2016 Summer Olympics: The U.S. dominates Rio Games with 121 medals

Mamadama Bangoura carries the flag of Guinea during the opening ceremony for the Rio Olympics on Aug. 5.

(Sergey Ilnitsky /EPA)

The head of Guinea’s Olympic delegation says two athletes did not return to the West African nation after competing at the Rio Olympics.

Atef Chaloub said Saturday that swimmer Amadou Camara disappeared 48 hours before the team’s scheduled departure. He said Mamadama Bangoura, who competed in judo, also did not return to Guinea, having disappeared after leaving a message saying she wanted to “try her luck” abroad.

A friend of Bangoura’s, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid punishment for failing to stop her from fleeing, said Bangoura was ashamed she didn’t earn a medal and wanted to try “working in a developed country.”

More than a dozen African athletes — including some from Guinea — did not return home after the London Olympics in 2012.

The extent of the property damage Ryan Lochte and three of his fellow U.S. Olympic swimmers caused to a gas station eight days ago might have been exaggerated by Rio de Janeiro police, according to a report by USA Today.

At a news conference Thursday, Fernando Veloso, the head of Rio de Janeiro’s civil police, said the Americans had broken a soap dispenser and mirror inside the restroom. Other reports have said the four also broke a bathroom door.

But one of the U.S. swimmers, Gunnar Bentz, said in a statement Friday that he didn’t see anyone vandalize the bathroom and the only damage caused by the group occurred when Lochte pulled a “loosely attached” advertising sign from a wall.

In examining all available surveillance footage from that night, including one aimed at the restroom doors, USA Today found no evidence the swimmers ever went near the bathroom, after relieving themselves behind the gas station.

A USA Today videographer visited the gas station and found no damage to the soap dispensers, mirrors or door, and none of those items appeared to be new.

The swimmers were eventually held at gunpoint by security guards at the station and were released after paying the equivalent of $50.

Fernando Deluz, a bilingual Brazilian who served as a translator between the swimmers and the security guards, told USA his understanding was the money paid was to cover vandalized property and that the only property that came up during the negotiations was the advertising sign Lochte had pulled down.

Deluz also said that because of the language barrier, the Americans might have believed they were being robbed.

(Patrick Raycraft / Hartford Courant)

On the first Saturday afternoon of the Olympics, NBC’s images of road cycling were so dazzling that the scenes could have been lifted from a travel promotion ad by the Rio de Janeiro tourist board.

The mostly aerial shots that tracked the bikes along the coastline displayed charmingly winding roads, granite peaks, blue-green ocean waves splashing against rocks and houses (some pink) quaintly clinging to hillsides.

Who among us did not consider firing up our laptops to begin researching our next possible vacation destination?

Of course, the bird’s-eye views neglected to capture Rio’s dark side — the slums and the crime, the shoddy transportation system and the pollution. Had our TV sets contained Smell-O-Vision, we might have whiffed the acrid odor that plagues parts of the host city.

Read More

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

He was branded a traitor, an opportunist, a coward. He was ridiculed in his neighborhood, resented in his workplace, mocked by his former fans.

When Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the powerful Golden State Warriors this summer, mere weeks after the Warriors knocked the Thunder out of the playoffs, he was generally described with a single adjective.

Weak.

Nearly two months later and 5,300 miles away, a flag on his chest and a country on his back, Durant changed both the narrative and the adjective Sunday, unleashing a brilliant performance that should provide him with an entirely different shade of moniker.

Gold.

Read More

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

My medal platform of memories is filled by two people and a team that not only successfully defended their titles, but made history doing it.

The bronze goes to judoka Kayla Harrison, who become the first American to win two gold medals in her sport. The silver goes to middleweight boxer Claressa Shields, the first American — male or female — to win two Olympic boxing titles.

And the gold goes to the women’s water polo team, which not only became the first repeat champion in the history of its sport, but did it with a heavy heart after the brother of Coach Adam Krikorian died of a heart attack two days before the Games began.

Despite the grief, Krikorian insisted on coaching in Rio, and after the team beat Italy in the final, his players lined up on the side of the pool and, one by one, draped their goal medals around his neck.

— Kevin Baxter

Read More

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Dark clouds hovered over Maracana Stadium at dusk, with a sudden wind tugging at flags and whipping the Olympic flame.

Then a drenching rain began to fall.

The storm that intruded on Sunday night’s closing ceremony at the Summer Olympics befit a mega-sporting event that, over the last few weeks, had blended spectacle with more than a few glitches and negative headlines.

“A Games in the middle of reality,” Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, had called them.

There were historic performances by some of the world’s greatest athletes, cheered on -- and sometimes booed -- by crowds exhibiting Brazil’s characteristic exuberance.

There were also reports of street crime, logistical gaffes and venue failures suggesting Brazil was not quite ready for prime time.

It was all part of the IOC’s gamble in coming to South America for the first time. The samba dancers and pop musicians who soldiered through Sunday’s inclement weather, and the fireworks that illuminated the gloomy sky at the end, embodied the host city’s determination.

Read More

See the best images from Times photographers Robert Gauthier and Wally Skalij

Fireworks explode during the Rio 2016 closing ceremony.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

10:45 p.m.: That’s all, folks, at least for the official part of the program. Partying might go deep into the night. Thanks, Rio.

10:40 p.m.: A taste of Carnival, some fireworks, some confetti. Athletes dancing with the performers.Exuberant and vibrant ending.

10:25 p.m.: Olympic flame is extinguished. Now, much dancing and merriment.

10:20 p.m.: IOC President Thomas Bach declares the Rio Games closed, calls upon world’s youth to reassemble in Tokyo in four years.

10:16 p.m.: Bach says Rio Olympics will leave a “unique legacy.” Seems to be the say-nothing equivalent of calling someone is ‘nice.’

10:15 p.m.: International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach praises unifying effect of athletes living and competing together at the Games. The scene of the two livid Mongolian wrestling coaches stripping in protest of a bronze-medal match result earlier Sunday and being escorted out by police wasn’t quite in line with that lofty ideal.

10 p.m.: Rio 2016 chief Carlos Arthur Nuzman continues the Olympic spin by saying the rain is coming to celebrate. It looks like it’s actually just making everyone cold.

9:55 p.m.: Tokyo offers a teaser about its Olympics. Looks pretty cool, actually.

9:47 p.m.: Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes booed as he’s introduced.

9:45 p.m.: Now for the flag handover ceremony from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo. Here’s hoping they complete the exchange better than the U.S. men’s 400-meter relay team exchanged the baton.

9:35 p.m.: Coming up soon: a ceremony recognizing the Games’ volunteers -- that workforce was one of the trouble spots for the event in both numbers and training -- then then Olympic flag will be lowered.

9:25 p.m.: Medal ceremony for marathon top three. Way cool.

9:15 p.m.: Now: a tribute to lacemaking. Really. As for the Olympic channel, will it show everything on delay, as NBC did?

9:12 p.m.: Next up: a heart-pounding segment on ... the launch of Olympic channel. At least the athletes have the waves of cold rain to keep them awake.

9:05 p.m.: The athletes have entered. Was wondering if they’d get into the stadium before the next Olympics. Hey, PyeongChang Games are only, what, 18 months away!

8:50 p.m.: Rain really coming down hard. Many athletes wearing ponchos, jackets with hoods.

8:40 p.m.: Inside the Games is reporting that major electrical problems at Maracana Stadium have required the use of generators to keep the show going.

8:35 p.m.: No sign yet of the shirtless Tongan guy from the Opening Ceremony. Did NBC delay his entrance, like it has delayed everything else??

8:30 p.m.: Loads of the big-name U.S. athletes have already departed Rio de Janeiro, including Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps and, uh, Ryan Lochte. Simone Biles, however, is still here and is the U.S. flag-bearer.

8:25 p.m.: Athletes still parading in. Line looks as long as I’m anticipating the airline check-in line will be tomorrow morning at GIG.

8:20 p.m.: ‘Heroes of the Games’--the athletes--enter the stadium. Colorful display.

8:15 p.m.: The closing ceremony is underway on a rainy night in Rio de Janeiro. Maracana Stadium is about two-thirds full, continuing the Games-long problem with empty seats.

The 2016 Summer Olympics come to an today, with the closing ceremony scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Pacific time at Maracana Stadium.

You will not be able to watch it on TV, however, until 7 p.m. on NBC, with coverage scheduled to end at 9:30. So, some things could be edited out for time.

As usual, the closing ceremony will end with the official handover of the Olympic flag to Yuriko Koike, governor of Tokyo, host of the 2020 Games, and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame.

And, no, Ryan Lochte is not expected to be there.

Read More

USA’s Kevin Durant, left, and Jimmy Butler celebrate after winning the gold medal.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

After Kevin Durant made a three-pointer early in the second quarter, he walked back down the court while pounding his fist on his chest and yelling at his teammates on the bench.

Turns out he was just clearing his throat.

It was Durant’s monster second quarter that ended any notion of an upset and put the U.S. on the gold-medal stand for the third consecutive Olympics with a 96-66 victory over Serbia, which surprised in these Olympics by taking the silver.

Durant had 30 points for the game, 18 of those in the second quarter, when he made Carioca Arena I marvel at both his shooting and athleticism and turned an unwatchable game into can’t-miss television before it eventually became a laugher.

Durant won his second gold medal. Veteran forward Carmelo Anthony and Mike Krzyzewski, coaching his last Olympics for Team USA before ceding to Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich, each picked up their third.

The U.S. had a rocky start to the game in the first quarter when Serbia mucked up the proceedings by fouling the Americans in transition and keeping them from developing an offensive rhythm.

The U.S. led 19-15 at the end of the first following a late three-pointer from Durant, who was beginning to catch fire. This team was often criticized for its lack of ball movement and a propensity for too much one-on-one basketball on offense. The thing is, when one of those players is feeling it as Durant was Sunday, even that brand of basketball looks effective.

The U.S. continued to pour it on in the second half, making it a smooth gold-medal game after an Olympics filled with bumps in the road. There were close victories against Serbia, France and Australia in pool play, but this team, though not as dominant over the tournament as some of its predecessors, avoided the embarrassment of coming home with anything less than gold.

USA’s Kyle Snyder celebrates his gold medal over Azerbaijan’s Khetag Goziumov i

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

American wrestler Kyle Snyder won gold on Sunday, becoming the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in U.S. history.

The 20-year-old Snyder beat Khetag Goziumov of Azerbaijan, 2-1, for gold at 97 kilograms during the men’s freestyle tournament on Sunday.

Snyder is the second consecutive American wrestler to win Olympic gold in this weight class. Jake Varner, who Snyder beat at the U.S. Olympic team trials in April, won in London four years ago.

The U.S. men’s basketball steps up to podium to receive their gold medals.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Schedule and results from Sunday’s Rio Olympics competition. All times Pacific.

