To swim good is really nice, but to share it with your family and friends and your loved ones, that makes it even better.
Arno Kamminga OLY
After producing the swim of his life to win a silver medal behind Great Britain’s Adam Peaty OLY in the men’s 100m breaststroke final, Arno Kamminga OLY of the Netherlands was able to instantly rejoice and celebrate the moment with his friends and family, who were waiting him on a video link facilitated by OBS.
“They were on the screen and that feels so special,” Arno said afterwards. “I knew they were with me but to see them right after my race and right after I got my medal, it’s amazing.
“They’re my special ones – my family, friends and even my old coach, where it all started. To swim good is really nice, but to share it with your family and friends and your loved ones, that makes it even better.”
A virtual hug
Athlete Moment has allowed participants who have just finished their competition to connect with people in up to five locations to experience the joy of the Games together. After the confirmation of the details and times of participating athletes’ final competition, their chosen friends and family have been able to join a private video link to watch the event together and then celebrate or commiserate with their athlete.
Hungary’s Omar Salim just missed out on a medal in his taekwondo event, but his nearest and dearest were on the screen to cheer him up right after the bronze medal bout.
“There were a lot of people there!” explained Omar. “We had my mother, my uncle Joseph who has also competed for Hungary in the past, and then a lot of my friends and team-mates who I grew up in taekwondo with. They were all there watching me from different places, and it was so nice to have that support.”
Day three round-up
Adam Peaty OLY wasn’t the only star swimmer to light up day two, with Australia’s Ariarne Titmus dethroning the reigning champion Katie Ledecky (USA) in a titanic duel for the women’s 400m freestyle. Later at Tokyo’s Aquatics Centre a great day for Team GB got better when Tom Daley and Matty Lee won the men’s 3m springboard diving event – Tom’s first Olympic gold medal at his fourth Games.
And the first-ever women’s Olympic skateboarding competition produced the youngest individual podium in Olympic history, with 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya winning gold for Japan ahead of Brazil’s Rayssa Leal (also 13) and Japanese bronze medallist Funa Nakayama (16).
