Gilas loses to Serbia in tightly fought contest

July 1, 2021 | 6:01 pm

GilasKai2 — GILAS Pilipinas gave world number five Serbia a scare before losing, 83-76, in their FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament Group A match in Belgrade early on Thursday. — FIBA

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

GILAS Pilipinas lost to Serbia, 83-76, in its opening match at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade early Thursday morning (Manila time) but not after making the host sweat.

The Philippine national team of young cadet players showed strong resolve in turning a game seen to be dominated by the world number five Serbians in the lead-up into a tightly fought contest.

Tab Baldwin-coached Gilas competed throughout the 40-minute Group A contest at the Aleksandar Nikolić Hall, even holding the lead, 74-73, with 3:50 left in the match.

Serbia’s National Basketball Association player Boban Marjanović and Dejan Davidovac led their team to a strong start as they raced to an early 11-2 lead in the opening three minutes of the first quarter.

But Filipino naturalized player Ange Kouame would help Gilas narrow the gap, 13-12, in the next four minutes.

The host eventually survived the Philippines’ spirited charge, holding a 22-16 advantage at the end of the opening frame.

In the second quarter, Gilas continued with its aggressive play but Serbia did a better job of holding it at bay en route to establishing a 45-34 cushion at the half time break.

The Philippines struggled early in the third canto which saw its deficit balloon to 16 points, 56-40, at the 6:35 mark.

Mr. Kouame, Kai Sotto, Jordan Heading and Justine Baltazar then led a 22-11 run for Gilas after to push their team to within striking distance, 67-62, entering the payoff quarter.

In the fourth, the Philippines tied the count at 67-all inside the opening minute with a triple from Carl Tamayo and a deuce by Mike Nieto.

Serbia managed to regain control thereafter and stay ahead for much of the time until a basket from Gilas guard RJ Abarrientos gave the Philippines the lead, 74-73, with 3:50 to go.

Dallas Maverick’s 7’4” center Marjanović then took over, scoring Serbia’s next eight points to hand his team an 81-76 advantage with 35 seconds remaining.

Two free throws from Danilo Andijusic sealed the victory for the Serbians.

Mr. Kouame led Gilas’ spirited performance with 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Filipino-Australian Heading finished with 13 points, going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, while Mr. Sotto had 10 points, five rebounds and two assists.

Mr. Baltazar was the other Gilas player in double-digit scoring with 10.

Serbia, which is now through to the crossover semifinals, was led by Mr. Marjanović who had a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds.

He was backstopped by Ognjen Dobrić, who had 16 points, and former NBA campaigner Miloš Teodosić (13 points and six assists).

Mr. Baldwin after the game said he was proud with the way his team fought but admitted they missed out on completing a huge upset.

“I was very proud of the effort today. I want to play better than what we played and I know that we can be better,” the Gilas coach said. “We will play better.”

It will be a short turnaround for the Philippines as it plays the Dominican Republic early on Friday morning (2:30 a.m.) for a spot in the next round of the tournament.

The Gilas-Dominican Republic game can be seen over One Sports and One Sports+ as well as through online livestream by way of Smart Gigafest (gigafest.smart).

Kaya makes another go at breakthrough 2021 ACL win

July 1, 2021 | 6:01 pm

KayaFC-(2) — KAYA FC-ILOILO looks to book its first win in the ongoing AFC Champions League. — AFC

FOLLOWING two tough losses to open its 2021 (Asian Football Confederation) AFC Champions League (ACL) campaign, Kaya FC-Iloilo makes another go at a win when it returns to action on Friday.

Kaya takes on defending ACL champion Ulsan Hyundai FC of Korea in its third match in Group F in the prestigious continental tournament. The match is set for 6 p.m. (Manila time) at the Pathum Thani Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Philippines Football League club is currently at the bottom of the grouping after losing to home team BG Pathum United, 4-1, and Vietnam’s Viettel FC, 5-0, in that order, in its first two matches.

Against Viettel on June 29, Kaya found the going tough at the onset.

It did not take long for the Vietnam side to go on top, scoring twice inside the first seven minutes of the contest.

Nguyen Hoang Duc scored in the second minute before Caique followed suit five minutes later to make it a 2-0 game for their team. It was a lead they would take all the way to the halfway point of the match.

Viettel added to the woes of Kaya immediately at the start of the second half, with Bui Tien Dung I at the scoring end in the 49^th minute.

