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Richardson, U.S. women win gold in 4×100 relay

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Richardson, U.S. women win gold in 4×100 relay

SAINT-DENIS, France — Sha’Carri Richardson took the baton and ran like the track owed her a gold medal.

As the anchor of the women’s 4×100 relay, she didn’t have to worry about getting out of the blocks quickly enough. With the eliteness of the American sprinters — Melissa Jefferson handing to Twanisha Terry, handing to Gabby Thomas — you wouldn’t think she’d need to come from behind.

But on this wet Friday night at Stade de France, Richardson had a little work to do.

Run, Sha’Carri. Run.

“I just remember trusting my third leg, trusting Gabby, knowing that she’s going to put that stick in my hand no matter what,” Richardson said.

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She was in fourth with 90 meters to go when she had sole possession of the baton. She surged past France instantly. At the 60-meter mark, she’d pulled even with Germany. With 20 meters to go, she knew she was home.

“Handing off to Sha’Carri is obviously incredible,” Thomas, who also won gold in the 200 meters, said. “You know she’s going to get the job done no matter where we are in the race. There is nothing like watching her run down the track and win the race for us.”

Richardson secured her first Olympic gold medal with a 10.09-second anchor leg. After taking silver in Tokyo, the U.S. finished in 41.78 seconds to reclaim the women’s 4×100 relay crown. America has now won three of the last four Olympic one-lap relays.

This was America’s third consecutive major international championship, including the 2022 and 2023 world championship victories. It punctuated the United States’ dominant display in women’s sprints.

In Paris, the U.S. women have won gold and bronze in the 200 meters, silver and bronze in the 100 meters, gold and silver in the 400-meter hurdles, and now gold in the relay. America still has three athletes in the 100-meter hurdles: Masai Russell, Alaysha Johnson and Grace Stark.

The women’s 4×100 relay is usually a massive rivalry with the Jamaicans. But their best sprinters were unavailable. Elaine Thompson-Herah announced in June an injury would keep her out of the Olympics. Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were both late withdrawals after arriving in Paris.

But as Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred proved in the 100 meters — stunning Richardson in her Olympic final debut — the global field of sprinters is too formidable to sleep on. The Americans didn’t sleep.

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Jefferson, who led off in the 2022 World Championships, didn’t get the start she wanted. But her time of 11.46 seconds was the third fastest of the opening legs. Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (11.02) gave her country the early lead.

“I know when it comes to the second leg,” Terry said, “nobody can run the second leg like me.”

The one they call “Tee Tee” was indeed flying. Her 9.98-second leg made up some ground. But she wasn’t alone. Gemima Joseph of France also ran a 9.98 in the second leg.

That put pressure on Thomas.

The hand-off between Terry and Thomas was a little slow. But Thomas ate up the turn (10.25). Even though Gina Lueckenkemper of Germany was a blazing 9.89, the job was done. They got the baton to Richardson with a chance.

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Terry said the less-than-perfect handoff between her and Thomas affected the final exchange. Richardson had to slow up a bit and make sure she had full control of the baton. Once she did, it was all on her back.

“She just did what Sha’Carri do,” Terry said. “Stay patient and show her top-end speed.”

Richardson yelled as he crossed the finish line, having snatched gold from the clutches of silver. So she thought, until she looked up at the scoreboard. It had “Great Britain” in the top spot.

She knew it couldn’t be right. She took the baton and ran like the track owed her a gold medal. She knew she was on her game this night at Stade de France. She knew she wasn’t beaten.

She stared at the scoreboard knowing something was wrong. Then it went blank. Typically, the unofficial order flashes on the screen first. When the official times come in, that list goes away and the videoboard re-lists the order one by one. Richardson stared at the blue screen, waiting for the official word. It just had to match what her legs told her. A few seconds felt like minutes.

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United States.

Richardson roared at the screen. Flexed at the idea she didn’t win. She knew what she’d done. She ended her first Olympics right. Just like Sha’Carri.

