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'I can remember barely being able to swing a broomstick.' - Boston star Nomar Garciaparra, on his wrist injury after his first game back in rehab with the minor league Pawtucket (R.I.) Red Sox Tuesday night.

UPROAR IN THE POOL

After appeals, protests, and an almost 24-hour wait, Britain was awarded a gold medal in Japan Thursday in the most contentious women's 800-meter freestyle relay ever held at the world swimming championships.

Australia and the United States finished 1-2 in Wednesday's final, but the Australians were disqualified for jumping back in the pool before the last-place swimmer had finished, and the US was disqualified for jumping the start at a change.

The Australian coach argued vigorously with the referee, and the US appealed to a jury, claiming that a faulty timing system hadn't registered properly. The jury ruled that Britain won by default, but team officials are contemplating taking the dispute to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport.

CLEMENS MOVES UP ALL-TIME

Roger Clemens moved into fourth place among career leaders in strikeouts Monday night in the Yankees' 7-2 victory over Toronto. The pitcher also now is in a seventh-place tie with Sal Maglie (.657) for the highest winning percentage of any pitcher who has won at least 100 games in the modern era.

With his season record at 14-1 and his career mark 274-143, an unprecedented sixth Cy Young Award seems a foregone conclusion this fall for Clemens. He has advanced from the man entrusted with only the fourth game of the World Series in his first year as a Yankee to the club's ace in his third campaign.

MOSS HIGHEST-PAID NFL STAR

Randy Moss has apparently gotten his wish to become the NFL's highest-paid player.

The Vikings announced Wednesday that Moss had signed a new deal reported to be worth $75 million over eight years plus an $18 million signing bonus, a figure confirmed by his agent, Dante DeTrapano.

Moss, 24, is regarded as the game's top receiver, with 226 catches for 4,163 yards and 43 touchdowns in three seasons, the best marks ever in three years for any wide receiver in NFL history.

(c) Copyright 2001. The Christian Science Monitor