July 3, 1999

By Howard Fendrich
Associated Press

PALMA DE MALLORCA, Balearic Islands - Kevin Freeman and Brendan Haywood led the United States to a 96-77 victory over South Korea today in preliminary-round basketball game at the World University Games as the Americans ran their record winning streak to 33.

Freeman, a member of Connecticut's NCAA champions, scored 18 points, while Haywood, the North Carolina center, muscled his way to 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds before fouling out with 4:04 to play.

The United States, which has won five straight gold medals at this event, plays Nigeria on Sunday. Nigeria lost 66-61 to Lithuania today.

All-around world champion Svetlana Khorkina led Russia to the women's team title in gymnastics for the first gold medal of the games.

Khorkina had the day's top apparatus score, a 9.825 on the bars, and was the top individual performer as Russia beat strong teams from Ukraine and China.

The Russians totaled 113.487 points for the four disciplines, Ukraine took the silver with 112.974, and China 111.74. All three countries boasted their likely lineups for the next World Championships, in China in October.

A young U.S. team was fifth, with 109.012 points, on the first full day of competition at this biannual event for collegiate athletes. Three Americans, led by ninth-place Heidi Louise Moneymaker, had individual scores among the top 24 and qualified for the all-around competition on Monday.

The men's team competition, where the Russians will be favored again, is Sunday.

More than 4,000 athletes are expected to take part in 12 sports at the games, which were to be officially opened with a torch-lighting ceremony at the new Son Moix Stadium tonight. The games close July 13.

In another preliminary round basketball game, Spain turned in the most dominating performance here in a 113-51 rout of Hong Kong.

Russia beat Finland 87-75, Bulgaria got past Ireland 87-80, Britain handled Peru 94-54, and Canada had little trouble beating Japan 67-42.

In men's volleyball, Spain picked up a victory when scheduled opponent Lebanon failed to show up for their match. Games officials said the Lebanese team missed its flight to Mallorca but still plans to participate. The team had not arrived as of Saturday evening.

Winners included the United States, which beat Norway, 25-17, 25-11, 25-13, Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Russia.