Sports News Roundup: Athletics-Former javelin Olympic champion Walcott exits early, Chopra soars; Cycling-Awe-inspiring Vingegaard edges closer to Tour glory and more

Korir, one of three Kenyans to advance to Saturday's final in Eugene, Oregon, took it easy to move through his opening heat but took a more aggressive approach in the semi-final. Athletics-Champion Lyles relishes American worlds dominance A year after the U.S. men walked away from the Tokyo Olympics without a single individual track gold, sprinter Noah Lyles said on Thursday he was savouring every title won by American athletes at the World Championships.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Athletics-Former javelin Olympic champion Walcott exits early, Chopra soars

Former Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago failed to advance out of javelin qualification at the World Championships on Thursday, as India's Neeraj Chopra bettered his own Olympic gold-winning effort to advance. Walcott, who won in London and picked up bronze in Rio, could only reach 78.87 metres in Eugene, Oregon, finishing eighth in his group to miss Saturday's final.

Cycling-Awe-inspiring Vingegaard edges closer to Tour glory

Jonas Vingegaard put the hammer down on the Tour de France on Thursday, extending his lead massively with an awe-inspiring victory in the final mountain stage as defending champion Tadej Pogacar's all-in strategy backfired. Vingegaard went solo some four kilometres from the finish at Hautacam after massive work from his Jumbo-Visma teammates, Pogacar slowly disappearing from his rear-view mirror and crossing the line in second, one minute and four seconds behind.

Motor racing-Hamilton aims for another first as the 300th race looms

Lewis Hamilton believes he can make Formula One history as the first driver to win a race after reaching the milestone of 300 grand prix starts. The seven-time world champion, who has a record 103 wins to his credit, will become only the sixth driver to chalk up 300 starts when he lines up on the grid in France on Sunday.

Athletics-Lyles retains 200m crowns as US sweep podium, Jackson wins women's title

Noah Lyles retained his 200 metres title as U.S. sprinters secured their second podium sweep while Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made it a 1-2 finish for Jamaica in the women's event at the World Championships on Thursday. Lyles, bronze medallist at the Tokyo Games, scorched to victory in 19.31 seconds to become the third-fastest athlete of all time over the distance and break four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson's national record.

Tennis-Venus Williams set for a singles comeback in Washington

Former world number one Venus Williams will make her singles comeback after nearly a year at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. which begins next week, organisers said on Thursday. The seven-time Grand Slam champion accepted a wildcard for the July 30-Aug. 7 WTA 250 events a day after announcing she will also compete at next month's WTA 1000 event in Toronto, where she will be joined by her sister Serena.

Athletics-Olympic champion Korir leads a trio of Kenyans into 800m final

Kenya's Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir produced his best performance of the season to win his 800 metres semi-final on Thursday, while Algerian Slimane Moula came from behind to win his race in the fastest time of the day. Korir, one of three Kenyans to advance to Saturday's final in Eugene, Oregon, took it easy to move through his opening heat but took a more aggressive approach in the semi-final.

Athletics Champion Lyles relishes American worlds dominance

A year after the U.S. men walked away from the Tokyo Olympics without a single individual track gold, sprinter Noah Lyles said on Thursday he was savouring every title won by American athletes at the World Championships. The 25-year-old retained his 200 metres world title in a national record of 19.31 seconds, leading an unprecedented second U.S. podium sprint sweep after Fred Kerley headlined an American 1-2-3 in the 100m.

Athletics-Mu leads US trio into women's 800 semis

In a World Championships already boasting some notable clean sweeps, the United States remained in the hunt for a first 1-2-3 in the women's 800 metres after their big three, led by Olympic champion Athing Mu, advanced from Thursday's heats. Mu, Raevyn Rogers and Ajee Wilson all looked good, while Kenya's Mary Moraa and Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson of Britain, the only other athletes to have gone under 1:58 this season, also went through on a warm, humid night.

MLB roundup: Yordan Alvarez helps Astros sweep DH with Yankees

Yordan Alvarez homered and drove in three runs as the host Houston Astros held on for a 7-5 victory over the New York Yankees on Thursday night to complete a sweep of a day-night doubleheader. Alvarez was activated from the injured list before the doubleheader after a brief absence due to an injured right hand. Alvarez hit his 27th homer against New York's Domingo German (0-1) and added a two-run double. Alex Bregman also homered and hit an RBI single.

Tennis-Djokovic joins Nadal, Federer, and Murray for Team Europe at Laver Cup

Tennis fans are used to seeing Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray fight tooth and nail to beat each other at the Grand Slams but the "Big Four" are set to play together in the same team for the first time at the Laver Cup in London. Wimbledon champion Djokovic on Friday was named as the fourth member of the six-man Team Europe, the 35-year-old Serb joining his long-time rivals at the fifth edition of the ATP-sanctioned event from Sept. 23-25.