It completed its rout with a second goal from Caique in the 61^st minute and Vu Minh Tuan in the 65^th minute mark.

Kaya coach Graham Harvey did not hide his disappointment over their performance after the game, saying, “It was not what we were looking for, we’re pretty disappointed with the start of both halves.”

He, however, said as newbies in the competition, their team is still trying to adapt and learn.

“We’re up against Asia’s top clubs, so we have to be respectful and understand what they can do to counter us and try and stop them. We have to make sure we go back and reflect on what we’ve done, and try to make sure that we learn and improve on them,” Mr. Harvey said.

Ulsan Hyundai, for its part, has been true to form, undefeated in its first two matches and leads Group F with six points.

Meanwhile, the other Philippine club football representative, United City FC, also looks to barge into the win column after being held to a 1-1 draw by China’s Beijing FC in its opener and dominated by Korea’s Daegu FC, 7-0, in its second game.

United City, the reigning PFL champion, will take on Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale on Friday at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in a match set for 10 p.m. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Alex Eala excited for first-ever Wimbledon juniors campaign

July 1, 2021 | 6:00 pm

Alex-Eala_Globe — AN eventful 2021 for Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala gets added dimension as she kicks off her Wimbledon juniors campaign beginning next week.

AN eventful 2021 for Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala gets added dimension as she kicks off her Wimbledon juniors campaign beginning next week.

Missed on the opportunity to compete in the prestigious tournament last year as it was canceled because of the pandemic, 16-year-old Eala said she is going to try her best to make her first-ever Wimbledon and grass tournament a memorable one and something to build on.

“First of all, I’m super excited to go to London. It’s going to be my first time there and also my first time competing on grass. So that’s going to be a new experience. I’ll need to learn how to adjust to it,” shared Ms. Eala in a recent press conference hosted by Globe, which she is an ambassador of.

“We’re doing everything we can, but in case I’m not able to, then that’s fine as well. I’ll go there and just get used to the court.”

The Rafa Nadal scholar will be competing in both the juniors singles and doubles events although her partner for the latter has yet to be named as of this writing.

Ms. Eala has been having it solid this year both as a juniors player and on the professional circuit.

The number three juniors player in the world, Ms. Eala has earned the exemption to play in a number of International Tennis Federation (ITF) pro tournaments where she is holding her own, including winning her first title early this year in Spain and consistently reaching championship rounds.

She is coming off a successful junior doubles campaign in the French Open where she won the title with Russian partner Oksana Selekhmeteva. It was her second Grand Slam juniors title after the Australian Open last year.

The tennis ace said that while she is proud of all the achievements she has earned to date, continued development is still primary for her at this stage of her career.

“I’m not focusing too much on results at the moment. My goal right now is improving my overall game. I believe the results will just follow,” she said.

“I have been working hard and my team has been working on my areas of improvement.”

The main draw of the Wimbledon juniors tournament begins on July 5. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Chris Paul leads Suns to first Finals in 28 years

July 1, 2021 | 6:00 pm

CHRIS Paul scored 31 of his 41 points in the second half and the Phoenix Suns notched a 130-103 victory over the host Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 28 years.

Paul was seven of eight from 3-point range and 16 of 24 overall while helping slay his former organization. He also had eight assists and three steals as the Suns won the Western Conference finals in six games.

Devin Booker scored 22 points, Jae Crowder added 19 points and Deandre Ayton had 16 points and 17 rebounds for the second-seeded Suns.

Marcus Morris, Sr. registered 26 points and nine rebounds, and Paul George added 21 points for the fourth-seeded Clippers. Patrick Beverley was ejected with 5:49 remaining when he came up behind Paul and shoved him to the court.

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard (knee) missed his eighth straight game and teammate Ivica Zubac (knee) sat out his second.

Cameron Johnson (non-COVID illness) missed the game for Phoenix, which made 17 of 31 3-point attempts and shot 56.4 percent overall.

The Suns had previously reached the Finals twice, falling to the Boston Celtics in 1976 and to the Chicago Bulls in 1993. Both series went six games.

Phoenix hadn’t even played in a playoff game since 2010 prior to this season’s run, which included series victories against the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets before the Clippers.

Los Angeles trailed by six early in the third quarter before Phoenix scored 21 of the next 31 points to take an 89-72 lead on Mikal Bridges’ fast-break basket with 4:01 left in the period. — Reuters

Venus, Serena out of Wimbledon

July 1, 2021 | 6:00 pm

LONDON — A day after sister Serena endured a heart-breaking Wimbledon exit after suffering an injury in the first round, Venus Williams also bowed out of the singles on Wednesday.

