Olympics

3x Olympic track star, Deon Lendore has tragically died after a three-car crash in Texas, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was only 29.

The Texas Department of Public Safety tells us Lendore was driving westbound on FM 485 in Milam County in his 2015 Volkswagen Jetta on Monday, when it crossed over the center line and "sideswiped a vehicle" coming the opposite way.

Lendore continued and drifted over the center line again crashing into a 2018 Infiniti SUV head-on.

Texas DPS says Lendore was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the Infiniti, a 65-year-old woman, was transported to the nearby hospital with "incapacitating injuries".

The driver that was sideswiped suffered no injuries.

The Trinidadian sprinter competed in 3 Olympics -- including the 2020 Tokyo games -- and won the bronze medal in the 4x400 meter at the 2012 games in London.

Lendore also won silver in the World 4x400m in 2015 and is a three-time world indoor bronze medalist.

He's also a multi-time champ at Texas A&M and was currently a volunteer coach for the 400 and 800-meter student-athletes.

Several track stars reacted to the tragic news on social media, 2x Olympian Gwen Berry wrote, "Wow... Rest in Power."

"One thing I learned last year was the importance of LIVING," Berry said, "do what you want… deal with what you want… love who you want. Don’t DIE just to LIVE.  You LIVE then DIE.. I’ve been happier ever since."

PUMA also released a statement, saying "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Deon Lendore, who has been a part of the PUMA Family since 2017."

"We are honored that he had chosen us to be by his side for a large part of his successful track & field career. Our thoughts are with his family. Rest in peace."

Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee says she's received "so much hate" from members of the Hmong community -- an ethnic group with roots in China -- over her interracial relationship with USC football player Jaylin Smith.

Lee and the Trojans freshman safety, who's Black, went public with their relationship last month ... when Lee posted the two on her Instagram page with a heart emoji.

The 18-year-old, though, disabled the comments on the pictures ... and in an emotional message she posted on a viral TikTok days ago, she appeared to have provided some insight as to why.

In the TikTok, a user can be seen praising the Hmong-American Lee for her relationship with Smith -- saying in the video, "I know that Sunisa will be judged by certain eyes in the Hmong Community because her man is Black."

"LOVE is LOVE," the user continued, "no matter what race or gender you are."

Lee responded, "This makes me so happy. I've received so much hate😭 they support me when it’s beneficial for them never when it comes to my happiness. thank you!💗."

Lee did not elaborate further.

It's not the first time the teenager has said she's had to deal with racism in the last few months ... as we reported, Lee -- the first Hmong-American Olympian -- said back in November she experienced anti-Asian hate.

Caitlyn Jenner's days as an Olympic star have caught up to her in a painful way -- in the form of knee replacement surgery.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the decathlon gold medalist went under the knife at Cedars-Sinai in L.A. December 14. We're told the surgery lasted 3 hours and so far, so good.

The before-and-after X-Rays pretty much tell the story.

Caitlyn's up and about again ... walking gingerly around her Malibu compound, where she's staying for at least another week before venturing out.

Her goal right at the start of 2022 ... to walk normally, drive and get back to all the stuff she likes ... including golf. She loves skiing -- something that was off the table before surgery -- but her goal is to hit the slopes next winter.

After a 5-year battle, the hundreds of gymnasts who were victims of Larry Nassar's incessant sexual abuse have reached a $380 million agreement to settle their lawsuits against USA Gymnastics and the USA Olympic Committee.

MSU settled with 332 female athletes back in 2018 for $500 million ... and on Monday, USA Gymnastics and the USOPC raised the total amount to $880 million, the highest settlement amount for a single perpetrator in a sexual assault case, according to ESPN.

"This settlement is the result of the bravery of hundreds of survivors who, despite legal obstacles, long odds and the best corporate legal talent money can buy, refused to be silent," the gymnasts' attorney John Manly told the outlet. "The power of their story eventually won the day."

Along with the money, as part of the settlement, USA Gymnastics and the USOPC have vowed to make huge changes within the organizations to ensure the safety and betterment of the athletes.

Some of Team USA's biggest stars have spoken out about Nassar ... including Simone Biles, who claimed his abuse may have triggered her mental health struggles during the 2020 Olympics.

The "Athlete Of The Year" isn't Super Bowl champ Tom Brady or gold medal-winning gymnast Suni Lee ... it's Simone Biles, according to Time Magazine, who ironically receives the accolade for NOT performing.

It's a controversial pick (check Twitter) by Time ... who selected the 24-year-old, 4x Olympic gold medalist as the recipient of the prestigious honor.

