Swim Sport: Russia’s unstoppable synchronised swimming machine churned out a fourth consecutive team technical gold at the World Championships in Barcelona as Spain lifted the home support by taking silver. The Russians did not even need Svetlana Romashina, who won gold in the solo technical event on Saturday, or the partner with whom she triumphed in Sunday’s technical duet, Svetlana Kolesnichenko, to amass a daunting points total of 96.600.

Cricket: Australia fast bowler James Pattinson will miss the rest of the Ashes series against England with a back injury. “James Pattinson reported some hip and back soreness on the final day of the second Ashes test,” Cricket Australia team doctor Peter Brukner said. England are 2-0 up in the five-match series after completing a 347-run win on the fourth day of the second test at Lord’s on Sunday. The third test starts on Aug. 1 at Old Trafford.

Cycling: Stuart O’Grady has decided to call time on nearly two decades as a pro rider after helping the Australian GreenEDGE team win a stage and claim the yellow jersey during his 17th Tour de France. The 39-year-old Australian, who finished second in the Tour’s points classification on four occasions and won the 2007 Paris-Roubaix classic, had been ex-pected to race into a 20th year but the GreenEDGE breakthrough convinced him otherwise.

Basket, NBA: Former no.1 draft pick Greg Oden will work out for three teams this week before deciding on his NBA future. The 25-year-old centre will host in-person workouts for Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacra-mento Kings. Despite that, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs remain the favourites to land Oden. The Cleveland Cavaliers were also contenders last week before signing Andrew Bynum to a two-year deal.