Sports News Roundup: Rangers hit three HRs, outslug Tigers; 2024 NFL Draft: 10 sleepers to know and more

A late-round pick or a highly coveted undrafted free agent can slip through the cracks, and history shows draft position isn't the only factor in a prospect becoming a reliable pro. Olympics-McKeown breaks Australian all-comers record in 50 metres backstroke Kaylee McKeown continued her excellent form, swimming the fifth fastest 50 metres backstroke of all time to win the Australian Open Championships on Friday, where Ariarne Titmus also impressed.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

MLB roundup: Rangers hit three HRs, outslug Tigers

Jonah Heim hit a two-run home run, Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia delivered solo shots and the visiting Texas Rangers topped the Detroit Tigers 9-7 on Thursday. Semien had three hits and scored twice for the Rangers, who won the series 3-1.

Olympics-ASOIF express concerns over athletics Olympic prize money

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) have expressed their concern over the decision by World Athletics to introduce prize money for Olympic gold medallists, and said on Friday that they were not consulted. On April 10, athletics became the first sport to offer prize money for Olympic champions, beginning in Paris this year, but the announcement by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has been met with criticism.

2024 NFL Draft: 10 sleepers to know

The third day of the NFL draft is the spotlight moment for the hard-working area scouts and position coaches behind the curtain to celebrate the gem prospects they believe are underappreciated and acute fits for a need or the overall team culture. A late-round pick or a highly coveted undrafted free agent can slip through the cracks, and history shows draft position isn't the only factor in a prospect becoming a reliable pro.

Olympics-McKeown breaks Australian all-comers record in 50 metres backstroke

Kaylee McKeown continued her excellent form, swimming the fifth fastest 50 metres backstroke of all time to win the Australian Open Championships on Friday, where Ariarne Titmus also impressed. The 22-year-old had already set Australian records in both the 200 and 400 metres individual medleys in the last two days, and swam 27.07 seconds in the 50 metre backstroke to set a new all-comers record, the fastest time ever recorded in Australia.

Olympics-Games' broadcaster embracing AI but remains wary of deepfakes

As part of a push by the International Olympic Committee to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) in Paris, the Games' broadcaster is stepping up its use of the technology -- but not without concerns about the risk of "deepfakes". Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), which produces the live television, radio and digital coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games that is then sold to clients, first began using AI at the PyeongChang Winter Games in 2018.

NHL roundup: Kings KO Blackhawks 6 seconds into OT

Adrian Kempe scored six seconds into overtime -- tied for the fastest OT goal in NHL history -- to lift the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-4 win against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night in the regular-season finale. Viktor Arvidsson scored two goals, including the game-tying tally during six-on-four play with 1:21 left, and he added an assist for the Kings, who leapfrogged the Vegas Golden Knights for third place in the Pacific Division.

Report: UConn G Stephon Castle declares for NBA draft

UConn freshman Stephon Castle, who dazzled on the national stage in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, has thrown his name into the 2024 NBA Draft, he told ESPN on Friday. Castle could wind up as a lottery pick. ESPN ranks the 6-foot-6 guard at No. 9 on its list of top 100 prospects for the June 26-27 draft.

Tennis-Bulgarian umpire banned for life over corruption violations

Bulgarian umpire Pavel Atanasov has been banned from tennis for life after withdrawing his appeal for betting-related violations and charges of corruption, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Friday. Atanasov, a national-level official, was also given a $10,000 fine for 21 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP).

NHL-League approves Coyotes sale and new franchise in Utah

The National Hockey League's Board of Governors have approved the sale and relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah starting with the 2024-25 season, the league said on Thursday. The deal includes a clause that could ultimately see Arizona get an expansion team if a state-of-the-art facility appropriate for an NHL team is constructed within five years.

Olympics-Australian swimmer Titmus in 'hibernation from life' before Paris

Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus is in "hibernation from life" outside of swimming as she readies to defend her 200 and 400 metres freestyle titles at the Paris Games. Titmus has emerged from her punishing training regime this week to compete at her home Australian Open Championships on the Gold Coast and get a measure of her progress.

(With inputs from agencies.)