AP - Tyson Gay stuck his left hand behind him, waiting to feel the red baton's cool metal make contact.

AP - Outplayed and overwhelmed for most of the night, the Americans got the only shot they needed.

AP - Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame guard who during a quarter century as union head helped get NFL players free agency and the riches that came with it, has died. He was 63.

AP - Losing for the first time since 2000, the U.S. softball team was denied a chance for a fourth straight gold medal Thursday, beaten 3-1 by Japan in the sport's last appearance in the Olympics for at least eight years — and maybe for good.

AFP - Second seed Daniela Hantuchova earned a dramatic victory here on Wednesday to slip into the quarter-finals of the WTA and ATP tournament.

AP - The NCAA put New Mexico's football program on three years of probation Wednesday and cut five scholarships as punishment for academic violations involving two former assistant coaches.

AFP - Fabio Capello insists England are ready for next month's World Cup qualifiers despite his side's lacklustre display in a 2-2 draw against the Czech Republic.

AP - Brad Hawpe had three RBIs, including singles that drove in the tying and go-ahead runs, and the Colorado Rockies capitalized on four errors by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 4-3 victory on Wednesday night.

AP - They were two Washington Redskins defensive starters with wrecked knees, spending long days together in rehab in the offseason. They supported each other and pushed each other, yet they were also subtly trying to beat each other in the race back to football health.

AP - NASCAR's latest attempt to reel in the rule-breakers aimed at an unfamiliar target: the normally squeaky-clean Joe Gibbs Racing.

AP - Baseball umpires and management signed an agreement Wednesday that will allow the sport to start using instant replay to help determine calls on the field. Major League Baseball still hasn't determined when the use of replays will start.

AP - IOC president Jacques Rogge criticized Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt on Thursday for showing a lack of respect to other competitors after his record-breaking gold medal performances in the 100 and 200 meters.