In a first, men’s Olympic triathlon event in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tokyo-olympics">Tokyo 2020</a> had a bumpy start as a boat blocked the path of nearly half of the participating athletes on the start line.

The race had 56 participants and the countdown for starting the event began, nearly half of the participants saw their way being blocked by a boat. When the start gun went on, half of the athletes dived in but the rest had to wait for the boat to get out of the way.

This boat, which ruined the race, was carrying a camera. It rushed to reverse and get out of the athletes’ way when the boat driver realised the mistake, but it was too late.

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Yeah that boat is in the way <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/triathlon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#triathlon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/NAOajScX3E">pic.twitter.com/NAOajScX3E</a>
— Ben Damon (@ben_damon) <a href="https://twitter.com/ben_damon/status/1419420653262819334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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As soon as the authorities realised the chaos, a horn was blown to signal the already-dived-in athletes to return, but many failed to hear it in the water. So, a bunch of smaller boats and jet skis were deployed to stop the athletes midway and bring them back to the start point.

While the race was restarted and everything was sorted, many believe this was highly dangerous for the participating athletes.

When the starting gun was fired, the boat quickly tried to reverse and could have hit the athletes. Many sighed relief that no athlete was hurt while the boat aimlessly reversed at a high speed.

"I saw the boat on the left side and found it quite strange that the starting bell came," said Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt. "I felt that the boat was still in front of the left side of the pontoon, so when I jumped in, I thought that this would most likely be pulled back and go for another start. I felt that the boat was still in front of the left side of the pontoon, so when I jumped in, I thought that this would most likely be pulled back and go for another start."

In a first, men’s Olympic triathlon event in Tokyo 2020 had a bumpy start as a boat blocked the path of nearly half of the participating athletes on the start line.

In a first, men’s Olympic triathlon event in Tokyo 2020 had a bumpy start as a boat blocked the path of nearly half of the participating athletes on the start line. The race had 56 participants and the countdown for starting the event began, nearly half of the participants saw their way being blocked by a boat. When the start gun went on, half of the athletes dived in but the rest had to wait for the boat to get out of the way. This boat, which ruined the race, was carrying a camera. It rushed to reverse and get out of the athletes’ way when the boat driver realised the mistake, but it was too late. Yeah that boat is in the way #triathlon #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/NAOajScX3E — Ben Damon (@ben_damon) July 25, 2021 × As soon as the authorities realised the chaos, a horn was blown to signal the already-dived-in athletes to return, but many failed to hear it in the water. So, a bunch of smaller boats and jet skis were deployed to stop the athletes midway and bring them back to the start point. While the race was restarted and everything was sorted, many believe this was highly dangerous for the participating athletes. When the starting gun was fired, the boat quickly tried to reverse and could have hit the athletes. Many sighed relief that no athlete was hurt while the boat aimlessly reversed at a high speed. "I saw the boat on the left side and found it quite strange that the starting bell came," said Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt. "I felt that the boat was still in front of the left side of the pontoon, so when I jumped in, I thought that this would most likely be pulled back and go for another start. I felt that the boat was still in front of the left side of the pontoon, so when I jumped in, I thought that this would most likely be pulled back and go for another start."

Watch: Boat halts way while swimmers start men’s Olympic triathlon race in Tokyo 2020

Female athletes in Iran are determined to carry on training and keeping fit despite the restrictions imposed by anti-coronavirus measures. Life for female athletes in the strict Muslim nation was already complicated by the regulations on clothing and the virus outbreak added to their problems.

Iran's sportswomen fight to keep fit despite coronavirus curbs

Olympian Kelly Catlin, who helped the United States win the women's pursuit team silver medal at the 2016 Rio Games, has died, USA Cycling said. The three-time world champion was 23.

"The US cycling community suffered a devastating loss with the passing of Kelly Catlin," USA Cycling President and Chief Executive Rob DeMartini said in a statement. "Kelly was more than an athlete to us, and she will always be part of the USA Cycling family."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Catlin family. This is an incredibly difficult time and we want to respect their privacy," the statement added. "The entire cycling community is mourning this immense loss."

VeloNews reported that Catlin's father, Mark, said in a letter to the publication that she died on Friday night at her home in California. Her father told the publication that she died by suicide.

Catlin won gold medals with the US&nbsp;women's team pursuit team at the 2016, 2017 and 2018 world championships.

She was a graduate of the University of Minnesota.

Olympian Kelly Catlin, who helped the United States win the women's pursuit team silver medal at the 2016 Rio Games, has died, USA Cycling said. The three-time world champion was 23.

Olympian Kelly Catlin, who helped the United States win the women's pursuit team silver medal at the 2016 Rio Games, has died, USA Cycling said. The three-time world champion was 23. "The US cycling community suffered a devastating loss with the passing of Kelly Catlin," USA Cycling President and Chief Executive Rob DeMartini said in a statement. "Kelly was more than an athlete to us, and she will always be part of the USA Cycling family." "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Catlin family. This is an incredibly difficult time and we want to respect their privacy," the statement added. "The entire cycling community is mourning this immense loss." VeloNews reported that Catlin's father, Mark, said in a letter to the publication that she died on Friday night at her home in California. Her father told the publication that she died by suicide. Catlin won gold medals with the US women's team pursuit team at the 2016, 2017 and 2018 world championships. She was a graduate of the University of Minnesota.

Cycling: US Olympic medalist Kelly Catlin dies at age 23, father says it's 'suicide'

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Wednesday reinstated credentials of a drug testing laboratory in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games, ending a month-long suspension that had threatened to embarrass the host country. 
 
The decision avoided a backup scheme to send blood and urine samples from Olympic athletes to labs outside Brazil during the Games. 
 
Similar steps were taken after the same lab at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro lost its credentials for the 2014 World Cup, also held in Brazil. 
 
The agency did not explain how the lab had failed to comply with international standards in June or what steps had been taken to fix the situation. 
 
Technical errors leading to false results were likely the cause of the suspension, a source familiar with the decision told Reuters in June. 
 
&quot;Athletes can be confident that anti-doping sample analysis has been robust throughout the laboratory&#39;s suspension and that it will also be during the Games,&quot; WADA director general Olivier Niggli said in a statement. 
 
The suspension just weeks ahead of the Olympics was a high-profile black eye for the lab, in which Brazil recently invested 188 million reais ($58 million) for new equipment and facilities. 
 
Doping is a major concern ahead of the Rio Games on Aug. 5-21, the first Olympics to be held in South America. 
 
Several anti-doping agencies are pushing to ban Russian athletes after charges of state-backed doping at the 2014 winter Olympics. 
 
(Reuters)

WADA had suspended credentials of the laboratory on June 24 for failing to comply with international standards

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Wednesday reinstated credentials of a drug testing laboratory in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games, ending a month-long suspension that had threatened to embarrass the host country. The decision avoided a backup scheme to send blood and urine samples from Olympic athletes to labs outside Brazil during the Games. Similar steps were taken after the same lab at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro lost its credentials for the 2014 World Cup, also held in Brazil. The agency did not explain how the lab had failed to comply with international standards in June or what steps had been taken to fix the situation. Technical errors leading to false results were likely the cause of the suspension, a source familiar with the decision told Reuters in June. "Athletes can be confident that anti-doping sample analysis has been robust throughout the laboratory's suspension and that it will also be during the Games," WADA director general Olivier Niggli said in a statement. The suspension just weeks ahead of the Olympics was a high-profile black eye for the lab, in which Brazil recently invested 188 million reais ($58 million) for new equipment and facilities. Doping is a major concern ahead of the Rio Games on Aug. 5-21, the first Olympics to be held in South America. Several anti-doping agencies are pushing to ban Russian athletes after charges of state-backed doping at the 2014 winter Olympics. (Reuters)

Rio drug lab recertified for Olympic testing