Martina Navratilova hospitalized after attempting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

Martina Navratilova was hospitalized in Kenya because of fluid accumulation in her lungs after attempting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. The 54-year-old tennis great is expected to recover.

Navratilova was diagnosed with high-altitude pulmonary edema, Dr. David Silverstein, a consultant in cardiology and internal medicine at Nairobi Hospital, said Friday.

“It is potentially dangerous when someone is at high altitude, but once brought down, recovery is quick,” he said. “Martina is doing well and will continue to do well.”

She is expected to spend two to three days in the hospital, Silverstein said.

Navratilova was assisted down Africa’s highest peak by porters and driven to the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre. She had reached nearly 14,800 feet when forced to give up, according to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. She was flown to the Nairobi Hospital for more tests.

She was trying to climb the mountain in Tanzania to raise money and awareness for the sports foundation as part of a 27-person team. It faced heavy snows and mist since beginning the trek Monday up the 19,340-foot mountain.

“I’m disappointed not to be able to complete this amazing journey,” Navratilova said in a statement. “It was something that I have wanted to do for so long, but it was not to be.

“I am so pleased that we got it going, and I will be watching and waiting for news from the climb when they reach the summit.”

The rest of the team should reach the summit Saturday.

GOLF

Michael extends lead in South Africa

South African newcomer Anthony Michael shot a three-under-par 69 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Malelane, South Africa, extending his lead to two shots in the European Tour’s 2011 season opener.

Michael had six birdies and three bogeys to finish the second round at nine-under 135 at Leopard Creek Country Club.

Alex Haindl (66), Dawie van der Walt (70) and Robert Rock (70) were tied for second.

Danish veteran Iben Tinning and England’s Melissa Reid shared the third-round lead at eight-under 208 at the Dubai Ladies Masters. Tinning had four birdies on her way to a 69. Reid was three shots back but had her best score of the tournament — a four-under 68 — to grab a share of the lead on the final hole.

Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly combined for a nine-under 63 and were tied with Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter after the first round of the Shark Shootout at Naples, Fla.

ETC.

Hawaii will join Mountain West in football

Hawaii is joining the Mountain West Conference for football and the Big West Conference in other sports, abandoning the Western Athletic Conference after 32 years.

School President M.R.C. Greenwood said Hawaii will make the move in 2012, following Boise State, Nevada and Fresno State to the Mountain West.

The four schools are the top football programs in the WAC, which is adding Texas-San Antonio, Texas State and Denver on July 1, 2012. Denver does not have a football team.

The Warriors are the WAC’s longest-running member and shared the conference football title with Boise State and Nevada this season.

The remaining WAC members are San Jose State, Idaho, New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech and Utah State.

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A historic document that details the original rules of basketball, written 119 years ago as a winter sport for boys of a Massachusetts YMCA, was sold for more than $4 million to raise money for charity. James Naismith wrote the 13 rules while he was a physical education instructor at the Christian association.

The sale price of $4.3 million at Sotheby’s in New York includes a buyer’s premium. The proceeds will benefit the Naismith foundation, which promotes sportsmanship and provides services to underprivileged children around the world.

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Forward Wesley Witherspoon, the leading scorer for the No. 13 Memphis basketball team, is expected to sit out five weeks after having surgery for a right knee cartilage tear. Tigers Coach Josh Pastner said Witherspoon had arthroscopic surgery Friday.

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Left-hander George Sherrill, who saved 51 games in two seasons with Baltimore before struggling last season with the Dodgers, finalized a $1.2-million, one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves.

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The Baltimore Orioles reached an agreement on a $1.5-million, one-year contract with shortstop Cesar Izturis.

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The Houston Astros signed left-hander Aaron Rowland-Smith to a one-year, $725,000 deal.

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Americans dominated the opening day of figure skating’s Grand Prix final at Beijing, with Alissa Czisny taking the lead in the women’s short program and Meryl Davis and Charlie White waltzing their way to the top of the pack in ice dancing.

Czisny took the lead with a performance that featured graceful combination spins. She finished with 63.76 points despite an off-balance trip flip. Carolina Kostner of Italy was second with 62.13 points. Kanako Murakami of Japan was third.

Nobunari Oda of Japan dominated the men’s short program with 86.59 points, and Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany led after the pairs short program.

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The U.S. soccer team probably is likely to play an exhibition at Egypt on Feb. 9. Egypt Football Association Chairman Samir Zaher said the match probably will be in Cairo, but the U.S. Soccer Federation said negotiations are ongoing.

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Formula One’s governing body dropped its ban on team orders, making it legal next season for a team to instruct one of its drivers to let a teammate pass. After a meeting of its World Motor Sport Council in Monaco, FIA said in a statement that the rule that banned team orders that could interfere with a race result will not be in place for 2011.