Afghanistan’s Yavari falls out in first round of shooting event

The Afghanistan National Olympic Committee said Sunday Mahdi Yavari, scored 601.4 points in the first round of the 10 meter rifle shooting event at the Olympics but failed to make it through to the next round.

Shooters from China, United States, Slovakia, Turkey, Russia, Hungary and China advanced to the final eight.

A new Olympic record was however set by the Chinese contestant who scored 632.7 points. The previous record was set by Italy with 630.2 points in 2016.

This was the first time however that Afghanistan has taken part in the shooting event.

The Tokyo Olympics opened on Friday afternoon with a ceremony reflecting a Games like no other, walking a fine line between celebrating the feats of the world’s best athletes while acknowledging the global hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Games run until August 8.

About 11,000 athletes from 204 national Olympic committees are expected, including a team of refugee athletes. Afghanistan is represented by five athletes and another three Afghans are part of the refugee team.

Meanwhile, Dr Ehsanullah Bayat, Chairman of Afghan Wireless Communication Company, Ariana Television Network, Ariana News and Bayat Power, attended the opening ceremony in Tokyo as a special guest.