Times wires
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Track and field
'Still the best': Bolt outruns Dix in 200 final
DAEGU, South Korea — Even with the 200 meters already won, Usain Bolt gritted his teeth and dipped his 6-foot-5 frame at the line. He proved his point.
The Jamaican might have clowned around early and renewed antics afterward, but for 19.40 seconds Saturday at the world championships, he was all business.
"I am still the best," he said. "It was beautiful."
It wasn't near his world record of 19.19, but it was the fourth fastest in history.
American and former Florida State standout Walter Dix took silver, finishing 0.30 seconds behind.
"He ran great," said Dix, who won silver in the 100.
Bolt said he's nowhere near his record form of two years ago at the worlds. He expects that to change for next year's London Games.
"I have to come to the Olympics and do my extreme best and blow the peoples' minds," he said.
Meanwhile, the Americans hauled in five medals to increase their total to 21, four more than Russia.
Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross led the 1,600-meter team to gold. Danielle Carruthers and Dawn Harper took silver and bronze in the 100 hurdles, and Matthew Centrowitz finished third in the 1,500 meters.
Boxing
Pacquiao vows to batter Marquez
Manny Pacquiao vowed to remove any doubt about his superiority over Mexican challenger Juan Manuel Marquez when they meet again in November.
Marquez insists he won the previous fights: a draw in 2004 and Pacquiao's split-decision win in 2008.
WBO welterweight champion Pacquiao said Marquez, 37, has no chance of beating him when they meet Nov. 12 in Las Vegas.
"I won't let that happen," said Pacquiao, 32. "And I have to train hard for this fight and to give my best and to give a good show. This is the fight that will answer all the questions."
Soccer
Victory celebration in a changed Libya
Hundreds of joyful Libyans cheered and fired off celebratory gunshots in Tripoli's main square after the national team won in its first match since rebels toppled Moammar Gadhafi's regime and forced the longtime leader into hiding.
The Libyan team won its African Cup of Nations qualifying match against Mozambique 1-0.
"First there was our great victory over despotism and now in soccer," said Abdel-Wahab Shoush, 52, who watched on a giant screen because the game was in Egypt. The win gives Libya six points and second place in its group to qualify for the event that opens Jan. 21.
Meanwhile, defending champ and seven-time winner Egypt failed to qualify for the tournament for the first time since 1978 after a 2-1 loss to host Sierra Leone.
U.S. stumbles: Rodney Wallace scored in the 65th minute to lead Costa Rica to a 1-0 win over the United States late Friday in Carson, Calif., giving Jurgen Klinsmann a loss in his second match as U.S. coach.
Et cetera
Horses: Havre de Grace defeated males in her first attempt in the $750,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. … Quiet Giant won the $250,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.
Cycling: Estonian Rein Taaramae won the 14th stage of the Spanish Vuelta, and Bradley Wiggins extended his overall lead to seven seconds. Taaramae finished the 109.2-mile run from Astorga to La Farrapona in 4 hours, 39 minutes, 1 second.
Times wires