U.S. men's volleyball team continues winning ways

TOKYO - The U.S. men’s national volleyball team continued to storm through the 2007 FIVB World Cup on Friday with a 25-18, 27-25, 25-19 victory over host Japan before a crowd of 10,000 at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

The win improves Team USA’s record to 7-2 and keeps it in third place. However, Bulgaria, which was tied with the United States for third, kept the pressure on by defeating previously unbeaten Russia (25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 22-25, 15-12) on Friday.

The top three World Cup finishers qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games. The United States and Bulgaria sit tied at 7-2. The U.S. men are technically in third due to the tiebreaker, which is point differential. Brazil and Russia are both 8-1, with Brazil leading the tiebreaker.

The U.S. men still have to play Argentina (5-4) and Russia. Bulgaria still plays Japan (3-5) and Argentina. Russia will play Brazil and the United States. Brazil will play Russia and Japan.

On Friday, Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.,) led the U.S. scorers with 16 points on 12 kills and a match-high four blocks. Gabe Gardner (San Clemente, Calif.) added 15 points on 13 kills and two blocks. Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) scored 12 points on eight kills, two blocks and a match-high two aces.

Broadmoor skaters do well at regionals, move to next round

Fifty-seven skaters representing the Broadmoor Skating Club competed at the 2008 Southwest Regional Championship in Dallas on Oct. 16-20, 2007, according to the club. The regional competition is the first in a series of qualifying competitions. Skaters who place in the top four will then advance to sectional competitions. The Broadmoor Skating Club had 21 skaters who qualified to move onto sectionals, which takes place in late November in Rochester, Mich., or Junior Nationals in early December in Salt Lake City. Those who place in the top four at sectionals advance to nationals in January 2008.

The Broadmoor skaters who will compete at sectionals are (senior level) Caroline Miller & Casey McGraw; (junior level) Chaochi Liu, Victoria Fairchild, Tatyana Khazova, Roger Corvase & Eric Reinhart; (novice level) Caydee Denney and Marissa Secundy; (novice Pairs) Brynn Carman/Chris Knierim, and Brittney Chase/Andrew Speroff. Moving on to Junior Nationals are (intermediate level) Laren Dinh and Joshua Farris; (juvenile) Logan Bye; (pairs) Haven Denney/Branden Frazier; (ice dancing) Rebekah and Joel Schneider-Farris, and Katie Shipstad/Logan Bye.

OTC shooter secures Olympic spot

Olympic Training Center shooter Matt Emmons qualified for the 2008 Beijing Games by winning a silver medal today in the men’s 50-meter rifle prone at the Rifle/Pistol World Cup Final in Bangkok, Thailand.

Emmons, a gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Games, lost to Sergei Martynov of Belarus in sudden death after he tied the score on his final shot.

Springs cyclist wins U-23 national title

Colorado Springs rider Sam Jurekovic won the men’s individual pursuit under-23 national title Thursday at the USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships in Carson, Calif.

On Wednesday, Colorado Springs cyclist Giddeon Massie finished third in the men’s 250-meter time trial, less than 0.2 of a second behind Michael Blatchford and Ben Barczewski.

Sykora returns to women’s volleyball national team

Two-time Olympian Stacy Sykora has returned to the U.S. women’s volleyball national team and started practicing at the OTC.

Sykora, a 30-year-old libero, hadn’t been with the team for nearly three years after competing at the Olympics in 2000 and 2004. She was named Friday to the 19-player preliminary roster for the FIVB World Cup, which is Nov. 2-16 in Japan.

U.S. official warns of threats at Vancouver Games

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer said he’s preparing to combat bidirectional smuggling and prevent terrorism at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Mark Beaty, a U.S. federal coordinator for the next Winter Olympics, called the smuggling of weapons and drugs between the U.S. and Canada a “huge concern.” He warned of a variety of terrorist attacks, such as “multiple small-unit attacks that are done against the clock, simultaneous events, sporadic events.”

“How do we mitigate the risk that’s associated with the unbelievable amount of people who are going to be coming to the Games?” Beaty said Tuesday at the Homeland Defense/Homeland Security Symposium at The Broadmoor hotel. “You take the one (scenario) that would be the most significant, would have the most potential for death and destruction, and you work down from there.”

Olympic tidbits

Colorado Springs resident Lou Vairo will be the featured speaker Oct. 12 at the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame induction dinner in Grand Forks, N.D. ... A $3 million technology upgrade has been completed at the OTC and at training centers in Chula Vista, Calif., and Lake Placid, N.Y., giving athletes faster video downloads and wireless access in dorms and practice areas.

Reser loses at judo World Cup

Olympic Training Center judo player Ryan Reser lost a first-round match today at the Super World Cup in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Reser, a gold medalist at the Pan American Games, was defeated by Austria’s Christoph Stangl in the 160.9-pound division. He was eliminated when Stangl, a bronze medalist at the Super World Cup in Moscow, lost to Slovenia’s Saso Jereb.

On Friday, OTC resident Josh O’Neil lost in the second round of the 132.2-pound division to Russia’s Ruslan Kishmakov. His win came against Armenia’s Artur Srapyan.

O’Neil bounced at judo World Cup

Olympic Training Center judo player Josh O’Neil dropped a second-round match today at the Super World Cup in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Competing in the 132.2-pound division, O’Neil defeated Armenia’s Artur Srapyan, then lost to Russia’s Ruslan Kishmakov, the reigning European champion, in the second round. O’Neil was eliminated when Kishmakov lost to Hungary’s Laszlo Burjan in the next round.

OTC resident Ryan Reser, a gold medalist at the Pan American Games, will compete Saturday at 160.9 pounds. When Reser fought in Rotterdam last year, he won a silver medal at an A-level World Cup.

Springs modern pentathletes finish at junior worlds

Two Colorado Springs residents competed Thursday in the finals of the Modern Pentathlon Junior World Championships in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal.

Margaux Isaksen scored 5,128 points to finish in 18th place in the girls division. She had 1,192 points in the swimming competition and 1,116 points in the bike ride.

On the boys side, Sam Sacksen totaled 4,704 points for a 33rd-place finish. He had 1,288 points in the swim and 1,132 points in the shoot.

Gruenwald back for 3rd Olympic shot

Two-time Olympic wrestler Jim Gruenwald is making a comeback.

The 37-year-old former Olympic Training Center resident announced today that he has started preparing for the 2008 Beijing Games in the Greco-Roman 132-pound division. He hasn’t wrestled in a competitive match since January 2005.

“I am a little bit disappointed I didn’t medal at the Olympics,” said Gruenwald, who placed sixth at the 2000 Sydney Games and 10th at the 2004 Athens Games. “I would like some hardware from the big show. That’s the one event that separates the good wrestlers from the great wrestlers, and I would like another shot at that.”

The first competition for Gruenwald, an assistant coach at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan, will be the Sunkist Kids International Open next month in Chandler, Ariz.

The U.S. has three chances to qualify the Greco-Roman 132-pound weight class for Beijing, starting with the Pan American Championships, which are Feb. 29 to March 2 in Colorado Springs. The U.S. Olympic team trials are June 13-15 in Las Vegas.

Springs weightlifters productive at worlds

Four Colorado Springs residents posted top-20 finishes today at the World Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Casey Burgener, a silver medalist at the Pan American Games, lifted 881.8 pounds for 11th place in the men’s 231.4-plus-pound division. He had a top snatch of 401.2 pounds and a clean and jerk of 480.6 pounds.

Also competing at 231.4-plus pounds, Zach Schluender had an 815.6-pound lift for 19th place. He set personal records with a snatch of 374.7 pounds and a clean and jerk of 440.9 pounds.

Two-time Olympian Cheryl Haworth overcame a nagging back injury to finish 12th in the women’s 165.3-plus-pound division. She lifted 551.1 pounds, with a snatch of 242.5 pounds and a clean and jerk of 308.6 pounds.

Pan American Games silver medalist Emmy Vargas took 16th place at 165.3-plus pounds after lifting 520.2 pounds. She had a snatch of 220.4 pounds and a clean and jerk of 299.8 pounds.

The women’s national team qualified all four spots for the 2008 Beijing Games and the men’s national team qualified three Olympic spots. The U.S. Olympic team trials will be held May 16-17 in Atlanta.

Springs modern pentathletes alive at junior worlds

Two Colorado Springs residents will compete Thursday in the finals of the Modern Pentathlon Junior World Championships in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal.

Margaux Isaksen scored 4,224 points today to win her girls group semifinal. She was most efficient in the swim and the shooting competition.

On the boys side, Sam Sacksen totaled 4,228 points to finish 12th in his group semifinal. Like Isaksen, Sacksen totaled the most points in the swim and the shoot.

Springs trio heads to cycling nationals

Three Colorado Springs riders will compete Oct. 3-6 at the USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships in Carson, Calif.

