Games tidbits

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Brazil puts an end to US gold harvest

If Kerri Walsh Jennings ends up with a fourth medal in Olympic beach volleyball, it will be bronze - not gold, like the other three she has earned in what had been an unblemished record at the Games.

Walsh Jennings and partner April Ross were relegated to the third-place game by Brazil's reigning world champions, who beat the Americans in straight sets on Tuesday night to advance to the final against Germany.

"We could squash that team, and I say that with all the respect in the world," Walsh Jennings said. "But they outplayed us in every way."

Brazilians Agatha and Barbara, cheered by a boisterous crowd at the Copacabana venue, scored a 22-20, 21-18 victory, keeping alive the host nation's chances for a gold medal after its top-seeded team lost to Germany earlier in the day.

CYCLING

Vogel questions British advantage

Germany's gold medal sprint cyclist Kristina Vogel has complained that her dominant British rivals have an unfair advantage, although she is not sure what it is.

Several riders in Rio have grumbled about Britain's cycling hegemony for the past three Olympics.

Britain has won 20 of the 30 golds going back to Beijing 2008. Although it won only six this time - one fewer than the previous two Games - Britain only had entrants in nine of the 10 events, as the women's sprint team did not qualify.

Just to highlight the level of Britain's control, in the three events it did not win, it took silver.

But at the world championships between each Olympics, Britain never enjoys anything like the same dominance, leading some, such as Vogel, to ask questions.