SHEWFELT HELPS WORLD ALL STARS WIN AT T.J. MAXX INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE

ANAHEIM, USA (CSN) - Kyle Shewfelt of Calgary scored big points on floor and high bar to help the World All Stars beat the United States in men's competition Thursday night at the inaugural T.J. Maxx International Challenge gymnastics competition.

The competition served as a test event for the 2003 World Championships, which are scheduled for Anaheim's Arrowhead Pond. More than 5,000 fans attended Thursday's event.

Shewfelt had the fourth best individual score overall at 19.588 behind Jovtchev in first at 19.726, Paul Hamm of the U.S., in second at 19.688 and Sean Townsend of the U.S., in third at 19.663.

"This meet was more entertainment than competition and Kyle had the crowd in the palm of his hand," said Karl Balisch, men's program director for Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique. "It was an excellent experience for him to come here and to get even more recognition at the international level."

The judging panel was comprised of gymnastics celebrities including U.S., stars Shannon Miller and Kim Zmeskal and coaching great Bela Karolyi.

Shewfelt's international reputation has been on the rise since an impressive 12th place finish at the 2000 Olympics on floor. He is a four-time World Cup medallist including two at the most recent World Cup in Cottbus, Germany. In Manchester last month at the Commonwealth Games he delivered under pressure as the favorite to win the vault and floor events.

The next big competitions for Shewfelt are World Cup events this fall Paris and Glasgow, Scotland.

CANADA BEATS NIGERIA 2-0 TO COMPLETE PERFECT ROUND

EDMONTON (FIFA) - Team Canada finished off a perfect first round record at the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship as they downed Nigeria's 'Falconets' by virtue of a Christine Sinclair brace in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium.

As Canada ran off with the group, five points ahead of their nearest rivals, Nigeria find themselves on the next flight home with only one point from three matches.

After some early to-and-fro, the final group stage match settled into a rhythm as both sides surged into attack.

The Canadians continued to steam in search of another goal, but were unable to find it before the half, much to the relief of the Nigerian rearguard.

Team Canada came out gunning in the opening moments of the second half, as a long, swerving cross from Sinclair picked out Lang, but the youngster's final touch let her down (46'). The red-clad North Americans continued to press on the Nigerians for most of the second half, punctuated by isolated moments of Nigerian brilliance and verve. A brilliant, surging, solo run from Ifeanyichukwu Chiejine opened up the Canadian defence, and a rocket of a shot from 16 yards was only just kept out by goalkeeper Erin McLeod.

Erin Mcleod m Calgary Recorded the shutout for Canada, and allowed only two goals in three games

But the Nigerian dreams were dashed just moments later as Sinclair again found the net from a Melanie Booth corner kick (0:2, 69'). And only moments after the goal, Lang burst into the box and rang a shot off the post from close range (71').

As the final whistle went, Canada sent another shudder through the remaining competition, most specifically England, who will be their quarterfinal opponents.

The result sets the final positions for the quarterfinals. Also from Group A, Denmark is now the other third place to team to move on, and they will face the United States in Victoria, while Japan finish second in the group and will face Germany.

Ntiero Effiom Ntiero, the Nigerian coach, was resigned after the match. "We were not fully prepared for this tournament ... The climate was a problem, and we consider this a learning experience."

Christine Sinclair, who scored five goals in the group stage, had this to say, "We created some great chances tonight. Nigeria was the fastest team we've played thus far."

CANADA WINS RELAY BRONZE IN NATIONAL RECORD TIME AT PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

YOKOHAMA, Japan (CSN) - Canada opened the 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships Saturday with a bronze medal in the men's 4X100 freestyle relay while three national records were broken.

In the men's 4X100 freestyle relay, Australia on the strength of a powerful final 50-metres by anchor Ian Thorpe won the gold medal in 3:15.15 with the U.S., second in 3:15.41.

Canada with a resurgent Yannick Lupien of Aylmer, Que., Mike Mintenko of Vancouver, Rick Say of Calgary and Brent Hayden of Vancouver were third in a national mark 3:17.69. That eclipsed the previous record of 3:19.39 set by the Commonwealth Games team last month, which included Say and Hayden.

"Yannick really lifted the whole team with his performance in the first relay," added Say. "He stepped up when it counted and put us in the thick of the race. We're focusing a lot on our own improvements and we've bettered our times by over three seconds the last month. The Aussies and Americans have been going three seconds slower. So at this rate who knows what can happen in the future."

In the women's 100 butterfly semifinal, Jennifer Button of Toronto clocked 59.76 to smash her Canadian mark of 1:00.19 set in the semifinal at the Commonwealth Games. She qualified fourth for Sunday's final.

"It was more of a relief than anything to get under that barrier," said Button, a bronze medallist in the event at the Commonwealth Games. "I had a tendency to be slow going into the wall and I did some exercises in practice to help improve that aspect of my race. That's where I gained some tenths of seconds tonight."

Thorpe, a six-time champion at the Commonwealth Games, added a second gold with a victory in the men's 400 freestyle in 3:45.28 almost five seconds off his world record time. His compatriot Grant Hackett was second in 3:45.99 and Klete Keller of the U.S., third in 3:48.440. Mark Johnston of Vancouver was sixth in 3:52.29.

On the women's side, Toronto's Elizabeth Warden came agonizingly close to a medal in the women's 400 individual medley. Jennifer Reilly of Australia won in 4:40.84, Maggie Bowen of the U.S., was second in 4:44.39 and Maiko Fujino of Japan third in 4:45.79.

Warden, who swam in the lane right beside Fujino, followed in 4:45.80. At the Commonwealth Games in the same event, Warden lost a bronze medal when a disqualification was overturned.

Canada's women's 4X100 freestyle relay with Button, Laura Nicholls of Waterloo, Ont., Elizabeth Collins of Regina and Jessica Deglau of Vancouver was fourth.Sixteen-year-old Taryn Lencoe of Vancouver made an impressive international debut placing sixth in the women's 1,500 freestyle.

CANADA WINS BIG AT THE WORLD UNIVERSITY ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

HOLME PIERREPONT, U.K. - All of Canada's entries won medals Saturday - three golds and a silver - at the 7th World University Rowing Championships at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, U.K.

"We couldn't have asked for a better day at the World University Championships, even with the high headwinds," said Canadian team coordinator Chantelle Hanley. "Each crew rowed their hardest and were on top of the podium with great pride, tired legs, and burning lungs!"

Jane Rumball of Fredericton, N.B. and Laura Middleton of Toronto, Ont. won the women's double sculls in 7:25.32, ahead of Poland and the Czech Republic.

In the women's single, Miroslava Knapkova of Czech Republic took charge of the field in 8:05.71, with Jane Rumball, a student at the University of Western Ontario, picking up silver in 8:17.28 and Peta Estens of Australia settling for bronze in 8:23.81.

Poland finished at the top of the final medal standings, with Canada in second overall and Czech Republic in third.

Competitors must be a student officially registered for and pursuing a full-time course of study of a university or similar institute whose status is recognized by the appropriate national academic authority of their country, or be a former student of the institution who has obtained his/ her degree or diploma in the year 2001.

The British Universities Sports Association, in partnership with the Amateur Rowing Association (the governing body for rowing in the United Kingdom) hosted this Festival of Rowing, which included last week's Commonwealth Championships (where Canada also finished second overall) and the University Championships, at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham.