Reuters Sports News Summary

08/06/2016 19:51

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Swimming: Syrian refugee Mardini a winner in the water

It was what Yusra Mardini left unsaid, rather than the conventional words of excitement, that made the bigger impression after the teenager's debut in the Olympic pool on Saturday. "I was only thinking about water and the last competitions and where I am now," the Syrian, swimming for a refugee team, told reporters when asked what went through her mind ahead of her 100 meter butterfly heat.

Soccer: U.S. women march on with 1-0 defeat of France

A goal from captain Carli Lloyd gave the U.S. women's soccer team a barely deserved 1-0 win over France on Saturday in a hard-fought match in Belo Horizonte. The U.S. captain was in the right place at the right time with 63 minutes gone to knock the ball into an empty net from two meters out after Tobin Heath's shot had come back off the post and left keeper Sarah Bouhaddi stranded.

Beach volleyball: Winning start for Brazil delights partisan crowd

Brazil's male and female beach volleyball pairs made winning starts in their hunt for gold on Saturday, drawing on the loud home support to beat their Canadian and Czech Republic opponents on Copacabana's golden sand. Brazil's female gold medal hopes Agatha Bednarczuk and Barbara Seixas recovered from one set down to win 19-21 21-17 15-11 against talented Czech pair who came close to upsetting the home script on the opening day.

Swimming: Ledecky makes Rio debut in relay

Freestyle phenomenon Katie Ledecky made an impressive Rio debut with the fastest leg for the U.S. women in their 4x100 relay heat on Saturday. The 19-year-old, who could win three individual freestyle events at the Games to add to her 2012 800m freestyle gold, had been uncertain for the team but her time showed why she had been selected.

Cycling: Van Avermaet strikes gold, agony for Nibali

Belgium's Greg Van Avermaet snatched gold in a thrilling finish to the men's Olympic road race, out-sprinting Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang by the Copacabana after Vincenzo Nibali's hopes ended in a high-speed crash on Saturday. Nibali was surging toward victory following a late attack after six hours of racing around Rio's exotic coastline when he careered out of control on the final descent.

Gymnastics: Smith's 'man bun' gets attention on pommel horse

It was a hair-raising day for Louis Smith at the Rio Olympics on Saturday. But rather than his fluid movements over the pommel horse providing the excitement during men's qualifying, it was the hair tied up on top of his head.

Shooting: American teenager Thrasher wins first gold of Games

Unflappable American teenager Virginia Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Saturday, holding her nerve against two Chinese Olympic champions to clinch the women's 10m air rifle event. The 19-year-old U.S. college champion edged out China's Du Li, gold in Athens in 2004, with an Olympic-record score of 208 in the sport's new finals format. Defending Olympic champion Yi Siling, also of China, took the bronze medal.

Queues, security scares mark shambolic start to Rio Games

The Rio Olympic Games got off to a shambolic and nervous start on Saturday, with organizers apologizing to angry fans kept waiting for hours at security checkpoints to enter venues while, outside, shootings and bomb scares kept visitors on edge. Athletes competed in front of empty stands early on the first day of full competition as spectators complained of missing their events while queueing for security clearance.

Swimming: Peaty breaks one record, Hosszu eyes another

Britain's Adam Peaty smashed his own 100 meters breaststroke world record and Hungary's 'Iron Lady' Katinka Hosszu had another in her sights on an explosive opening day in the pool at the Rio Olympics. American golden girl Katie Ledecky meanwhile set herself up for the first medal of a likely hefty haul after swimming the final leg of the 4x100 freestyle relay.

Judo: Mudranov predicts more gold for Russia

Beslan Mudranov won Russia's first gold medal at the Rio Games in judo on Saturday and fired a warning shot that his country had plenty more to prove. Mudranov's victory comes two days after Russia's judo team was officially cleared to participate in the Olympics after his country escaped a blanket ban over its doping record.

08/06/2016 19:51