Comments from Team GB athletes following the afternoon and evening action on day 11 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Athletics
Comments from Team GB athletes following the latest session of athletics at the Olympic Stadium.
Keely Hodgkinson
Age: 19 Hometown: Greater Manchester: Wigan
Result: Silver medallist in the 800m, behind fellow teenager Athing Mu of the United States. Her time of 1:55.88 was a national record, in a race which saw all of the top seven record personal bests
On winning a silver medal and breaking Dame Kelly Holmes' British record
“I’m pretty speechless right now, I don’t really have much to say.
“That record has stood since 1995, Kelly is a massive legend of the sport and always will be with that double Olympic gold.
“She seems like such a lovely girl, she sent us all a few messages the last couple of days and has been so supportive, so yeah I’m quite in shock about that time but I couldn’t be happier really. I really executed that well.
“She put a lot of belief in me and it’s nice to have someone like her, who believes in me like that, because she’s amazing, as well as people in my support team. I couldn’t have asked for better people to support me.
“It’s really been a crazy nine months, but I’ve enjoyed every second of it.
“The whole thing is cloud nine really. From the European indoors to breaking some records to now, the biggest stage in the world, still a junior, it’s absolutely crazy.
“There’s not just one 19-year-old in the race, there’s two, which is unbelievable! But hopefully it stems a good, competitive 10-15 years ahead, and even faster times on the horizon.”
On her family support
“This isn’t just my medal, this is our medal.
“I know they’ll be really proud of me, my sisters will probably be crying, my parents will be crying. I can’t wait to see them, it’s going to be great.”
On how the race developed
"I think it is just one of those things where you know something like that is possible but whether it comes out you just don't know, it was such a good race.
“Every single person, it was so open. I wanted to put it all out there and I did that, it is going to take a couple of days to sink in.
“I want to thank my amazing team, my family who have made so many sacrifices for me.”
Jemma Reekie
Age: 23 Hometown: Scotland: North Ayrshire
Result: Fourth in a personal best time of 1:56.90 in the women’s 800m final
On her performance
“I definitely wanted a lot better than that.
“The time was good but I know that I’m in even better shape than that, and it’s just frustrating when you don’t perform on the big stage because I’ve been flying in training and everything else, but I’ll learn from it and come back stronger.
“I was in good shape and wanted to win but sometimes you have to learn, and Paris isn’t too far away.
“You can’t complain if you’re fourth in the Olympics, but you can because you’re just outside those medals.
“I’m not going to be that happy about it, but there’s nothing I can do about it now and I can’t reverse time, I can just progress and get better for next year.”
On the tactics of the race
“I didn’t quite get out as fast as I wanted to and into the position I wanted to, but that’s 800m racing, it’s always going to be really tough, and the girls have done so well out there today.”
On silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson
“She’s amazing, the time she’s ran is amazing as well, and I just think that she’s got so much ahead of her.
“It’s so exciting to have British runners running so well.
“I was just trying to run my own race and when she passed I was still just trying to run my own race, and trying to make it into those medals, but it didn’t work out today.”
Harry Coppell
Age: 25 Hometown: Merseyside: Billinge
Result: Seventh in the men’s pole vault final, after a season’s best jump of 5.80m
On his performance
“It was just an unreal experience. It’s still sinking in, and to come out with a seventh-place finish is unreal.
“Part of me is a little bit gutted because I had a really good attempt at 5.87m and that would have really put me in the fight for the medals, but for my first Games this is amazing. We can build from here.
“We’ve changed a lot going into this year and it’s going to take time to get them right. I can’t wait to see how things progress going forward.”
On strength of the field
“Of course we were all missing Sam [Kendricks], but the field was unreal. It’s just been a brilliant competition to be a part of and I can’t believe I managed to get that position.”
On the overall experience of his first Olympics
“It’s not been an easy build-up to the Games. To be in really good shape last year and then the Games being postponed, having to train again for another year – it was tough to get through.
“In the same light it gave me opportunities to change my run, change my poles, so without the extra year I may never have made the final. It was a long and annoying journey, but I’m very grateful for it.
“I’ve done a great job of finding a way to create an atmosphere in a stadium, even in qualifying when there was nobody there. It’s still been pretty special, but I really hope they get another major championships back here so we can experience this stadium full.”