Michael Blatchford won a gold medal in the men’s sprint at the Pan American Road and Track Championships in May in Venezuela. He has been named to the USA Cycling track talent pool, meaning he’s a candidate to compete in high-level international competitions, such as the Olympics.

Michael Creed is coming off an 11th-place finish in a Pennsylvania stage race. His last win in a USA Cycling event came at the 2004 Cascade Cycling Classic in Oregon.

Olympian Giddeon Massie won the men’s sprint and the 250-meter time trial at the 2006 national championships. He’s a two-time world championships team member and a two-time Pan American champion in the keirin.

OTC rifle shooters ready for last World Cup

Two Olympic Training Center residents are headed to the Rifle/Pistol World Cup Final, which is Oct. 6-7 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Matt Emmons, a gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Games, will compete in 50m rifle 3-position, 50m rifle prone and 10m air rifle. He’s third in the World Cup standings in 50m rifle 3-position and 50m rifle prone and seventh in 10m air rifle.

Jamie Beyerle, a gold medalist at the Pan American Games, will compete in 10m air rifle. She’s fifth in the World Cup standings in 10m air rifle and 12th in 50m rifle 3-position.

Vairo to speak at Hockey Hall of Fame dinner

Colorado Springs resident Lou Vairo will be the featured speaker Oct. 12 at the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame induction dinner in Grand Forks, N.D.

Vairo, the director of special projects for Colorado Springs-based USA Hockey, was coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic hockey team and an assistant to the late Herb Brooks on the team that won a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

He spent five years as coach of the U.S. men’s national team and four years as coach of the U.S. men’s junior national team. He also was an assistant with the New Jersey Devils for two seasons.

USADA gets new general counsel

William Bock III has been named general counsel for the Colorado Springs-based U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Bock will work under Travis Tygart, who replaced Terry Madden this month as chief executive officer. He has served as an outside counsel to USADA the past seven years and has represented the agency in prosecutions of athletes accused of doping.

“Performance-enhancing drugs strip athletic competition of the thrill of victory and add shame and serious potential health risks to the sting of defeat,” said Bock, a partner at an Indianapolis law firm. “I look forward to this new opportunity to support USADA’s mission of protecting clean athletes and promoting pure competition.”

Fullhart places 18th at weightlifting worlds

Colorado Springs resident Doreen Fullhart placed 18th today in the 165.3-pound division at the World Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Fullhart lifted 465.1 pounds. She had a top snatch of 222.6 pounds and a clean and jerk of 242.5 pounds.

Her 18th-place finish, coupled with top-20 finishes Monday by Colorado Springs residents Natalie Woolfolk and Carissa Gump at 138.8 pounds, positions the U.S. women's national team to qualify all four spots for the 2008 Beijing Games.

On Wednesday, four Colorado Springs weightlifters will compete: Two-time Olympian Cheryl Haworth and Pan American Games silver medalist Emmy Vargas at 165.3-plus pounds and Casey Burgener, also a Pan American Games silver medalist, and Zach Schluender at 231.4-plus pounds.

Springs figure skaters head to Croatia

Three Colorado Springs residents will compete Thursday through Sunday at a Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series stop in Zagreb, Croatia.

In the ladies short program, Alexe Gilles is coming off a runner-up finish at this year's first JGP event in Lake Placid, N.Y. She took fifth in the junior division of the U.S. Championships.

Austin Kanallakan, competing in the men's short program, also won a silver medal in Lake Placid. He won gold medals last year at JGP stops in Norway and France.

Rachel Tibbetts will join Chicago's Collin Brubaker in the ice dancing competition. Tibbetts and Brubaker placed fifth in their lone JGP appearance in Romania.

Air Academy teacher begins Vegas hockey tourney

Colorado Springs resident James Risenhoover is part of a team that will begin competition Friday at the USA Hockey InLine Cup in Las Vegas.

Risenhoover went 9-6 with a 3.33 goals-against average and an .821 save percentage in 15 games this year with the Parker Prowlers of the Professional Inline Hockey Association. He's a physical education teacher at Air Academy High School.

Woolfolk takes 14th at weightlifting worlds

Two Colorado Springs residents had top-20 finishes today in the 138.8-pound division at the World Weightlifting Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Natalie Woolfolk, a bronze medalist at the Pan American Games, took 14th place with a total of 462.9 pounds. She had a top snatch of 218.2 pounds and a clean and jerk of 244.7 pounds.

After missing last year's world championships because of an injury, Carissa Gump placed 16th with a 449.7-pound total. She posted a snatch of 191.8 pounds and a clean and jerk of 257.9 pounds.

The results of the world championships, combined with the results of the 2006 world championships and a Pan American qualification event April 22-26 in Lima, Peru, will determine the size of the U.S. squad for the 2008 Beijing Games.

Colorado Springs weightlifter Doreen Fullhart will compete Tuesday in the 165.3-pound division. On Wednesday, four Colorado Springs weightlifters will compete: Two-time Olympian Cheryl Haworth and Pan American Games silver medalist Emmy Vargas at 165.3-plus pounds and Casey Burgener, also a Pan American Games silver medalist, and Zach Schluender at 231.4-plus pounds.

Pair of OTC wrestlers win medals

Two Olympic Training Center residents won medals Sunday in the women’s freestyle competition at the World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Kristie Marano won her fifth world silver medal, dropping a 3-0, 3-0 decision to 2006 world champion Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria in the 158.5-pound gold-medal match. Her nine world medals ties the U.S. record held by Bruce Baumgartner.

Katie Downing won her second world bronze medal, beating Japan’s Yoshiko Inoue 1-0, 1-1, 1-0 in the 147.5-pound bronze-medal match. She lost to China’s Ruixue Jing 2-0, 2-0 in the semifinals.

Asked about the record, Marano said, “I didn’t know that. But (Baumgartner) was pretty good, so it’s definitely a good accomplishment. It’s not the medal I wanted, but it’s still a medal, and that’s good.”

Said Downing: “It’s disappointing because I came here for gold. But bronze is probably better than silver because you get that chance to rectify your situation.”

Aided by Sara McMann’s bronze medal at 138.75 pounds, the U.S. finished fifth. Japan won the team title and was followed by Kazakhstan, Ukraine and China.

The U.S. has qualified three weight classes – 105.5, 138.75 and 158.5 pounds – for the Beijing Games. It has three more chances to qualify the 121-pound weight class, starting with the Pan American Championships, which are Feb. 29 to March 2 in Colorado Springs.

OTC resident takes 9th at judo World Cup

OTC judo player Josh O’Neil placed ninth Saturday in the 132.3-pound division of a World Cup in Birmingham, England.

O’Neil was pinned by 2005 world champion Craig Fallon of England in his first-round match, then rallied to beat Spain’s Javier Fernandez in the repechage round. He was eliminated by Russia’s Dzheykhun Eyyubov.

OTC resident Ryan Reser, a gold medalist at the Pan American Games, won his 160.9-pound opener against China’s Rongrong Shi before losing to Poland’s Krzystof Wilkomirski in overtime. He was eliminated when Wilkomirski lost in the next round.

Blount, Thompson win at shooting junior nationals

Emily Blount and Frank Thompson won skeet titles Saturday at the USA Shooting Junior Olympic National Championships at Fort Carson.

Blount, the world clay target champion in junior women's skeet, beat Caitlin Connor and Amber English with 137 targets. Thompson had 143 targets, edging Jon McGrath and Thomas Bayer.

Springs wrestlers struggle at worlds

Three Colorado Springs residents failed to medal today in the women’s freestyle competition at the World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Jenny Wong, a replacement for the injured Patricia Miranda, lost to Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kohut 1-0, 3-2 at 112.25 pounds. She was eliminated when Kohut lost in the semifinals.

In her first world championships appearance, Marcie Van Dusen (121 pounds) won back-to-back matches against Italy’s Sabrina Esposito and Venezuela’s Marcia Andrade before dropping a 7-0, 2-0 decision to Ukraine’s Tetyana Lazareva. She was knocked out of the tournament when Lazareva fell in the semifinals.

Leigh Jaynes, a member of the World Class Athlete Program at Fort Carson, lost to Japan’s Ayako Shoda 1-1, 1-0 at 130 pounds. She was eliminated when Shoda, the defending world champion, was upset by Ukraine’s Nataliya Synyshyn in the quarterfinals.

“I don’t think we’re taking control enough,” said Terry Steiner, coach of the U.S. national women’s freestyle team. “We’re hoping things happen, but we’re not making things happen. We’re not putting ourselves in scoring situations. We’re leaving matches too technical and too tactical, and they don’t have to be like that.”

Van Dusen has three more chances to qualify her weight class for the 2008 Beijing Games, starting with the Pan American Championships, which are Feb. 29 to March 2 in Colorado Springs. Wong and Jaynes are in non-Olympic weight classes. Colorado Springs wrestler Stephanie Murata qualified the 105.5-pound division Friday with a fifth-place finish.

