Team GB in Tokyo: Walls gold sees Team GB pass fifty medals at Tokyo 2020

Tokyo 2020 05 Aug 21

Team GB passed 50 medals at Tokyo 2020 as Matt Walls took gold on the cycling track, while Holly Bradshaw ended the long wait for an Olympic pole-vault medal with bronze, and Dina Asher-Smith returned to the track in the relay. Here’s a round-up of day 13: 

  • Matt Walls dominates to win omnium gold

  • Holly Bradshaw wins Britain’s first-ever pole vault medal at an Olympic Games

  • Liam Heath claimed his fourth Olympic medal with bronze in the canoe sprint 

  • Galal Yafai guaranteed a medal as he advances to the men’s flyweight gold-medal match

  • Dina Asher-Smith helps the women’s 4x100m relay team to reach the final in record time

  • Coming up on day 14: More medal chances in hockey, boxing and athletics

 Half-century up for Team GB with Walls gold 

Matt Walls won Team GB’s 16th gold and 50th medal of any colour at Tokyo 2020 with a dominant performance in the men’s omnium. 

The 23-year-old scored 153 points across four different disciplines in one intense day, beating New Zealand’s Campbell Walsh by a commanding 24 points for Team GB’s first gold in the Izu Velodrome.

Walls led from the beginning with victory in the scratch race and he stayed consistent from there, finishing third in the tempo race and second in the elimination race. 

In the final points race, he was put under pressure from a charging Elia Viviani but Walls’ proactive approach paid off, keeping a close eye on the Italian and eventually winning comfortably.

He said: “I came into the points race with a bit of a lead and that was nice to have a bit of breathing room. I got a gap and committed to it, it worked out I got the lap and 20 points and the legs were sore after that. 

"I came into the scratch race feeling good and won it. I thought then, 'I have a chance now as long as I play it smart.' I knew I had the legs and it worked out." 

 Matt Walls strikes omnium gold for Team GB's 50th medal of Tokyo 2020

Bradshaw’s bronze makes history in the pole vault 

Holly Bradshaw delivered Britain's first-ever Olympic pole vault medal with a brilliant bronze in Tokyo – proving all good things come to those who wait. 

Bradshaw was sixth at London 2012 and fifth five years ago in Rio and, aged 29, is one of the most popular and long-serving members of the British team. 

In a tense competition, only three athletes were left at 4.90m, Bradshaw, USA's Katie Nageotte and world champion Anzhelika Sidorova, of the Russian Olympic Committee. 

However, a narrow fail with her third and final attempt meant the six-time British champion took bronze, with Nageotte in gold and Sidorova in silver. 

Bradshaw said: "This is what I've worked for through my whole career. 

"I've had so many ups and downs, it's something that I've wanted so bad and it's finally happened."

 Bradshaw bags Team GB's first-ever Olympic pole vault medal

Photo finish sees Liam Heath add to his tally with bronze 

Liam Heath claimed a record fourth canoe sprint medal from his third Olympic Games with K1 200m bronze in Tokyo. 

Heath held off Hungary's Kolos Csizmadia, who beat him in the heats and semi-finals, by 0.125s to reach the rostrum. 

The 36-year-old finished exactly the same margin behind Italy's Manfredi Rizza in silver and 0.167s behind gold medallist Sandor Totka. 

Heath, Team GB's most successful paddler of all time, added to K1 200m gold in Rio, K2 200m silver at London 2012 and K2 200m bronze in 2016. 

He said: "To win a medal at a third Games, it's hard to put it into words.”

 Three Games, four Olympic medals for Liam Heath

Yafai to go for gold in the men’s flyweight 

Having been eliminated in the round of 16 in Rio, Galal Yafai has secured himself at least a silver medal after advancing to the men’s flyweight gold-medal match. 

Yafai reached the final with a narrow points victory over Saken Bibossinov of Kazakhstan, as the judges gave him victory by a margin of 3:2.

The 28-year-old will now face Carlo Paalam of the Philippines in Saturday’s final, knowing defeat will still see him leave Tokyo with a silver. 

After the fight, Yafai said: “I was saying before the fight – imagine if I was Olympic champion! 

“It’s something I’ve dreamed about and I could never see happening. Being in an Olympic final is something I never thought I could do either and now I’m in it.” 

 Clarke claims Team GB's second Tokyo 2020 boxing bronze

GB qualify fastest for the women’s 4x100m final

Dina Asher-Smith turned up the heat as Tokyo sweltered on the warmest day of the Olympics so far. 

After pulling out of the 200m as she nursed the recovery from a hamstring injury, Asher-Smith helped her teammates produce a storming British record to make the 4x100m final. 

The world champion joined forces with Asha Philip, Imani-Lara Lansiquot and Daryll Neita as they powered to a 41.55 second national best, well ahead of key rivals Jamaica and the USA.

"After the 100m, there was no way I wasn't going to be here with these girls," said Asher-Smith. 

"We're the bronze medallists from Rio and for all our lives and dreams it would be amazing to get another medal but we need to execute and do what needs to be done." 

 Asher-Smith back on track as part of relay quartet

Women’s hockey to battle for bronze as Muir goes for 1500m glory 

Team GB's first medal chance of the day comes at 2:30 BST as Great Britain take on India in the bronze medal match in the women’s hockey. 

The Rio gold medallists will look to end their Tokyo campaign on a high having missed out on a gold medal chance with defeat to the Netherlands in the semi-finals.

Team GB action continues with Lauren Price at 6:00 BST as she goes in the women’s middleweight semi-final. 

The boxer has already secured a medal but victory over Dutchwoman Nouchka Fontijn could guarantee her a shot at gold. 

In the athletics, the 4x100m men’s and women’s relay teams will battle it out for medals in their respective finals, just after Laura Muir goes in the women’s 1500m final. 

The qualified vet has the third-fastest personal best of the finalists and will be hoping to add to her European Championship gold at 13:50 BST.

Pearne-Webb urges Team GB to end Olympic hockey experience on a high