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In brief
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 31, 2003
GENEVA -- The women's world hockey championships in China were called off Sunday because of the mysterious disease that has killed at least 57 and sickened 1,600 worldwide.
The tournament was to have started Thursday and ended April 9. The International Ice Hockey Federation in Zurich said it could not assure the health of the teams and has not decided if the event will be rescheduled.
The IIHF advised teams in the eight-nation tournament to return home as soon as possible. Switzerland, Sweden, Russia and Germany were in Beijing with the host Chinese team. Squads from the United States, Canada and Finland were about to leave for China.
"Obviously our team, players and staff wanted to play," said Doug Palazzari, executive director of USA Hockey. "It is a huge part of our program. At this point we think the IIHF made the right decision under the circumstances. It is a very, very difficult situation obviously. But we have to consider first and foremost the safety of our players and staff."
The federation said it initially decided to proceed with the tournament because Beijing did not appear to be hit by the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. But the IIHF said the "situation took a drastic turn to the worse in the last few days." China is the most severely affected country with 800 cases and 34 deaths.
Canada has won all seven worlds and has never lost a game in the tournament. It won the 2001 title, beating the United States. There were no worlds in 2002, an Olympic year.
U.S. health officials have said antiviral drugs and other treatments they have tested are ineffective. They believe the illness comes from a new form of coronavirus, the virus that causes about a fifth of all colds.
Brendan Hansen and Aaron Peirsol set NCAA records Saturday for host Texas at the Men's Swimming and Diving Championships. Hansen won the 200-yard breaststroke in 1:52.62, topping his mark of 1:52.88 set last year. Peirsol won the 200 backstroke in 1:39.16, topping the 1:40.06 set in 1995 by Stanford's Brian Retterer. California set an NCAA record in the 400 free relay in 2:48.99, surpassing Texas' 2:49.80 in 2001.
Auburn took the team title with 609.5 points. Texas, winner the past three years, finished second with 413 and Florida (171) was sixth. Georgia's Robert Margalis of Clearwater High and St. Pete Aquatics won the 400 individual medley in 3:39.92 and was second in the 500 freestyle in 4:14.24 during the meet.
GYMNASTICS: Alabama won its fifth SEC championship Saturday in Birmingham, Ala., edging rival Georgia by .50 of a point. Florida finished third. The last time a team other than Georgia or Alabama took the title was 1989 when Florida won in Gainesville.
Almost two years ago, an upset win made Hasim Rahman's career. A draw may revive it. Spoiled by success after his knockout of Lennox Lewis and winless since, Rahman took a step up Saturday in Philadelphia. He neutralized knockout specialist David Tua with a draw in a 12-round IBF elimination bout. One judge had it 116-112 for Rahman. The others: 116-112 for Tua and 114-114. Rahman won 116-112 on the Associated Press card. Rahman lost his first fight to Tua in 1998 when he was hit after the bell in the ninth round. He thought he was cheated again: "It's the same old stuff. I can't beat this David Tua. I beat him twice and I don't have a win on my record. I'm speechless."
HORSES: Excessivepleasure won by a neck in the inaugural running of the $500,000 WinStar Derby, the richest race at Sunland (N.M.) Park. The 3-year-old paid $9.40, $3.60 and $2.60. ... Lyell Creek N rallied along the inside in the stretch to win the $132,420 Su Mac Lad at Meadowlands, returning $29, $11 and $10.40.
MOTORCYCLES: Yamaha's Chad Reed won his fifth 250cc THQ World Supercross GP/AMA race of the season in Houston. Yamaha's Brock Sellards won his second 125cc Eastern Regional AMA race of the season.