Olympics

Team USA Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher admitted Wednesday that she was initially perplexed by Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba's scoring snafu during Tuesday's episode of the show.

After Maher and Alan Bersten performed a Disney Night dance based on the movie Encanto, Inaba announced that she had scored the routine a 9, but she accidentally held up the 8 paddle and then the 10 paddle.

Speaking to Paige Strout of Us Weekly, Maher said: "First, I wasn't sure about it because she held up an 8 and then she held up a 10, and I got really confused and you couldn't see a thing."

Inaba ultimately gave Maher her first 9 of the competition, and she scored a 25 out of 30 overall after the other two judges each gave her an 8.

The 28-year-old Maher dressed up as the character Luisa Madrigal for her dance to the song Surface Pressure, while Bersten was dressed as a donkey:

Maher and Bersten did enough to remain in the competition and advance to next week, while Real Housewives of Atlanta star Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy were eliminated from the competition.

Although she competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics in rugby sevens, Maher truly rose to prominence at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.

Maher was the standout star for an American team that won the bronze medal, plus she built upon her already strong presence on social media thanks to her entertaining posts on TikTok and Instagram.

She is among the final seven celebrity dancers still remaining in the DWTS Season 33 competition, many of whom are athletes.

Former NBA center Dwight Howard, former NFL wide receiver Danny Amendola and Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik remain in contention as well.

Maher and Bersten will try their hand next week at a Halloween Nightmares-themed dance.

Ryan Wedding, a former snowboarder who represented Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics, is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation after being charged with murder and other crimes.

The FBI has issued a reward of up to $50,000 "for information leading to the apprehension, arrest and extradition" of the 43-year-old Wedding.

A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Wedding in the United States District Court, Central District of California.

Wedding, who is on the FBI's Most Wanted list, is being charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to export cocaine, leading a continuing criminal enterprise, murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime, and attempt to commit murder in connection with a continuing criminal enterprise and drug crime.

The U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California released a statement on the matter, citing Wedding and 15 others for "allegedly running and participating" in a transnational cocaine trafficking operation.

"A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder and 15 other defendants have been charged in a 16-count superseding indictment for allegedly running and participating in a transnational drug trafficking operation that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, from Colombia, through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada and other locations in the United States, and whose leaders orchestrated multiple murders in furtherance of these drug crimes."

Wedding is considered the "superseding indictment's lead defendant." He and 34-year-old Andrew Clark are charged with murder in retaliation for an unpaid drug debt.

The statement reads as follows:

"...the organization resorted to violence—including multiple murders—to achieve its aims. Wedding and Clark allegedly directed the November 20, 2023, murders of two members of a family in Ontario, Canada, in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment that passed through Southern California. Another member of that family survived the shooting but was left with serious physical injuries. Wedding and Clark allegedly also ordered the murder of another victim on May 18, 2024, over a drug debt..."

Per the Associated Press' citing of federal records, Wedding was convicted in 2010 in the United States "of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to prison."

Chris Leather, chief superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said Wedding also has unresolved and separate drug trafficking charges in Canada dating back to 2015, according to the AP.

Wedding represented Canada in one event, the men's parallel giant slalom, finishing 24th in Salt Lake City.

It's time to go back to Paris.

Track and field fans looking to relive the magic of the 2024 Olympics will have the opportunity to do just that, as Netflix is releasing Sprint Part 2. The second part of the docuseries will premiere on Nov. 13, but the streaming service released a trailer starring Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas and others Thursday:

Lyles and Thomas are the headliners, but the series will also feature a number of athletes, including Fred Kerley, Kishane Thompson, Julien Alfred, Kenny Bednarek, Shericka Jackson and others.

Fans will get to see the elite athletes battle for gold in the Games on the track while also getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse at their overall preparation and lives off the track.

There will be four episodes, which are 45-minutes each.

Netflix is following a similar pattern with this docuseries as it did with the Simone Biles Rising docuseries. The first part focused on the all-time great's build up toward the Olympics and was released before the Games, while the second part will premiere on Oct. 25 and include footage from Paris as the gymnast added to her illustrious resume.

The first part of Sprint was released in July ahead of the Olympics and captured the journey to Paris while focusing on Lyles, Sha'carri Richardson, Jackson, Zharnel Hughes, Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson, among others.

Lyles will surely be a major focus of the second part as well, as he had quite the journey in Paris.

He became the world's fastest man by winning gold in the men's 100-meter race in one of the most memorable moments of the entire Olympics. He outlasted Thompson and Kerley in a photo finish.

However, he missed pulling off the double and instead settled for bronze in the men's 200-meter race. Letsile Tebogo and Bednarek defeated him, although the race took a temporary backseat when he was taken off the track in a wheelchair and then later revealed he was diagnosed with COVID-19.

As for Thomas, she had a triumphant showing in Paris and became a household name among American fans.

She earned three gold medals with wins in the women's 200-meter race and as part of the relay teams in the women's 4x100m and 4x400m races.

