South America’s first Olympic Games kicked off with women’s football yesterday, when Sweden beat South Africa 1-0 in Rio de Janeiro.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has announced an expanded WorldTour calendar for 2017 that will see the series host premier level races in five countries, including Qatar, Britain and the United States, for the first time.

Attacking half-centuries by Jermaine Blackwood and Roston Chase frustrated India’s push for victory as the West Indies added 167 runs to be 215 for five in the second innings at lunch on the final day of the second Test yesterday.

Sohail Khan marked his return to Test cricket after a five-year absence with a maiden five-wicket haul as Pakistan dismissed England for 297 on yesterday’s first day of the third Test at Edgbaston.

Galle has built a reputation as a spinners’ paradise but Australia captain Steve Smith hopes there will be substantial reverse swing at the venue as his top-ranked team bid for a series-levelling win against Sri Lanka in the second Test.

Sri Lanka’s first win over Australia in two decades proves the islanders have the talent to step into the boots of their recently retired greats, according to Test cricket’s most successful bowler Muttiah Muralitharan.

Former Ferrari driver Chris Amon, often described as one of the best in Formula One never to have won a race, has died at the age of 73 after a battle with cancer, family of the New Zealand motorsport great said yesterday.

Reigning Olympic and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will be the flagbearer for Britain at the opening ceremony for the Rio Games, it was confirmed yesterday.

South Africa flyhalf Pat Lambie remains sidelined almost two months after being knocked out playing for the Springboks, raising questions over the future of his career.

Austria’s Albin Ouschan, a runner-up here in Doha two years ago will take on Canadian-Filipino veteran Alex Pagulayan in the semi-final of the World 9-ball Championship here today.

Pigeon shooting featured for the first — and only — time at the Paris Olympics in 1900, where around 300 birds were killed in the pursuit of sporting glory.

Atlanta 1996 marked the centenary of the modern Olympics and organisers hatched a top-secret plan for Muhammad Ali to light the torch at the opening ceremony.