Reuters Sports News Summary

Seven times world champion Hamilton will start alongside his Dutch rival in Sunday's grand prix after finishing second for Mercedes in a 17-lap qualifying race that lasted just over half an hour. Olympics-IOC backs transgender weightlifter's selection for Tokyo, says to review rules later The International Olympic Committee on Saturday backed New Zealand's selection of transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard for the Tokyo Olympics despite criticism, saying that under the current rules - which will be reviewed in future - she can compete.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Motor racing-Verstappen wins Silverstone Sprint for British GP pole

Max Verstappen took pole position for the British Grand Prix and made Formula One history by winning the sport's first Saturday sprint race to stretch his lead over Lewis Hamilton to 33 points. Seven times world champion Hamilton will start alongside his Dutch rival in Sunday's grand prix after finishing second for Mercedes in a 17-lap qualifying race that lasted just over half an hour.

Olympics-IOC backs transgender weightlifter's selection for Tokyo, says to review rules later

The International Olympic Committee on Saturday backed New Zealand's selection of transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard for the Tokyo Olympics despite criticism, saying that under the current rules - which will be reviewed in future - she can compete. Hubbard is set to become the first transgender athlete to compete at the Games after she was selected for the New Zealand team in the women's super-heavyweight 87+kg category.

Golf-Macintyre makes hay in sun, but Royal St George's course bites back

With a clear blue sky above, the lightest of breezes and fairways still playing relatively soft, the Royal St Georges's course looked vulnerable when Scotland's Robert Macintyre fired six birdies in his third-round 65 on Saturday. His five-under round rocketed him up the British Open leaderboard, and with 10 other players in the early groups going sub-par, a day of low scoring looked on the cards.

Golf-British Open leader Oosthuizen starts third round

South African Louis Oosthuizen started his third round at the British Open in bright sunshine at Royal St George's on Saturday two shots clear at the top of the leaderboard. Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open champion, and American Collin Morikawa found the thin rough lining the fairway with their tee shots as both eye a second major title.

Cycling-Pogacar set to win back-to-back Tour de France titles

Tadej Pogacar was poised to win a second consecutive Tour de France title as the Slovenian retained his overall lead following the final time trial, a 30.8-km solo effort from Libourne on Saturday. The 22-year-old UAE Emirates rider finished eighth in the 20th stage won by Belgian Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), who clocked a best time of 35 minutes 53 seconds. Danes Kasper Asgreen and Jonas Vingegaard were second and third respectively in the 20th stage, 21 and 32 seconds off the pace. Overall, Pogacar leads Dane Jonas Vingegaard by five minutes 20 seconds and Ecuador's Richard Carapaz by 7:03 ahead of Sunday's final stage, a largely processional ride from Chatou to the Champs Elysees in Paris. The UAE Emirates rider bettered his rivals in the opening time trials and in the mountain stages, claiming a total of three stage wins in a dominant performance. It came in sharp contrast with last year, when Pogacar snatched the overall lead in the final time trial only as his fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic cracked in the uphill drag to La Planche des Belles Filles. This time, Pogacar was the favourite and he duly delivered, even though he benefited from his main rival's failure with Roglic pulling out ahead of the eighth stage following a crash earlier in the race. Crashes also effectively ruled 2018 champion Geraint Thomas out along with his Ineos Grenadiers team mate Tao Geoghegan Hart, the 2020 Giro d'Italia winner. Just like last year, Pogacar won the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider and also the polka-dot jersey for the mountains classification. Pogacar is now the youngest double winner of the race. Following the Slovenian's stunning ride to Le Grand Bornand during stage 8, his challengers were left racing for second place.

MLB roundup: Jake Cronenworth hits for cycle in Padres' 24-8 rout

Wil Myers hit two homers and drove in seven runs, and Jake Cronenworth hit for the third cycle in franchise history Friday night as the visiting San Diego Padres scored a franchise-record 24 runs in a 24-8 rout of the Washington Nationals. Nine different Padres drove in runs, with six having at least two RBIs.

Olympics-South Korea team told to remove banners at Olympic village

The South Korean team has removed banners with an historic reference to a past conflict with Japan from their Olympic village accommodation balconies in Tokyo, the International Olympic Committee said on Saturday. The banners had been hung from the team's balconies in the Olympic village, home to the 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries who will compete at the Games starting next week.

Exclusive: Olympics-Athletics-Bolt sees only tough times in Tokyo for Jamaica's men

Usain Bolt is disappointed with how Jamaican men's sprinting has developed since he retired and predicts his compatriots will find it tough in Tokyo after his glorious domination of the last three Olympics. With Bolt leading the way in his own inimitable style, Jamaica won all nine men's track sprint finals in Beijing, London and Rio -- although they later lost their 2008 4x100m gold medals after Nesta Carter failed a dope test.

Olympics-First COVID case in athletes' village piles pressure on IOC

Tokyo Olympics organisers on Saturday reported the first case of COVID-19 at the athletes' village, along with 14 other new cases connected to the Games that begin next week, raising fresh doubts over promises of a "safe and secure" event. The latest cases are a blow to the local organisers and the International Olympic Committee, who have insisted the Games will not become a super-spreader event.

Report: Tampa Bay's Jaydon Mickens faces two gun charges

Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver/return specialist Jaydon Mickens is facing two misdemeanor charges related to an arrest earlier this year, according to TMZ. Mickens was arrested in early March in Los Angeles after police allegedly found a loaded gun during a search of his car.