Egypt's Omar Assar will compete in the table tennis quarter-finals. AFP
Egypt's Omar Assar will compete in the table tennis quarter-finals. AFP
Egypt's Omar Assar will compete in the table tennis quarter-finals. AFP
Egypt's Omar Assar will compete in the table tennis quarter-finals. AFP

Today at the Olympics: the Mena athletes to watch on day five in Tokyo


Matthew Kynaston
  • English
  • Arabic

A number of star names are making their way out of the Tokyo Olympics, with Naomi Osaka the latest one on the list.

But there are still a number of athletes from the Mena region who are still competing, which should keep your interest high.

Below is the list of athletes from the region competing on Wednesday.

Archery - women’s, men’s individual eliminations

Yumenoshima Final Field

The individual competitions continue today. In the men’s competition, Iran’s Milad Vaziri Teymoorlooei will be opening his campaign looking to cause a major upset, as he takes on multiple Olympic medalist and world number one in the recurve, Brady Ellison from the US.

Also in the men’s, Itay Shanny from Israel is drawn against the host nation’s Hiroki Muto, while Egypt's Amal Adam starts her competition against Minhee Jang, from South Korea in the women’s competition.


Badminton - women’s and men’s singles and doubles group play

Musashino Forest Sport Plaza

Lots of talent on show today in badminton. Watch Iran’s Soraya Aghaeihajiagha as she serves up against world number nine, Bing Jiao He from China.

Basketball

Saitama Super Arena

Having narrowly lost their opening match, Iran will be hoping to capitalise on the US’s shock defeat to France. Both teams will be needing a win from this to have any chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages.

Beach Volleyball - women’s and men’s preliminary group rounds

Shiokaze Park

With a strong win against the Swiss, Qatari double, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan have gotten off to a great start in the men’s volleyball. They will look to build on this when they take on Italians, Rossi and Carambula today.

Boxing - Various preliminaries

Kokugican Arena

Several weight divisions featuring excellent fighters all battling it out in the last round of 16.

First up is Egypt’s Abdelrahman Abdelgawwad vs Team GB’s Benjamin Whittaker in the men’s light heavyweight (75-81kg) class.

Then in the evening session, Daniyal Shahbakhsh from Iran will be fighting Cuba’s Lazaro Alvarez in the men’s featherweight (52-57kg). Around an hour later Mohammed Houmri from Algeria will also be taking on a Cuban, Arlen Lopez in the men’s light heavy (75-81kg) class.

Look out too for Algeria’s Ichrak Chaib who will be going toe-to-toe with Pooja Rani of India in the women’s middleweight (69-75kg).

Cycling Road

Fuji International Speedway

Both women and men’s individual time trials are happening today. Look out for Israel’s Omer Shapira in the women’s time trial.

Meanwhile there are several Mena men hitting the road on the speedway, Iran’s Saeid Safarzadeh, Algeria’s Azzedine Lagab, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier from Eritrea, and Syrian Ahmad Wais representing the Refugee Olympic Team.

Fencing - men's sabre team matches

Makuhari Messe

It’s finals day for the men’s sabre teams. Egypt will take on Japan and Iran take on Italy in the quarterfinals.

Football - men’s

Various

Egypt will be going for a strong win against Australia knowing it could take them through to the knockout stages. Saudi Arabia will be hoping for a strong finish in their final game against Brazil.

Judo - women’s -70kg and men’s -90kg

Nippon Budokan

Several Mena judokas to look out for on medals day in the women’s -70kg and men’s -90kg weight categories.

In the women’s -70kg class, Assmaa Niang from Morocco will start her campaign against Alice Bellandi from Italy, while Tunisia’s Nihel Landolsi will taken on Anna Bernholm from Sweden.

In the men’s -90kg, Israel’s Li Kochman opening contest will be against David Klammert representing Czech Republic.

Flag bearers of Algeria Amel Melih and Mohamed Flissi. EPA
Flag bearers of Algeria Amel Melih and Mohamed Flissi. EPA

Sailing - various

Enoshima, Fukisawa and Kamakura

We are halfway through the windsurfing and both of Israel’s windsurfers find themselves in fifth place, half way through the competitions. Yoav Cohen is just eight points off the top three in the men’s and Katy Spychakov trailing by 11. Both will be pushing for a podium spot in Kamakura today.

