RIO DE JANEIRO — China won its first gold medal of the Olympic Games Sunday as swimming superstar Michael Phelps prepared to launch his quest for glory.
Thirteen more gold medals are up for grabs on the second full day of competition, which saw Russia's drug-tarnished sporting reputation suffer another body blow with news of a ban from next month's Rio de Janeiro Paralympics.
But the day got off to a turbulent start, with high winds buffeting venues causing damage and forcing cancellations and delays to sporting.
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Workers hold onto banners being blown by high winds at the Olympic diving venue in Rio Sunday. — Reuters
[/caption]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 earlier that 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.
Helicopters were grounded during the women's road cycling race, so no overhead shots of the action along Rio's verdant coastline route were available while visitors in the Olympic park and media personnel ran to safety to avoid flying debris.
Organizers were already struggling to recover from a difficult first day marred by long queues at security checkpoints and empty seats at many venues.
Umbrellas from outdoor cafes in the park and the media center went flying across the vast area built along the lagoon in Barra de Tijuca with shops also closing.
The main souvenir stand in the Olympic Park, a tent larger than a football pitch, was closed as the wind shook a set of vents near its ceiling.
"It's strange, you'd think they would have a sign up saying when it would reopen," said Dan Phares, a 37-year-old visitor from Phoenix, Arizona.
"We'd wanted to look at souvenirs. Hopefully it will open up later."
The gusts loosened a giant banner from its moorings at the aquatics center, leaving it flapping in the wind, while palm tress bent over at the rowing center.
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 Sunday were to be won in road cycling, fencing, weightlifting, judo and archery.
Four golds were on offer in the swimming pool, where American star Phelps was likely to race in the men's 4x100m relay.
