History-making Japanese canoeist Haneda puzzled by late Olympic course change

With just four days to go until the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, Olympic canoeists were told that the Tokyo slalom course has been altered. Japan's Rio Olympic bronze medalist Takuya Haneda, the first Japanese or Asian to efer win an Olympic canoeing medal, said he was not happy that organisers had made changes to the course right before the Games.

But he said he will do his best to adjust himself to that change, which Haneda did not detail. Japan's top-ranked beach volleyball pair Miki Ishii and Megumi Murakami also spoke to the media. Ishii said she sees a chance to win in their group if they can utilize their strengths. Canoe slalom competitions will start on 25 July and the Japanese veteran team will open their Pool F campaign on July 24 against a pair from the Czech Republic.