American Fran Crippen dies in open-water race | Swimming

Swimming

American dies in 10K World Cup event: Fran Crippen, a medal-winning open-water swimmer on the U.S. national team, reportedly told a team coach he wasn't feeling well late in a race before he died in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

The 26-year-old from a family of prominent swimmers in suburban Philadelphia was competing in the FINA Open Water 10-kilometer World Cup in Fujairah, but failed to finish and was found in the water about two hours later, according to Swimming World.

Swimming World reported the water temperature was in the mid- to high-80s, and several swimmers were treated for heat exhaustion after the race. Crippen's body was found before the last buoy on the 2-kilometer triangular course, race organizers said. He was taken to shore and transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Julio Maglione, FINA president, said he was told Crippen told a coach he wasn't feeling well after 8 kilometers.

Maglione said FINA has opened an investigation.

Crippen earned a bronze medal in the 10K at the 2009 world championships and was national champion in the 5K last year.

His sisters are accomplished swimmers. Maddy Crippen swam for Villanova and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Claire Crippen was an NCAA All-American at Virginia and Teresa Crippen swims for Florida and is on the U.S. national team.

Tennis

Federer seeks to tie Sampras for career titles: Roger Federer of Switzerland could tie American Pete Sampras for career titles after reaching the Stockholm Open final, defeating Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 in Sweden.

Federer will face Florian Mayer of Germany in Sunday's final. Mayer edged Jarkko Nieminen of Finland 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).

A title for Federer will earn him the 64th of his career, matching Sampras for fourth in the Open era. Only Jimmy Connors (109), Ivan Lendl (94) and John McEnroe (77) have won more singles tournaments since 1968.

All of the players ahead of Federer, 29, are retired.

Mixed martial arts

Velasquez takes heavyweight title from Lesnar at UFC 121: Cain Velasquez stopped Brock Lesnar late in the first round with a relentless flurry of punches at UFC 121 in Anaheim, Calif., claiming Lesnar's UFC heavyweight title.

Former Arizona State wrestler Velasquez (9-0), son of migrant lettuce farmers, rained down blows on the bloodied Lesnar (5-2), and referee Herb Dean stopped the fight with 48 seconds left in the round.

Gymnastics

American Sacramone earns gold at worlds: Alicia Sacramone, 22, of Winchester, Mass., won a gold medal in the vault at the world championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Sacramone came out of retirement to help erase the memory of her spills on the beam at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Figure skating

Kostner beats Flatt for NHK Trophy title: Carolina Kostner of Italy won the NHK Trophy in Nagoya, Japan, with a steady free skate to beat U.S. national champion Rachael Flatt. Kostner had 164.61 points, compared with 161.04 for Flatt.

World champion Daisuke Takahashi of Japan won the men's title with 234.79 points and American Jeremy Abbott was second with 218.19.

Skiing

Rebensburg takes women's opener: Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany won the season-opening women's World Cup giant slalom in Soelden, Austria.

American Lindsey Vonn, a three-time overall champion, was 18th.

Rowing

Sivigny, Stone win Head of the Charles singles titles: Michael Sivigny of Londonderry, N.H., successfully defended his singles title in the 46th annual Head of the Charles Regatta, holding off 2002 world champion Marcel Hacker in Cambridge, Mass.

Gevvie Stone of Cambridge won the women's singles.

College basketball

Oklahoma State suspends Pilgrim: Oklahoma State has suspended senior forward Matt Pilgrim without giving a reason or a time frame for when he might return. He averaged 10.3 points last season.

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