Month: July 2024

Despite a calf injury, Simone Biles made her return to the Summer Olympics on Sunday and dominated a gymnastics qualifying session, ended with Team USA in the lead.

Team USA – including returning Olympians Jade Carey and Jordan Chile – finished Sunday’s qualification session with an impressive score of 172.296, putting the group of athletes at the front of the pack heading into the all-around final on Thursday.

Biles, 27, delivered near-flawless performances on the balance beam, vault, floor and uneven bars, despite appearing to injure her calf while warming up for the second round of qualifying events in the Bercy Arena. Footage of Biles during warm-ups show her at one point crawling back from the vault and then hopping on her right leg toward the edge of the mat, where she told a teammate, “I’m gonna need a wheelchair.”  Despite the injury (and a heavily taped ankle), Biles performed an impressive vault routine that featured her trademark Yurchenko double pike, earning a score of 15.8.

Women’s gymnastics coach Cecille Landi later told reporters that Biles had tweaked her calf several weeks ago and was on the mend during the training that led up to the games, adding that she was healing and had no plans to leave the competition.

Editorial credit: Focus Pix / Shutterstock.com

LeBron James and Kevin Durant led Team USA to victory against Serbia in the opening game of the Paris Olympic Games. Durant scored 23 points with James adding 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds as the U.S. defeated Serbia 110-84 on Sunday. James said after the game: “That’s the best game we’ve played so far .. whatever it takes. It’s going to be somebody different every day. And we have that type of firepower.”

James and Durant combined for 18 for 22 from the field (8 of 9 for Durant, 9 of 13 for James), while Jrue Holiday scored 15, Devin Booker had 12 and Anthony Edwards and Stephen Curry each added 11.

The U.S. earned the victory without the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum in the rotation; U.S. coach Steve Kerr shared: “I went with the combinations that I felt like would make sense. I talked to him and he’s incredibly professional. And that’s tonight. It doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way the rest of the tournament. He’ll make his mark. Our guys know this: The key to this whole thing is to put all the NBA stuff in the rear-view mirror and just win six games. Jayson’s the ultimate pro, a champion, he handled it well and he’ll be ready for the next one.”

Both teams will play again on Wednesday — the U.S. will face South Sudan; and Serbia will play Puerto Rico.

Editorial credit: A.RICARDO / Shutterstock.com

Philadelphia Flyers announced on Thursday that veteran forward Travis Konecny has signed an eight-year, $70 million contract extension, worth an average of $8.75 million per season. The new deal is set to begin in 2025-26, and will make Konecny the highest-paid player on the Flyers’ roster (per ESPN).

Flyers general manager Daniel Brière said in a statement: “Travis Konecny is an integral part of the fabric of our team and we are thrilled to have him under contract for the long term. Travis has grown into a significant leader on our team and he truly embodies what it means to be a Flyer. His work ethic, combined with his tenacity and talent makes him a central figure for what we are building towards, and his determination for our future success speaks volumes about his commitment to our team and city.”

Konecny, 27, recorded a career-high total in goals (33), points (68) and short-handed goals (6) in 76 games last season. His assist total (35) fell two shy of his previous best, set in 2019-20. He led the Flyers in both goals and assists last season (marking his second straight campaign exceeding both 30 goals and 30 assists), and was an All-Star for the second time.  Overall, Konecny has totaled 400 points (174 goals, 226 assists) in 564 career games since being selected by the Flyers with the 24th overall pick of the 2015 NHL draft.

Konecny said in a statement: “I couldn’t be happier to sign again with the Flyers. There’s such a bright and exciting future with this team and I can’t wait to be a part of it for the next nine years and see what we will accomplish. I can’t thank all my teammates and staff members enough because this opportunity wouldn’t be possible without each and every one of them along the way. I can’t wait to get back to Philly in front of the best fans in the world and I look forward to another great season.”

Editorial credit: Khairil Azhar Junos / Shutterstock.com

Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Los Angeles Rams cornerback Derion Kendrick is feared to have suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on the first day of training camp, with a post on X reading: “Rams projected starting CB Derion Kendrick, the team’s 2022 sixth-round pick, is feared to have torn his ACL during practice. He will undergo additional testing to confirm the initial diagnosis.”

The former Georgia Bulldogs cornerback, a sixth-round pick in 2022, is starting his third season in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams; he will undergo additional testing to confirm the initial diagnosis. Kendrick has 92 total tackles, 14 pass deflections and one interception in the first two seasons of his NFL career. H started 12 games last season for Los Angeles, with an interception and 10 passes defended in 2023 (per ESPN).

On Wednesday, Rakms coach Sean McVay said he thought the secondary impressed by playing “a lot of sticky coverage,” and listed six players in the secondary in his answer but did not mention Kendrick. Said McVay: “We have some guys that can really stay sticky … can really move. Whether that’s from the safety position [or] from the corner position, it’s great to get Tre’Davious White out here. I thought that Cobie Durant [and] Darious Williams had great springs from the corner spot, and then to be able to see Tre’Davious White get out here … his résumé is well-documented, but he looked good. I thought we saw a lot from our safeties. Quentin Lake, [Kamren] Curl showed up, and then it was good to be able to have John Johnson back. He looked very comfortable today.”

Editorial credit: fifg / Shutterstock.com