Venus, aged 41 and playing in her 90^th Grand Slam tournament, pushed Tunisian 21^st seed Ons Jabeur hard in the opening set but eventually succumbed to a (7-5, 6-0) defeat.

It is the first time at least one of the American sisters has failed to reach the third round at Wimbledon since Serena made her debut at the tournament in 1998.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena was forced to quit against Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Centre Court after slipping in the first set and injuring her leg, ending another attempt to claim a record-equalling 24^th Grand Slam title.

Venus said it had been hard to watch her younger sibling’s tearful exit the previous day.

“Absolutely couldn’t watch. It was too much. I just couldn’t watch it. I know exactly what that feels like when all your faculties are taken away, things you work hard for and earn, and suddenly life happens,” she said.

Asked how Serena was, she said: “I think she’s doing the best you can when you get hurt. It’s awful. It sucks.”

Venus still has interest in the tournament as she will be playing the mixed doubles with Nick Kyrgios. — Reuters

PhilCycling National Trials for Road set in Clark

July 1, 2021 | 6:00 pm

THE PhilCycling National Trials for Road on July 10 and 11 at the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone in Pampanga.

COMPETITIVE cycling completes its 1-2 punch against the pandemic with the staging of the PhilCycling National Trials for Road on July 10 and 11 at the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone in Pampanga.

After the successful staging of the National Mountain Bike Trials in Danao City last June 11 to 13, it’s the turn of the road cyclists to get into action.

“Competitive cycling’s been out for more than one and a half years now, but we’re back to racing, thanks to the private sector support and the government’s endearing effort to beat the pandemic through sports,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and Integrated Cycling of the Philippines (PhilCycling) President Abraham Tolentino said.

To make the road national trials possible, PhilCycling had to secure the approval of the Philippine Sports Commission, the Central Luzon (Region 3) Regional Task Force, Office of Civil Defense, Department of Health, Philippine National Police, Province of Pampanga and the Department of Tourism.

The races will be staged in a bubble environment. Races will be in Men and Women Individual Time Trial (ITT) and Criterium on July 10 and Road on July 11.

All participants — cyclists, race officials, staff, among others — were subjected to at least one RT-PCR and Antigen tests as prescribed by the health protocols set by POC Medical Director Dr. Jose Raul Canlas.

As part of the safety protocols, race officials, organizers and staff will be billeted at the Quest Hotel Plus Conference Center, while cyclists will return to their homes right after the awarding ceremonies for their events.

The Clark Parade Grounds is the main (start-finish) venue. The ITT races are set at 24.6 kms for the men and 18 kms for the women, the criterium will be over a 2.3-km circuit at the parade grounds while the road races will be on a 24.6-km loop (six laps for the men and four laps for the women).

The national trials are organized by PhilCycling in collaboration with Standard Insurance, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Bases Conversion Development Authority and the Clark Development Corp.

Last-gasp Dovbyk winner sends Ukraine into first Euro quarterfinal

July 1, 2021 | 5:59 pm

GLASGOW — Artem Dovbyk netted a dramatic winner in stoppage time at the end of extra time as Ukraine squeezed past 10-man Sweden 2-1 at Hampden Park on Tuesday to book a Euro 2020 quarterfinal clash with England.

The final whistle was met with wild scenes of celebration as Ukraine reached the last eight of a major tournament for only the second time, after they made the quarters at the 2006 World Cup.

The two sides were level at 1-1 after 90 minutes following goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Sweden’s in-form Emil Forsberg but the tide changed when Sweden defender Marcus Danielson was sent off nine minutes into extra time.

Sweden looked resigned to taking the game to penalties, but Dovbyk had other ideas, meeting Zinchenko’s cross in the 121^st minute to settle the contest and send Ukraine into uncharted European Championship territory.

England, who were shocked by Iceland in the knockout stage of the last European Championship five years ago, will be firm favorites against Andriy Shevchenko’s side in Rome on Saturday.

But having never given up against a Sweden team that came into their last-16 clash unbeaten from the group stage, where they finished above Spain, the determined Ukrainians will be no pushovers.

“Both teams played very well,” Shevchenko told a news conference. “It was an interesting match.

