In Sports from United Press International
Kwan caps record Olympic day for USA
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Michelle Kwan capped a record-setting and historic day for the home team Tuesday night by coming out on top in yet another 5-4 figure skating decision to move within one step of claiming her first Olympic gold medal.
Although she has four world and six national championships to her credit, Kwan has yet to win Olympic gold. She had to settle for a silver four years ago in Nagano behind Tara Lapinski.
Kwan got the best of her competition Tuesday night, turning in a short program that was judged superior to that of Russian Irina Slutskaya. Americans Sasha Cohen and Sara Hughes finished third and fourth with another Russian star, Maria Butyrskaya, finishing fifth.
Kwan was given first place by five of the judges while Butyrskaya was tops in the minds of the other four. But Butyrskaya was also judged third by two of the judges. Kwan received all 5.9s for artistic impression.
It was a 5-4 decision in favor of Russian pair skaters Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze that touched off an international furor last week and the ice dancing competition was also decided a 5-4 vote.
Kwan's performance was the last big show of the night for the United States, which claimed two of the five gold medals awarded Tuesday. One of them went to a speed skater who set a world record and the other was awarded to the first women bobsled champions in Olympic history.
Derek Parra, who won a silver medal over 5,000 meters on the first day of competition at these Games, knew he had to skate a world record to win a gold in the 1,500-meter race Tuesday. Not only did he do so, he broke the old record, which had been set earlier in the afternoon, by more than half a second. Parra skated a 1:43.95 to defeat the man who had defeated him in the 5,000 -- Jochem Uytdehaage of the Netherlands.
Americans Jill Bakken and Vonetta Flowers won the first Olympic gold medal ever awarded in women's bobsledding. In addition, Flowers became the first black athlete in Winter Olympics history to win a gold medal--which also turned out to be the sixth in these Games for her native country. That equals the most gold medals ever in a Winter Games for the United States.
The American women's hockey team reached the gold medal game Tuesday night with a 4-0 victory over defensive-minded Sweden. The United States held Finland to just 10 shots and will meet Canada in Thursday's title contest after the Canadians rallied from a one-goal deficit in the third period to beat Finland, 7-3.
PGA Match Play starts Wednesday
CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The PGA will have a field of 64 of the best players participating in the Match Play Championship beginning Wednesday at La Costa Resort and Spa.
Tiger Woods, the No. 1 seed who last played in this event here in 2000 and lost in the final to Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, is looking forward to the head-to-head competition with the $1 million first prize.
The Match Play Championship is the only World Golf Championships tournament that Woods has failed to win. Jeff Maggert won the inaugural event here in 1999, followed by Clarke in 2000. Last year, Steve Stricker beat Pierre Fulke of Sweden, 2 and 1, in the 36-hole final at The Metropolitan Club in Australia.
Woods will be matched against Peter O'Malley, the 64th seeded player based on the official world golf rankings, on Wednesday. Woods is in the same bracket as eighth-seeded Davis Love III and Vijay Singh of Fiji.
Phil Mickelson, the second seed in the world rankings, will meet John Cook in the first round. David Duval is seeded third and will play Kevin Sutherland on Wednesday.
A total of 20 players from the European Tour are participating in the event, including No. 4 Sergio Garcia of Spain and fifth-seeded Ernie Els of South Africa. Garcia will meet Lee Janzen while Els opens against Jeff Sluman.
O'Neal returned Tuesday night
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Lakers, who were coming off back-to-back losses, Tuesday activated superstar center Shaquille O'Neal from the injured list.
The Lakers went 2-3 without the 7-2, 350-pound O'Neal, who also missed the All-Star Game due to an arthritic right big toe. He was in the starting lineup for Tuesday night's game against Boston.
After losses to Atlanta on Friday and Portland on Sunday, the Lakers fell three games behind first-place Sacramento in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles has not lost three in a row since Phil Jackson took over as coach prior to the 1999-00 season.
The Lakers used Samaki Walker and Stanislav Medvedenko at center over the last five games in O'Neal's absence. The two combined for just 16 points and 12 rebounds in the losses to Atlanta and Portland.