Basketball (Men)

Gold medal game

United States 96, Serbia 66

Bronze medal game

Spain 89, Australia 88

Boxing

Women’s middleweight gold medal bout

Claressa Shields, United States, d. Nouchka Fontijn, Netherlands, 3-0

Men’s flyweight gold medal bout

Shakhobidin Zoirov, Uzbekistan, d. Mikhail Aloyan, Russia, 3-0

Men’s light-welterweight gold medal match

Tony Victor James Yoka, France, d. Joe Joyce, Britain, 2-1

Men’s super-heavyweight gold medal match

Tony Victor James Yoka, France, d. Joe Joyce, Britain, 2-1

Cycling

Men’s cross-country mountain bike final

Gold--Nino Schurter, Switzerland, 1:33:28

Silver--Jaroslav Kulhavý, Czech Republic, 1:34:18

Bronze--Carlos Coloma Nicolas, Spain, 1:34:51

Handball (Men)

Gold medal match

Denmark 28, France 26

Bronze medal match

Germany 31, Poland 25

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Group final

Gold--Russia, 36.233 points

Silver--Spain, 35.766

Bronze--Bulgaria, 35.766

Track and Field

Men’s marathon

Gold--Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya, 2:08:44

Silver--Feyisa Lilesa, Ethiopia, 2:09:54

Bronze--Galen Rupp, United States, 2:10:05

Volleyball (Men)

Gold medal match

Brazil 3, Italy 0 (25-22, 28-26, 26-24)

Bronze medal match

United States 3, Russia 2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-19, 15-13)

Wrestling

Men’s freestyle 65 kilograms gold medal match

Soslan Ramonov, Russia, d. Toghrul Asgarov, Azerbaijan, 4-0

Men’s freestyle 97 kilograms gold medal match

Mongolia wrestling coaches take off most of their clothes after wrestler Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran lost his bronze medal match.

(Jack Guez / AFP/Getty Images)

Two Mongolian wrestling coaches stripped in protest Sunday after their wrestler lost the bronze medal match.

The coaches had rushed to the mat in celebration minutes earlier at Carioca Arena, believing Ganzorigiin Mandakhnaran had defeated Uzbekistan’s Ikhtiyor Navruzov in the 143-pound (65 kg) class. One coach fell to his knees in the center of the mat and appeared to be sobbing.

But the judges awarded the Uzbekistan wrestler a penalty point — and the victory.

The sudden turn of events enraged the Mongolian coaches. One removed his shirt in front of the judges’ table and flexed. The other took off his shirt and pants, wearing only a pair of underwear.

“This was a protest,” one of the coaches, Byambarenchin Bayaraa, said. “There was a problem with the refereeing.

“Three million people in Mongolian waited for this bronze medal and now we have no medal ... 100% of the stadium supported us.”

The coaches piled their clothes on the table. The crowd, meanwhile, roared approval and chanted “Mon-gol-ia! Mon-gol-ia!”

Officials pushed both men off the mat after the display. They eventually put on their clothes before members of Brazil’s National Public Security Force escorted them from the venue as the crowd serenaded them with cheers.

Mandakhnaran, the Mongolian wrestler, remained fully clothed during the incident.

Ethiopia’s Feyisa Lilesa crossed his arms above his head at the finish line

(Olivier Morin / AFP/Getty Images)

Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia was nearing the finish line at the men’s marathon on Sunday morning when he crossed his wrists above his head.

The silver medalist did it again. And once more at the end of an extraordinary news conference -- standing alone and posing for photographers -- in which he explained his show of solidarity with protesters in his homeland, Ethiopia.

He explained that the gesture was in protest of the killing of the Oromo people, saying he stands with the resistance movement, adding that the government was “killing our people.”

Lilesa was asked about the consequences of his protest. He said maybe “they kill me…if not they kill me, they put me in prison.”

Later, it was mentioned that the International Olympic Committee frowned upon political protests/gestures at the Games.

Said Lilesa: “They can’t do anything. It’s my feeling.”

Claressa Shields fights her way to a gold medal over Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Claressa Shields became the first American boxer to earn two Olympic titles Sunday when she won a unanimous-decision victory over Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands in the women’s middleweight final.

Shields dominated the Rio tournament, winning all 12 of her fights. And she may have been at her best in the gold-medal match. After a slow start, she took control of the fight early in the second round, staggering Fontijn with a strong right to the head.

She continued stalking the Dutch fighter in the third round, connecting twice with left jabs and landing another hard right. And rather than protect her big lead in the fourth round, she repeatedly waved her arms, begging Fontijn to come forward and fight.

Fontijn,who lost to Shields in the final of the world championship in May, was cheered Sunday by a huge contingent of orange-clad Dutch athletes and coaches. And she was game, landing a a couple of good punches in the opening two minutes.

The victory ran Shields’ record to 77-1, with her only loss coming before the London Games four years ago. It also closed a successful tournament for the U.S., which got a silver-medal performance from bantamweight Shakur Stevenson and a bronze-medal effort from light-flyweight Nico Hernandez.

The three medals are the most for a U.S. boxing team in the Olympics since 2000, when the Americans won four.

Eliud Kipchoge crosses the finish line.

(Buda Mendes / Getty Images)

Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya continued his nearly flawless marathon career, winning the Olympic men’s marathon on Sunday in 2 hours 8 minutes 44 seconds.

Second was Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia and Galen Rupp of the United States took the bronze. Rupp’s 2:10:05 was a personal best. American Jared Ward was sixth, in 2:11:30, also a personal best. Meb Keflezighi of the U.S. was 33rd in 2:16:46.

Rupp was 11 seconds out of second place.

Kipchoge and Lilesa dropped Rupp at the 35-kilometer mark and then Kipchoge put on a patented surge himself and won by a margin of 1 minute 10 seconds.

Heading into Rio, the 31-year-old Kipchoge had lost just once in seven career marathons, at Berlin in 2013. Only three years ago, he moved up to the marathon distance.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Boring? Since when is nearly two hours of pure athletic destruction boring?

Bad for basketball? How can 20 years’ worth of consecutive victories on the world’s biggest stage be bad for basketball?

One of the most consistently dominant teams in the annals of the Olympics stepped on a Rio basketball court Saturday in front of empty seats, feigned yawns and misguided perceptions.

They turned them all into gold, untainted and unselfish gold, poured from the greatest of American sports legacies, decorated across the chests of the greatest American team athletes.

Read More

Bill Hanway, left and Doug Arnot work behind the scenes at the Rio Olympics to try to deliver the Summer Games to L.A. in 2024.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Olympic Stadium comes alive at dusk with fans arriving for the late session, lots of chatter and laughter, everyone eager to watch Usain Bolt in a 200-meter semifinal.

Beneath the stands, in a dank concourse, Doug Arnot and Bill Hanway emerge from a meeting that ran longer than expected. It has been another tough day and they look a bit haggard in their matching purple shirts.

“This is not glamorous,” Arnot says.

They are in Rio as paid consultants to help pitch Los Angeles’ bid for the 2024 Summer Games.

While Mayor Eric Garcetti and sports agent Casey Wasserman serve as the face of the campaign — schmoozing with International Olympic Committee members at cocktail receptions and private dinners — Arnot and Hanway do the grunt work.

Read More

Matthew Centrowitz of the United States reacts with Nicholas Willis of New Zealand after winning the gold medal in the men’s 1500-meter final.

(Ian Walton / Getty Images)

Medals came from rare and unexpected places for American runners on the last day of the track and field portion of the Rio Games, although they also tapped the reliable gold mine of the women’s 1,600-meter relay for a sixth straight Olympic championship in that event and Allyson Felix’s ninth career medal.

When the evening was over, the U.S. team total stood at 31 with Sunday’s men’s marathon to go, three more than the 2012 U.S. team won in London and the most at a nonboycotted Games since 1956. The breakdown was seven golds and 15 total for the men’s squad, to six goals and 16 for the women.

------------

FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of a display quote said that the 1,600-meter relay victory was Allyson Felix’s seventh gold medal. It is her sixth Olympic gold.

------------

They did it in spectacular fashion Saturday, with Maryland-born Matt Centrowitz holding off several late challenges to become the first U.S. man to win the Olympic 1,500-meter race since 1908. It was so unlikely an outcome that even he couldn’t believe it.

“Doing my victory lap I literally kept screaming to everyone I know, ‘Are you kidding me?’” said Centrowitz, who said he felt his legs begin to buckle in the last 20 meters but held on to end a plodding race with a fast finish. His time was three minutes and 50 seconds, the slowest winning time in decades.

Read More

(Sergei Grits / Associated Press)

The men decorated with scratches and red marks trickled through a hallway at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium and insisted the past didn’t matter.

Their countries, Croatia and Serbia, share a 150-mile border and a bloody history. They battled in the early 1990s as part of the conflagration ignited by the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. They traded claims of genocide. Their sporting events against each other became about much more than who won or lost and regularly led to unseemly chants, riots, even diplomatic incidents.

On Saturday, they shared a pool in the water polo final at the Rio Games.

“We don’t have any enemies when we play against them,” Serbia’s Gojko Pijetlovic said after his country muscled its way to an 11-7 victory for the gold medal. “We don’t hate anybody. We just play water polo. We play everyone the same.”

Read More

The U.S. women’s 1,600-meter relay team -- Natasha Hastings, from left, Phyllis Francis, Allyson Felix and Courtney Okolo -- celebrate after winning gold on Saturday.

(Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)

Medals came from rare and unexpected places for American runners on the last day of the track and field portion of the Rio Games, although they also tapped the reliable gold mine of the women’s 1,600-meter relay for a sixth straight Olympic championship in that event and Allyson Felix’s ninth career medal.

When the evening was over, the U.S. team total stood at 31 with Sunday’s men’s marathon to go, three more than the 2012 U.S. team won in London and the most at a nonboycotted Games since 1956. The breakdown was seven golds and 15 total for the men’s squad, to six goals and 16 for the women.

They did it in spectacular fashion Saturday, with Maryland-born Matt Centrowitz holding off several late challenges to become the first U.S. man to win the Olympic 1,500-meter race since 1908. It was so unlikely an outcome that even he couldn’t believe it.

“Doing my victory lap I literally kept screaming to everyone I know, ‘Are you kidding me?’” said Centrowitz, who said he felt his legs begin to buckle in the last 20 meters but held on to end a plodding race with a fast finish. His time was three minutes and 50 seconds, the slowest winning time in decades.

Read More

When Brazil’s long nightmare finally ended Saturday, the captain of its soccer team dropped to his knees and spread his arms in celebration.

If “Christ the Redeemer” is Rio de Janeiro’s iconic emblem, the image of a kneeling, sobbing Neymar, eyes looking to the heavens, will be how Brazilians remember the city’s Olympics.

The Rio Games have been plagued by crime, polluted water and venue problems. v There were half-empty stadiums, overcrowded streets and little approaching the excitement of past Olympics.

But when Neymar’s penalty kick ended a tiebreaking shootout with Germany on Saturday, it did more than give Brazil its first Olympic soccer title. It also gave the host country something to celebrate.

USA’s women’s basketball team celebratesl after defeating Spain for the gold medal.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

There never was a doubt.

The U.S. women’s basketball team dominated on its way to a sixth consecutive gold medal, clinching the top spot with a 101-72 victory over Spain on Saturday.

The U.S. team didn’t have to sweat on its path to the gold, defeating opponents by an average of 37.3 points over eight games.

Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Tamika Catchings each collected their fourth gold medals, joining Lisa Leslie and Teresa Edwards as the only four-time gold medalists in basketball – men or women.

Spain trailed by only three points, 27-24, early in the second quarter when the U.S. broke it open. Taurasi hit a pair of three-pointers as the Americans scored 16 of the next 19 points to take a 43-27 lead.

The lead only increased from there.

Taurasi, who had a stellar Olympics for the U.S., finished with 17 points, making five three-pointers. Maya Moore, also a standout for the Americans, had 14 points, five rebounds and six assists.

