The Americans were dealt a huge blow when Sacramone went down. Not only were she and Aly Raisman the only Americans who'd competed at worlds before, she puts up monster scores on vault, where she's the defending world champion, balance beam and floor exercise. But the youngsters didn't seem fazed a bit, winning qualifying and oozing confidence from the minute they stepped on the floor.
"No, I'm not surprised," said Raisman, whose quiet leadership on and off the floor gave the Americans strength after Sacramone's injury. "Even though this is a really young team, we're all so prepared and we all have such a close bond. I had a feeling we were going to do really well here."
College Basketball *
Notre Dame forward
Tim Abromaitis will miss the first four games of the regular season because of a misunderstanding over an NCAA rule. The 6-8 senior was second on the team last season in averaging 15.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
* Indiana University said the men's basketball program has committed a secondary recruiting infraction with a prospect from the Class of 2012.
Philly File *
A memorial service for former Dobbins basketball standout
Linda Page will be held Saturday, 11 a.m., at Resurrection Community Church, 6200 Dicks Ave., in Southwest Philadelphia. Page, who starred collegiately at North Carolina State, was found dead in her suburban home recently. She was 48.
Sport Stops *
American
Mardy Fish was upset by Australian teenager
Bernard Tomic, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, in the second round of the Shanghai Masters.
* European director Frederic Donze, a top official for the World Anti-Doping Agency, said punishment for drug offenders must remain "proportionate" and lifetime Olympic bans do not appear legally enforceable.
* Tony Benshoof is retiring from competitive sliding after 22 years on the U.S. national luge team and three trips to the Olympics.