A nine-time All-Star, O'Neal is averaging 26.1 points and 10.8 rebounds in 37 games this season, missing 10 due to the toe injury and three due to a suspension for throwing a punch at Brad Miller in a Jan. 12 game against Chicago.
Kuerten upset at AT&T Cup tennis
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Playing in his first match since being upset in the first round of the Australian Open, top-seeded Gustavo Kuerten was ousted in opening round Tuesday at the AT&T Cup.
The Brazilian and defending champion had no answer for local favorite Agustin Calleri, who used his home country to his advantage en route to a 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4) upset.
In the first Grand Slam of the year, Kuerten was beaten last month by unknown Frenchman Julien Boutter.
It also was a quick exit for second-seeded Argentine Guillermo Canas, who was beaten by Spaniard David Sanchez, 6-2, 6-3.
Third-seededed Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador made it out of the first round with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Argentine Leonard Olguin.
Minnesota signs OF Torii Hunter
FT. MYERS, Fla., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Torii Hunter, one of the more complete outfielders in the American League, Tuesday avoided arbitration with the Minnesota Twins by signing a one-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed but Hunter was seeking $2.7 million in arbitration while the club was offering $2 million. He made $250,000 last season and can be a free agent after this season.
The 26-year-old Hunter is coming a year in which he batted .261 with 27 homers and 92 RBI. He also won a Gold Glove for his defense in center field and was second among AL outfielders in assists. The former first-round pick has a career average of .264 with 41 home runs and 173 RBI in 389 games.
Ravens to release Shannon Sharpe
BALTIMORE, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday that Shannon Sharpe, the NFL's all-time leader for tight ends in catches and yards, will be released by the Baltimore Ravens this week for salary cap purposes.
An eight-time Pro Bowler, Sharpe just completed his second season with the Ravens and is halfway through a four-year, $13.2 million contract that included a $4.5 million signing bonus.
Sharpe will be the latest member of the Ravens' 2000 championship team to exit, following retired defensive tackle Tony Siragusa and linebacker Jamie Sharper and returner Jermaine Lewis, who were both selected by the Houston Texans in Monday's NFL expansion draft.
Known for his trash-talking as well as his pass-catching ability, Sharpe took some verbal shots at Ravens senior vice president Ozzie Newsome and coach Brian Billick.
"I can see where they are headed when they take a linebacker like Jamie Sharper, who is 27 and one of the three best in the league outside of Ray Lewis, and put him on expansion," Sharpe told the Baltimore Sun. "I can see where they are headed when they take a player like Jermaine Lewis and put him out there.
"I don't agree with them. I don't care what Sharper's (salary) cap number is. When you have a player that young, with so many good years remaining, you pay him. Jermaine is about the same age, and when our offense stalled last season, he was the only one to give us a spark. He is the only player on the team who can turn the game around with one touch. But Ozzie Newsome was executive of the year and Brian Billick is able to write books."
More than $20 million over the salary cap, the Ravens exposed high-priced players Sharper, Lewis and starting defensive end Rob Burnett in the expansion draft. The Houston Texans selected Sharper and Lewis, shedding $7 million off Baltimore's cap.
Pacers send Rose to Bulls in major swap
CHICAGO, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Fighting for a playoff berth, the Indiana Pacers have traded Jalen Rose, their leading scorer and most versatile player, to the Chicago Bulls in a seven-player deal.
The Pacers landed shooting guard Ron Mercer, swingman Ron Artest, center Brad Miller and backup point guard Kevin Ollie and sent Rose, point guard Travis Best, rookie guard Norm Richardson and a conditional second-round pick to the Bulls.
A multi-player trade between the teams appeared imminent when the Bulls elected not to play Artest and Miller in Monday night's game against the Miami Heat. Mercer is on the injured list. The deal was officially completed on Tuesday morning, two days before the NBA trading deadline.
A starter at small forward, Rose is averaging 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists this season and recently said he wanted to finish his career as a Pacer when trade speculation swirled last week. In his final game as a Pacer, Rose scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to lead Indiana to an 86-76 win over Philadelphia on Sunday.
Rose, who turned 29 last month, is making $10.8 million this season and is guaranteed $72 million over the next five years A lefthanded shooter and one of four players to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists last season, the 6-8 Rose can also play both guard positions.