American Gwen Jorgensen leads Switzerland’s Nicola Spirig Hug during the running portion of the triathlon on Saturday.

(Quinn Rooney / Getty Images)

As she wobbled along on a flat tire four years ago in London, Gwen Jorgensen promised to turn that heartbreak at Hyde Park into a conquering of Copacabana Beach at the Rio Games.

She crushed both the course and the competition Saturday, giving the U.S. its first Olympic triathlon gold medal by cruising across the finish line in 1 hour, 56 minutes, 16 seconds.

That was 40 seconds ahead of silver medalist Nicola Spirig-Hug of Switzerland, who won gold at the 2012 Games after Jorgensen’s flat tire relegated her to a 38th-place finish.

Vicky Holland outsprinted British teammate Non Stanford for the bronze.

Jorgensen and Spirig-Hug were even until Jorgensen made her move with two kilometers left in the 10-kilometer final leg that followed a steep, 38.5-kilometer bike ride and a one-loop ocean swim.

As she approached the blue carpet, Jorgensen turned to look for Spirig-Hug, who wasn’t even in view around the bend.

Her goal within her grasp, Jorgensen lifted her sunglasses to her head, and that look of dogged determination she’d had since London dissolved into a smile.

After crossing the finish line, she reached down and grabbed the green, gold and blue ribbon and held it high above her head in triumph before breaking down in tears.

She said she was thinking of all the sacrifices, not just hers, but those of coach Jamie Turner and her husband, Patrick Lemieux, who abandoned his pro cycling career to serve as her operations manager .

“I’ve been pretty vocal about my goal for the past four years. After London, I said I wanted to go to Rio and I wanted to win gold,” Jorgensen said. “And for anyone that’s been around me, they know how much my husband, Patrick, has invested. He’s given up his career to support me. And then I also have Jamie Turner, who I’ve been on this four-year journey with, and he’s done so much for me.

“Just thinking about all the investments they’ve put into me and thinking about the four years, it all came down to one day,” Jorgensen said. “And to be able to actually execute on that day is pretty amazing.”

U.S. players celebrate after winning the bronze medal in women’s volleyball on Saturday.

(Michael Reynolds / EPA)

Karch Kiraly’s top-ranked U.S. women’s volleyball team has earned an Olympic bronze medal, hardly the color the Americans planned for when they came to Brazil chasing the program’s first gold in history.

The U.S. topped the Netherlands, 25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 25-19, Saturday, bouncing back for bronze two days after a heartbreaking five-set defeat to Serbia in the semifinals.

After Kim Hill’s ace on match point, the U.S. women fell into an embrace, and Kiraly hugged his coaches and brought his team together for a cheer.

The Netherlands shined in its first Olympics since 1996 in Atlanta, where the team finished fourth and surprised many as the Dutch put women’s volleyball on the map with a gutsy, never-give-up style.

The U.S. women’s basketball team celebrates after beating Spain for the gold medal.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Schedule and results from Saturday’s Rio Olympics competition. All times Pacific.

Badminton

Men’s singles gold medal match

Chen Long, China, d. Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia, 2-0

Men’s singles bronze medal match

Viktor Axelsen, Denmark, d. Lin Dan, China, 2-1

Basketball (Women)

Gold medal game

United States 101, Spain 72

Bronze medal game

Serbia 70, France 63

Boxing

Women’s flyweight gold medal match

Nicola Adams, Great Britain, d. Sarah Ourahmoune, France, 3-0

Men’s bantamweight gold medal match

Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana, Cuba, d. Shakur Stevenson, United States, 2-1

Men’s middleweight gold medal match

Arlen Lopez, Cuba, d. Bektemir Melikuziev, Uzbekistan, 3-0

Canoe/Kayak

Men’s kayak single 200-meter sprint

Gold--Liam Heath, Great Britain, 35.19 seconds

Silver--Maxime Beaumont, France, 35.36

Bronze--Saul Craviotto Rivero, Spain, 35.66

Bronze--Ronald Rauhe, Germany, 35.66

Men’s canoe double 1,000-meter sprint

Gold--Germany (J. Vandrey and S. Brendel), 3:43.91

Silver--Brazil (I. Queiroz dos Santos and E. Silva), 3:44.81

Bronze--Ukraine (D. Ianchuk and T. Mishchuk), 3:45.94

Women’s kayak four 500-meter sprint

Gold--Hungary (D. Kozák, G. Szabó, K. Fazekas Zur and T. Csipes), 1:31.48

Silver--Germany (S. Kriegerstein, S. Hering, T. Dietze and F. Weber), 1:32.38

Bronze--Belarus (M. Pautaran, M. Makhneva, N. Papok, V. Khudzenka), 1:33.90

Men’s kayak four 1,000-meter sprint

Gold--Germany (M. Rendschmidt, T. Liebscher, M. Gross and M. Hoff), 3:02.14

Silver--Slovakia (T. Linka, D. Myšák, J. Tarr and E. Vlček), 3:05.04

Bronze--Czech Republic (D. Havel, J. Štěrba, J. Dostál and L. Trefil), 3:05.17

Cycling

Women’s cross-country mountain bike final

Gold--Jenny Rissveds, Sweden, 1:30:15

Silver--Maja Włoszczowska, Poland, 1:30:52

Bronze--Catharine Pendrel, Canada, 1:31:41

Diving

Gold--Aisen Chen, China, 585.30

Silver--German Sanchez, Mexico, 532.70

Bronze--David Boudia, United States, 525.25

Golf (Women)

Gold--Inbee Park, South Korea, 268

Silver--Lydia Ko, New Zealand, 273

Bronze--Shanshan Feng, China, 274

Handball (Women)

Gold medal match

Russia 22, France 19

Bronze medal match

Norway 36, Netherlands 26

Modern Pentathlon

Men’s individual

Gold--Alexander Lesun, Russia, 1,479 points (Olympic record)

Silver--Pavlo Tymoshchenko, Ukraine, 1,472

Bronze--Ismael Marcelo Hernandez Uscanga, Mexico, 1,468

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Gold--Margarita Mamun, Russia, 76.483

Silver--Yana Kudryavtseva, Russia, 75.608

Bronze--Ganna Rizatdinova, Ukraine, 73.583

Soccer (Men)

Gold medal match

Brazil 1, Germany 1 (Brazil wins 5-4 on penalty kicks)

Bronze medal match

Nigeria 3, Honduras 2

Taekwondo

Men’s 80 kilogram plus

Gold--Radik Isaev, Azerbaijan, def. Abdoulrazak Issoufou Alfaga, Niger, 6-2

Bronze--Maicon Siqueira, Brazil, def. Mahama Cho, Britain, 5-4

Bronze--Dongmin Cha, South Korea, def. Dmitriy Shokin, Uzbekistan, 4-3

Women’s 67 kilogram plus

Gold--Shuyin Zheng, China, def. Maria del Rosario Espinoza Espinoza, Mexico, 5-1

Bronze--Bianca Walkden, Britain, def. Wiam Dislam, Morocco, 7-1

Bronze--Jackie Galloway, United States, def. Gwladys Epangue, France, 2-1

Track and Field

Men

1,600 relay

Gold--United States (Arman Hall; Lashawn Merritt; Gil Roberts; Tony McQuay), 2:57.30

Silver--Jamaica (Javon Francis; Peter Matthews; Nathon Allen; Fitzroy Dunkley), 2:58.16

Bronze--Bahamas (Chris Brown; Alonzo Russell; Michael Mathieu; Steven Gardiner), 2:58.49

1,500 meters

Gold--Matthew Centrowitz, United States, 3:50.00

Silver--Taoufik Makhloufi, Algeria, 3:50.11

Bronze--Nicholas Willis, New Zealand, 3:50.24

5,000 meters

Gold--Mo Farah, Britain, 13:03.30

Silver--Paul Chelimo, United States, 13:03.90

Bronze--Hagos Gebrhiwet, Ethiopia, 13:04.35

Javelin

Gold--Thomas Rohler, Germany, 90.30 meters

Silver--Julius Yego, Kenya, 88.24

Bronze--Keshom Walcott, Trinidad and Tobago, 85.38

Women

1,600-meter relay

Gold--United States (Allyson Felix; Courtney Okolo; Phyllis Francis; Natasha Hastings), 3:19.06

Silver--Jamaica (Anneisha McLaughlin-Whilby; Novlene Williams-Mills; Stephenie Ann McPherson; Shericka Jackson), 3:20.34

Bronze--Britain (Christine Ohuruogu; Emily Diamond; Anyika Onuora; Eilidh Doyle), 3:25.88

800 meters

Gold--Caster Semenya, South Africa, 1:55.28

Silver--Francine Niyonsaba, Burund, 1:56.49

Bronze--Margaret Nyairera Wambui, Kenya, 1:56.89

High Jump

Gold--Ruth Beitia, Spain, 1.97 meters

Silver--Mirela Demireva, Bulgaria, 1.97 meters

Bronze--Blanka Vlasic, Croatia, 1.97 meters

Triathlon

Women’s final

Gold--Gwen Jorgensen, United States, 1:56:16

Silver--Nicola Spirig, Switzerland, 1:56:56

Bronze--Vicky Holland, Great Britain, 1:57:01

Volleyball (Women)

Gold medal match

China d. Serbia, 3-1 (19-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-23)

Bronze medal match

United States d. Netherlands, 3-1 (25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 25-19)

Water polo (Men)

Gold medal match

Serbia 11, Croatia 7

Bronze medal match

Italy 12, Montenegro 10

Spain 9, Brazil 8 (seventh place)

Hungary 12, Greece 10

Wrestling

Men

125 kilogram

Gold--Taha Akgul, Turkey, d. Komeil Ghasemi, Iran, 3-1

Bronze--Ibragim Saidov, Belarus, d. Levan Berianidze, Armenia, 3-1

Bronze--Geno Petriashvili, Georgia, d. Tervel Diagniv, United States, 4-0

86 kilogram

Gold--Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Russia, d. Selim Yasar, Turkey, 3-0

Bronze--J’Den Cox, United States, d. Reineris Salas, Cuba, 5-0

Bronze--Sharif Sharifov, Azerbajan, d. Pedro Francisco Ceballos Fuentes, Venezuela, 3-1

American boxer Shakur Stevenson trades punches with Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez during their gold-medal bout Saturday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez won a split-decision victory over Shakur Stevenson in the Olympic bantamweight boxing final Saturday, denying the U.S. its first men’s gold medal in the sport since 2004.

Ramirez, 22, danced into the half-full arena wearing a big smile and gesticulating to the crowd. The 19-year-old Stevenson, meanwhile, was all business.

But Ramirez started quickly and had the U.S. fighter backpedaling early in the opening round.

Stevenson tried to use a long, looping right to create some distance, but Ramirez slipped under it to land several hard, straight heads to the upper body. When the bell sounded at the end of the round, Ramirez smiled and shook his head at Stevenson.

Stevenson recovered to take the second round, going inside in an effort to take the sting away from Ramirez’s combinations. But the Cuban, an Olympic champion four years ago as a flyweight, was simply too quick and polished for Stevenson. And with 30 seconds, left he caught the American near the ropes, unleashing a series of punches. Though none did any damage, the flurry may have been enough to decide the fight.

The silver medal for Stevenson is the highest Olympic prize won by a U.S. male boxer since 2004, when Andre Ward captured the light-heavyweight title. And Claressa Shields’ medal, combined with Nico Hernandez’s bronze in the light flyweight division, make the Rio Olympics the most productive for USA Boxing since Athens, when the U.S. also won two medals.

