RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) – Former world sprint title holder Tyson Gay has a lofty goal in mind for August’s global championships – three trips to the podium just like six years ago.

Completely fit for the first time since winning gold in the 100 and 200 meters and 4×100 relay at the 2007 worlds, Gay told Reuters he will run both sprints at next week’s U.S. championships, then seek a spot on the relay team for Moscow.

By Gene Cherry

(Reuters) – Nearly a half a decade after Jenn Suhr thought she was ready to challenge Russian great Yelena Isinbayeva for women’s pole vault supremacy, the gritty American’s dreams are coming true.

In the high altitude of Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday, Suhr soared to a height not even Isinbayeva had cleared indoors – a world record 5.02 meters (16 feet, 5 1/2 inches) – to add to her London Olympic triumph over the Russian.

By Gene Cherry

(Reuters) – Athletes guilty of serious doping offenses will be suspended for four years from 2015 under proposals being considered by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but there are no plans for a specific rule to ban offenders from the Olympics.

Currently, athletes found guilty of a first major doping offense are handed a two-year ban with any subsequent positive test incurring a life-ban.

Nov 18 (Reuters) – Athletes guilty of serious doping offenses will be suspended for four years from 2015 under proposals being considered by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but there are no plans for a specific rule to ban offenders from the Olympics.

Currently, athletes found guilty of a first major doping offense are handed a two-year ban with any subsequent positive test incurring a life-ban.

, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Weather
forecasters worked to pinpoint the likely landfall of the
monstrous Hurricane Sandy as it closed in on the U.S. East Coast
Sunday with the potential to be the biggest storm to hit the
mainland.

Government officials faced tough decisions on emergency
plans as residents scrambled to purchase supplies. Governors of
several states in the hurricane’s path declared emergencies and
ordered mandatory evacuations of vulnerable coastal areas.

, Oct 27 (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy
closed in on the United States on Saturday as coastal
communities along the East Coast scrambled to prepare for
torrential rains, high winds, major flooding and power outages a
week before the presidential election.

Governors in states in the hurricane’s path declared
emergencies, announcing mandatory evacuations of vulnerable
areas. New York City officials discussed whether to shut the
subway system on Sunday in advance of the storm.

HATTERAS ISLAND, North Carolina (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy closed in on the United States on Saturday as it threatened to smack the eastern third of the country with torrential rains, high winds, major flooding and power outages a week before the U.S. presidential election.

On its current projected track, Sandy could make U.S. landfall on Monday night or Tuesday anywhere between Maryland and southern New England, forecasters said. Rain accumulations of up to 12 inches and heavy snowfall inland are considered likely in some areas.

, Oct 27 (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy
closed in on the United States on Saturday as it threatened to
hit the eastern third of the country with torrential rains, high
winds, major flooding and power outages a week before U.S.
presidential and congressional elections.

A massive but slow-moving storm, with tropical storm-force
winds extending across 650 miles (1,050 km), forecasters warn
Sandy’s flood impact could span multiple tides with a storm
surge of 4 to 8 feet (1.2-2.4 meters) in Long Island Sound, the
southern portion of Lower New York Bay and Delaware Bay.

, Oct 27 (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy
closed in on the United States on Saturday, where it threatens
to hit the eastern third of the country with torrential rains,
high winds, major flooding and power outages a week before U.S.
presidential and congressional elections.

The late-season storm has been dubbed “Frankenstorm” by some
weather watchers because it will combine elements of a tropical
cyclone and a winter storm and is forecast to reach the U.S.
coast close to Halloween.

By Gene Cherry

(Reuters) – A U.S. Olympic speedskater has admitted he sabotaged a Canadian rival’s skate at last year’s world team short-track championships but said he was following the orders of his coach.

Simon Cho made the admission on Friday, a week after allegations about the incident were made public in court documents filed in an arbitration case against his coach, Chun Jae-su.