TOKYO — Simone Biles unexpectedly pulled out of the women’s team gymnastics competition after losing her bearings in the air mid-vault. Amid the shake-up, a stronger Russian squad beat the Americans to the gold medal; the United States was second.
The U.S. met Japan in the last Olympic softball final, in 2008, and Japan won. Softball was then dropped from the Games, and on its return the same two teams met. Japan won again, 2-0.
The U.S. women’s basketball team began its Olympics with a closer-than-expected win over Nigeria, 81-72. A’ja Wilson led all scorers with 19 points.