Powell equals record; Jones fails drug test
Asafa Powell needed three days to get to the meet because of all the airline disruptions in Europe.
When he finally arrived, he was as fast and flawless as ever.
The Jamaican equaled his 100-meter world record at the Weltklasse Golden League meet Friday night in Zurich, Switzerland, the third time he has run the distance in 9.77 seconds.
“I knew I had something special, but I didn’t know so fast,” Powell said. “I’m the only one who has ever run 9.77 three times. I ran a world record three times. If I’m going to continue to run 9.77 for the rest of my career, it’s not a bother to me.”
Powell led from start to finish and was followed by two Americans – Tyson Gay in a personal-best 9.84 and Leonard Scott in his season-best 9.97.
Also at the meet, Brad Walker (University of Washington/University High) won the pole vault at 19 feet, 2 1/4 inches; Bernard Lagat (Washington State University) was seventh in the 1,500 in 3:34.70; and Ian Waltz (WSU/Post Falls) was seventh in the discus at 205-5.
•Marion Jones, who withdrew from the Zurich meet earlier in the day, citing “personal issues,” failed an initial doping test at the U.S. national championships in June, according to a newspaper report.
The five-time Olympic medalist’s “A” sample tested positive for a banned performance enhancer at the event in Indianapolis, the Washington Post reported on its Web site, citing people with knowledge of the results who were not identified.
A person familiar with the results told the Post that the substance was erythropoietin, or EPO, a banned performance-enhancer that boosts endurance.
Basketball
Parker breaks finger
San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker will not play for France in the world championship after being diagnosed with a broken finger.
•Former NBA player Lonny Baxter will remain in the District of Columbia jail on felony gun charge at least until next Wednesday, in part because of a request from his attorneys.
•Free agent Scot Pollard (Kamiakin High in Kennewick) signed a one-year contract with Cleveland, which also traded center Martynas Andriuskevicius to Chicago for guard Eddie Basden.
•Alonzo Mourning re-signed with the Miami Heat, a formality after the veteran center announced last month that he would return for the coming season and help the team defend its NBA championship.
•At San Rafael, Calif., two arrest warrants were issued for former NBA star Isaiah “J.R.” Rider after he failed to show up at his sentencing for convictions that include false imprisonment and driving offenses.
•Brandon Jenkins, a starting senior guard for Louisville, will miss at least three months after he suffered a broken leg during a pickup game.
•A judge in Columbus, Ohio, ruled that Ohio State must pay Jim O’Brien $206,000 in interest in addition to the $2.2 million already awarded the fired men’s coach because the school failed to follow terms of his contract.
Miscellany
Nadal knocked out
World second-ranked Rafael Nadal lost to fellow Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) in the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters at Mason, Ohio. The last 15 times Nadal and No. 1 Roger Federer – who lost on Wednesday – were entered in the same tournament, one of them won it.
•Jeff Burton won the pole for Sunday’s GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, capturing his fourth Nextel Cup Series pole of the season to tie Kasey Kahne for the lead.
•Lost in the Fog, the 2005 Eclipse Award winner as sprinter of the year, has cancer in his spleen and abdomen and his trainer said that the 4-year-old colt will have to be put down soon.
•Michael Phelps won his second individual gold medal of the Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, British Columbia, then returned as leadoff swimmer on the United States’ victorious 800-meter freestyle relay.