*** The latest news from the USOC - June 29 ***

(Courtesy of United States Olympic Committee)

Salt Lake City, UT (My Sportsbook) - The following is a recap of events from the United States Olympic Committee.

Archery: (June 23) All 13 remaining members of the U.S. Archery World Target Championship Team were eliminated from individual competition during the head- to-head elimination round. Four-time Olympian Butch Johnson (Woodstock, Conn.) and 2004 Olympian Jennifer Nichols (Cheyenne, Wyo.) advanced to the quarterfinals before being eliminated. (June 24) The U.S. men's and women's World Target Championship compound teams advanced to the finals as they continued their quest to defend the USA's 2003 world titles. In the recurve team competition, the U.S. men advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to a team from India, 255-236, while the U.S. women's lost in the first round to the Japanese archers, 238-231. (June 26) The 2005 Archery World Target Championships came to a close with the U.S. compound team winning a gold and a silver medal in the team round event. The No. 1-seeded men's compound team of Dave Cousins (Standish, Maine), Braden Gellenthien (Hudson, Mass.) and Dee Wilde (Pocatello, Idaho) defended its 2003 World team title, along with Kevin Polish (Carmichaels, Pa.), defeating Norway easily in the gold- medal match, 251-226. Reigning World Target Champion Mary Zorn (College Station, Texas), 16-year-old Erika Anschutz (Grand Island, Neb.), Jamie Van Natta (Toledo, Ohio) and Christie Colin (Cape May, N.J.) won the women's compound team silver medal after losing a close finals match to archers from France, 250-246. (June 27) The Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex and Florida Archery Association hosted the 24th Annual Junior Olympic Archery Development National Championships in Orlando. The event featured more 200 young archers (6 to 18 years old) from around the country, including Junior United States Archery Team members and Junior World Champions For competition results, log on to www.usarchery.org.

Baseball: (June 22) Cory Rasmus (Phenix City, Ala.) lined a run-scoring double to drive in the tie-breaking run in the top of the 11th inning as the Dixie National All-Stars edged AABC, 3-2, in the nightcap of the 10th Annual Tournament of Stars at historic Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, Mo. In earlier action, NABF used two big innings to register a 14-3 victory against PONY while the USA Stars tallied six runs in the first two innings on the way to a 9-1 win against Babe Ruth. (June 24) USA Baseball announced that Alex Gordon - an infielder from the University of Nebraska - topped a talented field of five finalists to capture the 2005 Golden Spikes Award, amateur baseball's most prestigious honor, which is sponsored annually by the Major League Baseball Players Association. For more information, log on to www.usabaseball.com.

Basketball: (June 27) The quest for gold resumes June 28 for the USA Women's U19 World Championship Team. Fresh from a 4-0 finish and gold medal-winning performance at the recent International Sports Invitational in San Diego, Calif., the squad will reassemble in Colorado Springs, Colo. for its final preparations for the July 15-24 FIBA U19 World Championship in Tunisia. The U.S. will continue its training July 3-6 at American University in Washington, D.C., then will travel to Budapest, Hungary, where it will train July 7-11 and play two exhibition games (July 9-10) against Hungary's U19 Team. For more information, log on to www.usabasketball.com.

Bowling: (June 22) A good mix of veteran leadership and promising newcomers added up to success for United States Bowling Congress' Junior Team USA 2005 at the recent International Youth Friendship Tournament in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. (June 22) The USBC has begun a thorough review of the entire "System of Bowling," which includes the lanes, lane conditions, bowling balls and pins. Through improved set standards following ongoing research by the USBC Equipment Specifications Team, the USBC will ensure the future of bowling does not suffer from a lack of sporting credibility. (June 22) The United States Bowling Congress Board has selected Barbara Chrisman (Pleasant View, Utah) and Perry Daniels (Carrollton, Texas) to join the USBC Board of Directors, which is made up of 24 active bowlers and bowling enthusiasts. (June 22) The United States Bowling Congress Collegiate program is accepting bids to host the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships and USBC Intercollegiate Singles Championships in 2007 and 2008. (June 23) Anita Manns has had quite a spring. In April, she was named the Collegiate Bowler of the Year by the Bowling Writers Association of America. Later, the Wichita State senior was named most valuable player as she helped her school win a national title at the Intercollegiate Bowling Championships. Now the Austin, Texas native takes her All-American credentials to the Women's International Bowling Congress Championship Tournament, where Manns would just like to keep pace with her mother. Norma Manns bowls on a team that currently leads the team event in Division 1. (June 24) Chicago's Chi-Town team is at it again. The women who won the Division 1 (average 846 thru 945) team event last year now lead Division 2 (average 746 thru 845) after shooting a team score of 2,640 to move into first place by 14 pins. With one day of competition remaining at the WIBC Tournament, Chi-Town has a great chance of becoming repeat champions. (June 25) Chicago's Gwendolyn Franklin tossed the shot that ended the 86th WIBC Championship Tournament, a 77-day event which was highlighted by two scoring records. (June 28) The United States Bowling Congress Board of Directors has explored available resources and has decided to retain the assets of the Professional Women's Bowling Association until a viable proposal is found. For more information, log on to www.bowl.com.

