Posted on Mon, May. 05, 2008

TRACK AND FIELD

49ers win 3rd straight women's title

Observer News Services

Lamarra Currie and Aja Jackson each won two individual events, and the Charlotte 49ers women's track team claimed its third straight Atlantic 10 title, easily outdistancing the competition at Massachusetts.

Currie was named the outstanding track performer, winning the 100 meters in 11.55 seconds and the 200 (24.11). Jackson won the 800 (2 minutes, 11.52 seconds) and 1,500 (4:37.12). The 49ers tallied 203 points. Dayton and Rhode Island tied for second with 110.5 points.

Charlotte freshman Ebonie Cunningham won the 400 in 55.77 and earned the outstanding rookie award. Other 49ers winners included: Assata Cowart in the 400 hurdles (1:02.42), Sunita Brathwaite in the 100 hurdles (14.41) and Danielle Brown in the triple jump (38 feet, 11.5 inches).

The 49ers' Bob Olesen was named the A-10's top coach for the third straight year.

Rhode Island edged Charlotte in the men's competition, 224-206. The 49ers' Darius Law was victorious in the 200 (21.83) and 400 (48.08), earning the outstanding rookie and outstanding track performer awards.

• Jamaica's Usain Bolt ran the second-fastest 100 meters ever, at the Jamaica International Invitational. Bolt's 9.76 was 0.02 seconds off Asafa Powell's world record. Associated Press

• Kenya's Micah Kogo, 21, won the Bloomsday road race in Spokane, Wash., finishing the 12-kilometer race in 33:51.

In brief

AUTO RACING: In Madison, Ill., John Force celebrated his 59th birthday by becoming the first NHRA driver to reach 1,000 round wins with a first-round victory against Ron Capps in the O'Reilly Midwest Nationals.

BOXING: Oscar De La Hoya pounded out a unanimous 12-round decision Saturday night against Steve Forbes in Carson, Calif., setting up a lucrative rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

HORSE RACING: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is seeking the suspension of Eight Belles' jockey after the filly had to be euthanized following her second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Gabriel Saez was riding Eight Belles when she broke both front ankles while galloping out a quarter of a mile past the wire. She was euthanized on the track.

PETA faxed a letter to Kentucky's racing authority saying the filly was "doubtlessly injured before the finish."

"What we really want to know, did he feel anything along the way?" PETA spokeswoman Kathy Guillermo said. "If he didn't then we can probably blame the fact that they're allowed to whip the horses mercilessly."

Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones said the filly was clearly happy when she crossed the finish line. "I don't know how in the heck they can even come close to saying that," Jones said. "She has her ears up, galloping out." ASSOCIATED PRESS

SOCCER: Nicklas Bendtner's ninth goal of the season gave Arsenal a 1-0 win against Everton in English soccer's Premier League.

TENNIS: Rafael Nadal claimed his 25th ATP Tour championship, topping David Ferrer 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 for his fourth straight Barcelona Open title.

• Fernando Gonzalez downed Simone Bolelli 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (4- 7) 6-3 in Munich, and Vera Zvonareva beat Victoria Azarenka 7- 6 (7-2) 6-2 in Prague for her sixth title.

VOLLEYBALL: Kerri Walsh, half of the women's team that won the Olympic gold medal in Athens, Greece, and the top hope for a U.S. victory in Beijing, withdrew from a tournament because of lingering effects from right shoulder surgery.

OBITUARY: Alan Seiden, a starting guard on St. John's 1959 National Invitation Tournament championship team, has died. He was 71. OBSERVER NEWS SERVICES