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From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: In a historically difficult selection process, one choice was easy.
Simone Biles will be on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team for the Paris Olympics.
The 27-year-old earned her third consecutive Olympic berth by winning the Olympic trial all-around crown Sunday at Target Center. She entered the second day of competition with a 2.5-point lead and finished with a score of 117.225, five points better than her nearest competitor. The seven-time Olympic medalist’s all-around victory earned her an automatic spot on the Olympic team.
After hitting her floor routine in the final rotation, Biles could finally exhale. She sat at the top of the stairs on the floor podium and sighed.
“Oh my God,” she muttered.
Jordan Chiles made her second Olympic team after a third-place all-around finish. Injuries to three key contenders cleared the path to Paris for a unique veteran-laden team that will also include Olympic gold medalists Suni Lee and Jade Carey. The reigning Olympic all-around champion Lee finished second in the two-day trial competition, continuing a triumphant return after two kidney diseases threatened her future. Carey, the Tokyo Olympic floor champion, finished fourth in the all-around.
The group of Olympic veterans will lead the way for rookie Hezly Rivera, who survived a tight race against 18-year-old Joscelyn Roberson for the final position. Roberson and Leanne Wong were named alternates.
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OLY TRACK AND FIELD
For the better part of two years, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone all but disappeared from the 400-meter hurdles course.
Turns out, she wasn’t hiding or looking for something else to do. Just getting better at what she does best.
The 24-year-old Olympic champion lowered the world record for the fifth time Sunday, closing out U.S. Olympic trials with 10 leaps over the barriers, then an all-out sprint toward the finish line in 50.65 seconds. She broke her last record by .03 seconds.
This one came on the last day of trials at Hayward Field. Her first record came back in 2021 — also on the last day of trials and also at Hayward Field.
In fact, this marked the fourth of her five world records she’s set on the track at the University of Oregon, which has hosted the lion’s share of American track’s greatest moments over the past quarter century.
CLIPPERS
From Broderick Turner: The Clippers and Paul George were unable to agree on contract terms, so the two will part ways after five years.
George’s agent, Aaron Mintz of CAA, met with Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, Sunday afternoon but no deal could be reached.
The Clippers opened free agency Sunday by agreeing with guard James Harden on a two-year, $70-million contract to return, according to people with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak on the matter.
The Clippers also agreed with free-agent guard Kevin Porter Jr. on a two-year deal, which includes a player option, according to the same people.
Players can’t officially sign deals until Friday at 9:01 p.m. PDT.
LAKERS
From Dan Woike: The Lakers are keeping Max Christie from becoming a free agent, signing him to a four-year, $32-million contract people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly on the matter told The Times.
Christie, 21, averaged 4.2 points last season as he moved in and out of the Lakers’ rotation. He would’ve been a restricted free agent, but the Lakers were able to strike a deal to keep him just before Sunday’s 3 p.m. PDT opening bell.
Now entering his third season after being selected 35th in the 2022 NBA draft, the Lakers are hoping Christie can take a major step to become the type of player who can impact the game on both ends of the court.
DODGERS
From Mike DiGiovanna: The “opener” in what was supposed to be a “bullpen game” for the San Francisco Giants outlasted the Dodgers’ starter, which should provide a hint at how things went for the visiting team on a sun-splashed Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park.
Dodgers left-hander James Paxton was pummeled for nine earned runs and 12 hits in four innings of an eventual 10-4 loss to the Giants, failing to give his team a chance to win and to provide much-needed length after eight relievers combined to throw eight innings in Saturday’s 14-7, 11-inning victory.
Meanwhile, reliever Spencer Bivens, a 30-year-old rookie who was expected to go two, maybe two-plus innings for the Giants, threw five one-run, four-hit innings with three strikeouts and no walks in his first big league start.
ANGELS
Justyn-Henry Malloy hit an inside-the-park homer in the fourth inning, Carson Kelly added a three-run homer and the Detroit Tigers snapped their four-game losing streak with a 7-6 victory over the Angels on Sunday.
The Angels trailed 7-1 entering the ninth inning before Zach Neto hit a three-run homer and Jo Adell added a two-run shot, all with two outs against Shelby Miller.
Tyler Holton came on and calmly struck out Nolan Schanuel to secure his second save and Detroit’s third victory in nine games, while the Angels’ six-game winning streak ended.
ANGEL CITY
Adriana scored two goals in the first half and the undefeated Orlando Pride beat Angel City 3-0 at BMO Stadium on Sunday night.
The Pride (10-0-5) are now level on points with the Kansas City Current at the top of the National Women’s Soccer League. The two unbeaten teams will face off next weekend.
Marta found Adriana in the middle of the field in the 20th minute. The Brazilian forward dribbled before firing her shot into the upper left corner from the top of the box to put the Pride ahead.
DiDi Haracic made six saves for Angel City (4-8-3).
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1859 — Amherst defeats Williams 73-32 in the first intercollegiate baseball game. The game is played by Massachusetts Rules, a wide-open form of the sport commonly known as roundball and Amherst wins by reaching the pre-established score of 65 runs. Amherst exceeds 65-run limit during a 10-run 26th inning.
1903 — Maurice Garin wins the first stage of the first Tour de France bicycle race. Garin finishes 55 seconds ahead of Emile Pagie. The first stage, from Paris to Lyon, is 467 kilometers long, and takes 17 hours and 45 minutes, riding both day and night. Only 37 riders of 60 are able to complete the day’s race.
1920 — Suzanne Lenglen of France becomes the first player to win three Wimbledon titles in one year, taking the singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
1932 — Helen Moody wins her fifth women’s singles title in six years at Wimbledon, defeating Helen Jacobs 6-3, 6-1.
1938 — Don Budge defeats Henry Austin 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 to win the men’s singles title and sweep the singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon for the second straight year.
1951 — Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians pitches his third career no-hitter, beating the Detroit Tigers 2-1.
1951 — Beverly Hanson wins the Eastern Open by three strokes over Babe Zaharias in her first start on the LPGA Tour. Hanson is the only golfer to win a tournament in her first pro start.
1961 — Mickey Wright beats defending champion Betsy Rawls by six strokes to win the U.S. Women’s Open.
1977 — Britain’s Virginia Wade wins the singles title on the 100th anniversary of Wimbledon, defeating Betty Stove 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
1982 — Cal Ripken Jr. makes the first of his record 2,216 consecutive MLB starts at shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles.
1995 — The NBA locks out its players at 12:01 a.m., the first work stoppage in league history.
1997 — Nevada Athletic Commission suspends Mike Tyson indefinitely & withholds $20m purse for biting Evander Holyfield’s ear during their heavyweight title fight 28 June.
2007 — Cristie Kerr wins the U.S. Women’s Open by making only two bogeys over her final 45 holes. Kerr finishes at 5-under 279 for her 10th career victory.
2011 — The NBA locks out its players, a long-expected move putting the 2011-12 season in jeopardy.
2018 — NBA super star LeBron James agrees to a 4-year $154-million deal with the Lakers, moving from Cleveland.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.