Saturday’s fight was just the third of the Games for Stevenson — and his first in four days — after Russian Vladimir Nikitin was unable to answer the bell in the quarterfinals because of injury.

Stevenson won his first two bouts by unanimous decision.

Tyson Gay, Justin Gatlin and Mike Rodgers of the U.S. 400-meter relay team.

(Peter Klaunzer / EPA)

USA Track and Field’s appeal of the disqualification of the men’s 400-meter relay team has been denied, according to several reports.

The U.S. quartet finished third in the final on Friday but soon afterward was disqualified because of a faulty baton exchange between leadoff runner Mike Rodgers and Justin Gatlin in which Rodgers passed it too early. Jamaica won, followed by Japan. Canada, which had finished fourth, was elevated to third following the U.S. disqualification.

U.S. officials filed a protest with the Jury of Appeals of the International Assn. of Athletics Federations. The rejection of the appeal was first reported by Tim Layden of Sports Illustrated, who cited an official of the IAAF as saying all protests and appeals were rejected, leaving all results to stand. Associated Press also reported the protest had been rejected.

Gwen Jorgensen crosses the finish line.

(Adam Pretty / AFP/Getty Images)

Four seconds is virtually nothing for a gifted runner like Gwen Jorgensen.

Jorgensen was a mere four seconds behind the leader, Mari Rabie of South Africa, in the bike-to-run transition of the women’s Olympic triathlon on Saturday morning.

Just like that Jorgensen erased the lead and surged into first in a matter of seconds. The only runner to stay right with Jorgensen during the 10-kilometer run along the scenic Copacabana course was veteran Nicola Spirig Hug of Switzerland.

The battle between Jorgensen and Spirig Hug came down to Jorgensen pulling away on the final lap. Jorgensen, of St. Paul, Minn., won the first triathlon gold for the United States, beating Spirig Hug by 40 seconds. Overcome by emotion, her smile quickly turned to tears after she crossed the finish line.

The only other medal the U.S. women have won in this event was a bronze by Susan Williams in 2004 in Greece.

For Jorgensen, it was a wildly different experience from London. In 2012, she suffered a flat tire and finished 38th.

This time, misfortune hit another U.S. athlete, Sarah True, who withdrew during the bike section. It appeared she injured her right knee, attempted to resume riding but was forced to quit.

Simone Biles

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Simone Biles will carry the American flag during the closing ceremony for the Summer Olympics on Sunday, the U.S. Olympic Committee announced.

Biles won four gold medals during the gymnastics competition, including the all-around title.

“It’s an incredible honor to be selected as the flag-bearer by my Team USA teammates,” Biles said in a statement. “This experience has been the dream of a lifetime.”

She is the first female gymnast from the U.S. to be selected as a flag-bearer for the opening or closing ceremony.

Jack Conger, left, and Gunnar Bentz are escorted through Miami International Airport after arriving back in the U.S. on Friday.

(Angel Valentin / Getty Images)

Two of the U.S. swimmers involved in the incident with Ryan Lochte at a gas station in Rio early Sunday morning have apologized in separate statements that both assert that Lochte initiated a confrontation with two security guards at the business when he ripped a poster off a wall.

Gunnar Bentz said that the four swimmers -- including Lochte, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen -- stopped at the gas station near Olympic Park and urinated on the side of the building. At that point, Bentz said, Lochte pulled a “framed metal advertisement” off a wall.

Bentz disputed accounts by local police that the swimmers also damaged a restroom.

Two security guards told the swimmers to exit their taxi, Bentz said, and one of the men held up a badge and pulled his gun when Feigen and Conger walked away from the vehicle. The second guard drew his weapon and instructed the swimmers to sit on a sidewalk.

“Again, I cannot speak to his actions, but Ryan stood up and began to yell at the guards,” Bentz said. “After Jack and I both tugged at him in an attempt to get him to sit back down, Ryan and the security guards had a heated verbal exchange, but no physical contact was made.”

Conger recounted a similar scene in his statement.

“Although I cooperated with their requests while there was a heated exchange among others, at one point a weapon was pointed at me,” he said. “Eventually, a man appeared who was able to translate for us, helping to defuse the situation. We paid some money to compensate them for the torn poster and returned to the Village in a different taxi.”

Bentz confirmed the account by local authorities that the swimmers paid the equivalent of about $50 U.S. to resolve the matter before leaving.

Though the gunplay isn’t visible in security footage of the incident made public so far, Bentz said he is “confident video angles have not been shown that would further substantiate my account.”

Bentz and Conger were pulled off their U.S.-bound flight by local authorities earlier this week, then allowed to leave the country 24 hours later after being interviewed by police.

Their statements offered a markedly different tone -- both conciliatory and detailed -- than a three-paragraph apology Lochte issued Friday. He returned to the U.S. on Monday.

“First and foremost, I deeply regret the trouble and embarrassment this event has brought to the people of Brazil and Rio de Janeiro, and the distraction it has caused from the achievements of my fellow Olympians,” Conger said. “This has been an unsettling, humbling and frightening experience. It’s a reminder that all of us, when we travel and especially when we represent the U.S. in the Olympics, are ambassadors for our country and should be on our best behavior.”

Bentz added, “Without question, I am taking away a valuable life lesson from this situation. In everything I do, I am representing my family, my country and my school. I will not take that responsibility lightly.”

Feigen, who remains in Brazil, hasn’t issued a statement. A Rio de Janeiro court said he apologized Friday for his role in the incident.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

It was less than three minutes to play in Friday’s women’s Olympic water polo final when the emotions started to kick in for Adam Krikorian.

No women’s team had ever won consecutive gold medals in the sport, something Krikorian’s team was about to do. No team had ever scored more goals, given up fewer or won by a larger margin than Krikorian’s U.S. team did in its 12-5 rout of Italy.

Yet Krikorian’s emotions had nothing to do with joy or accomplishment. Two days before the opening ceremony of the Rio Games, Krikorian’s brother Blake was found dead in his car at a Northern California beach. The coroner said he had gone paddle boarding and died of a heart attack. He was 48.

“It was hitting me pretty hard at the end of the game. Just thinking about my brother,” the coach said, taking a long pause to compose himself, “thinking about how hard this journey’s been.”

Read More

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

He’s always been third.

As much lovable cartoon character as feared NBA star, his missed free throws as celebrated as his highlight dunks, DeAndre Jordan has spent his career as a giant in a shadow.

Meet D.J., the flying, blocking, board-rattling Olympian.

Read More

(Frank Augstein / Associated Press)

In the climactic scene of the iconic boxing moving “Rocky,” a bloodied and battered Apollo Creed pulls Rocky Balboa close and says, “There ain’t gonna be no rematch.”

But they do meet again.

It’s tough to pass up a rematch. Win once? Maybe you got lucky. Do it again, and no one can question who’s better. That’s why Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier three times. It’s why the Yankees play the Red Sox 19 times each season.

It’s also why Saturday’s Olympic soccer final between host Brazil and World Cup champion Germany has become, for Brazilians, the biggest event of the Rio Games.

Read More

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

For eight seasons with the Clippers, DeAndre Jordan has never even been the most important player on his team.

Which made it fairly breathtaking Friday when he was the most important player in his country ...

Read More

(Frank Augstein / Associated Press)

The soccer final between host Brazil and World Cup champion Germany has become, for Brazilians, the biggest event of the Rio Games.

Two years ago, Germany humiliated Brazil, 7-1, on its home soil in the most lopsided World Cup semifinal in history. It was a national embarrassment that will not soon be forgotten.

Saturday’s rematch offers a chance at both revenge and redemption, though it can’t completely atone for the World Cup debacle because it won’t be a true international match.

Here’s why ...

Read More

Led by Usain Bolt, Jamaica won the men’s 400-meter relay at the Rio Olympics, with Japan taking silver.

The U.S. initially was declared third but was disqualified because of an illegal exchange outside the zone between leadoff runner Mike Rodgers and Justin Gatlin. Canada was elevated to third, with former USC star Andre De Grasse becoming a three-time Rio medalist as the anchor.

It was the ninth time since 1995 that a U.S. men’s relay team was disqualified or couldn’t get the baton around at an Olympics or world championship.

Read More

Usain Bolt kisses the track one last time after winning gold in the 400-meter relay at the Rio Olympics.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

In perhaps the final Olympic race of his remarkable career, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt went a perfect three for three in his third consecutive Summer Games, an unprecedented feat and one that might stand untouched for years to come.

Bolt, who added the Rio 100- and 200-meter dash titles to the crowns he won in Beijing and London, anchored Jamaica’s 400-meter relay team to victory Friday at Olympic Stadium in 37.27 seconds.

Japan was a surprising second in 37.60 seconds. The U.S. team of Mike Rodgers, Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay and Trayvon Bromell that took third in 37.62 seconds was later disqualified for what’s believed to be a lane violation on their first baton exchange. Fourth-place Canada (37.64 seconds) was elevated to the bronze.

Bolt ran away from the field in the last 30 meters or so, then promptly ran to the crowd to greet his adoring fans before rejoining his teammates for celebrations that included dancing, wrapping themselves in flags and generally savoring a historic moment.

Bolt, who will be 30 on Sunday, has said he will retire after these Rio Games, which would be a great loss to a sport that urgently needs not only his excellence but his genial, fan-friendly personality. He didn’t set any world records in Rio, but he created great excitement and brought thousands of spectators to a stadium that was largely empty throughout the competition.

Just before the men’s race, the U.S. women’s 400-meter relay team of Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner and Tori Bowie won gold with a time of 41.01 seconds. That was the eighth medal of Felix’s stellar career, a total comprising five gold-- the most for any female track athlete -- and three silver.

The Jamaican team of Christiana Williams, sprint-double champion Elaine Thompson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was second in 41.36 seconds. Britain was third in 41.77 seconds.

The U.S. women had to run out of Lane 1 on Friday, making their task difficult. They were placed there because of their first-round mishap on Thursday, when Felix was elbowed by a Jamaican runner and couldn’t hand the baton cleanly to Gardner. That put them out of an automatic qualification, but the result was successfully appealed, and the relay -- with Morolake Akinosun as the anchor -- was allowed to run alone to try to get a top-8 time. They recorded the fastest time but were considered to have qualified on time and were relegated to the inside instead of a prime middle lane.

Earlier Friday, the U.S. women’s 1,600-meter relay team ran the fastest first-round time- -- 3:21.42 -- and moved on to Saturday’s final. The lineup of Courtney Okolo, Taylor Ellis-Watson, Francena McCorory and Phyllis Francis got the baton around cleanly, avoiding any mishaps of the variety that the 400-meter relay team experienced in its first-round heat on Thursday. The 1,600-meter lineup will change for the final, though the exact lineup won’t be announced until Saturday afternoon.

Jamaica (3:22.38) had the second-best time, followed by Ukraine, Britain, Canada, Italy, Poland and Australia.

The U.S. men’s 1,600-meter relay team finished second in its heat to Jamaica, which got a scorching anchor leg from Javon Francis. Arman Hall, Tony McQuay, Kyle Clemons and David Verburg of the U.S. were timed in 2:58.38, just behind Jamaica’s 2:58.29. Trinidad and Tobago was disqualified from that heat. Britain won the second heat but was disqualified, allowing Brazil to make Saturday’s final.