Track and field star Noah Lyles and fellow sprinter Junelle Bromfield announced their engagement.

Lyles shared photos and video on social media from when he popped the question.

People's Charlotte Phillipp noted the couple first began interacting in 2017 but didn't start dating until 2022. They discussed their relationship on the Fast Lane Lifestyle podcast, with Lyles saying they planned to "grow old together" (via Phillipp).

The engagement adds to a big year for Lyles.

The 27-year-old won the gold medal in the 100 meters at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, narrowly edging out Jamaica's Kishane Thompson. He added a bronze to his medal haul as well with a third-place showing in the 200 meters.

Bromfield is likewise a decorated sprinter with a bronze medal in the 4x400-meter relay at the 2021 Summer Games and a silver in the same event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

After being absent from the 2024 Team USA Olympic basketball roster, Zion Williamson and Ja Morant have been deemed necessary additions to the 2028 roster.

Per The Athletic's Joe Vardon, one USA basketball source said the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies stars would be integral to winning gold in 2028.

"We will still have a great chance to win gold, but it won't be easy," the source said. "Ja and Zion need to be in the mix. Moving forward, hopefully they can get on track and stay on track."

Williamson and Morant, drafted with the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the 2019 draft, respectively, have been stars early on in their careers, though they have faced their share of setbacks.

Williamson has dealt with a number of injuries, missing most of his rookie year, the entirety of the 2021-22 season and the majority of the 2022-23 season. He finally avoided injuries for the most part last year, playing 70 games and averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and five assists.

Morant has also missed plenty of time due to both injuries and suspensions. After facing a 25-game suspension to start the 2023-24 season, Morant had to undergo season-ending right shoulder surgery after just nine games back. He put up 26.2 points, 8.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds during the 2022-23 season.

Despite both missing so much time throughout their careers, they have four All-Star appearances between them and always seem due for big seasons.

But their constant absences bring on the question of whether they will be able to represent the United States in 2028. By then, stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry could be out of the league and Morant and Williamson could very well be two faces of the league.

Team USA would need players like Morant and Williamson to compete with the increasing global talent that is only going to get better four years from now.

"Nothing sets your heart on fire like being so determined for a goal and you to have one chance at it."

That was Simone Biles' mindset during the Paris Olympics, and Netflix is taking fans back to the Games with the return of the Simone Biles Rising docuseries. While the first two episodes were made available before the 2024 Olympics, the streaming company released the trailer for the third and fourth episodes Thursday:

The next two episodes will premiere on Oct. 25 and take fans behind the scenes as Biles adds to her illustrious resume with more medals at the 2024 Games.

That means inside looks at her training process, what she was thinking during the competitions, her family that includes Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens and her overall perseverance to further cement herself as the most decorated gymnast in history.

As the trailer hints at, there will also be a focus on the calf injury she had to fight through to take home more medals in Paris.

To Biles' credit, she battled through the injury and captured gold in the women's team event, women's all-around and women's vault competitions while also adding silver in the women's floor exercise.

After she won four gold medals and a bronze in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and a silver and bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Games, she now has 11 Olympic medals to her name.

Much of the focus in the first two episodes was about Biles' journey back to the sport after she withdrew from multiple events during the 2020 Olympics citing mental health. That means her success in Paris was something of a full-circle moment for the legend, and Netflix was there to capture the action as it unfolded.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon revealed that head coach Steve Kerr offered him a spot on the U.S. men's basketball team in the Summer Olympics following a win over the Golden State Warriors during the 2023-24 season.

The discussion might have occurred after Gordon dropped a season-high 30 points in a 130-127 win against the Warriors on Jan. 4.

The 29-year-old acknowledged that the question may have been rhetorical, as it would have been difficult to crack the star-studded lineup that won gold in the Paris Olympics. Still, he's using it as motivation to compete for a role on the U.S. team during the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

Kerr also doesn't have the final say in Olympic roster construction, as Team USA managing director Grant Hill selects the 12-player squad. However, Gordon is already on Hill's radar.

The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft was one of the 41 finalists for the 2024 Olympic team.

There should be several spots on the United States' roster up for grabs entering the 2028 Games, as aging superstars such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry likely won't be returning.

While Gordon may not possess the scoring prowess that typically results in Olympic consideration, he could earn a spot due to his defensive acumen as well as his ability to remain effective without the ball in his hands.

In 73 starts during the 2023-24 season, Gordon averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field.

Team USA's rosters have typically featured multiple elite role players, as Boston Celtics guard Derrick White earned a spot on the Paris Olympics roster. During the Tokyo Games, the United States squad contained veteran center JaVale McGee and defensive-minded forward Jerami Grant. Neither player has an All-Star appearance.

In fact, Grant served as the Nuggets' power forward next to three-time MVP Nikola Jokić in the season prior to Gordon's arrival.

Although he'll be 32 years old by the time the Los Angeles Olympics start, Gordon could earn consideration for the international roster once again if he's able to remain an important piece of a championship contender.

Olympic icon Simone Biles is getting into the restaurant business.

