Sports & Competitions

Gabby Douglas responds to her critics after finishing her final event at Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO — U.S. gymnast Gabby Douglas was criticized in some quarters for not placing her hand over her heart during the playing of the national anthem and then got hit hard for a seeming lack of support for teammates Simone Biles and Aly Raisman during their all-around final event. Douglas responded at length […]

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International, Sports & Competitions, USA

Lochte, three other US swimmers robbed at gunpoint early Sunday morning

RIO DE JANEIRO — Ryan Lochte and three other U.S. swimmers were robbed early Sunday morning by individuals posing as armed police officers, according to the U.S. Olympic Committee. The four swimmers — including Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen — were in a taxi from France’s hospitality venue to the Olympic Village when

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International, Sports & Competitions, USA

Venus Williams falls short of Olympic history in mixed doubles final

RIO DE JANEIRO — Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock rolled to an upset victory in the mixed-double final Sunday, beating fellow Americans Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram 6-7 (3), 6-1, 10-7, denying Williams a chance to become the first five-time champion in Olympic tennis history. Williams has won four gold medals since 2000 and another

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International, Sports & Competitions, USA

Cam Cole: Oleksiak family values include letting kids be kids and keeping a close eye on reality

RIO DE JANEIRO – They are as flabbergasted as the rest of Canada. They sent a normal, if undeniably gifted, teenager off to Rio de Janeiro for a great adventure, with modest hopes. By the time they get her back home, she will be one of the most famous Olympians in Canadian history. Barely 16

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International, Sports & Competitions

PM tells Sasson: ‘You showed Israel’s true face’

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called Israeli judoka Or Sasson Saturday evening and congratulated him on his Olympic bronze medal win. He also noted that by attempting to shake the hand of his defeated Egyptian rival – an approach that the Egyptian rebuffed – he had “shown Israel’s true face, as a strong nation that seeks

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International, Middle East, Sports & Competitions

Katie Ledecky makes history look easy as she breaks her world record in 800 freestyle

RIO DE JANEIRO — Among the 32 events contested at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, none came with less drama than Katie Ledecky’s final race of the Summer Games. The 19-year-old’s biggest competitor in the 800-meter freestyle Friday — the clock — hung from the stadium’s rafters high above blue and green seats. The question wasn’t

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International, Sports & Competitions, USA

Linda Robertson: Phelps’ final silver outshined by so many golden moments

RIO DE JANEIRO — A completely transformed Michael Phelps came to his fifth Olympics determined to do it right. If London 2012 was drudgery then Rio 2016 would be joyful, a final chance to savor his life as the greatest swimmer of all time, an amphibian Olympian unlike any other. Phelps didn’t intend to be

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International, Sports & Competitions, USA

US Olympians receive payouts for medaling, and Michael Phelps has cleaned up

Most know that U.S. Olympians who perform well tend to get millions of dollars in endorsement deals, but did you know they also get big payouts just for medaling in the games? The U.S. Olympic Committee pays American athletes $25,000 for gold medals, $15,000 for silver medals and $10,000 for bronze medals. That means swimmer

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Sports & Competitions, USA

Simone Manuel laments police brutality after historic Olympic win

Simone Manuel, who became the first black female swimmer to win an Olympic gold, said her victory Thursday night was particularly important to her because of the issues black Americans face today. The 20-year-old swimmer took home the gold in Rio after tying for first place with 16-year-old Canadian Penny Oleksiak in the 100-meter freestyle.

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International, Sports & Competitions, USA

Olympic women’s all-around champions: A Christian, a Jew and a Muslim

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — In a world awash in religious and sectarian tensions, the three Olympic victors in the women’s all-around gymnastics competition delivered a multi-faith mosaic on the medals podium Thursday in Rio, with a Christian, a Jew and a Muslim taking gold, silver and bronze respectively. US sensation Simone Biles, 19, added

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International, Sports & Competitions, USA