AUSTIN, Texas — It was almost as if Dara Torres never left.
The 41-year-old swimmer won her first competition since collecting three silver medals at the Beijing Olympics, winning the 50-meter freestyle at the Austin Grand Prix on Thursday night with a time of 24.91 seconds.
She has had three operations since the Olympics, repairing ailments to her left thumb, right shoulder and left knee. The shoulder and thumb are “great,” she said, but the knee remains creaky.
“I feel good just to have a race,” said Torres, who is eyeing the world championships in Rome this summer.
Alabama admits to violations
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama has told the NCAA that athletes improperly got free textbooks for other students and that the school failed to adequately monitor distribution.
In a letter dated May 19, 2008, the NCAA said the allegations were potentially major. The violations allegedly occurred from the 2005-06 school year through the fall of 2007, which means the university could be punished as a repeat violator.
• Former Miami coach Larry Coker has been hired to lead the new Texas-San Antonio football program, his first coaching job since the Hurricanes fired him in 2006. Texas-San Antonio plans to play its first season in 2011 in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Allenby leads Honda Classic
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Robert Allenby shot a 4-under-par 66 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Honda Classic.
By the time darkness suspended play, six players — Charlie Wi, Jeff Overton, Angel Cabrera, Stewart Cink, Will Mackenzie and Sergio Garcia — were one shot behind Allenby. But the big story was Erik Compton, who underwent heart-transplant surgery for the second time last year and got to 1-under when play was stopped in his second PGA Tour event since the lifesaving procedure.
• Paula Creamer overcame an illness to shoot a 5-under 67 for a share of the lead with Jane Park and Angela Parkafter in the first round of the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore.
Forward Gooden joins Spurs
SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs signed Drew Gooden for the rest of the season after the forward bought out his contract in Sacramento earlier this week.
• Hornets guard Peja Stojakovic sat out New Orleans’ game against the Dallas Mavericks because of back spasms.
Footnotes.
Announcer Al Michaels will serve as a host for NBC’s coverage of next year’s Winter Olympics, the 30th anniversary of his call of the “Miracle on Ice.”
• Salt Lake City police said they have arrested Leopold Jay Howard, 39, in connection with a burglary at the home of Olympic cyclist David Zabriskie.
• The Los Angeles Galaxy announced forward Landon Donovan, last season’s team MVP, will rejoin the MLS team March 10, two days after the end of his loan to Germany’s Bayern Munich.
The Associated Press
