Reuters Sports News Summary

08/14/2016 19:52

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

U.S. swimmer Lochte says gun held to forehead in taxi hold-up

Armed robbers posing as police officers held a gun to the forehead of U.S. gold medal swimmer Ryan Lochte in a taxi hold-up in Rio de Janeiro after a party early on Sunday, Lochte said. Lochte told NBC's Today Show he was returning to the Olympic village from a party hosted by the French Games delegation, with swimming team mates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, when armed men carrying police badges pulled them over.

Gymnastics: Sleep, lucky monkey help Russia's Mustafina win on bars

With the help of a toy monkey and an afternoon nap, Russia's Aliya Mustafina finally ended the U.S. women's stranglehold on gymnastics in Rio by winning the asymmetric bars for a second successive Olympics, with a routine full of grace and power. It was a triumphant comeback by the 21-year-old, who has struggled with knee problems and missed last year's world championship with chronic back pain.

In twist, Chinese divers get engaged on Olympic medal stage

China's He Zi received the shock of her life when teammate and boyfriend Qin Kai rushed up with a diamond ring during the medal ceremony of the women's 3 meter springboard event, marking the second marriage proposal of the Olympics. Qin, who won a bronze medal in his own synchronized diving event last week, climbed up to the stage after He received her silver medal, getting down on one knee while holding a red box with the ring and a glass-encased rose.

IOC plays down Rio problems, says Games deliver on promises

Organizers for the Rio Olympics have delivered on their promises, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Sunday, playing down persistent problems that have plagued the first South American Games since the start. Games organizers have had to deal with a seemingly endless list of issues affecting venues and infrastructure alike as the country grapples with its worst recession since the 1930s.

Gymnastics: Whitlock bags historic golds for Britain, Biles shines again

Gold medals for Britain in Olympic gymnastics are like London buses - you wait 120 years for one and then two come along at once - with Max Whitlock ending the long wait for a champion by claiming victory in the floor exercise and pommel horse finals. While the two top prizes saw Whitlock match Kohei Uchimura's gold haul at the Rio Games, with the Japanese great failing to add to his team and all around triumphs as he missed out on a medal in the floor final, there was no stopping Simone Biles.

Tennis: Venus matches record but it's silver not gold

Venus Williams' record-equaling fifth Olympic tennis medal was silver rather than gold as she and partner Rajeev Ram lost an all-American mixed doubles final to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock on Sunday . Williams, who teamed up with Ram at short notice for the tournament, looked on course for a fifth gold when taking the first set but eventually lost 6-7(3) 6-1 10-7.

Sailing: France wins RS:X women's title, Scott locks up Finn gold

France's Charline Picon claimed Olympic gold in the women's RS:X sailboard competition in a fiercely contested medal race that pushed Italy's Flavia Tartaglini, the leader before the medal round, out of the podium positions. With only six points separating the top six of 10 sailors qualified for the medal round after 12 preliminary races, the gold, silver and bronze were mathematically attainable by most of the final-round sailboarders.

Badminton: Lee presses on, De Oliveira exits to wild applause

Top seed Lee Chong Wei cruised into the last 16 of the men's singles at the Olympic badminton on Sunday as home fans bade a raucous farewell to slum-raised teenager Ygor Coehlo de Oliveira. Lee, bidding for Malaysia's first Olympic gold medal after winning silver to Lin Dan at Beijing and London, labored early against Singaporean Derek Wong but stepped up a gear to close out the pool match 21-18 21-8 at the Riocentro.

Boxing: U.S. men regaining respect, says coach Walsh

The once-great U.S. men's Olympic boxing team is clambering out of the basement and heading back to where it belongs, coach Billy Walsh said on Sunday as Nico Hernandez collected his light-flyweight bronze. The first medals ceremony to feature a U.S. male fighter since the 2008 Beijing Games provided a useful moment for the former Irish welterweight and national coach to take stock of the work in progress.

Basketball: U.S. takes top spot with nervy win over France

The U.S. men's basketball team closed out pool play with an unbeaten record and at the top of Group A but another nervy 100-97 win over France on Sunday confirmed getting to the top of the Olympic podium will not be an easy climb. "Personally I felt we were going to dominate these games that they were going to come easy," said USA guard Paul George. "But you start playing better competition you see these teams are pretty good."

08/14/2016 19:52