Olympics:
American swimmers continue to mine for gold in the swimming pool at the Rio Olympics.
Michael Phelps has made up for one of the few losses in his Olympic career. Phelps avenged his defeat at the 2012 London Games by winning the 200-meter butterfly last night, holding off Japan's Masato Sakai by a mere four-hundredths of a second. Then Phelps won his 21st career gold medal as part of the winning four-by-200 relay team. Phelps now has 25 medals in all, and three more races in Rio to add to his almost unimaginable total.
Katie Ledecky of the United States has captured her second gold medal, winning the 200-meter freestyle. Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden claims the silver and Emma McKeon of Australia takes the bronze. Earlier, Ledecky had won the 400-meter freestyle.
In other Olympic highlights:
— The US women's gymnastics team has defended its title with a gold medal win at the Rio Olympics. Led by three-time world champ Simone Biles, the Americans blew past the competition. They finished more than eight points in front of runner-up Russia. Biles was joined by Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez, Gabby Douglas and Madison Kocian. China won the bronze, 68-hundredths of a second back of Russia.
— With time running out in women's soccer, Catalina Usme beat Hope Solo with a free kick from a tight angle to give Colombia a 2-2 draw against the United States at the Olympics. Teenager Mallory Pugh became the youngest player to score for the United States in an Olympics with her goal in the 59th minute. Despite the draw, the top-ranked United States still finished atop Group F.
— In equestrian, Phillip Dutton of the U.S. has won the bronze in individual event. The winner of the gold was defending champion Michael Jung of Germany.
— The U.S. beat Spain 11-4 in women's water polo, while in men's rugby, the U.S. fell to Argentina 17-14.
— The U.S. men's volleyball team has dropped to 0-2 after a 3-1 loss to Italy. The Americans next play host Brazil Thursday night.
— In the Olympic tennis tournament, Serena Williams is out. Committing five double faults in one game, Williams lost to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3 in the third round in a real shocker Tuesday, ending the No. 1-seeded American's bid to become the first tennis player to collect a pair of singles golds.
— In other tennis, defending Olympic champ Andy Murray advanced to the third round with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Argentina's Juan Monaco. Also winning were 2008 gold medalist Rafael Nadal and No. 12 Steve Johnson of the U.S. For the women, seventh-seed Madison Keys of the U.S. moved on to the fourth round.
Meanwhile a retired U.S. Air Force captain who now covers women's basketball says an Olympic media bus in Rio de Janeiro was hit by gunfire en route from a venue. Britain's Press Association on Wednesday quoted Lee Michaelson, who was on the bus Tuesday, as saying that she instinctively hit the floor when she heard the sound of gunfire and "hollered to the others ... 'Get down! Get down! We are taking fire.'"
Michaelson says "I know what a gun sounds like. There was a very distinctive sound of the report of a gun. It was the sound before I ever saw the glass (shatter) or anything." Police are investigating but Olympic officials say it's not clear whether the incident was caused by bullets or stones. Michaelson says both the bus driver and Olympic officials sorely lacked training. The driver slowed down and pulled over, which she says is "precisely the opposite of what he should have done, which was to put the gas on and floor it." When they returned to the Olympic park, she says there was no medical help waiting, despite some passengers being injured and bleeding.
MLB:
His agent says it isn't a publicity stunt. Former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is going to give baseball a try. The former NFL first-round draft pick plans to hold a workout for Major League Baseball teams this month. Tebow last played organized baseball in high school.
In baseball, in American League, Boston topped the Yankees 5-3, Houston won against Minnesota 7-5, the White Sox edged Kansas City 7-5 in 10 innings, Oakland beat Baltimore 2-1, Seattle slid past Detroit 6-5 in 15 innings, and it was Tampa Bay over Toronto 9-2.
In National League, Arizona beat the Mets 5-3, Miami blanked San Francisco 2-0, Atlanta won against Milwaukee 2-1, Cincinnati bested St. Louis 7-4, Pittsburgh defeated San Diego 6-4, and it was the Dodgers over Philadelphia 9-3.
In interleague play, the Cubs won against the Angels 5-1, Cleveland tripled up Washington 3-1, and it was Texas over Colorado 7-5.
Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum has accepted a demotion to the Los Angeles Angels' Triple-A team. The Angels say Lincecum plans to report to Salt Lake City this week, where he will be a starter.
