Jones breezes to victory in women’s 100-meter dash

Marion Jones easily won the 100 meters at the Reebok Grand Prix on Saturday in New York, crossing the line in 11.06 seconds to raucous cheers.

The former Olympian beat a strong field that included world champion Lauryn Williams, top Jamaican Veronica Campbell and 2003 world champ Torri Edwards.

Jones got off to a good start and was way ahead by 60 meters, winning her third meet of the year since she started her comeback following an 11-month absence during which she battled injuries and doping allegations.

In the men’s 100, co-world record holder Justin Gatlin also won easily, clocking 9.87 in the final sprint event of the evening. American Tyson Gay was second in 10.04.

Meseret Defar of Ethiopia set the world record in women’s 5,000 in 14:24.53, breaking the mark of 14:24.68 set by Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse in 2004.

Football

Civil War game moved

For the first time since 1927, the Civil War football game between Oregon and Oregon State will be played on a Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, instead of on a Saturday.

For the schools, it’s a chance to make $250,000 each in TV money, and to play in front of a national audience.

Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. Nov. 24 in Corvallis.

“Matt D’Orazio threw six touchdown passes – five to Bobby Sippio – to help the Chicago Rush advance to the ArenaBowl with a 59-56 victory over the San Jose SaberCats in the American Conference title game in San Jose, Calif.

In the ArenaBowl next Sunday in Las Vegas, the Rush will face the winner of today’s National Conference championship game between Orlando and Dallas.

“Cincinnati Bengals linebacker A.J. Nicholson was charged in Tallahassee, Fla., with burglarizing the apartment of a former Florida State teammate.

The 21-year-old Nicholson also was charged with grand theft and vandalism. He was being held at the Leon County jail on $16,000 bond, with a first appearance before a judge scheduled Monday.

“Former BYU football captain Brad Martin, who struggled with drug addiction after his playing career, was found dead of unknown causes at his home in Salt Lake City. He was 30.

Martin played at BYU from 1995-1998. His body was found by his landlord Tuesday, likely five to six days after he died, police told his family. An autopsy was inconclusive and toxicology results will take about three weeks, said Robert Martin, Brad’s father.

Softball

Bruins, Vols advance

Catcher Emily Zaplatosch had three hits, including a home run, and Andrea Duran had an inside-the-park home run as UCLA beat Texas 2-0 in an elimination game in the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Also, Jennifer Griffin’s two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning lifted Tennessee to a 3-1 win over Arizona State in a losers bracket game.

Tennessee will play Arizona and UCLA will play Northwestern today.

Baseball

Tampa wins Div. II title

Pinch-hitter Chris Rosenbaum singled home Lee Cruz with two outs in the 10th inning to lift Tampa to a 3-2 win over Chico State (46-21) in the Division II championship game in Montgomery, Ala.

The Spartans (54-6) captured their fourth Division II title and first since 1998.

Running

Nguran wins marathon

Joseph Nguran of Kenya won the Salt Lake City Marathon, taking the lead halfway through the race and winning by 1 minute, 17 seconds. Nguran finished with a time of 2:16:41. Fellow Kenyan Phillip Taurus was second (2:17:58).

Ukraine’s Ilona Baranova took over the women’s race with about 4 miles remaining and won in 2:38:04. Werknesh Tola of Ethiopia (2:42:00) was second.

“Phillip Bandawe of Zimbabwe won the Stockholm (Sweden) Marathon, beating countryman Michael Ngaseke.

Bandawe finished the race in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 1 second, while Ngaseke crossed the line in 2:20:05.

Horse racing

Sir Percy victorious

Sir Percy won the $2.35 million English Derby in a photo finish in Epsom, England, and Horatio Nelson pulled up with a broken front left leg.

Sir Percy charged up on the rails to catch front-runners Dragon Dancer, Dylan Thomas and Hala Bek in one of the closest finishes in the 227-year history of the race.

Horatio Nelson, the second favorite, pulled up 600 yards from the finish.

“He’s had a serious fracture, but they’re going to do everything to save him,” owner John Magnier said.