BC-AP Sports Preview Digest

Aug 27, 2015 - 5:07 PM Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Thursday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by 3 p.m. All times EDT:

- BEIJING - Usain Bolt wins the 200 meters at the world championships, then escapes unharmed after a cameraman on a two-wheel vehicle crashes into the Jamaican and knocks him down.

- NEW YORK - Serena Williams will find out which players could stand in the way of her pursuit of the first Grand Slam since 1988 when the U.S. Open holds its draw.

- EDISON, N.J. - Jordan Spieth plays as the No. 1 golfer for the first time when the FedEx Cup playoffs begin at The Barclays. Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen and Sergio Garcia are skipping the tournament.

- NEW ORLEANS - They remember when the waters rose. Drew Brees and Sean Payton and others on the Saints were there 10 years ago when Katrina unleashed its fury.

- RIO DE JANEIRO - Rio's sewage-filled water is more than just a health risk. For open-water swimmers at next year's Olympics, avoiding the bacteria and viruses will become part of the race strategy.

- BOSTON - College football stars are starting to snatch up trademark rights to their names, nicknames and fan slogans. The NCAA forbids them from cashing in on their success while in school.

- SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - American Pharoah takes his first trip around Saratoga Race Course. The Triple Crown winner is pronounced ''super good'' in preparation for Saturday's Travers Stakes.

- PHILADELPHIA - The first-place Mets go for their seventh straight victory, with Jonathon Niese starting against the major league-worst Phillies. Game starts 7:05 p.m.

- SAN FRANCISCO - Giants ace Madison Bumgarner (15-6) faces a Cubs team in the postseason mix. San Francisco is Chicago's closest rival for the second NL wild card. Game starts 3:45 p.m.

- CINCINNATI - Zack Greinke (13-3, 1.67 ERA) is on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who try for a sweep of a Reds team that has lost 11 of 12. Game started 12:35 p.m.

- MIAMI - The Miami Dolphins' two-year, $400 million stadium makeover will be interrupted for the 2015 season, beginning with Saturday's exhibition game against Atlanta.

- PRATTVILLE, Ala. - Past champions Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson open play in the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. Thompson won the 2011 tournament at age 16.

- SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - The field for the Little League World Series championship weekend is set when Mexico plays Venezuela (4 p.m.) and Pearland, Texas, faces Bonita, California, (8 p.m.).

- GREENBURGH, N.Y. - In a showdown between the WNBA's top teams, the New York Liberty of the Eastern Conference play the Minnesota Lynx of the Western Conference on Friday night.