Boxing: (June 22) Following a successful opening day of competition at the 2005 Junior Olympic National Boxing Championships in Brownsville, Texas, 30 bouts were on tap for day two. Boxers ranging in weight from 95 pounds on up to the super heavyweight (201+ lbs) division stepped into the ring, all of them in search of a Junior Olympic national title. June 25) The Junior Olympic National Championships moved into championship-round action on both the male and female sides, featuring the best 15- and 16-year-old boxers in the nation. For complete results, log on to www.usaboxing.org.

Canoe/Kayak: (June 24) In first day action at the Flatwater Sprint U.S. Team Trials in Lake Placid, N.Y., Rami Zur (Berkeley, Calif.) outraced a strong field to win the men's single kayak 500 meter event. Jeff Smoke (Buchanan, Mich.) and Andy Bussey (Kailua, Hawaii) finished second and third, right on Zur's tail. In the women's single kayak 500 meter race, Carrie Johnson (San Diego, Calif.) paddled to her second consecutive team trials title. Following close behind were Kari-Jean McKenzie (San Diego, Calif.) in second and Kalen Lee (Gainesville, Ga.) in third. Johnson also led a strong boat of female paddlers in the women's K-4 (four person kayak) 500 meter event. With her were Maggie Hogan (San Diego, Calif.), Kalen Lee and Susannah Stucchio (Mount Vernon, N.Y.). In the men's K-2 (two person kayak) 500 meter event, 2004 Olympians Jeff Smoke and Andy Bussey held off the fast-closing boat of Rami Zur and Tim Hornsby (San Diego, Calif.). In the men's single canoe, two-time Olympian Jordan Malloch (Seattle, Wash.) dominated a small field of paddlers in the 500 meter distance. Finishing second was David Aldrich (San Diego, Calif.). Athletes finishing first in each event are nominated to compete for the United States in that event at the Pan American Championships July 7-10 in Quebec, Canada, and based on Pan Am performances could be nominated to participate in the World Championships in August. (June 26) Perhaps the most exciting event of the Flatwater Sprint Team Trials was the final one. The men's K-4 (four person kayak) 1000 meter race is the fastest race of the regatta, and Jeff Smoke, Andy Bussey, Brandon Woods (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and Daniel Krawczyk (Bayside, N.Y.) streaked down the course to win by a boat length. Finishing second was the dynamic quad of Rami Zur, Ty Hagler (Gainesville, Ga.), Morgan House (Gainesville, Ga.) and Tim Hornsby. For more information, log on to www.usack.org.

Equestrian: (June 22) As part of a series of improvements designed to relieve competition headaches for members and management, the United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Dressage Federation have agreed to commence joint recognition of dressage competitions in the United States. Beginning in 2006, dressage competitions recognized by the USEF will also be recognized by the USDF, eliminating the need for show organizers to apply for USDF recognition. (June 22) The USEF and USDF have approved a change of venue for the 2005 New England Dressage Association Fall Festival, Sept. 14-18. The Board of NEDA unanimously voted to move the Festival from Fieldstone Farm in Halifax, Mass., to HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, N.Y., a year earlier than originally anticipated. (June 27) Olympic gold medalist David O'Connor (The Plains, Va.) and 11-year-old Ben Gibbs, a member of the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program, will join Jay Hickey, president of the American Horse Council, and Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA), a horse owner and breeder, in a June 28 Washington, D.C. ceremony marking the release of the most comprehensive study ever done on the U.S. horse industry. The study, commissioned by the American Horse Council and several member organizations, demonstrates how the horse industry contributes significantly to the nation's economy and lifestyle. (June 28) The horse industry in the United States contributes $39 billion in direct economic impact to the U.S. economy and supports 1.4 million jobs on a full-time basis, according to a new study released by the American Horse Council. When indirect and induced spending are included, the industry's economic impact reaches $102 billion. The study also estimates the horse population in this country has reached 9.2 million. For more information, log on to www.usef.org.

