Sports News Roundup: Games-Athletics takes Pan Am spotlight but 100 metres left in shadows; Tennis-Swiatek overcomes early deficit to beat Vondrousova at WTA Finals and more

After the Tokyo Olympics, where she became the oldest American swimmer since 1908 to make her Olympic debut at age 32, Twichell was prepared to retire and start a family. Tennis-Swiatek overcomes early deficit to beat Vondrousova at WTA Finals Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Games-Athletics takes Pan Am spotlight but 100 metres left in shadows

Athletics moved into the Pan American Games spotlight on Monday but the marquee 100 metres was left in the shadows, with the region's top sprinters giving the event a miss and leaving the stage to unknowns. While there has been a lack of quality and depth across many of the sports in Santiago, it was never more glaring than at the first day of athletics.

Games-After Pan Am gold Twichell planning family trip to Paris

As excited as Ashley Twichell was about winning Pan American Games gold in the 10 kilometre open water swim she was no less delighted to get back to the United States and her infant son on Monday and planning a family trip to Paris. After the Tokyo Olympics, where she became the oldest American swimmer since 1908 to make her Olympic debut at age 32, Twichell was prepared to retire and start a family.

Tennis-Swiatek overcomes early deficit to beat Vondrousova at WTA Finals

Iga Swiatek erased a 5-2 first set deficit and ultimately rolled to a 7-6(3) 6-0 win over Marketa Vondrousova in the Pole's first match of the group stage of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Monday. After struggling to find her rhythm early on against the big-hitting lefty, Swiatek crushed an overhead to set up a break point, which she converted on her opponent's backhand error to cut the deficit to 5-3 and seize the momentum.

Soccer-Spain's ex-FA chief Rubiales gets three-year ban over kiss scandal

Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) who faces accusations of sexual assault in Spain, has been banned from all football-related activities for three years, FIFA said on Monday. World soccer's governing body initially suspended Rubiales for three months following the allegedly non-consensual kiss he gave to Spain player Jenni Hermoso after the Women's World Cup final on Aug. 20.

Athletics-Olympics no longer Semenya's major goal amid court fight

Double Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya's major aim is no longer to win medals but to continue her legal battle against World Athletics to overturn requirements that female athletes with differences in sexual development (DSDs) medically reduce their testosterone levels. Semenya, 32, wants to hold World Athletics to account for what she terms discrimination against athletes with hyperandrogenism, a condition characterised by higher than usual levels of testosterone, a hormone that increases muscle mass and strength.

Soccer-Women's Ballon d'Or win testimony to Spain's football culture, says Bonmati

Winning the women's Ballon d'Or is a testimony to Spain's football culture, this year's winner Aitana Bonmati said after her triumph kept the trophy in the country for the third year in a row on Monday. Bonmati, a Champions League winner with Barcelona and World Cup winner with Spain, succeeds fellow Spaniard Alexia Putellas, who was also the 2021 winner.

Soccer-Messi wins record eighth Ballon d'Or for best player in the world

Argentina captain Lionel Messi won a record eighth Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world on Monday, beating Norway's UEFA player of the year and treble winner Erling Haaland of Manchester City to the prestigious prize. Inter Miami's Messi, who last won the award in 2021, played a pivotal role in guiding Argentina to their first World Cup title in 36 years when they beat defending champions France in the final last year.

Tennis-Sabalenka slams WTA for court conditions in Cancun

World number one Aryna Sabalenka said she did not feel safe playing on the newly-constructed tennis courts in Cancun, Mexico, where the season-ending WTA Finals got underway on Sunday and put the blame squarely on the WTA. "I'm happy that I was able to stay focused tonight, overcome the conditions, and play well," Sabalenka said in an Instagram post Sunday night after throttling Maria Sakkari 6-0 6-1 on the opening day of group play.

NFL-Vikngs QB Cousins out for season due to torn Achilles

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins will miss the rest of the NFL season after an MRI on Monday confirmed he suffered an Achilles tendon tear during a Week 8 victory over the Green Bay Packers, the team said. Cousins, who was enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, had thrown a pair of touchdown passes before suffering the non-contact injury in the fourth quarter and struggled to leave the field before being carted to the locker room.

Tennis-Murray bows out of Paris Masters in first round

Andy Murray continued his losing streak against Alex de Minaur, as the Australian rallied back in the final set to advance to the second round at the Paris Masters on Monday. De Minaur keeps alive his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin, as the 13th seed won five consecutive games in the last set in a 7-6(6) 4-6 7-5 victory, his sixth win over Murray in their six meetings.

(With inputs from agencies.)