Two Colorado Springs wrestlers will compete Sunday in women’s freestyle. Two-time world champion Kristie Marano will wrestle at 158.5 pounds and Katie Downing, a bronze medalist at the 2005 world championships, will wrestle at 147.5 pounds.

OTC residents head to judo World Cup

Two Olympic Training Center judo players are part of a seven-person U.S. team that’s competing this weekend at a World Cup in Birmingham, England.

Ryan Reser, a gold medalist at the Pan American Games, is coming off a first-round loss at the World Judo Championships. He’ll face stiff competition at 160.9 pounds from the Netherlands’ Bryan van Dijk, Italy’s Marco Maddaloni and Belgium’s Dirk van Tichelt.

Josh O’Neil placed fifth last month at the International German Championships and first this month at the Fall Classic National Championships. He’ll likely be challenged at 132.3 pounds by Slovenia’s Rok Draksic, England’s Craig Fallon and Spain’s Kenji Uematsu.

Shooting junior nationals conclude at Fort Carson

The men’s and women’s skeet finals of the USA Shooting Junior Olympic National Championships will be held today at Fort Carson.

On Tuesday, Richard Valdez and Miranda Wilder won trap titles. Jared Fodor won the men’s double trap title Wednesday with 179 targets.

Friedman selected to track talent pool

Colorado Springs cyclist Michael Friedman has been named to the USA Cycling track talent pool, meaning he’s a candidate to compete in high-level international events, including the Olympics.

Friedman, sponsored by Slipstream/Chipotle, was a coaches’ selection to the three-person men’s endurance squad, which includes Boulder’s Colby Pearce and Brad Huff of Fair Grove, Mo.

A look at Friedman’s potential schedule:

First World Cup, Sydney, Nov. 30 to Dec. 2

Second World Cup, Beijing, Dec. 7-9

Third World Cup, Los Angeles, Jan. 18-20

Fourth World Cup, Ballerup, Denmark, Feb. 15-17

2008 Elite Track World Championships, Manchester, England, March 27-30

2008 Continental Championships, TBD

2008 Beijing Games, Aug. 15-19

Figure skating TV schedule released

U.S. Figure Skating has announced its broadcast schedule for the 2007-08 season. All events will air on NBC.

A look at the schedule:

2007 Skate America, Oct. 28, 2-4 p.m.

2008 U.S. Championships, Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 5-8 p.m.; Jan. 27, 1-3 p.m.

2008 Skating Spectacular, Feb. 3, TBD

Vering captures silver at wrestling worlds

Colorado Springs resident Brad Vering won a silver medal today in the 185-pound Greco-Roman weight class at the World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Vering lost to Russia's Aleksey Mishin 4-0, 4-0 in the finals after winning five straight matches. The top-eight finish qualified the U.S. for the 2008 Beijing Games at 185 pounds.

"Ever since last year when I didn't make the world team, I sat down with my coaches and knew I needed to make some changes or this was going to be a rough way to end my career," Vering said. "I've made some positive changes and started scoring a lot more points and getting stronger. I feel really good right now, and I'm excited about what is coming up next year with the Olympic year."

Colorado Springs residents T.C. Dantzler (163 pounds) and Justin Ruiz (211.5) did not log top-eight finishes. They'll have three more chances to qualify their weight classes for Beijing, starting with the Pan American Championships, which are Feb. 29 to March 2, 2008, in Colorado Springs.

In the final Greco-Roman weight class, Colorado Springs resident Dremiel Byers will wrestle Wednesday at 264.5 pounds. Also Wednesday, Colorado Springs resident Henry Cejudo will wrestle in the men's freestyle competition at 121 pounds.

First winners decided at shooting junior nationals

The trap winners of the USA Shooting Junior Olympic National Championships were crowned at Fort Carson.

In the men's competition, Richard Valdez beat Matthew Gossett and Josh Cresswell with 140 targets. Miranda Wilder won the women's division with 134 targets, edging Stephanie Martinago and Kayle Browning.

A look at the national championships schedule:

Wednesday: Men's double trap finals

Thursday: Men's and women's skeet training

Friday: Men's and women's skeet preliminary rounds

Saturday: Men's and women's skeet finals

Curling trials coming to Broomfield

The U.S. Olympic team trials in curling will be held in Broomfield in 2009.

The U.S. Curling Association announced that it selected a bid by the Metro Denver Sports Commission over finalists Bismarck, N.D., and Rochester, N.Y. Other cities that submitted bids were Milwaukee and Fairbanks, Alaska.

Twenty teams will compete in the trials Feb. 21-28, 2009, at the Broomfield Event Center, with the top teams advancing to the 2010 Vancouver Games. The event will double as the 2009 national championships, a qualifier for that year's world championships.

Sled hockey team to begin Springs camp

The U.S. national sled hockey team will hold a training camp Wednesday through Sunday at World Arena.

The 17-person team, coached by Olympian Keith Blase, is preparing for its upcoming season. It opens with a three-game exhibition series against Canada in November in Park City, Utah, and will compete in a tournament in Japan in January. The Ice Sledge Hockey World Championship is March 26 to April 6, 2008, in Marlborough, Mass.

A look at the training camp schedule:

Wednesday: 10-11:15 p.m.

Thursday: 5-7 p.m.

Friday: 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Saturday: 2:15-4:15 p.m., 7:15-9:15 p.m.

Sunday: 6:45-8:15 a.m.

Pate heading to cycling worlds

Colorado Springs cyclist Danny Pate will compete Sept. 26-30 at the Road World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

Pate, sponsored by Slipstream/Chipotle, is coming off a 13th-place finish in the Tour of Missouri, a 563-mile stage race that's part of the USA Cycling Pro Tour.

He'll be joined at the world championships by seven other elite men's riders on a 166-mile course. The U.S. team also includes eight elite women's cyclists and six under-23 men's cyclists.

Downs co-captain of boxing team

Fort Carson solider Christopher Downs has been named a captain of the U.S. Olympic boxing team, which began practice Monday at the Olympic Training Center.

Downs, a 32-year-old member of the World Class Athlete Program who has served in Iraq, is the 178-pound light-heavyweight national champion, and co-captain Luis Yanez, of Duncanville, Texas, is the 106-pound light-flyweight national champ.

Members of the 11-person team are part of the OTC's first boxing resident program since the early 1980s. They will attempt to qualify for Beijing at the World Championships, scheduled for Oct. 23 to Nov. 3 in Chicago.

A look at the Olympic team:

Light-flyweight: Luis Yanez, Duncanville, Texas

Flyweight: Rau'shee Warren, Cincinnati

Bantamweight: Gary Russell Jr., Capitol Heights, Md.

Featherweight: Raynell Williams, Cleveland

Lightweight: Sadam Ali, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Light-welterweight: Javier Molina, Commerce, Calif.

Welterweight: Demetrius Andrade, Providence, R.I.

Middleweight: Shawn Estrada, Downey, Calif.

Light-heavyweight: Christopher Downs, Knoxville, Tenn.

Heavyweight: Deontay Wilder, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Super-heavyweight: Michael Hunter, Las Vegas

Softball questionable for 2016 Olympics

Mike Candrea, coach of the U.S. Olympic softball team, said today that he's not sure whether his sport will return for the 2016 Games.

Softball will be contested at the Olympics next year in Beijing. The International Olympic Committee voted in 2005 to drop softball and baseball from the 2012 London Games, although there's talk of bringing back softball in 2016.

"Our hands are a little bit tied. We can only do so much," Candrea told reporters on a conference call announcing the naming of the 18-person national team. "It's going to take a break here and there to get the votes to sway a different direction. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will happen."

The U.S. has won three gold medals in as many tries since softball debuted at the 1996 Atlanta Games. It went 9-0 at the 2004 Athens Games, outscoring opponents 51-1 and setting 16 Olympic records.

The national team features 12 members of the 2004 squad, including three-time Olympians Laura Berg and Lisa Fernandez. A 40-city U.S. tour will begin in February, and the 15-person Olympic team will be selected by July 1, 2008.

A look at the national team:

Monica Abbott, Salinas, Calif.

Laura Berg, Santa Fe Springs, Calif.

Crystl Bustos, Canyon Country, Calif.

Andrea Duran, Selma, Calif.

Lisa Fernandez, Long Beach, Calif.

Jennie Finch, La Mirada, Calif.

Tairia Flowers, Tucson, Ariz.

Vicky Galindo, Union City, Calif.

Alicia Hollowell, Suisun, Calif.

Lovieanne Jung, Fountain Valley, Calif.

Kelly Kretschman, Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.

Lauren Lappin, Anaheim, Calif.

Caitlin Lowe, Tustin, Calif.

Jessica Mendoza, Camarillo, Calif.

Stacey Nuveman, La Verne, Calif.

Cat Osterman, Houston

Jenny Topping, Whittier, Calif.

