Osaka, Japan – Tyson Gay joined some fast, fast company while Allyson Felix is a race away from doing the same.
The powerhouse pair helped the United States sweep the men’s and women’s 400-meter relays Saturday at the world track and field championships.
Gay joined Carl Lewis and Maurice Greene as the only men to win three gold medals at one world meet. Felix, winner of the 200 meters Friday night, earned her second gold and can get a third in the women’s 1,600-meter relay in the meet’s final session tonight.
Only one other woman has won three golds in the meet’s history – Marita Koch of East Germany at the first world championships in 1983.
Even though he won the 100 and 200 meters earlier in the meet, Gay did not run the anchor leg. He ran third, on the curve, leaving young LeRoy Dixon to match up with world-record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica in the last 100 meters.
The Americans also got a gold from Brad Walker in the pole vault. Heading into the final day of competition, the United States has 22 medals, 11 of them gold. Two years ago in Helsinki, Finland, the Americans won 25 medals, including a record 14 gold.
HORSE RACING
Lawyer Ron wins Woodward Stakes
Lawyer Ron pulled away in the stretch and won the $500,000 Woodward Stakes by 8 1/4 lengths at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., moving to the top of the handicap division.
Lawyer Ron ($3.50) added the Grade 1 Woodward to his win in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap on July 28, a race in which the 4-year-old colt earned an automatic spot in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth Park on Oct. 27.
Lawyer Ron’s next stop could be the Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he likely will be challenged by Preakness winner Curlin and several other top 3-year-olds.
Earlier, Midnight Lute ($7.20) took the lead going into the final turn and won the $250,000 Forego Stakes.
CYCLING
Bennati captures first Vuelta leg
Italy’s Daniele Bennati won the opening leg of the Spanish Vuelta, the sport’s most important race after the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.
Bennati captured two stages of this year’s Tour de France, including the final dash along the Champs-
Elysees. On Saturday, the Lampre-Fondital rider sprinted ahead of the pack to finish the 95-mile course in 3 hours, 43 minutes, 9 seconds in and around the port city of Vigo.
Oscar Freire of Rabobank finished second in the same time and Alessandro Petacchi was third. Vuelta favorites Allan Davis of Discovery Channel and Tom Boonen of Quick Step-Innergetic were fourth and fifth.
FOOTNOTES
Mercury earns spot in WNBA finals
Cappie Pondexter scored nine of her 33 points in the final five minutes as the Phoenix Mercury advanced to the WNBA finals with a 98-92 win over the visiting San Antonio Silver Stars.
Becky Hammon had 14 points and eight assists for the Silver Stars.
Vanessa Fernandes of Portugal won her first triathlon world title in Hamburg, Germany, establishing herself as the favorite for next year’s Beijing Olympics.
FC Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o is expected to be sidelined for three months after having surgery on his right thigh.
