■ BobsledGerman women grab lead
Sandra Kiriasis of Germany rallied from fourth place to take the first day lead Friday in the two-person event at the women's world bobsled championships in Calgary, Alberta. Kiriasis, the 2005 World Cup champion, and brakeman Anja Schneider-heinze made up a .22 second deficit after the first heat, posting a heat-best time of 55.61 after opening with 55.66. England's Nicola Minichiello and Jackie Davis were a close second in 1:51.29, while Americans Shauna Rohbock and Valerie Fleming were in third place after a two-run time of 1:51.43.
■ Boxing
Soto overcomes Reyes
Omar Soto of Mexico took a 12-round unanimous decision over former world champion Daniel Reyes of Colombia in their IBF mini-flyweight title elimination bout Friday Las Vegas, Nevada. The win puts Soto in a title bout later this year against IBF champion Muhammad Rachman of Indonesia. The 25-year-old Soto (15-2-1 with 10 knockouts) won by scores of 118-110, 118-110, 115-113. The 31-year-old Reyes, the IBF mini-flyweight champion in 2003 and 2004, is 34-3-1 with 29 knockouts. Soto blunted Reyes' superior power with a steady barrage of combinations and timely counter-punches. There were no knockdowns in the bout, held at Orleans Hotel and Casino. Soto weighed 104 pounds and Reyes 105.
■ Football
Seahawks cut Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice was released by the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, perhaps signaling an end to the career of the greatest receiver in NFL history. The release was announced in a short statement from the team, which acquired the 42-year-old Rice from the Oakland Raiders in a trade last season. "We are grateful to Jerry and the role he was willing to fill for the Seahawks last year," coach Mike Holmgren said in the statement. "He is one of the greatest players in the history of our game and we wish him nothing but the best." Rice is the career leader in receptions with 1,549; total yards with 22,895; and receiving touchdowns with 197, all far ahead of the closest pursuer. He also leads in total touchdowns with 207, 32 more than running back Emmitt Smith, who announced his retirement this month.
■ Soccer
Valencia fires Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri was fired Friday as coach of Valencia on Friday after the defending UEFA Cup champions were knocked out of the competition by Steaua Bucharest. Valencia president Juan Soler announced the move after an emergency meeting of Valencia's board. "We understand, and Claudio has understood as well, that the team's results and dynamics of the last few weeks were not the most appropriate and moved us away from the objectives we had set," Soler said. Ranieri will be replaced by Antonio Lopez, a former assistant coach at Valencia who was running the team's players' school. "We are sure that we are leaving the team in very good hands," Soler said. "Antonio Lopez ... was one of the master pieces of our team's most recent success. That's why we trust his work." Valencia's latest disappointment came on Thursday when it lost a penalty shootout at Steaua after losing 2-0 in regulation.
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