Natasha Watley, Irvine, Calif.

Head coach: Mike Candrea, Casa Grande, Ariz.

Assistant coaches: Chuck D'Arcy, Sacramento, Calif.; Karen Johns, Charlottesville, Va.; John Rittman, San Jose, Calif.

Durlacher takes 5th at wrestling worlds

Colorado Springs resident Lindsey Durlacher placed fifth in the 121-pound Greco-Roman weight class at the World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Durlacher dropped a 2-0, 3-0 decision to Serbia's Kristijan Fris in the bronze-medal match after beating Romania's Virgil Munteanu and Denmark's Anders Nyblom in the repechage rounds. The top-eight finish qualified the U.S. for Beijing at 121 pounds.

"It's hard to come so close to winning a medal and walk away empty-handed," Durlacher said. "At the same time, a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders by qualifying this weight for the Olympic Games. I can just train straight through and concentrate on making our Olympic team and not have to go through any of those qualifying tournaments."

Those qualifying tournaments include the Pan American Championships, the next chance for U.S. wrestlers to qualify their weight class for Beijing. The tournament will be held Feb. 29 to March 2, 2008, in Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs wrestlers T.C. Dantzler (163 pounds), Justin Ruiz (211.5) and Brad Vering (185) will compete Tuesday at the world championships. Dantzler has the toughest draw, as he'll face Ukraine's Volodimir Shatskykh, the defending world champion, in the first round.

Kelly top U.S. finisher at modern pentathlon event

Four Colorado Springs modern pentathletes competed last weekend at the World Cup Final in Beijing.

Michelle "Mickey" Kelly, a member of the World Class Athlete Program at Fort Carson, was the top U.S. finisher, taking 23rd place in the women's division of the competition that doubled as an Olympic test event. She was followed by Dennis Bowsher (29th in men's), Emily Shertzer (29th, women's) and Sheila Taormina (32nd, women's).

Kelly and Monument's Eli Bremer qualified for Beijing by winning medals this summer at the Pan American Games. The top six finishers (three per gender) at the 2008 world championships will qualify for Beijing, and the remaining 14 Olympic spots (seven per gender) will be determined by World Cup ranking as of June 1, 2008.

Springs cyclist places 13th in stage race

Colorado Springs rider Danny Pate finished in 13th place Sunday in the Tour of Missouri, a 563-mile stage race that's part of the USA Cycling Pro Tour.

Pate, sponsored by Slipstream/Chipotle, completed the six-day event in 21 hours, 12 minutes, 23 seconds, nearly 12 minutes behind winner George Hincapie, a Discovery Channel rider. He won the fifth stage, a 127-mile road race that ended in St. Charles, Mo.

Fort Carson boxer headed to Pan Am tourney

Fort Carson boxer Caroline Barry will begin practice Tuesday at the Olympic Training Center in preparation for the Pan American Championships, scheduled for Oct. 5-9 in Guayaquil, Equador.

Barry, a WCAP member, is part of a 12-person team that's coached by Fort Carson's Basheer Abdullah, the 2004 Olympic coach. At the 2006 Pan American Championships, she was the runner-up in the 132-pound lightweight division, sparked by a first-round stoppage of Equador's Ani Chuni in the semifinals.

In her last competition, Barry won a gold medal at the U.S. Championships in Colorado Springs. She's a three-time national champion, three-time Women's National Golden Gloves champion and three-time National Police Athletic League champion.

Olympic tickets going fast

More than 1.5 million Olympic tickets have been distributed to 300,000-plus people, according to the Beijing Organizing Committee.

All 26,000 tickets made available for the opening ceremony during the first phase of the ticket distribution process were sold. The sports with the most demand were basketball, diving, table tennis, soccer and gymnastics.

The second phase of ticket sales begins next month. To order Olympic tickets, call Adam Wixted at 1-877-457-4647 or visit http://www.cosport.com.

Triathlon World Cup is Olympic qualifier

Six Colorado Springs triathletes will try to secure Olympic berths at the final World Cup, which begins today in Beijing.

The women's triathlon features Sarah Haskins and Sara McLarty. Haskins won a silver medal at the Pan American Games, and McLarty was last year's under-23 national champion.

On the men's side, Olympians Hunter Kemper and Andy Potts highlight a field that includes Brian Fleischmann and Matt Reed. Kemper is a two-time Olympian who finished the 2005 season ranked No. 1 in the world. Potts is a 2004 Olympian who won a gold medal at the Pan American Games. Fleischmann is a three-time runner-up at elite nationals, and Reed is the 2004 national champion.

"It will be a challenging course and a world-class field, so the bar has been set pretty high," Potts said. "I want to have a great race, but nothing is going to be given to anyone on race day. You are definitely going to have to earn a high finish."

Said Haskins: "This is the pinnacle race of the year for me. I am ready to put it all on the line and give it everything I have."

The top men's finisher and the top women's finisher will earn spots on the U.S. team for the 2008 Beijing Games. The next two spots will be awarded at the U.S. Olympic team trials in Honolulu on April 26, 2008. The final two team members will be named after the Hy-Vee Triathlon in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 22, 2008.

Pate fifth in Missouri stage race

Colorado Springs rider Danny Pate finished fifth Thursday in the time trial of the Tour of Missouri, a 563-mile race that's part of the inaugural USA Cycling Pro Tour.

Pate, sponsored by Slipstream/Chipotle, completed the 18-mile time trial in 41 minutes, 41 seconds, more than two minutes off the pace of Discovery Channel rider Levi Leipheimer, who won the stage by finishing in 39:37.

After four of six stages, Pate is in 15th place, 14:27 behind leader George Hincapie, also a Discovery Channel rider. The fifth stage, a 123-mile race that ends in St. Charles, Mo., will be contested Saturday.

Junior shooting nationals coming to Fort Carson

About 200 people are expected to compete in the USA Shooting Junior Olympic National Championships, which begin Saturday at Fort Carson.

Participants were selected by invitation. Shooters from each state will compete in trap, double trap and skeet.

A look at the schedule:

Saturday: Men's and women's trap training

Sunday: Men's and women's trap preliminary rounds

Monday: Men's and women's trap finals

Tuesday: Men's double trap training

Wednesday: Men's double trap finals

Thursday: Men's and women's skeet training

Sept. 21: Men's and women's skeet preliminary rounds

Sept. 22: Men's and women's skeet finals

Springs coach in charge of Paralympic team

Colorado Springs resident Troy Engle is coach of the U.S. Paralympics national track and field team.

Engle will oversee a 43-person team that was selected based on results at the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships and the Parapan American Games this summer. He has served as national team coach since November, when he left Occidental (Calif.) College after a seven-year stint as track and field and cross country coach.

Hogan named OTC Coach of Month

Tom Hogan, an assistant coach for the U.S. women's volleyball national team, has been named the first Coach of the Month at the Olympic Training Center.

Hogan is in his third season with the national team. He previously served as an assistant coach for the women's junior national team, helping the squad win a gold medal at the 2004 NORCECA Women's Junior Continental Championship.

Hargrave wins masters time trial

Colorado Springs cyclist Ronald Hargrave won the men’s 60-64-year-old division of the 500-meter time trial last month at the Masters Track National Championships in Trexlertown, Pa.

Hargrave, 61, sponsored by the Colorado Springs-based Hammer Racing Team, hadn’t won an event since the 2005 national championships. He placed fourth in the 500 time trial at the 2006 national championships.

Woodland Park rider Mark Pelletier and Colorado Springs rider Wil Zegers teamed with Aurora’s Michael Paulin to win the men’s 40-and-over team sprint. Pelletier, 46, and Zegers, 44, won the tandem sprint at the 2006 national championships.

Earlier this month, Colorado Springs road cyclist Kim Anderson, 39, a member of the T-Mobile Team, finished in 30th place at a World Cup race in France. She’ll compete Sunday at the final World Cup race in Germany.

Racquetball worlds coming to Springs

The World Racquetball Championship begins Wednesday at the Lynmar Racquet & Health Club, 2660 Vickers Drive.

The third Grand Slam event of the season on the International Racquetball Tour carries a $30,000 purse. Some proceeds from the tournament will benefit local military charities.

A look at the schedule:

Wednesday: Qualifying rounds, 2-10 p.m.; charity pro-am doubles tournament and dinner with the pros, 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Thursday: Qualifying rounds, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Friday: Quarterfinals, 3-10 p.m.; player appreciation party, 9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Saturday: Junior skills challenge, noon; semifinals, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Sunday: Finals, 1 p.m.; party with the pros, 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

For more information, contact tournament director Dave Negrete at 630-430-1478 or negretz@comcast.net or visit www.irt-tour.com.

Springs forward on U-14 soccer team

Colorado Springs forward Cate Parchinski will play for the U.S. under-14 girls national soccer team next week at the Nike women’s friendlies in Carson, Calif.

