Sports briefs for June 9, 2003

Monday, June 9, 2003 | 10:47 a.m.

UConn's Perkins to take over as new Kansas AD

Connecticut athletic director Lew Perkins plans to take a similar job at Kansas after overseeing the Huskies' emergence as a national basketball power.

Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland said today he spoke with UConn president Philip Austin over the weekend, and UConn will soon begin a search for a new AD. Perkins is expected to step down by the end of this month.

Kansas has been searching for an athletic director since April 9 when Al Bohl was fired after 20 months on the job. Bohl had a chilly relationship with basketball coach Roy Williams, who left for North Carolina. Kansas is now coached by Bill Self.

Lewis to fight Klitschko

In an effort to save a June 21 boxing card at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has agreed to fight Vitali Klitschko, a publicist associated with the promotion said today.

Lewis, 40-2-1, was to have fought Kirk Johnson in the main event, with Klitschko, 32-1, initially scheduled to face Cedric Boswell.

But Johnson suffered an injury in training last Wednesday and by Friday he had dropped from the card.

Lewis immediately expressed a willingness to face Klitschko in place of Johnson; Lewis and Klitschko were tentatively scheduled to fight this fall.

An official announcement was expected either today or by Tuesday.

Cubs' Choi recovering

Hee Seop Choi was resting at home Sunday, a day after a violent collision with Kerry Wood that left the Chicago Cubs first baseman with a concussion. Choi still had a headache and his neck was sore, but he was in good spirits, Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. Choi was placed on the 15-day disabled list before Sunday night's game against the New York Yankees and has been ordered to rest for the next week.

Armstong set to make run at history in Tour

Lance Armstrong is a little older and grayer, and getting out of bed slower these days.

Still, he insists he is in top shape as he prepares again for another Tour de France title.

"I feel fine, strong and prepared," the U.S. Postal rider said Sunday. "There's no crisis."

Armstrong is looking to tie the record set by Spain's Miguel Indurain, who won cycling's showcase event five times in a row (1991-95). The three-week race begins in Paris on July 5.

Others who won five times, but not consecutively, are Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault and Belgian Eddy Merckx.

Russian sets record

Russia's Natalya Khrushcheleva ran the second fastest women's 800 meters in the world Sunday, winning the rainy Znamensky Brothers Memorial in 1 minute, 58.05 seconds.