FOOTBALL

AUTOPSY ON HERRION INCONCLUSIVE

The cause of offensive lineman Thomas Herrion’s death cannot be determined until toxicology tests are performed, a process that usually takes three to six weeks, a coroner said yesterday. The 23-year-old offensive guard for the San Francisco 49ers collapsed in the locker room Saturday night, minutes after the team’s exhibition game against the Broncos on a 65-degree evening in Denver. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead shortly after.

Howard Daniel, an investigator with the Denver coroner’s office that performed an autopsy on Herrion, said nothing was readily apparent about why he died. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound rookie, who played in college at Utah, was noticeably winded as he walked off the field after the game, but didn’t look much different than teammates who played beside him at game’s end.

FURTHER TESTS NEEDED ON MANNING’S ELBOW

Giants quarterback Eli Manning will have further tests on the right elbow he injured Saturday night in a 27-21 victory over Carolina, coach Tom Coughlin said yesterday. The second-year quarterback had an MRI and is scheduled to be examined by the team’s orthopedist today.

Manning was injured in the second quarter when Carolina’s Julius Peppers came from Manning’s right side and slapped the ball out of his hand as he was about to throw it. Manning stayed in the game and threw a 41-yard touchdown to Amani Toomer on the Giants’ next series, but said his elbow was bothering him on the sideline before he re-entered the game.

BASEBALL

SHOULDER SURGERY WILL END ROLEN’S SEASON

All-Star third baseman Scott Rolen will have surgery on his left shoulder and miss the rest of the season, the St. Louis Cardinals said yesterday. Rolen, 30, has a torn labrum and was told he will need at least six months to rehabilitate it after surgery.

Rolen missed 67 games this season in two stints on the disabled list after a May 10 collision with Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Hee-Seop Choi. He had surgery three days later, but the shoulder did not get better. Coming off four straight 100-RBI seasons, Rolen was hitting .235 with five homers and 28 RBI in 56 games.

TRACK & FIELD

GATLIN, FELIX RUN TO WINS IN BRITISH GRAND PRIX

World champions Justin Gatlin and Allyson Felix won the 200-meter races at the British Grand Prix yesterday in Sheffield, England, while Kim Collins and Veronica Campbell won the 100.

Felix comfortably won her race in 22.54 seconds, but Gatlin had to make up ground on Tyson Gay to edge his American teammate at the line in 20.04. Gay finished in 20.09, with Stephane Buckland third in 20.39.

Collins, the 2003 world champion in the 100, clocked 10.01 seconds, while Campbell won the women’s sprint in 10.89 seconds.

– Associated Press