Running for the Gulf Coast

Continuing his inspirational adventure across the United States, Vicksburg, Miss., native Sam Thompson ran a full marathon for the 25th consecutive day when he finished the Louisville Marathon course in four hours, nine minutes today.

Thompson has reached the midpoint in his mission, which he began in Leadville, Colo., on July 1. He intends to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, and in so doing he aspires to remind the country that much still needs to be done to repair the damage that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita wrought along the Gulf Coast last September. He also hopes to raise money for the rebuilding effort.

Thompson was living in Dallas but was visiting his parents in Vicksburg when the storms hit. Instead of returning home, he stayed in the area to help in the recovery until he started running earlier this month.

Thompson next will run the Healthy Huntington Marshall University Marathon route in Huntington, W. Va., today.

Louisville cyclists win national titles

Three Louisville cyclists returned from the USA Cycling National Festival with gold medals earned in Pennsylvania over the weekend.

Tracey Huber (Texas Roadhouse/Roark Cycling) won two in the master women's 45-49 age group, taking the road race and criterium titles. She also won a bronze in the time trial.

And Papa John's Racing teammates Stephen Spanbauer and William Crecelius won the master men's 70-and-over tandem title.

Eleven locals named All-Tournament

In addition to the two national titles the Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy (KIVA) won at the USA Junior Olympic Girls' Volleyball Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo., this week, the club had seven players named to All-Tournament teams.

Alexis Bauer, Whitney Craven and Ellie Roberson all were so honored from national champion KIVA 15 Red, and Bauer was chosen MVP.

Kaitlin Craven and Leah Meffert were picked from third-place KIVA 17 Red, and Sloane Donhoff and Stephanie Riley were named from third-place KIVA 16 Red.

The MidAmerica Volleyball Association (MAVA) had four players make All-Tournament teams, including Kelsey Anderson, Casey Garvey and Paige Wessel from second-place MAVA 15 Elite, and Natalie Schonefeld from fifth-place MAVA 16 Elite.

KIVA wins two Junior Olympic titles

The Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy (KIVA) typified its reputation as one of the most competitive clubs in the country with two national titles at the USA Junior Olympic Girls' Volleyball Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo., this week.

The MidAmerica Volleyball Association (MAVA), meanwhile, further expanded upon what has been anything but a typical summer for that other Louisville-based club, following its first-ever national titles at the AAU Junior Girls' National Championships last month with three top-three finishes this week.

KIVA 15 Red, which had lost the championship match to MAVA 15 Elite at the AAU event, turned the tables and beat its local rival for the Junior Olympic crown. KIVA 13 Red also won a national title, repeating its AAU victory, and KIVA 17 Red, KIVA 16 Red and KIVA 14 Red each placed third.

The aforementioned MAVA 15 Elite and MAVA 12 Elite each placed second, and MAVA 14 Elite - which had won the AAU title - placed third.