This was also a day that Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee sprinter known as the "Blade Runner," showed he indeed belongs on the same track with able-bodied athletes at big meets. Springing along on his carbon-fiber blades, Pistorius advanced to the semifinals of the 400.
On the track, it was a big show for the Americans. Defending champion Trey Hardee and Ashton Eaton gave the United States its first 1-2 decathlon finish at the worlds. Brittney Reese defended her long jump title, and Allyson Felix breezed into the finals of the 400 with an easy win in her heat.
SOCCER: Manchester outclassed London in a Premier League goal frenzy, as Edin Dzeko scored four goals to lift Manchester City over Tottenham, 5-1, at White Hart Lane, while Wayne Rooney notched a hat trick in Manchester United's 8-2 demolition of Arsenal at Old Trafford.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick to lead visiting Real Madrid to a 6-0 rout of Zaragoza to open the Spanish league season.
Adrian Cortes scored a second-half goal as Cruz Azul claimed a 2-1 victory in the Mexico City derby at 10-man Pumas to move into first place in the Mexican first division.
Police said two Palmeiras fans were shot before a Brazilian league match in Sao Paulo. Police said Sunday that one person was hospitalized in serious condition and was undergoing surgery after being hit in the waist region, while the other was recovering after being hit in the leg. Police said it remained unclear who fired the shots, which came after supporters from Palmeiras and Corinthians got into a confrontation just outside the Prudentao stadium in Presidente Prudente. Police had to fire rubber bullets to keep the situation from escalating. Palmeiras won the match over the Sao Paulo city rival, 2-1.
CYCLING: American Levi Leipheimer won the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Denver, Colo., and his third stage race title this year with a sixth-place finish in Sunday's sixth stage.
OLYMPICS: Perennial world basketball powers Spain and Argentina can lock up spots in the 2012 Olympics through regional qualifying tournaments that begin this week. Two spots are available in EuroBasket and another pair in the FIBA Americas tournament. The winner and runner-up in each event will clinch berths in London next July. Three teams - the United States, Britain, and Tunisia - have already secured their places in the 12-team field.
- Staff and wire reports
