13-year-old U.S. gymnast dies at training center in Colorado

A 13-year-old member of the U.S. men's junior national team died after collapsing at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

An autopsy on Ricky Deci, of Stafford, Texas, was to be performed, USA Gymnastics said.

Deci, the No. 2 gymnast in the 12-13 age division, was working on the pommel horse when he collapsed Thursday night and began having seizures. A trainer administered CPR before Deci was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Deci hadn't fallen or had any trouble during the practice, and there was nothing in his medical history that would have indicated vulnerability, said Ron Galimore, program director of the U.S. men's team.

• National champion Jessica Howard, Olga Karmansky and Shayna Javornicky withdrew from the world rhythmic gymnastics championships because of safety concerns in the aftermatch of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Track and field

Javier Sotomayor, the only high jumper to clear 8 feet, will retire next week, the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina said.

The 1992 Olympic champion, who turns 34 today, won the silver medal in the Sydney Games. He successfully contested a ban after a positive test for cocaine.

He has broken five world records, two of which he still holds — 8-0-1/2 outdoors and 7-11-1/2 indoors.

Tennis

Jennifer Capriati lost to Sandrine Testud 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Porsche Grand Prix at Filderstadt, Germany, but still can gain the No. 1 ranking for the first time.

Capriati's possible ascent to No. 1 depends on how Martina Hingis does in the tournament. Hingis needs to make the final to extend her 209-week reign at the top of women's tennis, the WTA said.

• James Blake and Andy Roddick won singles matches to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead over India in their Davis Cup World Group qualifier at Winston-Salem, N.C.

Blake, 21, defeated Leander Paes 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 after Roddick, 19, served 15 aces in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 victory over Harsh Mankad.

College basketball

The Pac-10 Conference cleared UCLA's men's program of alleged violations that were brought up in an e-mail.

Athletic Director Peter Dalis received the e-mail March 26 from an individual identifying himself as Dave Gibson, who listed several purported NCAA violations.

• The NCAA ended its sanction against former Buffalo Coach Tim Cohane with more than a year left.

Cohane resigned in December 1999 after seven seasons with the Bulls. He had appealed a ruling that prevented any other NCAA school from hiring him without approval from the governing body.

The NCAA in March put Buffalo on two years' probation.

• Illinois junior guard Frank Williams, the Big Ten player of the year, said he will leave the Illini after this season for the NBA.

Auto racing

Todd Bodine turned a fast lap of 93.724 mph in his Ford to win the pole for tomorrow's Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville, Va.

• Citing engine rules changes and a loss of faith in CART, Honda officials announced that the company will leave the Champ car series at the end of next season.

Soccer

Michelle Akers, the U.S. women's star selected the "player of the century" by the sport's world governing body, has given up hopes of returning to competition.

Akers, a Seattle native who retired from the U.S. national team before last year's Sydney Olympics, said that she will not attempt to play again in WUSA after missing the league's inaugural season because of shoulder problems.

• Craig Forrest, Team Canada's 34-year-old goalkeeper, had a testicle removed because of suspected cancer and is awaiting tests to determine whether addition treatment is needed.

Cycling

Yaroslav Popovych of Ukraine won the under-23 road race at the World Cycling Championships in Lisbon, Portugal.

He covered 105 miles in 4 hours, 2 minutes, 43 seconds.

Horse racing

Albert the Great, son of 1994 Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin and the winner of $2,532,490, will retire to stud at Three Chimneys Farm near Lexington, Ky., after the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Belmont Park.

— Seattle Times news services