China won their first gold medal of the Olympic Games on Sunday as swimming superstar Michael Phelps prepared to launch his quest for glory.
Fourteen more gold medals are up for grabs on the second full day of competition.
The day got off to a turbulent start, with high winds buffeting venues causing damage and forcing cancelations and delays to sporting.
The entire rowing schedule at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas venue was scrapped after winds lashed the area, churning the waters and making it impossible to compete.
It came after competitors had hit out at similar conditions on the course on Sunday, which led to the capsizing of a Serbian double sculls team.
“We definitely, definitely shouldn’t be racing in these conditions,” British Rowing performance director David Tanner said.
There was similar chaos at the tennis venue, where play on outside courts was delayed by 90 minutes as gusts of 25km/h (15mph) barreled through the Barra center, blowing down umbrellas and toppling hoardings.
Brazilian No.1 Thomaz Bellucci lashed out at the decision to let his game against close friend Dustin Brown go ahead. Brown retired with an injury after trailing 4-5 in the second set having won the first.
“It was almost impossible. I don’t know how they allowed us to play like this. I have never played in these conditions,” said 28-year-old Bellucci.
The first gold of the day came from Chinese air pistol shooter Zhang Mengxue, who gave her mother the perfect birthday present with victory in the women’s 10m category.
Zhang produced a perfect 10.9 on her 17th shot to hold off the challenge from Russian teenager Vitalina Batsarashkina in silver.
“It happened to be my mother’s birthday yesterday (Saturday) so this will be the best gift for her,” Zhang, 25, beamed.
“Winning at the Olympic Games was my goal since I was young. Now I have the medal.”
Other medals on Sunday would be won in road cycling, fencing, weightlifting, judo and archery.
Four golds will be on offer in the swimming pool, where American star Phelps is likely to race in the men’s 4x100m relay.
Phelps can extend his record as the most decorated Olympian in history if he adds to his collection of 22 medals — 18 of them gold — in the relay.
There was more controversy for Russian sport as the shockwaves from last month’s McLaren report, which detailed an elaborate state-sponsored doping scheme, continued to reverberate.

Source: Arab News