Russian crew banned from Rio, New Zealand get their place

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Russia's men's quadruple sculls crew have been banned from the Rio Olympics after one of their members failed a doping test in May, the world governing body FISA said on Friday.

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Bolt staves off false starts to move into 100m semi-finals

KINGSTON (Reuters) - Usain Bolt negotiated a series of delays and a false start in his own race before easily winning his quarter-final of the 100m in 10.15 seconds at Jamaica's national championships on Friday.

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Rio will be safest place in world for athletes: USOC

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Even as gun battles rage in Rio de Janeiro slums, mutilated bodies wash up on beaches and police and fireman protest, the USOC on Thursday declared the 2016 Olympics will be the safest place in the world for athletes once the Games begin.

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Regal Murray hurries into round three

LONDON (Reuters) - Andy Murray produced the kind of imperious form that has propelled him into two grand slam finals this year as he beat Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun 6-3 6-2 6-1 in the Wimbledon second round on Thursday.

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Muguruza stunned by qualifier, draw opens up for Serena

LONDON (Reuters) - Second seed Garbine Muguruza, gunning to add the Wimbledon crown to her French Open title, was sensationally beaten in the second round on Thursday by a Slovakian qualifier, removing one of the biggest obstacles to Serena Williams defending her title.

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Tennis: Bouchard shows glimpses of best to oust Konta

LONDON (Reuters) - Eugenie Bouchard reminded a Centre Court crowd why not long ago she was being billed as tennis's new golden girl when she crushed the Wimbledon hopes of Britain's 16th seed Johanna Konta on Thursday.

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Phelps and rival Lochte on 200 IM collision course

OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) - Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte cruised into the semi-finals of the 200 meters medley at the U.S. Olympic trials on Thursday to set up a potential mouth-watering showdown between the two rivals.

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