Briefs | Gymnastics: American Tim McNeill has solid debut at worlds

Gymnastics

Japan's Uchimura has best score in qualifying: Tim McNeill of Falls Church, Va., made an impressive debut at his first major international competition, finishing third in qualifying at the world championships Tuesday in London.

Jonathan Horton of Houston, a double medalist at last year's Beijing Olympics, was fifth after a pommel-horse fall.

Olympic silver medalist Kohei Uchimura of Japan led qualifiers, and Maxim Deviatovski of Russia was second. Scoring starts from scratch in Thursday's all-around final.

Four U.S. men advanced to event finals: McNeill on pommel horse; Steve Legendre of Flower Mound, Texas, in floor exercise; and Danell Leyva of Miami and Horton on high bar.

Skiing

Maier retires at 36: This is usually Hermann Maier's time of year — a World Cup season about to begin.

The Austrian fought back tears and retired at age 36, ending one of the mightiest careers in alpine skiing. He won two Olympic gold medals, three world championships, four overall World Cup titles and 54 World Cup events. The "Herminator" nearly lost a leg in a motorcycle accident in 2001 and returned to competition, winning the World Cup overall title in 2004.

Maier had surgery on his right knee in March.

"I am healthy now, and that's the way I want to live on," he said.

Skeleton

Uhlaender will miss team trials: Katie Uhlaender, a former World Cup champion, will not compete in the U.S. team trials that begin today in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Uhlaender, 25, has received a medical waiver from the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, allowing her to skip the trials. She is recovering from an injured left kneecap, which broke into several pieces in a snowmobile crash earlier this year and has needed multiple operations to repair.

WNBA

Mercury players, fans celebrate title: Phoenix Mercury standout Diana Taurasi knew how to rile up an already raucous crowd of about 1,000.

"Personally, in my career, any other championship, nothing can compare, hands down," Taurasi said Monday night at a rally in Phoenix to honor the Mercury's second league title in three years.

Taurasi was named most valuable player of the best-of-five Finals after scoring 26 points in Game 5, a 94-86 victory over the Indiana Fever on Friday.

Taurasi, who won three NCAA championships at Connecticut and has two Olympic gold medals, said she got more satisfaction from this title.

Mercury officials said All-Star guard Cappie Pondexter underwent successful surgery on her right eye; she was injured in a Game 5 collision.

Meanwhile, Fever officials said the team will remain in Indianapolis for the 2010 season — despite speculation ownership would not keep the team.

College basketball

Kentucky, Gillispie settle: Ex-coach Billy Gillispie and Kentucky have settled their cases over his firing earlier this year. Gillispie will receive slightly more than $2.98 million. University officials said the suits were settled through mediation.

Louisville players face charges: Louisville forward Terrence Jennings expressed remorse after his arrest at a southern Indiana restaurant over the weekend.

Jennings, 20, and guard Jerry Smith, 22, were taken into custody by Jeffersonville police after a confrontation with off-duty officers at a party early Sunday morning. Police have asked prosecutors to charge Jennings and Smith with resisting law enforcement, battery and disorderly conduct.

"I want to first apologize to the police and to the organizers of the event," Jennings said in a statement released by attorney Larry Wilder. "I was minding my own business and unfortunately, was provoked by another person that I was unfamiliar with."

The police report said several off-duty officers — all of whom were wearing T-shirts with "Police" on the front and back — were working at the party when a fight broke out inside. Officer Tom Mitchell said he found Jennings, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, pushing and shoving people, according to his report.

Officers said they needed to strike Jennings twice with a Taser to subdue him. Police said Smith approached officers after Jennings was in handcuffs. Smith didn't comply with requests to back away and resisted when an officer tried to restrain him, according to the report.

Tennis

Roddick can't finish match: American Andy Roddick retired with left-knee pain while leading Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland 4-3 in the second round of the Shanghai Masters in China.

Horse racing

Sea The Stars is retired: Sea The Stars, a 3-year-old colt who won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris on Oct. 4, has been retired.

Sea The Stars, trained by John Oxx, ended his career by winning six Group I races in a row on turf.

Before his retirement, there was speculation the colt might run in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Awards

Kupets, Vetter honored: University of Georgia gymnast Courtney Kupets and U.S. hockey goaltender Jessie Vetter are the Women's Sports Foundation's Sportswomen of the Year. Kupets won for individual sports, Vetter for team sports.

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