Parchinski, a member of the Colorado Springs-based Pride Soccer Club, was named to the 24-person team after a national development camp that ended last month in Pomona, Calif. The camp also was used to determine the player pool for next year’s U-15 national team.

The U-14 national team, playing its first competitive matches, will face the U-16 Dallas Texans on Sept. 20, the U-16 Danville (Calif.) Mustangs on Sept. 21 and the U-16 Sereno (Ariz.) Soccer Club on Sept. 23. The team is coached by Mike Dickey, the U.S. women’s national team staff coach for Region 2.

Emmett takes 26th at world event

Colorado Springs rider Kelli Emmett struggled to a 26th-place finish Saturday in the elite women’s cross country portion of the Mountain Bike World Championships in Fort William, Scotland.

Emmett, sponsored by Giant, completed the 21.1-mile course in 1 hour, 53 minutes, 58 seconds, nearly 10 minutes off the pace of Russia’s Irina Kalentieva, the top-ranked rider in the world.

Starting in the No. 36 position, Emmett moved up 10 spots. But she was the only rider in a six-person American field to finish outside the top 25.

Next week, most U.S. cross country cyclists will compete in the World Cup finals in Maribor, Slovenia. It’s the last race before the mountain bike Olympic test event, which is Sept. 22 in Beijing.

Bad luck hampers Springs biker

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs student Sam Jurekovic finished in 61st place Friday in the under-23 men’s cross country portion of the Mountain Bike World Championships in Fort William, Scotland, after he broke a part and blew a flat.

Jurekovic, the under-23 cross country national champion, completed the 26.7-mile course in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 36 seconds, more than 26 minutes off the pace of winner Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark.

Starting in the No. 35 position, Jurekovic suffered a broken front derailleur on the third lap and a rear flat tire on the final lap. The flat tire proved most costly, as he was passed by about 20 riders on the homestretch.

“I just didn’t have anything,” said Jurekovic, a member of the USA Cycling National Development Team. “I had a good start position, but as soon as we hit the climb, there was a crash right in front of me and I had to get off. I was chasing from the beginning, and I couldn’t get going. I had nothing.”

Colorado Springs rider Kelli Emmett, sponsored by Giant, will compete today in the elite cross country portion of the world championships. She’s coming off an eighth-place finish at the National Mountain Bike Series finals.

Countdown starts for Paralympics

The 2008 Paralympics begin a year from today in Beijing.

About 4,000 disabled athletes (250 from the U.S.) will compete Sept. 6-17, 2008, in 19 sports, including cycling, fencing, sitting volleyball, table tennis and wheelchair rugby.

China led the 2004 Paralympics with 141 medals, 63 of them gold. The U.S. was fourth with 88 total medals and 27 golds.

U.S. Paralympics, a division of the Colorado Springs-based U.S. Olympic Committee, will send 35 student-athletes with physical disabilities to the Paralympics from Sept. 4-12, 2008, through a newly created program. Participants will attend the opening ceremonies and several competitions and meet U.S. Paralympians.

To participate, student-athletes (ages 12-18) must fill out an application, which includes a 500-word essay, and submit letters of recommendation. Applications are available at http://www.usparalympics.org. The application deadline is April 1, 2008.

UCCS student to ride at mountain bike worlds

Colorado Springs rider Sam Jurekovic will compete Friday at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Fort William, Scotland.

Jurekovic, a member of the USA Cycling National Development Team, will join Boulder's Colin Cares, Durango's Tad Elliott, Mitchell Peterson, of Sandy, Utah, and Sam Schultz, of Missoula, Mont., in the under-23 men's cross country competition.

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs student is coming off a win at the Mountain Bike National Championships in July in West Dover, Vt. He won a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships in March in Argentina.

Springs boxer loses at cadet worlds

Colorado Springs boxer Joey Montoya lost in the quarterfinals of the Cadet World Championships on Tuesday in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Montoya, a Junior Olympic national champion, dropped a 29-11 decision to Puerto Rico's Keith Tapia in the 176-pound division. He received a bye in the first round.

Springs cyclist falls short again

Colorado Springs rider Danny Pate finished fifth Sunday in the road portion of the USA Cycling Professional National Championships in Greenville, S.C.

Pate, 28, sponsored by Slipstream/Chipotle, completed the 109-mile course in 4 hours, 23 minutes, 48 seconds, less than 90 seconds off the pace of Discovery Channel rider Levi Leipheimer, who won his first road race national title.

On Saturday, Pate took second in the time trial portion of the national championships. He finished a second behind David Zabriskie on an 18.6-mile course.

Funeral services set for weightlifting director

Funeral services for Rodger DeGarmo, executive director of Colorado Springs-based USA Weightlifting, will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Ave. After the service, there will be a reception in the visitor's center of the Olympic Training Center. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at Swan Law Funeral Home, 501 N. Cascade Ave.

DeGarmo died of an apparent heart attack Tuesday while conducting a site visit for the 2009 Pan American Weightlifting Championships in Chicago. He was 38.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for DeGarmo's wife, Suzanne, and his daughters, Paige (12) and Maggie (9). Donations can be made to Suzanne DeGarmo, c/o USA Weightlifting, 1 Olympic Plaza, Colorado Springs, CO 80909.

Potts slips to 11th at triathlon worlds

Andy Potts led a group of Colorado Springs residents with an 11th-place finish today at the Triathlon World Championships in Hamburg, Germany.

Potts, 30, completed the 0.9-mile swim, 24-mile bike ride and 6-mile run in 1 hour, 44 minutes, 31 seconds, less than 90 seconds off the pace of winner Daniel Unger of Germany.

He posted the top swim time at 17:02 and was among the front of the pack during the run portion. But he slowly fell behind and couldn’t recover.

“It was a hard day,” said Potts, who made his fourth appearance at the world championships. “My No. 1 priority on the run was to stay in contact with the lead group and run tough and hold on for as long as possible. I was hoping my legs would have more juice in them on the second and third laps.”

Matt Reed (1:44:55) was the only other U.S. triathlete in the top 20, finishing in 14th place. Tim O’Donnell (1:46:35) finished in 43rd place and Joe Umphenour (1:48:12) took 52nd place.

Potts qualified for the 2008 Beijing Games by winning a gold medal at the Pan American Games in July. The last Olympic qualifier is the 2008 world championships, which will be held in June in Vancouver.

OTC resident wins another judo title

Olympic Training Center resident Anna Palmer won her weight class in a ladder tournament of the Fall Classic National Championships in Coral Springs, Fla.

Palmer defeated five-time national champion Carrie Chandler twice to capture the title in the women’s 125-pound division. The championship match against Chandler was a draw, and Palmer won on a unanimous referees’ decision.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Palmer said. “I keep working harder, and it keeps paying off, so it encourages me more for the future. It was a really big win, and I think this is really good progress for my career.”

On Saturday, Palmer won the women’s 114-pound division of the Fall Classic. She’s a virtual lock to make the U.S. Olympic team trials, scheduled for June 13-14, 2008, in Las Vegas.

O’Neil, Palmer victorious at judo tourney

Two Olympic Training Center residents won their weight classes and four others had podium finishes today at the Fall Classic National Championships, a judo domestic qualifying tournament for the U.S. Olympic team trials.

Josh O’Neil placed first in the men’s 132-pound division and Anna Palmer claimed the top spot in the women’s 114-pound division at a 200-plus athlete tournament in Coral Springs, Fla.

After losing his second match of the double-elimination tournament, O’Neil won three straight fights, including two against Pan American Championships team member Nick Kossor. Palmer beat Nicki Schultheis in the finals.

With their wins, O’Neil and Palmer are virtually guaranteed spots at the trials, scheduled for June 13-14, 2008, in Las Vegas. The top eight athletes in 14 Olympic weight classes after the Senior National Championships (April 11-12, 2008, in Virginia Beach, Va.) are eligible to participate.

Alexa Liddie finished third in the women’s 97-pound division; Michelle Haggerty was the runner-up in the women’s 125-pound division; Christal Ransom took third in the women’s 138-pound division; and Taylor Takata placed second in the men’s 145-pound division.

Mixed results for OTC residents at triathlon worlds

OTC resident Sarah Haskins took 10th place and OTC resident Sara McLarty stumbled to a 49th-place finish at the Triathlon World Championships in Hamburg, Germany.

Haskins, 26, of St. Louis, marked the second-best finish on the five-person U.S. team for the 0.9-mile swim, 24-mile bike ride and 6-mile run. McLarty, 24, of DeLand, Fla., posted the top swim time in the 77-person field at 17:54 but struggled in the bike and run portions.

“I was working really hard on the bike to keep distance. I knew there were a lot of really good runners in that second pack,” Haskins said. “Unfortunately, two years in a row, I’ve wiped out in transition. I could have been running with that pack in front of me, but things happened.”

