In brief: Hamlin wins pole, takes spot from Gordon

Denny Hamlin bounced back from a difficult 14th-place run at Bristol last week by winning the pole at Martinsville Speedway on Friday for Sunday’s Nextel Cup race in Martinsville, Va.

Hamlin’s lap at 95.103 mph in his Chevrolet Impala knocked Jeff Gordon off the top spot early in the qualifying session on NASCAR’s smallest, tightest track, and Jamie McMurray later knocked him off the front row with a lap at 94.955 mph in a Ford Fusion.

Swimming

Thorpe accused

The French sports daily L’Equipe said five-time Olympic gold medalist Ian Thorpe turned up with irregular levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone when tested in May 2006 but that officials in Australia threw out the case. FINA, the governing body of swimming, wants the investigation reopened, L’Equipe reported.

“FINA banned a Ukrainian coach for six years after television footage showed him scuffling with his swimmer daughter at the world championships.

Mikhaylo Zubkov was shown pushing and shoving his 18-year-old daughter, Kateryna, during an altercation in a waiting area at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.

Tennis

Canas wins again

Guillermo Canas advanced to the final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla., beating Ivan Ljubicic 7-5, 6-2.

On Sunday, the 29-year-old Canas, who defeated Roger Federer in the fourth round, will play 19-year-old Novak Djokovic, who swept the final 11 games to beat Andy Murray 6-1, 6-0.

On the women’s side, Serena Williams will face top-ranked Justine Henin in today’s final.

Miscellany

Purdue player stabbed

Purdue wide receiver Selwyn Lymon was stabbed in the chest, saying he was attacked at a nightclub in West Lafayette, Ind. The 20-year-old was listed in fair condition at St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

“Doctors reported progress in treating Diego Maradona, the 47-year-old former World Cup star from Argentina, for alcohol abuse and other excesses that prompted the soccer great’s hospitalization in Buenos, Aires, Argentina.

“A lightning strike killed high school runner Corey Williams, 18, in Carbondale, Ill., as he left a pole vault pit shortly before a track meet, the county coroner said.

“Marco Sullivan won his first national title in five years, and Kaylin Richardson took the women’s downhill at Girdwood, Alaska, in the opening day of the U.S. Alpine Championships.

“Greece’s government suspended all team-sport matches and police raided dozens of homes and supporters’ clubs after a fan was killed during clashes before a women’s volleyball match in Athens. “Federal authorities charged University of Toledo football player Harvey McDougal in connection with a point-shaving scheme. The 22-year-old senior told FBI investigators he received items of value, but insisted he never changed the way he played to affect the outcome of games.