Reuters Sports News Summary

08/08/2016 3:55

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Russia banned from Paralympics over state-backed doping

Russia was barred from taking part in next month's Rio Paralympics on Sunday, with organizers blasting a "medals over morals mentality" as they announced the blanket ban over state-backed doping that Olympics bosses avoided. International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Philip Craven said Russia's Paralympians were part of a broken system overseen by the Russian government and suspended the Russian Paralympic Committee ahead of the Sept. 7-18 Games.

More records fall as Phelps collects 19th gold

Michael Phelps picked up his 19th gold medal on a second night of world records in the Olympic pool, with Katie Ledecky cruising to women's 400 meters freestyle victory and Britain's Adam Peaty running away with the men's 100 breaststroke. Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom extended Saturday's record spree in winning the 100 meters butterfly, and Peaty and Ledecky followed suit in the next two finals before the U.S. men's team, with Phelps swimming second, took the 4x100 freestyle relay.

Late Cole goal saves Galaxy from defeat

Ashley Cole scored in the 89th minute to give the Los Angeles Galaxy a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls on Sunday. Gonzalo Veron put the Red Bulls ahead in the 68th minute and Sean Davis looked to have sealed the win six minutes later when he put the visitors 2-0 up.

Gymnastics: Biles leads way for sensational Americans

Simone Biles showed the world why she is an Olympic champion-in-waiting as she and her American team mates blew away the opposition by almost 10 points in women's gymnastics qualifying at the Rio Games on Sunday. The quintet of Biles, 2012 all around champion Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian produced the kind of command performance that has made the Americans an unbeatable force since 2011 as they racked up a total of 185.238 points.

Cycling: I'll be fine, says Van Vleuten after horror smash

Annemiek van Vleuten suffered three fractured vertebrae and a concussion after a horrifying high-speed crash in the Olympic women's road race on Sunday but the Dutch rider said she will be fine and was more disappointed at missing out on a medal. Television pictures showed Van Vleuten slamming into the road and a stone kerb after losing control of her bike when leading on the final descent toward Copacabana beach with around 15km of the race remaining.

Swimming: Record-smashing Ledecky win women's 400m free

Katie Ledecky of the United States broke her own world record on Sunday on the way to winning the women's 400 meters freestyle gold medal, the first stage of a rare treble she hopes to complete at the Rio Olympics. Ledecky, who had come close to the record in the morning heats, led from start to finish to set a new mark of three minutes, 56.46 seconds, shaving 1.91 seconds off the previous best she set in Australia two years ago.

Weightlifting: Long wait over, Chinese lifter breaks world record

Chinese weightlifter Long Qingquan broke the 56kg world record on the way to defeating defending Olympic champion Om Yun Chol of North Korea at the Rio Games on Sunday. A noisy crowd of more than 4,000 at Riocentro roared as Om made his final attempt in the clean and jerk at 169kg to take the lead. They cheered even louder when Long, the 2008 Olympic champion, hoisted 170kg with the final lift of the night to take the gold medal.

Swimming: Vollmer brings home more medals for Arlen

With her son's name Arlen written on her foot, Dana Vollmer dove into Rio De Janeiro's Olympic Aquatics Stadium pool on Sunday and less than a minute later she became the second American woman to win an Olympic swimming medal after having a baby. Vollmer clinched bronze in the 100 meters butterfly, surrendering her London 2012 title to an impressive Sarah Sjostrom, who clocked a world record of 55.48 seconds.

Tennis: Williams sisters crash out of doubles

Three-time Olympic women's doubles champions Serena and Venus Williams crashed out of the Rio Games tournament in the first round on Sunday as the American sisters' unbeaten run dating back to Sydney 2000 came to a surprising end. The top seeds fell 6-3 6-4 to Czech pair Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova, ending any hopes of claiming a third successive Olympics doubles crown after they won gold in Beijing eight years ago and again at London 2012.

Del Potro sends Djokovic off in tears

World number one Novak Djokovic was reduced to tears after suffering a shock first round 7-6(4) 7-6(2) loss to Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in the men's Olympic tennis tournament on Sunday. Djokovic has dominated the men's game in recent years and had made it a priority to win an Olympic gold medal, the only major prize that still eludes him.

08/08/2016 3:55