Briefs | Woods is selected AP Male Athlete of the Year

Golf

Woods edges Chargers running back Tomlinson for honor: Tiger Woods had an answer for everything.

When he missed the cut for the first time in a major — at the U.S. Open, his first tournament after his father, Earl, died of cancer — some observers questioned whether the world's top-ranked player could rekindle his desire to dominate. Woods didn't finish worse than second in stroke play the rest of the season.

Phil Mickelson emerged anew as a serious threat to Woods' domain by winning his second straight major at the Masters and nearly making it three in a row at the U.S. Open. Woods responded by winning the next two majors to reach 12 for his career.

And there remained skepticism about his latest swing change, put to rest by a year that ranked among Woods' best on the PGA Tour. He won eight times in 15 starts, six in a row to close out his season.

About the only thing he couldn't answer was how he was voted Male Athlete of the Year by The Associated Press.

Woods won the award over running back LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers. Tennis ace Roger Federer of Switzerland was third.

The 30-year-old Woods won for the fourth time in his career, matching the record set by cyclist Lance Armstrong, who won the last four years.

While pleased to hear he had won the award, Woods was perplexed it did not go to his friend Federer.

"What he's done in tennis, I think, is far greater than what I've done in golf," Woods said.

Woods received 260 points in voting by sports editors around the country. Tomlinson had 230 points, and Federer had 110.

Tennis

Federer is seeking to extend dominance: Federer, the world's top-ranked player, reached the final in all but one of his 17 tournaments and won three of the sport's four majors in 2006.

"I am basically living my dream," the 25-year-old said. "I hope I can keep it up. Motivation is never a problem and won't be a problem for the next few years."

Even if he were to put his feet up until the end of February, Federer has hoarded enough points to surpass American Jimmy Connors' record — for a male player — of 160 consecutive weeks at No. 1.

Running

Loroupe's foundation organizes conflict-resolution programs: When Tegla Loroupe of Kenya was a girl, she escaped her father's scolding by gazing in the direction of neighboring Uganda and starting to run.

The 1994 and '95 New York City Marathon winner says those 20-mile runs gave her the drive to succeed. Now she wants to use her fame to help a troubled region of Kenya emerge from a cycle of deadly tribal warfare over pastures, water and cattle.

"I grew up in these mountains. I have formed a lot of trust in this community, especially the young," the 33-year-old Loroupe said after a recent "peace race" she organized in Kapenguria, capital of the West Pokot district. "They listen to me."

The annual race is the work of the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation, which organizes conflict-resolution programs. The region is beset by violence — earlier this month, hundreds of tribal warriors battled over livestock in West Pokot, killing 19 people.

Cattle rustling by nomadic tribes in the semiarid region that encompasses northern Kenya, Uganda, southern Sudan and Ethiopia is common, but the raids have become increasingly lethal as tribal warriors have acquired modern weapons.

At the first peace race in 2003, hundreds of warriors showed up for the run, some trading weapons for running shoes, Loroupe said.

"A lot of those warriors didn't want to come — it took awhile to convince them," Loroupe said. "But they saw me, Tegla, and saw that I care."

Michael Ranneberger, the U.S. ambassador to Kenya, traveled to Kapenguria for the race, saying he wanted to support Loroupe's peace initiatives.

"People die in these clashes, houses get burned down, communities get destroyed," he said.

Water polo

Sandic dies: Mirko Sandic, who won a gold medal with the Yugoslav team at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, died Sunday, according to the Serbian Water Polo Association. He was 64.

No cause of death was given.

Seattle Times news services