In the women’s 5,000, Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot of Kenya set an Olympic record with a time of 14:27.17 to win gold, ahead of Hellen Obiri of Kenya (14:29.77) and 10,000-meter champion Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia (14:33.59). Shelby Houlihan, who became the lone American entrant when Abbey D’Agostino had to withdraw because of a serious knee injury she suffered during a fall in the previous round, finished 11th in 15:08.89.

Members of the U.S. women’s 400-meter relay team -- from left) Tianna Bartoletta, English Gardner, Tori Bowie and Allyson Felix -- celebrate after winning the gold medal.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The U.S. women have retained the 400-meter relay title and helped Allyson Felix win her record fifth Olympic gold medal.

The Americans, who needed to set a qualifying time in a solo rerun hours after dropping the baton in the preliminaries and getting a second chance on protest, won Friday’s final in 41.01 seconds.

A Jamaican team including Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was second in 41.36. Britain won bronze in a national record 41.77.

The 30-year-old Felix entered the Rio Games as one of six women with four Olympic gold medals in track and field.

Germany defeated Sweden, 2-1, to win the women’s soccer gold medal for the first time in the Olympics.

Germany opened the scoring with a goal by Dzsenifer Marozsan in the 48th minute and added to the lead with an own goal by Swedish defender Linda Sembrant in the 62nd.

Sweden pulled one closer with Stina Blackstenius in the 67th but was not able to get the equalizer despite some good late chances at the Maracana Stadium.

A two-time World Cup champion, Germany had previously won three bronze medals. It was playing in the Olympic final for the first time.

Sweden has won its first silver in women’s soccer. It had never been on the podium.

The United States ended its gold medal drought in BMX racing after Connor Fields won the men’s Olympic final in the American-born sport on Friday, and Mariana Pajon of Colombia successfully defended her title in the women’s final.

U.S. cyclist Alise Post took silver behind Pajon, while Stefany Hernandez of Venezuela won bronze.

A fan favorite, Pajon raised her bike in the air after pedaling to a stop across the finish line, acknowledging the adoring fans in the stands waving the yellow, blue and red flag of her home country.

Fields was just as jubilant after racing to the front and holding off Dutch rider Jelle van Gorkom at the finish line to take the gold.

There was a photo finish for third, with Carlos Ramirez Yepes of Colombia just edging out the United States’ Nic Long for the bronze. Officials went to a video replay to determine that medal.

Still, it was a banner day for the United States. The medals for Fields and Post snapped a podium drought in London in 2012.

It had been a trying few months for Fields, who broke a bone in his left hand in the spring. He only returned to the bike in June and needed a special brace to compete in Rio de Janeiro.

“There was kind of a point where I exited the last corner and realized I was winning,” said a smiling Fields, his new medal draped around his neck. “I was like, ‘Get to the line! Get to the line!’ I crossed that finish line and dropped to my knees. I couldn’t believe it.”

The reigning world champion, Pajon enjoyed home-continent advantage and acknowledged loud fans who wore Team Colombia shirts. Pajon rode to the front early in each of her three semifinal heats, and never looked back, either after the first turn in the final.

“My first gold was huge. But two is amazing,” said Pajon, struggling to find words after the race.

She’s a star in Colombia, so much so that a BMX track has been named in her honor. She won a world title on that course in May.

Pajon will take home a bigger prize when she returns to Medellin.

It wasn’t pretty, but Team USA has advanced to Sunday’s gold-medal men’s basketball game.

The U.S. defeated Spain with a grinding 82-76 victory on Friday and now awaits the winner of the second semifinal between Australia and Serbia, two teams that the Americans defeated by 10 and three points, respectively, in group play.

In the first half, the U.S. grabbed 13 offensive rebounds that helped pace it to a 45-39 halftime edge. Klay Thompson, who finished with 22 points, had 17 by halftime.

Kevin Durant added 14 points and Kyrie Irving had 13 for the Americans.

But the U.S. could never quite put Spain away. In particular, the U.S. had trouble containing Pau Gasol, who scored 23 points.

The referees tried to wrestle control of the game early and doled out five technical fouls, giving the game a choppy pace. It didn’t help that both teams struggled to find their stride offensively.

Serbia gave the U.S. its closest game in preliminary play. The Americans pulled out a 94-91 victory in a game that went down to the final seconds, when the Serbs had a chance to tie the score.

Despite defeating Australia, 98-88, the Americans trailed by two points, 72-70, early in the fourth quarter. That’s when Carmelo Anthony got hot and scored 14 of Team USA’s next 18 points to help open an 88-80 lead.

The U.S. women’s water polo team erupts after scoring a goal against Italy to secure the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Games.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The U.S. became the first two-time Olympic champion in women’s water polo history Friday, blitzing Italy, 12-5, at Rio’s Olympic Aquatics Stadium.

The U.S. won its first gold in London four years ago but just four women -- Maggie Steffens, Kami Craig, Melissa Seidemann and Courtney Mathewson -- from that team played in Rio. All four scored in Friday’s final, though, with Steffens’ third-period goal giving her a tournament-high 17.

The U.S., which trailed just once for less than a minute in six games in Rio, took the lead for good on Kiley Neushul’s goal less than four minutes into the first period.

By the end of the opening eight minutes, the Americans led 4-1 and were never seriously challenged after that. Neushul finished with three goals -- on four shots -- while Rachel Fatal and Mackenize Fischer scored two each. Goalkeeper Ashleigh Johnson also came up big, making nine saves and stopping a penalty shot early in the second half before coming out of the game for Sami Hill with 2 1/2 minutes to play.

Hill made two saves in her brief appearance.

Friday’s final was the first matchup of former champions in five women’s water polo tournaments and both teams came into the gold-medal game unbeaten.

Italy won its gold in 2004.

Italy’s Emanuele Birarelli, right, spikes the ball while U.S. player David Lee attempts to block during a men’s semifinal match Friday at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

(Juan Mabromata / AFP/Getty Images)

They called a timeout to try to stop Italy’s momentum.

It didn’t work.

They tried it again.

Nothing, it seemed, was going to work late in the fifth set against a suddenly surging Italy.

The well-developed survival skills exhibited by the U.S. men’s volleyball team here vanished late in its semifinal against Italy on Friday at the Olympics. Italy won a thriller, 30-28, 26-28, 9-25, 25-22, 15-9. The U.S. had been trying to avenge an earlier loss to Italy in pool play as well as a devastating defeat four years ago at the London Olympics.

Italy saved five set points in the opening set and had one in the second set but missed the chance to take a two-set lead. It recovered its poise after a one-sided third set and won the fourth, finishing it off with a 6-0 run.

“At the end of the day, we just weren’t skilled enough,” said U.S. Coach John Speraw. “We just didn’t execute on some opportunities and Italy did.”

On trying to get up for the bronze-medal match after such a tough loss:

“It’s really really hard. I almost feel like today we need to mourn and just get it out of our system,” he said. “I know we will. Tomorrow we’re going to have to regroup to prepare ourselves for the next step.”

In Sunday’s bronze-medal match, the U.S. will play Brazil or Russia. Brazil and Russia were to play in a semifinal later on Friday.

The journey has been anything but easy for the U.S. in Rio. The team lost their first two games in pool play – to Canada and Italy – before finding the right touch and aggressive approach after a team meeting.

The U.S. women’s water polo team.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Schedule and results from Friday’s Rio Olympics competition. All times Pacific.

Badminton

Women’s singles gold medal match

Carolina Marin, Spain, d. P. V. Sindhu, India, 2-1

Women’s singles bronze medal match

Nozomi Okuhara, Japan, d. Li Xuerui, China, walkover

Men’s doubles gold medal match

China (H.F. Fu and N. Zhang) d. Malaysia (W.K. Tan and V. S. Goh), 2-1

Basketball (men’s semifinals)

United States 82, Spain 76

Serbia 87, Australia 61

Boxing

Women’s lightweight (60kg)

Gold--Estelle Mossely, France

Silver--Junhua Yin, China

Bronze--Anastasiia Beliakova, Russia

Bronze--Mira Potkonen, Finland

Cycling

Women’s BMX final

Gold--Mariana Pajón, Colombia, 34.09 seconds

Silver--Alise Post, United States, 34.43

Bronze--Stefany Hernandez, Venezuela, 34.75

Men’s BMX finals

Gold--Connor Fields, United States, 34.64

Silver--Jelle van Gorkom, Netherlands, 35.31

Bronze--Carlos Ramirez, Colombia, 35.51

Diving

Men’s 10-Meter platform qualifiers

1. Thomas Daley, Britain, 571.85; 2. Bo Qiu, China, 564.75; 3. Aisen Chen, China, 545.35; 4. David Boudia, United States, 496.55; 5. Benjamin Auffret, France, 470.45; 6. Martin Wolfram, Germany, 468.80; 7. Sascha Klein, Germany, 463.40; 8. Viktor Minibaev, Russia, 462.25; 9. James Connor, Australia, 457.05; 10. Rafael Quintero, Puerto Rico, 456.55; 11. Haram Woo, South Korea, 438.45; 12. German Sanchez, Mexico, 430.05; 13. Hugo Parisi, Brazil, 422.45;

14. Vincent Riendeau, Canada, 419.50; 15. Ivan Garcia, Mexico, 418.90; 16. Nikita Shleikher, Russia, 418.15; 17. Domonic Bedggood, Australia, 413.85;

18. Steele Johnson, United States, 403.75

Equestrian

Individual jumping finals

Gold--Nick Skelton, Great Britain

Silver--Peder Fredricson, Sweden

Bronze--Eric Lamaze, Canada

Field Hockey (women)

Gold medal match

Britain 3, Netherlands 3, (Britain wins 2-0 in shootout)

Bronze medal match

Germany 2, New Zealand 1

Handball (men’s semifinals)

France 29, Germany 28

Denmark 29, Poland 28 (OT)

Modern pentathlon

Women’s combined (running and shooting)

Gold--Chrloe Esposito, Australia, 1,392 points (Olympic record)

Silver--Elodie Clouvel, France, 1,356

Bronze--Oktawia Nowacka, Poland, 1,349

Soccer (women)

Gold medal match

Germany 2, Sweden 1

Bronze medal match

Canada 2, Brazil 1

Synchronized swimming

Teams final

Gold--Russia, 196.1439

Silver--China, 192.9841

Bronze--Japan, 189.2056

Taekwondo

Men’s 80 kilogram

Gold--Cheick Sallah Junior Cisse, Ivory Coast

Silver--Lutalo Muhammad, Britain

Bronze--Oussama Oueslati, Tunisia

Bronze--Milad Beigi Harchegani, Azerbaijan

Women’s 67 kilogram

Gold--Hyeri Oh, South Korea

Silver--Haby Niare, France

Bronze--Ruth Marie Christelle Gbagbi, Ivory Coast

Bronze--Nur Tatar, Turkey

Track and field

Men

400-meter relay

Gold--Jamaica (Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake, Nickel Ashmeade, Usain Bolt, p-Kemar Bailey-Cole, p-Jevaughn Minzie), 37.27

Silver--Japan (Ryota Yamagata, Shota Iizuka, Yoshihide Kiryu, Aska Cambridge), 37.60

Bronze--Canada (Akeem Haynes, Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney, Andre de Grasse, p-Mobolade Ajomale), 37.64

