COVID-Hit Lyles Misses Out on a Double, US Team Breaks 100-Medal Mark

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (2ndL) crosses the finish line ahead of US' Noah Lyles (R) to win the men's 200m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (AFP)
Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (2ndL) crosses the finish line ahead of US' Noah Lyles (R) to win the men's 200m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (AFP)
TT

COVID-Hit Lyles Misses Out on a Double, US Team Breaks 100-Medal Mark

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (2ndL) crosses the finish line ahead of US' Noah Lyles (R) to win the men's 200m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (AFP)
Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (2ndL) crosses the finish line ahead of US' Noah Lyles (R) to win the men's 200m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (AFP)

Sprinter Noah Lyles revealed he had COVID-19 after missing out on another gold medal for the United States at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.

Elsewhere, French basketball star Victor Wembanyama moved closer to his dream of a first gold after helping Les Bleus beat Germany to set up a dream final against the US team after the Americans edged Serbia 95-91.

On the same Stade de France track where he won the historically close 100 meters by five thousandths of a second, Lyles was third behind gold medalist Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and US teammate Kenneth Bednarek.

Medics tended to a tired-looking Lyles and took him off in a wheelchair. Wearing a mask as he spoke with reporters, Lyles later said he had COVID.

“It definitely affected my performance,” said Lyles, adding that he tested positive early Tuesday morning but was cleared to compete. The US track federation said it and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee adhered to all Olympic and Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

Over at Bercy Arena, with former NBA stars Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker watching their respective countrymen, France held on to win 73-69.

Wembanyama, the NBA rookie of the year, clenched his fists at the buzzer and teammate Evan Fournier jubilantly threw the ball into the crowd.

The 20-year-old star didn't play three years ago in Tokyo, when the French lost the final to the US. They meet again Saturday, when Wembanyama hopes to give France its first Olympic gold in men's or women's basketball.

Highlights of what happened on Day 13 of the Paris Olympics:

Curry leads semifinal fightback against Serbia

LeBron James had a triple double and Steph Curry scored 36 points as the American men rallied from 17 points down.

The US faced an 11-point halftime deficit — the biggest successfully overcome by an American team since NBA players were added to the Olympic mix in 1992 — and again trailed the Serbs by 11 with just over seven minutes left.

Serbian players fell on their backs at the buzzer after coming so close.

It was a far cry from their group opener when the US rolled to a 110-84 win.

US team gets a world record, breaks the 100-medal mark

The United States now has more golds and more overall medals than any other nation.

With three days left of competition, American athletes total 30 golds for 103 medals overall.

The US went 1-2 in the women's 400 hurdles with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone breaking her own world record in a time of 50.37 seconds, and Anna Cockrell taking the silver.

Grant Holloway followed up with gold in the men's 110 hurdles in 12.99, beating countryman Daniel Roberts.

Also, Long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women's long jump with Jasmine Moore taking the bronze behind Germany's Malaika Mihambo.

China’s diving double ends with tears

China claimed its sixth gold medal in diving at the Paris Games with defending champion Xie Siyi winning the 3-meter springboard.

The Chinese made it a podium 1-2 as Wang Zongyuan took the silver ahead of Mexico’s Osmar Olvera Ibarra.

Wang was in tears afterward.

He hadn’t lost a major diving competition in the event since finishing behind teammate Xie at the Tokyo Olympics. After that silver, Wang won three straight world championship titles.

“It is regrettable I lost,” Wang said through an interpreter. “I must learn to accept any failure and my response is to make a greater effort to improve myself.”

Another world record but no gold

American Sam Watson left the Games with another world record to his name but didn't get the gold medal.

The 18-year-old Watson broke sport climbing's speed world record on Thursday for the second time at the Paris Games, but that came in the fight for bronze.

Veddriq Leonardo of Indonesia won gold in 4.75 seconds in the final.

