Faces In The Crowd

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COLOR PHOTO: ROBERT BINDER Rocky Carson, Santa Maria, Calif. Racquetball Carson, 19, won a record third straight world singles crown in the 18-and-under bracket, winning his five tournament matches by an average score of 15-5.7. In the process he led the U.S. junior team to its eighth consecutive team title.

COLOR PHOTO: BRIAN SNYDER Katie Payson, Falmouth, Maine Duathlon Payson, 33, a social worker, was named 1998 overall female duathlete of the year by USA Triathlon. She finished first among all age groups in the amateur division of the world championships, beating second place Elisabeth Moser of Italy by two minutes and 15 seconds.

COLOR PHOTO: BRIAN FERGUSON Ajamu Gaines, Springfield, Ohio Basketball Gaines, a junior shooting guard at the University of Charleston (W.Va.), led Division II in scoring with a 28.9-point average through Sunday. He had career highs in consecutive games with 41 points against Concord College and 43 against West Virginia Tech.

COLOR PHOTO: CHARLES REGISTER Vanessa Webb, Toronto Tennis Webb, a senior at Duke and the defending women's NCAA singles champion, won the ACC indoor singles title with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Mariel Verban of Wake Forest. Webb has led the No. 2-ranked Blue Devils to a 103-match winning streak in the conference.

COLOR PHOTO: ROBERT BARCLAY/CMU Glen Jenkins, Taylor, Mich. Track and Field Jenkins, a senior at Central Michigan, was named the Mid-American Conference co-athlete of the week after winning the 35-pound-weight throw, with a school-record heave of 63'7 3/4", and the shot put (52'5 1/2") at the Bowling Green Tri-Meet.

COLOR PHOTO: DAVID DOYLE Tim Champney, Seminole, Fla. Swimming Champney, a junior at George Washington, had the Atlantic 10's best times this season through Sunday in the 50-yard freestyle (21.07), 200 free (1:41.17), 100 backstroke (49.73) and 200 backstroke (1:49.19). In a meet against Maryland and Villanova he won both backstrokes and the 50 free.