“Neither side wanted to lose so we got this drama at the end. With this performance and commitment, our team has deserved the love of the whole country.”

A small contingent of Ukraine supporters were at Hampden to witness their side’s first-ever appearance in a European Championship knockout round, and the team nearly got off to a dream start as Roman Yaremchuk was denied by a smart Robin Olsen save.

Sweden were causing problems in an entertaining opening too, but it was Ukraine who edged in front, with Manchester City’s Zinchenko hammering home after 27 minutes having been picked out by a sumptuous Andriy Yarmolenko pass with the outside of his boot.

Having fallen behind in the tournament for the first time, Sweden looked short of ideas and needed a slice of luck to get themselves back into the game, with Forsberg’s speculative strike taking a huge deflection before finding the net just before half time.

Forsberg, who now has four goals in the tournament, one behind leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, then followed Ukraine’s Serhiy Sydorchuk in hitting the woodwork after the break, not once but twice.

Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored more than Forsberg in Euro finals history for Sweden, and without the RB Leipzig forward’s goals — two in the decisive 3-2 victory over Poland and the winner against Slovakia — Sweden would have won just one point in the group stage.

But he, like the rest of his team mates tired, and with neither side able to find a winner, extra time followed.

Sweden’s task was then made all the more difficult as Danielson was sent off for a high and dangerous tackle on Artem Besedin, following a VAR review.

Another last-16 penalty shootout seemed inevitable, following the drama of world champions France’s exit on Monday, but Ukraine had one final attack in them, with Dovbyk stealing the headlines.

His goal was the second-latest in European Championship history, behind Turkey’s Semih Senturk in 2008, and the latest match-winning strike in the competition, with his effort likely to go down in Ukrainian footballing folklore. — Reuters

Bucks may be without Antetokounmpo for pivotal Game 5 vs Hawks

July 1, 2021 | 5:59 pm

DURING a postseason defined by fallen superstars, the Atlanta Hawks showed they have what it takes to overcome the absence of a key piece to the puzzle.

The Hawks head into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals at Milwaukee on Thursday after getting even at 2 in the series while playing without team leader Trae Young. Standout sixth man Lou Williams jumped into the starting lineup in Game 4 and recorded 21 points and eight assists as the Hawks topped the Bucks (110-88).

The Bucks will limp back home with Giannis Antetokounmpo listed as doubtful after Milwaukee’s all-everything performer hyperextended his left knee in the third quarter on Tuesday. He did not return as the Hawks put the game away, and his status for Game 5 remains in doubt.

An MRI exam on Wednesday showed no structural damage but the club hasn’t revealed a plan for the rest of the series.

Atlanta went from uneasy during pregame when Young was ruled out with a bone bruise in his right ankle, to joy when they pulled away before the fourth quarter after Antetokounmpo went down.

“Losing Trae was, of course, a big loss for us, but we’ve been in that position before,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. “We needed to come out and play a good solid basketball game.

“The guys that are stepping into those roles and getting those opportunities, we just tell them to stay in their lane. We don’t need them to try to be that player that is out; play your game.”

It is advice the Bucks could use as well, especially with Antetokounmpo ailing. Milwaukee already has been without Donte DiVincenzo because of a tendon injury in his foot.

Antetokounmpo was injured as he landed awkwardly while contesting a Clint Capela dunk attempt.

On their heels after Antetokounmpo departed, the Bucks watched the Hawks go on a 25-10 scoring run until the end of the third quarter. Milwaukee’s 25-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter ended up being its largest of the game.

Khris Middleton never got on track for Milwaukee, scoring 16 points and missing all seven of his 3-point attempts. Jrue Holiday scored 19 points with nine assists as Milwaukee shot just 39.3 percent from the field and 20.5 percent (8 of 39) from distance.

“Two games in a row we got off to a bad start,” Middleton said. “(In Game 3) we were able to pull it out and this game we were never able to get it going. They played hard. They hit shots. We just have got to do a better job of getting those 50/50 balls. That was a big part of the game in the first half. Play with more urgency. Get after it more.”

Regardless of whether the Hawks get Young back, they know they can play with the Bucks, even at Milwaukee. They won the opener of the series 116-113 on the road and a victory in Game 5 would put them one victory from the NBA Finals with Game 6 at home.

Williams said he is ready to operate in whatever role is necessary. But he won’t think about it too much. He wants to put his head down and just play basketball.