Shooting - women and men’s trap qualification

Asaka shooting/ shotgun ranges

Double Olympian and 2019 Asian Champion Ray Bassil from Lebanon will be fighting for a place in the final of the women’s trap. Also in the field is 2019 African Games and African Championships winner, Maggy Ashmawy from Egypt.

In the men’s competition there are several Mena contenders to follow: World Cup winner and 2019 Asian Championship winner Talal AlRashidi along with Abdulrahman Al Faihan from Kuwait, Abdel Aziz Mehelba and Ahmed Zaher of Egypt, and Mohammed Al Rumaihi from Qatar.

Swimming - various

Tokyo Aquatics Centre

As well as some big finals to watch out for in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, several heats will be getting underway featuring Mena men and women.

In the women’s 100m freestyle, Amel Melih of Algeria and Farida Osman of Egypt will be in the same heat. Andrea Murez of Israel will also be looking for a qualifying place.

Other Israelis will be in the pool throughout the day, Yakov Toumarkin will be racing in the 200m backstroke mens, Gal Cohen Groumi and Ron Polonsky in the 200m men’s medley. Anastasia Gorbenko will be pushing for her second Olympic final in the 200m breaststroke.

Table tennis - women’s and men’s singles

Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium

Egypt’s Omar Assar has made it to the quarterfinals of the men’s table-tennis where he will be taking on Rio 2016 Champion, Ma Long from China.

Volleyball - men’s

Ariake Arena

Having beaten both Poland and Venezuela, the Islamic Republic of Iran will be wanting to make the most of their momentum when they take on Canada. Victory over the Canadians would put them in an almost certain position to qualify for the knock-out stages from Pool A.

Meanwhile, in Pool B Tunisia are yet to pick up a win, but will be hoping they can get a result against the USA.

Weightlifting - men’s 73kg

Tokyo International Forum

Morocco’s Abderrahim Moum, Mahmoud Alhumayd from Saudi Arabia, and Karem Ben Hnia from Tunisia will be competing today.


Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash

Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.

Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.

Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.

Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.

Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.

War and the virus
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

AL%20BOOM
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km

Price: from Dh285,000

On sale: from January 2022 

It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

 

Book%20Details
%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EThree%20Centuries%20of%20Travel%20Writing%20by%20Muslim%20Women%3C%2Fem%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEditors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiobhan%20Lambert-Hurley%2C%20Daniel%20Majchrowicz%2C%20Sunil%20Sharma%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EIndiana%20University%20Press%3B%20532%20pages%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
NEW%20PRICING%20SCHEME%20FOR%20APPLE%20MUSIC%2C%20TV%2B%20AND%20ONE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EApple%20Music%3Cbr%3EMonthly%20individual%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2410.99%20(from%20%249.99)%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMonthly%20family%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2416.99%20(from%20%2414.99)%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EIndividual%20annual%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24109%20(from%20%2499)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EApple%20TV%2B%3Cbr%3EMonthly%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%246.99%20(from%20%244.99)%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAnnual%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2469%20(from%20%2449.99)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EApple%20One%3Cbr%3EMonthly%20individual%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2416.95%20(from%20%2414.95)%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMonthly%20family%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2422.95%20(from%20%2419.95)%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMonthly%20premier%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2432.95%20(from%20%2429.95)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

BIRD%20BOX%20BARCELONA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20and%20Alex%20Pastor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGeorgina%20Campbell%2C%20Mario%20Casas%2C%20Diego%20Calva%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Squads

India: Kohli (c), Rahul, Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Rahane, Vihari, Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Shami, Umesh, Siraj, Thakur

West Indies: Holder (c), Ambris, Bishoo, Brathwaite, Chase, Dowrich (wk), Gabriel, Hamilton, Hetmyer, Hope, Lewis, Paul, Powell, Roach, Warrican, Joseph

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh12 million

Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16

Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto

Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm

Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds

Top speed 420 kph (governed)

Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)

Updated: July 28, 2021, 4:10 AM