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Sports briefs

Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 15, 2002

Dive mark not voided by death

A French woman who died trying to break a world mark in free diving will be recognized as the record-holder.

Audrey Mestre, 28, died Saturday after plunging into deep waters near La Romana, 81 miles east of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Based on a practice dive made three days before her death, she was credited with the record, the Miami-based International Association of Free Divers said Monday.

Attached to a 200-pound weighted sled mounted on a steel cable, Mestre reached 561 feet on a single breath, then apparently blacked out, said Carlos Serra, president of the IAFD, which was monitoring the dive.

For that dive to be considered a record, she needed to surface safely, Serra said. But the association will recognize Mestre's unofficial practice attempt on Wednesday, when she dove 558 feet and met all requirements in front of judges. She was attempting to break the "no limits" dive world record of 531.5 feet, set by her husband, Francisco "Pipin" Ferreras, in January 2000.

TENNIS: Agustin Calleri beat Tampa's James Blake 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the inaugural Tennis Masters Madrid in Spain. ... Jelena Dokic defeated Iva Majoli 6-1, 6-4 at the Swisscom Challenge in Zurich. Dokic, who renounced Australian citizenship last year to compete for native Yugoslavia, said she will skip the Australian Open a second straight year.

HORSES: Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, 45, who has won the Eclipse Award as racing's top rider five times, will be sidelined for several days because of a kidney stone. ... Sakhee, winner of last year's Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe, is being retired because of a lingering knee problem. The 5-year-old has eight wins in 14 races, earning more than $3.2-million. ... Tenpins, winner of the Washington Park Handicap in September, will not run in the Breeders' Cup Classic Oct. 26 at Arlington Park in Chicago. ... Glia won the $114,300 Pebbles Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park, returning $6.10, $3.50 and $2.30.

COLLEGES: Tampa soccer forward Sarah McTurk was named women's offensive player of the week in the Sunshine State Conference after she scored winning goals in two games. Saint Leo's Paul Reynolds of Tampa's Gaither High was the men's player of the week after scoring nine points on three goals and three assists in two games. ... Clemson first baseman Michael Johnson, who had 25 homers and 81 RBIs last season, will miss about 10 weeks after surgery to repair a dislocated right ankle. ... Florida men's golf team (285) was fifth behind leader Ohio State (279) after the first round of the Gary Koch Invitational in Tampa. Florida State (287) was eighth, Central Florida (293) 12th and South Florida (299) 14th.

GOLF: Atlanta's East Lake Club will become the primary host of the Tour Championship -- for top 30 on the money list -- through a marketing deal with Coca-Cola that makes it the presenting sponsor of the PGA Tour's season-ending event. Coca-Cola agreed to a four-year deal, with an option for a six-year extension.

AUTOS: Jaques Lazier, who was fourth in the IRL standings before breaking his back during the Firestone Indy 255 in April, tested his Team Menard car at Kentucky Speedway over the weekend, his first time on track since his injury. ... The Arrows Formula One team settled a monetary dispute with the United Kingdom's tax authority that threatened the survival of the team.

ARENA FOOTBALL: Storm lineman Kelvin Kinney, acquired in the Oct. 8 trade that sent quarterback Scott Milanovich to the Detroit Fury, may have surgery that would sideline him next season, the Edmonton Journal reported. He is considering the removal of a six-inch screw that holds bones in his left foot together.

SOCCER: Colorado midfielder Mark Chung, who finished the season without an ejection or caution a fourth time, won MLS's fair play award. Kansas City won the team award a second time.

CYCLING: Mario Cipollini moved up five to fifth in the world rankings after winning Sunday's World Championship road race in Zolder, Belgium. Lance Armstrong advanced one to second.

RUNNING: Marla Runyan won the USA National 10K Championship in Boston in 31 minutes, 46 seconds.

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