Pentathlon Mixed Relay; FIBA Americas; Triathlon, Canoe World Champs

Rio Up Next for Pentathlon Mixed Relay?

Modern pentathlon boss Joël Bouzou says Rio 2016 is the logical next step for his sport's mixed relay event.

"Since the mixed relay was introduced at the Youth Olympic Games and on a senior level at the 2010 World Championships, it’s growing rapidly," the UIPM secretary general said Monday in a statement.

"The fans like it as it is fast and exciting and the athletes love competing with a teammate they don’t normally get to compete with and the spirit and collaboration that is created between athletes if fantastic. We believe this would be the perfect addition to our Olympic program and we are pushing for its inclusion in Rio 2016."

Bouzou spoke from the sidelines of the 2011 World Championships in Moscow, where aUkrainian pair won gold in Monday's mixed relay with couples from Russia and Lithuania rounding out the podium.

IOC Executive Board members will decide in 2013 whether to include any new events or disciplines on the Olympic program ahead of Rio 2016.

Argentina, Brazil Snag Basketball Berths

The Argentine and Brazilian men’s basketball teams as well as the Australian women’s basketball team can all book plane tickets to London next year.

Over the weekend, the three teams qualified for the 2012 Olympic basketball tournament.

Argentina beat Brazil in the FIBA Americas tournament, and Australia won the FIBA Oceania qualifier over New Zealand.

With this weekend’s results, half of the slots at the 2012 tournament are now filled. The remaining berths will go to the top two finishers at the ongoing Eurobasket tournament, the winner of the FIBA Asian Championship and the top three teams at an Olympic qualifying tournament to be staged just before the Games.

South Africa Claim Spot

The South African women’s football team defeated Ethiopia on aggregate to qualify for the London Games.

Sunday’s victory pushed South Africa over the top with a 4-1 aggregate.

On Twitter, the South African Football Association said "Give Banyana Banyana the heroes welcome they deserve when they arrive at OR Tambo Airport at 1pm on Monday."

Triathlon Results

Team Great Britain is poised for home success at the London Olympics after winning the men’s and women’s International Triathlon Union world championships series.

Alistair Brownlee won the men’s title while Helen Jenkins took the women’s at the Grand Final in Beijing, staged over the weekend on the 2008 Olympic course.

Brownlee won the season’s final race, but Jenkins finished second in hers. Kiwi Andrea Hewitt finished first.

For both British triathletes, these were their second titles.

In a statement on ITU’s website, the federation said Brownlee won in "stunning style" and "firmly stamped himself as the man to beat at the London 2012 Olympic Games."

In the final series rankings, Brownlee’s brother Jonathan finished second and Spain’s Javier Gomez rounded out the top three. Jenkins and Hewitt are the top two women’s triathletes with Sarah Groff of the United States in third.

Canoe First

The French K2 canoe team of Fabien Lefevre and Denis Gargaud Chanut set a new record at the slalom world championships in Bratislava, Slovakia by winning seven total medals. Lefevre won four and Gargaud Chanut claimed three.

In slalom canoe’s premiere event, the men’s K1, Slovenian Peter Kauzer won the gold.

"I am really psyched because I killed two flies at the same time," he was quoted by the International Canoe Federation. "I won the Worlds and regained my title and I’m safe for the Olympics." The silver medalist was Mateusz Polaczyk of Poland, and bronze went to Lefevre.

Gargaud Chanut won the K1 title, thesilver medal went to Nico Bettge of Germany and Slovak Matej Benus earned bronze.

Czech Republic’s Katerina Hoskova won the women’s C1, China’s Naquin Cen won silver and Slovak Katerina Macova took home the bronze.

Lefevre/Gargaud Chanut won the men’s C2 team event. Slovakia came in second place and Great Britain third.

In the Women’s K1 team event, the Slovak trio of Elena Kaliska, Jana Dukatova and Dana Mann defeated the Czech Republic and Germany.

In the Men’s K1 team event, Germany took the gold medal followed by France and Italy.

Sheboygan Showcases Sailing

Sailing will crown the world’s top match-racing country this week at the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final.

The series of eight regattas started in Porto Alegre, Brazil back in March and comes to a close Tuesday through Sunday in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

The Grand Final will be sailed in the Sonar class for the open event and the Elliott 6m for the women's event. The latter takes on newfound meaning this week as women’s match racing gears up for its Olympic debut at London 2012.

Syria Foregoes 2014 FIFA Appeal

The Syrian Olympic Committee will accept the recent ban of its football team from qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

FIFA’s disciplinary committee ruled last month to disqualify the Middle Eastern country from the ongoing Asian qualifiers for fielding an ineligible player. Syria beat Tajikistan 6-1 on aggregate during July’s second round, a win football’s governing body later voided.

George Murad, who played for Sweden in 2005, scored a goal in the first leg, so Tajikistan moved onto the third round instead of Syria as a result.

The Syrian NOC quickly formed a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding Murad’s play but decided Sunday to forgo an appeal, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.

Japanese Equestrians Bound for London

Japan will represent Asia-Pacific at London 2012 after beating out Australia for the region's remaining Olympic berth.

New Zealand finished first in the weekend's team competition but had are already qualified by claiming team bronze at last year’s FEI World Equestrian Games.

Written by Ed Hula III.