On thoughts heading towards Paris
“I think physically and in lots of other ways as an athlete I’m still quite young. I only moved into a professional setup just short of two years ago, so I think I’m definitely growing in experience and building every year.
“If we get a few things right I see no reason why I can’t be fighting for a medal in Paris.”
Andrew Pozzi
Age: 29 Hometown: Warwickshire: Stratford-upon-Avon
Result: Fourth in a time of 13.50 in heat 1, qualifying for the men's 110m hurdles semi-finals, which take place on Wednesday.
On his performance and clashing arms with France's Wilhem Belocian, who was disqualified under Technical Rule 22.6.2
“It was a very difficult race because I think we caught arms - myself and the athlete in lane 3 - and the rhythm was interrupted.
“So I’m happy to qualify and reset ahead of tomorrow.
“It’s one of those things. In hurdles it happens an awful lot.
“I haven’t seen the race back, so I don’t know quite know how it happened, but it’s an unfortunate thing that does happen.
“However, we live to fight another day and everyone starts again fresh tomorrow.”
On the setting of the Olympic Stadium
“The track was wonderful and it’s a really nice stadium.
“I’m really happy to be here and to get things underway.”
David King
Age: 27 Hometown: Devon: Plymouth
Result: Sixth in a time of 13.55 in heat 4, qualifying for the men's 110m hurdles semi-finals as a next fastest qualifier. The semi-finals take place on Wednesday
On his performance
“It feels amazing to be in an Olympic semi-final, I’m super happy with that.
“The race itself was not great, below par, but at the end of the day I did what it takes to get through and I’m very, very happy.
“I felt great, my preparations have been as good as they could be, they couldn’t be any better. In the race itself something didn’t quite come together.
“Sometimes it can be hard being out in lane one, but at the end of the day it’s still just you and your hurdles.”
On the semi-final to come
“I’d like to do a bit better than that tomorrow, but tomorrow is everything to gain, nothing to lose.
“Nobody really expects me to make the final but I’m going to do everything I can to put myself in with the best shot.”
On the wait to find out if he’d qualified
“That was stressful. Honestly, I’ve only got myself to blame for that – I could have avoided that by being in the top four, so it’s part of the game.
“But now I’m going to go back to the village and get recovered as quickly as I can.”
Andrew Butchart
Age: 29 Hometown: Scotland: Stirling
Result: Seventh in a time of 13:31.23, qualifying for the men's 5000m final as a next fastest qualifier. The final takes place on Friday.
On his qualification
“We saw the time through the line with a lap to go and I turned round.
“I was chatting to the French guy Jimmy [Gressier, another next fastest qualifier], I said, ‘hey are we through?’ and he was like, ‘yeah we’re fine’ so I didn’t have to push that last lap and it was nice to know that I could have.
“But running in the second heat is always nice because you can see what you need to do, and how well the first heat did.
“It is a bit of an advantage and I think we took that.”
On his condition going into the final
“Two days off then back on it. I’ve got a cut on my left leg and my right foot feels blistery, but it’s nothing the doctor can’t handle because he’s done it before.”
Track cycling
Comments from Team GB cyclists Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald who, alongside Neah Evans and Josie Knight, won team pursuit silver in a time of 4:10.607. They had earlier registered a time of 4:06.748 in the first round. Elinor Barker competed for Team GB in the qualification round. Germany took the gold medal in world-record time.
Laura Kenny
Aged: 29 Hometown: Hertfordshire: Cheshunt
On the result
“They [Germany] were phenomenal - you can't take anything away from them. That is incredible, that's going to be a record that stands for a long time I think.
“We knew the conditions on this track were going to be good. Our target time was a six, we just never expected anyone else to go and do a four.
“I think we should be really proud of doing a 4:06 [in the first round], that’s really going some. Right now, it just feels a bit disappointing that we didn’t get gold by doing so.
“I think we struggled with the hour-and-a-half turnaround time. It just came round unbelievably fast.”
On missing out on the gold
“As an athlete, you want to win everything. I don't think it's any harder for me than it is anyone else taking silver. We set our hearts on gold, we wanted to win gold, so yeah we are going to feel disappointed.
“I glimpsed at my phone and so many people are saying, ‘You should be really proud of silver’, and I am really proud of silver, I just do feel a bit disappointed.