Of course, Biles pulled out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after struggling with mental health issues, including the "Twisties" -- where a gymnast becomes disoriented in the air (dangerous when you're tumbling in the air) -- causing her to pull out of the Games.

At the time, Biles tearfully explained her decision to withdraw, explaining she was seeing a therapist to help battle her "demons," saying "I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being."

Biles was widely celebrated by fellow athletes and fans across the country for putting a spotlight on mental health.

However, there were also detractors who say Biles flat-out quit on her team and country ... insisting there's nothing to celebrate.

Count teammate Suni Lee -- who recently was named "Athlete Of The Year" by Sports Illustrated (along with swimmer Caeleb Dressel) -- firmly on the side of those who say Biles positively changed sports forever.

“What Simone did changed the way we view our well-being, 100%. It showed us that we are more than the sport, that we are human beings who also can have days that are hard. It really humanized us.”

And, Biles is adamant she wouldn't change a thing about how she handled Tokyo.

“I was torn because things weren’t going the way I wanted," Simone told Time, saying, "But looking back, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

The United States will not send an official delegation to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, President Joe Biden and the White House announced Monday.

The decision to withdraw from the Olympic games is a statement against China's "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.

The Biden administration told reporters in November that they were "considering" a diplomatic boycott of the '22 Beijing Olympics ... and after allegations of forced labor and human rights abuses in China's western region of Xinjiang continued, #46 put his foot down.

Psaki said at a White House briefing Monday that Biden was sending a "clear message" that the U.S. will not tolerate the alleged human rights abuses in China ... adding that things cannot be "business as usual" there.

The move from the White House is a deviation from the norm ... it's tradition for the U.S. and other nations to send high-profile delegates to represent their respective countries at the games. Biden's wife, Jill Biden, participated in this past summer's Olympics in Tokyo.

As for U.S. athletes ... they'll still be allowed to compete in the Olympics -- and Psaki said they'll have the Biden administration's "full support." Psaki, though, said the administration would not be "contributing to the fanfare of the games."

Tyreek Hill says he's still gunning to race Usain Bolt ... telling TMZ Sports he's so confident he'll beat the track legend, he's down to put his Super Bowl ring on the line!!

"Me and you can just meet at a local high school," Hill said in a message to Bolt. "I can come to Jamaica. We can get it poppin' on the YouTube. Huh!?"

If you're unfamiliar, Bolt and Hill have gone back and forth about a potential race for months -- with Hill initially calling the sprinter out earlier this year.

Hill -- arguably the fastest man in the NFL -- accused Bolt of ducking him ... and told him to "stop hiding" in a fiery social media post.

Bolt eventually fired back, telling us he'd be willing to put his gold medal on the line in a race if Hill was willing to put his SB LIV ring in the mix.

And, when we spoke with Hill a few days ago -- he told us he's ready to meet those conditions to get the race moving.

"Right now, it's getting kind of personal," Hill said. "Right now, it's about my ego right now. Because I feel like he just tried me."

Hill continued, "First of all, my momma always told me you never let nobody talk trash to you if they're wearing a tight shirt like that. Like, his Puma shirt was choking him. I'm not fittin' to allow that to happen."

Even though he's been retired for years, Bolt's still got to be the favorite in the race (right?) -- after all, Terrell Owens told us he thinks it'd actually be a laugher.

President Joe Biden says the United States is "considering" a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics ... as a result of China's human rights abuse issues.

It's tradition for the U.S. and other nations to send high-profile delegates to represent their respective countries at the Games -- Biden's wife, Jill Biden, participated in this past summer's Olympics in Tokyo.

But, as concerns continue to grow over China's human rights issues ... many across both sides of the political aisle have petitioned the Biden administration to boycott the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas addressed the situation on Wednesday ... saying, "I call on the Biden Administration to mount a complete and total boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics -- no athletes, no administration officials, no corporate sponsors."

Even the Celtics' Enes Kanter -- an outspoken critic of #46 -- challenged Biden to maintain his campaign promise and "prioritize human rights" before he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

While hosting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Oval Office on Thursday, POTUS wouldn't go as far as to say a total boycott was something the U.S. was considering ... but a diplomatic boycott is on the table.

If Biden and the White House were to engage in a diplomatic boycott, it would mean the U.S. would not send an official government delegation to the Games ... but athletes would still be able to participate.

Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee says she was a recent target of anti-Asian hate ... claiming she was pepper-sprayed and had racist slurs hurled at her.

18-year-old Lee detailed the altercation in an interview with Pop Sugar released this week ... saying she was waiting for an Uber with her friends -- all of Asian descent -- after a night out, when a car sped by and yelled phrases like "ching chong" and "go back to where they came from."