Field Hockey: (June 24) A team of rising young stars and established international standouts will represent the United States when USA Field Hockey hosts the Rabobank Champions Challenge, July 8-16 at the USA Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va. USA Field Hockey and women's national team coach Lee Bodimeade named the team to the tournament following a pair of international series with New Zealand and Australia. Held every two years, the Champions Challenge is one of the International Hockey Federation's premier events and includes the teams ranked 7th-12th in the world standings. The USA women are currently tied for 11th in the world rankings and will be joined by New Zealand (6th), England (8th), Spain (9th), Japan (10th) and South Africa (tied 11th). The USA opens play on July 8 against South Africa. (June 27) Six hundred and forty six of the nation's top young field hockey players will get the chance to showcase their skills for national team selectors when the USA Field Hockey Association conducts its National Futures Championship, July 9-18 at the USA Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach. Competition in the U14 division is scheduled for July 9-12, followed by the U16 division July 11-15, and concluding with the U19 division July 14-17. The Futures Championship will run in conjunction with the Rabobank Champions Challenge. For more information, log on to www.usfieldhockey.com.

Gymnastics: (June 24) Alexander Artemev (Morrison, Colo.) dislocated his left shoulder during training and will undergo corrective surgery. As a result, Artemev, a member of the men's national team for two years, will miss the 2005 Visa Championships Aug. 10-13 in Indianapolis, Ind. His status for the 2005 World Gymnastics Championships, Nov. 20-27 in Melbourne, Australia, has yet to be determined. Artemev is expected to be able to return to training and competition in two to four months. (June 27) Geoffrey Corrigan (Colorado Springs, Colo.), who just completed his collegiate career at the University of Michigan, won the 2005 Men's U.S. Qualifer in Colorado Springs to advance to the Visa Championships. Twenty-eight male gymnasts in the junior and senior divisions qualified for the Visa Championships. Ralph Rosso (Morganville, N.J.) won the 16-18 all-around title, with Edward Mesa (Cooper City, Fla.) taking top all-around honors in the 14-15 division. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.

Judo: (June 26) Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo.) successfully defended his 2001 gold medal in the 73 kg (161 lbs.) weight category at the 2005 Pac Rim Judo Championship in Jeju, Korea. Once again, he was the only USA athlete to win a gold medal in the event. Valerie Gotay (Temecula, Calif.) and Sayaka Matsumoto (Richmond, Calif.) won bronze medals in the 57kg (125 lbs.) and 48kg (106 lbs.), respectively. All three athletes are tuning up for the 2005 World Judo Championships in Cairo in September. For more information, log on to www.usjudo.org.

Modern Pentathlon: (June 22) The U.S. Olympic Committee announced the list of competitors for the 2005 U.S. National Pentathlon Championships for men and women in the youth, junior and senior divisions. International competitors from Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Guatemala will also participate in the June 24-26 event in Colorado Springs, Colo. (June 25) Dennis Bowsher (Colorado Springs, Colo.) compiled 5,404 points to capture his first national title as the men wrapped up competition at the U.S. National Pentathlon Championships. Bowsher, who has only been competing in the sport since January 2003, was joined on the medal stand by Niul Manske (silver/5,188 points) and Terris Tiller (bronze/5,064 points), both of Colorado Springs. (June 26) Michelle "Mickey" Kelly (Colorado Springs, Colo.) compiled 5,196 points to earn the title of U.S. National Champion as competition wrapped up with the junior and senior women's division at the U.S. National Pentathlon Championships. Kelly, who just completed the United States Army's 14-week Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Ga. and will be commissioned as a second lieutenant on June 30, was followed in the senior division by Emily Shertzer (Colorado Springs, Colo./4,936 points) and Ursula Hummel (Park City, Utah/4,184 points). For more information, log on to www.usocpressbox.org.

Roller Sports: (June 24) The 2005 Hardball Hockey National Championships will be held June 26-July 1 in Cumberland, Md. The Cumberland Raiders will play Spain in an exhibition game to kick off the national competition. (June 24) The 2005 Hardball Hockey World Championships is scheduled for Aug. 6-13 at the San Jose State University Events Center in San Jose, Calif., where the most dynamic teams in the world will battle for the international gold medal and the overall world champion title. For more information, log on to www.usarollersports.org.