“But it's not over until it's over. We've got two more events as women's endurance - don't count us out just yet.”
On watching Jason, who won silver in the men's team sprint
“Today was the first time he's ever told me he was nervous so that shocked me. Then I saw him go off and break the Olympic record and I thought, 'He's not nervous'.
“But he did say to me that he was going to struggle with three rides. Obviously, the Dutch substituted someone in and they've had four men that have been unbelievable for such a long time now, whereas the [British] lads didn't have a substitute.
“So Jase had to do all three in two hours. He always said that third ride was going to be such an ask.”
Katie Archibald
Age: 27 Hometown: Scotland: Milngavie
On the world record being broken multiple times
“We pushed things to the limit, but they caught up with us by the end of the day. To break a world record you have to put all the pieces together in exactly the right order and it always involves a bit of risk.
“It’s five years of trying to finesse that. You think you can do it perfectly on the day and sometimes you can.”
On her crash with teammate Neah Evans after the heat
“I cut my shin actually – I thought we were going to have to tape it!
“It was mainly my pride that was hurt and the guilt obviously of going into the back of Neah. I'm hopeful that a lot of people had a lie in and only got up for the final, but I know it's one of those clips that's going to be played over and over again.
“I wanted the ground to swallow me up as I went sliding into her. I feel as much shame as you can imagine a person would feel.”
Sailing
Comments from Team GB sailors following today's events at Enoshima Yacht Harbour
Giles Scott
Age: 38 Hometown: Cambridgeshire: Huntingdon
Result: Defended his Olympic gold medal in the Finn class after finishing in the top five of the medal race
On his performance
“I made it by the skin of my teeth, it was properly to the wire, it was really tight. I tried to stay relaxed but I've never been involved in a boat race as close as that.
“It was mine to lose, if it had been any other race there was no way I'd go back.
“It's special. Since the America's Cup I've been sailing for three and a bit months, I was second at the European and ninth at the Worlds but the target was the Olympics. We've had a few wobbles along the way but we've done it when we needed to.
“It's been a funny old year for everyone, I'm just pretty stoked.
“That's the greatest pressure of my career. It climbed throughout the race, that was full on.
"Sailing is so dependent on the wind, when the wind is in it's super exciting but in light conditions like that it's super close and a mind game, it comes down to centimetres and inches. Hopefully it provided some entertainment.
“The continues our domination and closes it out, we've won every gold since 2000, we own it.
"I'm so proud, there is such heritage in the Finn and it's a shame it's leaving the Games. To follow legends like Iain Percy and Ben Ainslie, they were my heroes growing up.”
On the win for Fletcher and Bithell
“I saw that but I made a point of not looking at them celebrate. I'm so happy for them but it's not what you need to see five minutes before you start you race.”
Dylan Fletcher
Age: 33 Hometown: Surrey: Thames Ditton
Result: Won Olympic gold in the 49er class with a dramatic win in the medal race, with Stuart Bithell
On the performance
"It dreamt this would happen. It was last week a few days before racing. I was like don’t engage, don’t tell anyone that but yeah it was amazing to feel that dream come true. It wasn’t quite that close in my dream.
“I think it’s been super close all week in racing and today showed off what it’s been like. It was an intense race but it’s mind-blowing to be sat here now being Olympic champions.
“I thought we had it to be honest but I knew it was super touch and go. The other guys had right of way over us so we had to be careful to not get a penalty and time everything just right but Stu did an incredible job of making the boat go fast and we just nicked it at the end."
On his partnership with Bithell
"We were joking around one day after the Olympics in 2016 and we were sailing our moths, which are these little boats, and sort of joking, 'What are you doing for the next four years' - it should have been five years and that was it. We went to our first event in January 2017 and won it with 20 something points clear, and it was like, 'Wow, there's something here'."
On his wedding with team-mate Charlotte Dobson
“It is the start of a big month. I don’t even know what date it is. Maybe three weeks until we get married. We haven’t even invited everyone, we haven’t done suits, there’s so many things that most people sort out that hopefully maybe Charlotte will do."
Stuart Bithell
Age: 34 Hometown: Greater Manchester: Rochdale
Result: Won Olympic gold in the 49er class with a dramatic win in the medal race, with Dylan Fletcher
On the gold medal
“Dreams come true kids. I’ve certainly never seen a race like close in the Olympics, not in the 49er class.
