Update on the latest sports
APOLYMPICS-US GYMNAST POSITIVE
American gymnastics alternate tests positive at Olympics
TOKYO (AP) — An alternate on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team has tested positive for COVID-19 in an Olympic training camp in Japan.
Kara Eaker’s coach says she tested positive after being vaccinated against the coronavirus two months ago. Eaker and fellow alternate Leanne Wong have been placed in isolation.
The positive test was the latest in a growing line of daily reports of athletes and others testing positive at the pandemic-delayed Olympics.
The Games are set to open Friday with a state of emergency in force in Tokyo. That means almost all venues will be without any fans as new cases rise in the capital.
In other Olympics news:
— Katie Lou Samuelson is out of 3-on-3 basketball at the Olympics after contracting COVID-19 while training in Las Vegas. She’ll be replaced on the roster by Jackie Young, who played for the U.S. in a 3-on-3 training camp in 2020 and also competed in the event in the 2019 World Beach Games. Young joins Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray and her Las Vegas Aces teammate Kelsey Plum. Samuelson says in a statement that she’s fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and took every precaution.
— The Czech Republic beach volleyball team says it will try to postpone its opening game after one men’s player tested positive for COVID-19 at the Olympic Village in Tokyo. The player (Ondřej Perušič) was taken to isolation at a hotel, seven days before his opening game. On Sunday, two men’s soccer players from South Africa were reported positive. Their team’s first game is Thursday against Japan.
OLYMPICS-SURFING AND SEXISM
Female surfers overcome sexism’s toll to earn Olympic berth
LEMOORE, Calif. (AP) — Surfing and sexism have a long history.
Women have been held back for centuries in the male-dominated sport that is now part of the Olympic roster for the upcoming Tokyo Games. Female surfers have faced mental, financial and logistical roadblocks.
Today, they’re gaining parity in pay, equipment, surf conditions and event locations. But in terms of skill and experience, the damage caused by sexism has not yet been fully reversed.
Industry leaders from the professional World Surf League and the developmental USA Surfing say they’re committed to righting the wrongs that have long held female surfers back.
MLB-SCHEDULE
MLB home run leader Ohtani on mound at Oakland
UNDATED (AP) — Major league home run leader Shohei Ohtani is set to pitch for the Angels in his first outing since tossing a perfect first inning in the All-Star Game.
The two-way star hit his 34th home run Sunday in a 7-4 loss to Seattle.
Ohtani is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA. He is scheduled to start tonight when Los Angeles begins a six-game road trip in Oakland.
Also among the games on the big-league schedule:
— San Diego right-hander Yu Darvish is expected to come off the injured list to pitch at Atlanta. He’s been out with left hip inflammation. Darvish is 0-3 with a 6.62 ERA in four starts against the Braves.
NHL-NEWS
Nashville prospect comes out as gay in NHL milestone
UNDATED (AP) — A Nashville Predators prospect has come out as gay.
Luke Prokop posted on Twitter he is no longer scared to hide who he is. The 19-year-old Canadian was a third-round pick in the 2020 draft last fall. He is set to attend his first NHL camp after playing junior hockey last season in the Western Hockey League.
Prokop says he hopes his example shows that gay people are welcome in the hockey community.
No active NHL player has come out as gay. Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib in June became the first active NFL player to come out.
