Associated Press
MONTREAL ó Michael Phelps swept both events he entered at the Canada Cup, though he gave himself a split decision on his performance in his last two races leading up to next month’s U.S. nationals.
Phelps won the 100-meter freestyle Sunday in the pool that hosted the 1976 Olympics.
His time of 48.65 seconds in the 100 freestyle improved on the 48.87 he swam one week earlier, when he finished second to defending world champion Brent Hayden of Canada in Santa Clara, Calif.
“I’m sort of everywhere where I want to be, except in the 100 free,” Phelps said. “I want to be faster in that.”
He hit the first turn in the 100 in 23.59 seconds, 0.20 ahead of Australian Matt Targett. He held onto his margin on the second length but was unable to add much more distance between himself and Targett, who finished second in 48.87.
The Montreal meet is Phelps’ final tuneup for the U.S. nationals in Indianapolis on July 7-11. That’s where the team will be selected for the world championships, which will be held in Rome from July 17 to Aug. 2.WIMBLEDON
WIMBLEDON, England ó Who says the oldest and most tradition-laden of tennis’ major championships doesn’t change with the times?
There is, at long last, a retractable roof atop Centre Court at Wimbledon this year. Video review of line calls and equal prize money for men and women came along ages ago.
Now, here’s something that stays the same at Wimbledon, which begins today: Venus Williams and Serena Williams are the women to beat. On the men’s side, Roger Federer begins his bid for a sixth championship, and a record-breaking 15th major title, a couple of weeks after completing a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open.
PREP FOOTBALL HEAT
SAN ANTONIO ó High school football teams should eliminate two-a-day practices during the first week of August drills when heat stroke has proven particularly deadly, a leading trainers’ group said Thursday.
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association said its recommendations are longer breaks between practice and more time for players to ease into contact drills.
They also pointed to the death of a 15-year-old Kentucky boy last August after he collapsed during practice. Prosecutors charged his coach with reckless homicide in an unusual case of a coach being held criminally responsible for a player’s death.
Since 1995, at least 39 football players across all levels have died from heat-related causes and most of those cases happened in early August, said Dr. Frederick Mueller, director of the National Center for Catastrophic Injury Research at the University of North Carolina.
At least 42 states have some sort of heat illness-prevention guidelines.
IRL
NEWTON, Iowa ó Dario Franchitti was disappointed that Saturday’s qualifying for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 was canceled. He settled instead for Sunday’s checkered flag ó his second victory in two tries at the Iowa Speedway.
Ryan Briscoe finished second for the third straight race.