Kitajima sets sights on 2016 Rio Games

Japan's four-time Olympic swimming champion Kosuke Kitajima, who missed out on an individual medal at the London Games, says he is keen to line up at the poolside in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

"While younger swimmers are coming up, I want to go to Rio, too," Kitajima, 30, told a party held in Tokyo on Thursday in honor of Japanese swimmers who collected a record 11 medals in London, according to local media.

Kitajima, who took gold in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics, finished fifth in the 100m and fourth in the 200m in London, but bagged a silver as a member of Japan's 4x100 medley relay.

In London, Japan got three silvers and eight bronzes but no gold in swimming.

After Kitajima's failure, 18-year-old Akihiro Yamaguchi set a new 200 breaststroke world record on September 15, vowing to become his successor.

At Japan's national games, the high school student clocked 2 minutes, 7.01 seconds, breaking the previous world mark of 2:07.28 set by Daniel Gyurta of Hungary on Aug. 1 at the London Olympics.

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Vissel fire Wada, set sights on Nishino

KOBE — Vissel Kobe announced Monday they have sacked coach Masahiro Wada, appointing assistant Ryo Adachi as caretaker for their next match at home to Omiya Ardija.

Said to be at the top of Kobe's wish list as new manager is Akira Nishino, who led Gamba Osaka to five trophies, including the 2008 Asian Champions League title, in his decade in charge before leaving the club after last season.

Various reports say the 57-year-old Nishino, who has a J. League record of 239 coaching victories, is keen to sign with Gamba's regional rivals. The two parties are already deep into negotiations, the reports said.

Kobe would be the third team for Nishino to manage, after Gamba and Kashiwa Reysol.

Vissel have never won a title. They finished last season in ninth place, in their best ever result in the top flight.

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Bears train sights on Packers QB Rodgers

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin — With Aaron Rodgers trying to help the Green Bay Packers secure a No. 1 playoff seed against a sputtering Chicago Bears team missing its two best offensive players, the NFL's most storied rivalry is looking pretty lopsided these days.

Going into a Sunday night matchup at Lambeau Field, the Packers can clinch home-field advantage in the NFC with a win, with the added bonus of knocking their rivals out of the playoffs and beating them for the fourth — yes, fourth — time in 2011.

The Packers may have lost their shot at a perfect season with a loss at Kansas City last week, but probably won't need a perfect performance to beat a team that has turned to Josh McCown at quarterback.

Green Bay does have one major concern, though: Can an offensive line depleted by injuries keep Rodgers from taking too many big hits from a still-dangerous Bears defensive line?

Rodgers conceded that the Packers may have to adjust their offense to compensate for a reshuffled line.

"Depending on who's playing where, you might have to tweak a few things because those guys are used to playing in certain spots," Rodgers said. "If they have to move around a little bit, it's going to take getting used to. We feel confident about the guys we're going to line up, and there's an expectation that they're going to play and play well. But you've got to be smart with the personnel you've got as well."

Kansas City got good pressure on Rodgers, including four sacks, and the Bears hope to do the same.

"We're lucky we're athletic up front," linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "We've got some guys who can rush the passer with four, which has helped us quite a bit. And we're pretty athletic in the back end as well, so we run around. But there's really not a whole lot you can do against him. He's going to make his plays. Hopefully we can make some as well."

The Packers could be without three of their top four offensive tackles on Sunday after injuries to starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga and backup Derek Sherrod. Bulaga sprained his left knee and has been ruled out for Sunday, while Sherrod broke his right leg and is out for the season.

Veteran left tackle Chad Clifton returned to practice this week, but it's not clear when he'll be ready to play. Clifton hurt his hamstring in the Packers' Oct. 9 victory at Atlanta, then hurt his back during the rehabilitation process.

The Packers could play Marshall Newhouse at left tackle, Evan Dietrich-Smith at left guard, Scott Wells at center, Josh Sitton at right guard and T.J. Lang at right tackle. In that scenario, Wells and Sitton would be the only starters playing their natural positions.

Even before losing Bulaga and Sherrod on Sunday, the Packers have been allowing too much pressure on Rodgers the past few weeks. Rodgers has been sacked seven times in the past two games and taken several other big hits.

"Obviously, everybody knows the sacks and the hits, problems that we've had the past few weeks," Lang said. "It's never good to watch a quarterback get hit as many times as he's getting hit. We've got some guys moving around. That's not an excuse for us. Our mentality is, whoever's playing, your No. 1 job is to protect the ball carrier, protect the quarterback."

Packers receivers also struggled to make up for the absence of Greg Jennings, who has a left knee sprain and is expected to return for the playoffs. But Urlacher said Rodgers' play can cover up a lot of other issues for the Packers' offense.

"No. 12's still playing quarterback, so that's all that matters in that offense," Urlacher said. "He gets rid of the ball so fast and knows where to go with the ball. It may be a little bit of a weakness for them, but he's still playing quarterback for them, so they're still dangerous."

But even if the Bears deliver a typically good performance on defense, they still might struggle to score.

Jay Cutler broke his right thumb against San Diego on Nov. 20, when the Bears were 7-3. Running back Matt Forte then sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee in a loss to Kansas City Dec. 4, leaving the Bears without their two most critical players on offense.

Backup Caleb Hanie took over for Cutler and struggled, throwing nine interceptions in four starts, all losses. Now the Bears are turning to McCown, who hasn't started a game in four years.

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Miyazato sets sights on U.S. Open

Colorado Springs, Colorado — Ai Miyazato says she is in good form and ready to bounce back from a disappointing showing at the LPGA Championship when the Women's U.S. Open gets under way on Thursday.

Miyazato missed the cut at the LPGA Championship and has not put herself in contention in eight starts this year, despite a superb 2010 season in which she reached the world No. 1 spot for the first time in her career.

"This is a different situation this week. I am in good shape," Miyazato said after the first 18 practice holes on the tricky par-71 Broadmoor East Course in Colorado Springs.

"The greens here are very difficult," said the 26-year-old from Okinawa, who is seeking her first major title.

Miyazato plays the first two rounds of the U.S. Women's Open alongside Karrie Webb and Cristie Kerr.

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