The Red Sox have canceled a David Ortiz bobblehead promotion set for last night over criticism the figurine appeared to be racially insensitive. Team president Sam Kennedy says the bobblehead didn't really resemble Ortiz and the giveaway dolls weren't fit for distribution to fans. Producer BDA will make replacements.
Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez will make one final start as the team plays in Boston in tomorrow's series finale at Fenway. He'll then play his final game at home in pinstripes on Friday night against Tampa Bay. Rodriguez says he's excited to start at least once more at Fenway, which is where he made his major league debut in 1994.
Boxing:
Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has confirmed he will come out of retirement to fight WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas. The boxer and Philippines senator issued a statement Wednesday confirming the bout, saying he would conduct his entire training camp in his home country so he can also attend to his legislative work, as he promised during the election campaign.
His adviser Michael Koncz said there will be a promotional tour from Sept. 8-10 in Los Angeles, California, after which Pacquiao and his team will go home so he can attend to his Senate duties. The 37-year-old Pacquiao said he was excited to return to the ring and said he has to fight again to earn a living.
MLS:
The New England Revolution have advanced to the championship game of the U.S. Open Cup -- beating the Chicago Fire 3-1 at Gillette Stadium last night. Kai Kamara, JeVaughn Watson and Teal Bunbury scored for the Revs in the win. They will face either the Los Angeles Galaxy or FC Dallas in the title game.
New York Red Bulls defender Connor Lade will miss the rest of the MLS season with a knee injury. The Red Bulls announced Tuesday that Lade tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Sunday's 2-2 tie with the Galaxy in Los Angeles. He's expected to have surgery later this month. Lade, from Morristown, New Jersey, has made 20 appearances and 16 starts for New York this season. He scored his first MLS goal on July 13, the game-winner against Orlando City SC. The defender has played in 73 regular-season games since signing in 2011.
NFL:
Patriots safety Nate Ebner scored a try but also got a yellow card for a late tackle yesterday playing for the U.S. men's rugby 7's team at the Rio Olympics as they beat Brazil 26-0. Patriots coach Bill Belichick stopped the NFL team's practice so they could watch the game and Ebner. He will return to the NFL team once the U.S. team's play is done.
Several fans who traveled to Canton, Ohio, for the Hall of Fame game that was canceled on Sunday night because of poor field conditions are planning to sue the NFL and the Hall. Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represented ticket holders for the 2011 Super Bowl who wound up without seats in Dallas, tells The Associated Press that no fewer than 20 individuals have approached him about a class-action lawsuit.
Defensive end Kendall Langford of the Colts will miss three to four weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his injured knee. Coach Chuck Pagano said Langford, who hurt his knee in practice last week, was sent back to Indianapolis from training camp for an MRI and doctors found a congenital defect. Pagano says he remains hopeful that Langford will be ready for the Sept. 11 season opener against Detroit.
The New York Jets have activated defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson from the physically unable to perform list after he missed the start of training camp while rehabilitating from a broken leg. Wilkerson is participating in defensive line drills Tuesday, but isn't expected to play in the preseason opener Thursday night against Jacksonville. He broke his right leg in the season finale against Buffalo last December. He had a career-high 12 sacks last season and was selected for his first Pro Bowl. Wilkerson received a contract extension two weeks before training camp began, a deal worth more than $85 million that included $37 million in guarantees through the first two years. Right tackle Breno Giacomini (back) and wide receiver Devin Smith (knee) are the Jets' only remaining players on active/PUP.
NCAA:
TCU football coach Gary Patterson has a new contract to coach the team. He has signed a one-year extension that takes his contract through the 2021 season. Patterson is going into his 16th season as head coach of the Horned Frogs, and is the program's winningest coach with 143 victories. Over the past two seasons, TCU is 23-3 with a 15-3 record in Big 12 games.
Former North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest football coach Bill Dooley has died at the age of 82. His wife, Marie, says Dooley died of natural causes at their home in Wilmington, North Carolina. Dooley went a combined 162-125-5 in 26 seasons as a head coach with the Tar Heels, Hokies and Demon Deacons and took them to a combined 10 bowl games. Dooley was the younger brother of former Georgia coach Vince Dooley, and the uncle of ex-Tennessee coach and current Dallas Cowboys assistant Derek Dooley.
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