Ottey Sprints Second-Fastest 100 Meters Ever

Merlene Ottey became the second-fastest woman of all time at 100 meters and Michael Johnson won his 57th consecutive 400-meter final at the IAAF Grand Prix finals at Milan, Italy.

Ottey was timed in 10.74 seconds, beating Olympic 100-meter champion Gail Devers.

The Jamaican powered past Devers in the final 40 meters at Milan’s Arena stadium. Only Florence Griffith-Joyner, whose world record is 10.49, has run faster.

Devers, who pushed Ottey into second place in the Olympic final at Atlanta as well as at the 1993 World Championships, finished a meter behind in 10.83.

Johnson, the world and Olympic 200- and 400-meter champion, came from behind at the 200 mark to win the 400. He was timed in 44.53, beating Americans Anthuan Maybank, Derek Mills and Darnell Hall.

Olympic gold medalist Derrick Adkins led an American 1-2 finish in the 400 hurdles and earned $50,000 for being the event’s Grand Prix champion. Running in a swirling wind, Adkins clocked 48.63 in beating American Torrance Zellner and Zambia’s 1991 world champion, Samuel Matete.

The IAAF Grand Prix final is the last of nine events in which athletes collect points and compete for individual event and overall titles.

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Michael Johnson will not attend Monday’s track and field meet in Sarajevo because of concerns about safety, his agent said.

“Michael’s going to Monza tomorrow [to watch the Italian Formula One Grand Prix] and then he’s going home,” Brad Hunt said. “It’s about security.”

Johnson is one of several top athletes to pull out of the meet for that reason. Another who opted out was American sprinter Dennis Mitchell.

The Solidarity for Sarajevo meet is the first major sports event in the city since the war ended in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

IAAF chiefs are providing a free charter flight to bring athletes, managers and journalists from Milan to Sarajevo today. They hoped that 120 athletes would make the trip, but the number has dwindled to only half that.

Golf

Wind and rain, the remnants of Hurricane Fran, washed out the third round of the Canadian Open at Oakville, Ontario. Officials said the tournament would be shortened to 54 holes and completed today, weather permitting. More rain was forecast, however.

Winds gusting up to 30 mph buffeted the Glen Abbey Golf Course, accompanied by about one inch of rain. Eleven players in the final field of 77 had completed nine holes when play was suspended for the second and final time.

Steve Ross, executive director of the Royal Canadian Golf Assn., said no decision had been made about shortening the championship to 36 holes. If that does happen, however, second-round leader Scott Dunlap would be declared the winner.

Bunky Henry birdied Nos. 17 and 18 for a six-under-par 65 and held a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Senior PGA Tour’s inaugural Boone Valley Classic at Augusta, Mo.

Henry’s 11-under 131 total is two shots ahead of St. Louis native Hale Irwin, who shot a course-record 63.

Gibby Gilbert is one more shot behind at 134 after a 66, while Gary Player and Vicente Fernandez, a first-round co-leader, were tied at 135 after a 66 and a 70, respectively.

Henry has never led a tournament heading into a final round either on the regular or senior tour.

Irwin, who began the day five strokes off the lead, made a big move starting on No. 12 when he made the first of five consecutive birdies.

Bob Wernick of Rancho Mirage shot a three-under-par 68 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of qualifying for the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Williamstown, Mass.

Clark Mackensie of Lutherville, Md., opened with a 70 and Bob Hullender of San Antonio shot a 72. Defending champion James Stahl Jr. of Cincinnati was in a six-player group at 73.

College Basketball

Louisville says a crucial charge leveled against its men’s basketball program by the NCAA should be dismissed.

The university says the accusation involving former player Samaki Walker’s procurement of a 1991 Honda Accord is based on indirect and circumstantial evidence, the Courier-Journal reported.

The main issue is whether Walker’s father, John Walker, actually paid for the car and whether Samaki Walker knew of the arrangements.

The school, meanwhile, acknowledged the other nine violations listed by the NCAA in its formal letter of inquiry July 12, according to Louisville’s official response to the NCAA findings.

Louisville asked the NCAA to take into account the school’s cooperation in the investigation.

Auto Racing

Damon Hill, dropped recently from the 1997 Williams lineup, edged teammate Jacques Villeneuve in qualifying to win the pole position for today’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Italy.

Hill drove his Williams Renault to a lap record of 1 minute, 24.204 seconds, at the 3.585-mile Monza circuit to claim his eighth pole this season and the 19th of his career.

The previous record of 1:24.462 was set by Britain’s David Coulthard during last year’s qualifying.

Villeneuve’s time of 1:24.521 gave the Williams Renault team the front row positions for today’s 53-lap race.

Mike Skinner won the pole for the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Pennzoil 200 race at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon by one-thousandth of a second over Steve Park.

Skinner’s 124.891 mph run in a Chevrolet was good for his fourth pole of the 1996 season. Park drove his Chevrolet around the 1.058-mile superspeedway at 124.887.

They will head a field of 30 in today’s $281,964 event of 211.6 miles.

Jack Sprague qualified his Chevrolet third-fastest at 124.834, edging Joe Bessey, also in a Chevrolet, who was clocked at 124.166. Veteran Joe Ruttman had the fastest Ford, qualifying fifth at 124.146.