50-kilometer race walking final

Gold--Matej Tóth, Slovakia, 3:40:58

Silver--Jared Tallent, Australia, 3:41:16

Bronze--Evan Dunfee, Canada, 3:41:38

Women

5,000 meters

Gold--Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot, Kenya, 14:26:17 (Olympic record)

Silver--Hellen Onsando Obiri, Kenya, 14:29:77

Bronze--Almaz Ayana, Ethiopia, 14:33:59

400-meter relay

Gold--United States (Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner, Tori Bowie, Morolake Akinosun), 41.01

Silver--Jamaica (Christania Williams, Elaine Thompson, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Simone Facey, Sashalee Forbes), 41.36

Bronze--Britain (Asha Philip, Desiree Henry, Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita), 41.77

20-kilometer race walking

Gold--Hong Liu, China, 1:28:35

Silver--Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez, Mexico, 1:28:37

Bronze--Xiuzhi Lu, China, 1:28:42

Volleyball (men’s semifinals)

Italy 3, United States 2 (30-28, 26-28, 9-25, 25-22, 15-9)

Brazil 3, Russia 0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-17)

Water polo (women)

Gold medal match

United States 12, Italy 5

Bronze medal match

Russia 19, Hungary 18

China 10, Brazil 5 (seventh place)

Spain 12, Australia 10 (fifth place)

Wrestling

Men’s freestyle 57 kg

Gold--Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Georgia

Silver--Rei Higuchi, Japan

Bronze--Haji Aliyev, Azerbaijan

Bronze--Hassan Sabzali Rahimi, Iran

Men’s freestyle 74 kg

Gold--Hassan Aliazam Yazdanicharati, Iran

Silver--Aniuar Geduev, Russia

Bronze--Soner Demirtas, Turkey

Bronze--Jabrayil Hasanov, Azerbaijan

Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz are escorted by police through Miami International airport after returning to the U.S.

(Angel Valentin / AFP/Getty Images)

Ryan Lochte apologized Friday for his role in an altercation at a gas station near Olympic Park and for “not being more careful and candid” in how he described the incident.

Lochte, the 12-time Olympic medalist, initially gave a dramatic account of being robbed at gunpoint along early Sunday morning along with three other U.S. swimmers.

The story unraveled Thursday when Brazilian authorities said it was fabricated and the four swimmers instead damaged a bathroom at a gas station. They were detained by security guards, one of whom pulled a gun to prevent them from leaving, until the athletes paid about $50 in dollars and reals to resolve the matter.

“It’s traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country -- with a language barrier -- and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave,” Lochte’s three-paragraph statement posted on his Twitter account said, “but regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that I am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors and the hosts of this great event.

“I am very proud to represent my country in Olympic competition and this was a situation that could and should have been avoided. I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons.”

Lochte’s statement followed the U.S. Olympic Committee’s apology to Brazil late Thursday for the behavior of the swimmers and USA Swimming promising a “thorough” review of the incident.

Rio 2016 spokesman Maria Andrada accepted Lochte’s apology, but said Brazilians felt humiliated by the situation.

“Understand that the Brazilian population was quite disappointed in the actions and the facts,” Andrada said during his daily news conference. “I think that the Brazilian population will accept his apologies and we want to put this matter to an end and I don’t see this as a fact that will mark these Games.”

Mark Adams, spokesman for the International Olympic Committee, called the apology “entirely appropriate.”

Earlier Friday, two of Lochte’s teammates, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, returned to the U.S. after being prevented from leaving Brazil 24 hours earlier.

Fernando Veloso, head of Rio de Janeiro’s civil police, said Bentz and Conger gave statements to police Thursday that contradicted Lochte’s account.

The fourth swimmer involved, Jimmy Feigen, remains in Brazil. He reached agreement to pay a fine of 35,000 reals, about $10,800, for falsely reporting a crime, according to a statement from Judge Tula Correa de Mello. The money will go to a local charity. A judge previously barred Feigen from leaving the country; his passport will be returned and he’ll be free to depart when the money is received.

Veloso has left open the possibility that Lochte, who returned to the U.S. on Monday, could face charges, saying “there’s very strong evidence that at least one of the swimmers, Ryan Lochte, made a false police report.”

The swimmers previously claimed in a statement issued by the USOC that they were robbed by armed men posing as police officers while traveling by taxi from France’s hospitality venue to the Olympic Village early Sunday morning. Lochte told NBC News earlier this week that one of the robbers put a gun to his head and cocked it.

Police said it wasn’t true.

USOC Chief Executive Scott Blackmun called the behavior of the four athletes “not acceptable” in a statement.

“We apologize to our hosts in Rio and the people of Brazil for this distracting ordeal in the midst of what should rightly be a celebration of excellence,” Blackmun said.

In a separate statement, USA Swimming Chief Executive Chuck Wielgus said, “That this is drawing attention away from Team USA’s incredible accomplishments in the water and by other athletes across the Olympic Games is upsetting. The athletes and their remarkable stories should be the focus.”

Eduardo Paes, Rio de Janeiro’s mayor, told reporters Friday that he pitied the four swimmers because of their “character flaws.” The mayor added that he didn’t believe the swimmers were representative of the more than 550 U.S. athletes competing in the Games.

Ryan Lochte during competition in Rio.

(Michael Sohn / Associated Press)

Ryan Lochte, at the center of controversy for making up a story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, tweeted an apology on Friday morning for “not being more careful and candid in how I described the events”.

You can read his full apology below and keep up with continuing developments on Lochte, his teammates and the actions in Rio here.

(Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images)

It was moving day at the Olympic village Thursday, and Michelle Carter had more than just a gold medal to pack.

“I was going to take this to the post office,” she said, clutching at the blue-and-green bedsheet she had tried to mail home. “But they don’t have a box big enough.”

Carter, the women’s shot put champion, was leaving Rio de Janeiro four days before Sunday’s closing ceremony. And she isn’t the only U.S. athlete who has decided to exit early.

The Americans came into these Olympics with more than 550 athletes, the largest delegation in the Rio Games. But nearly half of them have already left.

Read More

So you’re Ryan Lochte (heaven forbid), you’re an Olympic star with a dozen medals, you’re a cool cat with bluish hair and a wry smile, and you’re returning from a night in Rio with three Olympic teammates.

Someone orders the cab driver to pull into a Shell gas station so someone can use the bathroom, but then everyone allegedly destroys the bathroom, breaking a door, busting a soap dispenser and tearing down a poster.

Your band of idiots returns to the cab without apology or explanation, and is prepared to drive to the Olympic Village when a security guard intervenes. The guy wants everyone to pay for the damages, a couple of your fools try to run, a gun is pulled and your boorish bunch finally shells out the equivalent of $50 and drives away unharmed.

So you’re Ryan Lochte and you’re embarrassed, but by the time you return to the Olympic village, you’re also inspired.

You blame it on Rio. You say you were yet another victim of the lawless Brazilian streets. You claim you were robbed at gunpoint by men posing as Rio policemen. You even mention somebody putting a gun to your head, because what’s more gangster than that?

Read More

Although rivals are nipping at Usain Bolt’s golden heels and he grumbled last week that his schedule at the Rio Olympics was too hectic for him to run world-record times, the lanky Jamaican sprinter remains unequaled at producing stunning performances on the most momentous of occasions.

Bolt reaffirmed his place in sports history Thursday at Olympic Stadium by winning the men’s 200-meter dash and becoming the only man to win the 100- and 200-meter races in three straight Olympics. His time of 19.78 seconds wasn’t the sub-19 time he had been hoping for, but it was enough for him to defeat Andre De Grasse of Canada (20.02 seconds) and Christophe Lemaitre of France (20.12). LaShawn Merritt of the U.S., the bronze medalist in the 400, finished sixth in 20.19 seconds.

It was the second medal in these Games for De Grasse, who competed for USC and was an NCAA champion. He won bronze in the 100, and in the 200 semifinals cheekily pushed Bolt into running a faster time than Bolt had planned. But Bolt had plenty of energy left Thursday and turned the evening into a historic occasion.

Loose enough before the race to do a little samba while waiting to be introduced, Bolt ran confidently on the damp track as a light rain fell and never seemed threatened. He’s still pursuing a triple-triple of wins in the 100, 200 and 400-meter relay in three straight Games. The relay final will take place Friday.

Ashton Eaton has defended his Olympic decathlon title, equaling the Games record with a surge on the last lap of the 1,500 meters — the last event in the two-day competition.

The 28-year-old American finished with 8,893 points to match the Olympic mark set by Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic in 2004.

Kevin Mayer of France was 59 points behind to take silver and Damian Warner of Canada took bronze with 8,666 points.

Ryan Crouser won the shot put gold medal with an Olympic record 22.52 meters, leading world champion Joe Kovacs in a 1-2 finish for the United States.

The 23-year-old Crouser recorded the three best throws of his career, starting with 22.22 on his second attempt to take an early lead and improving it to 22.26 before his biggest attempt of the night on his fifth put.

Kovacs, who had the season-leading mark heading into the final, took silver at 21.78 and world indoor champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand won bronze at 21.36.

Tomasz Majewski, who won the Olympic gold for Poland in 2008 and 2012, was a distant sixth with a mark of 20.72 after opening with two fouls.

Ryan Lochte may have hightailed it out of Rio de Janeiro in the wake of his much-disputed tale of being a victim of an armed robbery, but his sponsors haven’t abandoned the 12-time Olympic medalist.

A Speedo spokesman confirmed Thursday that the now-notorious swimmer continues to be sponsored by the swimwear brand. As for whether they will stand by him, the spokesman said: “Speedo is following the situation, and has a policy not to comment on ongoing legal investigations.”

A Ralph Lauren spokesman said Thursday: “We are working closely with the [U.S. Olympic Committee] on the developments in Rio and are reviewing the situation.”

The four-time Olympian sparked an international firestorm Sunday, after claiming that he and teammates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen were pulled over and robbed by gun-toting men posing as police officers while on their way back to the Olympic Village after a night of drinking. Lochte has since retracted some of that storyline and Rio de Janeiro police claim he and his three fellow swimmers lied about the incident and vandalized a restroom in a gas station.

Read More

USA’s Brittney Griner is covered by France’s center Sandrine Gruda during second half action.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Team USA captain Sue Bird missed Thursday’s semifinal because of a right knee injury, but that did not much matter for the United States, which advanced to Saturday’s gold-medal game with a 86-67 victory over France on Thursday.

The United States led by just four at halftime but turned up the defensive intensity out of the locker room and outscored France 25-8 in the third quarter.

Diana Taurasi had 18 points for the United States while Maya Moore added 15.

Read More

The story that Ryan Lochte told four days ago was frightening and detailed, the Olympic gold medalist recalling a late-night robbery and a pistol pressed against his head.

On Thursday, Brazilian authorities presented evidence they say contradicts that account and could turn what at first had been a deeply embarrassing incident for the Summer Games’ host country into a different kind of international incident.

The head of Rio de Janeiro’s civil police, Fernando Veloso, said the version of the events told by Lochte and three U.S. swimming teammates was fabricated. The athletes, he said, damaged a gas station bathroom early Sunday morning and were involved in a confrontation with armed security before paying about $50 to resolve the matter.

“We can confirm that there was no robbery as they described, and they were not victims as they presented themselves,” Veloso told a packed news conference, alleging the athletes had given “a fantastical version of events.”

Contrary to reports, Veloso said none of the swimmers have been indicted.

