U.S. teenager Kristina Teachout wins bronze in taekwondo as CJ Nickolas misses out on medal

PARIS (AP) — CJ Nickolas waited 20 years for this moment.

So on the eve of his taekwondo competition at the Paris Olympics, after slumbering for two weeks on a cardboard bed at the athletes village, the Californian made sure he would sleep like a baby.

He booked a room in a hotel near the Grand Palais, the lavish building where taekwondo events are held.

“I slept on these cardboard beds, and then last night I had one of the best sleeps of my life,” Nickolas said.

The improved bedding did not have the desired effect.

The 23-year-old Nickolas looked well-rested and started his journey on a high-octane pace but lost in the semifinals of the 80-kilogram tournament. Nickolas was then defeated by world champion Simone Alessio in a bronze-medal contest.

The U.S. team did not end the day empty-handed, though. Teammate Kristina Teachout, who was beaten in the quarterfinals of the women’s 67-kilogram division by the eventual gold medalist, recovered in style to win a bronze medal after going through a repechage phase.

“I’ll probably cry about it later, but I’m so grateful,” Teachout said. “This is the culmination of everything that’s important to me and all that I’ve put into my craft.”

Viviana Marton of Hungary needed only two rounds to beat Aleksandra Perisic of Serbia for the gold medal, and Sarah Chaari claimed the second bronze medal. Taekwondo tournaments award two bronze medals, with the losing semifinalists taking on a couple of contestants who lost to finalists in the elimination phase.

The 18-year-old Teachout grabbed a U.S. flag and celebrated her medal by running around the octagonal-shaped combat area, warmly embracing her coach.

Teachout had defeated Anastasija Zolotic — the first U.S. woman to win a gold medal in the sport in Tokyo — at the U.S. Olympic trials.

Like Nickolas, Alessio failed to reach the final. He was given a second chance through repechage and set up a meeting that pitted the top two ranked athletes in the category against each other.

Nickolas, who lost to Alessio in the final at last year's world championships, harassed his rival from the start with relentless attacking moves but could not find his target. Alessio was clinical. The Italian landed two kicks that was again to once again deny Nickolas.

“He’s a monster in the division and other people have gotten him and I just haven’t clicked that code yet,” said Nickolas, who started taekwondo when he was 3. “I've failed. And that’s what happened and it hurts.”

Nickolas began his tournament against a tough opponent, Farzad Mansouri, an athlete from Afghanistan who competes for the Refugee Olympic Team. Nickolas looked pumped as he entered the venue. He shouted and made a few dance moves, then threw himself into the fight.

Trailing at the start, he still won in two rounds and won over the crowd with his aggressive style. He was stopped in the semifinals by Firas Katoussi of Tunisia.

In the final, Katoussi claimed gold against Iranian fighter Mehran Barkhordari, who upset Alessio in the quarterfinals. Edi Hrnic won Demark’s first-ever Olympic medal in the sport by beating Seo Geon-woo of South Korea in the second men’s 80-kilogram bronze medal match.

Teachout started her day with a bang in the women’s 67-kilogram event by taking out world champion Magda Wiet-Henin of France. But the 18-year-old from Palm Bay, Florida, then lost a tight encounter with Marton.

She then beat Ruth Gbagbi of Ivory Coast in repechage and fought Song Jie of China for bronze. Song was conservative but Teachout seized all of her few opportunities in the first round and continued to apply a relentless pressure to win in two rounds.

“I’ve always had the harder route in sports,” said Teachout, who was slowed by a hamstring injury in her first year. “And even getting (this bronze). It wasn’t the best, it was the hardest route to get a medal. Having to go through the motions of losing and, you know, get it back together and fight. So yeah, it’s been an emotional journey.”

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Italy's Simone Alessio celebrates with his coach after winning the men's 80kg Taekwondo bronze final match against United States' Cj Nickolas during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Cj Nickolas reacts after loosing the men's 80kg Taekwondo bronze final match against Italy's Simone Alessio during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Kristina Teachout celebrates after winning the women's 67kg Taekwondo bronze final match against China's Song Jie during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Kristina Teachout competes with Hungary's Viviana Marton in a women's 67kg Taekwondo quarterfinal match during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Cj Nickolas arrives for a men's 80kg Taekwondo quarterfinal match against Burkina Faso's Faysal Sawadogo during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Cj Nickolas gesturesvprior to the start of a men's 80kg Taekwondo match against Refugees Olympic Team's Farzad Mansouri during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Cj Nickolas reacts after loosing the men's 80kg Taekwondo semifinal match against Tunisia's Firas Katoussi during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Cj Nickolas, right, competes with Tunisia's Firas Katoussi in a men's 80kg Taekwondo semifinal match during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Kristina Teachout competes with Hungary's Viviana Marton in a women's 67kg Taekwondo quarterfinal match during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Cj Nickolas, right, competes with Tunisia's Firas Katoussi in a men's 80kg Taekwondo semifinal match during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

