Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power, has died. He was 82.

USA Gymnastics said Karolyi died Friday. No cause of death was given.

Karolyi and wife Martha trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton.

“A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, posted on Instagram.

The Karolyis defected to the United States in 1981 and over the next 30-plus years became a guiding force in American gymnastics, though not without controversy. Bela helped guide Retton — all of 16 — to the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor at the 1996 Games in Atlanta after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans.

Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semi-centralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come without a cost. He was pushed out after the 2000 Olympics after several athletes spoke out about his tactics.

NHL

SHARKS lose in shooutout to Penguins >> Evgeni Malkin scored the deciding goal in the shootout and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3.

Tyler Toffoli scored twice, including a power-play goal, while Mikael Granlund also scored for the Sharks.

Granlund and Toffoli scored in the third period to tie the game, as San Jose rallied from a three-goal deficit to force overtime.

Tennis

Fritz and Sinner to face off in ATP Finals >> Taylor Fritz is starting to make reaching big finals a habit. And he feels like he belongs among the very best players in tennis, too.

The American followed up his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open by beating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3) on Saturday to advance to the final at the ATP Finals.

In Sunday’s final, Fritz will will face top-ranked Jannik Sinner — the player he lost to in the U.S. Open final. Sinner also beat Fritz in straight sets in the group stage this week.

Sinner advanced with a rapid 6-1, 6-2 win over Casper Ruud.

Racing

23xi and Front Row can still compete in 2025 while suing NASCAR >> The two teams suing NASCAR over an antitrust complaint said Saturday they will compete in 2025 as “open teams” after the sanctioning body removed anticompetitive release claims that will allow them to race while the legal process continues.

23XI Racing, the team owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports refused in September to sign take-it-or-leave it revenue sharing offers made by NASCAR just 48 hours before the start of the playoffs.

The teams have filed an antitrust suit alleging NASCAR is “monopolistic bullies” and were denied in federal court last week a request to be recognized as “chartered” teams as the suit continues. A charter is essentially a franchise and guarantees prize money, a spot in the field each week, and other protections.

Golf

Korda cuts lead to one in LPGA >> Nelly Korda holed two long birdie putts to start her recovery from a six-shot deficit to Charley Hull, cutting the lead down to one shot Saturday going into the final round of The Annika.

Hull kept the lead by limiting the damage to a bogey on the 18th hole at the Pelican Golf Club after hitting into the water following a lengthy wait that led them to finish in near darkness. That gave her a 2-under 68.

Hull was at 12-under 198, one shot clear of Korda and Zhang Weiwei.

McIlroy tied for lead in World Tour Championships >> Rory McIlroy was tied for the lead with Rasmus Hojgaard and Antoine Rozner heading into the final round of the season-ending World Tour Championship as the Northern Irishman closed in on a sixth Race to Dubai title.

McIlroy could have taken the lead outright but his birdie putt at the last hole horseshoed the cup, leaving him to make par for a 4-under 68 and 12-under par for the tournament alongside Hojgaard (66).