Olympic Sports

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Saturday, November 18, 2006

By DAVID LASSEN
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
For months, Deena Drossin Kastor has willingly carried much of the promotional load for the ING New York City Marathon.

The last and most demanding step in that process comes Sunday: Winning the race.

By GREG HANSEN
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The most dominating athlete on the University of Arizona campus is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs maybe 102 pounds. Her coach endearingly calls her "Munchkin."

She is Jennie Finch, Amanda Beard and Natalie Gulbis with a killer smile.

By DAVID LASSEN
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Deena Drossin Kastor is attempting to become the first U.S.-born woman to win the ING New York City Marathon; Miki Gorman, a naturalized citizen from Japan, won in 1976 and 1977.

The previous best showings by a U.S.-born woman, since 1976:

1976 _ Doris Brown Heritage, second by 14 minutes, 9 seconds.

1977 _ Kim Merritt, second by 2:53.

1978 _ Marty Cooksey, second by 9:19.

1980 _ Patti Lyons-Catalano, second by 3:52.

1982 _ Julie Brown, second by 1:19.

1989 _ Kim Jones, second by 2:24.

1990 _ Kim Jones, second by 0:05.

Source: ING New York City Marathon.

About Deena Kastor

Age: 33 (Born Feb.

By LISA O'DONNELL
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Grace Fleury wasn't much of a tennis player as a teenager, but you could count on her to hustle after the ball.

She was a pretty good runner while at Duke University, competing on the school's cross-country and track teams before injuries forced her to quit.

So she took her athletic skills to triathlons, races that require participants to bicycle, swim and run.

By GWEN KNAPP
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The first time Betsy Andreu heard her husband say that he had used a drug to enhance his performance as a professional cyclist, they were engaged and she threatened to call off their wedding.

By DAVID NIELSEN
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The Beijing Olympics don't begin for another 23 months. But the United States swimming team isn't wasting any time.

USA Swimming announced Friday that Eddie Reese will coach the men's team and Jack Bauerle will coach the women's team in Beijing.

"(Reese) is considered the best coach in the United States, if not in the world," said Mark Schubert, USA Swimming's National Team head coach and general manager.

By DAVID LASSEN
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Whenever there's a new high-profile drugs-in-sports case _ be it Floyd Landis or Marion Jones or members of the NFL Carolina Panthers _ one of the most common refrains is that "no one is above suspicion."

I'm not quite willing to believe that, which is why _ in thinking about Jones, was cleared Wednesday after an earlier positive test for the endurance-enhancing drug EPO _ I called Deena Drossin Kastor.

The 2004 Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon is, to me, a perfect example of an athlete whose character shines through so strongly, and who loves her sport so much, that it is impossible to imagine her damaging it or herself by cheating.

So I wondered what she was thinking about Jones, who has been a track and field contemporary _ albeit one at the opposite end of the distance spectrum _ since Kastor was a senior at Agoura High in Southern California, while Jones was a sophomore at nearby Rio Mesa High.

By SHELLY ANDERSON
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
No matter how you map it, the halfway point between Athens, Greece, and Beijing, China, is not southern Florida.

Lauryn Williams doesn't have to draw on her college education to know that.

Yet that's where Williams was last week, at home in Florida.