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Sports Briefs

■ Speedskating
Klassen wins 1,500m title
Cindy Klassen of Canada snapped Anni Friesinger's streak of three straight titles in the women's 1,500m race Thursday at the speedskating world championships in Inzell, Germany. Klassen soared around the track in 1 minute, 58.49 seconds to take gold at the individual distances worlds. The German finished second in 1:58.73 and Jennifer Rodriguez of the US was third in 1:59.44. "I'm satisfied with silver. I expected Cindy to be my hardest competition right from the start," said Friesinger, the Olympic champion in the 1,500m. Klassen was a bronze medalist in the 3,000m at the Salt Lake City Olympics and was World Cup champion in the 1,500m in 2003. She beat the German in her home town. All over Inzell, storefronts were plastered with pictures of Friesinger, wishing her luck. "That's definitely a disadvantage -- everyone is expecting medals and titles from me," said Friesinger, who has captured 10 world championship golds.

■ Boxing
Reformers face Congress
Boxing needs the US government to step in and protect the sport, reformers told Congress on Thursday. A key Republican said he was wary of making bureaucrats act as referees.
A stalled bill to create a US Boxing Commission brought a hearing in a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, where lawmakers are trying to forge a compromise with a Senate effort championed by Senator John McCain. House lawmakers grappled on Thursday with a host of boxing issues -- fighters risking their health, lack of financial support for run-down boxers, the confusing contractual battles involving promoters, TV networks, and big-name boxers. "The problem that we have is we don't have any enforcement mechanism," said Ron Scott Stevens, chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.

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