Mutola Beats Cousin In Fastest 800 Ever Run In United States

-- TRACK

Maria Mutola of Mozambique fought off an unexpected challenge from her cousin, Tina Paulino, to win the women's 800 meters in 1:56.56 - the fastest time ever run in the United States - in the New York Games at Columbia University. Paulino placed second in 1:56.62, also faster than the previous best in the U.S. of 1:57.0 by Tatyana Providokhina of the Soviet Union at College Park, Md., on Aug. 7, 1976.

Jon Drummond of TCU won the 100 meters in 10.16, beating the Olympic 200 champion, Mike Marsh, and Carl Lewis, the world record-holder.

Mark Crear, the 1992 NCAA champ from USC, upset a 110-meter hurdle field including world record-holder Roger Kingdom and Greg Foster. Crear clocked a 13.31, the fastest time this year.

-- Deon Hemmings of Central State (Ohio) won the 400-meter hurdles for the third straight year at the NAIA outdoor track and field championships.

-- Benson Koech of Kenya thought he won the mile race at the Grampian Festival in Aberdeen, Scotland, and he might have if he hadn't watched a TV camera.

Koech followed the cart carrying the camera, and when the cart took a shortcut onto the road course, so did he. The Kenyan finished well ahead of runner-up Curtis Robb of Britain, but was disqualifed and Robb declared the winner.

"For a moment, I thought I ought to follow him," said Robb.

-- TENNIS

Top-seeded Chris Woodruff of Tennessee and fourth-seeded Wade McGuire of Georgia recovered from second-set collapses to set up an all-Southeastern Conference final in the NCAA Division I men's tennis championships at Athens, Ga.

-- HOCKEY

Mike Harding scored two third-period goals, including the winner at 16:32, to give the Peterborough Petes a 3-1 win over the Laval Titan in Memorial Cup semifinal action in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Peterborough advances to play Sault Ste. Marie today in an all-Ontario Hockey League championship game.

-- SOFTBALL

Kristyn Frady hit a two-out double to drive in two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead Long Beach State to a 2-1 victory over California in the deciding game of the NCAA Regional.

The win advances Long Beach (45-19) to the women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., May 27-31.

-- BOWLING

Walter Ray Williams Jr. broke his top-seed jinx by winning the PBA Columbia 300 Open at San Antonio, defeating Butch Soper 279-222.

-- LACROSSE

Syracuse, North Carolina and Army joined Princeton in the semifinals of the NCAA Division I tournament with victories.

-- SOCCER

Murphy's Pub F.C. (Seattle) advanced to the region IV championship final of the U.S. Men's Amateur Cup with a 4-0 victory over Club Deportivo Mexico.

-- HORSE RACING

For The Children won his third straight race by two lengths in the $14,500 Edelweiss Restaurant Purse at Emerald Racing at Yakima Meadows.