Rio 2016: Mayweather advice, magic birth dates, refugee murals, boring food

Last updated 05:30 BST

British Cycling shared this photo of the team's "unsung heroes" on Twitter, adding:, external "Just some of the team behind the team."

Could being born on 23 March be the secret behind Team GB Olympic success? A curious statistic has emerged that Jason Kenny, Sir Chris Hoy, Sir Steve Redgrave and Mo Farah were all born on the same date. (BBC Radio 5 live)

If you dream of your future child topping the podium, then 29 June is said to be the magic conception date. (Daily Mail), external

Olympic bantamweight prospect Shakur Stevenson, 19, says he took the advice of his idol Floyd Mayweather - who was ringside as the American beat Tsendbaatar Erdenebat to reach the semi-final - rather than his coaches. "I got like 'dang, Floyd is here'," he added. (Sun), external

Michael Phelps has paid tribute to swimming legend Mark Spitz by mimicking his fellow American's iconic 1972 pose with his haul of Olympic gold medals. (Daily Mail), external

Phelps spent his first day after retiring from swimming back in the pool with baby Boomer. "No place like being back home!! Great way to spend my first day in retirement!!" he posted on Instagram., external

The portraits of all 10 members of the first Olympic refugee team now have a permanent place on the streets of Rio. Brazilian artists Rodrigo Sini and Cety dedicated a spray-painted mural to the athletes as a way of highlighting their importance. (Reuters)

What's it like to train like an Olympic athlete? Try eating nothing but peanut butter, letting robots control your mind, or ingesting hornet vomit. (Guardian), external

With five new medals to her name, American swimmer Katie Ledecky got a warm welcome on her return to the States. "It's pretty crazy," she said. (Washington Post), external

The queue for the free fast food in the athletes' village remains one of the longest in Rio. US swimming gold medallist Kevin Cordes says: "It breaks the monotony." Montenegro water polo player Aleksandar Radovic added: "Our food in the village is so boring." (Time), external

American gold-medal gymnasts Alexandra Raisman and Simone Biles also got in on the great Olympic village fast food rush...

But British swimmer Aimee Willmott is getting tired of the menu in Rio...

A Haitian athlete literally fell at the first hurdle after a Usain Bolt-style pre-race build up. Jeffrey Julmis had a cheeky look at the cameras as he pointed at his watch before his heat, but crashed straight away after his start. (CNN), external

Britain's Laura Trott had a message for any doubters after she won a fourth Olympic cycling gold medal: "Who says girls can't play sports?! I KEEP PLAYING and just won GOLD! ‪#‎LikeAGirl" (Facebook), external

Athletes, spectators and broadcasters are all using virtual reality to enhance their experience of the Rio Olympic Games. (Sports Illustrated), external

Serbia's Tijana Bogdanovic claims studying the fights of China's Jingyu Wu on YouTube was the key to her beating the two-time Olympic taekwondo champion. (AP)

Argentine sailor Santiago Lange, a cancer survivor and the oldest Rio gold medallist at 54, said he lost count of how many times he broke down during the celebrations. (Business Insider), external‬

German twins Anna and Lisa Hahner joined hands as they crossed the finish line well down the field in the Rio marathon on Sunday but their country's track and field officials were not so enamoured of the sisterly gesture, accusing them of publicity-seeking and treating the race "like a fun run". (New York Times), external

A five-year-old boy from Dublin has written to Belfast bantamweight Michael Conlan to express his sadness at the Irishman's controversial unanimous loss to Russia's Vladimir Nikitin in the Rio quarter-finals. In a touching letter, Finn McManus told Conlan, "You should have won because you are the best boxer in the world," and enclosed the medal he had himself won at a recent sports day.

The boxer replied with a tweet, external regarding young Finn, which reads: "Very warming message from this young lad. If anyone knows who he is, could they please tell him I have a gift for him."

