Like lightning out of nowhere, Usain Bolt is now the world's fastest man.

The Jamaican sprinter, who doesn't even consider the 100 meters his best race, set the world record last night with a time of 9.72 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, .02 seconds faster than the old record held by his countryman, Asafa Powell.

Bolt was using the 100 for "speed work" and to avoid having to run the more grueling 400, when, suddenly, he ran the world's second-fastest time a few weeks ago at 9.76. Even then, he said he wasn't sure if he would give up the 400 meters for the 100 for the Beijing Olympics.

Hard to imagine he has any choice now.

Springing from the starting block and unfurling his lanky frame — listed at 6 feet 4, but probably more like 6-5 and, either way, considered too tall for this kind of speed work — he created a big-time gap between himself and Tyson Gay at about the halfway point, then routed him to the finish line.

"I wasn't really looking for a world record, but it was there for the taking," Bolt said.

Gay, the best sprinter in America, finished in 9.85.

AUTO RACING

GIBBS' HAMLIN HAS ONE HELUVA GOOD! 200 RIDE

Denny Hamlin made it nine victories for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series this season, leading all but 69 laps to win the Heluva Good! 200 last night at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del.

Rookie phenom Joey Logano finished sixth in his NASCAR national-level debut, running near the front of the 200-mile race with veterans such as Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and JGR teammate Hamlin.

The 18-year-old Logano drove the No. 20 Toyota that entered leading the Nationwide Series in owner points and has won six races in 14 starts this season with Kyle Busch, Hamlin and Tony Stewart behind the wheel.

Edwards, who started on the pole, was second. David Stremme was third and David Reutimann fourth.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

PARKER, LESLIE AMONG NINE ON U.S. TEAM

Candace Parker was 10 years old when she watched Lisa Leslie win her first Olympic gold medal in Atlanta.

Twelve years later, Parker gets a chance to help her Los Angeles Sparks teammate win an unprecedented fourth straight gold in the Beijing Olympics.

They were two of the nine players placed on the U.S. women's basketball team yesterday. Also on the team are Olympic veterans Katie Smith, Tina Thompson, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird. This will be Smith's third Olympics. Cappie Pondexter, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles will make their Olympic debuts.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

SLICE TKOS 'THE COLOSSUS' IN 3RD ROUND

Kimbo Slice had his hands full with James "The Colossus" Thompson, eventually winning by TKO over the big Briton as mixed martial arts made its television network debut on CBS last night in Newark, N.J.

The fight was stopped 38 seconds into the third round with a dazed Thompson bleeding from the ear from some big punches to the head. Slice, a former street brawler from Miami whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, improved to 3-0 after the main event at the Prudential Center.

Thompson (16-9) had been expected to be another quick victim for Slice. But the Briton handed Slice a beating on the ground late in the second.

"A very tough opponent," an exhausted Slice said after the fight. "I didn't underestimate him, but I didn't know he was going to be that strong on the ground."

SOCCER

CHING LIFTS DYNAMO OVER RED BULLS, 1-0

Brian Ching scored his third goal of the season in the 68th minute, Tony Caig made three saves to earn his first career MLS shutout, and host Houston beat New York, 1-0, last night.

Ching is a Kamehameha Schools graduate from Hale'iwa.

New York (3-3-3, 9 points) has lost two in a row. Houston (3-3-5, 14) has rebounded from an 0-2-3 start to go 3-1-2 in its last six games.