Wariner, Williamson Are 1-2 in Japan Grand Prix

World and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner led a 1-2 American finish in the men's 400 meters at the IAAF Japan Grand Prix yesterday in Osaka, Japan, defeating compatriot Darold Williamson by more than half a second.

Wariner, 23, was quick out of the blocks and finished in 44.02 seconds at the warmup to the world championships in August in Osaka. Williamson finished in 44.68, while Australia's Sean Wroe was third in 45.58.

"I feel good and hopefully when the world championships start, I can go under 44 easily," Wariner said.

Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang of China won the men's 110 hurdles in 13.14 seconds for his fourth consecutive victory in Osaka. Shi Dongpeng was second in 13.24, and Japan's Tasuku Tanonaka was third in 13.59.

World champion Bershawn Jackson of the United States defended the 400 hurdles title he won at his last meet in Osaka in 48.13 seconds, despite hurting his left hamstring while jumping the third hurdle.

American James Carter was second (48.22), and Japan's Dai Tamesue was third (48.73).

Cydonie Mothersill of the Cayman Islands edged American Lauryn Williams in the women's 100 by 0.11 of a second, finishing in 11.33.

American Joshua J. Johnson won the men's 200 in 20.55.

· HOCKEY: Paul Stastny scored two goals and helped set up another to give the United States a 3-0 win over Germany and a place in the quarterfinals at the world championships in Mytischi, Russia.

The victory gave the United States nine points in Group F. The Americans have 21 goals in five games, while the Germans have one of the best defenses at the tournament.

In Moscow, Julien Sprunger scored a pair of goals to help Switzerland close in on a spot in the quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Denmark in Group E.

· FOOTBALL: Olympic 100-meter champion Justin Gatlin, facing a track and field suspension of up to eight years for failing a drug test last summer, is trying to launch a career in pro football as a wide receiver with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"If [his speed] can transfer to football, you have a real threat," Bucs Coach Jon Gruden said. "If it can't, then it won't work."

Gatlin, who is participating in the Bucs' rookie minicamp this weekend in Tampa, said he last played football during his freshman year at Tennessee.

· MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: Cal Irvine blended its power game with great defense to beat IPFW, 3-1, in Columbus, Ohio, and win its first volleyball national championship. The second-seeded Anteaters (29-5) won by scores of 30-20, 24-30, 30-23 and 30-28, extending their school record for wins in a season. IPFW -- an acronym representing the 12,000-student school's relationships with Indiana and Purdue universities and its home town of Fort Wayne, Ind. -- finished at 23-8.

· TENNIS: Top-ranked Justine Henin beat fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, to reach the final of the clay-court J&S Cup in Warsaw.

Henin will play unseeded Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine in today's final. Bondarenko, ranked 40th in the world, upset third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-2, 7-6 (6-4).

-- From News Services