Read More

The U.S. women’s 400-meter relay team, given a second chance to reach the Rio Olympic final after successfully appealing its disqualification from its first-round heat, got the baton around the track safely in a rerun Thursday night and earned a chance to compete for a gold medal in Friday’s final.

The team of Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner and Morolake Akinosun had been disqualified from its heat Thursday morning after Felix was bumped by Brazil’s Kauiza Venancio and was thrown off stride, causing her to make a faulty exchange to Gardner. The baton fell and Gardner picked it up, on Felix’s urging, and they finished the race. However, they and the Brazilian teams were disqualified. USA Track and Field officials sought relief from a Jury of Appeals on the basis that Felix had been impeded; the jury agreed and granted the rerun.

The same four athletes ran in the same order, but they were the only runners on the track. Their handoffs were fine and they were timed in 41.77 seconds, the top qualifying time. However, because they earned the spot in a rerun they are considered to have qualified for the final on time and will run in Lane 1 or Lane 8 instead of a prime middle lane. China timed at 42.70 seconds — a few hundredths behind Canada — and was dropped out of the field for the final.

Gardner said it felt odd to be on the track, in Lane 2, with no other runners out there.

“Honestly I feel like it was a glorified practice. We just had fun out there,” Gardner said. “We were laughing and joking going in, staying light, and that was the whole point. We already knew we were going to execute the first time — it was just that we had an unforeseen circumstance. Now, all we had to do is the same thing and the same plan that we had the first time — just get out there and absolutely execute it.”

Felix said the experience was “different. It was really weird. But I think when we walked out and people were cheering for us, I think it uplifted us a little bit, encouraged us. We’re just grateful.”

Felix, a seven-time Olympic medalist, also said she had never been in a situation like that. “I think that anyone who’s impeded, I think the process was fair,” Felix said.

Gardner said she wished the best of luck to the Chinese sprinters, who are now out of the final. “It’s unfortunate, what happened,” she said. “I wish that it didn’t happen this way and that we were able to basically all compete because we all worked so hard to get here and those girls worked so hard to run the relay and they missed out on the opportunity. My heart is heavy for them but the protest ruled that we were able to run off and we got the opportunity and we seized it.”

The U.S. women’s volleyball team losing a semifinal and American wrestler Helen Maroulis defeating three-time gold medalist Saori Yoshida of Japan aren’t the only big upsets Thursday in Rio.

Two top BMX racers and two top-seeded taekwondo competitors also were eliminated from the Summer Games.

Two-time gold medalist Maris Strombergs of Latvia and reigning world champion Joris Daudet of France failed to advance out of their BMX quarterfinals.

Strombergs’ coach, Ivo Lakucs, says Strombergs had decided before the Olympics that this would be it. Lakucs says the disappointing result Thursday wouldn’t change Strombergs’ mind.

In taekwondo, Turkey’s defending Olympic champion Servet Tazegul was beaten, 19-6, by Russia’s Alexey Denisenko in their quarterfinal in the men’s 68-kilogram division. Second-seeded Dae-Hoon Lee of South Korea went out shortly afterward in a closely fought battle with Jordan’s Ahmad Abughaush.

Both Tazegul and Lee might have the chance to fight in the repechage competition for a bronze medal Thursday evening.

And then there was news that the International Canoe Federation suspended canoe sprint bronze medalist Serghei Tarnovschi of Moldova after he failed a pre-competition doping test while a Chinese swimmer and Brazilian road cyclist have been disqualified from the Olympics after failing doping tests.

The 19-year-old Tarnovschi was due to compete in the 1,000-meters double on Friday with his older brother Oleg. The ICF said he would “now no longer be eligible and will face provisional suspension” under anti-doping rules.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport issued final verdicts Thursday in the cases of swimmer Chen Xinyi and cyclist Kleber Ramos.

Helen Maroulis of the U.S., right, celebrates after beating Japan’s Saori Yoshida to win a gold medal in freestyle wrestling.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Helen Maroulis of the United States defeated Japan’s Saori Yoshida 4-1 in the 53-kilogram freestyle final to win the first-ever gold medal for an American women’s wrestler.

Maroulis celebrated Thursday’s win by running around the mat in a circle and holding the United States flag with both hands while it was draped over her back.

Yoshida was a 16-time world champion who was going for her fourth gold. She hadn’t lost in a major tournament in years, but she had been less dominant in recent tournaments. Maroulis was on a two-year win streak of her own.

Yoshida was trying to become the second woman to ever win four Olympic gold medals in a single event across four Summer Games, and the second wrestler to win four Olympic golds. Yoshida’s teammate, Kaori Icho, accomplished the feats Wednesday by winning the 58-kilogram gold.

Serbia has stunned the top-ranked U.S. women’s volleyball team that was chasing its first-ever Olympic gold.

With star player Foluke Akinradewo injured early, the Americans came back from a 2-1 deficit to force a fifth set before falling 15-13.

Serbia won the five-set match, 20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 16-25, 15-13, on Thursday — handing the U.S. its first defeat in Rio.

Akinradewo’s teammates took over after she hurt her left knee late in the opening set.

With two-time defending Olympic champion Brazil also ousted in a five-setter by China in the quarterfinals, Serbia will now face either the young Chinese squad led by former U.S. coach Jenny Lang Ping or the surprising Netherlands team, which is back in the Olympic volleyball competition for the first time in 20 years.

Schedule and results from Thursday’s Rio Olympics competition. All times Pacific.

Badminton

Women’s doubles

Gold medal match

Japan (A. Takahashi and M. Matsutomo) d. Denmark (K.R. Juhl and C. Pedersen), 2-1

Bronze medal match

South Korea (S.C. Shin and K.E. Jung) d. China (Y.N. Tang and Y. Yu), 2-0

Men’s doubles

Bronze medal match

Great Britain (M. Ellis and C. Langridge) d. China (B. Chai and W. Hong), 2-1

Basketball (women’s semifinals)

Spain 68, Serbia 54

United States 86, France 67

Beach volleyball

Men’s gold medal match

Cerutti Alison and Oscar Schmidt Bruno, Brasil def. Nicolai Paolo and Lupo Daniele, Italy, 21-19, 21-17

Men’s bronze medal match

Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen, Netherlands, def. Konstantin Semenov and Viacheslav Krasilnikov, Russia, 23-21, 22-20

Boxing

Men’s light-heavyweight gold medal match

Julio César La Cruz, Cuba, d. Adilbek Niyazymbetov, Kazakhstan, 3-0

Canoe/Kayak

Men’s canoe 1,000-meter sprint

Gold--Germany (M. Rendschmidt and M. Gross), 3:10.78

Silver--Serbia (M. Tomićević and M. Zorić), 3:10.96

Bronze--Australia (L. Tame and K. Wallace), 3:12.59

Men’s canoe single 200-meter sprint

Gold--Yuriy Cheban, Ukraine, 39.27 seconds

Silver--Valentin Demyanenko, Azerbaijan, 39.49

Bronze--Isaquias Queiroz dos Santos, Brazil, 39.62

Men’s kayak double 200-meter sprint

Gold--Spain (S. Craviotto Rivero and C. Toro Carballo), 32.07 secondsfield

Silver--Great Britain (L. Heath and J. Schofield), 32.36

Bronze--Lithuania (E. Ramanauskas and A. Lankas), 32.38

Women’s kayak single 500-meter sprint

Gold--Danuta Kozák, Hungary, 1:52.49

Silver--Emma Jørgensen, Denmark, 1:54.32

Bronze--Lisa Carrington, New Zealand, 1:54.37

Diving

Women’s 10-meter platform final

Gold--Qian Ren, China

Silver--Yajie Si, China

Bronze--Meaghan Benfeito, Canada

Field hockey (men)

Gold medal match

Argentina 4, Belgium 2

Bronze medal match

Germany 1, Netherlands 1 (Germany wins in shootout)

Handball (women’s semifinals)

France 24, Netherlands 23

Russia 38, Norway 37

Sailing

Women’s 470 dinghy

Gold--Great Britain (H. Mills and S. Clark), 44 points

Silver--New Zealand (J. Aleh and O. Powrie), 54

Bronze--France (H. Defrance and C. Lecointre), 62

Men’s 470 dinghy

Gold--Croatia (Š. Fantela and I. Marenić), 43 points

Silver--Australia (W. Ryan and M. Belcher), 58

Bronze--Greece (P. Mantis and P. Kagialis), 58

Men’s 49er skiff

Gold--New Zealand (P. Burling and B. Tuke), 35 points

Silver--Australia (N. Outteridge and I. Jensen), 78

Bronze--Germany (E. Heil and T. Plössel), 83

Women’s 49er skiff

Gold--Brazil (M. Grael and K. Kunze), 48 points

Silver--New Zealand (M. Meech and A. Maloney), 51

Bronze--Denmark (K. Salskov-Iversen and J. Hansen), 54

Taekwondo

Men’s 68 kilogram

Gold--Ahmad Abughaush, Jordan, def. Alexey Denisenko, Russia, 10-6

Bronze--Joel Gonzalez Bonilla, Spain, def. Edgar Contreras, Venezuela, 4-3

Bronze--Lee Daehoon, South Korea, def. Jaouad Achab, Belgium, 11-7

Women’s 57 kilogram

Gold--Jade Jones, Britain, def. Eva Calvo Gomez, Spain, 16-7.

Bronze--Hedaya Wahba, Egypt, def. Raheleh Asemani, Belgium, 1-0

Bronze-- Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin, Iran, def. Nikita Glasnovic, Sweden, 5-1

Track and Field

Men

200 meters

Gold--Usain Bolt, Jamaica, 19.78.

Silver--Andre de Grasse, Canada, 20.02.

Bronze--Christophe Lemaitre, France, 20.12.

400-meter hurdles

Gold--Kerron Clement, United States, 47.73 seconds

Silver--Boniface Mucheru, Kenya, 47.78

Bronze--Yasmani Copello, Turkey, 47.92

Shotput

Gold--Ryan Crouser, United States, (22.52), 73-10 1-2.

Silver--Joe Kovacs, United States, (21.78), 71-5 1-2.

Bronze--Tomas Walsh, New Zealand, (21.36), 70-1.

Decathlon

Gold--Ashton Eaton, United States, 8893 points

Silver--Kevin Mayer, France, 8834

Bronze--Damian Warner, Canada, 8666

Women

Javelin Throw

Gold--Sara Kolak, Croatia, (66.18), 217-1 1-2.

Silver--Sunette Viljoen, South Africa, (64.92), 212-12.

Bronze--Barbora Spotakova, Czech Republic, (64.80), 212-7 1-4.

Triathlon

Men’s final

Gold--Alistair Brownlee, Great Britain, 1:45:01

Silver--Jonny Brownlee, Great Britain, 1:45:07

Bronze--Henri Schoeman, South Africa, 1:45:43

Volleyball (women’s semifinals)

Serbia 3, United States 2 (20-25, 25-17, 25-21, 16-25, 15-13)

China 3, Netherlands 1, (27-25, 23-25, 29-27, 25-23)

Water polo (men)

Classification round

Hungary 13, Brazil 4

Greece 9, Spain 7

Semifinals

Croatia 12, Montenegro 8

Serbia 10, Italy 8

Wrestling

Women’s freestyle 53 kilogram

Gold--Helen Louise Maroulis, United States

Silver--Saori Yoshida, Japan

Bronze--Natalya Sinishin, Azerbaijan

Bronze--Sofia Magdalena Mattsson, Sweden

Women’s freestyle 63 kilogram

Gold--Risako Kawai, Japan

Silver--Maryia Mamashuk, Belarus

Bronze--Yekaterina Larionova, Kazakhstan

Bronze--Monika Ewa Michalik, Poland

Women’s freestyle 75 kilogram

Gold--Erica Elizabeth Wiebe, Canada

Silver--Guzel Manyurova, Kazakhstan

Bronze--Fengliu Zhang, China

Bronze--Ekaterina Bukina, Russia

India’s Sakshi Malik celebrates after winning a medal.

