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Muhammad first US athlete to wear hijab at an Olympics
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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The third day of Olympic competition featured a couple of firsts: Rafaela Silva captured host Brazil’s initial gold medal of the Rio de Janeiro Games, and fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad made history by becoming the only American ever to compete in the Olympics wearing a hijab.

Silva won judo’s 57-kilogram division, then, overwhelmed with emotion, performed the Brazilian version of the “Lambeau Leap” to celebrate with her compatriots Monday.

It was at the least a momentary reprieve for the host country bracing for what once seemed unthinkable: an early exit by its men’s soccer team from the Olympic tournament.

Muhammad, sporting a plain black Muslim head scarf under a red, white and blue mask, was a winner in her opening bout in the women’s sabre tournament, beating Olena Kravatska of Ukraine 15-13 before losing in the next round to Ceclia Berder of France.

Muhammad, a New Jersey native who started fencing in part because the uniform allowed her to adhere to the tenets of her faith, also competes in the team event later this week.

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro called for residents to carpool Monday, the first workday during the Olympics competition schedule that features medal action in gymnastics, swimming, fencing, women’s rugby, judo and more.

Police said Namibia’s flag bearer was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a housekeeper, four days after another Olympic boxer was accused of sexually attacking two housekeepers in the Olympic Village.

In early action, the U.S. women’s basketball team routed Spain 103-63, its second blowout in as many days. As predicted, the first Olympic rugby sevens gold medal will be heading to either Australia or New Zealand after both powerhouses advanced to the final.

Other highlights from Day 3 of the Rio Games:

 

uSWIMMING SENSATIONS: A day after adding a record 19th gold medal to his collection, Michael Phelps is swimming the 200 meter butterfly semifinal Monday night and fellow American Katie Ledecky is swimming the women’s 200 meter freestyle after crushing her own world record in the 400 freestyle Sunday night, winning by an astounding five seconds.

 

uGOLF DEBUT: The first Olympic golf shot in 112 years will be hit by the lone Brazilian in the men’s field. The International Golf Federation tapped into what few Olympic roots it has by selecting Adilson da Silva to be the first to tee off Thursday. Also in the opening threesome: Graham DeLaet of Canada, a country IGF President Peter Dawson called the defending champ — George Lyon of Canada won the gold medal at the St. Louis Games in 1904.

 

uBRAZIL BLEAK: It has come to this for the Brazilian men’s soccer team: The fans are so disappointed with the team that they heckled football icon Neymar and chanted the name of the women team’s star during a lackluster, scoreless tie against Iraq over the weekend. Brazil is now facing elimination — a prospect that once seemed unthinkable in the soccer-obsessed Olympic host country.

 

uBILES BROUHAHA: NBC announcer Al Trautwig says he regrets tweeting that the adoptive mother and father of U.S. gymnastics star Simone Biles were not her parents. Trautwig angered adoption advocates by refusing to refer to Ron and Nellie Biles as the 19-year-old’s parents. Ron Biles, her maternal grandfather, and his wife Nellie adopted Simone 16 years ago. Trautwig said, “to set the record straight, Ron and Nellie are Simone’s parents.”