Indoor Sports

The bodybuilding world crowned a first-time Mr. Olympia champion Saturday in Las Vegas as Samson Dauda bested one of the most unpredictable fields in recent memory to secure the career-defining victory.

The win came after several callouts from officials who wanted to take every possible moment to ensure they had made a final decision and selected the right winner.

In a decision that left no doubt that The Nigerian Lion was the clear winner, the 32-year-old was named the People's Champion of this year's event, an award reserved for the athlete receiving the most fan votes.

Accompanying the first-place medal and people's champion trophy and belt was the largest payday for a winner in event history in the form of an announced $600,000 check.

Hadi Choopan, the runner-up for the second year in a row, received $250,000.

For the Iranian-born bodybuilder, it was a second disappointing outing at the event. Realistically, the 2022 champion was one or two judges' decisions away from being a three-time champion and etching his name in the history books as the most decorated champion since the end of Phil Heath's run of dominance.

Instead, he continued what has become a career of "close but no cigar" moments that also saw him finish third twice (2019, 2021) and fourth (2020).

The 2023 winner, Derek Lunsford, failed to successfully defend his title and finished third in this year's event.

It marks the third year in a row that the defending champion has not repeated, a testament to the depth of the sport right now and the quality of legitimate contenders to the Mr. Olympia title.

Martin Fitzwater, another fan-favorite in the event, finished in fourth place and provided fans with a look at an athlete who may well be a force in the sport in the coming months and years.

After having her bronze medal revoked at last month's Olympics due to a technicality, Jordan Chiles filed an appeal in Switzerland's Supreme Court on Monday in hopes of getting her third-place finish restored, per the Washington Post's Emily Giambalvo and Jonathan Baran.

Chiles initially failed to reach the podium, but an inquiry increased her score by one-tenth and moved her into third place. Afterward, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Switzerland-based global body that settles sports disputes, stripped her of the medal after ruling that the inquiry was not made before the one-minute deadline.

Following the ruling, the International Olympic Committee awarded Romania's Ana Barbosu a bronze medal.

In the time since, United States officials have brought up issues with the hearing that led to Chiles being stripped of the medal, claiming the decision was "rushed," according to Giambalvo and Baran. CAS did not notify USA Gymnastics of Romania's appeal for several days, failing to make contact with the United States and Paralympic Committee until Aug. 10, the day of the hearing.

In a press release, Chiles' attorneys said the appeal asked the Swiss court to overturn the decision because the procedural issues violated her "right to be heard." The appeal also said the CAS refused to consider new evidence provided by the U.S.

"Every part of the Olympics, including the arbitration process, should stand for fair play," Maurice M. Suh, Chiles's attorney, said in a statement, via Giambalvo and Baran.

The statement also said Chiles' team will file another petition to the Swiss Court in hopes of earning a retrial.

The focus on the shifting landscape of college sports after NIL deals were made legal is often on high-profile sports like football and basketball, and how they've changed recruiting, the transfer portal, etc.

But gymnast and Instagram influencer Livvy Dunne offered a different perspective on the positive impact of NIL deals while speaking with GQ's Matthew Roberson, breaking down one of the misconceptions she sees the most:

Probably that it's ruining college athletics. Not for me and not for other women that don't have professional leagues! Most women's sports don't have professional leagues, so it's really important for girls to capitalize on their NIL while they're still in college.

Usually it's like an old man talking about football when they're complaining about this, but I think it's great for women, and I think that everyone deserves their rights to their name, image, and likeness. It's theirs! Put yourself in a student athlete's shoes, then you would understand. And it is life-changing. My life is so different now.

Dunne, a 2024 national champion on the LSU gymnastics team, has an estimated net worth at $9.5 million due to NIL deals and over 13 million combined followers on social media platforms TikTok and Instagram.

Her NIL experience is an outlier, of course, but for college athletes who may not have an avenue for going professional in their particular sport, the opportunity to make money on their talents while they can is a positive outcome of the NIL era.

The MTV Video Music Awards are typically about celebrating the most successful recording artists going. This year's installment made sure to highlight a GOAT from a different arena.

Host Megan Thee Stallion called attention to a fellow Texan, gymnast Simone Biles, during her opening monologue. The rapper was dressed in an outfit inspired by the United States' leotards from the 2024 Summer Olympics.

She added that, "I deserve a gold medal for being a bad b---h."

Biles was already regarded among the greatest gymnasts ever before she made the trip to Paris. At this year's Summer Games, she added to her legacy by winning the individual all-around and vault competitions while helping the U.S. claim gold in the team event.

Megan Thee Stallion's shout-out is a testament to Biles' crossover success and her status as American athletic royalty.

Chad T. Richards, a 23-year-old former wrestler at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, was arrested as part of the investigation into the fatal shooting of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnast Kara Welsh, the Whitewater Police Department announced on Tuesday.

Welsh, 21, died on Friday after she was shot multiple times at an apartment building near the university campus, according to the police.

Richards appeared at the Walworth County Courthouse on Tuesday, where a judge upheld his bail of $1 million after describing him as a "significant flight risk," Mariam Mackar reported for TMJ4.

The judge stated that Richards cannot physically make contact with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus if he posts bond, per CNN's Dakin Andone.

The police department recommended the Walworth County District Attorney's Office file charges against Richards including first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct while armed.