China's Song Jie competes with United States' Kristina Teachout in a women's 67kg Taekwondo bronze final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Kristina Teachout celebrates after winning the women's 67kg Taekwondo bronze final match against China's Song Jie during the 2024 Summer Olympics, at the Grand Palais, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Erling Haaland moved to 99 goals for Manchester City after scoring twice in a 2-1 win against Brentford in the English Premier League on Saturday.

The Norwegian’s double maintained City’s 100% start to the league after Yoane Wissa fired Brentford ahead with just 22 seconds on the clock.

Liverpool lost for the first time under new manager Arne Slot, to Nottingham Forest by a shock 1-0 at Anfield.

Manchester United won at Southampton 3-0 to end its two-game losing streak.

Haaland scored his 98th and 99th goals in his 103rd City appearance in all competitions. And he was the width of the post away from his third consecutive hat trick after trebles against Ipswich and West Ham.

“He's been really, really good. Yeah, I would say he's the best (he's been), but it's only four fixtures (this season),” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

Haaland, who has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, has nine goals in four league games. He has topped the league scoring charts in each of his two seasons at City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for $63 million.

Haaland’s first goal after 19 minutes evened the game following Wissa’s opener, which stunned the Etihad Stadium crowd. Haaland turned and swept a shot past goalkeeper Mark Flekken after a slight deflection off Ethan Pinnock.

He was then too strong for Pinnock when shaking off the defender and running through for his second in the 32nd.

He was inches away in the 81st; the shot came back off the post after beating the keeper.

Slot suffered his first setback in English soccer after Callum Hudson-Odoi fired Forest to a stunning win at Anfield.

Hudson-Odoi struck in the 72nd with a curling effort from the edge of the box and beyond goalkeeper Alisson.

Liverpool had been the only team other than City to have a 100% winning record after the first three rounds, including a memorable 3-0 win against Man United before the international break.

"Far too many times we lost the ball around the area, it was not good enough,” Slot said. “We have to be better with the ball. Our decisions and execution wasn’t good enough.”

Marcus Rashford snapped a 12-game barren run in front of goal as United beat Southampton.

Rashford doubled United’s lead at Saint Mary’s after Matthijs de Ligt’s scored his first for the club. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho scored a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

The win came after back-to-back defeats for United.

Rashford hadn’t scored since March in United’s win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals. He curled in a shot from the edge of the area to put Erik ten Hag’s team 2-0 up at Southampton in the 41st minute.

Ten Hag said it could be a turning point for the forward.

“For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list. Once the first is in, more is coming. Like a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more,” he said.

De Ligt, who joined United from Bayern Munich in the offseason, headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ cross in the 35th.

It could have been a different story if Cameron Archer converted a penalty for Southampton in the 33rd. Instead, his effort was saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Newly promoted Southampton was reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens was sent off in the 79th for a high challenge on Garnacho.

Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a stoppage time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace against Leicester.

Leicester led 2-0 at Selhurst Park after goals from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi.

But Mateta sparked Palace’s response with a goal in the 47th, a minute after Mavididi doubled Leicester’s advantage.

Conor Coady fouled Ismaili Sarr in the box right near fulltime and Mateta was cool enough to convert.

West Ham left it even later to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw at Fulham.

Danny Ings struck in the fifth minute of added time after Raul Jimenez’s goal looked like earning Fulham the win.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, the manager of the month for August, was frustrated as his team was held to 0-0 at home by Ipswich.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Liverpool's players react after Nottingham Forest's Callum Hudson-Odoi scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Liverpool's manager Arne Slot holds a ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Nottingham Forest's Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland wipes sweat from his face during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland, front, duels for the ball with Brentford's Ethan Pinnock during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland runs during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppel)

Manchester United's goalkeeper Andre Onana save a penalty from Southampton's Cameron Archer during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Southampton's Jan Bednarek speaks to Manchester United's head coach Erik ten Hag during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Southampton's Flynn Downes, right, and Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes reacts after not getting a corner during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, center, takes a shot during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Manchester United at St. Mary's stadium in Southampton, England, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)