The former roommate of missing Baylor University basketball player Patrick Dennehy was charged yesterday with murder, authorities said. The warrant naming Carlton Dotson was issued by police in Waco, Tex., where Dennehy has been missing since mid-June, Chestertown, Md., police Chief Walter Coryell said. No body has been found. As he left the court commissioner's office last night, Dotson told a reporter: "I didn't confess to anything."

Three world swim records set

Matthew Welsh and Leisel Jones of Australia and Japan's Kosuke Kitajima broke world records at the world aquatic championships in Barcelona yesterday. Welsh won the men's 50-metre butterfly gold medal with a time of 23.43 seconds. Jones set a record in the women's 100-breaststroke semifinals with a time of 1:06.37. Kitajima gave Japan the gold medal in the 100 breaststroke in a record time of 59.78. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Brittany Reimer of Surrey, B.C., broke her second national record in two days, earning the fourth fastest time in the 1,500 freestyle preliminaries. She clocked 16:16.21 to smash the 16:24.39 she swam at trials last month.

Softball women open with win

Canada's women's softball team opened the Americas Region Olympic qualifying tournament with a 9-1 win over Venezuela yesterday in Puerto Rico. The winner of this week's five-country tournament clinches the eighth and final berth for the women's softball tournament at the Athens Olympics next summer.

Chelsea splurges for two players

Chelsea spent 24 million pounds ($54 million Cdn) yesterday, acquiring winger Damien Duff from Blackburn for 17 million pounds and defender Wayne Bridge from Southampton for seven million. The Bridge deal also sent Chelsea defender-midfielder Graeme Le Saux to Southampton. Duff becomes the fourth big signing in owner Roman Abramovich's Blue revolution, which has seen Real Madrid midfielder Geremi, West Ham fullback Glen Johnson and Bridge sign up.

Grand Prix incident goes to court

A 56-year-old man appeared briefly in court yesterday, a day after he was arrested for disrupting the British Grand Prix by running on the track during the race. Neil Horan appeared in Northampton magistrates court charged with one count of aggravated trespassing. No plea was entered and he was sent back to jail pending a court appearance next week.