"Dylan talks about it's been a long road since Rio but for me it's been nine years. I missed out unfortunately last cycle to Dylan so it's been a long part of my career just really chipping away and working hard. This is my last Olympics, almost certainly. As you can imagine it's so nice to come away with the gold, it's been the dream since when I was a little boy."
On the partnership
"We just gelled well together. Dyl's very technical, he likes the numbers, I'm more of a feel man. We use a bit of both at different times. Dyl's a bit more fiery in the boat and I'm more calming. I think we just bounce off each other really well and tap into each other's personality and strengths at the right time."
On Giles Scott
"Giles is incredible. He's worked with Ben Ainslie in the London cycle, he's been dominant in the class and doing it alongside other sailing commitments. He's the big man, gold medallist and hopefully he has a good race out there today. He's a super chilled guy but very, very talented sailor.
Anna Burnet
Age: 28 Hometown: Scotland: Shandon
Result: Nacra 17 Olympic silver with John Gimson
On the successful day for Team GB
"It's amazing. The team's had such an incredible day. Seeing the 49er boys win gold before we went out, John found it a bit stressful I think with all of the emotion but I found it hugely inspiring and I'm so happy we're part of this team, which is performing so well.
"I just feel like John's someone who's the most deserving of an Olympic medal of anyone I've ever known. He's put so much work into this for so long. To help him achieve that, I'm just so happy."
John Gimson
Age: 38 Hometown: Cheshire: Congleton
Result: Nacra 17 Olympic silver with Anna Burnet
On the result
"It's been worth every minute but most importantly I've done it for 20 years to get here.
"An unbelievable amount of people have helped me along the way and just for them, to say thank you, I'm glad we did it. It would have been gutting to come and not go through with it.
"A lot of people have volunteered their time and money and invested in us heavily so I'm just so happy we've followed through for them.
"Twice my discipline got dropped as a class. Just as a youngster having done one cycle ready to go for my campaign for the Games and it was dropped at the start of the cycle.
"The second time I did that I'd sold my house and had literally no money and at that point I was questioning my life decisions but it was all worth it, all of it."
Charlotte Dobson
Age: 35 Hometown: Scotland: Rhu
Result: Finished seventh overall in the 49erFX class, with Saskia Tidey
On fiancé Dylan Fletcher's gold
"It's just amazing, it was very very stressful to watch. This morning he seemed so on it and ready. When I saw them split from the Kiwis I was really proud of him and he was really confident.
"He and Stu are an incredible team together, they bring the best out of each other. I can’t be more happy for him."
On her performance with Saskia Tidey
"To be honest a large part of the damage was done in the last two days in the lighter winds but I think at this level you can’t expect to win medals with holes in your performance and unfortunately we kind of got found out a bit this week in the lighter winds."
Luke Patience
Age: 34 Hometown: Scotland: Rhu
Result: Two top-ten finishes to sit fifth ahead of the men's 470 medal race, with Chris Grube
On having a shot at a medal heading into the final race
"The madness plays into our hands. As a boat ahead, you don’t want madness, you want order. As a boat behind you want madness because it opens up opportunities.
"The style of the medal race is definitely nail-biting on the final downwind so we know the boats that are near us that we want to put hurt on so our attitude will be to go out and win the race, get as few points as possible and in doing that it will be to make sure we put as much hurt to the boats that are near us in the overalls whilst doing that.
"Plan A is to win the race but it’s pending. Plan A is always pending due to what others do in those moments as well.
"We’re quite confident medal racers, we’re quite confident in that part of the competition and we know that there’s a few around us that are not as confident as we are so that’s a good thing – that’ll play into our hands.
"Standing here today, we can take home an Olympic medal tomorrow."
Chris Grube
Age: 36 Hometown: Cheshire: Chester
Result: Two top-ten finishes to sit fifth ahead of the men's 470 medal race, with Luke Patience
On whether they’d have rather raced yesterday than today
"I don’t think it matters. Ultimately we’re ready to race in whatever condition we get. Mentally you just prepare yourself for that and yeah, we’ve missed out on a day off but to be honest it doesn’t really matter.
