Miami officials make case to NCAA

The NCAA opened a key hearing in the infractions case against the University of Miami on Thursday, with school officials, former coaches and the ACC commissioner on hand in Indianapolis to defend the Hurricanes against allegations that could bring severe sanctions in the improper benefits case involving ex-booster Nevin Shapiro.

University President Donna Shalala and Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford were at the hearing at a downtown hotel, joining Athletic Director Blake James, football Coach Al Golden, former assistant coach Clint Hurtt and former basketball coach Frank Haith. Hurtt is now the defensive line coach at Louisville and Haith is the coach at Missouri.

The session ended after 9 1/2 hours, not including an hour lunch break. Shalala and Committee on Infractions Chairman Britton Banowsky declined to comment at the end of the day. The hearing will resume Friday morning and possibly run into Saturday.

ETC.

Bolt runs 200 in 19.79

Usain Bolt bounced back from a rare defeat, setting a track record in the Bislett Games at Oslo in his first 200-meter race of the season.

Bolt, who lost the 100 meters by 0.01 of a second in Rome the week before, finished in 19.79 seconds. He is the only runner to break 20 seconds this season.

Norway’s Jaysuma Saidy Ndure finished second with a season-best 20.36 seconds, and James Ellington of Britain was third in 20.55.

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Quarterback Matt Barkley agreed to terms on a four-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The terms were not immediately disclosed.

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Santa Anita will close for training from July 17 to Sept. 4 to renovate the stable area and grandstand before the fall racing meet opens.

Horses that were originally scheduled to stable and train at the track will have to do so at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Santa Anita’s fall meet begins Sept. 27. The track will host the Breeders’ Cup Nov. 2-3.

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Eclipse Award-winning jockey Ramon Dominguez announced his retirement, forced out of horse racing because of head injuries sustained in a January spill at Aqueduct in New York.

The 36-year-old rider said he had hoped to resume his career, but doctors advised him to retire after he fractured his skull. Dominguez was injured Jan. 18 when his mount, Convocation, fell and he was thrown to the inner dirt course.

He rode 4,985 winners from 21,267 races in North America, and had purse earnings of $191,615,698, according to Equibase.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and reigning NHL most valuable player Evgeni Malkin agreed to an eight-year contract extension.

The $76-million deal begins with the 2014-15 season.

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Andy Murray won twice Thursday to reach the Queen’s Club quarterfinals in London, defeating Nicolas Mahut, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in a suspended match and then beating Marinko Matosevic, 6-2, 6-2.

Defending champion Tommy Haas advanced to the quarterfinals of the Gerry Weber Open at Halle, Germany, by outlasting Ernests Gulbis, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

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Top-seeded Kirsten Flipkens lost in the Aegon Classic at Birmingham, England, leaving four seeded players in the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon tuneup. Flipkens was beaten, 7-6 (5), 6-2, by 16th-seeded Magdalena Rybarikova.

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Patrick Nyarko scored on a diving header in the 78th minute to help the Chicago Fire beat the Columbus Crew, 2-1, in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup at Bridgeview, Ill.