Rowing: (June 23) Junior national team berths in four boat classes will be up for grabs June 24-27 at the 2005 Junior National Team Trials on Lake Mercer in West Windsor, N.J. The winners of the men's single sculls, women's single sculls, men's double sculls and women's double sculls will earn the right to represent the United States at the 2005 World Rowing Junior Championships, slated for early August in Brandenburg, Germany. (June 26) Penn Athletic Club's Sean Medcalf and Potomac Boat Club's Caroline Berson earned junior national team berths after sweeping the first two finals of the junior men's and women's single sculls at the Junior National Team Trials. (June 27) Crescent Boat Club and Steel City Rowing Club won the third and decisive finals of the men's and women's double sculls, respectively, at the Junior National Team Trials. Crescent Boat Club's John Cerrone and Justin Ochal, and Steel City Rowing Club's Meredith Meehan and Katrina Gagnon, will join Sean Medcalf and Caroline Berson on the junior national team. In addition to the four boats selected at the trials, the U.S. will send a men's eight, men's four with coxswain, women's eight, women's four and women's pair to the World Junior Championships. Those boats will be chosen in July by the junior national team head coaches from the athletes participating in the junior national team camps that are currently in progress. For more information, log on to www.usrowing.org.

Sailing: (June 22) US SAILING announced a new fundraising program to increase support for future U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls. Launched by US SAILING's Olympic Sailing Committee, the Yacht Club Partner Program encourages sailing organizations nationwide to become involved in top-level sailing by making donations to the Olympic Sailing Program. In return, organizations and their members will enjoy exclusive benefits from the OSC and the National Sailing Teams. (June 23) Nautica International Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with US SAILING to be the "Official General Apparel Supplier" of the U.S. sailing teams. In addition to the providing apparel for team members, Nautica is also sponsoring several major US SAILING events, to include specially-designed event clothing for the judges, umpires, club officials, volunteers and clinic coaches. (June 27) U.S. Sailing Team members Mikee Anderson-Mitterling (Coronado, Calif.) and Dave Hughes (San Diego, Calif.) won the 470 Men's class at the Kiel Week regatta in Germany, defeating 57 boats to take home the trophy. Since Anderson-Mitterling and Hughes started racing together earlier this year, this was their first win at an International Sailing Federation Grade 1 event. The duo finished second at US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR last January. For more information, log on to www.ussailing.org.

Shooting: (June 24) USA Shooting's last Olympic events -- men's rapid fire pistol and women's three-position rifle -- wrapped up at Fort Benning, Ga. Sgt. Keith Sanderson of the Army Marksmanship Unit won his second event of the National Championships. Sanderson, who was accepted into the AMU just a few months earlier, beat second-place finisher John Bickar (Canton, Ohio) by less than a point on the last series to finish with a 1,337.4 and the gold. Staff Sgt. John Ennis, also of the AMU, took third with a 1,332.0, while Cody Maxwell (Woodland, Colo.) was fourth with a 1,307.7. Maxwell will join Sanderson on the Championships of America's Team in this event. Jamie Beyerle (University of Alaska-Fairbanks) took the gold in women's three- position, as well as in women's prone. Beyerle finished with a 1,259.8 in 50m three-position, with Colorado Springs (Colo.) Olympic Training Center resident athlete Emily Caruso finishing second with a 1,248.7. Sarah Blakeslee, also a CSOTC resident athlete, finished third overall with a 1,246.7 and first in the junior women's division. Blakeslee once again qualified to make the CAT Team, but declined. Instead, Kim Chrostowski (University of Nebraska) and Taylor Beard (Arvada, Colo.) will be traveling to Puerto Rico later this year in this event. For more information, log on to www.usashooting.com.

Skiing: (June 26) Record-setting World Cup ski champion Bode Miller (Franconia, N.H.) and World Championships snowboard medalist Hannah Teter (Belmont, Vt.) are among the candidates for this year's ESPY Awards. Miller is nominated in the Best Male Athlete category while Teter is one of the candidates for Best Female Action Sports Athlete. For more information, log on to www.usskiteam.com.

Soccer: (June 23) U.S. Men's National Team manager Bruce Arena has selected the 23 players who will compete in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the regional championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The 12-team tournament runs July 6-24 in six cities across the United States. The U.S. will compete in Group B along with Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba, opening the tournament July 7 against Cuba at Qwest Field in Seattle, Wash. The U.S. continues group play against Canada on July 9 in Seattle, then heads East to finish out the opening round against Costa Rica at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The team will begin to assemble June 26 in Portland, Ore., and will train at Nike World Headquarters. The group will move to Seattle on July 3. (June 26) The U.S. Women's National Team earned its first win on home soil in 2005, defeating Canada, 2-0, on a wet, slippery afternoon at the Virginia Beach (Va.) SportsPlex. Lori Chalupny (St. Louis, Mo.) and Christie Welsh (Massapequa, N.Y.) scored for the USA in the first half as Greg Ryan came out victorious in his first match as the team's new head coach. The U.S. squad will come together again on July 3 in Portland, Ore. for a week of training prior to the July 10 match against Ukraine at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland. The U.S. women will finish their three-game summer schedule on July 26, taking on Iceland at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. For more information, log on to www.ussoccer.com.