The 10th-place finish for Haskins was considerably better than her 21st-place finish at last year’s world championships. It was the first world championships for McLarty, who competed in the under-23 ranks last year.

Two U.S. triathletes – Julie Ertel and Andy Potts – have qualified for the 2008 Beijing Games. The last Olympic qualifier is the 2008 world championships, which will be held in June in Vancouver.

Springs cyclist edged in narrow finish

One second cost Danny Pate a national title.

The Colorado Springs rider finished a second behind Salt Lake City’s David Zabriskie in the time trial portion of the USA Cycling Professional National Championships in Greenville, S.C.

Pate, 28, a Slipstream/Chipotle-sponsored rider, completed the 18.6-mile course in 39 minutes, 35 seconds. Zabriskie did it in 39:34, sprinting to the finish line the final 110 yards.

“I was going as hard as I can go,” said Zabriskie, the first rider in 11 years to win back-to-back time trial national titles. “Coming into the finish, I could hear the announcer say, ‘He’s got to finish in 2 seconds or he’s going to lose.’ So I started sprinting.”

Like Zabriskie, Pate came from Colorado Springs-based USA Cycling’s National Development Team program. In 2001, he won the under-23 world time trial championship in Portugal.

Team USA locks up Olympic spot

The U.S. men’s basketball senior national team, which includes Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, defeated Puerto Rico 135-91 in the semifinals of the FIBA Americas Championship to secure an Olympic berth.

The U.S. will face Argentina in Sunday’s championship game. Puerto Rico will play Brazil in the bronze medal game.

A look at the TV schedule:

Sunday, Puerto Rico vs. Brazil, 2 p.m., FSN; U.S. vs. Argentina, 5 p.m., FSN

Durante ready for gymnastics worlds

Olympic Training Center resident David Durante will try to carry momentum from his most recent national title at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which begin Saturday in Stuttgart, Germany.

Durante, 27, of Garwood, N.J., won the all-around title in his last competition, the Visa Championships earlier this month. He's captain of a six-person men's squad that includes Denver's Guillermo Alvarez and Morrison's Alexander Artemev.

An expert on the parallel bars, Durante moved to the OTC in 2004, two years after he graduated from Stanford with a bachelor's degree in human biology. Since then, he has won three all-around national championships, including back-to-back crowns at the Winter Cup Challenge.

The world championships - a two-hour, tape-delay broadcast will air at 2 p.m. Oct. 7 on NBC - is the only qualifier for the 2008 Beijing Games in artistic gymnastics, with the top 12 men's and women's teams advancing. The Rhythmic World Championships (Sept. 19-23 in Patras, Greece) and Trampoline & Tumbling World Championships (Nov. 2-4 in Quebec City, Canada) also are Olympic qualifiers.

OTC residents heading to judo worlds

Two OTC residents will compete Sept. 13-16 at the World Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Kirk Hoffmann (220-plus pounds) and Ryan Reser (160) are part of a 16-person team participating in the largest world championships in recent history. The event is expected to draw 776 judo players from 129 countries.

The world championships is a qualifier for Beijing. The top six athletes in 14 weight classes earn Olympic quota spots.

In other judo action, eight Colorado Springs residents are among the 200-plus athletes competing Saturday at the Fall Classic National Championships in Coral Springs, Fla. The tournament is a domestic qualifier for the U.S. Olympic team trials, which will be held June 13-14, 2008, in Las Vegas.

Josh O'Neil will fight in the men's 132-pound division, fresh off a fifth-place finish at the International German Championships. Taylor Takata, the No. 2 seed in the men's 145-pound division, was the gold medalist at the 2006 Senior National Championships and the runner-up at this year's nationals. Micah Bellamy is a contender in the men's 220-pound division.

The top seed in the women's 97-pound division is Alexa Liddie, a silver medalist at the 2007 Pan American Championships. Anna Palmer is the top seed in the women's 114-pound division, riding high after a third-place finish at nationals. Pauline Macias is not seeded in the women's 125-pound division after skipping nationals. D'Anya Bierra, a 1991 world team member, is coming off a third-place finish at the Golden State Open in the women's 138-pound division, which includes Christal Ransom.

Team USA into semifinals

The U.S. men's basketball senior national team, which features Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, will face Puerto Rico in Saturday's semifinals of the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas. Argentina will play Brazil in the other semifinal. The semifinal winners receive Olympic berths.

A look at the TV schedule:

Saturday, Argentina vs. Brazil, 2 p.m., ESPN360.com; U.S. vs. Puerto Rico, 5 p.m., ESPN Classic

Sunday, bronze medal game, 2 p.m., FSN; gold medal game, 5 p.m., FSN

OTC residents head to judo qualifier

Three Olympic Training Center residents are expected to compete this weekend at the Fall Classic National Championships, a judo domestic qualifying tournament for the U.S. Olympic team trials.

Josh O'Neil, Anna Palmer and Taylor Takata will fight Saturday in Coral Springs, Fla. The men's and women's winners in seven Olympic weight classes are almost guaranteed spots at the trials.

O'Neil placed fifth in the men's 132-pound division this month at the International German Championships. Palmer was the bronze medalist in the women's 114-pound division at the Senior National Championships in April. Takata took fifth in the men's 145-pound division at the 2006 Pan American Championships.

The trials will be held June 13-14, 2008, in Las Vegas. The top eight athletes in each Olympic weight class after the Senior National Championships (April 11-12, 2008, in Virginia Beach, Va.) are eligible to participate.

Women's soccer on the tube

The U.S. women's national soccer team, which is No. 1 in the FIFA world rankings, will compete next month at the Women's World Cup in China. A top-three finish qualifies the U.S. for the 2008 Beijing Games.

A look at the TV schedule:

Sept. 11, vs. North Korea, 2:55 a.m., ESPN2

Sept. 14, vs. Sweden, 2:55 a.m., ESPN

Sept. 18, vs. Nigeria, 5:55 a.m., ESPN

Sept. 22, Quarterfinals*, TBD, ESPN2

Sept. 26-27, Semifinals*, 6 a.m., ESPN2

Sept. 30, Championship game*, 6 a.m., ESPN2

*If necessary

OTC residents win titles at judo tourney

Two Olympic Training Center residents placed first Sunday at the Golden State Open, a senior-level judo tournament in Pomona, Calif.

Anna Palmer, a bronze medalist at the Senior National Championships in April, won the women's 114-pound division. Pauline Macias defeated San Jose State's Corinne Geier to win the women's 125-pound division in her first point event since the spring.

Three other OTC residents competed: Shane Simerly took third in the men's 160-pound division; Christal Ransom was the runner-up in the women's 138-pound division; and Pan American Games team member Grace Ohashi finished fifth at 138 pounds.

The World Judo Championships, a qualifier for the 2008 Beijing Games, will be held Sept. 13-16 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The U.S. Olympic team trials are June 13-14, 2008, in Las Vegas.

Team USA starts second round

The U.S. men's basketball senior national team, led by Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, will begin second-round play today at the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas. A top-two finish qualifies the U.S. for Beijing.

A look at the TV schedule:

Today, vs. Mexico, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Tuesday, vs. Puerto Rico, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Wednesday, vs. Uruguay, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Thursday, vs. Argentina, 10 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday, first semifinal, 2 p.m., ESPN360.com; second semifinal, 5 p.m., ESPN Classic

Sunday, bronze medal game, 2 p.m., FSN; gold medal game, 5 p.m., FSN

Downs claims title at Olympic boxing trials

Christopher Downs has taken another step toward Beijing.

The Fort Carson boxer defeated 2006 National Golden Gloves champion Yathomas Riley 21-11 to win the light-heavyweight division of the U.S. Olympic team trials today in Houston.

Downs, a 32-year-old member of the World Class Athlete Program who has served in Iraq, led 5-1 after the first round. He was ahead 12-2 following the second round and took an 11-point lead into the fourth round.

To qualify for the 2008 Beijing Games, Downs must finish in the top eight at the World Amateur Boxing Championships, which are Oct. 23 to Nov. 3 in Chicago. He also has chances to qualify at two continental events next year in the Americas.

“It’s always a good win for the oldest guy in USA Boxing,” said Downs, who can become the oldest known American boxer to compete in the Olympics. “I need to thank all my teammates for pushing me. It was an extremely tough bracket, and all eight competitors earned their way here.”

Other trials winners were Luis Yanez in light-flyweight; Rau’shee Warren in flyweight; Sadam Ali in lightweight; Javier Molina in light-welterweight; Demetrius Andrade in welterweight; Shawn Estrada in middleweight; Deontay Wilder in heavyweight; and Michael Hunter in super-heavyweight. Championship fights in bantamweight and featherweight will be held Sunday.

2 Fort Carson boxers bounced at trials

Fort Carson boxers Boyd Melson and Andrew Shepherd were eliminated today at the U.S. Olympic team trials in Houston.

Melson dropped a 24-14 decision against Charles Hatley in the welterweight division. He was outscored 4-0 in the fourth round.

