Sports News Roundup: Games-Pan Am Games come to predictable end but face uncertain future; Tennis-Swiatek swats aside rival Sabalenka to reach WTA Finals title match and more

The win by the cool and collected Swiatek sets up a final showdown with American Jessica Pegula, and she can end the year on top if she is able to hoist the trophy. NFL roundup: C.J. Stroud breaks out as Texans clip Bucs C.J. Stroud threw for a rookie-record 470 yards and five touchdowns, capping the game with a 15-yard TD pass to Tank Dell with six seconds left to give the Houston Texans a wild 39-37 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Games-Pan Am Games come to predictable end but face uncertain future

The Pan American Games came to a predictable end on Sunday with the United States the runaway leader on the medal table, officials giving themselves a pat on the back and questions about the future of the event hanging in the air. As the closing ceremonies got underway at the quaint Parque Bicentenario the mood was one of relief as much as celebration at Santiago having delivered a no frills Games that clunked along at times but in the end met the needs of the nearly 7,000 athletes from 41 nations.

Motor racing-Our car does not deserve to win a race, says Mercedes F1 boss

Last year's winners Mercedes suffered a nightmare in Brazil on Sunday with unhappy team boss Toto Wolff comparing their Formula One car to a three-wheeler and saying it did not deserve to win a race this season. While Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the Sao Paulo Grand Prix for his 17th win of the season, and the team's 19th in 20 races, Mercedes had seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton finish eighth and George Russell retire.

Motor racing-Alonso thrills as Verstappen takes 17th win of the season

Red Bull's triple world champion Max Verstappen took a record-extending 17th win of the Formula One season in Brazil on Sunday while Fernando Alonso provided the thrills in a red-flagged and re-started Sao Paulo Grand Prix. McLaren's Lando Norris finished second, 8.2 seconds behind but with a bonus point for fastest lap, while Aston Martin's Alonso took third place by a whisker from Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

Athletics-Tola crushes competition in men's NYC Marathon, Obiri wins women's race

Ethiopian Tamirat Tola crushed the competition to win the New York City Marathon in a course record two hours, four minutes and 58 seconds on Sunday, while Kenyan Hellen Obiri won the women's race in 2:27:23. The 2022 world champion left no doubt that the win was his as he built a nearly two minute lead by the 40-kilometre mark. Kenyan Albert Korir finished second in 2:06:57, while Ethiopian Shura Kitata was third in 2:07:11.

Motor racing-Tom Jones fan Verstappen told to stick to the day job

Max Verstappen was revealed to be a Tom Jones fan on Sunday after the triple Formula One champion followed up his pole-to-flag victory in Brazil with an in-car rendition of the 83-year-old Welsh singer's 1967 pop hit "Green Green Grass of Home". The music was played to the 26-year-old over the team radio after his record-extending 17th win of the season, with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner encouraging his laughing but reluctant Dutch driver to sing along on the victory lap.

Tennis-Swiatek swats aside rival Sabalenka to reach WTA Finals title match

Poland's Iga Swiatek knocked out rival Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 6-2 in the semi-final of the season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun on Sunday, putting the world number one ranking within her reach ahead of Monday's title match. The win by the cool and collected Swiatek sets up a final showdown with American Jessica Pegula, and she can end the year on top if she is able to hoist the trophy.

NFL roundup: C.J. Stroud breaks out as Texans clip Bucs

C.J. Stroud threw for a rookie-record 470 yards and five touchdowns, capping the game with a 15-yard TD pass to Tank Dell with six seconds left to give the Houston Texans a wild 39-37 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Stroud led a 75-yard drive in 40 seconds after Baker Mayfield put Tampa Bay ahead with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton, the duo's second scoring hookup of the day. Stroud found Dell for a 26-yard completion to set up their go-ahead scoring connection.

Olympics-Australia's Fox to defend canoe slalom title in Paris

Australia's Jess Fox will return to the land of her birth to defend her Olympic canoe slalom C1 title next year after being selected for her fourth Summer Games on Monday. The 29-year-old was born in Marseille to a French mother and British father, both Olympic paddlers, before relocating to Australia as a toddler.

NFL-No kicker? No problem: RB Ogunbowale kicks field goal in Texans' win

Texans running back Dare Ogunbowale sent one through the uprights in Houston's 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, becoming the first non-kicker or punter to kick a field goal in a regular-season game in 19 years. The Texans' strategy was sent into disarray when kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn suffered an injury and was unable to compete in the second half, forcing Ogunbowale to assume place-kicking duties for the home team.

Rugby-Wales fullback Halfpenny joins New Zealand's Crusaders

Former Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny has joined Super Rugby Pacific champions the Canterbury Crusaders on a one-year deal for 2024 after announcing his international retirement in the wake of his third World Cup campaign. The 34-year-old will bring maturity and world class place-kicking to the Christchurch-based outfit, who lost regular kicker Richie Mo'unga after the All Blacks flyhalf signed for Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lions for next season.