RIO DE JANEIRO -- The Olympics began in full with the first gold medal going to an American teenager by the fearsome name of Thrasher. There was plenty of rough riding on a punishing cycling course, a smooth opener for Kevin Durant and company, and a difficult loss for Venus Williams.The American mens basketball team romped past China 119-62 Saturday night behind Durants 25 points. Although it was a blowout, bettors in Las Vegas, where wagering on the Olympics is legal for the first time since 1998, were undoubtedly on edge until the final minutes.Japans Kosuke Hagino won the mens 400-meter individual medley in the marquee race in Saturday nights swimming program, albeit a bit less flashy without two of the sports biggest stars. Michael Phelps, the world record holder and two-time Olympic champion, dropped the race for his fifth games and defending champion Ryan Lochte didnt qualify.Virginia Thrasher, a 19-year-old who once had her heart set on figure skating, captured the 10-meter air rifle Saturday. Greg Van Avermaet of Belgium won the grueling road race that left cyclists with a myriad of injuries.Riders rolled off to the sound of crashing waves on Copacabana Beach on a steamy morning hours after Brazils high-energy opening ceremony featuring thumping funk, sultry samba and supermodel Gisele Bundchen sauntering to the tune of The Girl from Ipanema.Showcasing Rios famed beaches and majestic mountains, the mens road race began under clear, sunny skies buzzing with helicopters -- some carrying TV cameras, others from the military to provide security.The brutality of the course became evident over the cobblestone sectors that rattled one cyclist off his bike, cost another his chain and forced Tour de France champion Chris Froome to replace his broken bike.Van Avermaet out-sprinted Jakob Fuglsang and Rafal Majka on the long run to the finish at sun-splashed Copacabana Beach after Italys Vincenzo Nibali and Colombias Sergio Henao crashed while trying to navigate a corner on the final harrowing descent of the 6-hour race.Goalkeeper Hope Solo came up big as the United States fought off France 1-0 in a group stage match at Mineirao Stadium. Carli Lloyd scored the games only goal.Solo became the first goalkeeper, male or female, to reach 200 appearances in international play. Despite the milestone, Solo was still peppered with jeers from the crowd, which was riled up about social media posts she made about the threat of the Zika virus.Thousands of police and soldiers were patrolling the city amid concerns about safety.On Saturday, there was a scare during the break at the eventing dressage at the Olympic Equestrian Center as a military-looking bullet pierced the roof of the tent and landed on the floor near startled reporters. The competition was not disrupted and nobody was hurt.Brazilian military and police called it an unfortunate incident, one that came shortly after bomb-disposal experts blew up an unattended bag near the finish line of the mens cycling race.Among the highlights on Day 1:-BOUNCED : Venus Williams, playing her opening match at her record fifth Olympics, lost 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) to Kristen Flipkens of Belgium. With U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry watching, the fifth-seeded Williams was broken while serving for the victory at 5-3. She was two points from the win four times but could not close out Flipkens, who is ranked 62nd and only once reached the semifinals of a major tournament.-YOUTH SERVED : Thrasher topped her spectacular spring where she won three NCAA titles and a spot on the U.S. Olympic team by upsetting Chinas Li Du, a two-time gold medalist, to capture the 10-meter air rifle title. She swapped figure skating for shooting after a family hunting trip in which she killed a deer with her first shot.-HANDBALL HOST : Host Brazil upset reigning gold medalist Norway 31-28 in the opening game of the handball tournament. Ana Paula Rodrigues led the way with 12 goals for Brazil, which has never won an Olympic handball medal. As the arena filled with passionate home fans for the early morning game, five straight goals and big saves from goalkeeper Mayssa Raquel Pessoa paved the way for victory.-WOMEN FIRST : France won the first rugby match at the Olympics in 92 years -- and the first ever for women -- beating Spain 24-7 to begin the six-day sevens tournament. Rugby sevens, the fast-pace, condensed form of the game, is the format for the sports return to the Olympic program for the first time since 1924, when the U.S. men won gold in the 15-a-side tournament.-BAD BREAK : French gymnast Samir Ait Saids Olympics ended when he severely injured his left leg while vaulting during team preliminaries. Saids leg bent awkwardly as he tried to land, the sound echoing through the arena. Said writhed on the ground in agony while medical officials tended to him. He exited on a stretcher to a standing ovation.---AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta contributed to this report.---AP Summer Games website: http://summergames.ap.orgDiscount NBA Jerseys . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. Authentic NBA Jerseys Wholesale . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. http://www.wholesalejerseysnba.com/ .S. -- Nikolaj Ehlers registered a hat trick for the third straight game and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and five assists as the Halifax Mooseheads hammered the host Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 10-1 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Cheap NBA Jerseys Free Shipping . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. Wholesale Basketball Gear .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final.Mark Warburton believes Rangers have taken another step in the right direction after seeing off Mike Ashleys latest courtroom challenge and says he has received excellent backing from the clubs board. The ongoing feud between the Newcastle owner and Gers chairman Dave King took a fresh twist on Thursday when it emerged Ashley had abandoned legal action calling into question the Scottish Football Associations decision to clear King to run the Ibrox outfit.King agreed to pay the South African taxman £43.7m to settle a long-running tax dispute three years ago and was cleared by the SFA to sit on the Rangers board last May after the governing body carried out an unprecedented due diligence process. Rangers chairman Dave King (middle) takes in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic While both the Ibrox side and the SFA still hope the judge hearing the case will order Ashley to stump up for their legal costs, Warburton is just pleased to see another of the troublesome battles with the Sports Direct supremo ticked off.Its another side issue because it is above my pay grade, thats for sure. You always want the club to be on the back pages not the front pages and thats the important thing, he said. If thats another one gone then all well and good.Its about putting Rangers on the back pages and being really positive in the message on what the team achieves. If we can do that more often, well be in a good place. Mike Ashley is awaiting a judges decision on whether he has to pay the legal bills of the SFA and Rangers chairman Dave King Asked if he was satisfied with the backing he had received from the chairman and his fellow directors, Warburton said: Its been excellent. We came in last summer and had to recruit a number of players really quickly.We got that backing to bring in the likes of James Tavernier, Martyn Waghorn, Andy Halliday, Jason Holt, Rob Kiernan, Wes Foderingham and all the names you know. Outstanding. We got their support to move quickly and we had to move quickly to get them in.The communication lines are really important. They are clear. Every day we speak two or three times to [managing director] Stewart Robertson and [director of finance and administraation] Andrew Dickson.dddddddddddd As long as we maintain that well be okay. Warburton (centre) and Lee Wallace with the Scottish Championship trophy Last June the same questions were asked. Will we get the players in? Then again in the January window. Will you recruit? Will you have the money?But so far we are in a good place. Weve achieved the target of winning the league in a convincing manner, the Petrofac Training Cup was a nice bonus, weve had a very strong cup run and now we are in the Scottish Cup final so the club is in a good place right now. Warburton oversees Rangers training ahead of their clash with St Mirren The board have delivered so far and they know how far weve got to go. If people think were finished by getting back to the Premiership they are sadly mistaken. We have to keep pushing forward. The moment we stop being positive and pushing forward then we have a problem.Rangers will finally bring the curtain down on their four-year trawl through the lower leagues on Sunday with their final Championship fixture of the campaign away to St Mirren.The clash will also see striker Waghorn make his return to action following 10 weeks out with a knee injury and, after having to sit out the Scottish Cup semi-final triumph over Celtic and with the final against Hibs to come on May 21, he is determined not to miss out on any further glory. Martyn Waghorn is in line to return to the Rangers team after injury Its been tough, he said. The boys won the league without me, the Petrofac Cup too and the semi-final against Celtic.The Celtic match would have been the biggest game of my career to date. But you just have to deal with it. Ive been desperate to get back and Im looking forward to Sunday. 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