Masterkova Sets Mile Record: 4:12.56

Svetlana Masterkova of Russia set a world record in the women’s mile Wednesday--4 minutes 12.56 seconds--at the Weltklasse Grand Prix track and field meet at Zurich, Switzerland.

Masterkova, who won Olympic gold medals in the 800 and 1,500 meters in Atlanta, shattered the mark of 4:15.61 set in 1989 by Paula Ivan of Romania. Masterkova led all the way, beating runner-up Regina Jacobs of the United States by more than nine seconds.

The performance by Masterkova--who has the fastest times in the world this season in the 800 and 1,500--came in the first mile she has ever raced. It also came only 18 months after the birth of her first child.

Masterkova said the next record to go might be the 1,500 mark of 3:50.46 set in 1993 by Qu Yunxia of China. Her time at the 1,500-meter mark during the mile was 3:56.77, much better than her best of 3:59.30 in the 1,500.

In the men’s 100, Dennis Mitchell defeated Olympic champion and world-record holder Donovan Bailey of Canada in 10.04. Bailey was timed in 10.06.

Tennis

Andre Agassi, hitting a ball into the stands and cursing the umpire, was disqualified from the RCA Championships at Indianapolis during his second-round match against Canada’s Daniel Nestor.

Agassi had just been broken in the fifth game of the second set when he hit a ball into the stands. He was cited for ball abuse by chair umpire Dana Laconto.

Agassi then shouted an expletive at the umpire, who in turn called for ATP supervisor Mark Darby to confer with Agassi. That meeting ended with Darby instructing Laconto to default Agassi, giving the match to Nestor, 1-6, 3-2 (default).

“I got a warning, then he went straight to default,” Agassi said. “I felt I had an argument for not getting a point penalty. . . . It’s something I’ve said a thousand times, and today they decide that crossed the line.”

Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek struggled before defeating feisty Luke Jensen, 6-3, 6-7 (7-5), 7-6 (7-2), in the second round of the Pilot Pen International at New Haven, Conn.

Pro Basketball

Dan Majerle, flying to Miami to sign with the Heat, apparently had a change of heart during an airport layover in Dallas and returned to Phoenix. Majerle’s agent, Curt Schoeppler, was in Miami and had reached an oral agreement with the Heat on Monday, the Miami Herald reported. . . . Alabama forward Roy Rogers, one of Vancouver’s two first-round draft picks, signed a three-year contract with the Grizzlies.

Jurisprudence

The sexual harassment lawsuit against Clipper owner Donald Sterling will go to trial April 7. The trial in Los Angeles Superior Court will go before Judge Ronald Sohigian. Christine Jaksy claims she quit working for Sterling after he repeatedly offered her money to have sex with him, then asked her to recruit sexual partners.

The personal injury lawsuit against Deion Sanders of the Dallas Cowboys in Ohio was postponed until next week after his lawyer told the judge in the case that Sanders had “urgent personal family matters” to take care of. Sanders is being sued for $1 million by Riverfront Stadium security guard Herbert Kohus concerning a dispute after a Cincinnati Red game at the stadium in 1994.

An arrest warrant issued for Cincinnati Bengal defensive end John Copeland in a child-support case was canceled.

Former middleweight boxing champion Michael Nunn of Agoura Hills faces several charges as a result of his arrest early Wednesday after a high-speed chase in Davenport, Iowa.

Miscellany

Athens, which made an unsuccessful bid for the 1996 Summer Olympics, made its official bid for the 2004 Games. . . . Accusing NBC and host Bob Costas of “ignominious” and “hostile” comments, a group of Chinese students placed an ad in the Washington Post to protest the network’s Olympic coverage. . . . Josh Davis, who earned three gold medals in Atlanta, won the 200-meter freestyle in the Phillips 66 national swimming championships at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 1 minute, 49.18 seconds. . . . Steve Owens, a former Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma, was named athletic director of the Sooners. . . . Donald Ray Roventini Jr., 16, a sophomore at Dobie High in Pasadena, Texas, collapsed and died during the first day of practice Wednesday.