Man-of-the-match Barrett settled the outcome of the final with an audacious try 12 minutes from time

US teenager Virginia Thrasher claimed the first Rio Olympics gold medal with her final shot in the shooting on Saturday.

The Olympic torch wound its way around Rio de Janeiro’s landmarks yesterday before the opening ceremony of the sporting spectacle.

Azhar Ali said he had realised a “dream” in scoring his first Test century outside of Asia as England great James Anderson’s frustration boiled over at Edgbaston.

England captain Alastair Cook and Alex Hales’s first century stand as an opening pair left the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston intriguingly poised come the close of yesterday’s third day’s play.

Forty years after Nadia Comaneci produced one of the all-time great Olympic exploits in Montreal, hopes of Romania producing another such gymnast are hamstrung by scant finances.

Travelling to the Olympics has never been an easy business. Edwin Flack had to endure a six-day trip to Athens for the first modern Games in 1896.

Olympic historians will record 11.45 local time in Rio today as the moment boxing history was made.

Chris Froome will lead the Great Britain team as he bids to emulate the feat of decorated compatriot Bradley Wiggins when the Olympic cycling road race takes place today.

Olympic champion Chad Le Clos will be swimming for “other reasons” in Rio after his parents were diagnosed with cancer, according to South Africa coach Graham Hill.

Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Serena Williams lead a charge for Olympics history from today which will help lift the gloom caused by a raft of pullouts from the Rio tournament.

South Korea’s Kim Woo-jin made the most of perfect shooting conditions to set a 72-arrow world record in the Olympic archery at the Rio de Janeiro Games yesterday and fire an ominous warning at challengers to his gold medal claims.