Update on the latest sports
APOLYMPICS
Gold for US men and women in 4×400 relay, Felix gets 11th medal
TOKYO (AP) — U.S. women have won gold in the 4×400 relay, giving Allyson Felix her 11th Olympic medal.
The team of Felix, Sydney McLaughlin, Dalilah Muhammad and Athing Mu finished in 3 minutes, 16.85 seconds for a runaway victory. Poland finished second and Jamaica was third.
Felix became the most-decorated woman in Olympic track history on Friday when she won bronze in the 400. She now passes Carl Lewis with the most track medals of any U.S. athlete. Seven of her 11 medals are gold.
And the U.S. men got their first track gold medal at the Tokyo Games with a victory in the 4×400-meter relay. The team of Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon and Rai Benjamin completed four laps of the Olympic oval in 2 minutes, 55.70 seconds. It’s the fifth gold for the U.S. men in the 4×400 since 1996. The Netherlands took silver in a national record 2:57.18 and Botswana won bronze in 2:57.27.
Americans also won gold Saturday in men’s basketball, women’s golf and women’s water polo.
Kevin Durant scored 29 points and the Americans won their fourth straight basketball gold medal by defeating the team that beat them in their opening game, 87-82 over France. He joined Carmelo Anthony as the only men’s basketball players with three gold medals. Durant sealed it with two free throws with 8.8 seconds left, making the outcome academic. Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points, while Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday each chipped in 11 for the U.S.
Patty Mills scored 42 points to carry Australia to its first Olympic medal in men’s basketball with a 107-93 victory over Slovenia in the bronze medal game.
The U.S. wound up sweeping gold in golf as Nelly Korda followed Xander Schauffele’s (SHOW’-fleez) victory last weekend. Korda two-putted for par on the final hole for a one-shot victory. She led by as many as three shots on the back nine before closing with a 2-under 68. The 23-year-old Korda won her first major championship six weeks ago and rose to No. 1 in the world for the first time. Now she has an Olympic gold medal and leaves no doubt who’s the best in women’s golf.
The U.S. won its third consecutive gold medal in women’s water polo, beating Spain 14-5. Maddie Musselman scored three times as the U.S. improved to 134-4 since it won gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. After falling 10-9 to Hungary in group play in its first loss at the Olympics since the 2008 final, the U.S. ripped off four straight wins by a combined score of 63-36. Hungary beat the Russian team 11-9 for bronze.
A Japanese team of All-Stars fulfilled a determined national mission to win the Olympic baseball gold medal for the first time, beating the United States 2-0 behind Munetaka Murakami’s third-inning home run. Masato Morishita and four relievers combined on a six-hitter, and the Japanese men matched the accomplishment of the women’s softball team, which upended the Americans for their second straight gold.
Saturday’s Olympic action began with the women’s marathon, which gave Kenya a pair of medals and added another to the U.S. total. Peres Jepchirchir (PEH’-rehz jehp-CHEER’-cheer) led a 1-2 Kenyan finish, finishing in a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, 20 seconds. Her teammate Brigid Kosgei (BRIH’-jihd KAHZ’-gy) was second and American Molly Seidel took home the bronze. The race was transferred to Sapporo from Tokyo and moved up an hour to avoid the heat. There were 88 runners entered in the field and more than a dozen did not finish.
Jessica Springsteen and the U.S. equestrian jumping team came up just short of Olympic gold, falling to Sweden in a jump off that still left the Americans with a record 10th medal in the event. It’s the first for the 29-year-old Springsteen, the daughter of rockers Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa, who made her Olympic debut in Tokyo.
Americans also medaled in wrestling. Kyle Snyder took silver in the men’s freestyle 97-kilogram and American Sarah Hildebrand won a bronze medal in women’s freestyle 50-kilogram. And American Oshae Jones won bronze in women’s welterweight boxing.
Among other developments at the Tokyo Games:
— Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway surged ahead as he rounded the last curve and set an Olympic record to win the 1,500 meters in 3 minutes, 28.32 seconds. That beat the record of 3:31.65 set by Abel Kipsang of Kenya two days earlier in the heats. World champion Timothy Cheruiyot took silver and Josh Kerr of Britain won bronze. Kipsang placed fourth.
