RIO DE JANEIRO -- BMX racing is growing up at the Summer Olympics.Its that extreme sport where cyclists pedal on bikes over a roughly quarter mile-long course filled with bumps, hills and sharp twists.Lots of action in a race that lasts about 40 seconds. A sport aimed at younger audiences.It is also now filled with a generation of elite riders who have been at it since BMX became an Olympic medal event in Beijing in 2008.Most people in London (at the 2012 Games) were young like me, or 19, 20, so we grew up and stayed at a good level in BMX, said 25-year-old reigning world champion Joris Daudet of France.Now many of those same racers are back at the colorful track in Rio de Janeiro , creating a deep field of experienced riders.On the mens side, the United States features a team that includes 2012 Olympians Connor Fields and Nic Long, and 2012 alternate Corben Sharrah. Australias Sam Willoughby is back after taking silver four years ago.Latvias Maris Strombergs is back to win a third straight gold. At 29, hes a BMX sage.Everybody is focused on this event. Everybody has the experience, too, Daudet said. He had the top time of 34.617 seconds during the mens seeding runs on Wednesday to earn the top seed in the quarterfinals on Thursday.Colombias Mariana Pajon is off to a fast start in defense of her Olympic title, earning the top seed in the womens draw with a time of 34.508 seconds on a warm, muggy afternoon. The women next race on Friday.Australias Caroline Buchanan and the United States Alise Post are other medal favorites who raced in London, and U.S. rider Brooke Crain is also a returnee. Theyre all getting pushed by younger riders who watched them compete four years ago.Its definitely made it a lot more interesting in racing, Post said.BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross, traces its roots to the late 1960s and early 1970s in Southern California. Besides racing, there is also freestyle BMX in which cyclists ride ramps and perform tricks on their bikes.But racing is the discipline that has taken hold at the Olympics. Over the years, its grown from niche activity to X-Games event to an Olympic medal sport.Yeah, people dont ask if we do back flips anymore, Buchanan said. Were not the BMX bandits of the Beijing Games, the first-timers.BMXs inclusion into the Olympics eight years ago prompted other countries to create programs to develop riders. In the cases of smaller nations like Latvia and Colombia, more attention might be paid to a rider once he or she achieves a level of success.The field this year is deeper than ever, Fields said. Another top medal contender is the Netherlands Niek Kimmann, 20, who won time trials at the worlds in May.Now all over the world, Fields said, you have guys who are 18 to 21 years old who are graduates of their respective countrys development program, which is something that in 2008 or 2012, you wouldnt have gotten that same sort of pathway.The United States is consistently a top contender, though cycling in general has not been a top funding priority for the U.S. Olympic Committee, regardless of discipline.That means more international riders have caught up to the U.S cyclists. International World Cup races, in turn, have become more competitive in recent years.That BMX has stuck around for three Olympics is a positive sign for action sports in general. The 2020 Games will add three more action sports to the lineup to attract younger audiences: climbing, skateboarding and surfing.Consider BMX a trailblazer for the growth.One of the few action sports in the Summer Olympic Games, and a good sign that action sports is strong for 2020 now in Tokyo, Buchanan said. So from an action-sports side of things, I think its super positive for the Summer Games.---Online:AP Summer Games site: http://summergames.ap.org/---Follow Genaro Armas at: https://twitter.com/GArmasAP Air Force One Pas Cher Noir . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Nike Just Do It Chaussure . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. http://www.nikejustdoitchaussure.fr/pas-cher-basket-nike-sb.html . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. Air Force One Just Do It Noir Pas Cher . -- 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. Air Force One Blanche Pas Cher . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame coach Mike Brey knew Sunday what was coming in less than 24 hours when his team likely would be nationally ranked for the first time.Brey knows whats coming at the end of the week, when now-No. 23 Notre Dame (8-0) faces the newest top-ranked team in defending national champion Villanova (8-0).All Brey was worried about after a 54-point victory over North Carolina A&T -- the most lopsided in Purcell Pavilion history -- was the challenge that awaits Tuesday when IUPU-Fort Wayne (7-2) comes to town.Its the same Fort Wayne team that beat then-No. 3 Indiana during Thanksgiving week.The Mastodons believe they can play with anybody. Anywhere. Theyre the type of non-conference team that often worries Brey -- experienced, confident.Three years ago, Notre Dame hosted two similar teams in out of conference games -- Indiana State and North Dakota State -- and lost both.No disrespect to who weve played to date. They may be the best team weve played given their frame of mind, their confidence, Brey said. It would be (an NCAA Tournament) resume win for us.This is a challenge that Notre Dame needs after winning its first eight games by an average of 26.5 points.We want to play hard games; I think were good in hard games, senior captain Steve Vasturia said. Everybody is ready to show people what were made of and take this team where we think we can take it.Notre Dame again is one of the most efficient outfits in the country. The Irish average 89.1 pooints per game and placed a school-record seven in double figures Sunday.ddddddddddddThey lead the nation in free throw shooting at 85.8 percent.They also do it with defense. Notre Dame has held opponents below 40 percent from the floor in five of eight games. The Irish rank fourth in the ACC in field goal percentage defense at 36.7. Last season, the Irish finished eighth at 43.2.Can this team be Breys best team in terms of locking down opponents and guarding for extended stretches?I think it is because they think they are, Brey said. We really know how to play and rotate and help off each other.Dealing with the Mastodons means dealing with do-everything forward John Konchar, a redshirt sophomore. Konchar is averaging 13.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists in a team-high 32.0 minutes with four double-doubles for points and rebounds.Konchar and his teammates have worked to make sure the win over Indiana is just a start -- not the stopping point -- in what they believe can be a special season. Hours after beating the Hoosiers, Konchar already had detected a different basketball vibe around the 14,000-student campus.I went to breakfast and somebody wanted to take a picture with me, he said. I thought that was really interesting. Theres been more attention in a way about basketball, but we just take it day by and focus on our next game. ' ' '