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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 2, 2007

TRACK AND FIELD

Gay Captures Third Gold Medal

OSAKA, Japan - Tyson Gay joined some fast, fast company. Allyson Felix is one win away from doing the same.

The powerhouse pair helped the United States sweep the men's and women's 400-meter relays Saturday night at the world track and field championships in noisy, packed Nagai Stadium.

Gay joined Carl Lewis and Maurice Greene as the only men to win three gold medals at one world meet. Gay is soft-spoken, but his part-time coach, Jon Drummond, can talk enough for both of them.

'He's the cheetah,' Drummond said. 'He lurks very quietly; you don't know he's there, and then he's there and he jumps out real fast and gets his food. Yeah, he's the cheetah.'

Felix, winner of the 200 meters on Friday night, earned her second gold and can get a third in the women's 1,600-meter relay in meet's final session tonight.

Only one other woman has won three golds in the meet's history - Marita Koch of East Germany at the first world championships in 1983.

OLYMPICS

U.S. Clinches Berth In Beijing

LAS VEGAS - The United States has a ticket to Beijing - and a team capable of cashing it in for gold.

Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points, Michael Redd had 23, and the Americans clinched a spot in the 2008 Olympics by crushing Puerto Rico 135-91 on Saturday in the semifinals of the FIBA Americas tournament.

LeBron James added 19 points and nine assists, Kobe Bryant scored 15 points, and the stars keyed a dominant third-quarter stretch that showed why the Americans will arrive in China as one of the gold medal favorites. Then they headed to the bench, where they sat while fans chanted their names in the final minutes.

The Americans are without a gold medal in their past three major events: the 2004 Olympics, and the 2002 and '06 world championships. But they remain untouchable in the Olympic qualifier, improving to 35-0 - with only one game decided by single digits.

PRO BASKETBALL

Police: Body Likely Nelson's Father

WILMINGTON, Del. - Authorities pulled a body from the Delaware River on Saturday and there is a 'strong likelihood' it is the missing father of Orlando Magic star Jameer Nelson, police said.

Floyd 'Pete' Nelson, 57, an employee at a tugboat company, was last seen Thursday working in a dry dock area in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester, Pa. Divers and trained dogs searched the river all day Friday but the search was suspended around 4 p.m.

Police in Delaware said a boater called 911 on Saturday after spotting the body of a black male floating in the river near Fox Point Park in Wilmington. The body was recovered around 2 p.m.

There was a 'strong likelihood' that the body was Floyd Nelson's but police were unable to confirm it officially, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Joshua A. Bushweller said .

WNBA: Cappie Pondexter scored nine of her 33 points in the final five minutes and the Phoenix Mercury advanced to the WNBA finals with a 98-92 win against the San Antonio Silver Stars.

ELSEWHERE

Saint Leo Drops 2 Volleyball Matches

LAKELAND - The Saint Leo University volleyball team (6-2) had its six-match winning streak snapped with a pair of losses in the final day of play at the Florida Southern Classic.

The Lions fell to No. 18 Nebraska-Omaha (30-23, 30-24, 30-26) and Pittsburg State (32-34, 31-29, 30-28, 30-17).

HORSE RACING: - At Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Lawyer Ron pulled away in the stretch and won the $500,000 Woodward Stakes by 8 1/4 lengths at Saratoga Race Course, moving to the top of the handicap division.

MEN'S SOCCER: Backed by junior Kevon Neaves' hat trick, the University of South Florida men's team earned a season-opening 5-2 victory against UCF on Friday night.

A Tribune staff, wire report

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