Per Eric Sandler of Culture Map Houston, Biles is going to open the Taste of Gold restaurant in the first quarter of 2025.

The restaurant will be located inside the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Biles' hometown of Houston. She has partnered with The Playmakers Group to help create the eatery.

"I am very excited to partner with The Playmakers Group and their dedicated team to help bring a new restaurant to my hometown airport," Biles said in a statement, via Sandler. "I am a foodie at heart, and our hope with Taste of Gold is to offer a beautiful dining experience that features award-winning, signature menu items with some of my favorite flavors sprinkled in for our guests."

Sandler noted The Playmakers Group operates athlete-themed restaurants in airports, including one that was created in partnership with Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport that opened in August 2023.

While details about the menu choices are not yet available, the name is fitting for the most-decorated United States gymnast in Olympic history.

Biles earned four medals—three gold, one silver—at the Paris Games this summer. She has a total of 11 Olympic medals in her storied career, including seven golds. The 27-year-old is two gold medals away from tying Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union for the most by a female gymnast in Olympics history.

With the 2028 Summer Games set to take place in Los Angeles, Biles hasn't ruled out competing in her fourth career Olympics. She was already the oldest American woman's gymnast to qualify for the Games since 1952 this year.

If Biles were to qualify for the U.S. team in 2028, she would become the second-oldest woman to compete for the squad in history at the age of 31. Marie Margaret Hoesly was 35 years old at the 1952 Olympics.

Amid new footage that indicated a scoring inquiry for Simone Biles' floor routine at the 2024 Olympics was never registered, the superstar gymnast was able to brush it off to support Jordan Chiles' ongoing appeal.

Per Nancy Armour and Tom Schad of USA Today, footage submitted on Monday as part of Chiles' appeal indicated a scoring inquiry for Biles' floor routine in the final was never registered.

In response to a fan comment on Xabout the mix-up, Biles wrote she is "not mad" at the result and is more concerned about the outcome in Chiles' appeal:

The video submitted about Chiles' appeal shows Biles asking coach Cecile Landi if he's asking, meaning Laurent Landi—Cecile's husband and co-coach—to which Cecile replies, "He said he did."

Laurent is then heard speaking French before Cecile turns back to Biles and says, "They didn't send it" in reference to the inquiry.

Biles won the silver medal with a score of 14.133 in her floor routine, finishing .033 points behind Brazil's Rebeca Andrade. The U.S. superstar had the highest difficulty score (6.9) with an execution score of 7.833, but she was penalized 0.6 points for stepping outside of the competition mat.

Much of the focus after the final ended was on Chiles and Ana Bărbosu of Romania for third place. Chiles initially finished fifth for her routine with a score of 13.666, behind Bărbosu and Sabrina Voinea (both received scores of 13.700, with Bărbosu coming in third thanks to a higher execution score).

After Landi filed an inquiry on Chiles' behalf, the judges added one-tenth of a point to her score to move her into the bronze-medal position.

In response to a separate appeal from the Romanian federation, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled the inquiry for Chiles' score was filed four seconds after the one-minute deadline passed.

The International Olympic Committee ruled on Aug. 11 that Chiles had to return her medal. The 23-year-old filed an appeal of the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland on Monday.

Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles is teasing a race with Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill.

Appearing on SportsCenter (starts at 4:45 mark), Lyles told ESPN's Stan Verrett he is "in talks" with Hill's camp about a potential battle between two of the fastest athletes in the United States.

Lyles did mention that Hill couldn't run 100 meters, but mentioned the possibility of a 60-yard race. When Verrett attempted to get confirmation on the 60-yard race, the American track star would only say "we're in talks."

As Lyles was preparing for the Paris Games, his comments from the summer of 2023 about the winner of the NBA Finals calling themselves world champs resurfaced.

"The thing that hurts me the most is I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have world champion on they head," Lyles said during the 2023 World Championships in Hungary. "World champion of what? The United States?"

During an appearance on Up and Adams with Kay Adams in August, Hill said he "would beat" Lyles when asked if he would like to race him.

Lyles earned two medals at the 2024 Paris Games, including gold in the men's 100 meters. He finished .005 seconds ahead of Jamaica's Kishane Thompson (9.784 to 9.789) to become the first American to win gold in the 100 meters since Justin Gatlin in 2004.

Hill previously ran track for the U.S. at the World Junior Championships in 2012. He won gold on the men's 4x100-meter relay team and bronze in the 200 meters.

The six-time All-Pro receiver most recently competed in the 60 meters at the 2023 USA Track and Field Masters Indoor Championships. He tied for 213th place in the 25-29 age division with a time of 6.70 seconds.

After the event, Hill vowed he would never race again.

Lyles is three years younger than Hill, who turned 30 on March 1. He ran the 60 meters in 6.43 seconds earlier this year, his fastest time in the discipline.

If Hill and Lyles did agree to a race, it would almost certainly have to wait until next spring. There's no chance the Dolphins would allow Hill to compete in a non-football event during the NFL season.