(Jack Guez / AFP/Getty Images)

By winning a bronze medal in wrestling, 23-year-old Sakshi Malik helped India avoid a potentially embarrassing Olympic blackout.

The nation of 1.25 billion people awoke Thursday to the news that Malik had earned a place on the podium in the 58-kilogram category, the first medal for India at the Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“The entire nation is rejoicing,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

Read More

In its latest effort to quiet a controversy over disputed judging decisions in the Rio Olympic boxing competition, the International Boxing Assn. on Thursday removed the executive director in charge of the tournament.

Francco Falcinelli, vice president of the AIBA executive board and the chief of the European Boxing Confederation, will oversee the final four days of bouts.

On Wednesday, the AIBA said it had reviewed the decisions in the first 239 Rio bouts and found reason to send an undetermined number of judges home. The BBC and the Guardian reported six judges had been expelled.

Boxers and national team coaches have complained about a number of decisions in the Rio tournament, the most prominent among them Russian Vladimir Nikitin’s unanimous decision over Michael John Conlan of Ireland in a bantamweight quarterfinal Tuesday and Monday’s heavyweight final, in which Russian Evgeny Tischenko won a unanimous decision over Kazakhstan’s Vasiliy Levit.

Nikitin was so beat up in his win he will not be able to answer the bell in Thursday’s semifinal with American Shakur Stevenson, sending Stevenson on to Saturday’s final against Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez. Stevenson is the first U.S. male to reach a final in Olympic boxing since light-heavyweight Andre Ward in 2004.

Boxing officials were reportedly concerned about the possibility of fixed bouts even before the Rio Games even opened. Some AIBA authorities were so worried, according to the Guardian, they asked the International Olympic Committee to intervene and called for Wu Ching-kuo, the reform-minded president of the AIBA, to resign.

Since the London Games, the AIBA has changed its scoring system, adopting the 10-point must system used by professional boxing with judges awarding a fighter 10 points for each round he wins.

Helen Maroulis of the U.S., right, wrestles North Korea’s Myong Suk Jong.

(Sergei Ilnitsky / EPA)

Adeline Gray’s footwear pretty much said it all on Thursday.

Gray, the face of women’s wrestling in the United States, was done much earlier than almost everyone expected at the Olympics, having lost, 4-1, in the quarterfinals of the 165-pound weight class (75 kg) to Vasilisa Marzaliuk of Belarus. It was Gray’s first defeat in more than two years.

“This is going to be something that takes a while to sink in,” Gray said. “I mean, I thought I wasn’t going to be taking my shoes off and now I’m in sandals. It’s definitely a different feeling. I haven’t had a loss in a long time, so I don’t know what it’s supposed to feel like.”

The U.S. team had approached Thursday as a legitimate opportunity to win three medals.

Now it’s down to two: Helen Maroulis will go for gold against Saori Yoshida of Japan in the 117-pound weight class (53 kg) and Elena Pirozhkova has a shot at a bronze medal in the 139-pound weight class (63 kg).

Maroulis and Pirozhkova are roommates in Huntington Beach, training in Orange County under the guidance of Valentin Kalika.

“We came to win gold. Helen has been practicing last few years like never before,” said Kalika. “Every day, at the beach, [working out] in the sand. She is ready for any battle.”

Even against the formidable Yoshida.

“We’ve been talking about beating Yoshida for last few years,” he said. “Again, all of our training was to beat Yoshida….We’ll see what happens tonight. She [Yoshida] is a great wrestler of course. We just got to make sure we’re not giving her [too much] respect.

“I believe mentally she’s ready to beat Yoshida.”

Gray, meanwhile, admitted to making a costly mistake in her match.

“I overlooked that girl,” she said. “You can’t overlook somebody who is a multi-medalist. She’s an Olympic medalist. She has world medals. I beat her nine out of 10 times and today she got the better of me. I got defensive....my passivity game is not great.”

Her future in the sport is unclear.

“No, I totally am not set on another cycle,” said Gray, who was trying to contain her emotions. “I’ve spent three years away from my boyfriend who I would love to spend more time with. This takes so much sacrifice. In these moments, it doesn’t feel like it was worth it. It’s going to take some soul-searching before this kind of sinks in and becomes something I can handle.”

A few months? Longer?

“I might move to New York and figure out my life,” she said.

The baton falls as Allyson Felix hands off to English Gardner.

(Franck Fife / AFP/Getty Images)

A Jury of Appeals granted a protest by the United States on the outcome of second heat of the women’s 400-meter relay, in which the U.S. relay was disqualified after dropping the baton.

Ruling that the runner had been obstructed by a Brazilian runner at the second exchange (from Allyson Felix to English Gardner) the jury ruled that the U.S. women will rerun the race alone Thursday night. After Thursday’s first heats, China was in eighth place with a time of 42.70 seconds. If the U.S. beats that time, they will advance to Friday’s final.

Brazil was disqualified for obstructing the U.S.

After the race, Felix contended she felt contact from a runner on her right, where Brazil’s relay team was running, as she attempted to pass the baton to Gardner, who was running the third leg of the relay.

“I got bumped coming into the exchange zone, and it just completely threw me off balance,” Felix said. “I tried to hold it together to get it to English.”

Felix said she wasn’t injured, “just very upset.”

The other members of the relay team were Tianna Bartoletta and Morolake Akinosun.

The U.S. men’s 400-meter relay team successfully got the baton around and won its heat in 37.65 seconds to advance to Friday’s final. The relay was comprised of Mike Rodgers, Christian Coleman, Tyson Gay, and Jarrion Lawson.

Soon after the women’s relay incident, Kerron Clement of the U.S. won the men’s 400-meter hurdles in a season-best time of 47.73 seconds. Boniface Mucheru Tumuti of Kenya was second in 47.78 seconds, with Yasmani Copello of Turkey third in 47.92.

Clement, 30, was the silver medalist in the event in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a two-time world champion.

In the ring, Claressa Shields is as direct and imposing as a punch to the jaw, something she wielded with uncommon regularity Wednesday in a unanimous-decision victory over Russian Iaroslava Iakushina in a Rio Olympics middleweight quarterfinal.

The win guarantees her at least a bronze medal, to go with the gold she won as a teenager four years ago in London. She hasn’t lost since the 2012 world championships; with the victory over Iakushina her record is 75-1. Her coaches call her the best boxer in the world, male or female.

“Claressa came out of nowhere,” said associate Coach Kay Koroma, “and now the world loves her because of the way she fights.”

Outside the ring, however, Shields can be as complex and hard to figure as trigonometry.

Read More

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

In a hallway underneath the Rio Olympic Arena, a crush of journalists pushed against the metal fence in front of the world’s best gymnast. Simone Biles, not even 5 feet tall, seemed to be swallowed up by the crowd. She fiddled with the green strap of her credential, but otherwise appeared at ease with another day as one of the most recognizable faces at the Summer Olympics.

“We have an idea of just how big it is back home,” the 19-year-old said.

Biles won four gold medals, including the coveted all-around title, during an adjective-defying week where she made the sport’s most difficult feats look routine. The performance cemented her place as perhaps the most gifted gymnast in history.

She’s so well known that she can’t visit the Christ the Redeemer statue towering over Rio de Janeiro alone. More than a million people have followed her bubbly Instagram account this month. Limited-edition cereal boxes will celebrate her golden achievement.

Read More

USA’s Kerri Walsh Jennings, left, celebrates with partner April Ross after capturing the bronze medal during the women’s beach volleyball match.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross have won the beach volleyball bronze medal, coming back after losing the first set to beat the host Brazilians at Copacabana.

The win comes less than 24 hours after Walsh Jennings lost on the Olympic beach for the first time in 27 matches over four Summer Games.

Walsh Jennings, a three-time gold medalist, delivered a pair of blocks for the final two points on Wednesday night to win 17-21, 21-17, 15-9.

Germany’s Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst won the gold medal, handing the host nation its second straight medal-round setback on the Copacabana sand.

The 21-18, 21-14 victory gave Germany its first medal in women’s beach volleyball, just four years after the German men took the top spot on the Olympic podium in London. Brazil’s Agatha and Barbara, the reigning world champions, took silver.

American long jumper Tianna Bartoletta captures the gold medal on Wednesday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Two-time world champion Tianna Bartoletta finally has an Olympic gold medal, winning the long jump final with a lifetime best 7.17 meters.

The 30-year-old American, who won her world titles a decade apart in 2005 and 2015, responded to two big jumps from Ivana Spanovic and Brittney Reese on the fifth attempt to regain the lead with one round remaining. The lead stood.

Defending Olympic champion Reese of the United States, after three fouls on her first four attempts, took silver Wednesday with a best of 7.15 on her last go.

Spanovic, bronze medalist at the last two world championships, won the Olympic bronze with a Serbian national record of 7.08.

Gunnar Bentz, left, and Jack Conger

(Getty Images / Associated Press)

NBC News is reporting that two U.S. swimmers who were in a group with Ryan Lochte that were allegedly mugged in Rio were pulled off a plane at the airport there as they attempted to return to the United States.

According to tweets by NBC national correspondent Peter Alexander, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were on a plane leaving Rio when authorities asked them to deplane and their passports were seized.

Read More

American Brianna Rollins cruises to victory in a semifinal heat of the women’s 100-meter hurdles.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Brianna Rollins, the 2013 world champion, has led an American sweep of the women’s 100-meter hurdles on Wednesday night in Rio.

Rollins clocked 12.48 seconds and was followed by teammates Nia Ali (12.59) and Kristi Castlin (12.61), who edged Britain’s Cindy Ofili (12.63) with a lean at the finish line.

Earlier in the evening, Elaine Thompson got another sprint double for Jamaica. She blasted out of the blocks and never gave Dutch sprinter Dafne Schippers a chance to catch her on the straightaway of the 200 meters.

After winning the 100 on Saturday, Thompson now has a double that compatriot Usain Bolt has specialized in. Thompson can make it triple gold during the relay races Thursday and Friday.

Thompson ended in a season’s best 21.78 seconds, for an edge of .10 over Schippers. Tori Bowie of the United States took bronze with 22.15.

Japan’s Kaori Icho celebrates.

(Jack Guez / AFP-Getty Images)

Japan’s Kaori Icho has become the first wrestler in Olympic history to win four gold medals.

Icho scored a takedown with less than five seconds left to beat Russia’s Valeriia Koblova Zholobova, 3-2, in the 58-kilogram women’s freestyle.

Icho also is the first woman to win an individual gold medal in four straight Olympics, having started her historic run at the inaugural women’s tournament at the 2004 Athens Games.

Russia’s Alexander Karelin leads the short list of men with three wrestling golds.

Icho’s teammate, Saori Yoshida, will try to match the four consecutive golds on Thursday.

Sakshi Malik won bronze to give India its first medal of the Rio Games.