Reuters Sports News Summary

08/12/2016 12:59

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

U.S. Fab Five step into 'surreal' spotlight

Fresh from winning the team gold medal and Simon Biles' historic first-place performance in the all-around competition, the U.S. women's gymnasts stepped into the media glare on Friday looking a bit shellshocked by the attention. "I'm looking forward to going home and seeing my family and being in my house and everything, just being in a home," said 19-year-old Biles, when asked what she was most anticipating after Rio.

Athletics: Kenyan team boss Rotich suspended by IAAF

Kenya's athletics manager Michael Rotich has been suspended by the IAAF's ethics commission, the governing body said on Friday, following allegations of corrupt practices surrounding anti-doping. Rotich was sent home to Kenya last week after allegations in Britain's Sunday Times that he had requested money to let undercover journalists, posing as athlete representatives, know when drugs testers would call. Rotich has denied any wrongdoing.

Manuel and Oleksiak tie for 100m free gold

Canadian Penny Oleksiak and Simone Manuel of the United States were inseparable at the finish and even more united in joy after a stunning 100 meters freestyle dead-heat rewarded both with Olympic gold on Thursday. Both women, one 16 and the other 20 and very much part of a new wave in swimming, touched the wall in 52.70 seconds as the crowd gasped at the times flashing up on the scoreboard.

U.S. closing in on milestone 1,000th gold medal

Triple jumper James Connolly won the United States' first gold medal at the 1896 Summer Games and it is expected that on Sunday or Monday a still unknown American will claim a milestone 1,000th gold to bookend 120 years of Olympic domination. To underscore the United States' status as the Olympics undisputed superpower, at the current rate of winning medals (going back to 2000) it will take almost a century and 21 more Summer Games for the next nation to reach the 1,000 gold plateau, with China finally hitting the mark in 2100.

Sponsors missing from action in war on doping: whistleblower

Doping in athletics could be slashed overnight if sponsors showed any will to eradicate it, according to Steve Magness, the coach who blew the whistle on an elite Nike-sponsored athletics program but now feels like a pariah in the sport as a result. Doping scandals have torn athletics asunder over the last two years, and are souring the mood at the Rio Games where some competitors have been loudly booed, but Magness says there is an easy way to make an immediate sea-change.

Athletics gets under way amid sea of empty seats

Ukrainian discus thrower Mykyta Nesterenko got the Olympic athletics program under way on a rainy Friday morning but there was a paltry crowd scattered around the 60,000-capacity stadium to watch him. Four years ago the ear-splitting roar from a packed house that greeted home favorite Jess Ennis as she began her ultimately glorious quest for heptathlon glory was one of the iconic moments of the London Games.

Lochte not ready for retirement yet

Ryan Lochte's last individual event at the Rio de Janeiro Games, and possibly of his Olympics career, did not end the way he wanted to. Whether it is enough motivation to push his body for a further four years through to the Tokyo Games in 2020 only remains to be seen.

Coronation complete as Biles wins all around gold

As Simone Biles stood locked in a tight embrace with her team mate Aly Raisman, waiting for her final score to come up on the big screen, the concerned look in her eyes suggested she had no idea who would be crowned Olympic all around champion. The American, however, was the only one still in the dark in the brightly lit Rio Olympic Arena on Thursday as the hollering cheers and standing ovation that greeted her final tumbling pass on the floor exercise confirmed what everyone knew long before the judges' verdict came up -- Biles was the new champion.

Phelps writes new page with four wins in same event

Michael Phelps of the United States won the Olympic 200 meters individual medley on Thursday to capture the 22nd gold medal of his career and become the first swimmer to win the same event at four consecutive Games. Japan's 400 IM champion Kosuke Hagino won silver and Wang Shun of China took bronze, both moving dramatically through the field on the final length after turning in fifth and seventh place.

Ethiopia's Ayana shatters world record to win 10,000m

Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana smashed the world record to win the Olympic 10,000 meters title on Friday, blowing away the competition in one of the greatest ever long-distance races at the Games. In only her second competitive 10,000m, Ayana dominated from the start and halfway through the race she surged away from the leading pack, injecting staggering pace to finish in 29 minutes 17.45 seconds.

08/12/2016 12:59