And at the end of the night, she reminded the world how long of a journey it’s been. This Olympics was a microcosm of the 24-year-old’s roller coaster to this moment. The highs and lows. The rousing victories and heartbreak. She knows what it’s like to not get it done. To be singled out by the cruelty of a sprint race.

She knows what it’s like to be on top, to be untouchable.

Now, she knows what it’s like to be an Olympic gold medalist. As she stood on the podium, in front of fellow superstar Thomas, the reality of what it took to get here hit home. And the tears streamed down her face.

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(Photo: Jewel Samad / AFP via Getty Images)

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‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin avenges Olympic disappointment with backflip for third straight world title

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‘Quad God’ Ilia Malinin avenges Olympic disappointment with backflip for third straight world title

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It seems like Ilia Malinin, the “Quad God,” has done a nice job of moving on from his Olympic heartbreak.

Last month, the 21-year-old Team USA star was the overwhelming favorite to bring home the gold in the men’s free skate. But the unimaginable happened as he fell twice and dropped all the way to eighth place.

However, he has begun to avenge the loss and is now a three-time world champion.

 

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Ilia Malinin from the United States competes during the men free skating at the Figure Skating World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, March 28, 2026.  (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Malinin shouted and punched the air with relief after finishing a skate that showed he had achieved his desire to “move on” from the Olympics after days of being tormented by his mistakes.

Malinin scored 218.11 in the free skate for a total of 329.40, far ahead of silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan on 306.67. Another Japanese skater, Shun Sato, was third on 288.54.

Malinin was blunt about his Olympic performance when speaking to NBC afterward, saying simply, “I blew it,” and said it was a clear mental hurdle from start to finish.

“I just had so many thoughts and memories flood right before I got into my starting pose, and almost, I think, it maybe overwhelmed me a little bit. I’ve been through a lot in my life, a lot of bad and good experiences,” Malinin told reporters. 

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Gold medalist Ilia Malinin from the United States waves to spectators after the medal ceremony after the men’s free skating at the Figure Skating World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

LINDSEY VONN KEEPING RETURN TO SKIING ON TABLE DESPITE INJURIES: ‘I DON’T LIKE TO CLOSE THE DOOR ON ANYTHING’

“So, I just feel like it’s the pressure of especially being that Olympic gold medal hopeful. It was just something I can’t control now. The pressure of the Olympics, it’s really something different, and I think not a lot of people understand that. They only understand that from the inside and going into this competition, especially today, I felt really confident, really good,” he added. “But it really just went by so fast I did not have time to process.” 

But with some pressure off, Malinin was able to show who he truly is on the ice.

Gold medalist, Ilia Malinin from the United States waves before the medal ceremony after the men’s free skating at the Figure Skating World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

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Malinin becomes the first skater to win three consecutive men’s world titles since fellow American Nathan Chen, who achieved the feat in 2018, 2019 and 2021 after the 2020 event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

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Ilia Malinin bounces back from Olympic nightmare to win third straight world figure skating title

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Ilia Malinin bounces back from Olympic nightmare to win third straight world figure skating title

Ilia Malinin is back on the top step of the podium.

Six weeks after a disastrous skate knocked the Olympic gold-medal favorite off the podium, the “quad god” reeled off one huge jump after another, and a backflip for good measure, to retain his world championship title for the third year running.

Malinin shouted and punched the air with relief after finishing a skate that showed he had achieved his desire to “move on” from the Olympics after days tormented by his mistakes.

He praised the crowd’s support, saying: “It was really challenging, really hard but with you guys I was able to make it through.” His aim, he added, had simply been to get through the free skate “in one piece.”

Skating last after leading the short program, just as he did in Milan, Malinin landed five high-scoring quadruple jumps but not his pioneering quad axel, a jump he didn’t attempt at the Olympics.

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Malinin scored 218.11 in the free skate for a total 329.40, far ahead of silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan on 306.67. Another Japanese skater, Shun Sato, was third on 288.54.

Ilia Malinin performs a backflip during his free skate at the World Figure Skating Championships on Saturday in Prague.

