uple girls. That was special, for sure.The World Surf League only recently began holding a big-wave competition, spokesman Dave

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Green, not gold, was the color of the day at the Olympic diving venue. China NFL Jerseys .Sure, China won its third consecutive gold medal on Tuesday, but the buzz was about the color of the water in the diving pool -- a murky green.That was in stark contrast to the pools light blue color the previous day and also that of the clear water in the second pool used for the water polo competition at Maria Lenk Aquatic Center.British diver Tom Daley, who earned bronze in mens synchronized 10-meter on Monday, tweeted a photo of the two pools next to each other and captioned it, Ermmm...what happened?!Water quality has been a major issue surrounding the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but in the ocean and lagoons, not the pools.A statement from Olympic organizers said water tests were conducted and there was no risk to athletes. They couldnt explain the color change, but said its being investigated.Rio spokesman Mario Andrada said the green was caused by a proliferation of algae.This was because of heat and a lack of wind, he said. We did all the chemical tests. The pool will be blue tomorrow (Wednesday).If it were green and yellow, we would know it was a patriotic thing, Andrada joked, referring to Brazils national colors.Canada team leader Mitch Geller suspected the cause was algae that multiplied quickly in the days warm and sunny conditions.Everybody was scratching their heads going, `Whats going on? he said. I think that the filter is busted, but Im not sure. Its not really dangerous. Its not like its toxic or dirty or any of that. It seemed to get worse over the course of the competition.The kale-colored water wasnt just a cosmetic nuisance; it was so dark that divers couldnt see the bottom of the pool.Theyre used to seeing the water, Geller said. The visuals are really, really important in diving.Chen Ruolin, who teamed to win gold with Liu Huixia, said it didnt affect them.Paola Espinosa of Mexico, competing in her fourth Olympics, noticed the pool getting increasingly darker throughout the six-round competition. But she said the water didnt smell or affect her skin.I havent seen anything like it before, Espinosa said. But its Brazil and everything is green down here, so maybe it was a decoration to make it look pretty.American Jessica Parratto wears contacts and said the water didnt burn her eyes.Bronze medalists Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion of Canada tried not to laugh as they gazed at the water from atop the 33-foot tower. They liked that the dark green color offered a helpful contrast with the blue sky.The only thing we said is dont open your mouth in the water, just in case, Benfeito said.Geller said a Canadian pool expert was coming in Wednesday and he would offer to help Rio organizers chemically treat the water if theres a problem with the filter.I dont know what its going to look like tomorrow, he said. I hope its not a swamp.---Associated Press Writers Carlos Rodriguez and Stephen Wade contributed to this report. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. Cheap Jerseys From China . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. http://www.cheapjerseysfinish.com/ . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. HONOLULU -- Charging into violent waves at a Maui surf break known as Jaws, a group of women made history Friday as they competed for the first time in the World Surf Leagues big-wave surfing competition.The female competitors paddled into mountains of turquoise water towering more than 30 feet, but the wind shifted at the start of the first heat, and several surfers were pummeled by an unexpected breaking wave.Women have pushed for years to be included in big-wave surfing competitions, while organizers of some contests argued that conditions at famous breaks such as Mavericks in California were too dangerous for women.That competition will include women for the first time this season after state regulators said they might refuse to grant a permit if women were not included. And for the World Surf League, which holds professional competitions around the globe, it has been a matter of getting enough participants to hold a womens event.Competitor Bianca Valenti, who has pushed for women to be included in professional big-wave surf contests, called the day a big step forward for women in the sport.Its the least we can do to speak to the election the other day, Valenti told The Associated Press in a phone interview before the competition, referring to Hillary Clintons defeat by President-elect Donald Trump.I watched Hillarys concession speech and what she was saying -- how important it was for women to really stand up now more than ever to break the glass ceiling -- and that really resonated a lot, Valenti added.There are 12 women and 24 men competing in separate events at the periilous Hawaii break, where competitors training regimes include building up the ability to hold their breath underwater for four minutes in case they are pinned under by crashing waves. Wholesale Stitched Jerseys. Two women were taken to the hospital with knee injuries during Fridays first heat, and Valentis surfboard broke in half during the second heat when she wiped out on a wave.Paige Alms, a surfer from Hawaii, also had a few humbling wipeouts, but she won the competition.I still feel like its kind of a dream, but ah, I cant believe it, Alms told the World Surf League after her win. What a blessing to be out there with just a couple girls. That was special, for sure.The World Surf League only recently began holding a big-wave competition, spokesman Dave Prodan said. With a small window of time when conditions are right, its hard to accommodate a large group of men and women, he added.Women have for years and years been participating in the big-wave community, but probably only in recent years have you had a jump in participation to the point where you have that depth in the field to hold an event, Prodan said.In California, the renowned big-wave competition Titans of Mavericks agreed to include women for the first time this season, although it has not yet been held.This is really about paving the way for the future generations and creating opportunities for them, Valenti said. Just the importance of using our voice all the time and speaking up for what we want. ' ' '