In Brief

soccer

Scores injured as fan violence
breaks out in Buenos Aires

Historic soccer team River Plate was relegated to the Argentine second division for the first time in its 110-year existence Sunday, sparking riots between police and fans, with dozens injured inside and outside Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.

The relegation came after a 1-1 draw with Belgrano in the second leg -- Belgrano won the first 2-0 -- of a demotion playoff. Mariano Pavone scored in the sixth minute for River, and Guillermo Farre tied it in the 62nd.

Violence broke out a minute before the match was over. Angry fans pelted players with objects from the stands, and police replied with high-powered fire hoses, with some fans climbing fences topped with razor wire.

As fans were pounded with jets of water, River Plate's players huddled on the pitch, many in tears, including goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo.

The mayhem quickly spread outside River's 50,000-seat stadium. Alberto Crescenti, head of emergency medical services, said at least 55 people had been injured.

Nilda Garre, the minister for security, said 35 police officers were injured.

"Fortunately, none have their lives at risk," the Argentine news agency DyN reported her saying.

Police used water cannons outside the stadium immediately after the match, hoping to disperse fans quickly. Fans who poured out of the stadium faced police with batons and shields at every exit, while attack dogs were ready and helicopters hovered over the stadium.

The area outside the stadium, located in the leafy northern suburb of Nunez, looked like a war zone, with police battling hand to hand with River Plate hooligans, who are known by the colorful nickname "Los Borrachos del Tablon" -- the Drunks in the Stands.

Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas, and brought in mounted units to try to keep order..

TRACK AND FIELD

Dix completes 100-200 sprint
double at U.S. championships

Walter Dix completed the 100-200 sprint double at the U.S. track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., finishing the 200-meter dash in 19.95 seconds to beat Darvis Patton.

Shalonda Solomon won the women's 200 in 22.15, the world's best time this year, to beat Carmelita Jeter and deprive her of the sprint double.

Dix came into the meet as the clear favorite in the 200, but only because Tyson Gay was not planning on running at that distance. Gay hurt himself and didn't run in the 100 finals, either, opening the door for Dix at both distances.

In the men's 800, UNLV assistant track coach Khadevis Robinson took second in 1:44.49, just behind Nicholas Symmonds (1:44.17).

The top three finishers in most events earned spots on the U.S. team for the world championships in South Korea later this summer.

MISCELLANEOUS

Ernst, Marsico, Kaui begin play
in U.S. Amateur Public Links

UNLV's Derek Ernst and Las Vegas' Max Marsico will be part of the 156-player field in the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, which begins today at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore.

Ernst, a senior and the Mountain West Conference's 2011 Player of the Year, and Marsico, a graduate of The Meadows and a sophomore at Pennsylvania, were among the 2,822 golfers who attempted to qualify for the tournament, which runs through Saturday.

In the Women's Public Links, which also begins today at Bandon Dunes, Green Valley High School's Alex Kaui made the 156-player field. Kaui won the Girls Division of the American Junior Golf Association's Las Vegas Junior Open on June 16 at Anthem Country Club.

Also: Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said second-year guard Xavier Henry has improved in his recovery from a knee injury and is set to play a significant role for the team this season.

Wallace told The Commercial Appeal that Henry, a shooting guard, will effectively serve as the team's first-round pick going into the coming season.

Henry, the 12th overall selection in the 2010 draft, played in 38 games last season but had been plagued by right knee soreness since March.

Denver Nuggets center Nene will not join Brazil's national team at the FIBA Americas Championship, the regional qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Olympics. The Brazilian basketball confederation said Nene asked to be released, citing "personal" and "contractual" reasons.

The Los Angeles Kings traded Ryan Smyth to the Edmonton Oilers for forward Colin Fraser and a seventh-round pick in the 2012 draft. The 35-year-old Smyth had 23 goals and 24 assists in 82 games last season with Los Angeles.

Inglorious beat Hippolytus by 2½ lengths in the $1 million Queen's Plate at Woodbine in Toronto, becoming the first filly in 10 years to win the first leg of Canada's Triple Crown.