RIO DE JANEIRO -- Speaking to reporters after the all-around final in mens gymnastics Wednesday night, Sam Mikulak and Chris Brooks expressed pride in their seventh- and 14th-place performances, and satisfaction with a level of competitiveness in which the two Americans avoided major errors in all six of their routines.The juxtaposition was still stark. For at the same time they made their remarks, medals were being awarded following one of the hardest fought and definitely the highest level the sport has ever seen as reigning gold medalist and six-time world champion Kohei Uchimura of Japan edged out Ukraines Oleg Verniaiev for gold, while Great Britains Max Whitlock picked up the bronze.Separated by fractions of a point all night, the drama reached its climax on the high bar, the final rotation for both Uchimura and Verniaiev. Performing last and needing a 14.899 for gold, Verniaiev appeared to have nailed it as the hushed crowd erupted, only to gasp minutes later when he received a 14.8, a full point below Uchimuras high bar score.The final point total: Uchimura 92.365, Verniaiev 92.266.The 27-year-old who led Japan to team gold two days earlier, became the first man to achieve back-to-back titles in the Olympic all-around since his countryman Sawao Kato achieved the feat in 1968 and 1972.After winning the group gold, it was tough to refocus, Uchimura said. Im so exhausted right now.The charismatic Mikulak, on the other hand, said he jumped from 16th-place after the third rotation to a final seventh based on the pick-me-up he got from slamming his third can of his herbal energy drink, a business he and two friends started while he was at Michigan.I honestly believe that was the turning point for me, said the 23-year-old, who added that he wants to compete in at least one more Olympics.Like Brooks, who at 29 was an alternate on the 2012 Olympic team, Mikulak, 23, beat the odds to compete both in London (after a sprained ankle kept him out of five of six events at Olympic trials) and in Rio (after completing rehab in March from surgery to repair ankle and Achilles injuries).Criticized for his inconsistency at times and again during team finals, when he went out of bounds on his first two passes on floor -- the Americans first rotation -- Mikulaks mission was clear.I hit six-of-six [Wednesday], I think that was the biggest goal of mine coming out here, he said. For a while, the P&G [Championships] and trials [both in June], I didnt hit six-for-six, but I came to the grandest of stages and I did it here. So I think I proved to myself and a lot of others that Im still capable of hitting all my routines.For Brooks, this will be his first and last Olympics, his battered body delivering one of the better nights of his career Wednesday.I have a whole new respect for those who have competed in all-around finals before me, he said. That was intense, it was extreme. My body was sore, I was tired after doing prelims [Saturday] and team finals [Monday]. It was an emotional roller coaster through all that. And then to have to get up and do six events [Wednesday], it was mentally and physically a struggle, but Im glad my training, my preparation, everything Ive been doing outside the gym, paid off.To see my name even near the top of the scoreboard was an amazing honor.While it is a sport, to be sure, in which competitors are often separated by no more than tenths of a point and one or two mistakes, Mikulaks 89.631 was 1.01 off the bronze medalists point total and leaves the men to re-examine their program.Certainly finishing fifth [as a team] puts everything into question and you have to take a serious look at it and it falls on my shoulders as team coordinator, Kevin Mazeika said. I have to take a really hard look at it and see what we need to do to get over the hump and get back on the medal stand.Were definitely not satisfied with finishing fifth. [But] it was a different fifth [than 2012] in terms of the way these guys did everything and anything we asked of them inside the gym, outside the gym, with preparation, nutrition, diet, the mental part of it. Theyre all working very, very hard and we saw some amazing gymnastics. There were incredible bright spots.Mikulak, for all intents and purposes the face of U.S. mens gymnastics as the four-time national champion, said he wants to work with young gymnasts to maximize their potential and not make the same mistakes I have. But he also prefers to look at the positive.It wasnt quite as nerve-wracking as I thought, he said of Wednesday night. This is the type of situation where youve got to remember it for the rest of your life. And when I came out on the floor, I was like Wow, either this moment is going to be super nerve-racking or its going to be very enjoyable. You just have to trust your training, breathe and youre like, Wow, this is exactly the same thing I do at home.It was just very nice to have that takeaway and mentally its going to help propel me from here on out. ... I just look to the future and hope I can keep smiling and enjoy myself. Yeezy Boost 350 China Wholesale . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. Cheapest Nmd Shoes . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. http://www.nmdsneakerssale.com/nmd-shoes-r1-deals.html . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. 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Owen Farrell took centre-stage as Saracens claimed a record-equalling 13th straight European Champions Cup win which meant Denny Solomona suffered a losing debut for Sale.Farrell scored a late try and kicked 14 points as the reigning European champions matched Munsters record of successive wins with a hard-fought 26-10 victory.For the second match in succession, Sale had three players sin-binned against Saracens, but this was a vastly improved display from last weeks 50-3 hammering at Allianz Park.Solomona played 80 minutes on the right wing but could not find the whitewash as Saracens produced a typically clinical display to underline their class.Nathan Earle scored a second try late on for Saracens before Sale lock Bryn Evans grabbed a last-gasp consolation for the hosts, who slipped to their sixth straight defeat.Solomona was announced as a Sale player earlier this week before Castleford responded by issuing High Court proceedings for damages against the player.The Super League outfit are also seeking damages against Sale and Solomonas agent Andy Clarke for allegedly inducing a breach of contract.Sale confirmed on Tuesday that prolific try-scorer Solomona had signed a three-year contract with them, despite still having two years left on his Tigers deal.He was facing a Saracens outfit who were crowned European champions last season and who thrashed the Sharks 50-3 last week. Sale were significantly improved during the first half but Saracens established a slender 6-3 lead courtesy of two penalties from Farrell.The hosts created the first opening in the eighth minute when Josh Charnley collected possession inside his own half aand showed impressive pace to advance into the right channel.ddddddddddddhe former Wigan man then found full-back Mike Haley but he could not find Solomona lurking on the right touchline and the ball went into touch.Farrells first penalty then put Saracens ahead after Sale were caught offside, and then midway through the first half Solomona was presented with a golden opportunity.Brad Barritts wayward pass found Solomona on the edge of Sales 22 but the league convert spilled the ball and the opportunity was lost. Saracens began to probe but Sales defence was impressive as they continually kept their visitors at bay.After AJ MacGinty kicked a penalty to draw Sale level in the 28th minute, Saracens went close when Farrell orchestrated a fine counter-attack which saw Barritts kick to the corner sail into touch.Another penalty from Farrell restored the visitors advantage before the break while Sale lost hooker Rob Webber to a yellow card four minutes after the restart.Farrell then uncharacteristically missed two penalties in quick succession but he found his range for another three-pointer after Sale lock Evans was penalised for a deliberate knock-on.After Solomona failed to take MacGintys cross-field kick in his stride in the right corner, Sale then lost number TJ Ioane to a yellow card in the last 10 minutes after Farrell had escaped punishment for catching Haley late.Farrell then went over late on from Will Skeltons pass and Earle touched down a grubber kick before Evans crashed over late on for Sale. 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