Ledecky wins gold, while Biles drops out of all-around

American Katie Ledecky got her first gold medal of these Olympics, while Simone Biles pulled out of another event she came into the Games favoured to win.

Ledecky bounced back from losses in her first two events in Tokyo to win the inaugural 1,500-metre freestyle for women by more than four seconds Wednesday. The victory came about after Ledecky finished fifth in the 200-metre freestyle for her worst finish ever at an Olympics. Ledecky came into the Games with five gold medals but finished second to Australia’s Ariarne Titmus in the 400 free and then failed to capture a medal in the 200 that Titmus also won.

“I think people maybe feel bad for me that I’m not winning everything and whatever, but I want people to be more concerned about other things going on in the world, people that are truly suffering,” Ledecky said.

Biles, the American gymnastics superstar, withdrew from Thursday’s all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being.

USA Gymnastics said in a statement the 24-year-old is opting to not compete. The decision comes a day after Biles removed herself from the team final following one rotation because she felt she wasn’t mentally ready.

The organization said Biles will be evaluated daily before deciding if she will participate in next week’s individual events.

Japanese three-peat

Japanese teenager Daiki Hashimoto won a gold medal in men’s all-around.

The 19-year-old Hashimoto used a thrilling high bar routine during the final rotation to edge Xiao Ruoteng of China and reigning world champion Nikita Nagornyy.

Hashimoto’s all-around total of 88.465 points included a 14.933 on high bar. That was good enough for him to surge past Xiao and into the top spot. The gold is the third straight Olympic title for the Japanese gymnast.

Bounce back

Damian Lillard scored 21 points and the U.S. men’s basketball team rebounded from an opening loss with its first victory of these Olympics, romping past Iran 120-66.

Devin Booker scored 16 points and Jayson Tatum had 14 for the Americans, who had their 25-game Olympic winning streak snapped with an 83-76 loss to France on Sunday.

Comeback kids

Hayato Sakamoto hit a gameending, bases-loaded single that capped a three-run, ninthinning rally, lifting host Japan over the Dominican Republic, 4-3, in the Olympic baseball opener. Japan is pursuing its first gold medal in baseball after the sport was restored to the Summer Games for the first time since 2008.

Golden slam

Tennis star Novak Djokovic moved one step closer to winning the Golden Slam.

The top-ranked Serb beat training partner Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain, 6-3, 6-1, to reach the quarterfinals of the Tokyo tennis tournament.

Djokovic is attempting to become the first man to achieve a Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic gold in the same calendar year.