Johnson’s 20.05 in 200 Is Fastest of the Season

Nearly nine months after setting the world record in the 200 meters at the Atlanta Olympics, Michael Johnson ran his first 200 of 1997 on Saturday at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.

All he did was break the meet record and run the fastest time in the world this year, with a 20.05-second time to beat Olympic finalist Obadele Thompson and five other runners.

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Mary Slaney, 38, made her first appearance in the Penn Relays a memorable one by winning the invitational mile in a meet-record four minutes, 26.10 seconds before a Franklin Field crowd of 46,216 at Philadelphia.

A Nike International team of Celena Mondie-Milner, Nicole Green, Chryste Gaines and Inger Miller shattered the American record to win the women’s 800-meter Olympic Development relay in a time of 1:30.10.

Tennis

Top-seeded Michael Chang battled back to beat Australia’s Jason Stoltenberg, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and move into the final of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Chang, 25, will face South Africa’s Grant Stafford, who had only a 2-6 career mark on clay entering this event but gained a berth in the title match by defeating sixth-seeded Chris Woodruff, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

Alex Corretja of Spain wore down Fabrice Santoro of France to gain his second clay-court final in three tournaments and will face Marcelo Rios of Chile in today’s Monte Carlo Open championship match.

Motor Racing

Mark Martin came up with his fifth victory of the season, winning the Birmingham Auto Dealers EasyCare 500-Kilometer race at Talladega, Ala., and tying Jack Ingram’s Busch Grand National record of 31 victories.

Jacques Villeneuve broke the lap record in qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, to claim his fourth consecutive pole position this season.

Paul Tracy recorded a fast lap of 191.174 mph at Nazareth Speedway to take the pole position for today’s Bosch Grand Prix at Nazareth, Pa.

Gary Scelzi earned the No. 1 qualifying spot in top fuel with a track-record time for today’s NHRA Pennzoil Nationals at Dinwiddie, Va. Other No. 1 qualifiers were John Force in funny car, Warren Johnson in pro stock and Matt Hines in pro stock motorcycle.

Jurisprudence

Former Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer could face possible sexual abuse and misdemeanor assault charges after an incident in a Tempe, Ariz., nightclub, police said.

Three women have told police that Plummer sexually abused them by reaching under their dresses or under their pants to touch their genitals while they danced on March 23.

Miami Dolphin receiver Lamar Thomas, charged with misdemeanor battery against his fiancee, was ordered to jail for violating probation at Miami.

Chris Buckhalter, a former Southern Mississippi running back, was being sought by Jackson, Miss., police in connection with the fatal throat slashing of a bartender.

Miscellany

Stanford’s Mike Lambert had 19 kills as the Cardinal swept UCLA, 15-11, 15-2, 15-10, to win the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation volleyball championship at Pauley Pavilion.

Tim Criss defeated Steve Jaros, 236-225, in the final of the Professional Bowlers Assn. Greater Sebring Open at Sebring, Fla.

Hula Bowl officials and Maui Mayor Linda Crockett Lingle announced that the game will be played at War Memorial Stadium for at least the next five years. The game had been played annually at Aloha Stadium.

Geoff Sanderson scored two goals and had an assist to help Canada crush Norway, 7-0, on the opening day of hockey’s World Championship. The defending champion Czech Republic rallied to edge Germany, 2-1, at Turku, Finland.

Names in the News

Oregon State point guard Carson Cunningham, named to the All-Pacific 10 freshman team last season, has decided to transfer to Purdue. . . . Georgia gave contract extensions to football Coach Jim Donnan and basketball Coach Tubby Smith. . . . Greg Walbridge had four hits and pitcher Seth Etherton struck out eight to lead USC to a 11-2 victory over UCLA in college baseball at Dedeaux Field. . . . Barry Sanders was a no-show for the first day of the Detroit Lions’ mini-camp, prompting Coach Bobby Ross to fine the running back $1,000. . . . The Dallas Cowboys again looked to their past to help clean up their future, giving former running back Robert Newhouse the additional duties of director of player assistance and development.