Sports Records

Chinese officials have gone on the offensive to counter speculation about the use of illegal, performance-enhancing drugs within their sports system, but one of their wonder women gave the track and field world cause to wonder anew Wednesday. Competing in China's National Games at Beijing, Wang Junxia ran the 10,000 meters in 29 minutes 31.78 seconds, becoming the first woman to break the 30-minute barrier and eclipsing by 41.

Qu Yunxia of China set a world record in the women's 1,500 meters of 3 minutes 50.46 seconds on Saturday at China's National Games, and later Coach Ma Zunren attacked critics who suggest the astounding success of his national Chinese women's team is due to drugs. Actually, he said, it's Chinese caterpillar fungus. And, he said, the world hasn't seen anything, yet. "Now that we're strong, they say we did it through drugs," Ma said at a news conference. "They're the ones on drugs."

In a season full of lows and dubious records they wanted no part of, the Chicago Bulls reached new depths Saturday night. The Miami Heat held the Bulls to the lowest point total in the NBA since 1954, the year the shot clock was introduced, humiliating Chicago, 82-49. "It's not fun, having this record," Chicago center Bill Wennington said.

Each spring, John Paciorek remembers. He remembers a sweltering autumn day in 1963. He remembers a Colt Stadium crowd in Houston that cheered his every move, both at the plate and in the field. And he remembers his own performance, one that might never be matched. That day, 18-year-old John Paciorek made baseball history. On Sept.

Troy State eclipsed its own NCAA scoring record on Sunday, averaging more than six points a minute in a 258-141 victory over DeVry Institute. The Division II Trojans turned in a record-setting performance for the second year in a row against DeVry, an Atlanta computer college that is a member of NAIA Division II. Last year, Troy State beat DeVry, 187-116, setting NCAA marks--regardless of division--for most points in a game by one team and most points in a half, 103.

Fred Goldsmith is probably a wonderful man, owner of a keen football mind, possessor of family values, etc. But at this particular moment, a scant 20 days before his Rice University Owls can end the longest current losing streak in Division I-A football, Goldsmith--and how can we put this delicately?--is sort of lying through his pearly whites.

Texas adhered to Coach Eddie Reese's "fast is fun" philosophy, and then the fun began Saturday night. The Longhorns lit The Tower, threw Reese into the pool and watched diving coach Mike Brown go off the 10-meter platform in his clothes in celebration of their fourth consecutive NCAA championship. In joining USC, Indiana and Michigan as the only teams to win four consecutive titles, Texas outscored Stanford, 476-420, at Texas Swim Center. Florida edged USC for third, 313-312.

It was midnight when Israeli commandos opened fire at Entebbe. Aurelia Okino threw her children under her bed for protection. Betty Okino was only a year old then. The gunfire was so loud and the Okinos' house so close that shots rattled the windows and struck the roof.

Connecticut women's basketball Coach Geno Auriemma simply wanted a happy ending. Now the story won't go away. Auriemma assailed the media Thursday for their criticism of the staged shot that allowed a hobbled Nykesha Sales to set a school career scoring record Tuesday night, prompting a debate about the integrity of women's basketball. "You guys just want a freaking story, and I gave you something to write about for two days," Auriemma said during a conference call. "We're feeding the fire.

The morning after David Dotson set the CIF state single-game rushing record with 507 yards, the Valley View High senior predicted he would break the national record of 608 yards. "To be honest, I think I might even have the chance to get 700 yards," said Dotson, whose record helped Valley View to a 56-0 victory over Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World Friday night at Moreno Valley High.