Softball: (June 25) The USA Softball Junior Men's National Team rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat the Czech Republic, 6-5, in its opening game of the 2005 ISF Junior Men's World Championship. (June 25) The USA Softball Junior Men were shut out by two-time defending champion Australia, 5-0, on day two of the ISF World Championship to fall to 1-1 in the tournament. The U.S. managed only two hits in the game while being fanned 17 times. (June 26) A two-out rally in the sixth inning by the New Zealand Junior Men's Team was enough to get past the USA on day three of the ISF Junior Men's World Championship. Leading 1-0 through five innings, the U.S. was unable to impede the Kiwi's rally in the sixth, allowing two runs to fall behind 2-1. The loss drops the Red, White and Blue to 1-2 in the championship. (June 27) The USA Softball Junior Men evened their record at 2-2 with an 8-1 run-rule victory over Argentina on day four of the ISF Junior Men's World Championships. The win ended a two game skid for the Red, White and Blue and keeps the Americans' hopes alive for a spot in the championship finals. (June 28) The USA Junior Men dropped to 2-3 at the ISF Junior Men's World Championship after losing 6-2 to Canada on day five of the tournament. The U.S. led for the majority of the game, but a sixth-inning rally by Canada proved to be too much to overcome. For more information, log on to www.usasoftball.com.

Speedskating: (June 23) U.S. Speedskating announced a newly-formed partnership with 24 Hour Fitness, a global leader in health and fitness facilities. For more information, log on to www.usspeedskating.org.

Swimming: (June 22) Matt Farrell (Colorado Springs, Colo.) will join USA Swimming as the new Managing Director for Business Development effective July 30. Farrell has worked for the United States Olympic Committee for a total of seven years, most recently as the Associate Director of Broadcast Properties. (June 22) Thirty-two members of USA Swimming's 2005 World Championship Team will compete at the Santa Clara Invitational, June 23-26 in Santa Clara, Calif., the final meet before they head to Montreal, Canada. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Aaron Peirsol (Irvine, Calif.) headlines the field, which includes 14 Olympic medalists. (June 22) Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif.) has a shelf full of Olympic medals, enough college records to last a dozen lifetimes, and an equally bright future. Additionally, she is one of 44 U.S. swimmers who will compete at the 2005 World Championships, July 24-31 in Montreal, Canada. (June 28) USA Swimming announced that Omaha, Neb. will host the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming. Set for June 30-July 7, 2008, it with be the first time the event will be staged in a temporary pool in an indoor facility, the new Qwest Center Omaha. For more information, log on to www.usa-swimming.org.

Taekwondo: (June 27) Twenty athletes were named to the 2005 U.S. Junior National Team following competition in the 14-17 Black Belt World Class Sparring division at the Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships in San Antonio, Texas. The Junior National Team members will compete at the Pan American Junior Championships in Orenjestad, Aruba Oct. 5-7. For more information, log on to www.ustu.org.

Tennis: (June 28) At Wimbledon, Venus Williams (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) avenged a family defeat and advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Jill Craybas (East Greenwich, R.I.). Lindsay Davenport (Laguna Beach, Calif.) also advanced by defeating Kim Clijsters. In men's play, Andy Roddick (Boca Raton, Fla.) took care of Guillermo Coria in straight sets and 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt defeated Taylor Dent (Newport Beach, Calif.). For more information, log on to www.usta.com.

