Kipketer Sets 800 Mark, Two Other Records Fall

While no track and field world records fell during the nine-day World Championships that ended Sunday, that was not the case at the Weltklasse Grand Prix meet Wednesday in Zurich, Switzerland.

Wilson Kipketer, a 24-year-old Kenyan-born star who is now a citizen of Denmark, smashed Sebastian Coe’s 16-year-old record in the 800 meters with a time of 1 minute 41.24 seconds. Earlier this summer Kipketer tied Coe’s mark of 1:41.73, the oldest record in track and field.

Wilson Boit Kipketer of Kenya, no relation to the 800-meter runner, broke the 3,000-meter steeplechase record of 7:59.18 by countryman Moses Kiptanui with a time of 7:59.08. And Haile Gebrselassie, a 24-year-old Ethiopian, pulverized his own 5,000 record with a time of 12:41.86, improving on his 1995 mark of 12:44.39.

Pro Basketball

Kevin Garnett’s agent, Eric Fleisher, angered that Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, went public and said Garnett turned down a $103.5-million, six-year contract, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that Garnett will not re-sign with the club after next season. . . . The Vancouver Grizzlies are out $340,000 in salary-cap dollars because top draft pick Antonio Daniels told a television station he had agreed to a contract that would pay him $1.7 million a year, even though he had yet to sign it. The contract was to include a 20% bonus portion that would not count against the cap. But the NBA took Daniels’ comments literally, and charged the full amount against the cap.

Hockey

The Colorado Avalanche confirmed they have matched the three-year, $21-million offer by the New York Rangers, ensuring star center and team captain Joe Sakic will stay with the only NHL organization he has known.

Dallas businessman John Spano Jr., whose failed bid to buy the New York Islanders prompted a criminal investigation, was indicted on charges that he defrauded two lenders of at least $5.1 million.

U.S. Attorney Paul Coggins announced that Spano, who already faces unrelated fraud charges in New York, was indicted in Fort Worth on charges of bank and wire fraud.

Chris Gratton of the Tampa Bay Lightning has signed a $16.5-million offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers, but the Chicago Blackhawks say they struck a deal with the Lightning for Gratton, an unrestricted free agent.

The NHL is investigating the dispute, which is reminiscent of the confusion six years ago regarding the rights to Eric Lindros.

The Long Beach Ice Dogs of the International Hockey League have re-signed right wing Rob Kenny to a one-year contract. Kenny is one of three Ice Dogs returning to the team this season.

Tennis

Andre Agassi rallied to reach the quarterfinals of a tournament for the first time since April, defeating Olivier Delaitre of France, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, in a second-round match at the RCA Championships at Indianapolis.

Pete Sampras defeated qualifier Joshua Eagle of Australia, 6-3, 7-5, in a second-round match. Sampras had a first-round bye.

Unseeded Naoko Sawamatsu beat French Open champion Iva Majoli, 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, the first major upset of the du Maurier Open women’s tournament at Toronto. Top-seeded Monica Seles earned a 6-3, 7-5 victory over No. 16 Sabine Appelmans of Belgium.

In the hunt for his first singles title of the year, Sergi Bruguera routed Byron Black of Zimbabwe, 6-3, 6-2, in the Pilot Pen International in New Haven, Conn.

Miscellany

Jenny Thompson left the Pan Pacific swimming championships at Fukuoka, Japan, with five gold medals. The 24-year-old from Stanford, has won 18 gold medals in the meet since 1989. . . . A last-minute penalty kick by Hristo Stoichkov gave Barcelona a 3-2 victory over Skonto Riga of Latvia at Barcelona in the second round of qualifying for the European Champions Cup. . . . The Galaxy’s Aug. 23 game at the Rose Bowl against the Colorado Rapids has been moved to Sept. 10. The Galaxy is playing a CONCACAF Cup of Champions semifinal against Washington D.C. United at RFK Stadium on Aug. 22 and will play either the third-place game or the final Aug. 24 in Washington.

Marlena Ramallo Cooke, 44, the widow of Jack Kent Cooke, must leave the couple’s mansion and will not get a $10,000 monthly allowance, ruled the judge in the case over the late sports owner’s $3-million home in Washington.