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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, July 28, 2008

May-Treanor, Walsh win again

Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Misty May-Treanor goes up for a kill in the finals of the AVP Long Beach Open. May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won the tournament.

HOLLY STEIN | AVP via AP

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LONG BEACH, Calif. — The world's No. 1 women's team and reigning gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh went undefeated to win the AVP Long Beach Open yesterday in their last tournament before the Olympic Games in Beijing.

The duo continued their record streaks of 101 straight matches and 18 straight tournaments.

"We don't think about them," Walsh said. "Misty and I, we have one job to do, and that's to win every time we step on the court, and we're very focused on that. It sounds impressive, but we're not done yet."

May-Treanor and Walsh beat fourth-seeded Jennifer Boss and April Ross, 21-14, 21-18, in the final.

Boss and Ross stayed close early, with the first game tied 10-10 before the champions pulled away.

"I think we just turned it on," said Walsh, who had eight blocks in the match. "We just put up a big block, and if I didn't block it, Misty dug it."

In the second game, Boss and Ross remained with May-Treanor and Walsh throughout, helped largely by Boss' match-leading 19 kills and Ross' pair of aces.

But they couldn't stick with the world's best team.

"It was a great match to get under our belts before the Olympics," May-Treanor said. "They serve very tough in the Olympics, and the way they were serving today, it's going to make the other teams in the Olympics' serves feel easy."

May-Treanor and Walsh planned to take next week off from the AVP Tour and practice at home for Beijing.

JUDO

U.S. OFFICIAL RESIGNS

DENVER — A high-ranking U.S. judo official resigned amid accusations that nearly 30 years ago he molested teenage competitors he coached.

Fletcher Thornton's resignation from USA Judo's board of directors took effect Friday, a day before The New York Times published a story about the allegations.

The governing organization for the sport announced the resignation on its Web site Saturday. A spokeswoman said Thornton was a referee at a tournament in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, but he did not participate Saturday and had left by yesterday.

A phone number listed for Thornton in Middletown, Calif., where he lives, was disconnected.

Jose H. Rodriguez, the chief executive of USA Judo, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview yesterday that Thornton was not asked to resign, but that the move puts the spotlight back on the athletes less than two weeks from the start of the Beijing Games.

The Times' story said several young athletes in affidavits from 1981 accused Thornton of drugging and sexually molesting teenage competitors he coached in the late 1970s. A new accuser also surfaced in 2005, according to the report.

Thornton denied the allegations to the newspaper. In June, American judo medal hopeful Ronda Rousey drew attention to the issue by posting a blog about it.

DIVING

DUMAIS WINS 3M TITLE

PASADENA, Calif. — Troy Dumais defended his 3-meter springboard title at the United States diving championships yesterday in his final meet before the Beijing Olympics.

Dumais, of Ventura, Calif., earned four 10s on his front 2 1/2 with two twists to finish with 521.90 points for his 26th national title.

Kristian Ipsen, of Clayton, Calif., was second to Dumais, just as he was at spring nationals. He totaled 482.70, earning four 9s and a 9.5 on his final dive, a reverse 2 1/2 with 1 1/2 twists at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center.

Terry Horner, of Longwood, Fla., who earlier won the non-Olympic 1-meter title, finished third at 435.20.

Olympians Chris Colwill and Jevon Tarantino won their third synchronized 3-meter title with 433.44 points. Matt Cooper and Harrison Jones were second at 399.33.

In the women's 10-meter platform synchronized diving, Mililani's Aleiz Monden and partner Jacqueline Schroeder finished third. Michelle Cabassol and Kaylea Arnett won the title.