Track and Field: (June 22) The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its national coaches and athletes of the year. Named were coaches John McDonnell (University of Arkansas) and Beverly Kearney (University of Texas), and athletes Kerron Clement (University of Florida) and Marshevet Hooker (University of Texas). (June 22) Willie Gault added to his M40 American record list after running 21.80 seconds in the 200m during the recent Southern California Association USATF Masters Championships. Earlier at the meet, the 44-year-old anchored a 4x100m relay that ran 41.4 (hand-timed) that bettered the listed world record. Gault also holds the M40 American record at 100m after running 10.73 at Occidental College in early May. (June 23) Exciting finals in the 100m dashes, sprint hurdles and an impressive performance in the men's high jump highlighted the 2005 USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Carson, Calif. Athletes ages 19 and under are competing for the right to represent Team USA at the 2005 Pan Am Junior Championships July 29-31 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, by placing in the top two of their events. J-Mee Samuels (Winston-Salem, N.C.) won a photo- finish in the men's 100-meter final. Kira Robinson (Colorado Flyers) was the class of the women's 100 hurdles field. Dustin Jonas (Nebraska) sixth at the NCAA Championships, turned in a very impressive performance in the men's high jump with a personal-best clearance of 2.24m/7-4.25. (June 23) Willie Gault was named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after adding the M40 American record in the 200m to the 100m record (10.73) he set in early May. (June 23) Upset victories in the men's field events and close competitions in the men's 10,000 meters and women's discus provided plenty of drama at the 2005 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Two-time USA indoor champion Miguel Pate (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) announced that he has fully recovered from a blown out knee suffered in 2003 by upsetting reigning Olympic and world championships gold medalist Dwight Phillips (Sneville, Ga.). Two-time Olympic teammates Abdi Abdirahman (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Meb Keflezighi (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) made a two-man show of the men's 10,000 meter final, with Abdirahman crossing the line in 28:10.38. Keflezighi was inches back in 28:10.57. 2004 NCAA champion Becky Breisch (Nebraska) led the women's discus throw competition through three rounds, but in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds she was relegated to fourth place by four-time U.S. champion Seilala Sua (Anaheim, Calif.), 2004 Olympic Trials and two-time Pan Am gold medalist Aretha (Hill) Thurmond (Opelika, Ala.) and five-time USA runner-up Suzy Powell (Modesto, Calif.). Olympian Shalane Flanagan (Marblehead, Mass.) made a time trial out of the women's 5,000 meters, running well clear of the field for nearly the entire race and winning in a 2005 U.S.-leading time of 15:10.96 for her first national championship. Three-time Olympian Amy Acuff (Austin, Texas) won the fifth U.S. outdoor title of her career in the women's high jump and 2003 Pan Am Games gold medalist Kim Kreiner (Baton Rouge, La.) won her third U.S. title in the women's javelin throw. (June 24) A successful sprint double by Cleo Tyson (Tennessee) and a down-to-the-wire men's 200 provided the highlights at the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The men's 200 meters provided the closest race of the day. With 100m champion J-Mee Samuels leading out of the turn, Tremaine Smith (Nebraska) used a powerful stretch run to take the victory in 20.86 seconds. Otis McDaniel (TCU) moved up for second in 20.96, followed by Samuels in 21.00. Cleo Tyson encountered a challenge to her sprint double as well, but successfully turned back high schooler Alexandria Anderson to win in 22.93, giving her the national 200m title to go with her 100m crown. Three-time Nebraska state high school champion Robert Rands won an excellent men's long jump competition, jumping 7.49m/24-7. Nicole Leach (Pennsylvania's West Catholic High School) won the women's 400m hurdles title in 57.25. Reuben McCoy (Auburn) was an easy winner in the men's 400m hurdles with his time of 50.69. The men's and women's 800 meter finals both featured frantic sprints to the finish. In the women's race, University of Oregon-bound Rebekah Noble moved strongly past Heidi Magill (Orem, Utah) in the final 200 meters to win going away in a personal best of 2:03.73. The men's 800 was even closer as 10th grader Karjuan Williams (New Orleans Comets), Jacob DuBois (Eastern Michigan) and Nike Outdoor Nationals champion Robert Novak ran three abreast in the final stretch. Williams emerged the winner in 1:50.88. In the women's 5,000 meters, Nicole Blood (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) led from start to finish, winning in 16:30.90. In the men's race, Paul Hefferon (Kansas/14:15.18) pulled away from Daniel Nunn (Georgetown/14:17.67) for the victory. Shevell Quinley (Tracy, Calif.) had an eventful day in the heptathlon, moving from second after day one to the USA junior championship. Corey White (University of Redlands) won the men's javelin with a throw of 67.46m/221-4, while Sarah Stevens (Arizona State) won the women's shot put with a mark of 16.90m/55-5. Chelsea Taylor (Colorado Flyers) took the women's high jump (1.78m/5-10), and Rachel Greff (Rice) won the women's pole vault (3.88/12-8.75). (June 24) At the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, four-time world champion Allen Johnson (Burke, Va.) won one of the greatest 110-meter hurdles races in history, The 34-year-old Johnson crossed the line in 12.99 seconds, his fastest time since 2003 and the fastest in the world in 2005, to win his seventh U.S. outdoor title. Dominique Arnold (North Hills, Calif.) was just .02 behind, in a personal-best 13.01, while Terrence Trammell (Atlanta, Ga.) also had a personal-best 13.02 to post the fastest third-place time in hurdling history. Joel Brown was fourth in 13.28 and also will be on the team for worlds, since Johnson as defending champion has an automatic berth into the world championships. Olympic silver medalist Bryan Clay (Azusa, Calif.) dominated the men's decathlon field, scoring 8,506 points. Two-time defending champion Tim Broe (Ann Arbor, Mich.) shattered the Championships record in the men's 5,000 meters, his time of 13:12.76 leading three men under Doug Padilla's 1985 mark of 13:16.42. (June 25) Thanks to a ground-breaking, cooperative effort between the International Association of Athletics Federations, USA Track & Field, the World Championships My Sportsbook and Dentsu Inc., track fans in the United States will have the opportunity to watch unprecedented coverage of the 2005 World Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Aug. 6-14 in Helsinki, Finland. In total, more than 70 hours of event coverage will be available to U.S. fans via national broadcast on the PAX national television network, regionally through Comcast, and online via the WCSN Web site. (June 25) Maria Michta (Nesconset, N.Y.), already the American junior record holder on the roads, added the 10,000m track American junior record to her resume, winning the event in 50:24.54 to break Lisa Chumbley's 1993 record of 50:26.9. (June 26) Kenny Hall (Baton Rouge, La.) continued his domination of the men's triple jump at the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The national high school record holder and a USATF Junior Olympic record holder as well, Hall won the men's triple jump with a wind-aided (+2.2mps) 16.39m/53-9.25. Harvard-bound Zachary Pollinger won the men's 10,000-meter race walk in 45:29.10, and Michael Bingham (Wake Forest) won the decathlon with 7,042 points. (June 26) Kerron Clement and Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas) claimed the men's and women's title, respectively, of 2005 Visa Champion after turning in the top individual performances of the 2005 Outdoor Visa Championship Series. Clement's remarkable time of 47.24 seconds in the 400 meter hurdles, the fastest time in that event in seven years, vaulted him to the win in the Race for the Championship with 1,261 points. Richards seized the title when her world-leading 400-meter time of 49.28 garnered 1,226 points. (June 26) Justin Gatlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) left the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships with the first men's 100-200 double in 20 years, and Allyson Felix (Los Angeles, Calif.) earned another 200m title. Complete results are posted on the USATF web site. (June 26) At the 2005 IAU 100Km World Cup in Hokkaido, Japan the U.S. women's team earned a gold medal, led by second-place finisher and silver medalist Anne Riddle-Lundblad (Asheville, N.C.). Riddle-Lundblad posted a time of 7 hours, 54 minutes, 22 seconds, just 40 seconds out of first place after a grueling 62.1 miles. Second for the American women was Nikki Kimball (Bozeman, Mont.), who placed seventh in 8:22:58. Rounding out the scoring and also finishing in the top 10 was Tanya Pacev (Lakewood, Colo.), ninth with a time of 8:29:19. (June 27) More than 2,000 of the top youth track & field athletes in the U.S. will be on hand June 28-July 3 at the 2005 USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. A national competition with entry based upon qualifying standards for each event, the Youth Outdoor Championships has the same age divisions as the USATF Junior Olympic program: Bantam (10 and under), Midget (11-12), Youth (13-14), Intermediate (15-16), and Young Men/Women (17-18) and is scored for team championships in all age divisions. The meet also serves as the final tune-up event for the World Youth Team USA that will travel to Marrakech, Morocco July 13-17 to compete at the 2005 IAAF World Youth Championships. (June 28) Walter Henning (Long Island, N.Y.) improved his intermediate boys hammer throw record to start competition at the Youth Outdoor Championships. The 16-year-old tossed 65.66 meters/215 feet, 5 inches to win the event. Kim Williams (Douglasville, Ga.) tossed 48.15m/158-0 on her first attempt to win the young women's division of the hammer throw. For more information, log on www.usatf.org.

