Price of Pokemon craze floors Kohei

Japanese gymnastics star Kohei Uchimura was left counting the cost of his recent addiction to Pokemon Go.

The reigning Olympic and world all-around champion became hooked on the smartphone game after touching down in Brazil to prepare for the defence of his title. But to his horror, he was hit with a 500,000 yen (S$6,640) bill after discovering that he did not have a flat rate for overseas data usage.

"500,000 yen..." he was quoted by Kyodo news agency as saying.

Chinese athletes run into problems

Chinese Internet users have accused the Rio Olympics of being unsafe and inferior to Beijing's 2008 offering after athletes said they were robbed and faced broken facilities.

Chinese hurdler Shi Dongpeng claimed his personal computer was stolen on arrival in Brazil. Table tennis star Fan Zhendong showed pictures of himself and team-mate Zhang Jike fixing a broken shower curtain rail in the Olympic Village, while London Olympics medal-winning gymnast Feng Zhe complained about a clogged toilet in a training centre.

Phelps named USA flag bearer after vote

Swimming superstar Michael Phelps will carry the United States flag at the opening ceremony.

The most decorated Olympian of all time, with 22 medals including 18 golds, was chosen for the honour following a vote of Team USA members.

Nigeria footballers in a race to get to Rio

Nigeria's footballers are cutting it fine with their arrival in Rio de Janeiro, with their flight expected to touch down less than 30 hours before their opener against Japan today (tomorrow morning, Singapore time).

They are stuck in Atlanta, with a chartered airline refusing to leave until it has been paid.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE GUARDIAN