Middle River's Long wins bronze at Paralympics
paralympics
Swimmer Jessica Long of Middle River took a bronze medal in the women's 100-meter breaststroke at the Paralympics in Beijing, ending her quest to win seven golds in as many races. Long, the world-record holder in the event, finished seven seconds behind Erin Popovich, of Fort Collins, Colo., who set a world record of her own (1 minute, 31.60 seconds). Long, 16, has two golds and one bronze entering today's finals of the 100-meter backstroke. Meanwhile, in his first event, Philip Scholz, a Loyola College sophomore, finished eighth in the men's 100-meter butterfly. "The race felt good, though I was tired at the end," said Scholz, who is blind. "I was out of my mind, thinking about the thousands of people in the crowd." He swims in the 400-meter freestyle today. MIKE KLINGAMAN
Lakers' Bryant decides not to have pinkie surgery
pro basketball
The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant will not have surgery on his right pinkie because recovery would take too long. Bryant has played with damaged ligaments in the finger since February but said he won't have surgery after seeking opinions from hand specialists. "When the doctors told me recovery from a procedure could be 12 weeks, I just decided now was not the time to have surgery," Bryant said on the Web site kb24.com.
76ers: : Philadelphia gave coach Maurice Cheeks his second contract extension in seven months. Cheeks had signed a one-year extension Feb. 20. Terms of the latest deal were not disclosed.
Heat:: Point guard Mario Chalmers will be fined $20,000 for his role in the incident that led to last week's expulsion from the Rookie Transition Program.
WNBA:: Rookie Tasha Humphrey had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the visiting Washington Mystics, who fell to the Chicago Sky, 78-59.
Wie headed to qualifying school
et cetera
Unable to earn her card through sponsor exemptions, Michelle Wie has entered the LPGA Tour qualifying school and will play the first stage next week. Her father, B.J. Wie, had said at the U.S. Women's Open that Wie had "no other options" but Q-school if she didn't make enough money to finish the equivalent of 80th on the LPGA Tour money list. "Nothing has changed since then," he said from Palm Desert, Calif. "She will go to Q-school." Wie has not won a tournament since the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links in 2003 at age 13.
