Weekend Sports In Brief

GDO Report

LOUDON, N.H. -- Tony Stewart climbed the fence in front of the grandstand in what has become his trademark victory celebration.

And a crowd of 100,000 at New Hampshire International Speedway roared its approval yesterday as he grabbed the checkered flag and pumped his fist in the air -- just as he did two weeks earlier after a victory at Daytona. He called himself fat then, and this time heaped on more self-deprecating humour.

"Trust me, I'll be glad to be panting like a dog when I get up there," he said. "It's something they like and I'll keep doing it for them."

Stewart said he needs a personal trainer.

"Yes, I'm still too old and too fat to be doing that stuff," the 34-year-old driver said. "I'm probably going to fall and bust my butt before its over. I'm glad they let me go through the gate instead of climbing back down."

CANADA WINS, BUT LOSES

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kristy Odamura tripled in one run and scored on a squeeze bunt by Angela Lichty in a three-run sixth inning to help Canada beat China 3-2 in the World Cup of Softball yesterday.

Canada (2-2) was eliminated from contention for the championship game because of earlier losses to Australia and Japan.

Japan advanced to play the United States in the championship game by beating Australia 1-0 in eight innings yesterday.

Australia is the No. 3 seed and will play the winner of the fourth-place game between Canada and China (1-3).

COLOMBIA STUNS MEXICO

HOUSTON -- Abel Aguilar scored on an improbable 40-yard shot to help Colombia stun Mexico 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup yesterday.

Aguilar netted the winner in the 76th minute when he kicked the ball high and hard toward the goal while in a crowd, and it looped in over the top of goalkeeper Moises Munoz.

Colombia will take on Panama, which beat South Africa 5-3 on penalty kicks yesterday after tying 1-1 in regulation and through 30 minutes of overtime. Their semifinal match will be in East Rutherford, N.J., on Thursday. In the other semifinal, the United States plays Honduras.

Heavily-favoured Mexico, which won Group C with a 2-1 record in the first round, was eliminated. It was Mexico's fifth loss in Gold Cup competition since 1997.

GORE GOES BACK-TO-BACK

HUDSON, Wis. -- Jason Gore won his second straight Nationwide Tour event, closing with a 3-under 67 yesterday for a four-stroke victory over Bill Haas at the Scholarship America Showdown.

Gore, a U.S. Open fan favourite who was coming off a victory at the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic, finished at 14-under 266 at Troy Burne Golf Club. He is the first Nationwide player to record back-to-back wins twice. He also won the Oregon Classic and the Albertsons Boise Open in 2002.