Powell is equal to the task in 100

Track

Asafa Powell has a message for Justin Gatlin. ``That's how you run a world record," Powell said after he was clocked in 9.77 seconds in the 100 meters at the British Grand Prix in Gateshead, England, yesterday, equaling the world record he shares with Gatlin. The Jamaican originally ran 9.77 in June 2005 in Athens. Gatlin tied Powell's record in Qatar May 12 after his initial mark of 9.76 was changed five days later because of a timing mistake. Michael Frater of Jamaica finished second in 10.06. Dwain Chambers, in his first race since his two-year ban for the drug THG ended last November, finished third in 10.07. Powell had guaranteed victory at the British Grand Prix and wasn't threatened. He burst out of the blocks, and there wasn't a runner within two strides of him after 20 meters. Gatlin withdrew from the Gateshead meet last weekend after his agent, Renaldo Nehemiah, said there wasn't a contract for the Olympic champion to run against Powell. The world record-holders will race in the 100 at the London Grand Prix July 28. Meanwhile, stadium records fell in the women's 100, 200, and 800, and the men's shot put. Torri Edwards ran a season-best 11.06 in the 100, breaking Katrin Krabbe's 1989 time by .08. Edwards also finished second in the 200 to fellow American Sanya Richards, whose stadium mark of 22.25 topped the time of 22.47 set by Beverley McDonald in 1999. In the 800, Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya won in 1:57.22, breaking Mary Slaney's time of 1:57.60 in 1983. American shot-putter Christian Cantwell's final throw of 73 feet 8 inches beat the stadium record of 71-3 1/4 set by Ulf Timmerman of Germany in 1989.

Cycling

Levi Leipheimer tuned up for next month's Tour de France by capturing the Dauphine Libere, becoming the fourth American to win the French cycling race. The rider from Santa Rosa, Calif., despite not winning any of the seven stages, finished 1 minute 48 seconds ahead of France's Christophe Moreau in the overall standings. Austria's Bernard Kohl was third, 2:51 behind. Leipheimer, who rides for the European team Gerolsteiner, took the leader's yellow jersey Thursday and never relinquished it. The other Americans to win the Dauphine Libere were Greg LeMond (1983), Tyler Hamilton (2000), and Lance Armstrong (2002, 2003). Leipheimer finished sixth in the Tour de France last year. In 2005, he also won the Tour of Germany and was third in the Dauphine Libere. Norway's Thor Hushovd won the final stage in a sprint finish, completing the 81-mile ride from Saint Jean de Maurienne to Grenoble in 3:08:07 . . . Daniele Contrini of Italy won the second stage of the Tour de Suisse in the Tour de France tuneup, while Daniele Bennati took the overall lead. Contrini broke away early and led by 13 minutes at one stage in the 103-mile trek from Bremgarten to Einsiedeln. He won in 3:57:08, 5:02 ahead of Bennati. Bennati won a final sprint to edge Erik Zabel of Germany and claim the leader's yellow jersey from Tom Boonen of Belgium. The Italian now has an eight-second lead over Boonen. Michael Albasini of Switzerland is third, 11 seconds back.

Baseball

David Murphy hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning as the host Pawtucket Red Sox beat the Richmond Braves, 5-2. Adam Stern and Dustin Pedroia singled off Peter Moylan (1-2) before Murphy drove a 2-and-2 pitch into the right-center-field seats to give the Red Sox a 4-2 lead. Pawtucket, which won its fifth straight, added a run in the eighth on Ken Huckaby's single. Craig Hansen (1-2), who earned his first Triple A victory, gave up Scott Thomas's RBI double that gave the Braves a 2-1 lead. Jermaine Van Buren retired Richmond in order in the ninth for his seventh save . . . Toronto Blue Jays pitcher A.J. Burnett, who is on the 60-day disabled list with a right elbow injury, will make a rehab start for Triple A Syracuse today instead of Single A Dunedin because rain is expected in Dunedin, Fla. Burnett will pitch for the SkyChiefs against the Columbus Clippers, the New York Yankees' top affiliate. Burnett also was scheduled to make a rehab appearance with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in their game against the visiting Portland Sea Dogs Saturday . . . Tyler Minges smacked an RBI double off the Maine Monster in the bottom of the ninth, lifting the Sea Dogs to a 2-1 victory over Erie . . . Colorado Rockies reliever Mike DeJean will have season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder and is expected to be sidelined 6-8 months . . . The Kansas City Royals acquired Brandon Duckworth, a 30-year-old righthander, from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations. Duckworth, 8-3 with a 2.42 ERA in 12 starts with Indianapolis, the Pirates' Triple A affiliate, will start tomorrow against the Los Angeles Angels.

Miscellany

Former Minnesota Vikings running back Onterrio Smith, who was suspended last season for violating the NFL's substance abuse program, was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. Smith signed with Winnipeg May 12, two weeks after being released by the Vikings. The 25-year-old was suspended by the NFL for one year June 7, 2005, after violating the league's drug policy for the third time. He was suspended by the Vikings two months earlier after being stopped at the Minneapolis airport and found to have a device marketed to beat drug tests . . . Matt D'Orazio completed an exceptional playoff run, completing 26 of 36 passes for 250 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions and running for two more scores as the Chicago Rush beat the Orlando Predators, 69-61, in Las Vegas in the 20th ArenaBowl. It was the first title for Mike Hohensee, who has played or coached in the AFL in each of its 20 years. He has been a head coach for 13 seasons, including six with the Rush, who had won three straight road playoff games . . . The Chicago Bandits earned a split of a softball doubleheader with the New England Riptide in Lowell, winning, 3-0, after losing, 8-6. Chicago started the day by completing a 4-3 win in a game that was suspended because of rain Friday.