Sports News Roundup: Olympics-Softball-Japan stave off Mexico in extra-innings walkoff; Olympics-Swimming-Australia's top-ranked McKeown to withdraw from 200 medley and more

Mexico twice tied the game, including in the seventh inning when Japan's ace Yukiko Ueno was three outs away from a complete game and second-straight winning start before a dropped ball by her center fielder let in a run. Olympics-Swimming-Australia's top-ranked McKeown to withdraw from 200 medley World number one Kaylee McKeown of Australia will be withdrawing from the women's 200 metres medley at this week's Olympic Games to focus on her backstroke events, the national team coach said on Thursday, citing a tough schedule.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Olympics-Softball-Japan stave off Mexico in extra-innings walkoff

Hosts, Japan walked off in an extra-innings victory against Mexico on their ace's 39th birthday and the second day of softball at the Tokyo Games, joining the United States at 2-0 in the standings. Mexico twice tied the game, including in the seventh inning when Japan's ace Yukiko Ueno was three outs away from a complete game and second-straight winning start before a dropped ball by her center fielder let in a run.

Olympics-Swimming-Australia's top-ranked McKeown to withdraw from 200 medley

World number one Kaylee McKeown of Australia will be withdrawing from the women's 200 meters medley at this week's Olympic Games to focus on her backstroke events, the national team coach said on Thursday, citing a tough schedule. McKeown, 20, is ranked number one in three events coming into the Tokyo competition but the medley would have been in conflict with the 100m backstrokes, for which a strong challenge is expected, head coach Rohan Taylor said.

Olympics-Tennis-Djokovic to start quest for Tokyo gold against 139th-ranked Dellien

Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic will begin the next leg of his quest to become the first male player to complete the Golden Slam when he takes on Bolivia's 139th-ranked Hugo Dellien at the Tokyo Olympics in the opening round. The Serbian will need to win in Tokyo and then the U.S. Open later this year to achieve the feat that has so far only been accomplished by Germany's Steffi Graf in 1988.

Olympics-In Japan, natural disaster risks lurk as Games draw near

The risks of a major natural disaster striking during the Olympics are small but can not be discounted in Japan, which contends with earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, floods, and erupting volcanoes. The consequences of a disaster during the Games, which start on Friday, would be compounded by the coronavirus pandemic that has already delayed the Games by a year. The deaths of at least 15 people in landslides in southwest Japan earlier this month were a stark reminder of the danger.

MLB roundup: Rays earn walk-off win over Orioles

Austin Meadows delivered a two-run, two-out walk-off single in the ninth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla. With the Rays down 4-3 in the ninth, Mike Zunino walked and Randy Arozarena -- who homered twice in the contest -- blooped a ball that fell into the right field following a collision between Baltimore's Pat Valaika and Ryan Mountcastle.

Olympics-Winning trust will be harder than winning medals for USA Gymnastics

The most closely watched members of the United States Olympic gymnastics team in Tokyo will not be superstar Simone Biles or her fellow athletes, but the doctors and therapists hired to treat them as the sport works to put years of scandal behind it. Following the 2016 Rio Games, USA Gymnastics was rocked by revelations of systemic abuse of athletes that triggered mass resignations, lawsuits, investigations, and bankruptcy filings.

Olympics-Athletics-'Whatever it takes': Americans adapting to unorthodox Games

Empty stands and a year-long wait for the Tokyo Games have done little to dampen enthusiasm among America's top track and field athletes, who told reporters on Thursday they were adapting to the challenges of competing amid the pandemic. "Whatever it takes, they're going to throw at us, (I'm) just excited to be able to compete again and just follow what... they think is best for us," said Clayton Murphy, who picked up bronze in the men's 800 meters at the Rio Games, the first time the United States medalled in the event since 1992.

Olympics-Opening ceremony director fired over Holocaust joke on Games eve

On the eve of the Tokyo Games, organizers fired the director of the opening ceremony over a joke he made about the Holocaust, while media reported former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a staunch advocate for the Tokyo Games, would skip the showpiece event. The news is the latest in a series https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/tokyo-2020-plagued-by-embarrassing-scandals-gaffes-2021-07-22 of embarrassments for Tokyo organizers that have sparked outrage and come just days after a well-known musician was forced to step down https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/tokyo-2020-organisers-want-composer-who-apologised-bullying-stay-2021-07-19 as a composer for the ceremony after old reports of his bullying and abusive behavior surfaced.

Olympics-U.S. first lady Jill Biden arrives in Japan for Games

U.S. first lady Jill Biden landed on Thursday in Japan, where she is leading the United States' diplomatic delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Biden will have dinner later in the day with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his wife Mariko Suga in the Japanese capital.

Tennis-Murray faces a tough first hurdle in bid for Olympic hat-trick

Andy Murray has overcome career-threatening hip surgery to give himself a shot at completing a hat-trick of Olympic tennis titles, but the Briton will have to hit the ground running in Tokyo after being given a tough first-round draw on Thursday. Murray's limited court time over the last year has seen him drop out of the top 100 and left him unseeded at his fourth Olympics. The result is a pairing with Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, the 20-year-old world number 15, who beat the Scot in straight sets at the US Open last year and reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon two weeks ago.

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