Briefs | Track and field: Ex-Husky Walker prevails in Japan

Track and field

World champion Walker wins Grand Prix meet: World champion Brad Walker, a former Washington Huskies standout, won the pole vault at the Osaka Grand Prix meet Saturday in Japan.

Walker cleared 17 feet, 8 ½ inches in the rain and cold while fellow American Russ Buller was second at 17-4 ½.

"In an Olympic year, you want to jump as high as possible to give yourself confidence," the 26-year-old Walker said. "But with the conditions today, I decided it was best not to push things."

Another ex-Husky, Aretha Thurmond, 31, was third in the discus at 196-10. Song Aimin of China won the event with a throw of 198-1.

Gibilisco eyes Beijing Olympics: Italy's Giuseppe Gibilisco, a former world champion in the pole vault, said he wants to compete at this year's Beijing Olympics after having a two-year doping ban rescinded.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the suspension Friday.

Tennis

Roddick, Stepanek withdraw: The biggest losers at the Rome Masters were the fans.

One after the other, Andy Roddick of the United States and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic quit shortly after their semifinal matches began.

Roddick pulled out because of a back problem after falling behind 3-0 in the first set against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland. Stepanek stopped while trailing Novak Djokovic of Serbia 6-0, 1-0 after appearing affected by the heat.

The total elapsed time for the two matches was 49 minutes.

Russians Dementieva, Safina reach German Open final: Elena Dementieva beat second-ranked Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-2, 7-5 to reach the final of the German Open on clay in Berlin.

In today's final, the ninth-ranked Dementieva will face fellow Russian Dinara Safina, who beat Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-4, 6-1.

College basketball

St. John's renews Roberts' contract: St. John's coach Norm Roberts, 42, and university officials agreed to a renewal of his five-year rollover contract. The Red Storm was 11-19 last season.

Boxing

Bradley takes title: American Timothy Bradley knocked down Junior Witter of Britain in the sixth round on the way to winning the WBC light-welterweight title on a split decision in Nottingham, England. Bradley improved to 22-0.

Cycling

U.S.-based team wins opening stage of Giro: Christian Vande Velde crossed the finish line first to help U.S.-based Slipstream/Chipotle win the team-time-trial first stage of the Giro d'Italia in Palermo, Sicily. Vande Velde is the first American to take the leader's jersey at the Giro since 1988.

Softball

Big turnout: The U.S. women's team beat the Washington Glory 2-0 in Bowie, Md., in front of 8,724 fans, the largest crowd to see a U.S. pre-Olympic tour game. The U.S. team improved to 31-1 on its tour.

Water polo

UCLA, USC to play for women's title: UCLA and USC advanced to tonight's NCAA women's title game with semifinal victories in Stanford, Calif.

Horse racing

Recapturetheglory is out of Preakness: Recapturetheglory, fifth in the May 3 Kentucky Derby won by Big Brown, had a fever six days after the race and won't compete in Saturday's Preakness at Pimlico in Baltimore.

Still unbeaten: Casino Drive, who is closely related to the last two Belmont Stakes winners — Jazil in 2006 and filly Rags to Riches last year — won the Grade II Peter Pan Stakes for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Kazuo Fujisawa-trained Casino Drive, who improved to 2 for 2, ran 1-1/8 miles in 1 minute, 47-4/5 seconds.

Kent Desormeaux rode the colt, who beat runner-up Mint Lane by 5-¾ lengths and paid $4.50 to win in the $200,000 race. Casino Drive is expected to run in the June 7 Belmont.

Seattle Times news services