Slutskaya Edges Kwan for First World Title

One month after failing to win the Olympic gold medal, Michelle Kwan is no longer even the world champion.

Kwan lost the world title she held for the last two years, finishing second to Russia’s Irina Slutskaya on Saturday in the World Figure Skating Championships at Nagano, Japan.

“After the Olympics a lot of people decided not to come,” Kwan said. “For me it is like, if you don’t show up, you don’t gain anything, but also don’t lose anything. I gained a lot by coming here.”

Not as much as Slutskaya, who beat Kwan for the fifth time this season to win her first world championship. Slutskaya had finished second to Kwan three times, including the last two years.

“A couple times I was so close and now I am just so happy as I feel the medal,” Slutskaya said. “It’s sport and competing. Sometimes someone else wins. We are just competing. Maybe I am just lucky tonight.”

Fumie Suguri of Japan finished third and Sasha Cohen of Laguna Niguel was fourth.

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Tennis

Venus Williams saved her best for last: a delicate drop shot on match point that floated over the net, kissed the court and bounced back toward her, beyond the reach of pesky Eva Dyrberg.

That gave Williams a ragged 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory in the Nasdaq-100 Open at Key Biscayne, Fla.

Also advancing in her opening match was No. 1-seeded Jennifer Capriati, the current leader in her back-and-forth battle with Williams atop the WTA Tour rankings. She beat Eleni Daniilidou, 6-0, 6-3.

Fifth-seeded Monica Seles staged a comeback to defeat Conchita Martinez for the 20th time in 21 matches, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

On the men’s side, Goran Ivanisevic withdrew during his opening match against Franco Squillari because of his chronic left shoulder injury. He said he plans to rest and hopes to be ready to defend his Wimbledon title in June.

Pete Sampras served 18 aces to beat Jarkko Nieminen, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the second round.

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Pro Football

Rick Mirer, who spent most of the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers as Jeff Garcia’s backup, signed with the Oakland Raiders. Mirer, 32, will be playing for his sixth team in nine seasons.

Deshea Townsend, unable to find a starting job with another team, agreed to a $4.2-million, four-year contract to return as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third cornerback. The contract includes a signing bonus of about $1 million and counts about $800,000 against the Steelers’ 2002 salary cap.

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Miscellany

Former U.S. Olympic soccer coach Clive Charles is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. Charles, who coached the American men in the 2000 Games, is the coach of the University of Portland’s men’s and women’s teams. Athletic Director Joe Etzel said that Charles will remain in charge of the program but that assistants Bill Irwin and Garrett Smith will assume day-to-day duties.

Agoura High graduate Deena Drossin pushed Paula Radcliffe but eventually lost to the defending champion, finishing in second place at the World Cross Country Championships at Dublin, Ireland. Drossin, 27, finished the race in 27 minutes 4 seconds, behind Radcliffe’s 26:25.

Japan’s Masamori Tokuyama stopped countryman Kazuhiro Ryuko in the ninth round at Tokyo to defend his World Boxing Council super-flyweight title.

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Passings

Former Pittsburgh Steeler running back George Kiick has died. He was 84. Kiick, who played for the Steelers just before and immediately after World War II, died Thursday at Chilton Memorial Hospital in New Jersey. Survivors include a son, Jim Kiick, who played for the Miami Dolphins from 1968-74.