IOC will order virus testing of Rio’s water
The International Olympic Committee said Sunday it will order testing for disease-causing viruses in the sewage-polluted waters where athletes will compete in next year’s Rio de Janeiro Games.
Before, the IOC and local Olympic organizers in Rio said they would only test for bacteria in the water, as Brazil and virtually all nations only mandate such testing to determine the safety of recreational waters.
But after an Associated Press investigation published last week revealed high counts of viruses directly linked to human sewage in the Olympic waters, the IOC reversed course after being advised by the World Health Organization (WHO) that it should expand its testing.
A five-month AP analysis of water at each of the venues where Olympic athletes will have contact with water showed dangerously high levels of viruses from sewage.
SWIMMING
Katie Ledecky of the United States opened an ambitious program at the world swimming championships in Kazan, Russia, with an easy victory in the 400-meter freestyle. The 18-year-old Ledecky led all the way and was under her world-record pace until the next-to-last lap, touching in 3 minutes, 59.13 seconds to set a championship mark. Ledecky, a recent high school graduate who has yet to earn a driver’s license, will be favored in the 800 and 1,500 freestyles and is a threat in the 200 free. Sun Yang of China opened the first night of pool swimming with a victory in the men’s 400 free. The current Olympic champion won in 3:42.58 for his third consecutive world title in the event. Sun is coming back following a threemonth doping ban last year after testing positive for a banned stimulant. Sarah Sjoestrom of Sweden set a world record in the semifinals of the 100-butterfly, winning 55.74 seconds to break the mark of 55.98 set by American Dana Vollmer at the 2012 London Olympics.
BASKETBALL
Former St. John’s player D.J. Kennedy scored 24 points and Overseas Elite won The Basketball Tournament and its $1 million prize by beating Team 23, 67-65 on Sunday. Kennedy made three free throws in the final 20 seconds for the team made up of Americans playing in Europe. Davin White scored 34 points for Arizona-based Team 23, but Zach Andrews missed a tying shot at the buzzer. Overseas Elite emerged from a field of 97 teams in the winner-take-all, single-elimination tournament that began July 12.
Tina Charles scored 29 points and the New York Liberty (13-6) pulled away in the third quarter to beat the Seattle Storm 78-62 for their fourth straight home victory. Seattle’s Sue Bird, the first pick of the 2002 draft, was 3 of 7 from beyond the arc to score 14 points, becoming the first player in WNBA history to score 5,000 points and amass 2,000 assists. The Liberty inducted former star Becky Hammon, now an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs, into the franchise’ Ring of Honor.
Jantel Lavender scored 20 points, and Candace Parker blocked Jia Perkins’ potential tying shot in the final seconds to help the visiting Los Angeles Sparks (5-14) beat the San Antonio Stars 80-78. Parker finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four blocks. Perkins led San Antonio (6-14) with 24 points.
Candice Dupree scored a season-high 27 points and DeWanna Bonner had a steal and hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to help the Phoenix Mercury (12-7) hold off the host Atlanta Dream 71-68. Angel McCoughtry led Atlanta (7-13) with 16 points.
Shenise Johnson scored all 16 of her points in the second half, Erlana Larkins added 10 points and 13 rebounds and the host Indiana Fever (11-8) rallied to beat the Connecticut Sun (9-9) for the second time in six days, 83-70. Kelsey Bone led Connecticut with 20 points.
TENNIS
Top-seeded Rafael Nadal overcame some sloppy play to beat Fabio Fognini 7-5, 7-5 and win the Hamburg Open for the second time. ... Dominic Thiem of Austria won his second straight title, beating top-seeded David Goffin of Belgium 7-5, 6-2 in the Swiss Open final.