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WASHINGTON -- One by one, swimmer Katie Ledecky handed her Olympic medals to Bryce Harper. Four gold medals and one silver from the Rio Olympics sat in the hands of the reigning National League MVP.As the Nationals star outfielder held the medals on his arms like a rack, Ledecky threw the ceremonial first pitch to reliever Shawn Kelley before the Baltimore Orioles beat Washington 10-8 Wednesday night. It was a strike over the plate.Ive swum in front of 14,000 people, Ledecky said. Once the ball leaves the hand, you cant really control it.Ledecky, a native of nearby Bethesda, Maryland, has thrown out the first pitch at Nationals Park before. That was in 2012 after she won the 800-meter freestyle at the London Olympics as a 15-year-old.I think Ive gotten stronger and a lots happened in four years, she said. Ive been to a couple world championships, more international meets, another Olympics, Ive gone through high school, Im heading out to college. Looking back four years ago, a lot has changed since then.Ledecky has become more dominant.She tied as the most decorated U.S. female athlete in Rio de Janeiro along with gymnast Simone Biles and just short of Michael Phelps for the most among Americans. Before Ledeckys first pitch, a tribute played on the video board featuring a clip of her world record-shattering victory in the 800M freestyle in Rio when she won by more than 11 seconds.The 19-year-old met several Nationals before the game, including Harper, whom she called one of her favorites. They didnt give her any tips on the first pitch, which she said she practiced plenty Tuesday, but they were curious about her five medals.They all wanted to see how heavy they were and things like that, Ledecky said. They are pretty heavy. It was kind of a different feeling for me to have them be a fan of me when Ive been a huge fan of theirs for a couple years.Ledecky got a warm reception on the field 20 minutes before the start of the game but a rousing standing ovation when she was shown on the video board before the fifth inning. Fans cheered and broke out in chants of U-S-A! U-S-A!She said her accomplishments in Rio are slowly but surely sinking in, only days after the closing ceremony.I expect itll sink in as we move forward the next couple weeks, Ledecky said. Once I get back in the pool and start working toward my next goals, I know you just kind of have to put everything youve done behind you and start working toward the next thing.For now, the next thing is college. Ledecky will be a freshman at Stanford in the fall and plans to take some time off before starting school.Before she finds out who her roommate is, Ledeckys mind is already on the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.Itll probably be the longest break Ill take in the next four years, she said. Its just nice to be out of the water a little bit and get recharged for the next four years. Wholesale College Jerseys . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. Custom College Jerseys . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. https://www.fakecollegejerseys.com/ . 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Earnhardt hasnt scored a top-10 finish in a month and, yes, he is indeed in danger of missing the championship Chase.With eight races remaining to complete the 16-driver field, Earnhardt ranks third among drivers who have yet to secure a win this season but are ranked high enough to make the Chase. Its not a safe position by any means: Earnhardt has slipped from seventh in the standings since May and has led only four laps since mid-March.Hes not the only driver in a precarious position. Because 11 drivers have so far won races this season, any first-time winners in the next two months will claim the remaining five Chase berths. Among those looking for automatic berths in the Chase are two of Earnhardts Hendrick Motorsports teammates -- Chase Elliott and Kasey Kahne -- as well as 2015 qualifier Jamie McMurray.Ryan Newman, who has made the Chase the last two years without a win, is on the bubble. Austin Dillon, rookie Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson are all eyeing wildcard spots but they could solidify a berth with their first career Cup wins.The chances of some of the bubble drivers over the final two months of NASCARs regular season before the playoffs begin:EARNHARDTNASCARs most popular driver is probably the most puzzling performer this season. After winning seven races the past two years, this is the deepest he has gone into a season without a victory since his 2013 winless campaign. Earnhardts numbers are down across the board. Hes got only five top-five finishes, six top-10s and 53 laps led.He told reporters after Saturday nights 13th-place finish at Kentucky that he is not nervous about his positioning for the Chase.What am I going to do? he asked. Were running as good as we can. Its either going to be good enough or wont be enough. Im not really going to lose any sleep over it, at least at this moment. When we miss the Chase, itll be frustrating and disappointing, but were going to plan on not doing that. Were going to plan on making it.In the coming month, Earnhardt could gain some traction at Pocono, where he has two career victories, finished second in June and has seven consecutive finishes of 11th or better.He has also won at Bristol, Michigan and Richmond, where the Chase field will be finalized Sept. 10. Even if he doesnt get a win, mediocre results at his strong tracks should be enough to get Earnhardt into the Chase.EARNHARDTS TEAMMATESElliott is having a very nice rookie season and hass climbed from 10th in the standings in early May to as high as sixth.dddddddddddd He is currently eighth, the highest-ranked driver without a victory but three consecutive finishes outside the top-20 weakened his position.What could work against Elliott is a lack of experience at some of the upcoming tracks. Hes yet to run a Cup car at New Hampshire, site of Sundays race, or Watkins Glen. Elliott has only been to Pocono in a Cup car once, same with Indianapolis. But he won Xfinity Series races at Darlington and Richmond, so both tracks are very familiar.Kahne is in much rougher shape at 17th in the overall standings, but seventh among winless drivers.Kahne has only one win in almost three full seasons, and hes not exactly knocking on the door of victory lane. Hes finished in the top-five only twice this season and has yet to lead a lap.Hes likely going to need to steal a win somewhere to have any shot at making the Chase.NEWMANHe is the sneaky driver in this field and has successfully made the Chase the last three seasons. Despite not winning a race since 2013, Newman was runner-up in the championship in 2014 and made it to the second round of the Chase last year. Now hes on another quiet run toward a Chase berth. Newman has climbed from 18th in the standings in May to 12th, and hes ranked only behind Elliott among winless drivers. Also in his favor? Hes really good at Indy, where hes got one career victory and five consecutive finishes of 12th or better.THE YOUNG GUYSNASCAR has high hopes for the future of the Cup Series with fresh talent in Elliott, Dillon, Blaney and Larson. Of that crop, Elliott is having the best year, but the others have shown flashes of stepping it up a notch.Dillon is currently on the Chase bubble at 14th in the standings and only one point below Earnhardt. His season is up one week, down the next, and he needs consistency to maintain his footing.Blaney is ranked 18th in the standings and is probably the longshot for victory lane. He has yet to lead a lap and only has six top-10 finishes, but Ford has turned it up of late and hes got de facto Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano to lean on for assistance.Larson might be the first of the group to get a win, which would be long overdue. He has been erratic since his 2014 rookie campaign, though his drop-offs are much shorter now He was third at Michigan, followed by 12th at Sonoma. Then he was sixth at Daytona, followed by 19th at Kentucky.If hes going to make his first Chase, he either needs a string of top-10 finishes, or to finally get that first win. ' ' '