Jansen Skates to World Record

American speedskater Dan Jansen set a world record in the 500-meter event at the World Sprint Speedskating Championships at Calgary, Alberta, on Sunday, dipping below the 36-second mark for the fourth time.

Jansen, of Greenfield, Wis., was clocked at 35.76 seconds and reached a speed of 33.24 m.p.h. in breaking his world record of 35.92 seconds, set Dec. 4 in Norway.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair, of Champaign, Ill., won all four races she skated during the two-day competition and set a world points record in winning her first world championship since 1989.

Blair led the women with 157.40 points, followed by Germany’s Angela Hauck with 159.02 and China’s Rui Hong Xue with 159.08.

Jansen topped the men with 144.81 points, followed by Russia’s Sergei Klevchenja with 145.31 and Japan’s Junichi Inoue with 145.67.

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Cammy Myler became the first U.S. woman to win a World Cup luge race with a victory in 1:28.284 at Altenberg, Germany.

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Local favorite Philippe LaRoche won a World Cup aerials meet at Lac Beauport, Quebec. LaRoche compiled 211.70 points on two jumps. Ray Fuerst of New York was second with 195.92 points, with three-time Olympian Kris Feddersen of Steamboat Springs, Colo., third with 192.86. In the women’s event, Lina Cherjazova of Uzbekistan won for the third time in a row with 171.14 points.

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Alberto Tomba, despite a sore shoulder, won a slalom race in the men’s World Cup at Chamonix, France, with a total time of 2 minutes 1.37 seconds. Tomas Fogdoe of Sweden was second at 2:02.34.

Motor Sports

Belgian Paul Herygers won the world cycle cross championship at Koksijde, Belgium, beating Dutchman Richard Groenendaal by six seconds. . . . Investigators in Indianapolis are trying to find out what caused a midget race car to lose control and crash into a pit area at the Hoosier Dome, killing one person and injuring eight.

Names in the News

Former Chicago Bear coach Mike Ditka has inquired about coaching the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars, team owner Wayne Weaver said. . . . Bob Bjorklund, co-captain of the undefeated 1940 University of Minnesota national championship football team, has died of pulmonary fibrosis at 75 in Hopkins, Minn. . . . John Daly, suspended from the PGA Tour last fall, said he will return for the tournament at New Orleans, March 31-April 3.