Olympics Latest: Kiwi kayaker wins 1st of 4 possible medals

TOKYO (AP) — The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:

___

MEDAL ALERT

New Zealand’s Lisa Carrington blew away the field in winning her third consecutive women’s kayak sprint 200 at the Sea Forest Waterway.

The gold medal could be the first of a potential four medals for Carrington in Tokyo. She’s also in the women’s kayak double 500 later Tuesday and the 500 single and fours later in the week.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

Carrington bolted out of the start and had a lead of half a boat length barely 50 meters into the race. She beat Spain’s Teresa Portela of Spain by 0.76 seconds.

Emma Aastrand Jorgensen of Denmark won the bronze medal.

___

Allyson Felix won her first-round heat of the 400 meters as she began her Tokyo quest for a 10th Olympic medal.

The 35-year-old Felix, who’s competing at her fifth Olympics, has six gold medals and three silvers on her resume. She’s tied with Jamaican great Merlene Ottey for the most women’s track medals in Olympic history. Felix has a chance to medal in the 400 and may have another shot in the women’s 4x400 this weekend.

Before her race, she was introduced as a legend.

Felix ran in spikes designed by her new company, Saysh. It made the moment more special. The only thing missing was her young daughter, Camryn, who’s back home.

“It’s changed everything,” Felix said of motherhood. “It’s given me a different drive. ... I think it’s even more meaningful to be on this stage as a mom.”

___

April Ross is the last medalist standing in the Olympic beach volleyball women’s bracket.

The American 2016 bronze medalist and her partner ousted defending champion Laura Ludwig of Germany on Tuesday and advanced to the semifinals at the Shiokaze Park venue. Ross, who also has a silver medal from London, is the last woman remaining who has reached the podium at a previous Summer Games.

This time, Ross is playing with Olympic first-timer Alix Klineman. They beat Ludwig and her new partner Maggie Kozuch 21-19, 21-19.

Ross and Klineman are the U.S.’s last hopes for a beach volleyball medal in Tokyo. The sport’s birthplace has never been shut out in the Olympics.

___

— More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2020-tokyo-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports