Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

UK shortstop Molly Johnson will represent the United States in this summer's Japan Cup. (Photos by Mark Cornelison)

With a season to go, Molly Johnson already is among UK's top 10 in career batting average, hits, runs, homers, RBI, steals and other categories.

University of Kentucky shortstop Molly Johnson has been named to the USA Softball women’s team that will compete in the Japan Cup, July 31-Aug. 2, at Sendai, Japan.

Johnson, who as a junior this year became UK’s first softball All-American, tried out for the National Team last week at Chula Vista, Calif. Although not named to the national team, she was added to the roster for the Japan Cup.

Team USA, which returns eight players from the 2008 Olympic silver-medal team, opens play in the Canada Cup, July 4-12, at Surrey, British Columbia, as well as the World Cup, July 16-20, at Oklahoma City. Nine of the 18 National Team members will supplement the Japan Cup roster. Seven National Team members are included on the squad that will play in the Pan American Qualifier Tournament,  July 31-Aug. 9, at Maracay, Venezuela.

This season, Johnson set school records for runs (53), hits (81) and on-base percentage (.498) to help UK to its first Southeastern Conference Tournament appearance since 2001. The Wildcats notched their first-ever post-season victory, as well as their first NCAA Tournament bid.

After graduating from high school in Arizona, and once enrolled at UK Johnson and parents Don and Teri relocated to Lexington. Johnson, who says she considers Kentucky her home now, has started all 164 games since joining the program.

With a season to go, Johnson already blankets UK’s career top 10 lists: first in batting (.395) and slugging (.648); second in doubles (45), homers (22) and runs (113); fourth in total bases (320); fifth in RBI (110), stolen bases (46) and defensive assists (379); and sixth in triples (7) and hits (195).

National Team roster

Head coach: Jay Miller (Starkville, Miss.). Assistants: Gordon Eakin (Sandy, Utah); Ken Eriksen (Tampa, Fla.), Barbara Jordan (Northridge, Calif.).
Players — Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.); Chelsea Bramlett (Cordova, Tenn.); Katie Burkhart (San Luis Obispo, Calif.); Ashey Charters (Beaverton, Ore.); Kaitlin Cochran (Yorba Linda, Calif.); Andrea Duran (Selma, Calif.); Jennie Finch (La Mirada, Calif.); Vicky Galindo (Union City, Calif.); Alissa Haber (Newark, Calif.); Ashley Hansen (Chandler, Ariz.); Ashley Holcombe (Fayetteville, Ga.); Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.); Jenae Leles (Fair Oaks, Calif.); Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.); Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.); Cat Osterman (Houston); Brittany Rogers (Dacula, Ga.); Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.).

USA Softball’s Japan Cup team

Head coach: Miller; Assistants: Suzy Brazney (Buena Park, Calif.); Chuck D’Arcy (Sacramento, Calif.); Jordan.
Players — Valorie Arioto (Pleasanton, Calif.); Courtney Bures (Haymarket, Va.); Burkhart; Stacie Chambers (Glendale, Ariz.); Charters; Finch; Haber; Molly Johnson (Lexington); Lappin; Brittany Lastrapes (Laguna Niguel, Calif.); Leles; Nelson; Amber Patton (Forsyth, Ill.); Rogers; Taylor Schlopy (West Hills, Calif.); Watley.

Pan American Qualifier Team

Head coach: Miller. Assistants: Karen Johns (Whippany, N.J.); Mike Larabee (Dayton, Ohio); Pat Murphy (Northport, Ala.).
Players – Abbott; K’Lee Arredondo (Tempe, Ariz.); Brandice Balschmiter (Newark, N.Y.); Bramlett; Cochran; Duran; Galindo; Hansen; Holcombe; Megan Langenfeld (Bakersfield, Calif.); Lowe; Nikki Nemitz (St. Clair Shores, Mich.); Melissa Roth (Long Beach, Calif.); Katie Schroeder (Yorba Linda, Calif.); Angela Tincher (Eagle Rock, Va.); Maggie Viefhaus (Pacific, Mo.); Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo.).

Lexington native Tyson Gay is among the winners as the U.S. Olympic Committee has announced its Athletes of the Month for May.

Gay, out of Lafayette High School and the University of Arkansas, took men’s honors. The American record-holder at 100 meters, Gay posted the world’s third-fastest 200 meters ever and blew away a world-class field in the Reebok Grand Prix, May 30 at New York.

TYSON GAY, from his photos on Facebook.

In his first 200 in the United States since pulling a hamstring last July at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Gay crossed the finish line in 19.58 seconds. The only faster races recorded are 1996 Olympic gold-medalist Michael Johnson’s world-record 19.32, and 2008 Olympic gold-medalist Usain Bolt’s world-record 19.30.

Earlier in May, Gay lowered his personal best for 400 meters to 45.57 at the Texas Invitational.

Gay will be out to defend his titles in the 100, 200 and as part of the Team USA 4-by-100-meter relay in this summer’s World Outdoor Championships at Berlin.

Other USOC awards for May went to diver Allison Brennan and the National Sled Hockey Team.

Brennan won on the 3-meter springboard in the USA Diving Grand Prix at Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Her score of 358.55 points was 18 better than Russia’s Anastasia Pozdniakova, last year’s Olympic silver-medalist. Brennan, an assistant coach at South Carolina, also beat four-time Olympic medalist Wu Minxia of China. Brennan’s final dive, a reverse 1 1/2 somersault with 2 1/2 twists, earned the highest score of the finals, 76.85. 

The Paralympics Sled Hockey Team won the World Championships at Ostrava, Czech Republic. Team captain Andy Yohe scored with 11 seconds left in the championship game to earn a 1-0 victory over Norway. Steve Cash made 11 saves for the Americans.

Others on the team: Mike Blabac, Taylor Chace, Jimmy Connelly, Brad Emmerson, Mike Hallman, Lonnie Hannah, Tim Jones, Taylor Lipsett, Chris Mans, Adam Page, Josh Pauls, Greg Shaw and Kip St. Germaine.

The top three in the USOC monthly award results:

Women — 1. Allison Brennan (diving); 2. Alaina Williams (gymnastics); 3. Lauren Wenger (water polo).
Williams won one international and two national trampoline competitions. Wenger scored three goals in a 10-5 Team USA win over Canada in the World League Super Finals for the Americas.

Men — 1. Tyson Gay (track and field); 2. Steve Cash (sled hockey); 3. Devin Britton (tennis).
Britton, an unseeded freshman, won the NCAA singles title and led Ole Miss to the quarterfinals.

Team — 1. U.S. National Sled Hockey Team; 2. Troy Dumais and Kristian Ipsen (diving); 3. U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team.
Dumais and Ipsen won the synchronized 3-meter springboard event at the USA Diving Grand Prix, and were selected to dive for the U.S. at this summer’s World Championships in Italy. The gymnatics team won a pair of “friendlies” against Germany and France. Bridget Sloan took all-around honors in both meets.

Former University of Kentucky standout Dwight Phillips was named Tuesday as USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week.

Dwight Phillips

Phillips notched the eighth-best outdoor mark ever in the men’s long jump at Sunday’s Nike Prefontaine Classic, 28 feet, 8 1/4 inches, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Phillips, 31, arrived at UK in 1997. His 400-meter time of 46.80 that season still stands as the Wildcats’ freshman record. He also competed in 1998 before transferring to Arizona State, following Darryl Anderson when the UK sprints coach was hired there.

Since then, Phillips has become a two-time World Outdoor champion in the long jump, as well as the 2004 Olympic gold-medalist. Sunday’s mark ties Phillips with Larry Myricks and Erick Walder for eighth on the all-time list of jumps, and fifth on the all-time list of performers. It was the longest jump in the world since Mike Powell’s world-record 29-4 1/2 in 1991.

Reese Hoffa

Jenny Barringer

Also at Eugene, Louisville native Reese Hoffa won the shot put with the world’s best performance of the season, 71 feet, 10 inches.

Colorado’s Jenny Barringer, the national record-holder in the steeplechase, became the third American ever to break four minutes in the women’s 1,500 meters. Her time at Eugene, 3:59.90, is a collegiate record.
 
BEST AMERICAN MARKS WEEK ENDING JUNE 7
 
MEN
 
100 - 9.94 Mike Rodgers (Nike) - Eugene, Ore., 6/7     U.S. leader
200 - 20.41 Thomas Hunter (unat) - Walnut, Calif., 6/6
400 - 45.48 Tavaris Tate (Mississippi HS) - Albuquerque, N.M., 6/6
800 - 1:45.86 Nick Symmonds (Oregon TC) - Eugene, 6/7
1500 - 3:37.19 Lopez Lomong (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7     U.S. leader
Mile - 3:53.47 Lopez Lomong (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7
3000 - 7:35.92 Bernard Lagat (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7     U.S. leader
3000SC - 8:26.55 Josh McAdams (New Balance) - Eugene, 6/7
10,000 - 28:16.81 Jorge Torres (Reebok) - Eugene, 6/6
110H - 13.29 Dexter Faulk (Nike) - Turin, Italy, 6/4
400H - 48.38 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7
HJ - 2.26/7-5 Jesse Williams (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7
PV - 5.52/18-1.25 Mark Hollis (unat) - St. Polten, Austria, 6/6
LJ - 8.74/28-8.25 Dwight Phillips (NIke) - Eugene, 6/7     World leader
TJ - 16.06/52-8.25 James Jenkins (unat) - Walnut, 6/6
SP - 21.89/71-10 Reese Hoffa (NYAC) - Eugene, 6/7     World leader
DT - 64.69/212-3 Adam Kuehl (unat) - Chula Vista, Calif., 6/6
HT - 75.28/247-0 Jake Freeman (Iron Ball AC) - West Point, N.Y., 6/5
JT - 75.96/249-2 Adam Montague (unat) - Walnut, 6/6
Dec - 7466 Curtis Beach (New Mexico HS) - Albuquerque, N.M., 6/5     HIGH SCHOOL RECORD
 
WOMEN
 
100 - 11.13 Stephanie Durst (unat) - Hengelo, Holland, 6/1
200 - 22.41 Shalonda Solomon (Reebok) - Walnut, 6/6
400 - 49.86 Sanya Richards (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7     World leader
800 - 2:00.18 Maggie Vessey (unat) - Eugene, 6/7
1500 - 3:59.90 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) - Eugene, 6/7     U.S. leader/COLLEGIATE RECORD
3000SC - 9:40.02 Lisa Galaviz (Nike) - Walnut, 6/6
100H - 12.74 Michelle Perry (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7
400H - 58.25 Jennifer Grossarth (unat) - Walnut, 6/6
PV - 4.45/14-7.25 Chelsea Johnson (Nike) - Walnut, 6/6
LJ - 6.74/22-1.5 Funmi Jimoh (Nike) - Hengelo, 6/1
TJ - 13.80/45-3.5 Crystal Manning (unat) - Walnut, 6/6
SP - 18.35/60-2.5 Michelle Carter (unat) - Walnut, 6/6
DT - 63.98/209-11 Stephanie Brown Trafton (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7
HT - 70.68/231-11 Jessica Cosby (Nike) - Eugene, 6/7
JT - 60.30/197-10 Kim Kreiner (Nike) - Walnut, 6/6     U.S. leader
Hept - 5619 Kasey Hill (unat) - Dallas, 6/7

Seven women and six men from Kentucky colleges were awarded at-large bids Tuesday to the NCAA Track & Field Championships, June 10-13, at Arkansas.

Joseph Maina (EKU photo)

From Eastern Kentucky, Joseph Maina was added to the men’s 5,000-meter field.

From Kentucky, Rondel Sorrillo made it in the men’s 100, Emily Strot in the women’s discus.

From Louisville, Steve Hnat was added in the men’s shot put; Josh Greenwald and Andrew Hackney in discus; Matt Hughes in the steeplechase. U of L additions to the women’s field are Chinwe Okoro and Khadija Abdullah in the shot put, Rachel Gehret in the high jump and Seidre Forde in the triple jump.

From Western Kentucky’s women’s team, Miaie Williams was added in the 100, Janet Jesang in the 5,000.

The at-large recipients will join automatic qualifiers at Arkansas. Automatic berths went to the top five in individual events and top three in relays at the Mideast Regional, held Saturday at U of L.

Here’s what the combined at-large and automatic lists from Kentucky schools look like, with NCAA seeding; a = at-large berth; q = automatic qualifier.

MEN

Rondel Sorrillo

Gavin Smellie

100 meters — 24 a, Rondel Sorrillo (UK).

200 — 3 q, Gavin Smellie (WKU); 5 q, Rondel Sorrillo (UK).

5,000 — 26 a, Joseph Maina (EKU).

3,000 steeplechase — 2 q, Cory Thorne (U of L); 14 a, Matt Hughes (U of L).

4-by-100 relay — 6 q, Kentucky.

4-by-400 relay — 11 q, Western Kentucky; 12 q, Kentucky.

Shot put — 8 q, Rashaud Scott (UK); 17 a, Steve Hnat (U of L).

Rashaud Scott

Chase Madison

Discus — 1 q, Rashaud Scott (UK); 7 q, Chase Madison (UK); 16 a, Josh Greenwald (U of L); 17 a, Andrew Hackney (U of L).

Long jump — 7 a, Mandhla Mgijima (WKU).

High jump — 9 q, Tone Belt (U of L).

Long jump — 16 q, Tone Belt (U of L).

WOMEN

Tarah McKay

Janet Jesang

100 — 19 a, Miaie Williams (WKU).

1,500 — 24 q, Tarah McKay (U of L).

5,000 — 6 a, Janet Jesang (WKU).

4-by-100 relay — 12 q, Western Kentucky.

Shot put — 10 q, Jere’ Summers (U of L); 20 a, Chinwe Okoro (U of L); 23 a, Khadija Abdullah (U of L).

Kristin Smith

Ashley Trimble

Discus — 4 q, Ashley Muffet (UK); 6 q, Jere’ Summers (U of L); 17 a, Emilee Strot (UK).

High jump — 19 a, Rachel Gehret (U of L).

Triple jump — 24 a, Seidre Forde (U of L).

Heptathlon (entries based on pre-regional results) — 11. Ashley Trimble (UK).

USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week: Tyson Gay

The third-fastest 200-meter dash of all time makes Tyson Gay the USA Track & Field choice for athlete of the week.

From Tyson Gay's facebook photo gallery

Gay, a Lafayette High School graduate who later starred for Arkansas, uncorked a 19.58-second 200 Saturday at the Reebok Grand Prix, in New York’s Icahn Stadium. Only a pair of Olympic champions have ever run faster: Michael Johnson (19.32) and Usain Bolt (19.30).

Gay swept the 2007 World Championships in the 100 and 200 meters, and also ran on the gold-medal 4-by-100 relay.

After winning the 100 in American-record time at last year’s U.S. Olympic Trials, Gay suffered a severe hamstring injury during preliminaries of the 200. He went on to run the 200 at the Beijing Olympics, but the missed practice time left him far off his usual form. A dropped baton in the 4-by-100 put a disappointing end to his Olympic experience.

Saturday’s result, his first 200 since the Olympics, means Gay now has the third- and fourth-fastest 200s ever. No. 4 is 19.62, his winning effort at the 2007 USA Outdoor Championships.

Saturday’s runner-up, Gay’s former training partner and Arkansas teammate Wallace Spearmon, finished in 19.98. Former LSU standout Xavier Carter was third in 20.27.

“It made me very, very happy; 19.5 had been one of the goals I had, but to do that in the first race is very pleasing,” Gay told reporters. “I wanted to work on my reaction and my start. Then I just ran. I ran for my life. When I came toward the finish line, I got kind of tight and I just wanted to bring it on in. I tried to push all the way through, just to see where my body is at.”

Several of the week’s leading national marks were turned in on Louisville’s Cardinal Park facility, site of the NCAA Mideast Regional.

Cory Thorne

Louisville’s Cory Thorne had the fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase of the week (8:36.98).

Three winners in men’s field events ranked No. 1 for the week: Kentucky’s Rashaud Scott in the discus (216-2); LSU’s Walter Henning in the hammer throw (231-6), and Arkansas’ Mychael Stewart in the long jump (25-10 3/4).

And two of the women’s field event champions at Louisville led the nation: Purdue’s Kara Patterson in the javelin (192-1), and Indiana State’s Lauren Martin in the triple jump (44-4 3/4).

BEST MARKS BY AMERICANS FOR WEEK ENDING MAY 31
 
MEN
 
100 - 10.04 Jacoby Ford (Clemson) - Greensboro, N.C. 5/30
200 - 19.58 Tyson Gay (adidas) - New York, 5/30     World leader
400 - 44.75 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) - New York, 5/30
800 - 1:46.00 Khadevis Robinson (Nike) - New York, 5/30
1500 - 3:34.14 Leo Manzano (Nike) - New York, 5/30     U.S. leader
3000SC - 8:36.98 Cory Thorne (Louisville) - Louisville, 5/30
5000 - 13:03.06 Bernard Lagat (Nike) - New York, 5/30    U.S. leader
110H - 13.12 Terrence Trammell (TSA) - New York, 5/30
400H - 48.52 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) - New York, 5/30
HJ - 2.25/7-4.5 Scott Sellers (Kansas State) - Norman, Okla., 5/29
PV - 5.56/18-3 Jason Colwick (Rice) & Maston Wallace (Texas) - Norman, Okla., 5/30
LJ - 7.89/25-10.75 Mychael Stewart (Arkansas) - Louisville, 5/29
TJ - 16.81/55-2 Will Claye (Oklahoma) - Norman, Okla., 5/30
SP - 20.99/68-10.5 Ryan Whiting (Arizona State) - Eugene, Ore., 5/29
DT - 65.90/216-2 Rashaud Scott (Kentucky) - Louisville, 5/30
HT - 70.56/231-6 Walter Henning (LSU) - Louisville, 5/30
JT - 80.34/263-7 Chris Hill (Georgia) - Greensboro, N.C., 5/29
Dec - 8516 Trey Hardee (Nike) - Gotzis, Austria, 5/31     U.S. leader
  
WOMEN
 
100 - 11.04 Shalonda Solomon (Reebok) - New York, 5/30
200 - 22.34 Lauryn Williams (Nike) - New York, 5/30     World leader
400 - 50.50 Allyson Felix (adidas) - New York, 5/30     World leader
800 - 1:59.29 Anna Willard (Nike) - New York, 5/30     World leader
1500 - 4:03.96 Christin Wurth-Thomas (Nike) - New York, 5/30     U.S. leader
3000SC - 9:26.20 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) - Norman, Okla., 5/30     World leader
5000 - 15:32.39 Jen Rhines (adidas) - New York, 5/30
100H - 12.88 Seun Adigun (Houston) - Norman, Okla., 5/30
400H - 55.44 Tiffany Williams (Reebok) - New York, 5/30
HJ - 1.93/6-4 Sharon Day (Asics) - Havana, Cuba, 5/29
PV - 4.81/15-9.25 Jenn Stuczynski (adidas) - New York, 5/30     World leader
LJ - 6.72/22-0.75 Funmi Jimoh (Nike) - Belgrade, Serbia, 5/29 & Brianna Glenn (adidas) - New York, 5/30
TJ - 13.53/44-4.75 Lauren Martin (Indiana State) - Louisville, 5/30
SP - 18.43/60-5.75 Michelle Carter (unat) - New York, 5/30
DT - 63.97/209-10 Stephanie Brown Trafton (Nike) - New York, 5/30
HT - 69.76/228-10 Amber Campbell (Mjolnir) - Havana, Cuba, 5/30
JT - 58.56/192-1 Kara Patterson (Purdue) - Louisville, 5/30
Hept - 6,063 Sharon Day (Asics) - Havana, Cuba 5/30     U.S. leader

Former Villanova standout Bobby Curtis, who dominated Kentucky high school track during his days at St. Xavier, is keeping busy at a variety of distances this season.

Bobby Curtis

Thursday, at Minneapolis, Curtis placed third in the inaugural USA 1-Mile Road Championships.

Curtis, now based out of Ardmore, Pa., and Darren Brown hung with Jon Rankin as they broke from the pack at 1,200 meters, according to reports from USA Track & Field.

Also lurking, though, was David Torrence, who overtook Rankin to run the first sub-four road mile ever in Minnesota and earn a bonus of $10,000. First-place prize money, before the bonus, was $4,000.

Torrence, from Oakland, Calif., was timed in 3:59.3. Rankin took second in 4:01.7, followed by Curtis in 4:02.0. Brown was fourth in 4:08.0. John Richardson, the former Southeastern Conference champion for Kentucky, placed seventh in 4:10.1. 

Shannon Rowbury, the Olympic Trials 1,500-meter champion, took the women’s mile in 4:33.4. Sara Hall was runner-up in 4:39.1, followed by Sara Vaughn in 4:41.3.

Just about two weeks before heading to Minnesota, on April 24, Curtis turned in a sensational 5,000-meter victory in the Brutus Hamilton Invitational at Berkeley, Calif.

Curtis, sponsored by Reebok, clocked 13:29.12. Ben St. Lawrence (New Balance) edged Jorge Torres (Reebok) for second, 13:30.18 to 13:30.65, followed closesly by Scott Baughs (adidas) in 13:30.85. Further back in the international field was former Lexington Catholic and University of Kentucky standout Thomas Morgan (ZAP Fitness), 18th in 14:31.16.

Morgan’s ZAP teammate, former UK runner Allison Grace, took seventh in the women’s 5K (16:12.50).

Spanning the globe

Reese Hoffa

Danielle Carruthers

Louisville native Reese Hoffa was among several American winners Friday in the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix at Doha, Qatar.

Hoffa, the 2007 World Outdoor champion and a two-time Olympian, took the men’s shot put with the longest toss in the world this season, 71 feet. Poland’s Tomasz Majewski, gold-medalist at the Beijing Olympics, took second (69-7 1/2). Two-time Olympic silver-medalist Adam Nelson of the U.S. placed sixth (64-10).

Dannielle Carruthers, a former Indiana University standout and Kentucky high school champion out of Paducah Tilghman, placed third in the women’s 100-meter hurdles (12.73).

As for the other American winners:

* Brittney Reese, the NCAA and Olympic Trials champion out of Ole Miss, also won with a world-leading season-best — 22 feet, 11 1/4 inches in the women’s long jump. That also tops her all-time personal best of 22-9 3/4.

Allyson Felix

* Allyson Felix, a two-time World Outdoor champion and two-time Olympic silver-medal winner at 200 meters, doubled the distance to win the 400 at Qatar. Her time of 50.75 is fastest in the world this season.

* Travis Padgett, the NCAA 100-meter runner-up last year, took the Qatar century in 10-flat. That ties Olympic teammate Walter Dix for the fastest time in the world this season. Dix clocked 10.00 on April 11.

* Olympic bronze-medalist David Oliver repeated as the Doha champion in the 110-meter hurdles, although not as quick as last year (12.95). Still, his time of 13.09 is best in the world this year, topping his previous mark of 13.19.

For more details and results, see www.iaaf.org.

Hockey player Caitlin Cahow, equestrian rider Steffen Peters and the U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team were named Thursday as winner of the Athletes and Team of the Month for April, as determined by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Cahow, from Branford, Conn., split time at forward and defense while helping Team USA to its second straight title in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships. She anchored the U.S. power-play and penalty-kill units, netting two goals and four assists over five games. Included were two goals in the 4-1 gold-medal game victory over Canada, as Team USA finished 4-0-1. Cahow, 23, was on the bronze-medal U.S. Olympic team in 2006.

Equestrian Steffen Peters aboard Ravel. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Peters, the Male Athlete of the Month, became the first U.S. rider to win both legs of the Rolex/FEI World Cup Dressage Final. The San Diego rider, aboard Ravel, put up the best score of his career to defeat two of the three medalists who finished ahead of him at last summer’s Beijing Olympics.

Results

Women

1. Caitlin Cahow, Ice Hockey

2. Anna Tunnicliffe, Sailing (Gold medal in Laser Radial at Hyeres, France, site of the French Olympic Sailing Week from April 18-24 and the fourth event on the ISAF Sailing World Cup calendar.)

3. Clarissa Chun, Wrestling (Won her second national championship with a victory in the 49 kg/105.5 lbs. division at the U.S. Women’s National Championships in Las Vegas on April 9; named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament and did not allow a point in four matches. Two weeks later, Chun won a gold medal at the Pan American Championships.)

Men

1. Steffen Peters, Equestrian

2. Jack Campbell, Ice Hockey (All-tournament tam goalie for the U.S. Men’s Under-18 National Team that won the World Championships, shutting out Russia in the gold-medal game. Finished with a 4-0 record, a 0.75 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage with two shutouts.)

3. Keith Sanderson, Shooting (Gold-medal iwinner n the 25-meter Rapid Fire Pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation Rifle/Pistol World Cup in Beijing on April 22. A week earlier, won the silver medal in the Men’s Rapid Fire at the ISSF World Cup in Changwon, Korea.)

Team

1. U.S. Women’s National Team, Ice Hockey

2. ISU World Team Trophy Team, Figure Skating (Struck gold inthe inaugural event at Tokyo, scoring 60 points to edge Canada (54) and Japan (50). Team USA: Evan Lysacek (men’s winner), Jeremy Abbott (men, fifth), Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto (ice dance winners), Caroline Zhang (ladies, third), Rachael Flatt (ladies, fourth) and Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett (pairs, fourth).)

3. U.S. Fed Cup Team, Tennis (Squad of Melanie Oudin, Alexa Glatch, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Liezel Huber advanced to the Fed Cup Finals for the first time since 2003 by defeating host Czech Republic, 3-2, in the semifinals April 25-26. The U.S. will play Italy in the Fed Cup Final in November.

How to improve on the Boston Marathon?

With a fast warmup act the day before the race.

The Boston Marathon, held each Patriots Day, will celebrate its 113th running Monday.

Sunday, though, the Boston Athletic Association pulled off the inaugural running of the B.A.A. Invitational Mile and the B.A.A. 5K.

Texas graduate Darren Brown won the men’s mile in 4 minutes, 11.6 seconds over a three-lap course, breaking the tape at the Marathon finish line. Next came 2008 Olympian Ian Dobson in 4:12.1.

Brown is half of the first American father-son combination to break the four-minute-mile barrier. His father, Florida all-American Barry Brown, committed suicide in 1992.

Sunday, Darren Brown took the lead with about 250 meters left. After Brown and Dobson came Alistair Cragg, the former Arkansas all-American by way of Ireland, in 4:12.7.

John Richardson, a two-time Southeastern Conference champion out of Kentucky, placed ninth in 4:16.6.

Beijing Olympians Anna Willard and Shalane Flanagan finished 1-2 in the women’s mile.

Willard, a steeplechaser, overtook Flanagan with about 200 meters left and won in 4:38.6. Flanagan, the Olympic bronze-medalist at 10,000 meters, clocked 4:40.2.

Jarrod Shoemaker and Maria Varela prevailed in the 5K over nearly 4,000 runners from 36 countries.

Shoemaker, an Olympic triathlete, won the men’s portion in 14:29.

Varela took the women’s title in 17:37.

Boston Marathon past winners who took part included Amby Burfoot, Greg Meyer, Neil Cusack, Joan Samuelson, Ingrid Kristiansen and Lorraine Moller, along with women’s running pioneer Katherine Switzer.

Men’s Invitational Mile

Zach Parise

Now one week less than a year until the opening of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, Zach Parise and Angela Ruggiero are among those hopeful of representing Team USA in hockey.

Parise, 24, is a winger for the New Jersey Devils and a native of Minneapolis. He has represented his country in six international competitions, but never an Olympics. He’s played in three World Championships, two Junior Worlds and one U-18 Worlds, helping Team USA win U-18 and (2004) Junior titles.

Ruggiero, 29, has played in every Olympics since women’s hockey became a medal event. Named top defenseman in the world six times, she helped Team USA to Nagano gold in 1998, Salt Lake City silver in 2002 and Torino bronze in 2006. Her cumulative stats: three goals, seven assists, 32 penalty minutes and a staggering plus-minus of +24.

Angela Ruggiero

She’s also played in eight World Championships and leads Team USA in international games played.

Two different players aiming for two different U.S. hockey rosters on two differing stages.

Since NHL players came into the Olympics in 1998, six different teams have played in the three gold-medal games.

The women’s game, however, has been dominated by Team USA and Canada.

Parise, whose father Jean-Paul played 14 seasons in the NHL and was a key figure in helping Canada (yes, Canada) witn the 1972 Summit Series over the Soviet Union, is having a career year.

Parise in action

Going into Thursday night’s game against Tampa Bay, Parise was tied for second in the NHL with  34 goals and was fourth with 69 points. His goals, points, assists (35), power-play goals (11) and plus-minus (+22) all are career highs — with more than seven weeks to play in what is his fourth NHL season. Oh, and the Devils lead the Atlantic Division.

No surprise here: Parise learned the game from his dad, who settled in Minneapolis and became an American citizen after playing for the North Stars. Zach was practically raised Canadian, though, spending countless hours playing pond hockey. The Parise house was adorned with hockey pictures taken during his father’s career.

“I think Minnesota is the closes thing to the (hockey) passion of a Canadian city,” Parise said. “In the Minnesota high school tournament, they’re selling out the Xcel (Energy) Center, 20,000 people. They love the game there.” 

Ruggiero, on the other hand, began playing at 7 when her father enrolled her in a Pasadena, Calif., youth league. A boys’ league that lacked players.

“They needed to field some teams back in the day,” said Ruggiero, whose teammates included her brother and sister. “So my dad brought me to the rink. And the L.A. Kings brought in (Wayne) Gretzky the year after I started playing, so that really created an explosion in some of these non-traditional hockey states that I benefited from.”

Ruggiero on ice

A native of Harrison Township in Michigan; introduced to hockey in California; played prep-school hockey in Connecticut (Choate Rosemary Hall); college hockey in Massachusetts (Harvard); trained with Team USA in New York (Lake Placid, for the 2002 Games) and now doing so in Minnesota (Blaine Residency Program, for the ’10 Games), Ruggiero is a living melting pot of state pride. When asked where she’s from, Ruggerio answers “I’m from all over America.”

The U.S. men are in an Olympic pool with Canada, Switzerland and Norway. The women are grouped with Finland, Russia and China.

Both Parise and Ruggiero say Canada is the team to keep an eye on. How could they not with men’s stars such as Sidney Crosby, Dany Heatley and Ryan Getzlaf? Or with women’s standouts Hayley Wickenheiser, Jayna Hefford, Caroline Oullette and the goalie tandem of Charline Labonte’ and Kim St. Pierre?

After that, perhaps Russia, but “I don’t think you can overlook any team that’s going to be there,” Parise said. Ruggiero says the women also will have to be alert to Sweden, which recently beat Canada in the Four Nations Tournament.

As for Team USA, Parise bit when asked: if you were general manager of the team, who would you pick for a starting six?

“I might get myself in trouble here. … (Ryan) Miller’s having a great season in Buffalo there, in the nets, but (the Islanders’ Rick) DiPietro’s always there, too. … I think you put (Chicago’s Patrick) Kane, (the Rangers’ Scott) Gomez, and I would put Dustin Brown (of Los Angeles) there, too. Then maybe (Montreal’s Mike) Komisarek and (Detroit’s Brian) Rafalski on point.”

Others mentioned during the conversation included Peter Mueller of Phoenix, Patrick O’Sullivan of Los Angeles, Drew Stafford of Buffalo and Chris Drury of the Rangers.

As for himself, “I think I’m more of a third-liner,” Parise said.

“I’ve always wanted to play in the Olympics. I’ve always wanted to represent my country. It made me think about it a little more-so (when) we went to Vancouver at the beginning of January. You can tell, already, the excitement that’s there. You can see the buildings going up and it’s really going to be a great place to have it. I just hope I’m there to play.”

With Wisconsin’s Mark Johnson taking over from Ben Smith as coach of the U.S. women, Ruggiero thinks several Badgers could join him in Vancouver. She’s particularly high on goalie Jessie Vetter, while also mentioning Hilary Knight, Erika Lawler and Meaghan Duggan. Minnesota freshman twins Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux could be in the mix.

For her part, Ruggiero said, “to be able to play in a fourth Olympics and, hopefully, win a gold medal, getting back to the top of that podium, means everything to me. It is the reason why I’m still playing.”

Olympic rings.

Jose Acevedo

First-place finishes by Jose Acevedo and Mikel Thomas, both veterans of the Beijing Olympics, led Kentucky. Chase Madison made it a UK hat trick, winning the shot put.

Top female performer at UK’s Nutter Fieldhouse was double-winner Hyleas Fountain, the Olympic silver-medalist in the heptathlon from Dayton, Ohio.

The meet was the second and last home competition for UK before it plays host to the Southeastern Conference Championships, Feb. 27-March 1.
Acevedo, who competed at 200 meters for in the Olympics, tied the Venezuelan national record for 60 meters in Saturday’s finals, placing third. He later won the 200 in 21.22, an NCAA provisional qualifying mark.

In all, 20 collegiate performances met NCAA provisional standards. Twelve non-collegians also reached provisional standards and four hit automatic qualifing marks.

“It was good. The 60, I opened with my PR (personal record). I was impressed about that - 6.79,” Acevedo said. “It was awesome. And I was trying to do better in the finals. My start wasn’t as good as the prelims, so that cost me a chance to run under 6.70. That was the goal, but I still feel really good about 6.76.”

Rondel Sorillo

His 6.76 matched the Venezuelan record set by Victor Castillo, who placed 15th in the long jump at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

D’Angelo Cherry, who set a national high school record for 55 meters last year, won the 60 in 6.64. UK senior Gordon McKenzie took second, with a personal-best and NCAA provisional mark of 6.68. Acevedo was among three runners timed in 6.76. Going to ten-thousands of a second, Acevedo’s 6.7511 edged unattached David Dickens’ 6.7547 and Eastern Kentucky’s Shannon Davis’ 6.7575.

UK freshman Justin Austin ran a provisional-qualifying 6.74 preliminary, but did not test a sore leg in the finals.

In the 200, Acevedo topped UK newcomer Rondel Sorillo, 21.22 to 21.33. EKU’s Davis took third in 21.55.

“I was feeling a little bit tight just because of the 60,” Acevedo said. “That (60) is not my event; I’m not used to it. … But I tried to do my best. I got out with Rondel. He’s a really good competitor. He’s a really good runner.

“I was just trying to run with him more than run my race, and I think that was my mistake in the 200. But 21.22 is a provisional mark. It’s a pretty good day.”

Sorillo, from Trinidad and Tobago, competed in the same Olympic qualifying heat as Acevedo. That August day, Sorillo won in 20.58; Acevedo was fifth in 21.06. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, the eventual gold-medal winner and world record-setter, ran second in the heat.

Mikel Thomas

Sorillo, who has two years of college in Trinidad under his belt, ran unattached as he is not yet eligible for UK.

Thomas, also a Trinidad Olympian last summer, met the NCAA provisional standard by winning the 60-meter hurdles in 7.80. Runner-up Terence Somerville of Cincinnati matched the provisional cut of 7.91.

“In the trials, I didn’t really get out of the blocks,” Thomas said of his 7.95 prelim. “I got out better (in the finals). This one was cleaner, but in between (hurdles) it’s not really where I need to be. A little tight. A little slow.”
UK’s Madison, a senior, won the shot put by more than four feet over Louisville’s Steve Hnat. Madison’s mark of 61 feet, 7 3/4 inches is an NCAA provisional qualifier.

“That’s definitely the best series of my life,” said Madison, who had efforts of 59-6 3/4, 59-0 1/4, foul, 60-2, 59-10 1/4 and 61-7 3/4. “Building consistencey now through SECs and through the national meet, that’s what I want.”

Chase Madison

Madison beat his previous best (59-2 3/4) four times.

“A lot more technical work,” he said in explaining his improvement. “A lot more quality work. Not just quantity, but quality.

“Focus on technique, not distance. … Let the distance come in competition, not practice.”

UK’s Colin Boevers placed eighth in the shot. Teammate Rashaud Scott, the NCAA discus champion and a provisional qualifier in Friday’s weight throw, fouled twice and passed his third turn.

Fountain, who won SEC titles for Georgia in the high jump, long jump and pentathlon (collegiate-record 4,417 points) here in 2004, was the Saturday’s quality performer among the women.

Hyleas Fountain

Fountain set a meet record of 21-5 1/2 in the long jump, then beat the meet and fieldhouse record with an 8.02 in the 60-meter hurdles.

“Right now, training for USAs (championships) and just trying to retain my title in the long jump there,” Fountain said of her 2009 goals. “The biggest meet, of course, is the World Championships in Berlin.”

A timing malfunction made it necessary to re-run Fountain’s preliminary heat of the hurdles. She won both times, 8.13 in the one that counted.
“I just kind of looked at it as a good warmup,” she said.

Furman’s Patrick Morgan, a former standout for Boyle County High School, came off the final turn to kick past Middle Tennessee State’s Festus Chemaoi and win the men’s mile in a personal-best and school-record 4:05.90. Chemaoi, timed in 4:065.29, caught Morgan by surprise and surged to a big lead with about two laps left.

Patrick Morgan

“He made a really good move there,” Morgan said. “I didn’t think I could catch him. I started to kick with about 300 to go, and he just slowly came closer, so I knew I had to (catch him).”

Eastern Kentucky’s Joseph Maina edged UK’s Luis Orta by three-hundredths of a second for third place, finishing in 4:10.59.
Former EKU all-American Jacob Korir, like Maina a Kenyan, used similar tactics to win the 3,000 meters in a meet-record 8:07.09. Mississippi State’s Matt Cameron, competing unattached, led until the final 200 meters.

Western Kentucky swept the 4-by-400 relays for men (3:12.90) and women (NCAA-provisional 3:37.97). Janet Jesang (9:26.68) and Eimear O’Brien gave the Hilltoppers a 1-2 finish in the women’s 3,000, and Valerie Brown snared the 400 (53.58). Jesang and Brown both met NCAA provisional standards.

Janet Jesang

Jesang, a junior from Uganda, hopes to qualify for NCAAs at 5,000 meters next week.

Kelly McNeice, from Northern Ireland, swept the women’s 800 (2:09.45) and mile (4:45.71), followed each time by Zamzam Sangau, a Middle Tennessee State junior from Uganda.

Saravia Richardson gave Louisville its lone win with a provisional qualifying time of 7.44 in the women’s 60.

Other female winners included Chandra Brewer in the shot (55-5 1/2), Chelsea Taylor in the high jump (5-11 1/2) and Trish Bartholomew in the 200 (23.64).

Brewer, a South Florida graduate, placed fourth at last summer’s U.S. Olympic Trials.

Taylor, a top-20 ranked jumper and multi-eventer, is scheduled to return here in three weeks, competing for Alabama.

Jeff Chakouian

Ohio Northern’s James O’Brien scored one for the smaller schools, taking the lead with 50 meters left en route to winning the men’s 800 in a provisional qualifying time of 1:49.70.

Elvis Forde

Carl Morgan upheld Middle Tennessee’s reputation as a perennial power in the jumps, taking the long jump (24-3 3/4).

Other winners were unattached Jamil Hubbard in the 400 (46.58) and Cincinnati’s Shane Shockey in the pole vault (16-0 3/4).

More than a dozen countries will be represented this weekend at USA Wrestling’s Dave Schultz Memorial International Open. The competition, Friday through Sunday, will take place at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

With a nod to USA Wrestling media contact Gary Abbott for providing background information …

Greco-Roman standouts include Americans Lindsey Durlacher, Sam Hazewinkel and Harry Lester, along with Bulgaria’s Aleksander Kostadinov. Durlacher (55 kg) is a 2006 World Championships bronze medalist; Hazewinkel (55 kg) is the 2008 University Worlds champ; Lester (74 kg) is the 2006 and ‘07 World bronze medalist, and Kostadinov (55 kg) is the 2007 and ‘08 Junior World champion.

James Johnson

Incidentally, University of Kentucky graduate James Johnson, a three-time national champion, is coaching the Greco-Roman talent for the Sunkist Kids.

Top entrants in men’s freestyle include India’s Sushil Kumar and Russians Darsam Dzaparov, Magomed Zubairov and Evgeni Kolomiets. Kumar (66 kg) is the reigning Olympic bronze medalist; Dzaparov (66 kg) is the 2006 Junior World champion; Zubairov (74 kg) is the 2008 Junior World champion; and Kolomiets (96 kg) is the 2008 World University champion. 

Women’s freestylers include Carol Huynh, Clarissa Chun, Iwona Matkowska-Sadowska, Patricia Miranda, Katherine Fulp-Allen, Aka Tomar, Sylwia Bilenska, Tonya Verbeek, Tatyana Lazareva, Adeline Gray, Monika Ewa Michalik and Agnieszka Wieszczek.

At 48 kg, Canada’s Huynh is the 2008 Olympic gold medalist; Team USA’s Chun is the 2008 World champion; and Poland’s Matkowska-Sadowska is the 2006 World bronze-medalist. 

At 51 kg, Miranda is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist and four-time winner of the Schultz Memorial, and fellow American Fulp-Allen is the 2008 Junior World champion.

At 55 kg, India’s Tomar is the 2006 World bronze medalist; Poland’s Bilenska is the 2004 World University champion; Canada’s Verbeek is the 2004 and ‘08 Olympic bronze medalist; and Ukraine’s Lazareva is the 2004 World University champion and ‘08 World silver medalist. 

Gray, of the U.S., is the 2008 Junior World champ at 67 kg, while Poland’s Michalik is the 2006 and ‘07 World bronze medalist.

Wieszczek, also a Pole, is the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist.

* Wrestling is on tap in Lexington as well. The Lexington City Championships will take place Saturday at Tates Creek High School. Finals begin at 1:30 p.m.

Arkansas visits UK gymnasts; Hall of Fame class named

Switching from wrestling mat to floor exercise mat, Kentucky’s women will entertain third-ranked Arkansas in a Southeastern Conference meet, Friday at 7 p.m. This will be the annual “Pink Meet” at Memorial Coliseum, in support of UK HealthCare’s Markey Cancer Center.

The Cats have dropped three straight SEC meets after opening with a non-conference victory over Utah State. Arkansas is 4-1 overall, 2-0 in the SEC.

Admission is $1 for fans wearing pink, full price for others. A portion of proceeds will benefit breast cancer research, education and treatment at the Markey Cancer Center. The first 300 fans will receive a pink mug.

Friday also is designated as Girl Scouts Night, with free admission for those wearing Girl Scouts uniforms or T-shirts.

Heather Hite

After the meet, UK’s sophomore gymnasts will sign autographs.

Last week, at No. 8 Florida, Heather Hite and Hillary Ferguson led UK on the balance beam, each scoring 9.750 to tie for second place.

Hillary Ferguson

Natalie Rubinstein, ranked 18th on the uneven bars, led the Cats in that event as she has all season, scoring 9.825.

Ferguson, No. 21 nationally in floor exercise, scored 9.825 at Florida to place third overall. She also took third in the all-around at 39.075.

Natalie Rubinstein

Arkansas, coming off a win over No. 9 Alabama, is led by Casey Jo Magee. Ranked third nationally, she won her fifth all-around of the season by scoring 39.450. Ranked No. 2 on the floor, she scored 9.925 in that event.

* USA Gymnastics this week announced its 2009 class of inductees for the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

The HOFers include: 2004 Olympic all-around gold medalist Carly Patterson; 2004 rhythmic Olympian Mary Sanders; 2000 Olympian Steve McCain; and 1996 Olympian John Macready.

Also elected: two-time World Acrobatic champions Shenea Booth and Arthur Davis; trampoline and tumbling coach/judge Pat Wilson Henderson; trampolinist James Yongue; Temple University coach Fred Turoff, and the 1999 World Championships gold-medal double mini-trampoline team of Karl Heger, Mark Griffith, Byron Smith and Ryan Weston.

The Hall of Fame luncheon and induction ceremony is set for Friday, Aug. 14, as part of the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show at Dallas, which is held in conjunction with the Visa Championships. More information is available at www.usa-gymnastics.org.