NOME, Alaska - Even as Mitch Seavey sped into the chute with his eight dogs, he had a little difficulty believing he had won the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
"I kept looking over my shoulder," he said after crossing the finish line at 10:20 p.m. Tuesday.
It had been one of the closest races in years, beginning with a record 87 mushers.
Seavey spent nine days, 12 hours, 20 minutes and 22 seconds traversing spectacular terrain from Anchorage to Nome, riding across frozen rivers and vast rolling hills, through treacherous gorges and winding mountain passes.
"I think everybody's happy to have an Alaskan boy win the Iditarod," said Seavey, running his 11th Iditarod. His previous best finish had been fourth in 1998.
The 43-year-old musher from Seward won $69,000 and a truck.
Three-time winner Jeff King of Denali Park finished second at 12:40 a.m. Wednesday, about 2 hours and 20 minutes behind Seavey. Norwegian Kjetil Backen was third at 1:11 a.m., followed by Ramey Smyth, Ed Iten, Charlie Boulding and five-time winner Rick Swenson.
Teams began the race with 16 dogs and dropped them at checkpoints, from which they would be sent home, for many reasons.
"This dog team is awesome," Seavey said. "I knew if I didn't make any big mistakes - this dog team is a monster. I knew they could do it."
BOXING: Fighter claims fraud
A convicted murderer who forged close ties to baseball stars and other athletes while in prison has said he had hepatitis and could barely see when he fought a fixed comeback fight at the Anaheim Pond in Las Vegas.
Joey Torres, out on bail at the time of the 2002 fight but now in jail for a 1979 murder conviction, said a matchmaker had someone take his medical tests for him, then brought his opponent to his room the morning of the fight so they could rehearse the knockout.
Torres said he had highly contagious hepatitis C, 20/400 vision and trained on cognac and colas to get ready for the fight.
Baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor posted bond for Torres, and he and former baseball star Eric Davis were in the corner for the fight that ended with Torres knocking out Perry Williams in the second round.
TENNIS: Davenport impresses
Lindsay Davenport extended her impressive run in the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells, Calif., defeating qualifier Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-2. Also advancing was Tampa's James Blake, with a 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-1 win over Taylor Dent, and Tim Henman, who beat Wayne Arthurs 6-1, 6-3.
KEY BISCAYNE: Justine Henin-Hardenne will skip the tournament next week, putting off a potential showdown with former No. 1 Serena Williams. Henin-Hardenne plans to play the next week on clay at Amelia Island to prepare for the French Open.
SOCCER: U.S. men add games
The U.S. men's team will play exhibition games against Mexico and Poland to prepare for World Cup qualifying. The Americans play Mexico on April 28 at Dallas' Cotton Bowl and Poland on July 11 at Chicago's Soldier Field.
COLLEGES
BASEBALL: Florida had its 14-game win streak snapped with a 9-5 loss to Army at Gainesville. The Black Knights jumped to an 8-1 lead and held off a rally. Army led 1-0 through six before the teams combined for 13 runs in the final three innings. No. 18 Florida State poured it on late to beat Jacksonville 19-3 at Tallahassee. South Florida fell to Miami 17-3 at Red McEwen Field in Tampa to split a two-game series. USF won 7-2 Tuesday. Tampa beat Massachusetts-Lowell 12-3, with Sergio Perez earning the win.
SOFTBALL: Eckerd College dropped a doubleheader to Carson Newman at St. Petersburg. Carson Newman won the first 10-2, the second 13-4.
MEN'S TENNIS: USF beat Army (6-1) in the morning and Georgia Southern (7-0) in the afternoon at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts.
