Update on the latest sports
APNHL-KRAKEN-EXPANSION DRAFT
AP sources: Larsson, Driedger to Kraken in expansion draft
SEATTLE (AP) — AP sources say Adam Larsson and Chris Driedger (DREE’-jer) are going to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft.
One person with knowledge of Larsson’s deal tells The Associated Press the defenseman has agreed to terms with Seattle on a $16 million, four-year contract. Another person with knowledge of Driedger’s deal tells the AP the goaltender has agreed to a $10.5 million, three-year contract.
The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday morning because the team was not announcing any moves until the expansion draft Wednesday night.
The Kraken’s 30 expansion draft picks were due at 10 a.m. Eastern time. They will be revealed beginning at 8 p.m.
The Kraken have also been linked to Dallas Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (oh-LEHK’-see-ak), who is a pending free agent.
OLYMPICS-NEWS
LaVine cleared, USA Basketball awaits 3 NBA Finals players
UNDATED (AP) — — USA Basketball expects to have its full 12-man roster available for Sunday’s matchup against France. It’s the first game for both teams in the Tokyo Olympics.
Zach LaVine has been cleared to exit the health and safety protocols that stemmed from a coronavirus testing-related issue. He will fly to Japan and rejoin the team Thursday.
The three players from the NBA Finals — Khris Middleton and Jrue (droo) Holiday from the champion Milwaukee Bucks and Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns — are expected to be in place on Saturday.
In other Olympics news:
— Four-time Olympic women’s basketball gold medalist Sue Bird and baseball player Eddy Alvarez have been chosen as USA flag bearers for Friday’s opening ceremony. Alvarez won a silver medal at the 2014 Olympics in speedskating, making him the rare athlete with the potential to medal at both the Winter and Summer Games. He and Bird were chosen by a vote of fellow U.S. athletes. They are the first duo to share the honor of leading the delegation into the ceremony. Bird will be trying to win an unprecedented fifth gold medal with teammate Diana Taurasi (tohr-AH’-see).
— Mexican Olympic baseball players Héctor Velázquez and Sammy Solís have tested positive for COVID-19 and been isolated at their rooms in the team hotel in Mexico City. The Mexican Baseball Federation and the Mexican Baseball League issued a joint statement saying that the two had positive PCR tests when reporting on Sunday but are asymptomatic. The federation canceled Monday night’s training session and PCR tests were given to all players and team coaching staff. Velázquez, a 32-year-old right-hander, pitched for the Boston Red Sox from 2017-19. Solis, a 32-year-old left-hander, pitched for the Washington Nationals from 2015-18.
— USA Volleyball says an American beach volleyball player is in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Japan, three days before the start of play at the Tokyo Olympics. The national federation did not identify the athlete, citing privacy concerns. But another player told The Associated Press that Taylor Crabb was in quarantine.
— Top-ranked shooter Amber Hill has tested positive for COVID-19 at home in Britain and will miss the Tokyo Olympics. The world No. 1 in women’s skeet says: “There are no words to describe how I’m feeling right now.” Hill’s event is scheduled on Sunday and Monday and no shooter will take Britain’s entry as her replacement. She says she has no symptoms and will now isolate per Olympic guidance. Hill reached the semifinals in skeet at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
— A Chilean taekwondo athlete and a Dutch skateboarder have tested positive for coronavirus at the Tokyo Games. Chilean athlete Fernanda Aguirre says in an Instagram post she is “devastated” and says she feels “so much sadness, anguish, frustration.” The Chilean Olympic Committee says Aguirre tested negative before her flight but then positive at the airport in Japan. She’s asymptomatic but won’t be able to compete because she will have to spend at least 10 days in quarantine. Dutch Olympic skateboarder Candy Jacobs says she is “heartbroken” after being sent into quarantine.
— Tokyo’s COVID-19 infections have surged to a six-month high with the Olympic host city logging 1,832 new cases just two days before the Games open. Tokyo is currently under its fourth state of emergency, which will last until Aug. 22, covering the entire duration of the Olympics that start Friday and end Aug. 8. Fans are banned from all venues in the Tokyo area, with limited audiences at few outlying sites.
— Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympics, the inevitable winner of a one-city race steered by the IOC to avoid rival bids. The Games will go back to Australia 32 years after the popular 2000 Sydney Olympics. Melbourne hosted in 1956. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia knows what it takes to deliver a successful Games. Brisbane follows 2028 host Los Angeles in getting 11 years to prepare for hosting the Games. Paris will host in 2024.
OLYMPICS-WOMEN’S SOCCER
Sweden beats US as Olympic women’s soccer tournament begins
TOKYO (AP) — Sweden has once again stunned the United States at the Olympics, this time with a 3-0 victory in the women’s soccer tournament.
The Americans, ranked No. 1 in the world and the favorites to win in Tokyo, were riding a 44-match unbeaten streak. But Sweden, ranked No. 5, has been the U.S. team’s nemesis of sorts in recent years. The Swedes bounced the Americans from the 2016 Brazil Games in the quarterfinals. Then in April, Sweden played the United States to a 1-1 draw in Stockholm, which snapped a winning streak dating back to January 2019.
Sweden now leads Group G heading into Saturday’s game against Australia, while the United States faces New Zealand. The top two teams in the group advance to the knockout round.
In other matches Wednesday:
— Ellen White scored a pair of goals and Britain opened the Olympic women’s soccer tournament with a 2-0 victory over Chile. Ranked No. 37 in the world, Chile was making its Olympic debut.
— Marta became the first player to score in five straight Olympics as Brazil beat China 5-0. Marta finished with a pair of goals for Brazil, which is ranked No. 7 in the world. Debinha, Andressa Alves and Beatriz also scored.A six-time FIFA Player of the Year, Marta has 111 international goals, more than any Brazilian player, male or female.
— Mana Iwabuchi scored in the 84th minute and Japan pulled into a 1-1 draw with Canada .to open the Olympic women’s soccer tournament on Wednesday. Christine Sinclair, the all-time leading international scorer among men and women, scored her 187th career goal in the sixth minute to give the Canadians the early lead. It came in her 300th appearance with the team.
— Vivianne Miedema scored four goals to help the Netherlands rout Zambia 10-3. Lieke Martens added two goals for the fourth-ranked Netherlands. Zambia is the lowest ranked team in the field at No. 104.
— Sam Kerr and Tameka Yallop both scored in Australia’s 2-1 victory over New Zealand. Australia, ranked No. 9 in the world, is playing in its fifth Olympics. New Zealand is ranked No. 22.
OLYMPICS-SOFTBALL
US tops Italy 2-0 in softball opener
FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Cat Osterman dominated as the United States began its quest to regain the Olympic softball gold medal. The 38-year-old left-hander pitched one-hit ball over six innings and struck out nine to beat Italy 2-0, 13 years after she lost the championship game.
Michelle Moultrie singled in a run in the fourth inning for the top-ranked U.S. Janie Reed added a sacrifice fly. She is the wife of Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Jake Reed. Osterman walked none on a humid afternoon with a 94-degree temperature.
The Americans lost the title to Japan 3-1 at Beijing in 2008.
In other action Wednesday, host Japan got off to a winning start, beating Australia 8-1 behind Yukiko Ueno. The 39-year-old pitcher won the 2008 gold medal game against the United States. Ueno allowed two hits over 4 1/3 innings and struck out seven.
