U.S. Men, Women Win Medals in Gymnastics

The U.S. men’s and women’s teams took medals Wednesday at the World Gymnastics Championships at Ghent, Belgium, the first time both finished in the top three.

Sean Townsend led the U.S. men’s team to its best showing at the worlds, taking the silver behind Belarus, 169.622 points to 166.845, and beating the traditional powers from China and Russia.

The U.S. women’s team won the bronze, behind Romania and Russia, missing the women’s silver by less than a point.

The men’s showing topped the 1979 bronze-medal team performance of Bart Conner, Jim Hartung and Peter Vidmar. Five years later they were Olympic champions in Los Angeles.

“There is a tremendous potential for these guys,” said Conner, watching the crucial performances from Paul Hamm and Townsend.

“This is just beginning,” Townsend said. “We’re like legends now.”

Tasha Schwikert, the 16-year-old national champion from Las Vegas, led the women’s team to the bronze.

Tennis

Tim Henman almost certainly lost his chance of qualifying for the Masters Cup when he was beaten by French wild card Julien Boutter, 6-4, 6-3, in the second round of the Paris Masters.

The only way Henman can qualify for the Nov. 12-18 event in Australia is if one of the eight players pulls out, the ATP said. The alternate will be selected after the Paris tournament.

Tommy Haas kept alive his hopes for a Masters Cup spot by defeating Ivan Ljubicic, 6-3, 6-4, in the second round. The German was set to take seventh place in the ATP Champion’s Race--the slot previously held by Henman.

So far six players have qualified for Sydney: four Grand Slam champions--Gustavo Kuerten, Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi and Goran Ivanisevic--plus Juan Carlos Ferrero and Patrick Rafter.

In the running for the remaining two slots are Haas, Marat Safin and Sebastien Grosjean.

Lindsay Davenport remained in the chase for the No. 1 ranking, beating Amanda Coetzer, 6-3, 6-3, in the Sanex Championships at Munich, Germany, to extend her winning streak to 13 matches.

Davenport has won titles the last three weeks and could pass Jennifer Capriati for the top spot at this year-end $3-million tournament. Davenport trails Capriati by a few ranking points.

Davenport failed to win a Grand Slam tournament this year and insists she is not thinking about the top ranking.

“It’s never crossed my mind in the last month,” she said. “I’ve always felt the No. 1 player should have excelled in the biggest tournaments and those are the Grand Slams.”

Capriati won the Australian Open and French Open. She is seeded first in this tournament and won her first-round match Tuesday against Magdalena Maleeva.

Belgium’s Justine Henin ousted Anke Huber, 6-1, 6-2, ending the German’s 13-year career. Henin next faces Serena Williams.

Soccer

Next year’s Gold Cup, the championship of soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean region, will open Jan. 18 at the Orange Bowl.

The Orange Bowl will play host to six teams in the 12-team tournament. The Rose Bowl is expected to be the venue for the other six teams as well as the semifinals on Jan. 31 and the championship on Feb. 2.

Josh Wolff and Clint Mathis were selected as part of a 21-man U.S. training camp roster in preparation for its final World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. Soccer Federation said.

The selections are the first appearances for both since injuries ended their seasons earlier this year.

The two combined for four goals in four consecutive World Cup qualifiers before being injured.

The Nov. 11 match in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, is meaningless. The U.S. already has clinched a berth in the 2002 World Cup and Trinidad has been eliminated.

Miscellany

UCLA coaching legend John Wooden and former California coach Pete Newell are among 10 men who will be inducted into the Pac-10 Hall of Honor in March.

The inaugural class also includes former Pac-10 stars Sean Elliott (Arizona), Gary Payton (Oregon State) and Byron Scott (Arizona State). Other inductees are USC’s Bill Sharman; John Dick, who led the Oregon to the 1939 national championship; Stanford’s Hank Luisetti, who once scored 50 points in a game; Washington’s Bob Houbergs, who led the Huskies to the 1953 Final Four; and Washington State’s Craig Ehlo.

The inductions will be held during the Pac-10 tournament.

Vancouver Canuck forward Donald Brashear pleaded guilty to assaulting a man at his Vancouver housing complex last November.

Brashear is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 4.

Fred McGriff will be back with the Chicago Cubs next year.

The 38-year-old first baseman, who came to Chicago in July 27, exercised his $7.25-million option for 2002.

The third fight between World Boxing Assn. heavyweight champion John Ruiz and former champion Evander Holyfield, once set for China, will be held Dec. 15 in Connecticut.

Promoter Don King said the fight is finalized for the Foxwoods Resort Casino near Ledyard. King also said that Ruiz, from Chelsea, Mass., has agreed to fight for $3.2 million instead of $3.6 million.

Georgia State basketball center Andre Tooks died at Atlanta of chest and head injuries after a car hit his truck while he was on his way to practice.

Brandon Campbell’s 22 points weren’t enough as Cal State Fullerton lost, 100-80, to the visiting EA Sports West All-Stars in an exhibition basketball game.

Passings

Art Wall Jr., golf’s 1959 Masters champion, died Wednesday at Scranton, Pa. He was 77. See story, B11.