Briefly: National sports

Gardner claims title in Greco-Roman wrestling

Olympic champion Rulon Gardner won his first Greco-Roman international title in three years on Saturday, capturing the 264 1/2 -pound class at the Pytlasinski wrestling tournament in Warsaw, Poland.

Gardner defeated 2002 world bronze medalist Yuri Patrikeev of Russia 2-0 in the finals. In the semifinals, he beat 2003 world bronze medalist Mirian Giorgadze of Georgia 3-1.

Gardner is trying to become the first American to win two Olympic gold medals in Greco-Roman wrestling. The tournament was the last major tuneup before the Athens Olympics.

The title was Gardner’s first outside the United States since the 2001 world championships.

Tennis

Venus dominates Frazier

Venus Williams overpowered Amy Frazier for a 6-3, 6-1 victory to reach the final of the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, Calif.

She’ll face second-seeded Lindsay Davenport, who knocked off Venezuela’s Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

“Andre Agassi became the last seeded player to lose at the Mercedes-Benz Cup in Los Angeles, leaving Jeff Morrison as the only American remaining in the tournament.

Agassi, the top seed and a three-time champion of the event, lost to Tommy Haas of Germany 7-6 (5), 6-7 (6), 6-3 after staving off two match points in the second set of the nearly 2 1/2 -hour quarterfinal.

Agassi has also withdrawn from the RCA Championships, this week’s tournament in Indianapolis.

Mardy Fish, the third seed, was beaten 7-6 (6), 7-6 (7) by Cyril Saulnier of France.

Morrison, a wild card entrant, defeated Wesley Moodie of South Africa 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first ATP Tour career semifinal. He will play Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, who beat Greg Rusedski of Britain 6-1, 6-4.

“Martin Verkerk beat top-seeded and defending champion Nicolas Massu of Chile 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3 to advance to the final of the Dutch Open in Amersfoort, Netherlands. Verkerk will face second-seeded Fernando Gonzalez, a 7-6 (5), 6-4 semifinal winner over Dennis van Scheppingen, in today’s final.

“Unseeded Guillermo Canas of Argentina reached the final of the clay-court Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, Germany, for the third time in four years with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 win against Nikolay Davydenko. He’ll meet either Gaston Gaudio or David Ferrer in the final.

Football

Schlichter sentenced

Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Art Schlichter was ordered to pay more than $500,000 to 22 victims of a ticket-selling scam. They most likely will never see the money, Indianapolis prosecutors said.

Last month Schlichter pleaded guilty to corrupt business influence and being a habitual offender.

The agreement also includes an eight-year prison sentence, but the ex-player is unlikely to serve additional prison time.

Scam victims are unlikely to get any money back, Deputy Prosecutor Larry Brodeur said.

“Those civil judgments are in place in case he comes into some money,” Brodeur said.

Track and field

Feofanova misses record

Russian pole vaulter Svetlana Feofanova narrowly failed to beat her own world record when she was unable to clear 16 feet, 3/4 inches at the Madrid Grand Prix.

Feofanova, 24, set the world record of 16.004 on July 4.

“Michael Johnson should have a better idea today whether he’ll lose his relay gold medal from the 2000 Olympics as part of the Jerome Young doping case.

The International Association of Athletics Federations is expected to rule on whether to recommend to the International Olympic Committee to strip the United States of the victory.

“Regina Jacobs, who announced her retirement earlier this week, has become the fourth U.S. track and field athlete to receive a multiyear suspension after a positive test for the steroid THG.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced that Jacobs has been suspended for four years.

Hockey

WHA drafts NHL players

With a labor dispute threatening to postpone the NHL season, several star players were selected in the World Hockey Association’s free agent draft in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The eight-team WHA, a revival of a league by the same name that merged with the NHL in 1979, has plans for a 76-game schedule beginning Oct. 29.

Teams drafting top players did so in the hopes that the NHL season is wiped out.

Philadelphia forward Simon Gagne was selected first by the Quebec franchise. Halifax selected former Spokane Chief Travis Green of the Boston Bruins second overall, while the Detroit franchise took Atlanta’s Dany Heatley third.

Miscellany

King of the upset

Holborn Hanover scored the biggest upset in the history of the Meadowlands Pace in East Rutherford, N.J., charging up the inside of the pylons to win the $1 million race at odds of 58-1.

Holborn Hanover paid $119, $31 and $11.80 in scoring only his second win in 10 starts this year. Timesareachanging returned $4 and $2.80 and Metropolitan finished third and paid $5.60 for show.

“Chandtrue extended his unbeaten record to four races when he won the $106,400 Hollywood Juvenile Championship for 2-year-olds at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., by a half-length over Actxecutive.

“Kicken Kris rallied to register a 1 1/2 -length victory over Better Talk Now in the 47th running of the Grade II, $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont Park in New York.

“Laila Ali (17-0) had little trouble defending her International Boxing Association super middleweight title, stopping Nikki Eplion at 1:30 of the fourth round in Bowie, Md.

Ali is 17-0 with 13 knockouts.