In Pictures: The best photos from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

A look at the highs and lows of the Tokyo Olympics as the competition gets underway in Japan.

Updated

Published

Jul 26, 2021, 01:40 PM

Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling competing in the men’s 100m butterfly heats at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 29, 2021. Schooling's bid for a second medal ended in disappointment when he finished last in his heat and failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Table tennis player Yu Menyu missed out on a bronze against opponent Japanese Mima Ito in the third-place play-off at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on July 29, 2021.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Sunisa Lee of the United States is congratulated by Jade Carey of the United States after winning gold in the women’s gymnastics all-around final at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 29, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Apriyani Rahayu of Indonesia and Greysia Polii of Indonesia react after winning the match against Du Yue of China and Li Yinhui of China in the badminton women's double quarterfinal match at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza in Tokyo, Japan, on July 29, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

The players of Britain prepare to defend a penalty corner in the women's hockey match against Netherlands at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, on July 29, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Facundo Campazzo of Argentina reacts after a play in the men's basketball match against Spain at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on July 29, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

France's Pauline Ranvier (L) reacts during the match against Russia's Marta Martyanova in the women's foil team gold medal bout at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on July 29, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Singapore's Yu Mengyu in action against China's world No. 1 Chen Meng in the women's singles semifinals table tennis match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on July 29, 2021. Chen eventually won 4-0.
PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Huang Dongping of China in action during the match with Wang Yilyu of China against Yuta Watanabe of Japan and Arisa Higashino of Japan in the badminton mixed double semifinal match at Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, Tokyo, Japan, on July 29, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Daiki Hashimoto of Japan celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's gymnastic individual all-around finals at Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan, on July 28, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

A picture combo shows Julio Ruben Mayora Pernia of Venezuela making a summersalt after an attempt in the Men's 73kg Group A during the Weightlifting event at the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo, Japan, July 28, 2021. Mayora Pernia won silver. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew playing against Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza on July 28, 2021.
PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Patrick Hausding of Germany and Lars Rudiger of Germany competing in the men's diving 3m springboard synchro final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Tokyo, Japan, July 28, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Lukasz Przybytek and Pawel Kolodzinski of Poland in action in the men's 49er sailing event at Enoshima Yacht Harbour, Tokyo, Japan, on July 28, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Simone Biles of the United States is seen during the women's team gymnastics final at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan on July 27, 2021.
PHOTO: REUTERS

Singapore shuttler Yeo Jia Min in action at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza during the Tokyo Olympic Games on 28 July 2021.
PHOTO: THE STRIATS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Silver medalists Jordan Chiles and Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrate on the podium at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo, Japan on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

USA's Sunisa Lee competes in the balance beam event of the artistic gymnastics women's team at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Yufei Lu of China performs on the Balance Beam during the Women's Team final during the Artistic Gymnastics eventsat the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Nikoloz Sherazadishvili of Spain in action against Altanbagana Gantulga of Mongolia in the men's 90kg judo match at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan on July 28, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Xia Xinyi of China in action against Brazil in the women's beach volleyball match at Shiokaze Park in Tokyo, Japan on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Russia's Evgeny Rylov wears a feline-themed mask as he waits for the podium ceremony after the final of the men's 100m backstroke swimming event at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling at the 100m freestyle heats at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 27, 2021.
PHOTO: THE STRIATS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Choo Gaeun of South Korea reacts during competition with Jin Jongoh of South Korea at the mixed 10m air pistol team event at the Asaka Shooting Range in Tokyo, Japan on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Italo Ferreira of Brazil in action in the men's shortboard surfing event at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach in Chiba, Japan on July 27, 2021.
PHOTO: REUTERS

Japan's Naomi Osaka returns the ball to Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova during the women's singles third round tennis match at the Ariake Tennis Park in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Julia Beljajeva of Estonia in action against Federica Isola of Italy in the women's team epee semifinal competition at Makuhari Messe hall B in Chiba, Japan, on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Singapore's Yu MengYu returns the ball to Taiwan's Cheng I-ching during her women's singles round 3 table tennis match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Zsuzsanna Tomori of Hungary in action in the women's handball match against Brazil at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Egypt's Doha Hany hits a shot to Turkey's Neslihan Yigit in their women's singles badminton group stage match at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Canadians Meaghan Benfeito and Caeli McKay competes in the women's 10m platform synchro diving finals at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