Charron lifts for another medal Maude Charron raised Canada's flag at the opening ceremony for the Paris Games and lifted up another medal in weightlifting.

Charron took the silver medal in the 59-kilogram category to add to her gold in the 64-kilogram competition at the Tokyo Games.

Rahimi stars as Morocco gets bronze

Football-mad Morocco fans finally have an Olympic medal to celebrate after routing African rival Egypt 6-0 for the bronze.

Soufiane Rahimi scored twice and the Casablanca-born striker will surely become a household name back home after netting an impressive eight goals in the tournament.

He was comfortably the leading scorer ahead of Friday's final between Spain and 1984 Olympic champion France.

Morocco won the African Cup of Nations title in 1976.

Dutch end long wait for gold in men's field hockey

Duco Telgenkamp scored the golden goal in the shootout to give the Netherlands a 2-1 victory over Germany.

It was the Netherlands’ first gold in men’s hockey at the Olympics since 2000 and third in the country’s history.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh scored both goals as India beat Spain 2-1 for a second straight bronze, after beating Germany at the Tokyo Games.

French get gold, Portugal a rare medal

Track cyclist Benjamin Thomas overcame a crash in the men's omnium race to give France its 14th gold medal of the Paris Games.

Thomas held off Iúri Leitão, whose silver medal was only Portugal's second medal so far — compared to 54 for the French.

Also, world champion Ellesse Andrews of New Zealand won the Olympic title in the women’s keirin.

Nadeem gets Pakistan's first medal with an Olympic record

Arshad Nadeem got Pakistan's first medal of the Paris Games in style by setting an Olympic record in javelin.

Nadeem's throw of 92.97 meters beat Norwegian Andreas Thorkildsen's mark of 90.57 from the 2008 Games in Beijing.



Mohamed Salah Apologized to His Liverpool Teammates over Contentious Comments

 Liverpool's Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah (R) sits on the bench during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Liverpool's Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah (R) sits on the bench during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
TT

Mohamed Salah Apologized to His Liverpool Teammates over Contentious Comments

 Liverpool's Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah (R) sits on the bench during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)
Liverpool's Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah (R) sits on the bench during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 13, 2025. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

Mohamed Salah apologized to his Liverpool teammates after complaining of being “ thrown under the bus ” by the Premier League champion, midfielder Curtis Jones said.

Jones told broadcaster Sky Sports on Saturday that Salah took the time to address the issue with them, The AP news reported.

“Mo is his own man and he can say his own stuff. He apologized to us and was like, 'If I've affected anybody or made you feel any sort of way, I apologize.' That's the man that he is," Jones told Sky. “He was the exact same Mo, he had a big smile on his face and everybody was exactly the same with him. I guess it’s just part of wanting to be a winner.”

Dropped by Slot The 33-year-old Egypt star has scored 250 goals for Liverpool overall but has only netted five times this season in 20 games.

Last season was one of his best with 34 goals in 52 outings for Liverpool, and he clinched the player of the year award from the Professional Footballers’ Association for the third time.

Salah, who is now at the Africa Cup of Nations, made his explosive comments about feeling unfairly treated at Liverpool after being dropped for a third game in succession.

In the wake of those comments, Liverpool coach Arne Slot left Salah out of the squad for a Champions League game at Inter Milan. But following subsequent talks with Slot, Salah returned to the team against Brighton last Saturday.

Unbeaten run Since losing 4-1 at home to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in late November, Liverpool was unbeaten in five matches heading into a Premier League game at Tottenham later Saturday.

“We’re past that now and we’re gelling well as a team," Jones added. “Playing well and starting to win games.”


