Update on the latest sports
APOLYMPICS
Biles returns, wins a bronze
TOKYO (AP) — Simone Biles has returned to competition at the Tokyo Games and won a bronze medal in the balance beam, as China took the gold and silver.
Biles drilled a slightly altered routine to medal a week after taking herself out of several competitions to focus on her mental health. She looked calm as she moved, turned and flipped across the beam. Biles said afterward that she was “just happy to be able to perform, regardless of the outcome,”
Biles changed her routine a bit while dealing with a mental block surrounding twisting. She used a double-pike dismount — no twisting required — to score a 14.000, which was ultimately good enough for third in the eight-woman final.
In other Olympics action:
— The U.S. men’s basketball team advanced to the medal round with a 95-81 victory over Spain. Kevin Durant finished with 29 points. Jayson Tatum scored 13 and Jrue Holiday added 12 for the U.S., which will play Australia in the semifinals on Thursday. The American men have never failed to medal in all 18 of their previous Olympics appearances.
— Karsten Warholm of Norway smashed his own world record in the 400-meter hurdles. He finished in 45.94 to break the old mark by 76 one-hundredths of a second. Second-place finisher Rai Benjamin of the United States finished in 46.17, also bettering the record that Warholm set just last month.
— Athing Mu won the 800-meter gold medal for the United States in her first Olympics after leading almost from start to finish. Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson won the silver medal and Raevyn Rogers came from nowhere to clinch the bronze on the finish line and give the Americans a double celebration. The result confirms the 19-year-old Mu as the new star of the women’s 800.
— Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica completed her second straight Olympic sprint sweep, finishing the 200 meters in 21.53 seconds, the second-fastest time in history. American Gabby Thomas took bronze.
— Allyson Felix won her first-round heat of the 400 meters as she began her Tokyo quest for a 10th Olympic medal. The 35-year-old Felix, who’s competing at her fifth Olympics, has six gold medals and three silvers on her resume. She’s tied with Jamaican great Merlene Ottey for the most women’s track medals in Olympic history.
— April Ross is the last medalist standing in the Olympic beach volleyball women’s bracket. The American 2016 bronze medalist and her partner Alix Klineman ousted defending champion Laura Ludwig of Germany and advanced to the semifinals. Latvia and Australia advanced after they both beat favored teams from Canada. The United States and Switzerland will meet in the first match on Thursday.
— Brazil and Spain each won to advance to men’s soccer final with victories. Brazil is the defending Olympic champion. Spain hasn’t won the tournament since 1992 and last reached the final in 2000.
— Six-time All-Star Jose Bautista had a game-ending single for his first Olympic hit and bat flip, and the Dominican Republic eliminated Israel with a 7-6 win. The Dominicans, who opened the game with a strange bunt double by Emilio Bonifacio, will play the United States on Wednesday, and the winner of that game will play for a gold medal game berth.
— Armand Duplantis of Sweden won the Olympic gold medal in the pole vault.
— The U.S. women’s volleyball team will likely be without two starters when the Americans face the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals. Setter Jordyn Poulter and opposite Jordan Thompson were limited at practice after rolling their right ankles during pool play.
— Tamyra Mensah-Stock of the United States won the women’s 68-kilogram freestyle wrestling final to claim the second Olympic gold medal ever for an American female wrestler.
— Goalkeeper Amanda Longan made her Olympic debut as the U.S. rolled to a 16-5 victory over Canada in the women’s water polo quarterfinals.
— Jessica Springsteen had no luck going solo in Tokyo. Perhaps she’ll do better with a band. The daughter of famed rocker Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band wife, Patti Scialfa, failed to qualify for the Olympic individual jumping finals at Tokyo’s Equestrian Park. She’ll ride again Friday night as part of America’s four-rider entry in the jumping team event.
OLYMPICS-BELARUS-RUNNER
Belarus sprinter says punishment awaited her back home
MOSCOW (AP) — A Belarusian Olympic sprinter who had a public feud with officials from her team at the Tokyo Games says that they “made it clear” she would face punishment if she returned home to an autocratic government.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya is waiting to leave Japan to seek refuge in Europe. She said in an interview Tuesday that she hopes she can continue her career, but for now her safety is the priority.
After she criticized the management of her team on social media, she accused officials of hustling her to the airport and trying to put her on a plane back to Belarus.
In the dramatic standoff, several countries offered her help. Poland granted her a humanitarian visa Monday. Belarus’ government has relentlessly stifled criticism.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Astros visit Dodgers for the first time since cheating scandal
LOS ANGELES (AP) — José Altuve, Carlos Correa and the Astros have been heckled at Yankee Stadium, Cleveland, Phoenix and many other parks, the result of their sign-stealing scheme. Now, they’re about to hear it from the fans who feel Houston cheated them out of the 2017 World Series championship.
For the first time since their swiping scandal was revealed, the Astros will play in front of a crowd at Dodger Stadium when they open a two-game set. Houston won Game 7 of that 2017 Series by beating the Dodgers in LA.
Among the other games on the schedule:
— Blake Snell is scheduled to start at Oakland for the San Diego Padres, who are third in the NL West but in control of the second wild-card spot. The 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner lasted only four innings — a recurring trend — in losing 10-4 to the A’s at home last week. It was the 11th time in 19 starts he failed to go at least five innings.
— Lefty Jon Lester makes his first start for St. Louis after being acquired last week in a trade with Washington. The 37-year-old Lester faces Atlanta left-hander Max Fried at Busch Stadium.
NFL-PANTHERS PRACTICE
Panthers’ Kirkwood removed by ambulance after taking hit
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers wide receiver Keith Kirkwood has been hit in the neck area during practice. He was placed on a board, carted off the field and taken away in an ambulance.
Defensive back J.T. Ibe delivered the hit on a pass play and was immediately kicked out of the team’s first padded practice by coach Matt Rhule.
There was no immediate update on Kirkwood’s condition. Kirkwood twice broke his clavicle last season and was limited to one catch for 13 yards in one game.
NBA-TIMBERWOLVES-CAVALIERS TRADE
Cavaliers acquire point guard Ricky Rubio from Timberwolves
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers filled one of their biggest needs, acquiring veteran point guard Ricky Rubio from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Cleveland sent forward Taurean Prince, a 2022 second-round draft pick and cash to Minnesota for the 30-year-old Rubio, who has spent 10 years in the NBA.The teams agreed to the deal last week before the draft, but had to wait for league approval and because Rubio was in Japan at the Olympics. He scored 38 points in a quarterfinal loss to the U.S. on Tuesday.
