reports on Children at the Border, You Haven’t Paid Attention to American History In May, ICE said it was detaining 184 children at the three detention centers, which are separa...

New top story from Time: U.S. Postal Service Considers Downsizing, Senator and Union Leader Say

https://ift.tt/308IEr5 (CHARLESTON, W.Va.) — The U.S. Postal Service is considering closing post offices across the country, sparking concerns ahead of an anticipated surge of mail-in ballots in the 2020 elections, U.S. Sen Joe Manchin and a union leader said Wednesday. Manchin said he has received numerous reports from post offices and colleagues about service cuts or looming closures in West Virginia and elsewhere, prompting him to send a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy asking for an explanation. The possible cutbacks come as DeJoy, a major donor to President Donald Trump who took control of the agency last month, moves to eliminate overtime for hundreds of thousands of postal workers, potentially causing a delay in mail deliveries. A recent document from the Postal Service, obtained by The Associated Press , described the need for an “operational pivot” to make the cash-strapped agency financially stable. “It’s just asinine to think that you can shut somethi...

New top story from Time: 8 People Involved in Tokyo Olympic Torch Relay Infected With COVID-19

https://ift.tt/3vATfb8 Eight people who were involved in the the torch relay for the Tokyo Olympics have tested positive for COVID-19—the latest sign of trouble for Japan as it both struggles with a spike in infections and prepares for the Games this summer. More than 70% of people in Japan want the Olympics, which begin July 23, to be canceled or postponed, according to an April poll by Kyodo News . Runners of the relay, which began its journey to Tokyo on March 25 in Fukushima , have faced heckling and protests . The Japanese government, however, insists that the Games will go ahead following their delay in 2020 due to the pandemic. COVID-19 protocols released last month rely on frequent testing and isolation bubbles for athletes and coaches, but not strict quarantines or vaccinations. Fans from abroad have been banned, and organizers are weighing whether to bar Japanese spectators, as well . On Sunday, the country reported 5,900 new infections, and the number of COVI...

New top story from Time: Donald Trump and Trump Biden Square Off for First Debate

https://ift.tt/3kQSmpA President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are facing off on the debate stage during one of the most turbulent periods in modern American history. A viral pandemic has killed 200,000 Americans and pummeled the economy, racial justice protests continue in towns and cities, and vast fires wreak environmental disaster across the American West . Adding to the national sense of foreboding, Trump has refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power i f he loses the election and is using his bully pulpit to sow distrust in the voting process and spread false allegations that voting by mail —a safe alternative for many during the pandemic—will lead to rampant voter fraud. ( It won’t.) There’s a lot to debate. While the head-to-head is an opportunity for both candidates to convince Americans that they are the right person to lead the country through this tumultuous time, it’s also a moment for voters to see the two men’s styles set ...

New top story from Time: In a Break with Washington’s Usual Posture, the CDC Director Makes an Emotional Plea

https://ift.tt/39vQIX0 This article is part of the The DC Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox every weekday. It’s sometimes easy to forget that the leaders who guide this country through its toughest moments aren’t steely caricatures. We take comfort in the hardened hagiography of FDR responding to Pearl Harbor, Ronald Reagan’s reflection on the Challenger’s crew that “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God,” or George W. Bush’s return to the White House after a harrowing day of cat-and-mouse on Sept. 11, 2001. So it was a bit of a jolt when Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, experienced an emotional hiccup at a press briefing yesterday when she warned the public that COVID-19 still presents a real danger. We are approaching 10 weeks of Joe Biden’s team laying out facts and science to the public about the COVID-19 pandemic and his Administrati...

My precise view

Search This Blog