the former Carolina Panthers cornerback who will suit up for the Redskins against the Falcons

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Just seconds into her first heat in canoe slalom, Maialen Chourraut thought her Olympics were over.She missed a gate entirely in the womens kayak on the fast but unforgiving course at Whitewater Stadium.Nervous in the second heat, she was penalized twice for touching gates but sliced and curled through the waves and eddies so fast that she scraped into the semifinals, 11th out of 15. Surviving, she said, made her feel stronger.That was Monday.On Thursday, all she touched were river rapids and the heart of her husband and national coach, Xabier Etxaniz, who jumped into the water in the finish area to give her a congratulatory kiss for winning the gold medal. Her daughter Ane was on the bank, pointing out who was No. 1.This was a very special project for my family, Chourraut said, and we achieved what we wanted.Without incurring any more penalties, Chourraut qualified third for the final, then surprised even herself when she finished three seconds faster than Luuka Jones of New Zealand who, in turn, slashed more than five seconds off the leading run.Chourraut knew she was guaranteed a bronze because there were only two more paddlers to complete the final, including former world champion Corinna Kuhnle of Austria, but both touched two gates each. Chourraut screamed again and covered her face in the finish area as the first Spaniard in canoe slalom to win an Olympic gold medal, adding it to her bronze from the London Games.Jones, last in her only previous major final at the 2014 worlds, was the first New Zealander to medal in the discipline, on her third attempt.Jess Fox, the top-ranked woman and big favorite from Australia, settled for bronze. She finished faster than Jones, but was hit with a late two-second penalty, and fell half a second behind.After she was an unexpected second in London, Australians dubbed her the Silver Fox, and her ongoing success fueled high expectations of an upgraded change in nickname. Fox was coming off a World Cup win in Italy in May and a kayak-canoe double at the junior worlds in Poland less than a month ago.For second-ranked Chourraut, the win was a reward for years of just missing the top step on the podium at the biggest races. Besides her 2012 Olympic bronze, she was second at the worlds in 2009, and third in 2011. Since the London Games, shes won three World Cups, the 2015 European championship, and had a daughter. She kept paddling until the eighth month of her pregnancy, so it would be easier to regain her form.This (gold medal) is what Ive been looking for since a long time ago, she said. For my family it is a reward for all the nerves and emotion they have felt.Meanwhile, the Skantar cousins from Slovakia, Ladislav and Peter, likely won the last gold medal in double canoe, as its expected to be phased out after the Rio Olympics and replaced by womens single canoe for gender balance.The cousins triumph brought them out from the considerable shadow of their compatriots, the great Hochschorner twins, Pavel and Peter, who won the 2000, 2004 and 2008 gold medals, plus the bronze in London. The twins lost Slovakias quota spot to the Skantars at the European championships in May, and the Skantars felt a lot of pressure to follow in their footsteps.We, Peter Skantar said, are very happy because we have kind of substituted the brothers, and thats why the gold was very high to reach for us.Britains Richard Hounslow and David Florence repeated their silver-medal effort from London, and Frances Gauthier Klauss and Matthieu Peche redeemed their fourth-place finish in London with the bronze. Randall Cunningham Youth Jersey . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. Wilbert Montgomery Womens Jersey .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. http://www.theeaglesshoponline.com/Youth-desean-jackson-eagles-jersey/ . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Jerome Brown Eagles Jersey .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Ron Jaworski Youth Jersey . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Wrestling legend Ric Flair, a special guest at Atlanta Falcons training camp Tuesday, praised star receiver Julio Jones while calling out Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman.The Nature Boy, a guest of Jones, addressed the Falcons following practice, firing up the entire squad with his trademark Wooooooo! before breaking the huddle.Afterward, Flair shared a special message about Jones with ESPN and called out Norman, the former Carolina Panthers cornerback who will suit up for the Redskins against the Falcons on Thursday night.This is the Nature Boy Ric Flair at Falcons training camp with my main man, my brother, Julio Jones, the greatest wide receiver in the NFL, Flair screamed. Thats right, Josh Norman: The best. Nobody catches up to Julio Jones. Wooooooo! Go Falcons.Flair, who used to live in Charlotte but now resides in the Atlanta area, expanded on his thoughts about the Falcons.I met Julio at Lake Lanier, and my family has been big Falcons fans, Flair said. I aam a Falcon fan now.dddddddddddd Its easy to say youre a fan of Tom Brady and the Patriots. But now, I want someone in this conference (NFC South) to step up, and this could be Atlantas year. The Panthers gave up a lot on defense. I think (the Falcons) can do it, if everyone stays healthy.I think Julio is one of the most wonderful, most polite, most articulate guys Ive ever met. From texting and talking and just being so kind to people. He doesnt have to be, but hes such a quality guy. Hes first class.Flair expressed an equal amount of respect for coach Dan Quinn after meeting the Falcons coach for the first time Tuesday. The respect is mutual.You could see the energy, Quinn said of Flair. (He) was talking with us and having some fun. So it was great to have his support and being a part of it for us today. You could tell hes a big fan, and were also a big fan of his. ' ' '