IN BRIEF

TRACK AND FIELD

Bolt breaks 10 seconds in 100 with wind help

Olympic champion and world-record holder Usain Bolt ran the 100 meters in 9.77 seconds Wednesday, helped along by a strong tail wind, to easily win the Golden Spike meet at Ostrava, Czech Republic.

"I'm just happy I got under 10 seconds," said Bolt, pushed along by a 4.7 mph wind. "Sometimes I got the right wind, sometimes I don't. I'm just happy I ran injury free."

Bolt cruised to victory ahead Britain's Craig Pickering, who finished in 10.08. Ronald Pogon of France was third in 10.17.

"It was quicker than I thought," said the Jamaican, who was cheered by the crowd of 22,000 long after his race.

Bolt established himself as the world's fastest man after setting world records in the 100 and 200 at last year's Beijing Olympics, and he also was part of the Jamaican team that broke the world mark in the 4x100 relay.

He ran 9.69 in the 100 in the Bird's Nest.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Alabama will appeal 'excessive' penalties

Alabama plans to appeal a ruling by the NCAA Committee on Infractions that forced the football program to vacate 21 wins.

University president Robert Witt said the penalties were excessive.

Alabama's football program and 15 other sports were placed on three years' probation after 201 athletes were found to have used their scholarships to get free textbooks for other students.

The football program sustained the biggest blow from the sanctions.

The team had to vacate 21 wins from 2005, 2006 and 2007 involving any of seven players who were involved in the violations, including the 2006 Cotton Bowl victory over Texas Tech.

MISCELLANEOUS

UNLV women take lead in college rodeo finals

The UNLV women's rodeo team moved into first at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., paced by all-around leader Kassi Venturacci.

The Rebels have 300 points, five ahead of second-place South Plains (Texas) College. Venturacci tied for first in breakaway roping in the third round with a time of 2.3 seconds.

The event continues through Saturday.

Also: General Motors has met with teams in NASCAR's top-tier Sprint Cup series about its plans to cut back financial support.

Teams in the lower-tier Nationwide and Camping World Truck series already had been notified of cuts. GM is reorganizing through Chapter 11 bankruptcy and had said last week it planned to make cuts across all of NASCAR's series.

Jealous Again has given trainer Wesley Ward and jockey John Velazquez a second win in two days at Royal Ascot in Ascot, England, with a victory in the Queen Mary Stakes.

Bursting out of the starting gate, the 2-year-old filly overpowered the field and finished five lengths ahead of Misheer.

Barbaro's brother has another win to celebrate.

Nicanor won an allowance race on the turf at Delaware Park in Wilmington, covering 1 1-8 miles in 1 minute, 52.95 seconds. He went off as the favorite, won by one length and paid $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10.

Top-seeded Elena Dementieva was upset 6-0, 3-6, 7-6 (4) by Virginie Razzano at the Eastbourne International in Eastbourne, England.

Sixth-seeded American Sam Querrey lost to Denis Istomin, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the men's draw.