Conlan, who had reacted furiously immediately after his highly controversial defeat, later posted a reflective message on Facebook:, external "Heartbroken, a picture that speaks a thousand words, my reaction was a bit wild but it was my true emotions."

An Irish broadcaster has created an interactive game called 'Can you beat the Russian boxer?' No matter how many punches are thrown, you always lose. (RTE), external

Le Telegrame, external in France says: "Britain has been able to 'manufacture' a female sprinter in barely three years. Katy Marchant, who won a bronze medal in the speed race at Rio, was still taking part in the heptathlon at the beginning of 2013."

Outspoken French ex-cyclist, ex-coach and now columnist Antoine Vayer has been posting a number of provocative tweets, external aimed at British cyclists, with the latest simply stating: "£ycling".

And French business daily Les Echos asked:, external "Why do the British swipe so many medals?". The answer, it says, is simple - GB takes more athletes.

The Sydney Morning Herald, external describes Australia's lack of medals in Rio as something of an expensive failure. "Australia's underwhelming performance in Brazil is set to come at a cost of as much as A$11m per medal to the taxpayer," it says. "While Team GB, with £274m pledged to their Olympic sports between 2013 and 2017, are still enjoying the afterglow of London by punching well above their weight here, the jury is still out for Australia's program."

Reports emerged, external that Australia's Olympic team captain Anna Meares had raised her eyebrows at Team GB's success in the cycling, stating: "It's not just the Australian team that have questions." But Meares then posted on Twitter, external to deny she had suggested any impropriety from the British team.

Germany cyclist Kristina Vogel won gold in the individual track sprint final but said of the Britons:, external "I don't want to make any allegations about anyone, but it is questionable. They all come at such a level - I have no idea how they do that."

BBC pundit Michael Johnson proves his reflexes are still in good order as he combats a persistent moth in the Rio studio.

Britain's golden girl Laura Trott answers a series of more unusual questions in her inimitable style, with references to aliens, Henry VIII and why she eats no fruit.

Azizulhasni Awang - known as the "Pocket Rocket Man" - finally hands Malaysia a medal outside of badminton or diving with a bronze in the keirin cycling event. (Malaya Mail), external

American Simone Manuel, the first black female swimmer to win an individual Olympic gold medal, reveals her delight in inspiring youngsters.

British golfer Justin Rose posts a video of his gold medal wrapped around the mirror in his car as he heads homeward after triumphing in Rio.

British medal-winning gymnasts Max Whitlock and Louis Smith try to identify which of them has sent which emoji-filled tweets.

Britain's triple Olympic rowing champion Pete Reed joins some team-mates for a golden photo opportunity.

Britain's double silver medal-winning cyclist Becky James writes on Facebook:, external "Silver Olympic medals and an Olympic record!!!! Now somebody really needs to pinch me! What an incredible journey it's been! Thanks so much for all the lovely support and messages everyone. I ❤ Rio! ‪#‎Olympics"

Three-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome captures the BBC graphic telling the impressive story of British cycling achievement in Rio.

Meanwhile, Britain's gold medal-winning swimmer Adam Peaty revels in meeting heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua.

Japanese pole vaulter Hiroki Ogita has described his bewilderment after reports his penis had prevented him from progressing in the pole vault went viral.

Olympic diver He Zi has said her feelings were "complicated" when fellow Chinese diver Qin Kai proposed to her after she won a silver medal. (BBC Asia)

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Tuesday's Gossip

Smartphone bans and free beer. Read more here

Monday's Gossip

Did Bolt cause security scare? Ledecky recreates that Phelps photo. Read more here, external

Sunday's Gossip

McDonald's queues, marathon triplets, marriage proposals. Read more here, external

Saturday's Gossip

Floyd Mayweather, baseball caps, cycling celebrations, fainting Finns. Read more here

Friday's Gossip

Rubbish dives, Michael Phelps, baby Boomer, sick sailor, unpaid coaches. Read more here, external

Thursday's Gossip

Simone Biles green pools and giant rodents. Read more here