“I knew he was a smart boxer,” Hatley said. “I kept him on the outside and used my reach. I beat him to a lot of punches.”

Shepherd suffered a 22-7 loss against two-time national champion Mike Wilson in the super-heavyweight division. He trailed 5-0 after the first round and 17-5 after three rounds.

“You have to have a good first round. You have to be winning or be even because you can’t dig yourself out of a hole,” Wilson said. “He was a big, strong guy, and I wanted to let him come at me. He was pretty tired, but I felt good.”

Fort Carson’s only remaining boxer, Christopher Downs, will face the winner of a light-heavyweight bout between Yathomas Riley and Angel Concepcion in Saturday’s first round of championship fights.

Downs topped Riley and Concepcion earlier this week at the trials. Since he’s undefeated, he has two chances to beat the challenger’s bracket winner. If necessary, the second round of championship fights will be held Sunday.

Olympic Training Center gets new director

Glen Werner Roseboom, a former assistant women's basketball coach at Colorado College, was promoted to director of the Olympic Training Center.

Roseboom received the appointment on the same day Tracy Lamb was named director of the OTC in Chula Vista, Calif. Both had previously served as OTC associate directors - Roseboom in Colorado Springs and Lamb in Lake Placid, N.Y.

"We are elevating two outstanding individuals," said Jim Scherr, chief executive officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee. "Both have proven their abilities to manage the needs of the athletes at our training centers and will be leaders as directors."

In 1997, Roseboom began working at the OTC as a resident life coordinator. She became central scheduling coordinator in 1998 and operations manager in 1999. She has supervised a 66-person staff since 2005, when she was appointed associate director.

Roseboom spent five seasons on the staffs of Debra Hunter, Julie Soriero and Kelly Mahlum at CC, most recently working the sidelines in 2003. She played in the 1993 Division III Final Four for the College of St. Benedict, a Catholic liberal arts school in St. Joseph, Minn. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work from the College of St. Benedict and a master's degree in sport management from Northern Illinois.

"This is a dream to me," Roseboom said of her new job at the OTC. "But one that I have prepared for, and I'm ready to begin this fascinating experience. Starting out as a coordinator in the OTC resident hall, I've seen this center from the ground up. There is no greater time than now to work for the USOC, especially as we lead into the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. This is challenging, and with the talented staff we have in Colorado Springs, I feel we're up to that challenge."

USABA awarded grant

The Colorado Springs-based U.S. Association of Blind Athletes received a grant between $10,000 and $22,000 from the Olympic Opportunity Fund, which aims to increase diversity and youth participation in Olympic and Paralympic sports.

The recently created fund is part of a USOC objective to make the Olympic movement more relevant in American society through grassroots programs. Ten other sports organizations were awarded grants.

Founded in 1976, USABA has impacted more than 100,000 blind athletes. Its 3,000-plus members compete in nine sports, including cycling, judo and swimming.

Downs again victorious at boxing trials

Fort Carson boxer Christopher Downs continued his hot streak today with another narrow victory that puts him in the light-heavyweight finals of the U.S. Olympic team trials in Houston.

Downs beat 2006 National Golden Gloves champion Yathomas Riley 11-9 to move within a win of his first trials title. He led 2-1 after two rounds and 8-5 after the third.

"Today's bout was a chess match," said Downs, a 32-year-old member of the World Class Athlete Program who has served in Iraq. "I didn't know he was going to change his tactics that much. He's usually a pressure boxer, and today he was looking to counter and keep the score low. I think I was a little quicker than him.

"The week has gone well. Some bouts have been a little closer than I'd like. But I'm still here, and I'm going to box in the finals, so I couldn't ask for a better outcome."

Other winners from Fort Carson were Boyd Melson, who scored a 28-27 punch-count victory over Anthony Campbell in the welterweight division, and Andrew Shepherd, who defeated Lenroy Thompson 18-17 in a tiebreaker in the super-heavyweight division.

Three Fort Carson boxers suffered their second loss of the double-elimination trials: Mahlon Kerwick was stopped by Charles Hatley in the fourth round of a welterweight bout; Zacchaeus Hardrick was stopped by Dominic Wade in the third round of a middleweight fight; and Joe Guzman dropped a 23-11 decision to David Carey in the heavyweight division.

Melson and Shepherd will compete Thursday in challenger's bracket fights. Downs will compete Saturday in the first round of championship bouts.

Wariner sets sights on world record

Watch out, Michael Johnson. Jeremy Wariner wants your world record.

Coming off a personal-best time in his last competition, Wariner, the reigning 400-meter Olympic and world champion, believes he can top Johnson's mark at the World Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which begin Friday in Osaka, Japan.

Wariner, 23, of Waco, Texas, ran the sixth-fastest time ever, 43.5 seconds, two weeks ago at a meet in Stockholm, Sweden. It's the fastest time since the retired Johnson, a five-time Olympic gold medalist and nine-time world champion, set the world record of 43.18 seconds at the 1999 world championships in Seville, Spain.

"My workouts have been getting better. I'm stronger. I'm quicker," Wariner said Monday on a conference call. "I'm trying to defend my world title. At the same time, I know I can get the world record."

Wariner will compete Tuesday. Also competing Tuesday will be Air Force graduate Dana Pounds, the only American woman throwing the javelin in Osaka.

A look at the TV schedule for the world championships:

Saturday, 4 p.m., Versus

Sunday, 10:30 a.m., NBC; 4 p.m., Versus

Monday, 5 p.m., Versus

Tuesday, 5 p.m., Versus

Aug. 29, 5 p.m., Versus

Aug. 30, 5 p.m., Versus

Aug. 31, 5 p.m., Versus

Sept. 1, noon, NBC; 7 p.m., Versus

Sept. 2, 11 a.m., NBC; 4 p.m., Versus

Supercross coming to Springs

More than 400 riders are expected Saturday for the Supercross State Championship at the Norris-Penrose Event Center.

The annual race is sanctioned by the Sports Riders Association of Colorado. Quads will compete at 5 p.m. and supercross pro riders will race at 7 p.m. for a $5,000 purse.

Tickets are $17.50 for adults and $11.50 for children 6-11. Children 5 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased at www.ticketswest.com; by calling 719-576-2626; or in person at the Norris-Penrose box office starting at 2 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, call John Murray at 719-331-6234.

Downs takes easy road at boxing trials

Fort Carson boxer Christopher Downs won his second fight of the U.S. Olympic team trials today in Houston. And this time, he took care of business early.

Downs, a 32-year-old member of the World Class Athlete Program, knocked out Cymone Kearney less than 90 seconds into a light-heavyweight semifinal bout. The win came a day after Downs beat Angel Concepcion 8-7 in a quarterfinal fight.

The only other Fort Carson boxers to post victories were Mahlon Kerwick, who won on walkover against 2005 National Silver Gloves champion Domonique Dolton in the loser's bracket of the welterweight division, and Zacchaeus Hardrick, who beat Angel Santos in the loser's bracket of the middleweight division.

Also representing Fort Carson, flyweight John Franklin, bantamweight Alexis Ramos, lightweight James Villa, welterweight Boyd Melson, light-heavyweight Jeffrey Spencer, heavyweight Joe Guzman and super-heavyweights William Moore and Andrew Shepherd lost bouts. Franklin, Moore, Ramos, Spencer and Villa were sent home with their second loss of the double-elimination trials.

Downs, Guzman, Hardrick, Kerwick, Melson and Shepherd will fight again Wednesday. The trials last through Sunday.

Downing wins gold in Poland

Colorado Springs wrestler Katie Downing, a world team member, defeated Volha Khilko of Belarus last weekend to win a gold medal at 147.5 pounds at the Warsaw Cup in Poland.

Eight other Colorado Springs wrestlers competed in the women's freestyle event: Stephanie Murata finished second at 105.5 pounds; Sally Roberts was the runner-up at 130 pounds; Kristie Marano took second at 158.5 pounds; Marcie Van Dusen placed fifth at 121 pounds; Leigh Jaynes finished fifth at 130 pounds; and Sharon Jacobson (121), Tori Adams (138.75) and Randi Miller (138.75) lost preliminary matches.

The first Olympic qualifier in wrestling is the world championships, which are Sept. 17-23 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Quota spots for the 2008 Beijing Games go to the top eight finishers in men's Greco-Roman, men's freestyle and women's freestyle.

Team USA on the tube

The U.S. men's basketball senior national team, which features Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, will begin play Tuesday at the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas. A top-two finish will qualify the U.S. for Beijing.