“Did I look ahead and say we can be a championship contender day one? Probably not,” Williams said about his mind-set after he was traded from the Clippers in March. “But we’re two wins away like everybody else, and we feel good about it.” — Reuters

The other Paul

July 1, 2021 | 5:59 pm

In the aftermath of Game Four of the Western Conference Finals, not a few quarters argued that All-Star Paul George needed to live up to his self-styled “Playoff P” moniker and carry the load for the beleaguered Clippers. Top scorer and defender Kawhi Leonard was still out due to a knee injury, and he had to pick up the slack as a result. And considering his not-so-stellar resume when it comes to performing in the crunch, the prognosis was not good, especially with the Suns up three to one and playing Game Five hosts.

As things turned out, George did show up, and how. He finished the set-to, an emphatic victory for the Clippers, with a career postseason high 41 points (on an extremely efficient 15-of-20 clip from the field), 13 rebounds, six assists, and three steals. And as he basked in the glow of his emphatic performance, he couldn’t help but use it as an opportunity to declare himself undeserved of the criticism he hitherto faced. Perhaps he was being overly dramatic in his assessment; after all, microscopic scrutiny comes with the territory, and stars shine precisely because they are able to withstand all the pressure and deliver.

Needless to say, expectations get magnified with achievement. With even Paul considering his effort as validation of sorts, nothing but an encore was acceptable. He had to be at least as good in Game Six, and not simply because the Staples Center faithful were going to be on hand. The good news was that he declared himself ready for the challenge. The bad news was that he could not rise to it as promised. When the battlesmoke cleared, he had no choice but to doff his hat to yet another 41-point effort, but not his own.

Indeed, Paul is again being weighed, measured, and found wanting. That he fought valiantly in a losing cause is not the point. That the all he gave proved inadequate is. Once more, he failed to show that he has ice in his veins. He toiled for 41 minutes, and all he had to produce for his exertions were 21 markers on 15 attempts, nine caroms, and two dimes. His match-worst minus-25 ratings is all naysayers need to trumpet to prove their case.

Make no mistake. George is good. In fact, he’s very, very good. And, really, his remarkable comeback from his freak injury in 2014 should be the only answer he requires to silence those unfairly questioning his resolve. Unfortunately, he cannot but be judged by his accomplishments, and, in this regard, he will have to wait for another opportunity to exorcise the demons that have plagued him throughout his career. As another Paul named Chris shone with the Suns to book a ticket to the Finals, he is left to ruminate on his immediate past body of work for one more long offseason. He is who he is, and Game Six underscored what he isn’t.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.

University-based research unit to combat election disinformation

July 1, 2021 | 5:21 pm

Boses, Opinyon, Siyasat, at Siyensya para sa Pilipinas (BOSES Pilipinas), a university-based research initiative established by the Ateneo School of Government, said it will not conduct surveys commissioned by politicians for the coming May 2022 elections.

“We are a non-partisan and academic-based survey unit, and to ensure our independence, we will not accept commissioned surveys from politicians,” said Dr. Imelda B. Deinla, convenor of BOSES Pilipinas, during its online launch Wednesday.

The initiative, established in partnership with the pro-democracy coalition Participate, aims to “advance empirical, interdisciplinary, and policy-oriented studies of public opinion on democracy, governance, and development.”

The initiative seeks to combat both disinformation and misinformation, said Ateneo School of Government dean Ronald U. Mendoza. He pointed out that, just like a virus, “these two can spread like contagion, adding to the political polarization and division that now afflict many democracies.”

Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James B. Jimenez agreed with the severity of this issue, adding, “It’s good that (BOSES Pilipinas) is university-based. It’s good that it’s run by academics because at least there’s that level of security that the conclusions that the projects undertake will be undertaken for the right reasons, and certainly for the enlightenment of the audience.”

An ongoing survey aims to examine youth’s preferences in the upcoming national elections and what factors make them susceptible to misinformation or disinformation campaigns in social media.

Upcoming projects by BOSES Pilipinas include various researches on presidential satisfaction in the Philippines, the role of social media in democracy, and also youth leadership. “Our unit would like to contribute further in deepening the understanding of public opinion, not only what they are, but the why’s — how they arrive at these opinions,” said Dr. Deinla. — Brontë H. Lacsamana

Turkey formally quits treaty to prevent violence against women

July 1, 2021 | 4:49 pm

There Is No Coming Back - Women's Day March in Istanbul — Women hold placards that read “There is no coming back from our feminist struggle” and “No to intervention to our lives” during a Women’s Day March in Istanbul on March 8, 2017. Photo via Özge Sebzeci/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0/Flickr

ANKARA — Turkey officially withdrew on Thursday from an international treaty to prevent violence against women, enacting a decision that drew condemnation from many Turks and Western allies when President Tayyip Erdogan announced it in March.