— Brazil won its second consecutive gold medal in men’s soccer with a 2-1 victory over Spain. Mexico downed Japan 3-1 in the bronze medal match on Friday.
— France made sure its first Olympic volleyball medal would be gold, beating the Russians 25-23, 25-17, 21-25, 21-25, 15-12 in a breakthrough win for a country that had no history of success. France had qualified for the Olympics four times before this year and made it as far as the quarterfinals only once in 1988. In the bronze medal game, Argentina rallied to beat Brazil 25-23, 20-25, 20-25, 25-17, 15-13.
— China’s Cao Yuan became the first diver to win gold medals in three different Olympic events with a thrilling duel off the 10-meter platform. Yang Jian took the silver, just 1.95 points behind his teammate. Britain’s Tom Daley won bronze.
— The final bout of karate’s Olympic debut seemed to have everything that makes combat sports so fascinating, right down to an incredible ending. But the last gold medal match ended with a messy, confusing disqualification for a kick that was apparently too spectacular for karate. Iran’s Sajad Ganjzadeh won gold after Saudi Arabia’s Tareg Hamedi was disqualified for a kick that rendered Ganjzadeh unconscious. Hamedi won Saudi Arabia’s second-ever silver medal. Japan’s Ryutaro Araga settled for bronze.
MLB-NEWS
Struggling Red Sox put slugger Martinez on COVID-19 list
UNDATED (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have put slugger J.D. Martinez on the COVID-19-related injured list, further weakening a struggling offense that has scored five runs or fewer in 13 straight games.
The move Saturday came a day after Boston put rookie outfielder Jarren Duran on the list. Manager Alex Cora says neither has tested positive but that Martinez was feeling sick Friday night.
Martinez is batting .284 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs in 104 games. The Red Sox have lost seven of eight and fallen out of the AL East lead.
In other MLB news:
— The New York Yankees have put closer Aroldis Chapman the 10-day injured list because of inflammation in his left elbow. Chapman didn’t get into the game Friday night when the Yankees used nine pitchers in a 3-2, 11-inning win over the Mariners. On Thursday, he threw 30 pitches before getting his 23rd save in 27 chances. The hard-throwing lefty is 5-3 with a 3.63 ERA in 43 appearances this season. He lost his closer’s job for a couple of weeks last month after struggling. Since regaining his spot, Chapman has converted seven straight saves and has a 1.13 ERA in eight appearances.
NFL-NEWS
Polamalu recovers from virus, at Hall induction
UNDATED (AP) — Former Pittsburgh Steelers star safety Troy Polamalu (pohl-uh-MAH’-loo) has recovered from a bout with COVID-19 and will attend the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions.
Polamalu, a member of the class of 2020, has been at home since late last month and his status for the enshrinement ceremony had been in doubt. But he was cleared medically to travel to Canton and he took part in the Hall of Fame parade Saturday. He missed the Gold Jacket Dinner Friday night when other members of the classes of 2020 and 2021 received their hall jackets.
In other NFL news:
— Miami Dolphins tight end Adam Shaheen says contact tracing landed him on the COVID-19 reserve list, and he has no intention of getting vaccinated. Shaheen says he will comply with NFL rules, but says the league is “not going to strong-arm” him into doing something. Shaheen says he has never tested positive for COVID-19. He went on the COVID-19 reserve list last Sunday and was activated Thursday. Shaheen is a fifth-year pro competing for a roster spot at the Dolphins’ deepest position.
NBA-HORNETS-OUBRE
AP source: Hornets agree to terms with Kelly Oubre Jr.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets have agreed to terms with free agent small forward Kelly Oubre (OO’-bray) Jr. on a two-year, $26 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
The deal had been contingent upon the Hornets’ trade with New Orleans involving Devonte Graham going through.
The Hornets announced Saturday they acquired Wes Iwundu, a protected 2022 first-round draft pick and cash considerations from the Pelicans and the draft rights to Tyler Harvey from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for sending Graham to New Orleans as a part of a three-team trade earlier this week. In the deal, New Orleans also acquired Jonas Valuncianas, as well as the draft rights to Trey Murphy and Brandon Boston.
A six-year NBA veteran, Oubre has also had stops in Washington, Toronto and Phoenix.
