World Sports Briefs Joyner-Kersee’s world mark beyond me: Kluft

OSAKA – Carolina Kluft outdid heptathlon great Jackie Joyner-Kersee by becoming the first woman to win three world titles, but she does not think she will ever beat the American’s world record.

The Swede set a personal best of 7,032 points and broke the European record but her tally was still 259 points shy of the mark Joyner-Kersee set in 1988. “I think it’s a great record and I really pushed myself over these last two days and I’m not even close to it,” the 24-year-old Swede told a news conference on Monday.Volkova storms to steeplechase gold OSAKA – Russia’s Yekaterina Volkova stormed to the world title in the women’s 3 000 metres steeplechase yesterday, going one better than in 2005.Volkova looked up at the giant stadium screen and repeatedly punched the air in delight as she came down the home straight to clock a world championship record nine minutes 6.57 seconds, with fellow Russian Tatyana Petrova taking silver in 9:09.19.Kenyan Eunice Jepkorir, who had won five of her previous six steeplechases this year, settled for the bronze after fading over the second half of the race.Catania coach faces fine after backside kick MILAN – Catania coach Silvio Baldini will be fined by his club after kicking Parma boss Domenico Di Carlo in the backside during Sunday’s 2-2 Serie A draw.Baldini, in his first game in charge of the team, gave Di Carlo the boot during a touchline row and was sent to the stands by the referee.”A code of conduct exists at the club for everyone, including the coach.Because of this Baldini will be fined,” general manager Pietro Lo Monaco told Italian media yesterday.Puerta remains in critical condition MADRID – Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta is still in a critical condition after collapsing and losing consciousness during his side’s Primera Liga match against Getafe on Saturday.He remains in intensive care “with assisted ventilation and under sedation after a prolonged cardiac arrest,” doctors at the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville told a news conference on Monday.Powell admits giving up in race OSAKA – Jamaican world record holder Asafa Powell admitted on Monday that he gave up during his world 100 metres final showdown with new champion Tyson Gay.”When I saw I wasn’t in gold medal contention, I gave up.I just stopped running,” Powell told Reuters in an interview on Monday, less than 24 hours after he lost to the American.”I said to myself there was no coming back from this.The loss was a major disappointment since Powell has never won a global title despite having run a world record 9.77 seconds three times.Nampa-Reuters”I think it’s a great record and I really pushed myself over these last two days and I’m not even close to it,” the 24-year-old Swede told a news conference on Monday.Volkova storms to steeplechase gold OSAKA – Russia’s Yekaterina Volkova stormed to the world title in the women’s 3 000 metres steeplechase yesterday, going one better than in 2005.Volkova looked up at the giant stadium screen and repeatedly punched the air in delight as she came down the home straight to clock a world championship record nine minutes 6.57 seconds, with fellow Russian Tatyana Petrova taking silver in 9:09.19.Kenyan Eunice Jepkorir, who had won five of her previous six steeplechases this year, settled for the bronze after fading over the second half of the race.Catania coach faces fine after backside kick MILAN – Catania coach Silvio Baldini will be fined by his club after kicking Parma boss Domenico Di Carlo in the backside during Sunday’s 2-2 Serie A draw.Baldini, in his first game in charge of the team, gave Di Carlo the boot during a touchline row and was sent to the stands by the referee.”A code of conduct exists at the club for everyone, including the coach.Because of this Baldini will be fined,” general manager Pietro Lo Monaco told Italian media yesterday.Puerta remains in critical condition MADRID – Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta is still in a critical condition after collapsing and losing consciousness during his side’s Primera Liga match against Getafe on Saturday.He remains in intensive care “with assisted ventilation and under sedation after a prolonged cardiac arrest,” doctors at the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville told a news conference on Monday.Powell admits giving up in race OSAKA – Jamaican world record holder Asafa Powell admitted on Monday that he gave up during his world 100 metres final showdown with new champion Tyson Gay.”When I saw I wasn’t in gold medal contention, I gave up.I just stopped running,” Powell told Reuters in an interview on Monday, less than 24 hours after he lost to the American.”I said to myself there was no coming back from this.The loss was a major disappointment since Powell has never won a global title despite having run a world record 9.77 seconds three times.Nampa-Reuters