"It’s how we position ourselves on the race course, it’s how well sail the boat and ultimately we’ve done a good job of that but we just haven’t quite been fast enough and that’s just made it tricky for us to make decisions and to pass boats upwind.
"It’s been a tricky day for the lads but we’re close enough to have a shot at it tomorrow and we’ll just keep pushing on as we have all week."
Hannah Mills
Age: 33 Hometown: Wales: Cardiff
Result: Third in race ten to maintain top spot heading into the women's 470 medal race, with Eilidh McIntyre. The pair are guaranteed to win an Olympic medal.
On their position
“We’re in a great place, we’re 14 points ahead of second place and guaranteed a medal so that’s amazing but we’ve come here to win and anything can happen in the final race.
"It’s worth double points, there’s more on the line – we’ve just got to stay focussed and put in a good race tomorrow.”
Eilidh McIntyre
Age: 27 Hometown: Hampshire: Hayling Island
Result: Third in race ten to maintain top spot heading into women's 470 medal race, alongside Hannah Mills. The pair are guaranteed to win an Olympic medal.
On approaching the final race
“I think now it feels like a nice comfort blanket but we know the job isn’t done. We know we can go out there and just sail a clean race and just try and stay in control of it.
"We don’t have to set the world alight in this race, we just need to be in it and on top of it and sail clean. Nothing is done until that race is done so although it’s nice to have a bit of a gap, it’s certainly not done."
Boxing
Comments from Team GB boxers Galal Yafai and Caroline Dubois following their bouts at the Kokugikan Arena.
Galal Yafai
Age: 28 Hometown: West Midlands: Birmingham
Result: Beat Cuba’s Yosbany Veitia via a split decision on points (4-1) in the men’s flyweight division quarter-finals to guarantee himself a medal. Yafai will face Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibossinov in the semi-finals on Thursday and victory would guarantee him at least a silver medal.
On whether the win was revenge for losing to a Cuban boxer [Joahnys Argilagos] at the Rio 2016 Olympics
“A little bit. When I got beat by a Cuban at the last Olympics I said I needed to get revenge. I beat him [Veitia] in 2019 at the Worlds so I think he wanted a bit of revenge as well. But he couldn’t get it tonight.
“I knew I could beat him as I’ve beaten him before and I’ve proved people wrong who said I was going to lose to him."
On the fight
“It was a close fight. It is going to be at the top. I felt it was 1-1 [on rounds] going into the last round and I felt I did enough in the last to get the result and that’s what the judges thought."
On guaranteeing Team GB a sixth boxing medal at Tokyo 2020
“It feels great to get a medal, the sixth one now for Team GB. I was rooming with Frazer [Clarke] and Ben [Whittaker] and they've both got medals so I didn’t want to go home with nothing. I had to make sure I got a medal.
“I’d joked with them, telling them if they were going to get themselves a medal, I wasn't going to miss out was I!"
On his boxing brothers Gamal and Kai getting up in the middle of the night to watch him
“I’ve already had texts from them today before the fight, they’ll be made up. Now I’ve got a medal, but obviously I don't want it to be bronze.”
Caroline Dubois
Age: 20 Hometown: London: Enfield
Result: Lost via a split decision on points (3-2) to Thailand's Sudaporn Seesondee in the women's lightweight (57-60kg) quarter-final.
On the result
“I am devastated. It was a close fight but I thought I’d done enough.
“I can’t believe it and can’t really take it in.
“I came here to win the gold medal and I just can’t believe that it’s gone.
“I know I will be back and I will get over this, but right now I am heartbroken.”
Equestrian
Comments from Team GB rider Ben Maher (Explosion W) following today's Jumping Individual Qualifier at Equestrian Park. All three Team GB riders registered clear rounds to progress to tomorrow's Individual Final.
Ben Maher
Age: 38 Hometown: Essex: Elsenham
On the performance
“He was great. We were waiting for a long time to get going, this was my most nervous round of the week as he’s a horse that normally improves as the rounds go on. He’s naturally a fast horse and he did everything he needed to do.”
On the course
“It’s tough for the course builder. It’s a fair course, it suited Explosion. It’s relatively big but all the distances were a bit open. He grows in confidence when I ride with a bit of speed – I like to trust his quality and ride with that pace.
