Boldon Runs Third-Fastest 200 Ever

Ato Boldon, in an exceptional tuneup for next month’s world championships in Greece, won the 100- and 200-meter events Sunday in the Stuttgart (Germany) International track meet.

Boldon, of Trinidad and Tobago, won the 200 in 19.77 seconds, the third fastest in history. His winning time in the 100 was 9.90.

Allan Johnson of the United States won the 110-meter hurdles in 12.97, missing the world record held by Britain’s Colin Jackson by .06 seconds.

Cuban world champion Ana Fidelia Quirot won the 800 meters in 1 minute 55.78 seconds, breaking by more than a second the year’s best time of Kelly Holmes of Britain.

Tim Lobinger of Germany produced the best pole vault this season, going 19 feet, 5 1/4 inches.

Boldon pulled away from Maurice Greene of the United States and Frankie Fredericks of Namibia on the last curve to win the 200.

Greene finished second at 19.89, Fredericks third at 19.93.

“I think I’m in the best form of my life in the 200,” Boldon said.

Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, who set the record of 19.32 in Atlanta, was scheduled to run but pulled out of the meet.

In the 100, Boldon easily defeated Greene--the U.S. champion who was timed in 10.04--and nearly matched his best time this year of 9.89.

Gwen Torrence of the United States won the women’s 100 meters in 11.07 seconds.

Atlanta gold medalist Lars Riedel of Germany won the discus with a toss of 219 feet, and Angie Bradburn-Spangler of the United States took the women’s high jump at 6-2.

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Hamid Miloudi of France ran 2:26.49 to win the 20th San Francisco Marathon and Kristen Orr of San Luis Obispo was the top women’s runner, finishing in 3:02.34.

Tennis

France and the Netherlands won doubles matches, earning spots in the finals of the Fed Cup in October.

The French, who eliminated Belgium, will be playing for the title for the first time after losing in the semifinals the last four years. The Dutch won the other semifinal at the Czech Republic.

Nathalie Tauziat and Alexandra Fusai rallied from a set down to give France the clinching point in a 3-2 victory in Nice, France. They won eight consecutive games at one point to defeat Dominique Van Roost and Els Callens, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

At Prague, Miriam Oremans and Manon Bollegraf defeated Wimbledon finalist Jana Novotna and Eva Martincova of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). Oremans also defeated Adriana Gersi, 1-6, 6-2, 9-7, to make the score 2-2 after Novotna defeated Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

At Brookline, Mass., the United States won a playoff to remain in Group I for next year with a sweep of Japan. The doubles team of Lindsay Davenport and Lisa Raymond defeated Naoko Kijimuta and Nana Miyagi, 6-4, 6-4, to clinch the victory.

The Fed Cup championship will be in France on Oct. 4-5.

Historic firsts from three eras were represented as the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I., inducted three new members--Maj. Walter Clopton Wingfield, H.W. Bunny Austin and Lesley Turner Bowrey.

Wingfield was credited with patenting the game of lawn tennis in 1874. Austin, a two-time Wimbledon finalist, was the game’s first player to wear shorts in 1932; Bowrey, who won 13 major titles, played in the first Federation Cup in 1963.

Felix Mantilla of Spain won his second consecutive title, defeating countryman Juan Albert Viloca, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, in the $560,000 Swiss Open at Gstaad, Switzerland.

Magnus Norman of Sweden won his first ATP title, defeating Spaniard Juan-Antonio Marin, 7-5, 6-2, in the Swedish Open final at Bastad.

Sargis Sargsian of Armenia picked up his first ATP Tour title, edging Brett Steven of New Zealand, 7-6 (7-0), 4-6, 7-5, in the final of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships at Newport, R.I.

Boxing

Buster Douglas stopped Quinn Navarre in the fourth round at Biloxi, Miss., and the impressive victory put the former champion back into the heavyweight title picture.

Douglas, who upset Mike Tyson in 1990 to win the title, knocked down Navarre three times in the fourth round during the scheduled 10-round fight.

First, he sent Navarre flying to the canvas with a right hook. Douglas then followed with two straight left hooks.

The final left hook forced referee Freddie Steinwinder III to stop the bout at 2:25 of the fourth round.

“Navarre was looking for the left jab and straight right hand. The left hook was open,” Douglas, 37, said. “I have exceptional speed for a big man. I am blessed to have all my skills.”

Douglas, who improved to 36-5-1 with 23 knockouts, is 6-0 since coming out of retirement last summer.

Top Rank president Bob Arum, who promotes Douglas, said his fighter has a couple of options later this year.

Top Rank is hoping to secure a fight with World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in November.

Arum also wants a rematch against World Boxing Assn. champion Evander Holyfield, who defeated Douglas in 1990.

“After today, Douglas will be a major player in the heavyweight division,” Arum said.

Navarre dropped to 19-6-1.

Miscellany

Jose Loiola and Kent Steffes defeated Randy Stoklos and Brian Lewis, 15-8, to win the $135,000 Miller Lite/AVP Midwest beach volleyball championship at Grand Haven, Mich. Loiola and Steffes earned $27,000. . . . In other beach volleyball action, Liz Masakayan and Elaine Youngs won the $50,000 Evian Open at Chicago, defeating Lisa Arce and Holly McPeak, 16-14, Masakayan and Youngs split $11,000 for the win.

Diego Maradona, 36, making another comeback to soccer, delighted the crowd in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with an overhead scissors kick, nonchalant drop passes with his heel and pinpoint passing as his team, Boca Juniors, beat Racing Club, 3-2, in a league match--Maradona’s first official game in 11 months. Maradona played a part in all three goals.

The Green Bay Packers put receiver Ryan Yarborough on waivers and signed former San Diego Charger wideout ‘OMar Ellison. Ellison caught three passes for 15 yards in 1996. . . . Juan Roque, a former Arizona State offensive tackle selected in the second round of the NFL draft, agreed to terms with the Detroit Lions. The Lions also signed Colorado linebacker Matt Russell and Wyoming receiver Marcus Harris. . . . Joe Hauser, who played baseball with Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, died Friday near Sheboygan, Wis.--four days after he received a notice from major league baseball he would be eligible for a pension. He was 98.