Miscellany

Ukraine’s Anzhela Balakhonova broke the women’s pole vault world indoor record jumping 14 feet, 7-1/4 inches in the European Indoors Championships to surpass the mark of 14-6-3/4 set by Iceland’s Vala Flosadottir last month.

Alvin Brooks was fired as men’s basketball coach at the University of Houston, effective April 3. The Cougars were 9-19 this season, 2-14 in Conference USA, in Brooks’ fifth season as head coach.

Germany’s Martina Ertl edged Norway’s Trine Bakke by seven-tenths of a second to win the women’s World Cup night slalom in Saalbach, Austria.

Michigan State lost $310,000 because of its decision to play in Hawaii’s Aloha Bowl, far from most Spartans fans. But the school says the trip, despite the cost and the 28-point loss to Washington, was worth it.

Skip Away, the overwhelming favorite, took the lead on the far turn and scored a 2-1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap in Hallandale, Fla.

Orville N Wilbur’s won the $200,000 San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., by five lengths. Orville N Wilbur’s finished the one-mile race for 3-year-olds in 1:35.96.