Hakimi Declared Fit for Morocco's AFCON Bid

Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui and Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi attend a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on December 20, 2025, ahead of the start of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football tournament. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui and Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi attend a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on December 20, 2025, ahead of the start of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football tournament. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
TT

Hakimi Declared Fit for Morocco's AFCON Bid

Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui and Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi attend a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on December 20, 2025, ahead of the start of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football tournament. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)
Morocco's head coach Walid Regragui and Morocco's defender #02 Achraf Hakimi attend a press conference at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on December 20, 2025, ahead of the start of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football tournament. (Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP)

Morocco captain and star player Achraf Hakimi is fit and ready for the host nation's Africa Cup of Nations bid but may not start in the tournament's opening game, coach Walid Regragui said on Saturday.

"Tomorrow will be my decision but he has more than done his job. His injury was not an easy one," Regragui told reporters in Rabat where Morocco play minnows Comoros in the first match on Sunday.

"I still have another night to sleep and decide whether he starts or whether we protect him and see how it goes for the remaining games.

"He is able to start, but he might not start."

Paris Saint-Germain right-back Hakimi, the African player of the year, has not played since coming off with a left ankle injury in a Champions League game against Bayern Munich on November 4.

The 27-year-old left the field in tears that night, clearly fearing for his chances of featuring at the Cup of Nations. The injury was later diagnosed as a severe sprain.

"I feel good. I am following the program given to me by the medical staff and the coach," Hakimi, who also came sixth in this year's Ballon d'Or ranking, said Saturday, according to AFP.

Regragui added: "He has made sacrifices over the last four or five weeks that nobody else could have made, and has set an example to the other players and the staff.

"Today we can see that the protocol we put in place after his injury has been more than positive but now we have the whole competition to manage."
Morocco will also face Mali and Zambia in Group A as they bid to win a first Cup of Nations since 1976.

The tournament runs into the New Year and will finish with the final in Rabat on January 18.


Kimmich, Neuer Headline Absentee List for Injury-hit Bayern

Bayern Munich's Belgian head coach Vincent Kompany arrives for the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and Mainz 05 in Munich, southern Germany on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Karl-Josef HILDENBRAND / AFP)
Bayern Munich's Belgian head coach Vincent Kompany arrives for the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and Mainz 05 in Munich, southern Germany on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Karl-Josef HILDENBRAND / AFP)
TT

Kimmich, Neuer Headline Absentee List for Injury-hit Bayern

Bayern Munich's Belgian head coach Vincent Kompany arrives for the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and Mainz 05 in Munich, southern Germany on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Karl-Josef HILDENBRAND / AFP)
Bayern Munich's Belgian head coach Vincent Kompany arrives for the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and Mainz 05 in Munich, southern Germany on December 14, 2025. (Photo by Karl-Josef HILDENBRAND / AFP)

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany confirmed captain Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich were among several absentees for Sunday's Bundesliga match against Heidenheim.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday ahead of the final match of the calendar year, Kompany said Sacha Boey would also miss out through injury, Konrad Laimer is suspended while Nicolas Jackson is away on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal.

Long-term absentee Jamal Musiala returned to team training this week but would not return until 2026.

France winger Michael Olise, who had eye surgery earlier in the week, is expected to return, as is Luis Diaz who missed out last week with suspension.

The dependable Olise is yet to miss a match with injury since joining Bayern from Crystal Palace in 2024.

According to AFP, Kompany said Germany captain Kimmich is still struggling with an ankle complaint picked up on international duty in November.

"We've had so many matches recently, at a certain point the pain becomes too much," Kompany said, adding Kimmich had "been playing at the limit of what's too painful" for weeks.

Unbeaten Bayern have enjoyed a close to flawless league campaign this season, dropping just four points in their opening 14 matches.

League leaders Bayern sit six points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who have played a game more.

On Saturday, German tabloid Bild reported Bayern was set to extend with winger Serge Gnabry by two years until 2028.

The former Arsenal forward has played at Bayern since 2017 and has impressed this campaign, with five goals and seven assists in all competitions.

The 30-year-old has also returned to form at international level, with three goals and an assist in Germany's six World Cup qualifiers.