Johnson Still Rules with Fastest 200 Time of 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 four minutes, 26.10 seconds, eclipsing the meet record of 4:33.06 set by Alissa Harvey in 1986, 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.

Golf

Brad Faxon took his turn atop what has been a crowded leaderboard in the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic, shooting a tournament-low 65 to share the lead with Tom Kite.

Hale Irwin, seeking his fourth victory in seven official tournaments this year, shot a six-under 65 to take a two-shot lead over John Jacobs and Isao Aoki going into the final round of the Las Vegas Senior Classic.

Nancy Lopez built a one-stroke lead with two holes to play in the suspended second round of the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship at Stockbridge, Ga.

Tennis

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 at Monte Carlo, Monaco.

Belgium’s Sabine Appelmans surprised Karina Habsudova by knocking the top-seeded Slovakian out of the $107,500 Budapest Ladies Open clay-court tournament. Appelmans will play second-seed Amanda Coetzer of South Africa, who defeated Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia, in the final at Budapest, Hungary.

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 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 Dolphins 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

Tim Criss defeated Steve Jaros, 236-225, at the Professional Bowlers Association’s 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, while the Czech Republic rallied to edge Germany, 2-1, at Turku, Finland.

Names in the News

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 win over UCLA in college baseball at Dedeaux Field. . . . Barry Sanders was a no-show for the first day of the Detroit Lions’ minicamp, prompting Coach Bobby Ross to fine the running back $1,000.