Lee -- the first Hmong American Olympic gold medalist -- says one person even sprayed her arm with pepper spray before speeding off.

The "Dancing with the Stars" contestant opened up on the incident -- which happened a week before the interview -- saying, "I was so mad, but there was nothing I could do or control because they skirted off," she told the outlet.

The number of hate crimes directed at Asians in America has risen in recent years ... with a study at California State University, San Bernardino reporting a 150% increase in 2020.

"I didn't do anything to them," Lee added, "and having the reputation, it's so hard because I didn't want to do anything that could get me into trouble. I just let it happen."

Famously tatted Team USA superstar Caeleb Dressel just got some new ink -- in the form of a MASSIVE leg piece that took 14 HOURS to complete!!

Remember, TMZ Sports spoke with the 7-time gold medalist fresh off dominating the 2020 Olympic games back in August ... and he hinted he was looking to add to his trademark body art.

Now, we know just what the 25-year-old was envisioning ... showing off a wild Western-themed piece complete with a skeleton cowboy, cacti, an eagle and flowers.

The tat is huge ... so naturally, it took more than half a day to finish.

"It was a long 14 hours but I had some great company with @travisbrucetattoos," Dressel said via Instagram on Thursday.

"Things got weird for sure but we had good music and good conversation, can’t ask for more than that. Thanks for bringing this idea to life."

We do have one question, though -- how is the bathroom break sitch??

It's been over two months since the Olympics, but Simone Biles says she's still dealing with the "twisties" ... adding that she's straight-up "scared to do gymnastics"

Biles was hit with the issue in Tokyo in July -- explaining to her followers at the time that a mental block was preventing her from controlling her body while doing her most famous mid-air stunts.

Biles pulled out of multiple events due to it all ... though most figured she'd be able to return back to normal after a break.

But, in an emotional interview Thursday morning with "Today" show host Hoda Kotb ... Biles said she still can't fly through the air like she used to.

"It's not the same," the 24-year-old said, fighting back tears. "To do something that I've done forever, and just not be able to do it because of everything I've gone through is really crazy because I love this sport so much. It's hard. I'm sorry."

She added, "I'm still scared to do gymnastics."

Biles has been performing in the Gold Over America Tour the past few weeks ... though she said she's kept her routines simple and has avoided any twisting.

The gymnastics legend, though, said she's sure her tricks will "come back" eventually ... telling Hoda in the meantime she's happy to "be a leader for the survivors."

"I'm happy to be a voice for them," Biles said. "We go through our own things. It's hard."

Agnes Tirop, an elite Kenyan long-distance runner who finished 4th at the Tokyo Olympics, was tragically found stabbed to death in her home, according to a Kenyan athletic commission.

She was only 25 years old.

According to reports, police are actively looking for Agnes' husband who hasn't been seen since her death.

The BBC is reporting Agnes' father called police Tuesday night, worried he could not reach his daughter.

Sadly, when police arrived at her home in Iten, Kenya, they found Tirop laying in bed, surrounded by a pool of blood, according to the UK outlet.

Police say the runner had what looked like a stab wound to her neck ... and that's what they believe caused her death. She also reportedly had a stab wound to her stomach.

Agnes' husband was not at the home when they arrived ... and has not been heard from since authorities arrived on the scene.

Tirop was one of the best long-distance runners in the world. In fact, just last month she set a women's world record at a 10-kilometer race in Germany. Agnes also took home bronze medals at the World Athletic Championships in 2017 and 2019.

"Athletics Kenya are distraught to learn about the untimely death of World 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop," the country's athletics body said in a statement.

Everyone from Adidas to Kenya's president weighed in on the tragic loss.

"It is unsettling, utterly unfortunate and very sad that we've lost a young and promising athlete who, at a young age of 25 years, had brought our country so much glory," Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya's president said in a statement.

"The Adidas family is deeply saddened by the tragic news about Agnes Jebet Tirop. Agnes was an incredible person, a record-breaking athlete and a beloved member of our family. She will be greatly missed by us all and her legacy will forever live on in our memory," the sportswear giant tweeted.

Rest in peace.

Olympic gold medalist diver Tom Daley says he was pressured to lose weight in order to perform better in 2012 ... claiming it was "hammered" into him that he was overweight.

The 27-year-old British diver opened up about his eating disorder this week ... saying he would make himself throw up and constantly weigh himself in order to maintain a smaller figure.

Daley -- who won bronze at the 2012 and 2016 Games before earning gold in Tokyo this summer -- says it's always been hard for him as a man to open up about his eating disorder, he revealed to The Guardian.