Best, 29, will be a free agent after the season and is averaging 6.9 points and 4.0 assists as a backup to rookie Jamaal Tinsley. He averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 assists last season.
Mercer, the Bulls' leading scorer at 16.8 points per game, is on the injured list. Artest is the team's second leading scorer at 15.6 points per game and Miller is third at 12.7. The 25-year-old Mercer, who will make $6.75 million per season through 2003-04, will be a difficult fit in Indiana with Reggie Miller at shooting guard.
Known for his defense, the 6-7, 245-pound Artest addresses Indiana's need for a player with the ability to cover high-scoring shooting guards and small forwards. Artest, 22, expressed a desire to be traded to a winning team and volunteered to play any position but center for the Pacers.
The 7-foot, 260-pound Miller fills Indiana's need for a big body in the middle. Jermaine O'Neal, who is 6-11 and 225 pounds, starts at center for Indiana with 6-11, 240-pound Jeff Foster serving as a backup. Along with averaging 12.7 points, Miller is grabbing 8.4 rebounds per game.
Pistons center suspended one game
NEW YORK, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The NBA suspended Detroit Pistons center Clifford Robinson one game Tuesday for pleading guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.
Robinson will miss Wednesday's home game against the Toronto Raptors.
A starter, Robinson is second on the club in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game to go along with 4.8 rebounds.
Winfield named :Padre vice president
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Dave Winfield, who became the first Baseball Hall of Famer adorned with the cap of the San Diego Padres last summer, was named vice president of the team on Tuesday.
Padres President and CEO Bob Vizas made the announcement and said that Winfield's responsibilities will include front office and on-field business, the review of existing practices, baseball operations, marketing, the new ballpark, player development, community relations and diversity issues.
One of only seven players to collect 3,000 hits and 400 home runs, Winfield was inducted on Aug. 4, 2001, with former Minnesota Twins teammate Kirby Puckett.
Winfield, who never played in the minor leagues and was drafted by teams in four professional sports leagues, spent the first eight of his 22 major league seasons with the Padres and retired with 3,110 hits, 465 home runs and 1,833 RBI. He drove in at least 100 runs eight times, including 108 at the age of 41, and was an All-Star every year from 1977-88.
Venus Williams heading for No 1
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- American Venus Williams will become the fourth player in the last four months to take over the No. 1 spot when the WTA singles rankings are released next Monday.
Williams has won three of the four tournaments she has played--Gold Coast, Paris and Antwerp--moving her within 137 points of No. 1 player Jennifer Capriati in this week's rankings. The reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, Williams will become the new No. 1 regardless of her finish in the Dubai Women's Open this week.
Capriati, who was a runner-up at Oklahoma City last year, is not playing in that tournament this week, allowing Williams to moveahead by at least five points in the rankings
Williams follows Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and Capriati as No. 1 players over the last four months.
Testud reaches Dubai quarterfinals
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Fourth-seeded Sandrine Testud of France moved into the quarterfinals for just the second time this year with a win Tuesday at the Dubai Women's Open.
Testud, who entered this tournament with a 3-5 record in 2001, got past Italy's Rita Grande, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, in the only second-round match Tuesday. Testud, who also reached the quarterfinals at Tokyo Pan Pacific, improved to 4-1 lifetime against Grande.
The 29-year-old Testud received a bye in the first round as did top seed Venus Williams of the United States, American second seed Monica Seles and third-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo.
Sixth-seeded Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand improved to 13-4 this year as she got past Slovakia's Martina Sucha, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, in a first-round match. Tanasugarn was runner-up to Seles in Canberra last week.
Seventh seed Angeles Montolio of Spain also needed three sets to get past France's Camile Pin, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Switzerland's Emmanuelle Gagliardi defeated Australian Nicole Pratt, 6-4, 6-3, and Russia's Anna Kournikova posted a 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Tunisia's Selima Sfar.
In other first-round matches, Slovakia's Janetta Husarova beat Indonesia's Angelique Widjaja, 6-1, 6-4; Italian Tathiana Garbin beat Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4; and Croatia's Jelena Kostinic got by Hungary's Petra Mandula, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.
