OLYMPIC BRIEFS

Nigerian national 100m champion will not run

PARIS (AP) — Nigeria’s national champion in the women’s 100-meter sprint won’t run the race at the Paris Olympics because she says her country’s track federation didn’t enter her into the field in time.

Favour Ofili said on social media, “It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 meters at this Olympic Games.”

The women’s 100 prelims kick off the start of Olympic track on Friday.

Ofili won Nigeria’s national title in June with a time of 11.06 seconds. Her personal-best time of 10.93 would have made her a contender to race in the final.

A recent graduate of LSU, she is still entered in the 200 meters and the 4×100 relay. According to the Olympic news service, Ofili missed the Tokyo Games because Nigeria had failed to meet minimum testing requirements for a number of its athletes, as required by track’s Athletics Integrity Unit.

Now, she says, it forgot to sign her up for the 100. “I have worked 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what?” she said on social media.

Japan’s Oke wins men’s all-around gold PARIS (AP) — Shinnosuke Oka won the men’s all-around gymnastics title at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, upsetting the two main favorites to extend Japan’s dominance in a final that came down to the wire.

The former junior world champion whose career was put on hold by a serious knee injury two years ago edged Zhang Boheng and Xiao Ruoteng, both of China, to claim his second gold medal in three days at his first Olympics, by just 0.233 points.

“I did not make any mistake at these Olympic Games,” Oka said. “I was a challenger, but I wanted to win.”

Oka’s teammate Daiki Hashimoto, the defending champion, fell during his pommel horse routine, finishing sixth.

Despite Hashimoto’s struggles, it was another sweet evening for Japan, which produced a remarkable last-minute turnaround in the team final on Monday to edge China on the last rotation.

Hashimoto and Zhang have built a gripping rivalry over the past three years and were expected to be the top contenders. Zhang was the world champion in all-around in 2021 ahead of Hashimoto, who claimed the world title by defeating Zhang the next year.

U.S. women hold off Australia to win group

Trinity Rodman and Korbin Albert both scored and the United States remained undefeated at the Olympics with a 2-1 victory over Australia on Wednesday to conclude the group stage.

The Americans, who already qualified for the quarterfinals, will play Japan on Saturday at Parc des Princes in Paris.

Canada, despite losing points as punishment for a drone spying scandal, advanced to play Germany in Marseille. Brazil was set to play France in Nantes and Spain faces Colombia in Lyon.

The United States is the winningest team at the Olympics, with four gold medals in women’s soccer. They’re playing under new coach Emma Hayes, who is tasked with turning the team around after a disappointing Women’s World Cup.

So far the team is off to a good start. The front trio of Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson have scored seven of the team’s nine goals in France.

Dunn had a well-struck attempt from distance in the 38th minute but Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold pushed it up and over. Moments later, Arnold stopped Lindsey Horan’s header from close range.

Rodman broke through in the 43rd minute when she poked in the ball in a scramble in front of the net. Video review stretched on for several minutes — apparently because of a technical issue — and Australia coach Tony Gustavsson was given a yellow card in the confusion.

Albert, who was subbed into the game during the second half, added a goal in the 77th.