Reuters Sports News Summary

08/12/2016 19:52

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Organizers shut pool to treat green water

Olympic organizers canceled diving training on Friday morning and shut the pool in an attempt to restore the water to its original blue color, three days after its emerald hue stirred concern among competitors. The pool turned green on Tuesday, becoming the subject of numerous jokes and creating a headache for organizers. An adjacent pool used for water polo and synchronized swimming has also started to change color.

Trampoline: Fearless MacLennan repeats as champion in Rio

When a training accident left Rosie MacLennan with concussion a year ago, she had no idea if she would make it back to the Olympics as she had trouble spotting the trampoline because her "eyes were shaking" while she soared and somersaulted through the air. Yet the Canadian has made it a habit of rising to the occasion whenever she sees the Olympic rings beneath and she became the first trampoline gymnast to win back-to-back golds on Friday.

Tennis: Murray, Nadal both squeak into semi-finals

London Olympic champion Andy Murray reached the semi-finals of the men's tennis on Friday after winning a third-set tie-break to scrape through a testing encounter against American Steve Johnson. Spain's Rafa Nadal also secured a spot in the semi-finals with a hard fought victory against local favorite Thomaz Belucci of Brazil, rallying back after losing the first set.

Shooting: American Rhode wins record sixth medal in six Games

American shooter Kim Rhode won the bronze medal in women's skeet shooting on Friday, an honor that put her in an elite record-holding group of just five other athletes who have won a medal in six different Olympic Games. The Californian and three-time shooting gold medalist also became the first sportswoman in history to win medals in six consecutive Games.

Archery: Big game hunter Ellison bags elusive medal

American archer Brady Ellison shot with the steely gaze of a game hunter but wept in relief after securing the men's individual bronze at the Olympics on Friday, having nearly tossed away the medal chance as he raged at himself for one errant arrow. In a thrilling semi-final with the South Korean winner Ku Bon-chan, three-time Olympian Ellison was teetering on the brink of defeat but fired two perfect scores of 10 to take the match into a single-arrow tiebreak.

Boxing: Women's bouts begin with wins by Colombia, U.S

The first day of women's bouts, only the second ever in Olympic boxing, began on Friday with a technical knockout by a Colombian fighter and a victory by Mikaela Mayer, a 26-year-old U.S. national champion making her Games debut. Mayer, a lightweight, won a unanimous decision against Jennifer Chieng, another U.S. born fighter who trains in New York but was boxing for Micronesia.

Rodriguez says he at peace with his Yankees exit

Alex Rodriguez, one of Major League Baseball's greatest sluggers, said on Friday before his last game in pinstripes that he was "at peace" despite the abrupt nature of his exit from the New York Yankees. "When you start playing as a little boy, you don't think about the end," said 41-year-old Rodriguez, who learned from Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner last week that he was going to be released after Friday's home game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Soccer: Messi back for Argentina after reversing decision

Lionel Messi has announced that he will play on for Argentina, reversing his decision in June to retire from international soccer. The Barcelona forward said he would not play for Argentina again after the team lost to Chile in the final of the Copa America in the United States.

Soccer: Holders U.S. suffer penalty heartache against Sweden

Sweden knocked the United States out of the women's Olympic soccer tournament on Friday, recording one of the sport's biggest shocks by beating the holders 4-3 on penalties in the quarter-final after the two sides drew 1-1 after extra time. Lisa Dahlkvist converted Sweden's final penalty after Alex Morgan and Christen Press missed for the holders in the shootout. Linda Sembrant also missed for Sweden.

Soccer: We lost to 'cowards', U.S. keeper says

U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo called Sweden "a bunch of cowards" after they knocked the United States out of the Olympic women's football tournament on penalties on Friday. "I think we showed a lot of heart," Solo told Sports Illustrated after the Europeans moved into the semi-final 4-3 on penalties. "We came back from a goal down. I'm very proud of this team.

08/12/2016 19:52