A look at the TV schedule:

Wednesday, vs. Venezuela, 9 p.m., ESPN Classic

Thursday, vs. Virgin Islands, 9 p.m., ESPN Classic

Saturday, vs. Canada, 1 p.m., ESPN2

Sunday, vs. Brazil, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Monday, vs. TBD, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Aug. 28, vs. TBD, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Aug. 29, vs. TBD, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Aug. 30, vs. TBD, 10 p.m., ESPN2

Sept. 1, first semifinal, 2 p.m., ESPN360.com; second semifinal, 5 p.m., ESPN Classic

Sept. 2, bronze medal game, 2 p.m., FSN; gold medal game, 5 p.m., FSN

Downs wins first bout at boxing trials

Three Fort Carson boxers, including light-heavyweight favorite Christopher Downs, won preliminary bouts of the U.S. Olympic team trials today in Houston.

Downs, a 32-year-old member of the World Class Athlete Program who has served in Iraq, scored an 8-7 decision over Angel Concepcion. If Downs makes the 2008 Beijing Games, he'll become the oldest known American boxer to compete in the Olympics.

"I grade myself a C-minus," Downs said of his trials debut. "My opponent was trying to make me come forward, and I gave up too many points."

Fort Carson's Boyd Melson, a gold medalist at the 2004 World Military Championships, beat WCAP teammate Mahlon Kerwick 19-8 in the welterweight division. In a second bout of Fort Carson soldiers, Andrew Shepherd downed William Moore 17-13 in the super-heavyweight division.

"I hate boxing my teammates," Melson said. "I got over the hump more than last time (against Kerwick). ... I got my rhythm down in the third (round). When I get my rhythm down, it's very difficult to break it."

Three Fort Carson boxers lost their preliminary bouts: Alexis Ramos was stopped by reigning National Golden Gloves champion Ronny Rios in the third round of the bantamweight division; James Villa lost to Mason Menard 34-9 in the lightweight division; and Jeffrey Spencer dropped a 12-10 decision to Cymone Kearney in the light-heavyweight division. Three Fort Carson soldiers - flyweight John Franklin, heavyweight Joe Guzman and middleweight Zacchaeus Hardrick - will box later today in the double-elimination event that lasts through Sunday.

Day 12 at the Pan Am Games

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) --- Highlights of Day 12 at the Pan American Games:

MEDALS

Mitch Richeson of Greenwood, Ind., and two-time Olympian Troy Dumais of Ventura, Calif., took the synchronized diving gold medal off the 3-meter springboard. Their 422.52 points easily outdistances duos from Cuba and Canada.

On the women's 10-meter platform, Paola Espinosa of Mexico won gold, followed by 14-year-old Haley Ishimatsu (Seal Beach, Calif.) and Juliana Veloso, Brazil.

Americans finished 1-3 in the women's 400-meter hurdles, with Sheena Johnson (Stafford, Va.) taking gold in 54.64 seconds, and Nicole Leach (Philadelphia) winning bronze.

Canada's Jessica Zelinka captured the heptathlon with 6,136 points; Mexico's Ana Guevara won the 400 meters in 50.34; Brazil's Maurren Maggi won the long jump at 22.44 feet; Mexico's Maria Rosmary Rifka earned the high jump gold at 6.4 feet; and Deloreen Ennis-London,

Jamaica, won the 100-meter hurdles in 12.65 seconds, a Pan Ams record.
Among the men, Canada's James Steacy beat Kibwe Johnson (Oakland, Calif.) in the hammer throw. Steacy threw 242.03 feet and Johnson managed 240.26.

Hudson Souza of Brazil set a Pan Ams record with his 3:36.32 in the 1,500 meters. Chris Brown of the Bahamas won the 400 in 44.85.

Americans won three of the four roller skating speed golds. The men's 500-meter sprint went to Joey Mantia ( Ocala, Fla.). Britanny Bowe (Summerfield, Fla.) won the women's event. And the 15,000 meters went to Jessica Smith (Melvindale, Mich.).

Jorge Luis Cifuentes, Colombia, took the men's 15,000.

In Greco-Roman wrestling, Justin Ruiz of Salt Lake City won the 96-kilogram class. Robert Monzon of Cuba took gold in 60 kilos, with Lindsey Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finishing second. Odelis Herrero of Cuba was the 74-kilos winner, and T.C. Dantzler (Colorado Springs) took bronze.

Karate winners were Brazil's Juarez Santos in the 80-kilogram class, Venezuela's Luis Plumacher in 65 kilos, and in women's over 60 kilos, Lucelia Ribeiro of Brazil.
The United States had 176 medals (75 gold, 67 silver, 34 bronze) through Wednesday, with Cuba second in gold at 35, while Brazil was second in total medals with 109.

TEAMS
Softball finally got going after two days of delays because of weather problems and stadium woes. The world champion Americans beat Brazil 7-0 on a combined no-hitter from Jennie Finch of LaMirada, Calif., who struck out 11 in four innings, and Alicia Hollowell of Suisun, Calif., who fanned all three batters in the fifth before the game was called by the mercy rule. Laura Berg of Santa Fe Springs, Calif., was the only American with two hits.
In their second game, a 4-0 victory over Colombia, the Americans also got no-hit pitching. Monica Abbott of Salinas, Calif., fanned 12 in five innings, then Jennie Ritter of Ann Arbor, Mich., closed it out with five strikeouts in two innings. Andrea Duran of Selma, Calif., accounted for the runs with a grand slam in the third.

The U.S. men hope to join the women as gold medalists in water polo. The Americans defeated Cuba 15-4 and will play Brazil for the title. Peter Varellas (Moraga, Calif.), Jeff Powers (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) and Ryan Bailey (Long Beach, Calif.) each scored three goals.

In men's volleyball, the Americans swept Puerto Rico 25-22, 25-17, 25-23. Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) had 12 spikes and Brook Billings (Santa Barbara, Calif.) added 11.

Although it was only for seventh place, the American men's field hockey team routed Brazil 13-0 as Pat Harris (Moorpark, Calif.) scored five goals and Jarred Martin (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) added two. It was the lowest finish for a U.S. men's team in a Pan Ams.
Canada earned an Olympic spot when it outlasted Argentina 5-4 on penalty strokes after a 2-2 tie and won the gold medal. Chile won the bronze by beating Trinidad & Tobago 5-3.

Andrea Nott of San Jose, Calif., and Christina Jones of Missoula, Mont., won the technical duet portion of synchronized swimming with 94.500 points. Canada was second and Brazil third. The gold medalists Friday earned their nation a spot in the Beijing Games. The United States has earned all but two Pan Ams duet titles since 1955, with the exception of 1979 and 1999, in which Canada took home the crown.

The United States scored two goals in the last minute and survived a penalty kick as time expired to defeat Costa Rica 6-5, but did not advance to the medals round.

Coach Keith Tozer pulled goalkeeper Brett Phillips (Syracuse, N.Y.) in favor of a fifth attacker with 3:30 left in the game and his team was rewarded with two goals, by Matt Stewart (Houston) and Denison Cabral (Odenton, Md.), to regain the lead 6-5. With Phillips back in the game, the Americans had to survive a controversial penalty kick at the end of regulation time that sailed wide left.

ADVANCING
Only one U.S. boxer fought Wednesday, and light welterweight Karl Dargan (Philadelphia) moved into the final with a 9-8 victory over Myke Carvalho of Brazil. The bout was close throughout, and tied 6-6 entering the fourth round. The first minute of the fourth was filled with lead changes. With 30 seconds remaining in the bout, Dargan scored the winning point, then evaded the charging Carvalho. Dargan fights Jonathan Gonzalez Ortiz of Puerto Rico for the title.

FORMAT CHANGE
Because of the softball delays, organizers were forced to change the competition's format to try to finish the tournament before the closing ceremony on Sunday. The eight teams were originally scheduled to play a round-robin, and the top four would advance to the semifinals. Under the new format, the teams are divided in two groups, with the top two finishers advancing to the semifinals.

STARS OF THE DAY
U.S. softball pitchers didn't allow a hit in two games.
Jennie Finch of LaMirada, Calif., struck out 11 in four innings, and Alicia Hollowell of Suisun, Calif., fanned all three batters in the fifth for a no-hitter as the United States beat Brazil 7-0. The game was called by the mercy rule after five innings. Monica Abbott of Salinas, Calif., fanned 12 in five innings, then Jennie Ritter of Ann Arbor, Mich., closed out a 4-0 win over Colombia with five strikeouts in two innings.
Andrea Duran of Selma, Calif., accounted for the runs with a grand slam in the third.

QUOTES OF THE DAY
"It's certainly been a frustrating tournament for us. You don't like to beat up on teams, but we're responsible for trying to play the best that we can. We were very, very flat and very disappointed going into the game, but credit our guys. They came out and played extremely good hockey." _ U.S. coach Nick Conway after a 13-0 win over Brazil for seventh place in field hockey. His team dropped a pair of 2-1 matches and tied finalist Canada in pool play.

"There were very sloppy field conditions and I don't think I have ever played on a field that bad. However we had good pitching and got the runs we needed." _ U.S.softball coach Mike Candrea after a pair of no-hit victories to open the delayed competition.