Richards has not yet been officially charged. The District Attorney plans to file charges by his next court date on Friday, Mackar reported.

Friends said Welsh and Richards were dating, 12 News' Erica Finke reported.

The police department's original report described a "23-year-old male" present at the scene of Welsh's death. The police wrote that investigations "determined that leading up to the shooting, an altercation had occurred between the two."

Welsh, a junior, was a three-time All-American gymnast who won a national vault title at the 2023 NCGA Division III National Championships.

Earlier this season she tied a program record with a 9.875 score on vault before helping the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater finish as runners-up at the 2024 NCGA championships.

Richards was listed on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling roster for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. His attorney confirmed he is a senior at the university, per Andone.

A high school volleyball team in Telluride, Colorado that requested Selena Gomez come to their game was surprised when the singer took up their invitation this weekend.

"They asked!! Couldn't help it, it's my first time in Telluride!" Gomez wrote when sharing photos of her visit to Telluride High School on Instagram.

Gomez was invited to the event with a sign that requested she sing the national anthem at one of the team's weekend home games.

Gomez was in the city in order to attend the Telluride Film Festival on Friday for the screening of her upcoming film "Emilia Pérez," which is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in November.

The singer's first visit to the Colorado city might last for a few days after her visit to Telluride High School, as the film festival is set to take place from Aug. 30 to Sept. 4.

The Houston Astros had a special guest at Minute Maid Park to throw out the first pitch on Friday.

Simone Biles, fresh off a phenomenal performance at the Paris Olympics earlier this month, tossed out the first pitch ahead of the Astros' matchup against the Kansas City Royals.

Biles is from nearby Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston, so she had a hometown crowd as she threw out the first pitch.

Biles is coming off an Olympics that saw her claim gold medals in team, all-around and vault while picking up a silver medal in floor exercise. She has now tallied seven gold medals, two silver and two bronze medals since her first Olympics in 2016.

While Biles hasn't confirmed whether she will compete in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, she left the door open.

"Never say never. The next Olympics is at home, so you just never know," Biles said earlier this month, per USA Today's Nancy Armour. "But I am getting really old."

The Astros will look to have similar success to Biles for the rest of the season and into the playoffs. Houston currently sits at the top of the AL West at 72-62 and can pick up some momentum with a big series against the Royals this weekend.

After earning two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics this summer, U.S. gymnastics pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik is set to take his talents to the dancefloor.

On Thursday's episode of Good Morning America, Nedoroscik was announced as the first contestant for the 33rd season of Dancing with the Stars.

Nedoroscik said on GMA that he plans to bring some of his pommel horse moves to the competition in the ballroom.

"I want to bring some of that gymnastics -- maybe a backflip or handstand. I want to have fun with it," he said.

The 25-year-old's score on the pommel horse propelled Team USA to a third-place finish in the team competition. He also earned the bronze in the individual pommel horse competition, making him the first American men's gymnast to medal in the event at the Olympics in eight years. His performance helped turn him into one of the biggest stars of the Paris Games.

Nedoroscik wears corrective glasses for the eye condition strabismus, which is a misalignment of the eyes that can cause vision problems. He was asked on Thursday if he plans to keep his glasses on for his dance routines.

"I might have fun with it -- I'm scared they'll fly off ... maybe we could do a gadget, keep them on," he said. "Maybe a new pair of glasses, match the theme, right?"

The full season 33 cast of Dancing with the Stars will be revealed on Sept. 4 and the season will premiere on Sept. 17.

Legendary gymnast Simone Biles added to her legacy with a stellar showing at the Paris Olympics this summer, and her journey through the Games will be the subject of a new documentary on Netflix.

The streaming giant announced on Wednesday that Simone Biles Rising: Part Two will be released on Oct. 25. The announcement featured a trailer with Biles doing a parody of the Netflix romantic comedy-drama series Emily in Paris:

Biles reacted to Wednesday's announcement with a tweet expressing her excitement:

At the Paris Olympics, Biles earned gold medals in the team competition, the individual all-around and the individual vault while also taking a silver medal in the individual floor exercise. She now has a total of 11 Olympic medals in her storied career, the most ever by an American gymnast and tied for the second-most all-time.

The first part of Simone Biles Rising was released last month and documented the 27-year-old's journey back to the Olympics after she withdrew from the Tokyo Games in 2021 due to a need to address her mental health.

Fans will certainly be excited to tune in and watch Biles' triumphant return to the world stage in the second part of the documentary this fall.

In between winning gold medals at the Olympics in Paris earlier this month, star gymnast Simone Biles gave fans an all-time meme.

While warming up for an event, Biles gave the camera a glance that took the internet by storm. A few weeks removed from the Olympics, Biles joked that the glance she gave the camera in Paris is something she does "all the time."

It's unclear whether the glare is something Biles does often, but she has certainly embraced the meme.

Biles is coming off another outstanding performance at the Olympics, winning gold in team, all-around and vault along with a silver medal in floor exercise. After Paris, Biles' gold medal count is now up to seven while her total medal count is at 11.

Biles has not yet confirmed whether she will compete in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but she left the door open for another gold-medal run.

"Never say never. The next Olympics is at home, so you just never know," Biles said, per NBC Sports' Ashlee Buhler. But I am getting really old."

Even if she doesn't compete, Biles has had a legendary career, and now she has a legendary meme as well.