Reuters Sports News Summary

08/23/2016 0:59

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Rainy Rio wraps up challenging Games on upbeat tropical note

A blustery storm, a touch of melancholy and a sense of pride converged at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Olympics on Sunday as Brazil breathed a collective sigh of relief at having pulled off South America's first Games. After a grueling 17 days, Rio de Janeiro cast aside early struggles with empty venues, security scares and a mysterious green diving pool to throw a huge Carnival-like party.

Brazil didn't mess up Games, nor did it make most of them

As the Olympic hoardings are taken down in Rio de Janeiro and the Carnival atmosphere subsides, there is relief that cash-strapped Brazil avoided making a mess of the Games but also a nagging suspicion it did not make the most of them either. Brazil overcame fears over the Zika virus, a painful recession that left government coffers bare, and the suspension of its president just three months before the opening ceremony of the first Games in South America.

Serena Williams and Kerber qualify for Tour finals

Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber, battling it out for the world number one ranking, are the first two women to qualify for the season-ending WTA Tour Finals in Singapore, the WTA said on Monday. World number one Williams, who leads Kerber by 190 ranking points, has won the title five times but missed last year's event through injury.

Battle on for last automatic spots on U.S. Ryder Cup team

With the Ryder Cup just over a month away, the teams are shaping up, with this week's Barclays tournament at Bethpage determining the last three automatic spots on a United States team desperate to end Europe's recent domination. U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker and Ryder rookie Brooks Koepka are set for the trip to Hazeltine outside Minneapolis for the biennial matches starting on Sept. 30.

Speedo USA ends Ryan Lochte sponsorship

Swimwear maker Speedo USA said on Monday it had decided to end its sponsorship of Ryan Lochte, two days after the U.S. Olympic gold medalist swimmer admitted to exaggerating his story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio. However, Lochte in an interview to Brazil's largest broadcaster, Globo TV, on Saturday insisted he did not lie.

Anti-U.S. mood could hurt Los Angeles in bid for Games

A bid by Los Angeles to host the 2024 Olympic Games could fall victim to anti-American sentiment brewing inside the International Olympic Committee, sources inside the IOC said. The bid, which is competing against three European cities, risks an anti-U.S. protest vote by several IOC members angry over America's prominent role in pursuing doping allegations against Russian athletes, the sources said.

Basketball: U.S. routs Serbia for third straight gold

A ruthless United States pounded Serbia 96-66 to claim a third straight Olympic men's basketball title on Sunday, giving coach Mike Krzyzewski a golden send-off. After scrapping to a tense three-point win over Serbia in the group round, the United States quickly removed any suspense from the rematch, surging to a 52-29 halftime lead then cruising to their 25th straight win on Olympic hardwood.

Players agree to interviews over PED report

Green Bay linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers along with Pittsburgh's James Harrison have agreed to meet with NFLinvestigators regarding allegations of doping, the league said on its website on Monday. The NFL had set an Aug. 25 deadline for four players, including free agent Mike Neal, to come forward for questioning or face possible suspension.

With Games gone, hard reality sets in for Brazil

Until now, people in Brazil had something to look forward to. Despite deep recession, a presidential impeachment, and a corruption scandal ensnaring the political and corporate elite, the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro shone on the horizon like a sliver of light from a sunnier era, when Brazil appeared to have its act together.

Ethiopia says will welcome Rio marathon runner despite protest gesture

Ethiopia will not bar runner Feyisa Lilesa from entering the country after he made an anti-government gesture upon finishing second in the Olympic marathon on Sunday, an official said. Lilesa held his arms over his head, wrists crossed, as he strode across the finish line to claim the silver medal in Rio de Janeiro - mimicking a sign taken up by protesters in the Horn of Africa country's Oromiya region.

08/23/2016 0:59