Daley says it's challenging as an athlete to talk about his struggle with body image ... because let's face it, most people would love to have his body.

"You have these body issues as an athlete. Lots of people would look at athletes and be like, 'What are you talking about? You’re an athlete, you’re in shape, you have nothing to worry about.'"

Daley says the pressure to lose weight didn't come from the media or Internet trolls -- it was his peers in the diving community.

"My body image [issues] came from within my sport – it was hammered into me that I was overweight and needed to lose weight in order to perform."

U.S. Olympian Klete Keller admitted he spent nearly an hour in the U.S. Capitol building on January 6th, pleading guilty to felony obstruction of an official proceeding ... and now faces years in prison.

Remember, 39-year-old Keller -- a 2x gold medalist and former teammate of Michael Phelps -- was caught on video inside the halls of the capitol during the raid.

In fact, KK was wearing a Team U.S.A. jacket ... which helped others identify him once the footage was posted online by reporters.

Keller, who was hit with 7 charges stemming from the incident, appeared in person at a Washington D.C. District Court and pled guilty to the obstruction charge.

It's a charge that could carry decades in prison ... however, it's likely Keller ultimately gets sentenced to about 2 years in federal prison.

While addressing the court, Klete said he tried to erase all traces he was present at the raid, admitting he destroyed his phone and threw away the jacket he was photographed wearing.

Keller represented America as part of the U.S. Swim Team at the Olympic Games in '00, '04, '08. He was the anchor on the 4x200 meter freestyle relay team in 2004 ... and famously held off Australian superstar Ian Thorpe to narrowly secure the top spot on the podium.

Simone Biles broke down while testifying about Larry Nassar in front of a group of senators on Capitol Hill ... choking back tears while explaining how U.S. Gymnastics and other agencies failed her and other abuse victims.

Biles, along with fellow former USA gymnasts McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman, told their stories in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington D.C. on Thursday ... and understandably, it's still an incredibly difficult topic to discuss.

"I am also a survivor of sexual abuse," Simone opened her statement, continuing, "and I believe without a doubt that the circumstances that led to my abuse and allowed it to continue are directly the result that organizations created by Congress to oversee and protect me as an athlete, USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee failed to do their jobs."

Biles then quoted Nelson Mandela, before getting emotional while saying she never wanted another child to endure abuse.

Of course, Nassar was convicted of sexually abusing hundreds of women and girls ... and effectively received life in prison -- getting sentenced to 175 years behind bars.

But, the hearing wasn't directly about Nassar's deplorable behavior ... it was held to discuss the FBI's failures with respect to their investigation into the team USA doctor, after a government watchdog group concluded the country's top federal law enforcement agency didn't adequately respond to the allegations.

And, the gymnasts didn't hold back when taking on the bureau.

“We suffered and continue to suffer because no one at FBI, [U.S. Gymnastics] or the [USOC] did what was necessary to protect us,” Biles told the committee.

“We have been failed and we deserve answers. Nassar is where he belongs, but those who enabled him deserve to be held accountable. If they are not, I am convinced that this will continue to happen to others across Olympic sports.”

"This is the largest case of sexual abuse in the history of American sport," Biles told the committee, adding, "It truly feels like the FBI turned a blind eye to us."

Maroney also went in on the FBI, saying ... "They had legal, legitimate evidence of child abuse and did nothing."

The U.S. gymnasts are still testifying on Capitol Hill.

As for Nassar, he's rotting in prison ... where he will remain for the rest of his life.

Winning Super Bowls and Olympic medals works wonders for your clout ... 'cause Tom Brady and Simone Biles are on Time's list of most influential people once again.

Of course, the esteemed list highlights the biggest activists, innovators, athletes and artists each year ... and in 2021, several sports stars were honored with the recognition.

Joining TB12 and Biles are Team USA gold medalist Suni Lee, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka, USA track legend Allyson Felix and L.A. Angels pitcher/slugger Shohei Ohtani.

Biles also graces one of the 7 different covers for the magazine ... which features a touching writeup from Serena Williams on the gymnast's highly publicized mental health battle at the 2020 Tokyo games.

"What she embodies truly reflects the endless potential of Black women." Williams says. "I wish I had her to look up to when I was younger and trying to realize my dreams."

"By living her truth so loudly and by championing mental health, she is setting new standards of beauty, strength and resilience, breaking down today’s image-obsessed stereotypes and encouraging others to do the same."

"Simone is a shining example of what success looks like when you let go of what the world thinks and gather your strength from yourself ... from your soul."