LEADING OFF

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Photograph by Patrik Stollarz/Getty Images

GOOOOOOLD! Japan midfielder Homare Sawa (10) and her teammates soaked up the golden spoils of their 3--1 shootout victory over the United States in Sunday's Women's World Cup final in Frankfurt (page 34). Sawa, whose goal in the 117th minute tied the match at two, earned the Golden Ball and Golden Boot awards.

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Photograph by David Gray/Reuters

AGONY OF THE FEET Eszter Czekus, a 16-year-old synchronized swimmer from Hungary, was far from toe-rrific during the technical solo preliminary at the World Swimming Championships on Sunday in Shanghai, finishing 17th out of 33 and failing to qualify for the final. On a more promising note, the U.S.'s Ryan Lochte will begin his quest for six gold medals this weekend (page 42).

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Photograph by Erick W. Rasco

MAJOR ROLL Darren Clarke captivated the gallery around the number 3 green—and alongside all 18 holes at Royal St. George's—on Sunday on the way to winning the British Open (page 24), his first major championship. The 42-year-old Clarke became the second straight Northern Irishman to win a major, joining Rory McIlroy, who took last month's U.S. Open.