“It’s a good course. It’s tough with the new format – I didn’t want to miss qualifying today – I made the decision to go in and attack a bit.”
On performances of the team
“As a team we’ve jumped three clear rounds today, we have team tactics this week but setting out on day one is very strong. We’re here to try and get a result.”
On Explosion W
“He did very little last year, until April/May of this year, due to COVID. I had a back operation last year, then COVID happened. He competed in one major Grand Prix last year and won in New York, then we just hit a bit of form at the right time.
“He’s come in off the back of two five-star Grand Prix wins so we have momentum. These weeks can throw in big surprises though – I’m confident but I’m just trying to do my job on the day.”
Artistic swimming
Comments from Team GB artistic swimmers Kate Shortman and Isabelle Thorpe. The two finished 14th in the Duet Technical Routine with a score of 169.8881, narrowly missing out on a place in the final
Kate Shortman
Age: 19 Hometown: Bristol
On their performance
“It was such an emotional performance. We did the free yesterday and we finished it with tech today. We went out and left everything in the pool, we gave everything we could and we’re super happy with both of our swims.
“There are no words to sum up the journey and how this has just been the cherry on top of everything.”
On messages from back home and social media
“We’ve been trying to just concentrate on our performances, so we haven’t been reading too much into all the messages.
“It is amazing to have all the support, especially with there being no crowd here. It’s a bit strange – usually there’s a massive buzz and ambience about a synchro competition.
“We’ve done great, everyone’s sent amazing messages and we’re really excited to go on our phones and look at them now we’ve performed."
Isabelle Thorpe
Age: 20 Hometown: Bristol
On their performance
“We did really well, we got a better score in our tech than in our free which is a bit unheard of, but that shows we’ve been working a lot on our elements in our technical routine.”
On what they’ve learnt from Olympic experience
“It’s the most important competition we’ve done, but we’ve really enjoyed it. It’s a really special thing and we should carry that into other competitions and really enjoy swimming, because it shows in our routines. The judges can see when we’re enjoying it.”
On the importance of an Olympic appearance
“I hope it inspires young girls, whether that be in artistic swimming or another sport, because sport is really important for everyone. We think as many young people as possible, and especially girls, should get into it.
“It’s so important for your mental health as well as your physical health, and a lot of us have experienced that during lockdown. For us sport helped us get through that and I would advise as many young people as possible to get involved.”
Gymnastics
Comments from Team GB gymnast Joe Fraser after the Men’s Parallel Bars final.
Joe Fraser
Age: 22 Hometown: Birmingham
Result: Eighth with a score of 14.500
On the final
“It was exciting and very high-quality, so to be in that final in the first place is a great achievement in itself. I did have a mistake in the middle which meant I was five tenths down, so I tried to repeat the skill and still wasn’t able to do it.
“Today wasn’t my day and I’m okay with that, I’ll be back in the gym trying to go better in the future.”
On his routine
“Being in such company, you have to go all in and that has been my motto for this trip, you have to go all in to get medals and that is what I have done today.
“Up until that point, I was very happy with my day and so I know it is heading in the right direction. I just need to fine-tune it for the future.”
On his first Olympics
“It has been incredible and everything I have dreamt of since I was a little boy. To walk away as an Olympian, I am so proud of myself and everyone who has been involved in this journey.
“A big thank you to my coach, who has been with me every step of the way.”
Diving
Comments from Team GB diver James Heatly following the men's 3m springboard final. Heatly finished ninth after scoring 411.00. Team GB teammate Jack Laugher won bronze with a score of 518.00
James Heatly
Age: 24 Hometown: Hampshire: Winchester
On his performance
“For me the goal was to make the team then progress through the rounds so I’m really so I’m really proud and happy about that but it’s a bit frustrating, there’s definitely a bit more left in the tank, but the pros outweigh the cons.
On Jack’s medal
“I’m so happy for him, he’s been so good taking me under his wing and to just be part of this experience for him is so great.
“I think Jack will be really happy with, it’s been a tough year for everyone, but some of us had better performances when we got back out and he really struggled to find his flow but he found it today on the day that really counted so I think he’s going to be really happy.
On his grandad [Peter Heatly, who represented Team GB at the 1948 and 1952 Games]
“It was a bit of a shame to leave the Heatly clan back home but I definitely felt like he was there by me at poolside.”
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