(Petr David Josek / Associated Press)

Kagiyama beat his personal-best free skate score but still had to make do with a fourth career world championship silver in a career which includes four Olympic silvers and five total worlds medals, but no gold from either event. He still embraced Malinin after his skate and they jumped together in celebration.

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In a showcase of top-level skating, there was no podium spot for France’s Adam Siao Him Fa, who had been in second after the short program but dropped to fifth overall after a fall. Estonia’s Aleksandr Selevko also fell dropped from third to sixth.

Malinin had no rematch with Mikhail Shaidorov, the skater from Kazakhstan who won the Olympic gold, because he opted against competing again this season.

That’s relatively common in figure skating for gold medal winners who face a rush of media and commercial opportunities after a grueling four-year Olympic buildup.

Malinin becomes the first skater to win three consecutive men’s world titles since fellow American Nathan Chen, who achieved the feat in 2018, 2019 and 2021 after the 2020 event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The last competition of the championships is the free dance portion of the ice dance event later Saturday. France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron are in the lead after Friday’s rhythm dance.

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Tiger Woods released from jail after DUI arrest; eyes appear bloodshot in booking photo

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Tiger Woods released from jail after DUI arrest; eyes appear bloodshot in booking photo

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Tiger Woods was released from jail Friday night after he was arrested earlier in the day on a DUI charge following a car crash in Florida.

In a mugshot released hours after his arrest, Woods’ eyes appeared bloodshot, as he donned a blue polo inside the Martin County Jail in Florida.

Woods was seen leaving the jail in the passenger seat of a black SUV after his release on bail late Friday, according to The Associated Press.

Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek confirmed in a news conference that Woods was traveling at “a high rate of speed” when his vehicle collided with another car, resulting in his vehicle rolling over onto the driver’s side. 

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Tiger Woods was booked into Martin County, Florida, jail on March 27, 2026. (AP)

Authorities said Woods “exemplified signs of impairment.” He blew “triple-zeroes” for alcohol but refused a urine test.

“DUI investigators came to the scene here, and Mr. Woods did exemplify signs of impairment. They did several tests on him. Of course, he did explain the injuries and the surgeries that he had. We did take that into account, but they did do some in-depth roadside tests,” Budensiek added. 

“We really weren’t suspicious of alcohol being involved in this case, and that proved to be true at the jail. … But when it came time for us to ask for a urinalysis test, he refused. And, so, he’s been charged with DUI, with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.”

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Woods was spotted on the phone after the crash, wearing navy blue shorts.

Woods was charged with DUI, property damage and refusal to submit to a test, all misdemeanor charges. No one was injured, authorities said. Woods was alone in the car and crawled out of the passenger door after the crash.

Tiger Woods was driven from the Martin County Jail after being arrested for driving under the influence following a car crash on March 27, 2026, in Stuart, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

VANESSA, KAI TRUMP TAKE IN TIGER WOODS’ RETURN TO GOLF AT TGL FINALS

“This could’ve been a lot worse,” Budensiek noted. 

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President Donald Trump commented on the arrest of his “very close friend.”

“I feel so badly. He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said. “There was an accident, and that’s all I know. Very close friend of mine. He’s an amazing person, an amazing man, but some difficulty.”

Woods has not commented on the arrest.

Tiger Woods was arrested on a DUI charge after getting into a car crash on Friday. (Associated Press)

Woods currently is dating Trump’s ex-daughter-in-law, Vanessa, whose daughter, Kai, is set to play college golf in Miami next week.

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This is Woods’ second DUI arrest within the last decade. In 2017, he was taken into custody, also in Jupiter Island, after taking prescription drugs and being asleep behind the wheel of a running car at 3 a.m. 

In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for the entire year.

Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., Friday, March 27, 2026.  (Jason Oteri/AP)

Woods made his return to competitive golf earlier this week in the TGL championship after rupturing his Achilles just before last year’s Masters (this year’s tournament is in less than two weeks). Woods has not appeared on the links since the 2024 PGA Championship, in which he missed the cut.

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