Sprinter Johnson Gets $12 Million Shoe Deal

Sprinter Michael Johnson has parlayed his unprecedented 200-and 400-meter victories at the 1996 Olympics into a new contract with Nike covering up to six years and worth about $12 million.

Johnson's agent, Brad Hunt of Gold Medal Management in Boulder, Colo., called it "the most profound commitment a track athlete has ever received from a corporate endorsement of any kind."

Hunt said the contract with Nike, which will produce a Michael Johnson line of training shoes, includes performance incentives that could be worth additional millions.

Johnson, whose appearance fees for races in Europe topped $100,000 last summer, made $500,000 to $600,000 a year under his old contract with Nike. Including endorsement deals with Bausch & Lomb, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Hasbro and Mobil Oil, Johnson made about $3 million from all sources last year.

That was about twice the $1.5 million he made in 1995, and Hunt said Johnson could double his 1996 income this year.

"Of course, that is with the expectation that Johnson will win the $1 million match race with Donovan Bailey," Hunt said.

That 150-meter "world's fastest man" race is planned for May 31 or June 1 in Toronto.

BOWLING

The American Bowling Congress made it official today, naming Jeremy Sonnenfeld the first bowler to roll three perfect games in a three-game series.

The sport's sanctioning body decided that Sonnenfeld's 900 series, which the University of Nebraska sophomore rolled during a tournament Sunday, meets all specifications and stands as a record.

COURTS

Figure skater Oksana Baiul was granted admission to an alcohol education program and ordered to perform 25 hours of community service in West Hartford, Conn., sparing her prosecution on a drunken-driving charge.

Baiul, who also had been charged with reckless driving in connection with a single-car accident last month, entered a no-contest plea to a reduced charge of traveling unreasonably fast and was fined $90.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Ryan Kalich, a starting guard for the national champion Florida Gators, faces misdemeanor charges for driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident. The redshirt freshman was arrested early Sunday after his car collided with one driven by an off-duty Gainesville police officer, police said.

-- Ted Tollner, 56, who has coached San Diego State to consecutive eight-victory seasons, agreed to terms of a guaranteed 10-year contract. He has a 20-14 record in three seasons at the school.

TENNIS

MaliVai Washington will replace Andre Agassi on the U.S. Davis Cup team that will play Brazil in the first round starting Friday, the U.S. Tennis Association said.

U.S. captain Tom Gullikson said Agassi, who reported for team practice last week in Key Biscayne, Fla., slightly twisted his left ankle and would not be in top form.

Agassi's withdrawal was the second blow to the U.S. team, which last month lost Todd Martin to injury.

Martin, who also missed the Australian Open because of the tendinitis in his right knee, was replaced by doubles specialist Richey Reneberg. Washington and Reneberg join Jim Courier and Alex O'Brien on the U.S. team.

-- Steffi Graf will be out of action for two weeks because of the knee injury that forced her to withdraw from a tournament in Tokyo last weekend.

After consulting a German doctor today, Graf said the injury is not as serious as feared and she hopes to resume play in tournament starting Feb. 17 in Hanover, Germany.

BASKETBALL

The WNBA signed three prominent international players - Janeth Arcain of Brazil, Isabelle Fijalkowski of France and Mikiko Hagiwara of Japan.

GOLF

The U.S. Golf Association offered an international exemption for the 1997 U.S. Open to Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki, who won more money playing golf last year - $1.94 million - than anyone else in the world.

Exemptions allow players to compete in the Open without playing a qualifying tournament.

- Seattle Times news services