Superstar Simone Biles
Simone Biles was the star of the show in Rio yesterday as she delivered a flawless display to help a peerless USA team to the women’s artistic gymnastics gold.
Keith Duggan was present to see the diminutive American in imperious action, he writes: “Even in the team event, the force of Biles’s personality and aura seemed to diminish the belief of the opposing teams.
“Whatever apparatus she was using became the immediate focus of attention and even her opening turn, on the vault was a blurry personification of the old Olympic ideals - travelling frighteningly high and unbelievably fast through the air.”
A miserable day for Irish boxing
Elsewhere it was another miserable day for Irish boxing. A very game David Oliver Joyce was outclassed in his bout against Azerbaijan’s brilliant Albert Selimov - but it was events out of the ring which dominated conversation.
Michael O’Reilly became the first Irish athlete in history to be sent home from an Olympic Games after he admitted the drugs test he failed, which was revealed last Thursday, “may have contained a prohibited substance,” which he had “unintentionally” consumed.
Murphy in second
Meanwhile in sailing Annalise Murphy currently sits in second place overall after four races in the women’s laser radial.
Daragh Ó Sé: No sympathy for Tyrone
Elsewhere in his column today Daragh Ó Sé reacts to Tyrone’s complaints over the treatment Sean Cavanagh received during their All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Mayo, he writes: “But the idea of Tyrone - Tyrone! - suddenly deciding that this kind of thing is beyond the beyonds is pretty hilarious. It would brighten up a bad day just to say it out loud.”
Stones joins City
The day after Manchester United sealed a world record deal for French star Paul Pogba cross-town rivals City confirmed the signing of centre-half John Stones from Everton for EUR56 million.
Carvajal’s late interventions seals Super Cup
And Dani Carvajal’s goal in the last minute of extra time gave Real Madrid a 3-2 win over Sevilla in the European Super Cup in Trondheim, Norway.
