Reuters Sports News Summary

08/08/2016 19:50

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Paralympics ban for Russia different from IOC decision: Bach

Russia's exclusion from next month's Paralympic Games in Rio is a different situation from the IOC's decision to allow some Russian competitors to take part at the Olympics, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Monday. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) only had to ban one federation -- the Paralympic Committee of Russia -- while the IOC had to take a decision involving competitors from 28 international federations, Bach told Reuters in an interview.

Judo: Silva wins first gold for host country Brazil

Brazilians celebrated in the stands after local hero Rafaela Silva won gold in women's judo at the Rio Games on Monday, claiming the first Olympic gold medal for the host country and capping a journey to the podium that began in one of the city's most notorious slums. Silva raised her arms in triumph as she overcame top seed Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia on a waza-ari, following a pulsating semi-finals victory that went into extra time against Romania's Corina Caprioriu.

China wins gold in men's 10 meter synchronized diving

China's Lin Yue and Chen Aisen won gold in men's 10 meter synchronized diving at the Rio Games on Monday, keeping alive the country's goal of a clean sweep in all eight events. The world champion Chinese duo were the favorites to win, but it was the first time they have dived together at an Olympics.

Michael Phelps' purple blotches spotlight 'cupping' trend

It wasn't just Michael Phelps' big win on Sunday that had people talking about the U.S. swimming star. It was also the dark purple circles on his shoulders. Phelps, who won the 19th Olympic gold medal of his career on Sunday and helped the U.S. men's team to victory in the 4x100 meters freestyle relay, is one of a number of Olympic athletes practicing "cupping," an ancient Chinese healing practice.

Phelps and Ledecky seek even more gold

U.S. team mates Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky moved on from a golden Sunday, somewhat creakily in the case of the former, and returned to the Olympic pool in search of individual glory on Monday. Ledecky, who won the women's 400 meters freestyle gold in world-record time late on Sunday as well as a 4x100m relay silver on Saturday, was back in action in the afternoon's 200m freestyle preliminaries.

Basketball: Spain feels pain as U.S. juggernaut rolls on

After two routs to open the Olympic women's basketball tournament, the question is not so much will the all-conquering United States win a sixth straight gold medal but will they ever lose again. The U.S. followed up their drubbing of Senegal in their opener with a less ruthless but no less clinical 103-63 dissection of third-ranked Spain on Monday, blowing out a team viewed by many as a legitimate medal contender.

Phelps feels pain of aging and late-night races

A big round purple bruise on his right shoulder, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps emerged from the pool in his qualifying heat for the 200-meter butterfly on Monday feeling the aches and the toll of late-night races in his fifth Olympics. After winning his 19th gold on Sunday night in the 4x100 freestyle, the most decorated Olympian of all time could only muster a fifth place in the qualifying heats for the butterfly semi-finals later on Monday. Phelps, 31, holds both the World and Olympic records in 200-meter butterfly.

Cool temperatures, few mosquitoes make Games Zika-free, so far

So far, at the Olympics many feared would be the Zika Games, so good. With as many as one million people expected to attend the spectacle, half of them foreigners, Rio de Janeiro has not turned out to be the Zika hothouse some athletes and visitors feared as the virus wreaked havoc in Brazil earlier this year.

Stoudemire chose Jerusalem over non-playoff NBA teams

Veteran basketball standout Amar'e Stoudemire on Monday said he turned down offers to continue playing in the NBA and decided to follow his "Hebraic roots" and play in Israel for Hapoel Jerusalem. A former first-round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns and six-time All Star, Stoudemire, 33, last week called time on his NBA career and signed a two-year contact with Jerusalem, saying he wanted to lead rather than come off the bench.

Archery: American Kaminski sees silver lining in Rio

When form, motivation or confidence threaten to wane, United States archer Jake Kaminski takes comfort from a two-word reminder inked on the back of his left hand. "I am," a simple but open-ended affirmation, is a permanent reminder for the dual silver medalist to believe in himself as he slogs away at the training range or raises his bow for a clutch shot during competition.

08/08/2016 19:50