This picture taken with a robotic camera shows Nicaragua's Sema Nancy Ludrick Rivas competing in the women's 64kg weightlifting competition at the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines celebrates after completing a lift in the women's 55kg weightlifting event at the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo, Japan, on July 26, 2021.
PHOTO: REUTERS

Sun Wei of China in action during the floor exercise in the gymnastics finals of the men's artistic event at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 26, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Russian gymnasts Artur Dalaloyan, David Belyavskiy, Denis Abliazin and Nikita Nagornyy celebrate after winning gold in the gymnastics finals of the men's artistic event at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 26, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Slovenia's Darko Jorgic competes against Britain's Liam Pitchford in his men's singles round 3 table tennis match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on July 26, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Japan's Hiroki Ito and Japan's Kazuki Murakami compete in the men's synchronised 10m platform diving final event at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 26, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Australia’s Ariarne Titmus wins in the showdown competition, 400m freestyle final, beating rival US swimming great Katie Ledecky, at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 26, 2021. PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Ariarne Titmus of Australia (left) finishes before Kathleen Ledecky of the United States, winning the Women's 400m Freestyle Final during the swimming events at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, July 26, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Adam Peaty of Britain reacts after winning the gold medal in the Men's 100m Breaststroke final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, July 26, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Britain’s Adam Peaty poses for pictures after winning the 100m Breaststroke Final at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 26, 2021. PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway celebrates on the ground after wining gold in the men's individual triathlon competition during the at the Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo, Japan on July 26, 2021. On the right, Alex Yee of Britain and Hayden Wilde of New Zealand share a hug. PHOTO: REUTERS

Caroline Chew of Singapore on her horse Tribiani reacts during the dressage individual qualification competition at the Equestrian Park in Tokyo, Japan on July 25, 2021. Caroline Chew saw her ride halted midway yesterday after her horse was found to be bleeding in the mouth due to a small cut. She was eliminated in line with the sport’s rules. PHOTO: REUTERS

Paul Drux of Germany in action with Gaston Mourino and Pablo Vainstein, both from Argentina, in the Mens Group A Handball event at Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan on July 26, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Amita Berthier (left) during her bout with Lee Kiefer in the women’s individual foil event at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Tokyo, Japan, on July 25, 2021.
PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

France's Evan Fournier goes for the basket past USA's Draymond Jamal Green during the men's preliminary round group A basketball match between France and USA at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on July 25, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Gymnast Pauline Schaefer of Germany in action on the beam during the artistic women's beam qualification round at Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan, on July 25, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

USA's Simone Biles competes in the uneven bars event of the artistic gymnastics women's qualification at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 25, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Singapore swimmer Quah Zheng Wen swimming in the 100m backstroke at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 25, 2021.
PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Elena Bertocchi of Italy and Chiara Pellacani of Italy in action during the finals of the women's 3m springboard synchro diving event at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Tokyo, Japan,on July 25, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Kim Danbi of South Korea reacts after sustaining an injury during the women's group A basketball match against Spain at the Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan on July 26, 2021, PHOTO: REUTERS

Tandara of Brazil in action with Park Jeongah of South Korea during the women's pool A volleyball match at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on July 25, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Singapore's Clarence Chew hits a shot against Senegal's Ibrahima Diaw during their men's singles round 1 table tennis match at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, on July 24, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Ulugbek Rashitov of Uzbekistan in action against Mirhashem Hosseini of Iran during the men's quarterfinal featherweight 58-68kg taekwondo match at the Makuhari Messe Hall A, in Chiba, Japan on July 25, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Lu Yufei of China in action on the uneven bars during the artistic women's uneven bars qualification gymnastic event at Ariake Gymnastics Centre in Tokyo, Japan, on July 25, 2021. PHOTO: REUTERS

Tunisia's Hamza Nagga (R) spikes the ball in the men's preliminary round pool B volleyball match between Brazil and Tunisia at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on July 24, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

China's Sun Yiwen celebrates with her French coach Hugues Obry after winning in the women's epee individual gold medal bout during at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on July 24, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Singapore shooter Adele Tan in action during her 10m air rifle event, where she finished 21st out of 50, at the Asaka Shooting Range in Tokyo, Japan on July 24, 2021.
PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES/KUA CHEE SIONG

Gold medal winner China's Yang Qian celebrates on the podium after winning the women's 10m air rifle final at the Asaka Shooting Range in the Nerima district of Tokyo on July 24, 2021. The Chinese shooter won the first gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics. PHOTO: AFP

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