Thousands were set to protest across Turkey, where a court appeal to halt the withdrawal was rejected this week.

“We will continue our struggle,” Canan Gullu, president of the Federation of Turkish Women’s Associations, said on Wednesday. “Turkey is shooting itself in the foot with this decision.”

She said that since March, women and other vulnerable groups had been more reluctant to ask for help and less likely to receive it, with COVID-19 fueled economic difficulties causing a dramatic increase in violence against them.

The Istanbul Convention, negotiated in Turkey’s biggest city and signed in 2011, committed its signatories to prevent and prosecute domestic violence and promote equality.

Ankara’s withdrawal triggered condemnation from both the United States and the European Union, and critics say it puts Turkey even further out of step with the bloc that it applied to join in 1987.

Femicide has surged in Turkey, with one monitoring group logging roughly one per day in the last five years.

Proponents of the convention and related legislation say more stringent implementation is needed.

But many conservatives in Turkey and in Mr. Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AK Party say the pact undermines the family structures that protect society.

Some also see the Convention as promoting homosexuality through its principle of non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.

“Our country’s withdrawal from the convention will not lead to any legal or practical shortcoming in the prevention of violence against women,” Mr. Erdogan’s office said in a statement to the administrative court on Tuesday.

This month, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic sent a letter to Turkey’s interior and justice ministers expressing concern about a rise in homophobic narratives by some officials, some of which targeted the convention.

“All the measures provided for by the Istanbul Convention reinforce family foundations and links by preventing and combating the main cause of destruction of families, that is, violence,” she said. — Ece Toksabay and Daren Butler/Reuters

Tokyo mom creates COVID-19 vaccination database amid information vacuum

July 1, 2021 | 4:46 pm

TOKYO — Balancing a new software programming job and caring for a toddler in Tokyo, LaShawn Toyoda saw increasing confusion in her social media feeds among non-Japanese speakers about how they could get a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.

The 36-year-old, a former English teacher who had recently completed an intensive coding course as part of a pandemic-prompted career change, decided she had the skills to help ease concerns amid a lack of clear direction from officials.

“There was no news available in any language other than Japanese about when they would be able to get vaccinated, how they could get vaccinated or where,” said Ms. Toyoda, who moved from Maryland in the United States to Tokyo a decade ago.

“I told my husband, ‘watch our daughter, I gotta make something.’”

Hours later, Ms. Toyoda launched her database Find a Doc, a health database that helps non-Japanese speaking people find clinics with COVID-19 vaccine doses to spare after cancellations from prioritized elderly patients.

The database, which went live on June 13, quickly grew from just two clinics to almost 70 with information in 19 languages.

Ms. Toyoda’s Twitter stream @theyokohamalife is filled with thanks and anecdotes of people who got their shots through the site, which she said has been used by more than 36,000 people.

The site’s popularity underscores nervousness about Japan’s sluggish vaccination rollout, particularly in Tokyo, where the Olympics Games are due to begin in less than a month.

Just 23% of the population have received at least one dose, according to a Reuters tracker, one of the lowest levels among major economies.

After a slow start with limited supplies prioritizing medical workers and older people, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has pledged to have the elderly population fully vaccinated by the end of this month and all other adults by November.

To speed up the process, the government handed over more control to municipalities and companies to set up their own systems and centers for administering shots.

That has meant that availability, particularly for the general public, has varied widely depending on where someone works and lives.

Ms. Toyoda, who reskilled after the school she was teaching at part time shut down during a state of emergency in the capital last year, booked her own first shot through a clinic on her database last week.

The site has received wide support, with more experienced programmers from Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Mercari Inc., and Amazon.com Inc. volunteering to add features and make it more secure.

The combined efforts echo online community activism in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima disaster when there was a similar perceived vacuum of official information.

“We take for granted that government will do everything and anything. No they won’t,” said Pieter Franken, who co-founded volunteer group SafeCast, which began by collecting radiation readings around Japan but has since expanded into tracking air quality and other quality-of-life factors.

“You can fill the void by citizen action.” — Rocky Swift/Reuters