Olympics: Double Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva, a fierce critic of a Russian track and field ban at the Rio Olympics, was elected an International Olympic Committee member yesterday but a third of the votes were against her. The Russian was excluded from the Games along with over 100 of her team-mates following revelations of a systematic, state-backed doping programme in Russian sport. Isinbayeva received 45 votes in favour and 23 against with two IOC members abstaining as she was confirmed a member of the Olympic body after, three days after earning a spot on the IOC’s athletes’ commission.

Waterpolo: Serbia’s world champion men’s water polo team defeated arch rivals Croatia 11-7 to win their first Olympic gold medal in the sport and dethrone the title holders on Saturday. In a game marked by rough and aggressive play in front of both goals, Serbia showed superior firepower and defence. Serbia’s Dusan Mandic scored four times, while goalkeeper Branislav Mitrovic’s impressive blocks kept Croatia out.

Handball: Russia won its first Olympic gold medal in women’s handball on Saturday, overcoming France 22-19 in a tight, fast-paced final in front of a rapturous crowd. The Russians led by several points through much of the game, although the French roared back in the middle of the second half to level at 14-14 before again trailing to a fierce attack. When the final whistle was blown, Russia’s players fell to the ground and embraced, while the disappointed French walked off, wiping away tears.

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Russia’s rhythmic gymnasts shut out the rest of the world for a fifth successive Olympics yesterday, with a free-flowing acrobatic display with hoops and clubs winning them another group all-around gold medal. Spain had high hopes of snapping Russia’s reign as they were leading at the halfway point of the competition. But Russia’s dynamic performance with their second routine allowed them to leapfrog the early pacesetters, and they topped the standings with 36.233.

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Mountain Bike: Switzerland’s Nino Schurter (picture) completed his Olympic medal collection as he won gold in the men’s cross-country cycling race yesterday. The 30-year-old, third in Beijing and second in London, put the hammer down on the sixth of seven laps of the winding 4.8km circuit in the Rio hills and powered away alone to victory. Czech Jaroslav Kulhavy took the silver medal 44 seconds back. Carlos Caloma Nicolas of Spain was third after grinding down France’s Maxime Marotte in the closing stages.