Triathlon: (June 28) USA Triathlon announced that the Baker's Healthy Start Foundation Triathlon, Aug. 7 in Bellingham, Wash., will serve as the U.S. national championships and world championship qualifier for elite, youth (13-15), junior ITU-style (16-19), and under-23 athletes. The Baker's race is part of USA Triathlon's 2005 Elite Cup Series - The Haul to the Great Wall - and part of the International Triathlon Union's Continental Cup Series. U.S. elite athletes will be competing for prize money, points for both the Elite Cup and Continental Cup series, and spots on the U.S. team for the Sept. 10 ITU World Triathlon Championships in Gamagori, Japan. International athletes will also have a chance to win money and points. U23 and junior ITU-style triathletes can also use the race to qualify for the world championships in Gamagori. For more information, log on to www.usatriathlon.org.

Volleyball: Beach (June 22) In their debut as a team, Todd Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Phil Dalhausser (Ormond Beach, Fla.) won both of their matches on the first day of the men's SWATCH-FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Berlin, Germany. After defeating Ahren Cadieux and Miguel Domingo of Canada in their first match (22-20, 21-9), Dalhausser and Rogers upset seventh-seeded Christoph Dieckmann and Andreas Scheuerpflug of Germany, 21-19, 12-21, 15-13. In the only USA women's match of the day, defending world and Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Kerri Walsh (Santa Clara, Calif.) defeated a pair of fellow Americans, Athens bronze medalist Elaine Youngs (El Toro, Calif.) and her new partner, Rachel Wacholder (Laguna Beach, Calif.), 21-15, 21-16, in third-round action. (June 23) Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, who posted their 300th career match win together for both domestic and international events, defeated sixth-seeded Germans Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau, 21-19 and 21-17, to remain undefeated in the women's SWATCH-FIVB World Championships. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser lost their third-round match to 10th-seeded Martin Conde and Jose Salema of Argentina, 15-21, 21-16, 13-15, and must now face fellow Americans Dain Blanton (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and Kevin Wong (Honolulu, Hawaii) in an elimination match. (June 24) Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser won a pair of elimination matches to stay alive at the men's SWATCH-FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships. Rogers and Dalhausser defeated Dain Blanton and Kevin Wong in straight sets, 21-15, 21-15, before scoring a 2-1 victory over Norway's Iver Horrem and Bard-Inge Pettersen, 21-13, 15-21, 15-11. Stein Metzger (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Jake Gibb (Bountiful, Utah) won their first match of the day against Jorre Kjemperud and Tarjei Skarlund of Norway, 2-1 (21-18, 17-21, 15-10), before losing in straight sets to fourth-seeded Harley Marques and Benjamin Insfran of Brazil, 15-21, 19-21. Gibb and Metzger went 4-2 during the week to finish the World Championships tied for 13th place. Blanton and Wong finished the tournament tied for 17th after posting a 2-2 record. (June 25) Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh again proved why they are the best women's beach volleyball team on the planet as the Americans successfully defended their SWATCH-FIVB World Championship. The 19th-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh scored a 21-17 and 21-17 victory over top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca of Brazil in the gold-medal match. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser made a valiant run but saw their tournament come to an end with a straight-sets loss to Sascha Heyer and Paul Laciga of Switzerland, 8-21, 18-21. Rogers and Dalhausser, playing together for the first time after Rogers' regular partner, Sean Scott (Los Angeles, Calif.), had to withdraw due to a hand injury, finished tied for seventh place. Indoor: (June 23) The first weekend of the World Grand Prix is also a homecoming for "Jenny" Lang Ping as the first-year head coach guides the USA Women's National Volleyball Team into action in Ningbo, China. The trip marks the first time Lang Ping has returned to her homeland since she was hired by USA Volleyball in February 2005. (June 24) The Netherlands posted a decisive 3-0 win (25-17, 25-14, 25-17) over the USA Women's National Volleyball Team in the World Grand Prix opener for both teams. (June 25) Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) scored a match-high 23 points to lead the USA Women's National Volleyball Team to a 3-0 win over Thailand at the World Grand Prix. Metcalf led all players in every category with 15 kills, six blocks and two service aces in the 25-13, 25-12, 25-22 victory as the Americans evened their Grand Prix record at 1-1. (June 26) China recorded a 3-0 win over the USA Women's National Volleyball Team to cap the first weekend of the World Grand Prix. Nancy Metcalf scored a match-high 15 points on 15 kills to lead the United States. For more information, log on to www.usavolleyball.org.

Wrestling: (June 23) 2004 Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson (Ames, Iowa), 2000 Olympic gold medalist and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Rulon Gardner (Wellsville, Utah) and two-time NCAA champion Steve Mocco (North Bergen, N.J.) have been nominated for 2005 ESPY Awards. Sanderson has been nominated for "Best Male Olympic Performance," Gardner for "Best Comeback" and Mocco for "Best Male College Athlete." The ESPY Awards will be presented in Los Angeles, Calif. on July 13. The three wrestling nominees are the most ever in a single year for the sport. (June 28) The Metropolitan Wrestling Association has posted online an application for competitors, as well as housing information, for the ASICS 2005 East Coast National Beach Wrestling Championships, which will be held in Long Beach, N.Y. on Aug. 13. For more information, log on to www.themat.com.